| Hi | | | | If you say something like... |
| The importance of language and the correct way to | | | | ...'We achieved 20% sales growth over the last 6 |
| express yourself in a job interview | | | | months' |
| ''It is not what you say but how you say it'' The English | | | | The interviewer immediately thinks....who achieved the |
| language is so varied in the number of different ways | | | | sales growth? Was it your efforts, or maybe one of |
| that you are able to convey the same sentiment or | | | | your colleagues? |
| facts. | | | | The job interview is a fact finding exercise about you. |
| In a job interview expressing yourself with the | | | | Keep any answers in the first person.... |
| appropriate use of language will make all the | | | | 'I work within a sales team but I was directly |
| difference. This is particularly true for graduate | | | | responsible for achieving...' |
| interviews where there is little or no career to hang | | | | 'My efforts resulted in....' |
| your hat on and the impression you give at the job | | | | Keep the interview focused on YOU. It is your one |
| interview will be used almost entirely to distinguish you | | | | opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer. |
| from the other candidates. | | | | Keep your language crisp and precise by focusing the |
| When it comes down to it the actual facts of your | | | | conversation on yourself only. After all that is what the |
| experience and career account for much less than | | | | interview is here to find out. What can YOU do for |
| you might think. It is the overall impression that the | | | | their organisation? |
| interviewer gets from a candidate that will ultimately | | | | Make sure any achievements are firmly focused on |
| determine job interview success. The experience | | | | you as an individual. |
| presented in your CV will get you the interview but | | | | Don't sound desperate |
| that is only the starting point. | | | | Anyone who sounds desperate will project a poor |
| It is widely agreed that the non-verbal skills, the way | | | | image. You need to appear self-assured and confident |
| you present yourself, your dress, smile and confidence | | | | in the job interview. Even if you are desperate for the |
| actually account for around 60% of the overall | | | | job do not express this in your tone of voice. People |
| impression. The language you use and the way you | | | | who sound desperate radiate a poor impression. The |
| express yourself accounts for about another 30%. | | | | job interviewer is asking themselves why the person is |
| The remaining 10% or so is actually the answers that | | | | desperate. What are they hiding? Don't let the job |
| you give and the facts of your career. | | | | interviewer have that conversation in their head. It can |
| Of course giving good solid replies is important but if | | | | be fatal to your job chances. |
| you say it in the wrong way you will disadvantage | | | | Individual words you should remove from your |
| yourself. | | | | interview vocabulary |
| Let us focus on the do's and the don'ts of how you | | | | Lastly the following are a list of words or phrases |
| express yourself. | | | | which have been adopted into interviews as a means |
| Eliminate the word 'No'. | | | | of making yourself look important or to try to impress |
| Firstly, eliminate the word 'No' from your job interview | | | | with you wide vocabulary. |
| vocabulary. In fact anything remotely negative needs | | | | In reality they can be over used, ambiguous and worst |
| to be removed. Unfortunately, subconsciously when | | | | of all difficult to explain if challenged to their context |
| someone hears the word 'no' it is considered negative | | | | and meaning. Some are just so clichéd as to |
| and suggests disagreement. You will need to express | | | | make you look unprofessional. Remove these from |
| the sentence in a different way. It is easy to change. | | | | your interview vocabulary. |
| 'No, it happened like this....' could become | | | | A lot of the words lack a realistic measurement of |
| 'Actually, it happened like this...' or | | | | size or definition. This list can never be complete but is |
| 'What actually happened...' | | | | a good starting basis. Read through the list and |
| With every negative question you are asked make | | | | eliminate from your everyday speech. Some of these |
| sure you reduce the impact, then turn it around make it | | | | words apply to your resume but not necessarily all of |
| a positive example. | | | | them. Your resume is written in a different style and |
| If you need further examples of this watch politicians | | | | context to what you are saying in your interview so |
| being interviewed. All the questioning is negative yet | | | | the language applies differently. |
| they spin the answer round to firstly reduce the impact | | | | Aggressive - too negative, how far would you go to |
| of the negative question and then highlight some strong | | | | succeed? |
| positives. They often do not even answer the question | | | | Ambitious - over used on its own. You need to |
| that was asked! | | | | demonstrate ambition not just state it. |
| There is no reason why you should avoid answering | | | | Awesome - when applying for a job, just ridiculous |
| the question after all you have nothing serious to hide. | | | | 'Bang to rights' - Best to omit |
| However the way of answering by avoiding any | | | | 'Bang on' - Best to omit |
| negatives is all important to your success. | | | | Bravado - Heard this used in interviews! A bit comical |
| The interviewer is looking to tick all the boxes and any | | | | 'Bring to the table' - Bit of a cliché |
