mumble...mumble
January 13, 2010 8:13 PM Subscribe
Apparently I'm a mumbler. How do I fix this?
Today I had an interview for some temp work, and several times I was asked to speak up. Everything went ok, but I felt a bit embarrassed. I don't want to mumble!
I know how to carry on a conversation and keep eye contact. But I don't want my mumbly ways to ruin future interviews. How do I feel comfortable projecting my voice at appropriate interview volume?
(Interviewer was quite loud and chatty, and we were in a quiet room.)
Today I had an interview for some temp work, and several times I was asked to speak up. Everything went ok, but I felt a bit embarrassed. I don't want to mumble!
I know how to carry on a conversation and keep eye contact. But I don't want my mumbly ways to ruin future interviews. How do I feel comfortable projecting my voice at appropriate interview volume?
(Interviewer was quite loud and chatty, and we were in a quiet room.)
Best answer: You may need to practice with a friend (or on camera). Try imagining your voice coming out of your diaphragm and you need to force it across the room (or desk). Enunciate your words and make sure that sound carries authoritatively. Also, remember that people want to hear you. You have important things to say. If you truly believe in that, you'll have more force behind your words. Practice is the only way you can learn this.
posted by Unred at 8:22 PM on January 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Unred at 8:22 PM on January 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Um, is this the first time this ever happened to you?
It may simply be that the interviewer was hard-of-hearing and/or just a jerk (for some people it's a power trip to make others repeat themselves). If it's not a pattern, I wouldn't even worry about it.
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:28 PM on January 13, 2010
It may simply be that the interviewer was hard-of-hearing and/or just a jerk (for some people it's a power trip to make others repeat themselves). If it's not a pattern, I wouldn't even worry about it.
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:28 PM on January 13, 2010
Find a text, such as Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, or Dr. King's speech at the Lincoln Monument, or one of Shakespeare's soliloquies and practice speaking it, taking care to enunciate every syllable.
Record yourself doing this, preferably with a video camera, so that you can see how your mouth moves when you are speaking.
posted by dfriedman at 8:33 PM on January 13, 2010
Record yourself doing this, preferably with a video camera, so that you can see how your mouth moves when you are speaking.
posted by dfriedman at 8:33 PM on January 13, 2010
I find I mumble sometimes when I'm forced to 'think on my feet', that is to say, come up with what I'm saying at almost the same time I'm saying it. (Most of the time in conversation I like to prepare what I'm going to say in my head while others are stalking). I haven't quite figured out a fix for this, and I'm assuming that the best fix is just more practice, but its something to think about.
posted by dantekgeek at 8:33 PM on January 13, 2010
posted by dantekgeek at 8:33 PM on January 13, 2010
First thing I would ascertain whether you are a mumbler or a low-talker. If you were asked to speak up that sounds like low-talker to me. You are speaking too quietly. If the person said they didn't understand you or whatever then you were probably mumbling. Mumblers need to enunciate and low-talkers need to project.
posted by GleepGlop at 8:52 PM on January 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by GleepGlop at 8:52 PM on January 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
What's your hearing like? People with very good hearing often speak softly - I guess the technical term is being a "low-talker" although that sounds like a term for someone who rides into town and talks low - frightening the children and insulting the women with his low-talking ways - until there's a showdown on the street in front of the saloon.
Or, it's kind of sexy - you low-talker you.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:01 PM on January 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
Or, it's kind of sexy - you low-talker you.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:01 PM on January 13, 2010 [5 favorites]
This may be way off course, but I notice that I mumble when even I don't quite buy what I'm saying. Did you really want the job?
posted by Gilbert at 9:12 PM on January 13, 2010
posted by Gilbert at 9:12 PM on January 13, 2010
Be confident ( but not overly) in yourself and that'll come through in your voice. Have some water just before an interview, it's supposed to calm the nerves somewhat. Be proud of who you are.
posted by Taurid at 9:32 PM on January 13, 2010
posted by Taurid at 9:32 PM on January 13, 2010
I also tend to mumble all the time... or just trail off sentences. I also have bad hearing and conspicuously misconstrue what people are saying, all the time. So I think bad hearing and mumbling are connected.
Anyway, what works for me isn't to focus on slowly pronouncing a particular word, but rather to think about the effect I want a sentence to have, and where that word fits into that effect. So, I guess that means varying your voice intonation, using pauses, and otherwise injecting suspense and drama into sentences you feel you're just reading off in your head or which you just want to get through and be done with. You don't want to get too theatrical - just practice getting excited about what you're saying and usually you'll say it with more enunciation and volume.
posted by ajarbaday at 9:41 PM on January 13, 2010
Anyway, what works for me isn't to focus on slowly pronouncing a particular word, but rather to think about the effect I want a sentence to have, and where that word fits into that effect. So, I guess that means varying your voice intonation, using pauses, and otherwise injecting suspense and drama into sentences you feel you're just reading off in your head or which you just want to get through and be done with. You don't want to get too theatrical - just practice getting excited about what you're saying and usually you'll say it with more enunciation and volume.
posted by ajarbaday at 9:41 PM on January 13, 2010
A friend of mine is a chronic low talker. Almost every time we speak I have to go "What?" several times, and I'm not the only one. Every day over and over. After a point it moves beyond exasperating. Speak up for crying out loud! So I feel like you might have noticed people asking you to speak up before today if it was a regular issue. Maybe the guy was hard of hearing.
