Interview about speaking career
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 10:28 AM
Subject: Rand Snow participating in representing his career
Dear Marcia,
I’m just checking in to see if you thought Randy Snow would have time to participate and represent his career to students across the nation. He was nominated and referred to me by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association.
Please take some time to answer these open-ended questions. Please include all details that may be relevant to students who are exploring a career similar to yours. Imagine that the student has come to interview you about what you do for a living. Here are some questions they might ask:
My job title:
Speaker and Trainer.
1) Can you start by telling me a little about what you do?
Currently I train and speak to corporate audiences. The topics are motivation, safety, teamwork, dealing with change and leadership. I have worked for private and publicly held companies as well as city entities.
2) What does a typical day at work look like for you? (If there is no typical day, please describe a recent project.)
Well I fly a great deal so that is included in a typical day. My office would bring in the lead for a speaking engagement. Once we have the demographics of the audience then i spend 4-5 hours studying the company and preparing a specific speech for them. also i have prioritized working out so usually in the late afternoon or evening i would get my 1 hour workout in.
3) Can you please describe your career pathway, including how you became interested in your field?
I had the stories like winning Olympic and Paralympic medals. I also had the business experience as well. I really wanted to motivate others so I began to study other speakers who were well known. This took months to study and then develop my own stage appeal.
4) What skills are needed to excel in your occupation?
An understanding of business and non profit companies and how they operate. Marketing is necessary since many decisions must be made like copy for web site and biographical material. Writing skills for blogs, communication or writing a book are pretty important. Also being comfortable speaking in front of audiences. I have done some audiences that were over 5000 people.
5) What are the challenges and rewards of your career field? Pros/Cons? Like Most/Least?
Pros would be travel, get quick studies on lots of organizations and companies and how they work. Also the money right now anyway is very good. Meeting interesting people is a great perk.
The downs would be I’m never home. Nothing is regular. I never really know where the business will come from so there is some worry. There is a lot of pressure on me to study thoroughly the groups I will be speaking to.
6) What educational degrees/training have you completed?
Undergraduate BBA. I am halfway through getting my Masters in Psychology. I also took a course in Toastmasters.
7) What are your future goals or plans as they relate to your profession?
I’m getting my masters and I hope to begin teaching at a college or university or be a high school counselor or a counselor in a rehab center.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Any surprise fun facts about you? Have any life passions?
I am currently very addicted to golf. I love the sport. Also I like to read, ride my hand cycle for long rides like 20-25 miles. I have a motorcycle that I ride.
9) Do you have advice for someone trying to enter your career field?
Study the best speakers out there. Develop your own style, your own message and your unique tag line. Expect to work hard and not make a great deal of money as you start. But if you stick with it, I feel confident that things will work out.
10) What would you say to a child who has a disability similar to your own about their future and finding a career that they enjoy?
My disability is not a weakness or a set back, it is strength. People notice me, remember me and like to hear how I came through the accident and of the tools I used to succeed. Figure out what you really love to do, set a goal and work your butt off. Do not listen to the voice that says you are different or less than or that because you are in a wheelchair life is more difficult.
Anything else that may be beneficial to be aware of that we haven’t already covered?
There is nothing more important than what we tell ourselves!
No dream ever died because of circumstances, dreams die because of lack of effort!
Paralysis has nothing to do with the spinal cord, it’s the mind. In order to succeed today it takes a %100 Able Bodied Mind!
Randy Snow
The Offices of Randy Snow
NOXQs, Inc
P.O. Box 266
Terrell, TX 75160
888 797 6700 Marcia/Darlene
972 524-6791 fax
512 791-9000 cell
www.randysnow.com
randy@randysnow.com