You may look good on paper but do you sound as good as your resume looks? Careless speech habits can keep you from getting that plum job.

Companies seek job candidates who are well-spoken and articulate
And recruiters won’t represent a job candidate if they don’t match the client’s profile.

According to Lori Zelman, Vice President of Human Resources at Strategic Workforce Solutions in New York City, “The people most highly sought after are the ones who are succinct in the explanation of their work experience.”‘

Here are some of the biggest speech habits that can create a negative impression”

Non-words-Filler words such as “um,” “ah”, “you know”, “okay”, or” like”, tell the interviewer you are not prepared. A better strategy is to pause and breathe. Think before you speak. Everybody utters an occasional “um” but don’t start every sentence with a non-word.

Uptalk -A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression. It sounds as if the candidate is asking a question instead of making a statement. To speak with conviction, bring you intonation down at the end of a sentence.

Grammatical Errors-The interviewer may question your education level when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expression such as “ain’t “, “She don’t,” “He should’ve went,” ” Me and my friend,” “So I goes to him,” are not appropriate for an interview. Be sure that you speak in complete sentences and that the tenses agree. The interview is not the venue for regionalisms of extreme informality.

Sloppy Speech-This is incorrect pronunciation as in the example “aks” for “ask”, “ath a lete”: for “athlete,” “wif” for “with” “dree” for “three. Slurring words together or dropping off the ending of words will impair the clarity of the message., To avoid slurring and to increase understanding, speak more slowly during an interview.
Make a list of commonly mispronounced words and practice saying them into a tape recorder. before the interview.

Speed Talking-Speed talkers are perceived as nervous. While everybody feels a little anxiety during an interview, you don’t want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow. To avoid rushing, do some breathing exercises before the interview to slow down your racing heart. Listen to the question and count two beats in your head before answering. At the end of your sentence, count two beats again before continuing. Pausing is an effective communication technique. Don’t be afraid of silence. The interviewer needs a few seconds to process what you just said.

Weak Speak-These are wimpy words that modify or water down your conviction. The end result is that it weaken your position. When a conversation is peppered with words like “hopefully,” “perhaps,:” I feel,”" I wish,” “I’ll try,” ” if,” “kind of,” “sort of, ” the message being conveyed is a lack of confidence. Take a stand by using power words such as “I’m confident that.,” “My track record shows,” “I take the position that,” “I recommend,” “My goal is..” The language you use gives the listener insight into your level of confidence and conviction.

You don’t have to study elocution to speak well. Simply slow down, take time to pronounce all the syllables, and leave the slang at home

Copyright Diane DiResta 2005.

Diane DiResta, President of DiResta Communications, Inc. is an International speaker, coach, and author of Knockout Presentations: How to Deliver Your Message with Power, Punch, and Pizzazz. To subscribe to Impact Player, a free online newsletter visit http://www.diresta.com.

Tags: business presentations, presentation skills training, public speaking skills, training coachbusiness presentations, presentation skills training, public speaking skills, training coach

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I just love job performance evaluations. Where else can you say things like

“Since my last evaluation, this employee has hit bottom and started to dig.”

“His team would follow him anywhere, but only out of morbid curiosity.”

“This employee would be out of her depth in a parking lot puddle.”

“She works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.”

Luckily, none of these statements were made BY or ABOUT me, but I’ve often wondered why those employees were hired in the first place. Was there no clue to their cluelessness BEFORE they were hired – like during the job interview?

I’ve been on many job interviews, on both sides of the desk. I’d like to offer a few tips on how to weather the interview storm.

First, the job-seeker’s tips:

DO NOT arrive late for the interview. If you blow through the door ten minutes late, you might as well not show up at all, because you’re not getting the job. Admit that you’ve just had the job search equivalent of a bad hair day and move on, because you won’t get the job.

DO NOT bring your breakfast or your lunch with you to a job interview! Stash the egg McMuffin or the chicken Caesar wrap in your briefcase, if you must, but flinging crumbs on the boss’s desk during the interview means you won’t get the job.

DO NOT wear an IPod to an interview and tell the interviewer you can hear her and the music at the same time. I swear to you I saw this done and I still wonder what on earth that IPod wearing fool was thinking. He didn’t get the job.

DO NOT doze off during the interview. Believe it or not, this will NOT create a positive view of your potential job performance. You won’t get the job.

DO NOT ask, during the interview, “What is it that you people do at this company?” This is something you might want to find out BEFORE arriving for an interview. If you choose to ignore this advice you won’t get the job.

DO NOT ask the interviewer if the company’s relocation policy covers moving your horse. It doesn’t, and asking the question makes you look like the part of your horse that’s furthest from its head. And you won’t get the job.

DO NOT offer to have the company logo tattooed somewhere on your body. Trust me, this isn’t a demonstration of loyalty – it’s CREEPY. And you won’t get the job.

DO NOT, no matter how tense you get during the interview, CALL YOUR THERAPIST for advice during the interview. The interviewer already knows that the company is full-up on crazy – they don’t need you to increase their crazy quotient. You won’t get the job.