| residual negative thoughts about the candidate will | | | | Bullish - Out-dated and unspecific |
| linger a lot longer than the positive ones. | | | | 'Copper bottomed guarantee' - Just don't use it |
| Eliminate weak prefixes | | | | Creative - too unspecific, needs backing up. Also |
| Secondly you need to express yourself with conviction | | | | 'creative accounting' has a negative tone to it. |
| but also in a humble way. | | | | Cutting edge - Too unspecific. Trying to sound techie |
| Let me show you some examples of what I mean: | | | | and modernist |
| 'I tend to think that my greatest trait is my decisiveness | | | | Cross or across platform - which platforms? |
| at making decisions.' | | | | Decisive - Need to be more specific and show |
| Well this is a contradiction. You cannot start a | | | | examples |
| sentence with 'I tend to think' and then go on to list | | | | Destined / Destiny - Cant think why this should be |
| decisiveness as a trait. | | | | used in an interview, although I have heard it! |
| The use of tentative language such as | | | | Determined - Bit vague and over used |
| 'I tend to think' | | | | Dig deep - Excavating? This is a job you are going for |
| 'I believe' | | | | not entering a marathon! |
| 'I feel' | | | | Dynamic - Prove it when talking about yourself. A |
| 'I suppose' | | | | 'dynamic environment' also sounds vague. |
| 'I guess' | | | | Eager - too unspecific. Everyone can claim to be |
| ...just will not do. You need to be affirmative and | | | | eager |
| positive in your statements. Eliminate the 'weaknesses' | | | | Effective - Who says it was effective? |
| from your speech they give the impression of | | | | Energetic / energised - Again everyone will claim this |
| someone who is unsure of what they are saying. | | | | obvious trait. |
| So do you start every sentence with 'I am....'?....well no. | | | | Engaged - too vague and clichéd |
| Actually this can sound a bit abrupt and harsh or | | | | Experienced - In what way, make sure you follow up |
| arrogant. There is a better way of expressing yourself, | | | | qualifying the statement. Better to detail experience |
| saying exactly the same thing. | | | | rather than claim it. |
| Get a 3rd party endorsement of your skills. | | | | Expert - Bit boastful - asking to be challenged |
| 'My friends and colleagues have said that I am....' | | | | Extensive - too vague often goes with experience |
| 'I have often been told by my line manager that I have...' | | | | Fantastic - Too starry and vague |
| 'My peer group at work said....' | | | | Flexible - Need to demonstrate - better to be |
| 'If you check my references you will find they say I | | | | adaptable or refer to being a team player. |
| am....' | | | | Goal orientated - Cliché |
| Third party endorsements like these make you sound | | | | High achiever - Probably not if you have to mention it |
| more humble and modest with out losing the impact. | | | | Innovative - Again need to demonstrate |
| You don't necessarily require 3rd party endorsements.... | | | | Judgemental - Could be negative |
| 'It is often said....' | | | | Keen - Again everyone will claim this obvious trait. |
| 'In my experience....' | | | | Knowledgeable - too vague |
| 'During my time at...' | | | | Knowing - sounds negative |
| These will all work and are effective ways of | | | | Leading edge - Too vague and clichéd |
| expressing yourself. They are more effective than | | | | Loyal - Don't need to say this |
| bluntly saying 'I did this...' | | | | Mission critical / Mission accomplished - Too sci-fi |
| You are being interviewed not you and your | | | | Out of the box - Thinking mans cliché! |
| ex-colleagues! | | | | Perceptive - a bit vague |
| What do I mean by this? A lot of people find that one | | | | Perseverance - Needs to demonstrate with examples |
| of the aspects they enjoy about going to work is their | | | | Pro-active - Demonstrate how you are pro-active |
| colleagues, the team ethic and the camaraderie which | | | | Quid pro quo - heard this in interview and just thought |
| goes with it. This is a great positive! It is important to be | | | | the person was showing off their use of language! |
| a team player. It is one of the key attributes that | | | | Receptive - If you have to mention you are receptive |
| makes you a great all round candidate. | | | | then you probably aren't |
| However you need avoid referring to the team when | | | | Reliable - Too vague |
| answering job interview questions and describing your | | | | Revolutionize - Too radical to be believed |
| experience and abilities. It dilutes the answer and could | | | | Self-motivated - Out of date |
| confuse the interviewer. | | | | Successful - Too vague |
| The interviewer is interested in you as an individual not | | | | Synergies - Over used and vague |
| what your team or department has collectively | | | | Transform - A bit too unbelievable |
| achieved or is able to do. | | | | Up to date - Bad terminology |
| When you are discussing your abilities you definitely do | | | | Vision / Visionary - Bit off-beat |
| not want to start the sentences with 'we', 'our team', | | | | There are of course others and you need to think of |
| 'the group' or any other such collective terms. The | | | | context when considering using these words. Make |
| interviewer wants to know about your abilities and | | | | sure you view the above words as potentially |
| expects you to use the 'first person' to describe your | | | | dangerous as they lack the necessary clarity and |
| experience. | | | | impact you want to convey. |
| ....'I was instrumental in improving...'' | | | | Hope all this has been of benefit and helps with your |
| ....'I was responsible for....'' | | | | job hunting and job interview techniques. |