Speak Clearly, Interview Confidently

How to eliminate filler words and speak with more clarity and authority.

Do you use filler words?

If you do, you’re not alone. Many of us do not realize how often we say “um,” “uh,” “you know,” or “like” in conversation. In everyday speech, these slips are harmless. But in a media interview, they can weaken your credibility, distract your audience, and dilute your message.

One famous example: during her New York Senate campaign, former U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy reportedly said “you know” more than 140 times in a single interview. The story overshadowed her message and her candidacy.

More recently, I was in an interview for a senior role with a consulting firm and was surprised that the Chief of Staff used the word “like” nearly fifty times in the first 15 minutes. I knew it was a ruse to get me to put my guard down as she had held that position for years, but it was alarming nonetheless.

For women, another challenge can also be upward inflection at the end of sentences, which can make even confident statements sound like questions.

The good news? With practice, awareness, and the right techniques, you can eliminate filler words and speak with more clarity and authority.

Here’s how:

Record Yourself. Before your next interview, do a mock session with a colleague or friend and record it. Play it back to identify when and why you use filler words. Seeing and hearing yourself is the fastest way to spot habits you didn’t know you had.

Prepare Talking Points. Draft key messages before your interview and rewrite them to match your natural speech patterns. Rehearse until you’re comfortable delivering them without overthinking. Keep them handy during the interview for quick reference.

Practice. Run through interview questions with someone who will listen for filler words and note patterns. Do you say “um” before answering, after answering, or when you are thinking? Knowing the trigger points makes it easier to address them.

Use Time-Buying Phrases. If you need a moment to think, replace “uh” or “um” with phrases like “That’s a great question” or “Let me think about that for a moment.” Then pause. Silence feels longer to you than to your audience but it reads as confidence.

Slow Down Your Responses. Many people rush to answer before the interviewer even finishes the question. Train yourself to breathe, pause, and think. A speech coach once gave me a simple trick: rest your thumb under your chin and your index finger over your lips, it keeps you quiet, signals that you’re listening, and forces you to slow down.

Put Yourself in the Audience’s Shoes. Think less about what you want to say and more about what your audience wants to hear. Shape your answers in a way that’s relevant, engaging, and easy to understand. This shift in focus will naturally cut down on verbal clutter.

Eliminating filler words is not about sounding perfect it’s about making your message clearer, stronger, and more memorable. With preparation, practice, and awareness, you will speak with clarity and confidence in every interview.