DO NOT ask if the company has a policy regarding concealed weapons. Trust me, they do – and it’s a resounding NO GUNS, unless you work in law-enforcement. You’ll know this by the way the interviewer starts backing away from you after you ask the question. And you won’t get the job.

Now, to the employer side:

DO NOT ask the applicant, during the interview, what their gender is. If it isn’t obvious, just use their first name instead of Mr. or Ms. Whatever. Trust me - this might be the high-entertainment portion of your day – and do you really need that lawsuit?

DO NOT ask the applicant what their race or nationality is – it’s not legal, and do you really need that lawsuit?

DO NOT ask the applicant if they have a chronic medical condition, or a disability. You can ask about the total number of absences they had in the previous year, but not the number of sick days. If they arrive feverish and sweating for the interview, you can politely ask them if they’re OK, and avoid shaking hands with them, but that’s it. Do you really need that lawsuit?

DO NOT ask the applicant if they have a history of drug abuse. If they appear to be on drugs DURING the interview, you can use a drug test program to determine the applicant’s drug use status, but you can’t ask about past history. Do you really need that lawsuit?

DO NOT ask an applicant if they’ve ever been arrested. Prison tattoos on the forehead are a clue here. You can check their conviction record as part of a background check, but you can’t ask about ARRESTS. Do you really need that lawsuit?

It’s important for both sides of the interview to be prepared. The applicant should arrive on time or early with a clear understanding of the company, and the job in question. Grooming and personal habits will be under a microscope – look your best. Ask and answer questions as if your getting hired depends on it – because it does!

For the interviewer, remember that this is a real live person sitting across from you, not a resumé. Be cordial, put the applicant at ease – you’ll both get more out of the interview, even if you end up hiring someone else for the job. This applicant could end up being fantastic word-of-mouth for your company if she walks away feeling respected.

For the job-hunter – it’s not the size of your resume, it’s how you represent it in person that matters.

And for the boss – it’s not the size of your desk, it’s how you communicate across it that counts.

Casey Quinlan has spent over two decades in the news business, working stories for the major networks in the US and around the world. She recently hung out her shingle as a PR and media relations consultant, targeting technology companies making the innovations that change the world. Visit Mighty Casey Media on the web at http://www.mightycasey.com

Tags: interview skills, job interview, job searchinterview skills, job interview, job search

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I know what you are thinking. You’re thinking, “Wait a minute. Wouldn’t that be somewhat presumptuous if I were to ask the interviewer questions?” No. The truth of the matter is they want to see that you have enough intelligence and business sense to ask questions requiring informative answers. Most human resource professionals and hiring managers believe having an applicant ask questions is one of the most important aspects of the interview. They are able to tell more about you by the questions you ask than the answers you give in response to their questions.

Most everybody expects to have an opportunity to ask questions. However, many assume the interviewer is expecting questions that consist of compensation matters and they don’t want to appear to be focused on self centered issues. Invariably, they pass up the opportunity to delve further for more information about the job.

What they don’t realize is they should be asking questions regarding what will be expected of the employee and opportunities for growth in order to learn more about the job offered. Finding the right job and finding the right applicant is a two way street. The employer is looking for somebody that can and will meet their needs. You, on the other hand, are looking for a job that will fulfill your career aspirations.

The interviewer will obviously get to question you and your abilities so they can decide if you will be a good fit for them. You need to ask the questions to determine if the position is the right fit for you and this stage of your career. They want to know that you are coming into the employer/employee relationship with them with a good understanding of the expectations on both sides. Posing your own questions also demonstrates your communication skills in addition to showing your ability to accurately assess matters at hand.

Here is a list of five questions to ask that will show them you are someone they can count on to dig deeper for more answers, especially in high pressure situations.

1. What are the top priorities of the position?
2. What are the major challenges facing the company in the next few years and how does this position contribute to overcoming them?
3. What do you believe my weaknesses to be and how do you think they will affect my performance?
4. What do you see as my strengths and how beneficial do you believe they will be for the company?
5. Does this company value employee growth and, therefore, provide opportunities to further one’s training or education and career advancement?

This is another chance for you to show your willingness and desire to be prepared for the job. If asking intelligent questions of the person conducting the interview seems to put them off, it could be a clue to you that this isn’t the right job for you. If you see them sit up, take notice, and answer your questions readily, it’s a clue that your input as an employee will be valued and respected.

Go ahead. Now that you understand the importance of interviewing the interviewer go prepare your own list of questions. When it’s your turn to pose your questions, pay as much attention to body language as you do the verbal answers. By the time you leave the meeting you will probably have a good idea whether or not the position is a good fit for you if you are offered the job.

Compelling, targeted resumes that will open doors to interviews developed by Angela Betts. For more career and job search tips sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.resumeritr.com. Contact Angela at 501-467-8768 or info@resumeritr.com to request a free resume critique or resume development services.

Tag: job interview search hunting resume writing career how to ask a question interviewing interviewerjob interview search hunting resume writing career how to ask a question interviewing interviewer

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