Tips on poise and polish for young execs

SINGAPORE - Just as they take on their work with fire in their bellies, the 16 finalists of My Paper Executive 2013 are doing the same when it comes to the competition.

The grand finale is set for Friday, and, going by a recent catwalk class, the execs are raring to go.

Held at DanceSport Studio and conducted by grooming instructor Rizal Ahyar, the class was part of a series of grooming sessions and workshops aimed at prepping the finalists for Friday.

The execs learnt how to work the stage and picked up the intricacies of presenting themselves with poise and making a stellar impression.

For instance, how one stands can speak volumes about one's character. Standing straight makes a huge difference.

Lawyer Deryne Sim, 27, admits that she tends to slouch when she walks.

But she got tips on how to work on her posture - standing straight, pulling back her shoulders and keeping her stomach in.

These are things that will go far beyond the contest, and will help her project a more polished image in corporate settings, she said.

Urging the finalists to be dynamic in their poses, Mr Rizal also told them to remember one thing: "Exude confidence."

That's key in making impressions, onstage or offstage.

"It's all about your poise and how you carry yourself," he said, adding that the execs should always visualise the way they want to come across to others, and work to project that image through body language.

Even the way one takes off his or her jacket comes with its own tricks. And, if done right - without showing the inner lining of the jacket - the simple act of doffing outerwear will come off as sleek and dapper.

To leave an impression when speaking, Mr Rizal told the finalists not to "swallow" their voice.

"Project it," he said forcefully.

For foreign-exchange specialist Nabil Mattar, the catwalk session was a lesson full of insights that he will be taking to work.

He has a tendency of holding his hands out in front of him in an awkward way, something he had never realised.

"Mr Rizal pointed out that...it makes me look like a chimpanzee," said the good-natured 31-year-old, with a hearty laugh.

"I'm still trying to get used to straightening them a little more so I might shed that image."

In just three days, the 16 finalists will vie for the grand prize of $10,000. Both the first and second runners-up will take home $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.

The annual contest, which drew over 500 entries, is now in its sixth year.

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