Is, um, everybody, um, ready to, ummmm, read a short entry, um, that's about something, um, we've all been told not to do a countless amount of, um, times.

Helpful tip alert - stop saying "um" so much, no matter where you are because you will come off as a more professional person. Watch them especially during an interview. Read that first sentence again - wasn't that extremely annoying just reading it?

The annoying awkward silence-filling phrases are extremely distracting while listening to students (and sometimes professors) who aren't even aware they do it. Just like an alcoholic or a person addicted to Twinkies, the first step in correcting the problem is recognizing you're doing it. But if I, a mere Journalism and Communication senior student, can recognize the over usage of "ums," then imagine what employers think while interviewing. They might think you aren't a good communicator or that you might not be able to work with people or think on your feet enough if "um" is popping out of your mouth every couple seconds.

You could have the most fabulous credentials in the world, but if your job requires communication, then the employer might not hire you because of the way you speak. I've had many acquaintances who go in for job interviews and have no idea what went wrong, but I think a lot of those rejections are caused by not only not being prepared, but by not being able to communicate efficiently. Remember everybody, you don't have to spurt out an answer right away - some silence is good; it shows that you think before you speak.

Watch the ums in your life; you never know where they'll pop up, whose ears they'll invade, or how they can affect your career.