| You may look good on paper but do you sound as | | | | Sloppy Speech-This is incorrect pronunciation as in the |
| good as your resume looks? Careless speech habits | | | | example "aks" for "ask", "ath a lete": for "athlete," "wif" |
| can keep you from getting that plum job. | | | | for "with" "dree" for "three. Slurring words together or |
| Companies seek job candidates who are well-spoken | | | | dropping off the ending of words will impair the clarity |
| and articulate | | | | of the message., To avoid slurring and to increase |
| And recruiters won't represent a job candidate if they | | | | understanding, speak more slowly during an interview. |
| don't match the client's profile. | | | | Make a list of commonly mispronounced words and |
| According to Lori Zelman, Vice President of Human | | | | practice saying them into a tape recorder. before the |
| Resources at Strategic Workforce Solutions in New | | | | interview. |
| York City, "The people most highly sought after are | | | | Speed Talking-Speed talkers are perceived as |
| the ones who are succinct in the explanation of their | | | | nervous. While everybody feels a little anxiety during |
| work experience."' | | | | an interview, you don't want your information to fly by |
| Here are some of the biggest speech habits that can | | | | like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to |
| create a negative impression" | | | | follow. To avoid rushing, do some breathing exercises |
| Non-words-Filler words such as "um," "ah", "you know", | | | | before the interview to slow down your racing heart. |
| "okay", or" like", tell the interviewer you are not | | | | Listen to the question and count two beats in your |
| prepared. A better strategy is to pause and breathe. | | | | head before answering. At the end of your sentence, |
| Think before you speak. Everybody utters an | | | | count two beats again before continuing. Pausing is an |
| occasional "um" but don't start every sentence with a | | | | effective communication technique. Don't be afraid of |
| non-word. | | | | silence. The interviewer needs a few seconds to |
| Uptalk -A singsong or rising inflection at the end of | | | | process what you just said. |
| every sentence creates a tentative impression. It | | | | Weak Speak-These are wimpy words that modify or |
| sounds as if the candidate is asking a question instead | | | | water down your conviction. The end result is that it |
| of making a statement. To speak with conviction, bring | | | | weaken your position. When a conversation is |
| you intonation down at the end of a sentence. | | | | peppered with words like "hopefully," "perhaps,:" I feel,"" |
| Grammatical Errors-The interviewer may question | | | | I wish," "I'll try," " if," "kind of," "sort of, " the message |
| your education level when you use incorrect grammar | | | | being conveyed is a lack of confidence. Take a stand |
| or slang. Expression such as "ain't ", "She don't," "He | | | | by using power words such as "I'm confident that.," |
| should've went," " Me and my friend," "So I goes to | | | | "My track record shows," "I take the position that," "I |
| him," are not appropriate for an interview. Be sure that | | | | recommend," "My goal is.." The language you use gives |
| you speak in complete sentences and that the tenses | | | | the listener insight into your level of confidence and |
| agree. The interview is not the venue for regionalisms | | | | conviction. |
| of extreme informality. | | | | You don't have to study elocution to speak well. |