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Your Voice Can Make or Break Your Job Interview – Speak Well!



Our voice and speech is as unique as our fingerprints. People judge us by the sound of our voice and the clarity of our speech during job interviews, business situations, and even social occasions. Isn’t it, then, strange that we often neglect this amazing and useful tool and devote so little time and effort into developing it?

That’s why, Jessica Seet, Founder and Voice Coach at Art of Voice, is passionate and motivated to help people discover their hidden voice and learn to use their optimum voice to achieve communication success in their daily lives.

jessica
 

Jessica, why is speaking clearly and pronouncing our words well so important, for example, at a job interview?

When we talk about preparing for job interviews, the areas that receive a lot of attention are resumes, interview attire and even interview answers. These are all definitely important, but one crucial area is how well we speak at the job interview.

Our speech is the very medium of communication that we use to impress upon the interviewer that WE are the right candidate for the job. Through our voice and speech, the interviewer determines our intelligence, our level of education, understands our thought process and gets a glimpse of our personality.

That is why speech is an area that we should devote time and attention to develop to maximise our chances for success at a job interview.
 
What are some common speech errors that people make, for example, at job interviews and business meetings?
 
Not speaking loud enough
when the person you are talking to can’t really hear what you are trying to say, he or she will lose interest very fast.
 
Not pronouncing words clearly
you don’t have to use an American or even British accent when you speak professionally. You must, however, pronounce your words clearly, and one way to do this is to enunciate your words so you don’t sound like you’re mumbling.
 
Not speaking in complete sentences
there’s nothing more boring to your listener than being given one word answers like “Yes”, “No”, “Can”, “Sure”. So always answer in complete sentences.
 
Speaking in a flat and dull manner
when there is no inflection (altering the pitch or tone in your voice), what you say will come across as very dull and with no impact. You will be perceived as a dull individual. For example, saying -
1. “I love tennis”
Is very different from saying -
2. “I love tennis!”
 
Notice how the italicised ‘love’ and the ‘exclamation mark’ in the second sentence make a big difference in the message conveyed. You can really feel the energy and passion for tennis in the second sentence. Likewise, when you speak, it’s important to emphasise certain key words so that your communication is more vibrant and has more impact.
 
What are some good speaking techniques that people can use to practice for their job interview?
Say the words out loud
by saying out the actual words that you would use in your replies to the interviewer’s questions, it will help you to be mentally prepared and improve your articulation.
 
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
communicating at a job interview is very much like a performance. By that, I don’t mean that you become someone else, but rather, you must come across as polished, confident and natural when you speak to your interviewer. And the only way to achieve this level of natural confidence is by rehearsing how you would answer the interview questions until you can say the answers smoothly without having to pause and think for a long time.
 
Is there a particular public personality, whom you think is a good speaker and communicator?

Barack Obama, the current president of The United States, is an eloquent speaker and an excellent communicator. He has a good command of English, pronounces his words clearly, and has good pacing (pausing in between sentences) and rhythm (emphasis on certain words) as well.

Furthermore, Barack’s speeches are very empowering and engaging. He has a warm personality that stirs positive emotions in those he communicates to.

 
What are some of the tips to taking good care of our voices?
Prior to giving a speech/ presentation/ attending a job interview, these are some tips for you -
   
1.
 Drink plain water about 2 hours in advance so that your vocal chords will be moist and comfortable.
   
2.
 Avoid dairy products, such as milk, as they lead to the formation of thick mucus which irritates your vocal chords and cause throat discomfort.
   
3.
 Avoid coffee, tea and alcohol as they take moisture away from your vocal chords and make your throat dry.
   
4.
 Avoid spicy food as it can cause reflux and also cause your throat to be inflamed.
   
5.
 Stop the “ahem” action of clearing your throat as it will eventually cause an inflamed throat. A better thing to do is to push warm air through your throat to clear it.
   
6.
 If your throat is sore, don’t take too many mints as it won’t cure your sore throat and serves only as a temporary quick fix.
   

To find out more about Jessica’s biography, click here.

To find more about Art of Voice, click here.