SPEECH MANNERISMS

By Our Special Correspondent

As has been said before, the interview is an oral examination to assess your personality. Your speech mannerisms, therefore, assume much importance. They are a medium of communication and denote the cultural and environmental influences on your personality.

Ben Johnson’s famous quotation, “Speak that I may judge thee,” acquires a special significance in the context of interviews. It is said that a man’s linguistic style reflects and reveals his personality.

An interviewer assesses the impact of your speech on the basis of the following: the clarity of voice, its tone, speed of speaking, speech mannerisms and gesticulations.

Clarity of speech

We are judged by our speech. If you slur syllables, run words together or pronounce them incorrectly, you shall merit criticism for being careless or even ignorant. Modulate your voice when you speak to someone. Your effort should be to make the listener hear each word you say and, thus, clearly understand your viewpoint. The usage of words and sentences should be precise and audible so that the other person is able to follow them properly. Clarity here means that you speak out each word enunciating its phonetic constituents as clearly as you can.

Don’t use words which you find difficult to pronounce properly. The tone of your voice should be lively and audible. Cultivate the ability to speak in a firm, crisp and ringing voice. Make every effort to improve your diction and vary your voice to bring out important points. Keep a pleasant expression while speaking and do not rush through your sentences at breakneck speed.

Gesticulations

Closely related to your speech mannerisms is gesticulation. It is a posture / movement of parts of the body or an action expressive of sentiment or passion intended to show your inclination or dissatisfaction towards something.

As has been said earlier, an interview is a type of psychoanalysis of the candidate through which his maturity, emotional stability, tact, self-confidence, initiative, conscientiousness, integrity, consistency of thought, tough-minded-ness, adaptability, and ability to do team work are observed and assessed. Effective gesticulation helps you in convincing the interviewer about some of these qualities. However, gestures should ne natural and suited to the occasion and the topic being discussed.

Do not make gestures which may leave a negative influence on the interviewer. Your actions while talking or making your point clear to the interviewer can convey just as much, if not more, than the proper choice of words. Gestures which leave a positive impression include:

. Nodding of head to express ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to something (This makes your answer clearer.)

. Raising of eyebrows to show surprise.

. Movement of hands while talking to make your ideas more impressive.

. Keeping a sober expression if the topic is serious.

. Smiling when expressing your thanks or on being appreciated.

At the same time avoid bad habits and mannerisms like scratching, shifting on your seat, shaking your legs, picking your nose, etc.

So far we have discussed as to what is required from the candidate as far as mannerisms or proper gesticulation and clarity of voice are concerned. But the basic idea with which this book has been compiled is to help you improve upon your shortcomings. So let us switch over to the most important section of this book, namely, personality trait development to help you to be successful in interviews.