If not, I wonder if Toastmasters might help you. I've heard rave reviews. It's supposed to teach you communication skills and help you develop confidence in speaking. If you have either a volume issue or an enunciation issue, you'd definitely have to address those things in order to speak to the group at meetings. Point being, that kind of group would be supportive yet constructively critical about your specific concern. They'd be a good barometer for you.
posted by kookoobirdz at 9:46 PM on January 13, 2010
If not, I wonder if Toastmasters might help you. I've heard rave reviews. It's supposed to teach you communication skills and help you develop confidence in speaking. If you have either a volume issue or an enunciation issue, you'd definitely have to address those things in order to speak to the group at meetings. Point being, that kind of group would be supportive yet constructively critical about your specific concern. They'd be a good barometer for you.
posted by kookoobirdz at 9:46 PM on January 13, 2010
Response by poster: Remembering to smile during an interview is something I'm going to add to my mental list. I'm not thrilled about the temp job thing, but I need a paycheck before I can be a bit more picky.
These are all really good suggestions so far, thanks!
@kookoobirdz, yeah, I've had people ask me to speak up before. Usually I've been distracted by something. In interviews or other professional settings, I make an effort to pay attention to my words. I've tried a Toastmaster's group out, seemed a good thing, before I got swamped with a previous job.
posted by shinyshiny at 9:55 PM on January 13, 2010
These are all really good suggestions so far, thanks!
@kookoobirdz, yeah, I've had people ask me to speak up before. Usually I've been distracted by something. In interviews or other professional settings, I make an effort to pay attention to my words. I've tried a Toastmaster's group out, seemed a good thing, before I got swamped with a previous job.
posted by shinyshiny at 9:55 PM on January 13, 2010
Interviewer was quite loud and chatty
Interviewer may have been somewhat hard of hearing. However, Toastmasters or similar, or an acting/improvisation class, will break you of this habit and give you the confidence you need.
posted by davejay at 12:23 AM on January 14, 2010
Interviewer may have been somewhat hard of hearing. However, Toastmasters or similar, or an acting/improvisation class, will break you of this habit and give you the confidence you need.
posted by davejay at 12:23 AM on January 14, 2010
Pretty much my whole life, I was a chronic mumbler and non-eye-contacter. For me, the problem was overcome by a three step process:
1) actually realizing I have this problem- for years, I didn't even realize this was an issue. I dunno, I was stupid and nonobservant of the world.
2) psychological posturing - Convincing myself to change. "This is what everyone does, so let's do it", combined with "I'm a CEO/hero/awesome dude/whatever, look 'em in the eye and ask for the deal" I thought to myself. For me, it was really about feeling confident about what I had to say. You believe in yourself right? As in, you're not just bullshitting, you really have something to say? So say it, clear and loud for everyone to hear.
3) doing. - At first, with friends, coworkers, family whoever was around and I felt comfortable with. Eventually working up to store employees and, finally, to people in a position of power.
posted by katerschluck at 12:56 AM on January 14, 2010
1) actually realizing I have this problem- for years, I didn't even realize this was an issue. I dunno, I was stupid and nonobservant of the world.
2) psychological posturing - Convincing myself to change. "This is what everyone does, so let's do it", combined with "I'm a CEO/hero/awesome dude/whatever, look 'em in the eye and ask for the deal" I thought to myself. For me, it was really about feeling confident about what I had to say. You believe in yourself right? As in, you're not just bullshitting, you really have something to say? So say it, clear and loud for everyone to hear.
3) doing. - At first, with friends, coworkers, family whoever was around and I felt comfortable with. Eventually working up to store employees and, finally, to people in a position of power.
posted by katerschluck at 12:56 AM on January 14, 2010
You might want to consider taking some improv classes - they will help you learn to project while also smiling and having "fun" during a conversation.
posted by IzzeYum at 6:29 AM on January 14, 2010
posted by IzzeYum at 6:29 AM on January 14, 2010
Also, not that you indicated in any way that you do this, but, as someone who doesn't hear well, please try not to be annoyed when asked to repeat yourself and/or repeat yourself in your shouty/exasperated voice. I also get really frustrated when I ask someone to repeat herself and she says "oh, nevermind, it doesn't matter," which is what makes me really hate pwally's comment.
posted by Pax at 7:27 AM on January 14, 2010
posted by Pax at 7:27 AM on January 14, 2010
I meant, as someone who doesn't hear well, *I* would ask you to try not be be annoyed...
posted by Pax at 7:29 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Pax at 7:29 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
I used to mumble. For me it was an insecure thing... as if nobody wanted to hear what I had to say anyway. I just made a point to start talking louder and with more purpose. It became a habit pretty quickly and now I feel more assertive and that makes me feel better about myself.
posted by muscat at 9:14 AM on January 14, 2010
posted by muscat at 9:14 AM on January 14, 2010
I mumble, speak too quickly, and end sentences with "or..." and "so..." all the time. It was only when I read a transcript of some speaking I'd done, that I realized how terrible it must sound to listeners. Maybe you could record yourself and then more easily focus on where you need emphasis?
posted by Pomo at 7:12 PM on January 14, 2010
posted by Pomo at 7:12 PM on January 14, 2010
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Get a tape recorder and practice, but don't banish the mumbles.. there is a silver lining.
posted by pwally at 8:21 PM on January 13, 2010