With the job market more competitive than ever, potential job candidates are seeking to stand out as the ideal employee. However, many employers have noted the rise of the ‘like’ epidemic (people saying like unnecessarily between words) within candidate language, ruining their chances of getting hired.
The ‘like’ epidemic can be found in language everywhere. In the working world, however, it has little place, as backed up by recruitment experts. But one gaming app creator has suggested that playing some mobile apps and puzzles can help to improve language skills for jobseekers, to help them secure employment. Puzzler World believes that playing word puzzles may help to minimise the use of filler words such as ‘like’, which can be off-putting in job interviews and the workplace, by challenging the brain to think more logically about language.
Puzzler World’s digital manager, Tony Ablewhite, commented:
“Puzzles have long been used to help boost cognitive functions and brain power, including language development. As more and more young people spend their time using smart phones and tablets, text speak is becoming the norm and vocabularies seem to be shrinking. Setting aside just 30 minutes each day to play fun yet challenging apps on their smartphones and tablets can increase their vocabulary, helping them to secure that dream job.”
So many young people are now reliant on technology such as smartphones, so it makes sense to utilise them to improve our skills where possible. Apps such as Puzzler World contain word logic games like crosswords, codewords and wordsearches, which help stimulate the brain’s left and right temporal lobes - areas of the brain responsible for language.”
Puzzler World’s theory that using too many filler words such as ‘like’ at a job interview can be detrimental to employability has been backed up by a nationwide recruitment consultancy. Alan Mead, Chairman of AMR Recruitment, which specialises in recruitment for the property and finance industries, commented:
“Today’s job market is extremely competitive and with candidates needing to prove their worth to potential employers, it’s important that individuals make a conscious effort to have sufficient language skills, particularly in office based jobs. The constant, excessive use of the word ‘like’ and other filler words appears not only unprofessional, but also damages employability as it can come across as immature and unintelligent. It can also imply that the candidate lacks self-confidence, or is confused and lacks depth of understanding about the job role.”
Puzzler World is available for download now on the Apple App Store and Google Play.