Are public speaking skills a cheat code for IT career success?

2 weeks ago 6

In a global and often competitive tech job market -- where recruiters can be inundated with thousands of applications for a single open position -- knowing which skills are in demand and improving your knowledge and confidence in key areas can help job applicants stand out from the crowd.

But which business skills are most important for a successful career in tech? That's the question Spiceworks and Aberdeen Strategy & Research (both part of the Ziff Davis family, like ZDNET) recently posed to 800+ IT professionals who work in roles ranging from the server room to the board room. The Spiceworks State of IT report is an annual study, published since 2011, which covers key business insights on tech spending, adoption of emerging solutions, and the IT job market.

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While it should come as no surprise that most IT professionals surveyed believe that foundational technical skills (e.g., core technical knowledge, problem-solving, and cybersecurity) are essential, many soft skills also rank high on the list. For example, most respondents believe team collaboration, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence are just as important (or even more so) than knowing how to script or write code.

The 2025 edition of the State of IT also uncovered another crucial soft skill that can accelerate IT career growth, especially for those who aspire to move up the organizational chart. According to the research, two-thirds of all IT professionals (67%) believe public speaking skills are important for a successful career in IT, with senior tech leaders (holding a director title or higher) significantly more likely to hold this belief.

How public speaking can advance IT careers

Beyond the data from this study, IT professionals in Spiceworks recently shared personal anecdotes on speaking skills helping to advance their technical careers. They offered their insights in the Spiceworks Community, where millions of IT professionals go to learn about and voice their opinions on all things IT.

"All IT people need to know how to talk to non-IT people, you don't want their eyes to cloud over because of your geek speak. Everyone in business needs to know how to sell things, and in general, life is about selling yourself to other people, both in business and in relationships." -- Alex Fogerty

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"Interestingly, even though I've been working in IT for about thirty years now, my actual college degree (well one of the two) is in Speech Communication. It's definitely been a help when I've had to present to management, or give classes and tutorials to users." -- EdT

"My college degree is in modern languages, and I'd say it's helped more than any tech training course I've done since, simply because being able to communicate gets you leagues ahead of any other skill in tech." -- aimsmeee

Mind the public speaking skills gap

Data and personal wisdom suggest that proficiency in public speaking is somewhat of a prerequisite for holding a senior tech leadership role, yet many IT professionals aren't convinced of their abilities.

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The Spiceworks 2025 State of IT report reveals a significant public speaking skills gap between IT staff and management: Only 41% of IT professionals holding staff titles (i.e., not people managers) are very or extremely confident in their public speaking/presentation abilities, compared to 70% of senior IT leaders holding a director title or higher.

Public speaking tips for IT pros, by IT pros

If you're an IT technician or a systems administrator who aspires to move up the ranks, how might you bridge the public speaking gap? IT professionals in Spiceworks recently offered relevant advice for peers looking to improve their communication prowess.

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"I communicate not only with computers but also with humans. If I know what I am talking about, I can be very confident talking in front of one person, five, or fifty… Most of the people in front of you want you to succeed… If I make a mistake, fix it and move on. Most people that are there want to hear from you, so don't sweat it." -- Nutster

"Know what you are trying to communicate. Have a general idea of the tone of the room before starting. Presenting live DnD is going to be very different than providing a post-incident report on a ransomware attack. This will tell you how much character you can fit into your presentation. In the former, go crazy and entertain. In the latter, get the facts out, take any clarifying questions, and then get the hell outta Dodge… The best advice that I can give is that it gets a little easier each time." -- jjoyner-voicebrook

"It helps to NOT think about the fact you may be talking to a few thousand people! What I find works for that or if talking to a crowd from a stage is imagining that they're just a BIG group of MATES in a PUB… or at a sports match - we're all on the same side (hopefully!) and everyone is a friend. Makes it a lot less daunting!" -- lmicallef

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"One of the mantras for briefings that I picked up over the years is: Tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Then … shut up. No need to stir up confusion or boredom by trying to continue the briefing for no other reason than to hear yourself talking." -- Jeffjones11

"Learn your speaking style… I know a couple of pastors who write out their sermons word-for-word and rehearse them. I fail miserably when I do this. I have to speak from an outline only with the actual presentation of the content much more off-the-cuff. The outline guides me and makes sure I don't miss any key points, but doesn't constrain me. That way I can read the crowd and adjust my presentation as needed… Graphics/visuals that support your points bring humor, cause folks to think, etc., can greatly boost audience engagement. Blocks of bullet point text will put them to sleep… Little boosts my morale when speaking (more) than getting a hoped-for laugh out of an audience because of a slide that goes along with my points." -- MarkPayton