Interview Tips For Non-native Speakers

When it comes to applying for jobs, we all need to do evrything in our power to increase our chances of success. International candidates often bring much sought after knowledge and experience but are let down by their command of English.  Here we look at ways in which to perfect those all-important communication and language skills.

• Be an active listener.  If you focus on engaging with native speakers, you'll naturally mimic aspects of their speech.

• Always face your listener and establish good eye contact.  You'll convey the right attitude and be more receptive to body language and non-verbal communication.

• Watch the mouth movements of native speakers and try to mimic them.  Search on youtube for model speakers.  Visualise being them.  Repeat what they are saying, imitating the intonation and rythm of their speech.

• Make a list of frequently used phrases or sounds that are difficult for you to get right and ask a native speaker to pronounce them for you.  Practise what you hear.

• Hi-light the key words in your conversation by raising the pitch, volume and clarity of your voice on that word.

• Eye contact and falling intonation at the end of important utterances will give you more authority.

• Improve your pronunciation by learning to say each of the consonants and vowels correctly.

• Choose someone who you want to sound like and then pay close attention to the way they say common expressions.  Treat voices like music and try to tune in.

• Listen to podcasts, radio talk-back and audio books. Listen and read at the same time.  Record yourself reading some sections of the book.  Compare the sound of your voice with that of the speaker

• Pay attention to word endings and how some words run together.  Pay special attention to "s" and "ed" endings. Notice how the endings of words work when they are follow by words beginning with a vowel.

Tips for developing a chosen accent:

• Read aloud as often as possible.  Using a novel or a newspaper, try to read using your target accent fo 15-20 minutes each day.  This will help you strengthen the necessary mouth muscles.  Watch a French speaker on TV and notice how the face moves differently.  Research has shown that it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong enough mouth muscles for speaking a new language.  Even accent training involves using new muscle groups.  It's as complex as developing the coordination needed for a new sport.

• Listen to yourself.  Record your own voice and listen for mistakes.  This is an excellent exercise because it will help you become aware of the way your voice differs from those you wish to mimic.

• Slow down and speak clearly.  Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of the target accent, reduce your speed.  If you speak to quickly with the wrong intonation and rhythm, local speakers may have a hard time understanding you.

• Be patient.  You can change the way you speak but it won't happen overnight.  People often expect instant results and give up too soon.

City CV offers expert advice on all aspects of second language communication coaching, interview preparartion and CV writing.  Our sessions are run by experienced interview trainers who can tailor classes to address your individual needs.  Click to see examples of the kind of CV service packages we offer.  If you have any questions or would like to talk through how we can help you, call us on 020 7979 7718 or visit City CV