If you are the young person this is about, the practical part starts a few paragraphs down, under “So here is what I would say to you instead”. Skip ahead if you want to; the numbers are still there afterwards.
On 27 August 2026, the BBC featured a piece by education editor Branwen Jeffreys and producer Hope Rhodes, in which they asked employers what they look for when hiring. The responses came from a diverse group, including a bar team in Leeds, a jacket factory in South Shields, and an infrastructure company working on power lines, and surprisingly, their answers were quite similar. Employers are looking for individuals who can organise themselves, solve problems as they come up, work well with others, come up with new ideas, judge what information to trust, and communicate effectively.
Behind this piece is a five-year research journey, generously supported by the Nuffield Foundation and guided by the National Foundation for Educational Research. Their final report, published in November 2025, shares exciting insights into the key skills that will shape our economy in the years ahead. They highlighted six crucial skills that will make a meaningful difference.
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Creative thinking
- Information literacy
- Organising, planning and prioritising
- Problem solving and decision making
It’s not qualifications
None of these are formal qualifications, and I believe the second one on the list actually encompasses many of the others. Collaboration hinges on effective communication under pressure; problem solving is demonstrated when someone explains how they approach a problem they’ve never encountered before; and making sense of information really counts when you can clearly explain its meaning to someone who hasn’t seen it.
The figures can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s important to understand them. In August 2026, the Office for National Statistics reported that about 981,000 young people aged sixteen to twenty-four were not in education, employment, or training between April and June that year. That’s 13% of that age group, or roughly one in every eight, highlighting a significant challenge we should be aware of.
Alongside that, there’s the interim report from Alan Milburn’s independent review on young people and work. It surveyed 500 employers in March 2026 and found that the biggest challenge they face when hiring young people is a lack of soft skills or work readiness, which 42% mentioned. This highlights how important it is to support young people’s development to better prepare them for the job market.
Asking young people
The finding I really want to share with you isn’t just what the employers mentioned. The same review asked young people who are out of work and not in education what could help them. Two thirds of them, 67%, said the current curriculum had failed to prepare them for work, and 64% agreed that soft skills, especially speaking, would have a very positive effect when applying for jobs. They already understand what is expected of them. What’s missing is someone to show them what it actually involves.
That’s the gap I want to explore, because over twenty years of coaching people in speaking skills, I’ve yet to meet anyone truly helped by simply being told to work on their communication. This includes chief executives too. It’s more of a wish than a direct instruction, and if you have a son or daughter somewhere between education and their first real job, you’ve probably noticed that just saying it often gets a nod, but not much more.
Why there are no lines to learn here
There’s a lot of advice out there about what young people should say in interviews, but I haven’t found that borrowed lines really hold up in a real situation. Sometimes, what sounds good in theory doesn’t quite work in practice. When you’re under pressure, your words can sound different, almost as if they belong to someone else. That’s because they do! The listener often notices the shift instantly, even if they can’t quite explain what they heard later.
Scripts also carry a quieter cost: they teach a young person that the version of them that turns up naturally is not quite good enough, and that belief is very close to being the whole problem in the first place.
So here is what I would say to you instead
If you are the young person this is about, the rest of this is for you rather than about you. What follows is the framework I use with everyone I coach, which I call The Presenter’s Operating System. It has seven parts, and I have kept all seven because they hold each other up, and pulling one out tends to bring down the rest.
It is the same seven I teach to people running large companies. Not a simplified version for beginners. The same one, in the same order, because the nerves are the same, the voice in the head is the same, and the things that help are the same.
You are already running an operating system, by the way. Nobody asked you before installing it. Here’s a simple overview of your settings, so you can understand them at a glance.
One: the voice that got there before you did
Everything else rests on this one. I call it Headstuff, and it is the collection of half-remembered embarrassments, worries and running commentary that walks into a room ahead of you and talks loudly enough to drown out whatever you meant to say.
You might notice thoughts like, ‘They might ask about the gap,’ or ‘Everyone here has more experience than I do,’ or even, ‘Who do you think you are?’ Here’s an important thing to remember about these thoughts: most of the time, no one actually said them to you. Your mind created these ideas somewhere along the way, and because you repeated them often enough, they started to feel like facts. That’s why I refer to it as Headstuff. It’s not real information about you; it’s just something your mind came up with.
You’re unlikely to turn it off completely, and honestly, nobody really does. Some of the chief executives I coach have the same inner voice; they just happen to wear more expensive outfits. What you can do is simply become aware of that voice when it starts talking. Once you have caught it talking, it is much easier to ignore than a voice you have mistaken for the truth.
