You know the answers. You've prepared thoroughly. But when the interview starts, something happens. Words that came easily during practice now struggle to form. Your sentences tangle. Your confidence wavers. And you walk out frustrated, knowing you could have done better if only the words had cooperated.
This experience is painfully common. Interview nerves affect English fluency even for people who communicate well in everyday situations. The good news: specific techniques can help. These aren't magic fixes, but practiced consistently, they make a real difference.
Why Speaking Confidence Matters
Interviewers aren't just evaluating what you say. They're evaluating how you say it. Confident speaking signals:
- Competence: You seem to know your stuff
- Reliability: You can represent the company to others
- Clarity: You'll communicate effectively with colleagues and clients
- Composure: You can handle pressure
Conversely, hesitant speaking creates doubt about your abilities, even if your actual skills are strong. It's not fair, but it's how perception works. Investing in speaking confidence pays interview dividends.
10 Practical Speaking Tips
Apply these techniques before and during your interview.
1. Slow Down: Nervousness accelerates speech. Consciously speak slower than feels natural. Pauses that feel long to you seem normal to listeners. Slower speech is clearer, more confident, and gives you time to think. Practice: Record yourself answering a question. Time it. Now answer again 20% slower. This deliberate pace should feel strange. That's your target.
2. Breathe Properly: Shallow breathing under stress reduces oxygen to your brain and tightens your voice. Deep breaths calm nerves and improve vocal quality. Before the interview: take 5 slow, deep breaths. Inhale through nose, exhale through mouth. During: use natural pauses to breathe deeply. It's invisible to the interviewer but helps you significantly.
3. Use Simple Sentences: Nerves make complex sentences harder. When stressed, your brain can't hold elaborate structures. Stick to shorter, simpler sentences. They're clearer anyway. Instead of: "In my previous role, where I was working as a developer, which was at a company that focused on fintech, I had the opportunity to work on projects that involved both frontend and backend technologies, which gave me a broad perspective." Try: "In my previous role, I worked as a developer at a fintech company. I handled both frontend and backend work. This gave me a broad technical perspective."
4. Pause Instead of Filler Words: "Um," "uh," "like," "basically," "you know": these fill silence but signal uncertainty. Pausing silently is more professional. Silence feels awkward to you but not to listeners. Practice: Record yourself answering questions. Count filler words. Repeat, replacing each filler with a silent pause.
5. Prepare Opening Lines: The hardest moment is starting. Once you get momentum, speaking becomes easier. Prepare and practice the first line of your answer to common questions. For "Tell me about yourself": have your opening sentence memorised. Once that's out, the rest flows more naturally.
6. Practice Out Loud (A Lot): Mental rehearsal isn't enough. Your mouth needs practice forming the actual words. Say answers out loud many times. The phrases should feel automatic, not freshly constructed. Minimum: practice each major answer at least 10 times out loud before the interview.
7. Record and Review: Video yourself answering questions. Watch critically: How fast are you speaking? How many filler words? Are you making eye contact with the camera? Does your body language show confidence? Are your answers focused or rambling? This feedback is uncomfortable but invaluable.
8. Accept Imperfection: You will make mistakes. Everyone does. A stumble doesn't end the interview. Recover gracefully: pause, collect yourself, and continue. Interviewers evaluate overall impression, not perfect delivery. Recovery phrase: "Let me rephrase that..." or simply pause, breathe, and restart the sentence.
9. Focus on Communication, Not Performance: Interviews feel like performances, which increases pressure. Reframe: you're having a professional conversation. You're explaining who you are and what you can do. The interviewer wants to understand you, not critique your English. This mindset shift reduces performance anxiety.
10. Use Body Language Intentionally: Confident body language reinforces confident speaking: sit straight but not stiff, make regular eye contact, keep hands visible and use natural gestures, avoid nervous habits (fidgeting, pen-clicking), and smile appropriately. Physical confidence cues actually create mental confidence.
Handling Nervousness
Some nervousness is inevitable and even helpful (it keeps you alert). But excessive nervousness undermines performance. Manage it with these strategies.
Preparation Reduces Anxiety: Most nervousness comes from uncertainty. Thoroughly prepare answers to common questions. Research the company. Know your stories. Preparation is the most effective anxiety reducer.
