Summer is here and that means a flood of new graduates entering the workforce and preparing for their first job interviews. Unfortunately, despite their newly developed skills, a lot of young professionals find that they’re having a much tougher time landing their dream job than they had anticipated. One problem that often holds people back from landing the job is poor communication skills that lead to a poor impression in an interview. This can be particularly problematic for young adults who have less experience communicating in a professional setting. Take a look at these three communication tips to help you stand out from the crowd and ace that interview!
- Keep It Clear: In addition to improving the clarity of your message, crisp, well-enunciated speech instantly boosts your professionalism. Clear speech makes you appear articulate and confident while running your words together or mumbling makes you seem lazy and unprofessional. Make sure to pronounce all of the sounds in each word, particularly the consonants at the ends of words.
- Eliminate Filler Words: Peppering your speech with words and phrases like “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know,” and “right?” make you appear unprofessional and unsure of yourself. Record yourself one day when you’re on the phone or talking with a friend—you may be surprised by how many fillers find their way into your speech! If you want to reduce the number of fillers you use, our 4-step system is a great place to start.
- Avoid “Upspeak”: Upspeak is the habit of continually raising your tone at the end of a sentence so that it sounds like you’re asking a question even when you’re making a statement. Upspeak is common among young adults and can make you seem as though you’re lacking confidence.
Want to take your communication skills to the next level and land your dream job? We offer a training program specifically designed for young adults! Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or send us an e-mail at info@corporatespeechsolutions.com to learn more. I’d be more than happy to answer any questions you might have!
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