Interviewing Techniques Intonation: Convey Confidence, Clarity,

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Interviewing TechniquesIntonation Convey
Confidence, Clarity, Enthusiasm

• Kelley School of Business
• Stefani Kelso, MA, CCC-SLP
• September 19, 2005

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INTRODUCTION

• What employers want
• In a national survey of what employers look for
  in entry-level workers, near the very top was
• Listening and oral communication
• A study of what corporations look for in MBAs
  revealed the 3 most desired capabilities
• Communication skills, interpersonal skills,
  initiative
• from Working with Emotional Intelligence by
  Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.

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INTERVIEWING

• The recruiter is sizing you up observing you
  making judgments and drawing conclusions about
  you based on
• Your appearance, clothing, and accessories
• Your body language and facial expression,
  including your handshake and eye contact
• What they observe of your personality and
  interaction style
• Your answers to their questions
• Your communication skills

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COMMUNICATION SKILLS

• Communication skills are important on the job,
  and crucial during the interview process
• Recruiters observe how you say what you say
• Grammar, vocabulary, word choice
• How you organize your answers
• Vocal qualityis your voice clear and strong?
• Enunciation/pronunciationdo you speak clearly?
• Intonation

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• Intonation What is it?

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INTONATION

• Pitch
• High/low/middle how pitch moves up and down
• Rhythm
• Long/short relative length of syllables and
  words
• Linking
• Pausing
• Loudness
• Rate
• Stress/emphasis

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• Intonation is part of every language
• Comparison of how different languages use
  intonation
• When you speak a second language, you apply the
  intonation patterns of your first language

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• There is absolutely nothing wrong with your
  intonation or your accent
• Recruiters value the many assets you can bring,
  including your multilingual talents and the
  richness of your background and experience
• So why work on intonation?

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• Its a matter of
• costs versus benefits

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COSTS

• If your intonation tends to be flat, even, and
  choppy, you may be sending the wrong message to
  recruiters
• Flat intonation can be associated with a lack of
  enthusiasm or confidence
• Choppiness can make you sound unfriendly or
  stiff
• American recruiters may have difficulty
  understanding what you say, because they are so
  accustomed to hearing American intonation

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BENEFITS

• Although American intonation is not innately
  better, you can obtain the following benefits if
  you change your style when you speak with
  recruiters

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• Can I really change the way I use intonation?

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• The way in which you use intonation can be
  changed with training and practice
• Lets try a few short activities
• Practicing with a hypothetical interview
  response
• Partner activity Your 60-second sound byte

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INTERVIEW RESPONSE

• One of my weaknesses/ is that I tend to take on
  a little too much responsibility,/ then feel I
  have to carry it myself.// I need to be more
  willing to talk with supervisors or colleagues,/
  ask for their suggestions,/ and even seek their
  help from time to time.

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SOUND BYTE/INTRODUCTION

• Stressed words and syllables raise your pitch,
  increase the length of the syllable
• Unstressed words and syllables make them short
• Pauses pause between groups of words and after
  punctuation
• Linking blend the ends of words into the
  beginnings of the next words
• Last word in a group lower your pitch

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• Throughout your job interviews, recruiters listen
  to the sound of your voice. If you choose to use
  your voice and intonation well, you will take
  advantage of a powerful tool for turning a job
  interview into a job offer.

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• For more information
• www.advanceamericanaccent.com
• info_at_advanceamericanaccent.com
• 325-8036