Filler Words, it's a big problem! "You know..."

In specialist recruitment sectors such as IT, Life Science and Financial Services, the stakes are high; therefore, effective language use is crucial. This blog post delves into the common issue of filler words, and how they can affect your chance at an interview and stall your career if you don't get this pesky habit under control.

What are Filler Words?

Filler words - you've heard them, you've likely used them. Some refer to these as verbal filler or filler phrases. These are sounds or phrases we often insert into our speech without realising. They serve no purpose in the context and merely act as verbal placeholders while we gather our thoughts.

Here are some common examples:

• Words such as: Um, Uh, Ah, Er, Okay, So, Like, Just, Basically, Actually
• Phrases like: You know, Okay, so, All right, And so on, To be honest

When we repeatedly use filler terms in our communication, they can undermine our credibility and impact the quality of our engagement with others. This is a massive problem in recruitment because you need to come across as a credible specialist recruiter, typically over the phone. If you don't have this habit under control, it's likely you will get rejected or struggle in a Trainee Recruitment role.

Yet, stopping this habit can be tricky and stressful, and situations like interviews or important phone calls can increase the amount of fillers used!

We have seen many Graduates and Trainees miss out on opportunities because of this bad habit, which is such a shame!

Here is some practical guidance to improve your verbal communication control!

Minimising Filler Words: A Strategy for Success!

Having acknowledged the problem, it's time to address it head-on. Here are a few tried-and-tested techniques to help you eliminate these harmful phrases from your professional communication.

1. Awareness

The first step towards change is awareness. Listen to your speech patterns and identify your filler words and phrases you use.

2. Pausing

Rather than spouting filler words whilst you think, take a moment of silence - breathe, gather your thoughts, and proceed with confidence. Say what you mean and mean what you say! This is the key to credibility in business.

3. Practice

Repetition is the mother of skill. Engage in public speaking exercises, drama classes or online speech training courses. The more confident you become, the less you will rely on fillers.

4. Reinforcement

This can make or break your career, so reach out for help! Ask your colleagues, family or friends to alert you each time you accidentally use verbal fillers.

Incorporate these steps into your communication practice, and you'll soon see a noticeable change. Though it might seem challenging at first, remember that enhancing your communication style can improve your success at an interview and will support your success in recruitment for years to come.

Final Thoughts

Eliminating filler words will elevate your communication skills, improve your confidence, and support your career development.

Practice and be persistent, and your verbal presentation will improve drastically.

It's time to take a deep breath, prepare your thoughts, and speak with purpose and conviction.

Say goodbye to those redundant 'ums', 'uhs', and 'you knows', make every word count and build the career you have always wanted!