It should be so simple: Open mouth, form syllables, go. So why is speaking our minds so, like, y’know, difficult, especially at work? Martha Barnette decodes our verbal tics—and bails us out.
Polished résumé? Check. Perfect makeup, stylish clothes, fresh manicure? Check. Yep, you’re going to ace this job interview.
But when your potential future employer asks you a question, your words don’t match the rest of your image: “Um, well, you know, I was thinking, like, um, you know, like, um, actually, you know, whatever….” Whoops!
Like clothes and makeup, your speaking style is part of your personal appearance. Even if you know what you’re talking about, the way you say it can be a giant credibility-suck—or it can enhance your image as the confident, savvy person everyone wants to work with.
Especially at the office, some speech habits are the verbal equivalent of spinach between your teeth. They’re distracting to others and undermine what you’re trying to say. Make sure these things aren’t damaging your (otherwise flawless, we’re sure) professional image.

Upspeak Much?

You know that way of talking linguists call “upspeak”? The habit of speaking so that your pitch rises at the end of a sentence? And everything you say sounds like it’s a question? It’s an easy habit to adopt? Especially if all your friends do it? If you’re kickin’ back with your BFF, no worries. But for many other people, especially at work, hearing upspeak is about as pleasant as chewing tin-foil. According to speech therapist Sam Chwat, upspeak is a “juvenile habit” that can damage your image on the job.
Chwat knows all about verbal makeovers. He’s the guy who helped Julia Roberts lose her Georgia drawl and taught Shakira to sing crossover songs in English without a heavy accent. The problem with upspeak: “Using it invites a lot of criticism,” he says. In other words, if you sound like you’re not sure you believe what you’re saying, why should anyone else?
The fix: Many women don’t even realize they have the habit, Chwat says, so he captures clients’ natural speech on tape. “When I play it back, they’re shocked.” Record several of your conversations, then listen. Hearing yourself? Talking like this? All the time? Can do wonders to kick-start the process of quitting. Period.
Creaky Voice
Speech therapists have noticed a growing trend, particularly among young women. It’s called creaky voice, and it’s a way of speaking that makes your voice sound tired or strained. Think Mary-Kate Olsen and the way her voice sometimes dips into a sort of gravelly murmur. Another term for it is “vocal fry,” Chwat says, because “it sounds like crackling in a frying pan.”
It may be a popular way to talk, and in the right setting, sauteed syllables can even be sexy. The problem, Chwat says, is that in everyday speech, people interpret vocal fry as uncertainty or even smugness: “It definitely does not have credibility at work.”
The fix: Try this experiment: Relax your vocal cords so your voice sounds creaky, then murmur, “I would love to have this job.” Now say the same words in a way that’s forthright, clear-toned and assertive. Who’s getting that job? No contest. (Still not convinced this habit’s a hindrance? Bing “creaky voice” and “annoying.”)

Squishy Speaking

If you’re shaking hands with someone, would you be more impressed by a wimpy, clammy handshake or one that’s firm and confident? We thought so. Ditto for mealymouthed language littered with fillers like “um” and “you know,” and qualifiers like “This may be a stupid idea, but….”
In the business world, squishy speaking is a turnoff. “People understand that it’s important to be great at networking, but they focus less and less on speaking well and presenting their ideas with clarity,” says Amy Dorn Kopelan, president of Bedlam Entertainment Inc., which produces CEO summits and career advancement programs. “The woman who can do those things can set herself apart.”

The fix: Practice speaking decisively. A great place to start: your local coffee shop, Chwat says. Seriously. There’s a big difference between “Oh, um, I don’t know, let’s see…maybe a chai…no, not a chai…can I get a latte?” and “A tall mocha frap, double-blended, no whip.” Really, which person would you rather hire?

Video: Foolproof Interview Outfits>