| Think about the kind of impression you want to | | | | There is no try, only do or do not. - Yoda |
| convey to your interviewer or hiring manager: | | | | These phrases often sneak into your everyday |
| experience, ability, and confidence. Your confidence | | | | conversation, but you don't want them in your job |
| comes out in your physical presentation, your body | | | | interview. |
| language, and what you say and how you say it. Yes, | | | | Speech fillers: |
| you must research the company, prepare quality | | | | Job interviews generally make people nervous, and |
| documents, and deliver substantial answers to | | | | understandably so: you're being judged. And when |
| interview questions, but employers are also looking at | | | | people get nervous, they often start peppering their |
| the intangibles: energy, drive, enthusiasm, and great | | | | speech with "ums," "uhs," "like," "you know," and other |
| communication skills. | | | | space fillers that ultimately detract from their message. |
| Confident speaking is an interview skill that is essential | | | | What's the message you want to send? That you are |
| to presenting yourself as a winning candidate. Here are | | | | absolutely the candidate who can take this job and run |
| 3 major areas where candidates fall short: | | | | with it. That you will make your new boss look like a |
| You convey uncertainty with your phrases: | | | | superstar for hiring you, and that you have no doubts |
| Sounding even remotely uncertain of your ability to do | | | | about your ability to be successful. To convey this |
| the job you're interviewing for (and do it well) is an | | | | message, you need to speak clearly, concisely, and |
| interview killer. No employer is going to hire someone | | | | confidently. No "ums" or "uhs" allowed. |
| who isn't even sure himself if he is capable, or who | | | | Watch your language: |
| promises to bring inferior communication skills to the | | | | Inappropriate or unprofessional language is generally |
| job-especially in sales. What phrases convey | | | | frowned upon when you interview. Everyone "knows" |
| uncertainty? | | | | that, but it bears repeating. For instance, it seems |
| I think | | | | obvious that you shouldn't say "crap" in your interview, |
| I hope | | | | but it's happened--and the candidate lost the job. An |
| I would hope that... | | | | interview is a situation where you're putting your best |
| Hopefully | | | | foot forward. If your best foot is less than completely |
| If | | | | professional, what are you going to be like on the job? |
| Try | | | | If you need help with polishing your communication |
| Maybe | | | | skills, consider joining Toastmasters or a similar group |
| Sometime | | | | so that you can practice speaking publicly. Also, a |
| With luck | | | | good career coach can help you spot those |
| If possible | | | | tendencies in your conversation, and give you the kind |
| Possibly | | | | of constructive feedback that will eliminate any |
| You don't want to "hope" to handle this job, and you | | | | uncertainty you may have about your interviewing |
| don't want to "try" it. You want to do it. | | | | skills. |