By Ashley Tucker-Swathwood
The question that I’m most commonly asked is—What is the overall benefit of working in competitive indus- tries like pageantry or modeling?
Working in the pageant and modeling industry, you find yourself surrounded by beautiful, intelligent women on a daily basis. But rarely do we ever stop to think about where these girls have developed their self confidence, poise, and speaking abilities. Unfortunately, with the negative light the media often portrays and the general public opinion of pageantry, too few people are really ever given the opportunity to see the benefits of pageantry.
I find myself amazed by the strong and confident leaders these girls have become and the role pageantry has played in developing those qualities. These girls are taught from a very early age vital speaking skills that will ensure success in their future. Parents of my girls always tell me how the other children at school have asked where they’ve learned to talk so well on stage or in front of the class. I’ve also noticed it positively affects their ability to make new friends and their willingness to try new things. They are not only confident leaders but enthusiastic joiners because new situations aren’t intimidating or uncomfortable for them. However, I feel the most important thing these events provide participants of all ages is their ability to speak in any situation with confidence; a skill that will last a lifetime.
A: First and foremost, it’s important to remember that not all judges are the same and therefore may be looking for something slightly different. However, in the end, the judges should all be looking for the same thing—to get to know you and find out why you are the best candidate for the job at hand (titleholder).
You’ll notice that I did say “should” because there is always a chance you may have a judge on a panel that might be looking for something different or more specific personal or physical qualities. You cannot control or prepare for those types of judges, so it’s better to focus on those you can prepare for. Most judges are looking to really “connect” with a contestant and feel like they are having a real conversation instead of a question and answer session. So my advice is to smile, take a deep breath, and throw everything else out the window. Instead, try to have an open and honest conversation with the judge or judges about who you are and what type of titleholder you would be.
Personally, I believe a girl stands out when she tells the judges how she feels and who she is rather than what she thinks we (judges) want to hear.
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