Arrive Early: Rushing increases stress. Arrive 15-20 minutes early. Use extra time to calm yourself, review notes, and settle in.
Physical Warm-Up: Before entering (in private): roll your shoulders and release tension, stretch your face muscles (yawning helps relax jaw), and speak a few sentences out loud to warm up your voice.
Visualise Success: Spend a few minutes imagining the interview going well. See yourself speaking confidently, answering questions clearly, leaving satisfied. This mental rehearsal primes your brain for success.
The "Power Pose": Before entering, stand tall with hands on hips for 2 minutes. Research suggests this posture increases testosterone and reduces cortisol, improving confidence. Even if the science is debated, the ritual helps mentally.
Pace, Tone, and Clarity
How you speak matters as much as what you say.
Pace: Aim for about 130-150 words per minute. Faster loses clarity; slower loses engagement. Vary your pace: slightly slower for important points, natural pace for transitions.
Tone: Avoid monotone delivery. Let your voice rise and fall naturally. Emphasise key words. Show appropriate emotion: enthusiasm for opportunities, seriousness for challenges.
Volume: Speak loud enough to be heard clearly. Nervous speakers often speak quietly. Project your voice without shouting. If in doubt, ask: "Can you hear me clearly?"
Clarity: Articulate fully. Don't swallow word endings. Pronounce consonants clearly. Slightly exaggerated articulation feels strange to you but sounds normal to listeners.
What to Do When You Don't Know the Answer
Every interview includes questions you can't fully answer. Handle these gracefully instead of panicking.
Buy Time: Use phrases like "That's a good question. Let me think for a moment" or "I want to give you a thoughtful answer. Let me consider that." Taking 5-10 seconds to think is acceptable and professional.
Be Honest About Gaps: Say "I haven't encountered that specific situation, but here's how I would approach it..." / "I'm not familiar with that particular tool, but I've used [similar tool] and am confident I could learn quickly" / "I don't know the exact answer, but my understanding is..."
Redirect When Appropriate: "I can't speak to that directly, but I can share a related experience that demonstrates [relevant skill]."
Never Fabricate: Making up answers is worse than admitting you don't know. Interviewers often detect dishonesty, and getting caught destroys credibility.
Last-Minute Preparation Tips
The night before and morning of the interview:
Night Before: Review your preparation lightly (don't cram), prepare documents and clothes, confirm interview details (time, location/link, interviewer name), and get adequate sleep (crucial for clear thinking).
Morning Of: Eat a light meal (hunger affects concentration), arrive early or log in early, do your physical and vocal warm-up, review key points one final time, and put phone on silent.
Just Before: Do deep breathing exercises, use positive self-talk ("I'm prepared. I can do this."), adopt confident posture, and be ready to smile and greet warmly.
FAQs About Interview Speaking
How do I stop saying "um" and "uh"? Practice replacing fillers with pauses. Record yourself and count fillers. Each practice session, consciously pause instead. It takes time, but improvement is achievable.
What if the interviewer speaks too fast for me to understand? Ask them to repeat or slow down. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" is professional, not embarrassing. Understanding the question correctly matters more than appearing to understand immediately.
How do I handle phone or video interviews? For phone: Speak slightly slower and more clearly (no visual cues). For video: Look at the camera, not the screen. Ensure good lighting and quiet environment. Test technology beforehand.
What if I make a grammar mistake? Minor grammar errors rarely matter if your meaning is clear. If you catch a significant error, briefly correct yourself and move on. Don't dwell on mistakes.
How do I answer questions in a structured way? Use the STAR method for behavioral questions (Situation, Task, Action, Result). For other questions, follow a simple pattern: answer the question, provide brief evidence, connect to your point.
I'm an introvert. How do I seem enthusiastic without being fake? Enthusiasm doesn't require extroversion. Show genuine interest through engaged listening, thoughtful questions, and clear articulation of why you want the role. Quiet confidence works.
Build Interview Confidence Over Time
Each interview is practice for the next. Don't expect perfection immediately. Skills develop through repetition. Seek feedback when possible. Reflect on what went well and what to improve.
For comprehensive interview preparation, see our guide on English for job interviews.
If you want structured development of speaking confidence, English Engine offers training specifically designed for professional situations, including interview practice. Schedule a free demo class to experience our approach.
Explore our blog for more interview resources, or view our course options. Your next interview can be your best one.