ROTARY CLASSIFICATION TALK OUTLINE
A “classification” describes the principal activity of the company or business with which a Rotarian is connected. For example, a police officer could be classified as “law enforcement”, a school principal as “public education”. The reason for classifications is to ensure a well-balanced club with members of many vocations.
One of Rotary’s four avenues of service is “vocational service”, whereby we honor and respect our individual contributions to our community through our vocations. New members are given an opportunity to share their vocation by giving a classification talk.
The following is a rough guideline for giving a classification talk:
1. State your name, where you currently work, and what you do there.
2. Give a brief history of yourself. This can include where you were born, childhood interests and family statistics, people that had an influence on you, major life events such as military service or travel.
3. Talk about your work history, training and education. This can include why you chose your profession (or perhaps why it chose you).
4. If desired, you can share your present hobbies, interests, values and beliefs. This could include why you joined Rotary, what you hope to gain from it, and what you feel you can contribute.
5. Finally, the best part, it should take 5-10, no more than 15 minutes. It is a great opportunity to share information about yourself. Relax and enjoy!
