Long before interview

LONG BEFORE YOU EVER INTERVIEW
You will want to practice how you communicate with others. This is the time in your career when you have to concentrate on polishing your language skills. Get rid of slang terms and learn how to ... become a power talker.
Power talkers speak the language of success. They transmit positive expectations both to themselves and to others. Used mostly in business, power talking helps people communicate better.
Anyone who wants to, can become a power talker by following a few simple rules.
Just think how you would feel when you tell a potential employer, I won't be able to get those references to you until next Monday rather than I'll get those references to you by next Monday. Both messages convey the same information... but they give the listener totally different impressions of your attitude and your ability to deliver what is promised.
Power talking isn't a destination, it's a journey. You become a power talker when you consciously decide the effect that you want your speech to have on others and you elevate your consciousness so that you always seek the more powerful phrasing.
Nobody can totally avoid slips (you can catch yourself every day). However, everyone can work at it... phrase by phrase... day by day... to increase awareness of those phrases that should be replaced by more positive expressions.
Start with simple phrases. Instead of saying, I'll try to do it. Say, I will do it. The reason, I'll try means I'm not sure I'll succeed... but when you say, I will, both you and the person you're talking to can be more confident the job will get done.
POWER TRAITS
Each night, list the expressions that you came up with during the day that can help you project the positive thinking that's the key to power talking. You'll find these basic traits as you work on your skills.
Project positive expectations:
· Don't say, I have to... say, I'll be glad to.
· There are no problems in life... only opportunities.
· Don't say you're no good at anything... say you're getting better.
Give credit wherever it's due:
· When someone gives you a compliment, don't excuse yourself... simply accept it graciously.
· When other people succeed, don't tell them how lucky they are... compliment them on their skill and effort.
Rebound resiliently. Lots of "bad" things happen to successful people because they're always trying something new (achieving several deficiencies before succeeding!). But they bounce back to greater success. When faced with a setback:
· Don't say, I failed... say, Here's what I learned.
· Don't say, This is terrible, and it could get worse... say, it's over. Now I'm going to work on making things better.
Accept responsibility. Don't blame others for what happens to you, but see yourself as in control of your fate.
· Don't say, This career search stuff drives me crazy... say, I can find a way to deal with this career search.
· Don't say, I can't do anything about it... say, It's my responsibility to do something about it.
Encourage cooperation and reduce conflict. Eliminate conflict-producing words like but and disagree from your vocabulary.
· Don't say, It's a good job, but it's farther away... say It's a good job, and it's farther away.
· When someone makes a suggestion that doesn't impress you too much, don't say, I disagree... say, That's an interesting idea, and I'd like to suggest a few more.
Speak decisively:
· Don't say, I should have my senior paper done by the end of the week... say, I will have it ready by Friday.
· Don't say, Generally speaking, I tend to think such-and-such... say, I believe such-and-such.
· Don't say, Do you have any questions?... say, What questions do you have?
Always tell the truth. Power talking is not a way to fool people with language. It's a way to communicate effectively. And effective communication must be consistently credible.
· Don't use phrases like Well, to be honest... the listener will get the idea that sometimes you're not perfectly honest.
· When you're asked to do something you really think you cannot, or should not, do... politely say No.
Get back to basics:
· Don't forget to say the words please and thank you.
· When you make a mistake, don't say It's not my fault. I couldn't help it... say, I'm sorry. It was my responsibility.
Share your pride when others do their job well:
· If your professor (or a potential employer) takes time to explain a complicated concept, say, Thank you for explaining that so clearly.
· If your friend displays some skill or ability say, You're really good at , I'm impressed!
BOTTOM LINE
If you want to become a power talker, get started right away. Enlist friends to support you and cue you when you slip. Become aware of the powerless phrases that you've been using and replace them with more positive expressions.