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When the voice says you are not good enough, ask what you would say to your best friend if they said it about themselves. You would not accept it from them for a second, and you would probably have an answer ready. Then ask where the evidence is — not for whether you are good enough in general, but for that specific claim, today. Most of these sentences collapse the moment they are asked to prove anything. Ask yourself whether anyone ever really said it to you, or whether you have been repeating it to yourself for so long that it started to sound true. Almost always, it is the second one. Name the thing you are actually dreading, then ask what you would really do if it happened. Most fears shrink when you make them answer a practical question, and the ones that don’t are the ones worth preparing for. |
Two: the one true thing
This layer, known as Message, isn’t just a script or an opening line. It’s the heart of what you want the other person to really understand about you by the end.
It doesn’t need to be impressive, and in fact, aiming for impressiveness often results in cliché sentences that no one truly speaks. It must be true, because only truthful statements are the ones we can speak fluently when our heart is racing.
The reason to have one is that whatever you get asked, you know where you are trying to get back to. It is a destination, not a speech.
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Finish this aloud: if they only remember one thing about me tomorrow morning, let it be this. Say it out loud instead of writing it down, because speaking naturally clarifies your thoughts better than writing. If you can’t say it without copying words from the job ad, it’s not truly yours yet. Keep practising until it sounds like you. Repeat it immediately. The second version is usually shorter and clearer than the first, and it’s the one that sticks. |
Three: what you actually want to happen
Many people often overlook the importance of intention, which is why so many end up talking a lot without really reaching a meaningful destination. When we clarify our intentions, our conversations become more focused and fulfilling.
Most people step into an interview hoping just to get through it. That’s totally understandable, but aiming only to survive can make the experience feel like just damage control. You can usually tell within about four seconds of hearing their voice.
Choose a different option. Figuring out if you’d genuinely enjoy working there is a smart move, as it subtly shifts you from hoping to get chosen to someone who values their own standards. People tend to respond to that more than they might actually say.
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Before you go in, finish this sentence: by the time I walk out, I want this person to know that I ______. Something they could actually repeat to a colleague afterwards. “He learns fast, and he’ll turn up” is one. So is “she stayed calm when I threw a difficult question at her.” Neither of those needs any experience at all; they are things you do in the room. Split it into three. What do I want them to think, what do I want them to feel, and what do I want them to do? The ‘feel’ one is the one nobody considers, and it decides most hiring. If you cannot answer at all, that is worth knowing now rather than in the room. It usually means you are applying for something you do not want, which is a different problem and a more useful one. |
Four: they need you more than you think
This layer is Resonance, which means understanding the people in front of you well enough to build for them rather than for yourself. It also does more for nerves than anything else here, which surprises most people.
Start with something true that almost nobody tells you. Good people are hard to find. That is not encouragement; it is the whole reason this article exists. When the Milburn review asked employers what their biggest challenge was in hiring young people, 42% named a lack of soft skills or work readiness. The next biggest concern, the resilience of young people, was named by only 10%. If you are the right person, they want you at least as much as you want them, and they are hoping this goes well rather than waiting for you to slip.
That changes how you prepare. As difficult as it feels when your own nerves are taking up all the room, try putting yourself in their shoes for a few minutes. They have a job to fill and a manager waiting for it; they will have to live with whoever they choose, and getting it wrong costs them months.
Taking a moment to sit with that idea is helpful. It’s normal to feel nervous when speaking, mainly because we tend to focus too much on ourselves, how we come across, what our hands are doing. But remember to shift your attention to the person you’re talking to. Think about what they’re trying to achieve by hiring someone like you. What could make their job easier once you’re involved? Being curious about them keeps your mind focused on their needs rather than getting caught up in your own performance. This simple shift can make all the difference in feeling more confident and connected.
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Work out what problem they are trying to solve by filling this role, then say something about it while you are there. Almost nobody does, and it is usually the only part of the conversation that is about them. Write down one question you would genuinely like the answer to. Not a clever one designed to impress; a real one, because you will not have to remember to ask it, and their answer tells you whether you want the job. Whenever you feel your attention drifting back to yourself, softly redirect it back to their face. Remember, it’s not just about looking confident; genuinely listening and being fully present shows you care, making your connection more sincere and warm. |
Five: say less
Clarity is all about removing anything that doesn’t serve a purpose, and for many, it feels more like a matter of subtraction rather than addition.
When you’re feeling nervous, you might find yourself talking more instead of less. After finishing one sentence, the silence that follows can feel quite overwhelming. To try to fill that silence, you often add another sentence, which can occasionally weaken or change the meaning of what you just said. Remember, it’s completely natural to feel this way, and with a little practice, you can find ways to feel more comfortable in those quiet moments.
That silence lasts about a second and a half. It might feel like an eternity, but it’s really just a moment.
