How to stop saying um in an interview

It is difficult for me to watch political speeches. After all, I know that I am going to hear one alarming word over and over again. It’s not “debt,” “deficit,” or “downturn.” It’s “um.”

Filler words like “um” may seem natural in everyday speech, but they do not belong in formal presentations or speeches. Powerful public speakers work hard to eliminate words such as “um,” “uh,” “well,” “so,” “you know,” “er,” and “like” from their vocabulary so that their listeners can focus solely on their message. Through practice and persistence, you can too.

So, like, why am I saying “um”?

Why do we use filler words? The simplest answer is that we have been conditioned to answer questions immediately from an early age. When our mother or father asked us a question, we were sure to answer right away—either because we wanted to show respect or because we were afraid of what would happen if we didn’t answer. Consequently, we feel the urge to speak when spoken to.

Some people argue that filler words serve an important purpose such as making a speaker sound more “natural” or “real.” In fact, Michael Erard wrote a book on this very subject. But just because filler words are fairly common in everyday speech does not mean that they are useful. In fact, they often detract from the listener’s ability to understand a particular message.

There are two places where filler words commonly appear: at the beginning of a statement and in between ideas. See what happens the next time you answer a question. You might say “um” or “uh” right away without even thinking. Then when you are finished discussing your first idea, you may be tempted to use another filler word as you decide what to say next.

You can think of these two “filler word hot spots” in the context of a two paragraph essay. The first hot spot would be the tab before the first paragraph, and the second hot spot would be the white space between the first and second paragraphs.

When you use a filler word such as “um,” you are thinking verbally. In other words, you are verbalizing your thought process. Armed with this information, it is easy to realize that the best way to avoid using filler words is to pause. If you are not speaking, you can’t say “um”!

Removing “um” from your vocabulary

The next time you are asked a question, take a couple seconds to think about what you want to say. This pause serves two important purposes: it will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word. Pause, think, answer.

The same public speaking technique applies when you are transitioning from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to pause and give yourself a moment to think about what you want to say next. It is important that you don’t begin speaking until you are ready. Remember: Pause, think, answer.

It may feel unnatural to pause, especially since you have responded to questions right away for your entire life. I assure you that you will deliver more powerful responses and reduce your chance of using filler words if you give yourself time to think.

Can’t seem to shake the habit? Ask for help.

If you need help overcoming your “um” problem, consider asking a co-worker, family member, or friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could record an upcoming presentation and then watch yourself in action. You may be amazed at how often you say “um” or “uh”!

Although we live in a fast-paced society that seemingly demands instant answers, we must use the pause to our advantage. We may feel pressure to answer right away, but ultimately, we should only speak when we are ready.

Do you agree? I would like to hear what you think so leave a comment. But, please, don’t use any “ums.”

by Catherine Alford

When we’re chatting with our friends, it’s really easy to drop the occasional “um” or “like.” However, when we go to an important interview, we want to put our best foot forward. This means avoiding casual language and showcasing how qualified we are for the job. However, old habits die hard, and this one is especially difficult (but not impossible!) to break. If you want to speak seamlessly in your next interview, try the tips below.

Practice In Front of a Mirror

It might feel silly, but practicing your interview answers in front of a mirror can really help you to realize how often you use casual language. You can also take an extra step and video yourself. If that doesn’t work, ask your friend or spouse to give you a mock interview. Practice makes perfect!

Get Accountability

If you want to break a habit, especially one that involves patterns of speech, the best thing you can do is tell a friend. Just think, if a friend made you give him or her a dollar for every time you used the word “like” in conversation, you would stop pretty quickly!

Watch Videos for Inspiration

Some people are just exceptional speakers, and they can serve as great inspiration. Many actors give seamless interviews. Similarly, people like Ivanka Trump who have been educated at some of the best schools in the country rarely make mistakes when giving comments or interviews. A typical YouTube search can also reveal other videos on interviewing tips.

