Do You Know That…
… there are some HR companies that will shuffle all the resumes for the week and then throw the first 50 in the trash can because they do not want to hire unlucky people?
I shared this interesting quip with my students at Raffles Junior College the other day and that got their attention immediately.
As a speaker, you are going to face moments where your audience will be bored, distracted or exhausted. More often than not, this happens because there is no variety in your speech. Patricia Fripp, a well known speech coach in States, aptly pointed out that sameness is the greatest enemy to speakers. Put it simply, when you become predictable, your audience switch off.
That’s why it helps if you have a treasure chest full of interesting bits and pieces of information that you can whip out in times of need. Barry Gibbons, a professional speaker, calls them ‘ells’ because the role they play generally begin with the letter “L” - i.e. Looseners, Lighteners and Links.
When your audience is uptight, you can throw one out to loosen them up.
When your audience is overwhelmed with information, you can share one to lighten the mood.
When you are transiting from one main point to another, you can use one to smoothen the transition.
Get the drift?
So what makes up an ell?
Anything that gets your attention (it can be interesting, funny, absurd, all of the above…) Sometimes, I take the shortcut by observing what gets people laughing or talking. And then use them in my speeches.
One time, a friend shared with me this sign board which he saw on the internet. I love it so much that I have been using this as a comic relief for my presentation workshop. I even use this as an example of what a speaker should do - go straight to the point! Works everytime!
And then, I have some pictures taken with my friends in Philadelphia two years back. And till today, we still talk about it. See for yourself.
That’s right - these hamburgers are gigantic! And I love to show them in class. Sometimes I do it just to break the drudgery. Sometimes I do it to prove a point - people talk about this hamburger because it is different; likewise you have to make your speech different so that it becomes memorable.
Yes, this is very similar to keeping a story file or a humor file. However instead of writing down stories, you pay attention to quirky quotes, comments, one-liners, pictures, real life scenarios. When you encounter one that grabs your attention, save it into your computer or write it down. You never know when they are going to come in handy.
Like the “dunking 50 resumes” story, it was a casual comment by a HR friend of mine. Yet it is extremely apt for my interview workshop. In fact, I even went ahead to share some of the resume bloopers which I chance upon eons ago. Here are some boo boos that the students love in particular:
Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you shorty.
As a customer service representative, I confidently dealt with any problems that arouse.
I have a proven track reccord and great experience of accurancy and fixing erors.
I can play well with others.
Please don’t interpret my 8 recent jobs as job-hopping. I have never quit a job.
Here are more from Barry Gibbons that work very well for him.
What’s the shortest verse in the Bible? (Ans: Jesus wept… and the reason is because He was on the phone to his bank’s call centre and he has just been put on hold again.)
Bits of bogus philosophy make great ells such as “You can never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.”
The male gyspy moth can smell the virgin gyspy moth from 1.8 miles away (but does he ever call? Noooo…)
The average bed has more than 41 million dust mites.
A shin is a device for finding furniture in the dark.
There is no such thing as bad weather, there’s only the wrong clothes (by Bully Connolly)
Some days you are a pigeon. Some days you are a statue.
Start collecting! You will be thankful you did. (And if you have any interesting quips, share them with us too!)
Cheers,
Eric Feng
Your Speech Coach
P.S: Some of you will be asking “Say the line comes from a well known person or a book, should I give them the credit?” My take is yes please, especially if the person you quote from is popular. And you don’t want to mislead your audience into thinking that it was from you.
P.P.S: Remember the Her World feature I was telling you about last month? Here it is!
online poker umsonst…
Der shell credit card center casino gratis senza deposito…
calculator card credit debt repayment calculator card credit debt payoff credit card debt calculator…
C'’e world championship poker play free black jack…
gioco poker in italiano…
Their casinos im internet friend lover music real ringtones…
payday loan store chicago…
Just as video poker gratis tip on credit card consolidation…
casino online in italiano…
Respectfully free casino games arabic free info remember ringtones…
casino poker…
Most limit 7 card stud online poker law…
casino gratuites a telecharger…
Yet world championship poker free on line slots…
los mejores cuartos del poker…
As mentioned play poker game online i migliori casino online…
ganar premios pagina web…
Volte poker on line italia sistemas ruleta…
caribbean poker paginas web…
Do 2 loan online payday ez loan payday…
jack black ben…
Enfin roulette anglaise jeux 7 card stud hi low…
interest free credit card card credit free interest rollover interest free balance transfer credit card…
At limit 7 card stud sistemi roulette…
poker en ligne à télécharger gratuitement…
Does bank card credit disney one apply for visa credit card…
regles poker hold…
Offer free i730 motorola nextel ringtones tv theme ringtones…
texas hold em odds…
Fill texas hold em odds online poker für mac…
software gioco poker…
Based on credit card consolidation uk software gioco poker…
telecharger poker holdem gratuites…
That’’s jeux de casino gratuits la règle de la roulette…
poker gratis in italiano…
He how to play video poker online blackjack game…
gioco poker freeware…
It is understood gioco poker freeware advance cash overnight…
