That First Impression: Why Your Voice Matters In An Interview
Your Voice Matters When Trying To Make A Great First Impression
There are so many factors that play into creating your first impression when you are interviewing. One of those factors that is not addressed enough is your voice. Conclusions can be drawn simply by the way you speak. Whether those assumptions are correct or not, it does not matter when you are being considered for a job. You need to actually listen to your voice and analyze how you sound. If you have trouble being honest with yourself, ask someone you can trust to provide you with honest feedback.
The rate or speed of your words is very important. If you talk too fast you may be perceived as nervous, impulsive, disorganized, immature, or even flighty. On the other hand, if you talk too slow you may be perceived as lacking intelligence, unable to keep up with a fast paced environment, older or lacking overall confidence.
The best place to be is in the middle of too fast and too slow. You need to speak clearly, distinctly, slowly and thoughtfully. Try to pronounce each syllable, the syllables that are meant to be stated. If you are unsure of a word you need to look it up in the English Dictionary, never assume anything. If you keep your speaking at a medium pace, you are able to get your thoughts across more clearly and easily. If you want to check your speech, you can tape yourself speaking or you can speak in front of a mirror. Both techniques are helpful and will provide results!
Relax Speech To Avoid ‘Pitchiness’
Your pitch is also extremely important. If your pitch is normal, this won’t apply to you. However, if you have a very high pitch it can be more annoying than anything else. A high pitch is associated with women, but definitely occurs with men as well. Part of lowering your pitch to a professional level is relaxing your speech. It is a difficult thing to accomplish. First, you must learn to control any nervousness, which is difficult to do in an interviewing situation. If you speak too low you may be hard to understand. It may also be perceived as not being honest. It is also important in business to have a voice that projects professionalism.
The too soft voice is often perceived as a lack of self confidence, fearful and self conscious. The too loud voice is again annoying and can sometimes be an indication of feeling of superiority. There needs to be a happy medium when you are in any professional situation.
Verbal crutches are habitual phrases you use; they are extra words you throw in to give yourself time to think. The two most often abused crutches are “uh” and “ah.” Often people are not at all aware they use these words. Once you record yourself talking you may find numerous crutches.
You Know, Like, Nix The Slang
Another crucial part of listening to your speech is looking for any type of slang words. These are very common with teenagers. However, it is also common with adults who are not aware of the terms they use. Some of these slang terms are “you know, like, no way, cuz, yeah, for real and for sure.” These sound funny in this text, but these simple words can assist in a company taking a pass on you for their opportunity.
Be aware of your voice and realize the necessity to listen to your voice and analyze it. Practice and speak confidently, it will open more career opportunities for you!
Want more great advice on food & beverage interview preparation?
Contact a Kinsa Group recruiter today. Experts in executive and c-level food & beverage recruitment, our insights can bring you one step closer to the ideal opportunity or professional.