Discuss your views with others

Having a strong stance on politics is good, but make sure you can deliver your view without offending anyone.  Chose a close friend to help you with this.  The last thing you want to do is offend anyone, so be sure to end on a positive note, while still delivering your opinion.  For example, if you are asked about plastic surgery and you believe plastic surgery is unnecessary, be careful how you deliver the answer - the current winner, or the girls before and following you may have had cosmetic work done.  You could say something like: 'I personally don't believe in cosmetic surgery because I am happy enough in my own skin, however if someone feels they need it to improve their self esteem, then I think that is fine too.  I do however, think that the most important thing is that you are a beautiful person inside.'

 

Practice with a mock interview

Some people love this, and others late it!  You wouldn't go into a job interview unprepared, so why should your pageant interview be any different? Look online for common pageant questions and jot down your immediate responses - then read them and tailor them to what you really want to say.  Get your friend/mock interviewer to ask you hard questions, so you can practice thinking on your feet.

 

Relax and breathe deeply

Give yourself 5 minutes before going into your interview to calm down, breathe deeply, and relax.  You can't talk if you don't breathe.  Have fun and relax, you're going to be great!

 

Perfect your 'Look'

Having the knowledge upstairs is very important, but you also need to look the part.  Chose an interview suit that compliments your skin tone, figure and hair colour.  Try to keep it formal - a jacket and skirt is always a good place to start.  Chose an outfit that makes you look, and FEEL a million dollars!

 

Enter with Confidence!

To be a winner is not just down to chance, it's an attitude!  Enter the room with confidence, shake the judge's hands, smile, and sit down confidently.  If you enter the room looking like you've already won, then the judges will believe you can win.  Don't look down, shuffle or fidget.  Keep your hands neatly on your lap, sit up straight and smile while talking.

 

If you don't know the answer...

If you don't know the answer, or are confused by a question the interviewer asks, just say so.  Either ask them to repeat the question (which will give you more thinking time), or ask for another one.  Never apologise.

 

Talk about how you help others

Serving and helping others is a fundamental part of being a beauty queen.  To be able to talk about how yo've served others, you need to be able to talk with passion!  From organising a charity event, to selling cakes at the local library, to helping at the local church creche, to volunteering at the local charity shop, don't be shy to mention any form of service in your interview.  If you volunteer in any way, make sure that you mention it in your interview.

 

Let the real you shine!

You want to be appear comfortable, confient, mature and friendly.  Make eye contactwith every judge during te interview, and imagine you are talking to your friend's parents - be polite but not too formal, ecuated but not snobby.  Laugh, smile, and joke a little.  Let your personality shine through by being expressive, and completely you!

 

Direct questions towards what you want to talk about

The judges may have a set of questions they want to stick to, so be sure to come up with bridging sentences - these are sentences that bridge the gap between what the interviewer asks you and what you want to tell them.  For example, if the interviewer asks a relatively typical pageant question such as: 'What is your favourite thing about yourself' you could answer: 'My favourite thing about myself is my brain.  I am very proud of what I have accomplished academically.  Having been awarded a scholarship to study Business at LSE, I took the opportunity seriously and have since continued to fundraise for the scholarship fund since graduating, by organising a charity ball which raised over £5,000 for the scholarship fund.  My goal in life is always to give back to others.'  Be in charge of your interview.  If at the end, they ask you if you would like to tell them anything else - don't hold back.  Tell them whatever you feel you need to, so they consider YOU their winner!

 

If you keep doing what you're doing and aren't winning, think about what you need to change, and change it.  Our coaches at UKB are experts in pageant ettiquette and can teach you how to create winning answers.  We're here to help on our training page!