By Guest Blogger, Diane DiResta
www.diresta.com

Click Here to listen to Diane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio

You may look good on paper or in your suit, but if you’re looking to nail your big interview or speech, looks aren’t everything. How you sound is often more important. But many speakers let careless speech habits sink their chances of landing that plum opportunity to communicate their message clearly and sell more books.

Here are six common language mistakes and how to keep them from sabotaging your interview:

1. Non-words: Filler words such as “um,” “ah,” “you know”, “OK” or “like” tell the interviewer you’re not prepared and make you sound like a Valley Girl (or Boy). A better strategy is to think before you speak, taking pauses and breaths when you lose your train of thought. Everybody utters an occasional “um,” but don’t let it start every sentence.

2. “Up-talk”: A singsong or rising inflection at the end of every sentence creates a tentative impression and makes it sound as though you’re asking a question instead of making a definitive statement. You need to speak with conviction when selling yourself in an interview or selling your book from the stage. Bring your intonation down when ending a sentence to avoid talking up.

3. Grammatical Errors: The interviewer may question your education when you use incorrect grammar or slang. Expressions such as “ain’t” “she don’t,” “me and my friend” and “so I goes to him” aren’t appropriate. Be sure you speak in complete sentences and that tenses agree. The interview and the platform are not the venues for regional expressions or informality.

4. Sloppy Speech: Slurring words together or dropping their endings impairs the clarity of your message. To avoid slurring and increase understanding, speak slowly during an interview. Make a list of commonly mispronounced words, and practice saying them into a tape recorder before the interview. Some common incorrect pronunciations include “aks” for “ask,” “ath a lete” for “athlete,” “wif” for “with” and “dree” for “three.”

5. Speed Talking: While everybody is a bit anxious during an interview or presentation, you don’t want your information to fly by like a speeding bullet. A rapid speaking rate is difficult to follow, and speed talkers are seen as nervous. Slow down your racing heart by doing some breathing exercises before the interview or before you go out on the stage. To avoid rushing, listen to the question, and then count two beats in your head before answering. When you finish a sentence, count two beats again before continuing. Don’t be afraid of silence. Pausing is an effective communication technique. The interviewer and audience need a few seconds to process what you just said anyway.

6. Weak Speak: Wimpy words modify or water down your conviction and in the end your position. When you pepper a conversation with “hopefully,” “perhaps,” “I feel,” “kind of” and “sort of,” the message you convey is a lack of confidence. Use power words such as “I’m confident that,” “my track record shows,” “I take the position that,” “I recommend” or “my goal is.” The language you use gives the listener an impression about your level of confidence and conviction.

The Bottom Line

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

Copyright © Diane DiResta. All rights reserved.

Click Here to listen to Diane’s interview with Jennifer at 9:00 am EST on the WomensRadio