As I sit here and try to put my thoughts into words, i cannot help but look back at my previous classes in Accent Training. Whenever I start a new class I always tell my students that learning the proper way of speaking is not hard, the challenging part is unlearning what you already know. With that said, in Accent training, if you want to make the most out of it, you have to keep an open mind. Why do I say this? As you go through the course, you will encounter a lot of surprises that will challenge the foundation of all the stock knowledge that you've had since you were a child.If you got used to saying "one, two, tree" or "my pader is a carfenter" and your comfortable saying it then there is a lot of work to be done on your speech but it's not your fault. Most of the problem can be attributed to our Filipino Alphabet. We do not have the consonants th, v, f and z among others. All of our vowels are short vowels. This is the reason why we have to clear our heads when we study the proper way of speaking. Remember that you cannot fill a cup that is already full.
Filipinos are the best language learners in the world because our country, though relatively small in size, has many regions that have their own subcultures and dialects. Upon reading this, ask yourself, how many people do you know who can speak more than two languages? This is in regards to Filipino and English. Aside from Tagalog and English, most of us can speak Ilokano, Bisaya, Bicolano, Ilonggo, Waray, etc. Hence, language training should not be very difficult for us.
In the call center industry, in order to communicate effectively to our customers, we must learn to speak in a certain manner that is understandable to the native English speakers in all regions in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. It must be clear and properly enunciated. For the sake of learning, we will focus more on the American Accent because a majority of our clients are Americans.
If you are going to ask me, there is no doubt that we can speak English very well. We just need to achieve a standard accent that will help our listeners understand us better. Do not get me wrong, accent is beautiful because they tell other people where we come from. For instance, if you have an Ilonggo accent, people automatically associate you to your hometown hence it gives you a sense of identity. On the other hand some people may have a hard time understanding the words that you are saying. If we want to sound professional, we have to speak in a manner that everyone else understands. It has to be clear, concise and properly enunciated. Hmmm, I like the sound of that. The first person that comes to mind whenever I think about speech clarity and good diction is Lea Salongga. I have seen her perform and I have heard her sing on stage and every word that she utters is very clear whether she is singing or not.
Let us take into consideration the U.S., they have 50 states in different regions across America. Every region has a distinctive accent. If this is the case, one might probably ask, what the standard accent is. A standard accent is the one that newscasters across the nation use whenever they deliver their report. To be more specific, the accent that most Americans consider as standard is the Midwestern accent. Oprah Winfrey is from the Midwest and has a Midwestern accent,oh and did I mention a popular figure in America?
There are three tips I can give you in Accent Neutralization.
1. Vowel sounds. It's all about opening your mouth and letting the air flow freely. Remember facial muscles are relaxed when you are pronouncing lax or short vowels and they are tensed when you are pronouncing long (tensed) vowels.
2. Consonant sounds. It's all about obstructing the airflow to produce the sounds. The main distinction between voiced and unvoiced consonants is the vibration that you feel in the points of articulation in your mouth. Remember, V=Voiced;V=Vibration.
3.Blending. Otherwise known as linking. Do not speak word per word. Learn to connect the last sound of the first word to the first sound of the next word. This will give rhythm to your speech and ensure that you don't sound like a robot.
If you want to learn more, then you have to attend my class. That's it for now. I am open to any comments and suggestions. Until next time. Ciao!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
The job interview (call centers)
After passing a series of tests,(I.Q., grammar, listening, etc.) the next phase of the call center job application process is the interview.
A lot of people are petrified by the dreaded call center job interviews. This springs from that certain feeling that makes your mouth dry and your heart raise while your hands feel cold and a little shaky then slowly, you feel a drop of sweat trickle down the side of your cheek as you wait for your turn to be interviewed. In short, you're nervous!
Easy, chill, relax. That expression is something that I got from a close friend who shared the same interest in helping people gain confidence in facing a crucial step in their job application process... the INTERVIEW. While most people will take it as a walk in the park, sadly, the case is not the same for everybody else. So for those who are having problems with the interview. This is for you.
The first thing that you should do before you go on a job interview or when you are waiting for your turn to be interviewed is to condition your mind. Psyche yourself out.Get rid of any negative thoughts that may serve as clutters in your head. Remember that if you think it, it will happen. If you think that it's hard then it only becomes harder. Tell yourself that you can do it and you're halfway there.
Do not think of the interview as an interrogation, instead, think of it as a conversation between you and an new acquaintance who just wants to know you more. Do not be intimidated by the presence of the interviewer.
If you find this technique difficult, try a different approach. Think about your favorite spot in your house, it can be the living room, your bedroom, the kitchen or even the bathroom. This is what I call, the "comfort zone". When you've come up with your choice, try to imagine the interview room as your "comfort zone", no one can harm you in your comfort zone and you can do just about anything this will keep your anxiety levels at a minimum and you will feel more relaxed in turn this will give you a competitive advantage because you are more alert and you can focus your energy on confidently answering the questions that the interviewer will ask you.