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Try answering first, then pause for a moment. Count to two silently after your last word before deciding whether to add anything else. That’s all there is to the technique, and it works right away. Practise at home with someone, where it costs nothing. Answer a question, then stop, even when it feels unfinished. Do this until the silence is no longer an emergency, which takes less time than you think. Trust the follow-up. If they want more, they will ask, and their question tells you exactly what interested them, information you would never have got by carrying on talking. |
Six: the two minutes before
Centring is the return to yourself just before you speak, and the two minutes in a reception area decide a great deal of what follows. They are also the two minutes nobody has ever coached you on, which is why you usually spend them on your phone while your breathing goes shallow and your attention hunts for everything that could go wrong.
Three things, and I teach them in exactly this form to people running companies. Not a word changes.
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Breathe. In for five, hold for two, out for eight. The long exhale does the work, so don’t rush it; four rounds is plenty. Practise it this week while nothing is at stake, because nobody learns a new skill for the first time in a crisis. Decide where your attention is going when you walk in, before you walk in. If you don’t decide, it goes looking for danger, because that is what it does when it is left to itself. Notice what you are saying to yourself in the corridor, because that sentence tends to become the interview. If it needs changing, swap it for something you can actually stand behind. Telling yourself you are brilliant will not work if you do not believe it — you will hear the lie in your own voice. Something small and true holds up much better under pressure. “I have prepared for this” is true if you have. So is “I want to find out what they’re like,” or “I’ve done harder things than this,” or simply “I’m allowed to be here.” Pick yours now rather than hunting for one while you are waiting. |
Seven: how you carry it in
Voice is the final touch, acting as the body, breath, and habits that bring everything into the room with you. It’s not about perfect pronunciation or a strong handshake with steady eye contact, as career advice has often suggested for as long as I can remember.
Remember that your body language speaks before your words do. When your shoulders are tense and you’re taking quick, shallow breaths through your mouth, your voice may come across as thin and uncertain. These nonverbal cues are often understood by others even before they hear your actual words, so taking a moment to relax can make a big difference in how you’re perceived.
The aim is to be truly yourself, not to become someone else. This might be more challenging than it sounds, but it’s also much simpler than pretending to be someone you’re not. Embracing who you are is the real goal, and that’s what truly helps.
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Take a breath out before you answer, not in. Most people gulp air in, start talking straight away and run out halfway through the sentence, which is what makes an answer trail off just as it was getting somewhere. Let the old breath go first, then take a new one, then speak. Sit with both feet on the floor and your shoulders down away from your ears. Set it once as you sit, then forget it. A body you check on all the way through is a body that takes your attention off the person opposite. Let your hands do whatever they want. Nobody has ever been turned down over their hands, and trying to control them takes up attention you need elsewhere. |
One last thing
None of this is a personality transplant, and none of it needs months of practice. It is seven things to think about, and most of them happen in the ten minutes before you walk in.
It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t have to figure this out all on your own, and it’s worth stating clearly. The NFER has highlighted that, unlike in many other countries, the English national curriculum doesn’t outline and incorporate a core set of transferable employment skills. This means the six skills employers value most are the ones for which no one has clear teaching responsibilities. The people teaching you seem to agree. In the Milburn review, 74% of education professionals said there was too much focus on passing exams, and 73% felt there was not enough focus on teaching soft skills for work and employment.
If no one has ever shown you this before, please know it’s not your fault. It’s simply a gap in the system, and you’ve been caught in it. You’re not alone, and understanding this is the first step towards moving past it.
Where this comes from
National Foundation for Educational Research, Skills Imperative 2035: final report (Luke Bocock, Michael Scott and Jude Hillary, 25 November 2025), funded by the Nuffield Foundation.
Department for Work and Pensions, Young people and work: interim report — analytical annex (the Milburn review), for the survey of 500 employers carried out by IFF Research and the survey of young people who are NEET carried out by YouGov.
Department for Work and Pensions, Survey of education professionals: Young people and work report, for the findings on the curriculum, exams and soft skills.
Office for National Statistics, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: August 2026, for the April to June 2026 estimates.
BBC News, Want your job application to stand out? Employers say they look for these six skills (Branwen Jeffreys and Hope Rhodes, with additional reporting by Hannah Karpel, 27 August 2026), also for the 10% figure on resilience.
National Foundation for Educational Research, The six most essential employment skills people will need to thrive in the future workforce, for the point about the national curriculum.
Where to go next
If you would like to work on this yourself, our open public speaking courses in London are built around small groups and plenty of practice.
To go deeper than a course can reach, our one-to-one public speaking coaching offers a confidential space to work out why you communicate the way you do.
If your organisation is hiring, developing or losing young talent, our presentation skills training for teams can be built around exactly this challenge.
If you know someone who is trying to be seen and not managing it, please pass this on. The seven ideas here are the layers of The Presenter’s Operating System™, in plain English, and they are free to anyone who needs them.
Image courtesy of Canva.com
