Before your interview, record your voice while you answer some of these questions. Then play it back and write down all of your speech crutches and how many times you used them. Words such as, "Like," "um," "you know," "so on and so forth," "and," "well," "but," "so," "ah," "er," "literally," "actually," and "basically." Once you've identified which speech-crutch words you use the most, practice answering without those words. Whenever you find yourself struggling, just pause instead. This will present you as a clearer communicator and more of a professional.

"I'd detected a discrepancy. The trail I had to follow which led me to its source was quite complicated. When I tried to explain what I was doing to a coworker, it led to further confusion. So I created a report with diagrams, writing it out in a cohesive manner that effectively answered all their questions in order. I don't always resort to written communication, but in this instance, I decided it was important."