Saks will deliver Spark’s signature keynote speech about speaking anxiety: “Fear to Fun: Why you freak when you speak in public, and how to calm your nerves and wow your crowd.”

Career Transitions has booked Spark’s keynote on conquering speaking anxiety.

Speaking anxiety often delays and excludes job seekers and entrepreneurs from desirable employment that requires speaking to colleagues, industry peers and/or members of the press.

Strong speaking skills and confidence conversely open up opportunities for businesspeople to gain access to high-end jobs, and to ply their speaking skills before large groups, creating new opportunities for advancement.

“Fear to Fun” helps job-seekers and entrepreneurs start to build those speaking skills by shrinking their most common roadblock, speaking anxiety. The program explains the physiology that underlies the widespread fear of public speaking. It then shares easy, practical tips for lessening its symptoms from preparation through performance.

Topics include:

• The role of evolution in speaking anxiety
• Four common fears that amplify that anxiety
• The science behind symptoms from sweaty palms to butterflies
• Fast, easy strategies to mitigate that fear

The keynote will be supported by a customized slideshow, discussion and demonstrations as time allows.

Career Transitions of Greater Boston is a supportive, interactive workshop for professionals who are unemployed and/or seeking to improve their skills and develop strategies to broaden their career options. Its core service is a free weekly workshop that meets Tuesday mornings at the Burlington Public Library in Burlington, MA for networking, elevator pitches, interactive facilitated workshops and accountability checks.