If you still find this difficult, you can try yet another approach, but this comes with a bit of a warning.
Try to think of yourself as the owner of the building/company and imagine the interviewer as a subordinate who is just updating your information. Be careful with this approach though, because this borders on delusions of grandeur, remember that you are also making an impression when you are undergoing the interview and you don't want to come off as too cocky or arrogant, right? Remember that there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Remember to do this for the sole purpose of building your confidence, do not internalize the role too much if you don't want to rub the interviewers the wrong way.
When you feel that you're all "psyched out", then you are ready for the next step which is the interview proper.
Once your name has been called by the interviewer and upon entering the room, do not forget to smile, greet the interview and firmly shake hands. Maintain eye contact to convey sincerity. A smile on your face gives the impression that you're enthusiastic and confident. It will also let the interviewer know that you are comfortable with him/her.
When the interviewer starts asking questions, remember that this is a call center job interview, so more often than not, the interviewer is trying to assess your speech prowess so the only way to ace this is to SPEAK UP.Keep on talking. Remember that the interaction you have with the interviewer is limited and therefore you have a very short window period to give out a good impression. Speak clearly and pace yourself. Stretch your statements and steer away from one liner answers. Short answers will just give the interviewer more room for questions. And the next questions are usually harder than the previous ones. So stretch your answers as much as possible.
Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Do not forget to ask questions, this will show the interviewer that you are really interested in establishing a career with them.
Do not forget to thank the interviewer before you leave, a simple courtesy always leaves a good impression.
A lot of people are petrified by the dreaded call center job interviews. This springs from that certain feeling that makes your mouth dry and your heart raise while your hands feel cold and a little shaky then slowly, you feel a drop of sweat trickle down the side of your cheek as you wait for your turn to be interviewed. In short, you're nervous!
Easy, chill, relax. That expression is something that I got from a close friend who shared the same interest in helping people gain confidence in facing a crucial step in their job application process... the INTERVIEW. While most people will take it as a walk in the park, sadly, the case is not the same for everybody else. So for those who are having problems with the interview. This is for you.
The first thing that you should do before you go on a job interview or when you are waiting for your turn to be interviewed is to condition your mind. Psyche yourself out.Get rid of any negative thoughts that may serve as clutters in your head. Remember that if you think it, it will happen. If you think that it's hard then it only becomes harder. Tell yourself that you can do it and you're halfway there.
Do not think of the interview as an interrogation, instead, think of it as a conversation between you and an new acquaintance who just wants to know you more. Do not be intimidated by the presence of the interviewer.
If you find this technique difficult, try a different approach. Think about your favorite spot in your house, it can be the living room, your bedroom, the kitchen or even the bathroom. This is what I call, the "comfort zone". When you've come up with your choice, try to imagine the interview room as your "comfort zone", no one can harm you in your comfort zone and you can do just about anything this will keep your anxiety levels at a minimum and you will feel more relaxed in turn this will give you a competitive advantage because you are more alert and you can focus your energy on confidently answering the questions that the interviewer will ask you.
If you still find this difficult, you can try yet another approach, but this comes with a bit of a warning.
Try to think of yourself as the owner of the building/company and imagine the interviewer as a subordinate who is just updating your information. Be careful with this approach though, because this borders on delusions of grandeur, remember that you are also making an impression when you are undergoing the interview and you don't want to come off as too cocky or arrogant, right? Remember that there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Remember to do this for the sole purpose of building your confidence, do not internalize the role too much if you don't want to rub the interviewers the wrong way.
When you feel that you're all "psyched out", then you are ready for the next step which is the interview proper.
Once your name has been called by the interviewer and upon entering the room, do not forget to smile, greet the interview and firmly shake hands. Maintain eye contact to convey sincerity. A smile on your face gives the impression that you're enthusiastic and confident. It will also let the interviewer know that you are comfortable with him/her.
When the interviewer starts asking questions, remember that this is a call center job interview, so more often than not, the interviewer is trying to assess your speech prowess so the only way to ace this is to SPEAK UP.Keep on talking. Remember that the interaction you have with the interviewer is limited and therefore you have a very short window period to give out a good impression. Speak clearly and pace yourself. Stretch your statements and steer away from one liner answers. Short answers will just give the interviewer more room for questions. And the next questions are usually harder than the previous ones. So stretch your answers as much as possible.
Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions. Do not forget to ask questions, this will show the interviewer that you are really interested in establishing a career with them.
Do not forget to thank the interviewer before you leave, a simple courtesy always leaves a good impression.
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