Getting hired

With this in mind, The Voice Clinic, a leading communications skills training company, has devised some tips on having a voice that can get you hired. Not looking for a job? These tips can also apply to those in sales, public speaking or for better communication in general.

“Interviewing skills is one of the fastest growing areas of group and one-on-one coaching at The Voice Clinic. In recent conversations with several human resource people who do hiring, they said that the majority of applicants are unprepared when they come in for their interview. ‘Winging it', as one HR person describe it, is not appreciated. An interviewer questions a prospects professional skills when the importance of an interview occurs in such a laxidasial way,” says Monique Rissen-Harrisberg, CEO of The Voice Clinic.

Get the edge on your competition. Use these techniques in preparation and in your so you come across with confidence and credibility. Be someone with the professional polish that companies want to hire.

Here are three areas to work on:

1. Your Attitude: Prepare the answers to these questions and read them out loud. Getting specific of your intentions helps you be focused and will reflect in your voice quality when answering questions.
Three of your greatest strengths
Three of your weaknesses and how you improve on them
Three goals of getting a job that excites you
Three things that you can bring to the job that others can't
Three reasons you want to work for [the company]

2. Your body language: Become conscious about the unconscious. In the hiring process studies show that 65-70% of a hiring decision may be based on nonverbal communication. 55% of our inner thoughts and feelings are revealed through body language and we are not conscious of what our body is saying, therefore the interviewer can observe and interpret nonverbal communication.

Interviewer's observations before a word is spoken.

• As the prospect is waiting. Are they: pacing back and forth? Relaxed or tense? Reading, fidgeting, or smoking? Do they shake hands, smile and make eye contact?
  
• How do they walk? A confident prospect walks in with head up, a firm step, and shoulders back and arms swinging.
  
• Where do they sit when offered a choice? Near the interviewer?
  
• As far away as possible? How is their sitting posture?
  
• Facing toward or away from interviewer?

3. Your voice: Convey interest and enthusiasm - your voice completes the image that you want to project. Do not take it for granted that what you say and how you say it will not matter. Being congruent with your appearance, body language, and voice equates with trust.

Voice practice and preparation.

With the questions in number 1 above (attitude), practice out loud using the guideline below.

1. Project your voice loudly enough to be heard
2. Articulate clearly
3. Use pauses for emphasis
4. Watch your speed and pace
5. Avoid talking too fast or too slow
6. Monitor voice quality: avoid mumbling or having too high a pitch
7. Let your natural personality come through

The other half of being interviewed is about not talking. Be in the moment. In other words, discipline yourself to doing the
following:

1. Focus your attention on the interviewer and what is being said
2. Listen for content of what is being said
3. Do not be distracted by mannerisms or words that the interviewer is using.
5. Listen for information to be evaluated later
6. Do not evaluate while listening
7. Give positive nonverbal feedback (nod, smile)