After years in front of a computer, I suddenly found myself required to make a 10-minute presentation in front of our users group, a couple of hundred people, showing off the new electronic help files I’d done for our software. This was back when electronic help files were the new thing. It went well, and my perceived value in the company jumped big time.
Whether to a few people or to a crowd, being able 
to speak in front of others can have a big impact on your career. So make sure what you say is fresh and to the point, meaning pertinent and brief.
Marty Nemko, author of Cool Careers For Dummies, offers these tips:
Start with a shared experience, not a canned joke.
State one to five main points you will make.
Illustrate each point with an “illustrative story.”
End with an inspiring story and a call to action.
“Good speeches require good stories,” Nemko says. “The best ones evoke emotion and offer a lesson.”