Read Regularly

Challenging yourself to read difficult material will undoubtedly expand your vocabulary and allow you to become a more engaging speaker. Many of us have pauses in conversation using words like “um” because we can’t think of the word we actually want to say. Reading regularly can help us to learn a significant amount of new vocabulary so we don’t have any trouble “grabbing them” from our memory banks!

Think Before You Speak

One trick that pageant contestants use during their interview portion of competitions is restating the question in their answers. This gives them time to think of the answer as they are speaking. Buying yourself these few precious seconds can actually lead to a more thoughtful answer free of “ums.” For example, if an interviewer asks you what your best qualities are, you can say, “That’s a great question. I would definitely say my best qualities are my work ethic, my leadership skills, and my affability.” By restating the question, you will not only gain time to answer your question intelligently but you will also avoid pauses.

Hopefully, the tips above can help you to speak as clearly and professionally as possible in your interview. The key is not to become too overly focused on your words, as that can cause you to make even more mistakes. These tips are meant to get you accustomed to speaking a certain way all the time, so that it comes naturally when it’s time to interview. Good luck!

Filler words often seem to ... um ... get in the way. These verbal crutches may seem natural in everyday speech, but they do not belong in formal presentations or speeches.

Powerful public speakers work hard to eliminate words such as “um,” “uh,” “well,” “so,” “you know,” “er,” and “like” from their vocabulary so that their listeners can focus solely on their message. Through practice and persistence, you can too.

So, like, why am I saying “um”?

Why do we use filler words? The simplest answer is that we have been conditioned to answer questions immediately from an early age. When our mother or father asked us a question, we were sure to answer right away—either because we wanted to show respect or because we were afraid of what would happen if we didn’t answer. Consequently, we feel the urge to speak when spoken to.

Some people argue that filler words serve an important purpose such as making a speaker sound more “natural” or “real.” In fact, Michael Erard wrote a book on this very subject. But just because filler words are fairly common in everyday speech does not mean that they are useful. In fact, they often detract from the listener’s ability to understand a particular message.

There are two places where filler words commonly appear: at the beginning of a statement and in between ideas. See what happens the next time you answer a question. You might say “um” or “uh” right away without even thinking. Then when you are finished discussing your first idea, you may be tempted to use another filler word as you decide what to say next.

You can think of these two “filler word hot spots” in the context of a two-paragraph essay. The first hot spot would be the tab before the first paragraph, and the second hot spot would be the white space between the first and second paragraphs.

When you use a filler word such as “um,” you are thinking verbally. In other words, you are verbalizing your thought process. Armed with this information, it is easy to realize that the best way to avoid using filler words is to pause. If you are not speaking, you can’t say “um”!

Removing “um” from your vocabulary

The next time you are asked a question, take a few seconds to think about what you want to say. This pause serves two important purposes: it will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word. Pause, think, answer.

The same public speaking technique applies when you are transitioning from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to pause and give yourself a moment to think about what you want to say next. It is important that you don’t begin speaking until you are ready. Remember: Pause, think, answer.

It may feel unnatural to pause, especially since you have responded to questions right away for your entire life. I assure you that you will deliver more powerful responses and reduce your chance of using filler words if you give yourself time to think.

Can’t seem to shake the habit? Ask for help.

If you need help overcoming your “um” problem, consider asking a co-worker, family member, or friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could record an upcoming presentation and then watch yourself in action. You may be amazed at how often you say “um” or “uh”!

Although we live in a fast-paced society that seemingly demands instant answers, we must use the pause to our advantage. We may feel pressure to answer right away, but ultimately, we should only speak when we are ready.

Do you agree? I'd like to hear what you think. But, please, don’t use any “ums.”

A version of this article was published on Harvard University’s Inside Extension.

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Thanks for reading my article! I’ve been helping people reach their communication goals for over a decade. I run a training firm called Summit Presentations, LLC, that develops high-impact programs for companies and government agencies. We use research-based training strategies and data-driven assessments to help people become better speakers and better writers. Through interactive exercises and simulations, our training participants learn how to frame messages, use data, and tell stories to influence others and create lasting impact.

Send me a message if I can help you or your team reach new heights. For more public speaking tips, connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.