As an accent reduction specialis t in New York City and Central New Jersey , I see a fair amount of business people preparing themselves for interviews. For the ESL executive , this can be a daunting task. If you find yourself stumbling over your words in job interviews due to your lack of English fluenc y, try these few tips:

1) Don’t rush – it seems obvious, but most ESL executives speak too quickly . Take a breath at the end of each phrase , and really consider what you need to do with your articulators (tongue, lips, lower jaw, soft palate) to make each sound.

2) Study beforehand – pick up an accent reduction book , or begin to work with an accent reduction coach before your interview. Pick out five core problematic vowel sounds and five core consonant sound s. Listen to the sounds, then work carefully on your articulation. Pick out words you think you might say in the interview , and run them by your coach. Work them before the interview.

3) Role play – Write out the questions you might get asked, bullet point the answers , and then role play the interview with your husband, wife or coach. The more you prepare, the less likely you will get stuck trying to pronounce a word your don’t know!