commentr/StutterMarch 20, 2019

Content

Im a 20 year old student. I recently had my placement interview, and was selected on only my 2nd interview. Here are some tips I used to combat my stutter during the interview. 1) Don't think about the stutter. When the interview panel asks questions, you should really focus on what the answer will be, and not how you are going to deliver the answer. Overthinking the delivery i.e. the stutter, will make you stutter. 2) Maintain eye contact. This is by far the most important tip. Look them in the eye, never look away. I know this is especially difficult. This will also take your attention away from your stutter. For some reason, for me anyways, maintaining eye contact always seems to reduce or even eliminate my stutter. 3) Sit up fully straight. Dont lean onto the table, dont lean back into your chair. Make sure your torso is vertical. This seems to boost confidence and also gets more air into your lungs. 4) Go in with a positive mindset. They have called you in for an interview since your skillset is suitable for the job. You have the same chance as all other applicants, regardless of your stutter. 5) When the interview is going well, remind yourself in your head that it is going well. Cheer yourself up. Using these tips, I didnt even stutter once in my interview. I was very scared of this interview for years beforehand, but was quite surprised at how smoothly it went (my first interview did not go so well, but I fixed my mistakes for the second interview). I hope this helps!

Themes

Anticipation & AvoidanceEmotional ExperienceCoping & AdvocacySchool & Work

Subthemes

Overthinking & MonitoringAnxiety & Social JudgmentMindfulness & BreathingEmployment & Career