Description
The art of discourse that aims at improving the ability of writers and speakers to inform, persuade or motivate their audience.
Alternative labels
argument
oration
debate
Skill type
knowledge
Skill reusability level
cross-sector
Relationships with occupations
Essential knowledge
Rhetoric is an essential knowledge of the following occupations:
Public speaking coach: Public speaking coaches provide, often private, instruction to clients in theory and techniques on how to improve their public speaking skills. They identify each client’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor their instruction to their specific needs, which may include improving the client’s vocal delivery, articulation, presentation abilities and body language. Depending on the background of the client, be it business, education or otherwise, public speaking coaches also instruct clients or students in persuasive arguing, rhetorical delivery and other debating techniques.
Medium: Mediums claim to act as communicators between the natural world and the spiritual world. They convey statements or images which they claim have been provided by spirits and that can have significant personal and often private meanings to their client.
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Government minister: Government ministers function as decision-makers in national or regional governments, and head government ministries. They perform legislative duties and supervise the operation of their department.
Foreign correspondent: Foreign correspondents research and write news stories of international importance for newspapers, journals, magazines, radio, television and other media. They are stationed in a foreign country.
Advertising manager: Advertising managers perform the implementation of the advertising initiatives planned in the strategic marketing plan. They organise and prepare the resources needed to launch advertising campaigns and operations in advertising agencies. They prepare and align the communication channels, negotiate contracts, and ensure that operations adhere to budgets.
Member of parliament: Members of parliament represent their political party’s interests in parliaments. They perform legislative duties, developing and proposing new laws, and communicate with government officials to assess current issues and government operations. They oversee the implementation of laws and policies and function as government representatives to the public to ensure transparency.
Astrologer: Astrologers analyse constellation and motions of celestial objects and specific stellar and planetary alignments. They present this analysis together with their own interpretations about clients’ temperament, predispositions related to their health, love and marriage issues, business and job opportunities and other personal aspects.
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Public relations manager: Public relations managers strive to convey and maintain a desired image or reputation of a company, individual, governmental institution, or organisation in general to the public and stakeholders at large. They use all sorts of media and events to promote the positive image of products, humanitarian causes or organisations. They attempt to ensure that all public communications portray clients the way they want to be perceived.
Fortune teller: Fortune tellers claim to foretell future events about a person’s life and provide clients with their interpretation. They often use various techniques such as card reading, palm reading or tea-leaves reading.
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Columnist: Columnists research and write opinion pieces about news events for newspapers, journals, magazines and other media. They have an area of interest and can be recognised by their writing style.
Spokesperson: Spokespeople speak on behalf of companies or organisations. They use communication strategies to represent clients through public announcements and conferences. They promote their clients in a positive light and work to increase an understanding of their activities and interests.
Philosopher: Philosophers study and argument over general and structural problems pertaining to society, humans and individuals. They have well-developed rational and argumentative abilities to engage in discussion related to existence, value systems, knowledge, or reality. They recur to logic in discussion which lead to levels of deepness and abstraction.
Public relations officer: Public relations officers represent a company or organisation to stakeholders and the public. They use communications strategies to promote an understanding of the activities and image of their clients in a favourable way.
Communication manager:
Communication managers, as spokespersons, the communications issued by the company for both the internal and the external clients. For internal clients, meaning the employees, communication managers ensure that communications reach each one of the employees and further questions can be answered. For external parties, they coordinate coherence among the messages transmitted in mails, printed materials, press articles, and corporate promotional materials. They strive to maintain truthful communications.
Entertainment journalist: Entertainment journalists research and write articles about cultural and social events for newspapers, magazines, television and other media. They conduct interviews with artists and celebrities and attend events.
Business journalist: Business journalists research and write articles about economy and economic events for newspapers, magazines, television and other media. They conduct interviews and attend events.
Political journalist: Political journalists research and write articles about politics and politicians for newspapers, magazines, television and other media. They conduct interviews and attend events.
Psychic: Psychics claim to have extra-sensory talents to gather information and insight into people’s lives, events or situations. They offer advice to clients about topics of importance to their clients such as health, money and love. Psychics often work with traditional practices such as tarot card reading, palm reading or using astrological charts.
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Critic: Critics write reviews of literary, musical and artistic works, restaurants, movies, television programs and other themes for newspapers, journals, magazines, radio, television and other media. They evaluate theme, expression and technique. Critics make judgements based on their personal experience and knowledge.
Optional knowledge
Rhetoric is optional for these occupations. This means knowing this knowledge may be an asset for career advancement if you are in one of these occupations.
Secondary school teacher: Secondary school teachers provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually specialist subject teachers, who instruct in their own field of study. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary and evaluate their knowledge and performance through assignments, tests and examinations.
Religion scientific researcher: Religion scientific researchers study concepts related to religions, beliefs and spirituality. They apply rationality in the pursue of morality and ethics by studying of scripture, religion, discipline, and divine law.
Senator: Senators perform legislative duties on a central government level, such as working on constitutional reforms, negotiating on bills of law, and settling conflicts between other governmental institutions.
Lawyer: Lawyers provide legal advice to clients and act on their behalf in legal proceedings and in compliance with the law. They research for, interpret and study cases to represent their clients in a variety of settings such as courts and administrative boards. They create arguments on behalf of their clients for lawsuits in different contexts with the aim of finding a legal remedy.
University literature lecturer: University literature lecturers are subject professors, teachers, or lecturers who instruct students who have obtained an upper secondary education diploma in their own specialised field of study, literature, which is predominantly academic in nature. They work with their university research assistants and university teaching assistants in the preparation of lectures and of exams, in grading papers and exams and in leading review and feedback sessions for the students. They also conduct academic research in their respective field of literature, publish their findings and liaise with other university colleagues.
Public affairs consultant: Public affairs consultants function as representatives for a client’s goal. They attempt to persuade legislative bodies and policy makers to implement laws or regulation in accordance with the client’s wishes, and negotiate with parties with potentially conflicting interests. They perform analytical and research duties in order to ensure that the client’s cause is being addressed in an appropriate way to the appropriate parties. They also consult their clients on their causes and policies.
Journalist: Journalists research, verify and write news stories for newspapers, magazines, television and other broadcast media. They cover political, economic, cultural, social and sport events. Journalists must conform to ethical codes such as freedom of speech and right of reply, press law and editorial standards in order to bring objective information.
Prosecutor: Prosecutors represent governmental bodies and the general public in court cases against parties accused of illegal activity. They investigate the court cases by examining evidence, interviewing involved parties, and interpreting the law. They use the results of their investigation in order to present the case during court hearings, and to construct persuasive arguments in order to ensure the outcome is the most favourable for the parties they represent.
Literature teacher secondary school: Literature teachers at secondary schools provide education to students, commonly children and young adults, in a secondary school setting. They are usually subject teachers, specialised and instructing in their own field of study, literature. They prepare lesson plans and materials, monitor the students’ progress, assist individually when necessary, and evaluate the students’ knowledge and performance on the subject of literature through assignments, tests and examinations.
Provincial governor: Governors are the main legislators of a nation’s unit such as a state or province. They supervise staff, perform administrative and ceremonial duties, and function as the main representative for their governed region. They regulate local governments in their region.
Literary scholar: Literary scholars research works of literature, history of literature, genres, and literary criticism in order to appraise the works and the surrounding aspects in an appropriate context and to produce research results on specific topics in the field of literature.
Life coach: Life coaches help clients set clear objectives for their personal development and help them achieve their goals and personal vision. They provide counselling and guidance and establish progress reports in order to keep track of their clients’ achievements.
References
- Rhetoric – ESCO