Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed a variety of strategies for landing and acing an interview. Crafting the perfect resume and cover letter and preparing for the interview are all critical to success. But if your interviewer can’t understand your speech, all that preparation may be for nothing! Today we’ll discuss tips for effective, clear communication in the interview.
- Don’t Rush: When nervous, many people rush their speech. Resist the temptation, and make a conscious effort to slow your rate of speaking. In addition to making your speech difficult to understand, talking to quickly can give the impression that you are uneasy and lacking confidence.
- Articulate, Articulate, Articulate! Put extra effort into pronouncing each and every sound of each and every word. Be particularly careful with sounds at the ends of words, which many people drop without realizing it. Clear speech is not only critical to professional success, but it helps create an air of intelligence and professionalism—qualities every employer is looking for!
- Don’t Rely on Fillers: It’s natural to want to stall for time when trying to answer difficult questions on the spot, but using filler words such as “ummm” or “well…” make you sound inarticulate and overly casual. If you feel the temptation to use a filler word, pause or take a breath instead.
For information on the New York Based Speech and Accent Reduction services offered by Corporate Speech Solutions please give us a call at 917.841.2965 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com
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