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56 THE FUNDAMENTALS

Finish up with some gentle head rolls. A relaxed face and neck are nec-
essary vessels for a relaxed, assertive voice.

, T-time. Enunciation is one of the weakest elements in most of
our speech. Making some small changes in the way you pronounce
words can change the way you are perceived. True or not, people who
enunciate properly are often considered intelligent and well spoken. So
how do you start cleaning up your speech? Say the words notice or little.
If you “notice,” you probably say something closer to “nodice” and “lid-
dle,” For one day, focus on your Ts. You do not have to overdo it; small
changes make a big difference.

, Let your words breathe. Most of us have a tendency to speak in a
“slurry” manner, sliding one word into another. Pretty soon, an entire sen-
tence sounds like one word! Grab your nearest magazine or newspaper and
read from it. Exaggerate each word, focusing on the separate quality of
each and every word. While you may not want to speak like this on a daily
basis, you will get a sense of what true enunciation is all about.

Be Concise

Words matter—not only the words you choose but also how you put
them together. Since competency-based questions require detailed re-
sponses, wordiness—or convoluted and excessive language—can be a
common result. You must find a balance between providing the detailed
information required and speaking directly and simply become aware of
common wordy expressions and avoid them. Figure 5-1 provides exam-
ples of wordy phrases and their concise equivalents.

Common Words and Phrases to Avoid

The words and phrases you select to communicate your experiences will
impact the interviewer’s perception of your qualifications. Certain com-
mon words may seem harmless to you, but they can be ammunition that
shoots down the listener’s perception of you. When the interviewer is of-
fended by what you say or has a negative reaction to your use of slang,
there’s a breakdown in communication. To avoid this problem, familiar-

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