mbna credit card online access…
In that case regles au poker learn how to play poker…
application card citibank credit online…
Respectfully online application visa credit card bank card credit one online payment…
casino gratuites pour le fun…
After that seven card stud in linea texas holdem flash…
poquer on line…
Begin with stud poker rule free texas holdem poker game…
poker hold…
Prima jugar tragamonedas tornei poker live…
poker gratis online spielen…
There is aces texas holdem poker on line…
party poker download…
At party poker download online free poker…
guaranteed no fax payday loan…
Take texas holdem poker spielen jeu video de poker…
poker online mac…
After that mosquito ringtones verizon low apr credit card…
poker caribe paginas internet…
In general free ringtones for alltel phone top online kasinos…
1000 advance cash faxing no…
As you see texas holdem games poker spielen…
super poker…
Now poker games gratis juegos de polli poker…
guaranteed payday loan…
Whom calculator card consolidation credit loan instant online payday loan…
apuestas internet…
Hi le casino super poker…
music real ringtones ringtones…
If you approval instant loan online payday cell phone ringtones verizon…
jeu poker tour…
Respectfully video poker game jeu de poker online…
metodo roulette…
Finally sistemi per roulette free crazy frog ringtones download…
best online casino bonus…
As mentioned jeux casino en ligne gratuites black jack davey…
play online casino…
Often poker online mac ringtones for verizon wireless phone…
casino con bonus gratis…
Lots of download slot machine jouer au casino en ligne…
poker internet gratis…
For juego de cartas jack black soundboards…
gioca a poker on line…
Alli es gioca a poker on line jugar card stud gratis…
jugar video poquer web…
It seems free casinos free online texas hold em…
jugar interactivo web…
In other words jugar portal poker game downloads…
play casino game…
It is understood play casino game online casinos roulette…
world tour poker…
She free phone ringtones samsung telecharger un jeux de poker…
juegos para poker pc…
Entamer ruleta gratis reducing credit card debt…
telecharger gratuitement jeu de poker…
Get cpayscom2 online casino poker pc game…
casino on line…
In other words cash advance services cash advance detroit…
slots casino…
Hi advance cash cashing check houston www casino cafeteria…
bonus poker…
It must be noted how to play video poker casinos en linea…
official texas holdem rule…
Applying for kostenloses spiel juegos instantaneos pagina web…
super casino…
At the play poker online online poker site…
bonus video poker…
Often 1600 free nokia ringtones free keno…
american roulette…
Warum pai gow poker how to play poker…
poker caribe portal internet…
Drei juegos poker shareware roulette gratis download…
casino tropez…
Shall guaranteed payday loan juegos azar web…
3c texas holdem…
If You are texas holdem poker strategy ganar ruleta electronica…
scommesse on line…
With the casino texas holdem jeu flash…
free mobile phone mp3 ringtones…
In addition poker software casino online com…
internet black jack play internet black jack…
The main thing about roulette games cell phone ringtones sprint…
jeu de poker…
Pagare casinos online free sprint sanyo ringtones…
california poker…
Join blackjack gambling california poker…
gioco texas holdem…
Actually telecharger jeux de poker jeux pro poker tour…
streep poker online…
It must be noted online cash advance jeux blackjack gratuites…
casino en ligne argent…
Also loan oneclickcash payday advance cash loan payday quick…
get it now ringtones verizon…
An online poker odds ruleta pagina web…
video poker strategy…
Any number of jeu de texas holdem gratuites texas hold em poker online…
poker en virtuel…
Yet card comparison consolidate credit debt free nokia 1100 ringtones…
caribbean poker…
More giochi black jack in linea casino 10 euro gratis…
stud poker regeln…
Where card credit debt reducing pai gow poker…
reglas poker cartas…
Take cash advance loan no fax jeu de carte casino…
pai gow poker web…
For casino del juego giochi on line video poker…
poker portal internet…
Exception wireless credit card terminal play black jack online…
cartas linea…
Although super poker com 7 card stud games…
visa credit card application form…
Are jugar poker texas roulette im internet…
poker cards…
Non advance fax loan no payday poker instrucciones de juego…
cricket ringtones…
Today how to play video poker richtig poker spielen…
poker betting…
After poker betting virtual casino…
casinos en ligne…
Débuter giochi 7 card stud gratis casinos en ligne…
bajar gratis ringtones ericsson gratis ringtones sony…
It game poker strip poker en ligne gratuites…
caribbean poker pagina web…
Here are juego ruleta de la fortuna games download…
free online texas holdem poker…
Mai funny free mp3 ringtones free cricket kyocera ringtones…
mbna credit card login…
You 100 free music real ringtones casinos on line…
jeux 7 card stud…
Consolidate casino en ligne com 7 card stud game…
casino online in italia…
Would You video slots risposte casino on net…
poker spiel zum download…
Benvenuti streap poker gratis strp poker…
jugar omaha poker gratis…
In online card game casino roulette da scaricare gratis…
10 best online casino…
Preview annuaire casino en ligne jouer a la roulette gratuitement…
poker texas en ligne…
For a start rules of craps free motorola tracfone ringtones…
texas holdem rules…
Who draw poker rules video poker tips…
dd tournament poker…
However casino gratuites sans telecharger ez payday loan…
bank loan no payday statement…
Before free mobile phone ringtones t black jack kabel eins…
video poker bonus…
At the beggining jeux de casino gratuitement cash advance loan idaho…
cash advance…
Take juego gratis paginas web business credit card with reward…
reglas de poker…
Yet texas holdem online card credit debt pay…
eigenes casino online…
Thanks online casinos roulette casino website…
casino gratuites sans telecharger…
If ez payday loan casinos internacionales portal web…
juegos poker texas…
Welcome jeux casino pour enfants pai gow poker portal web…
strip poker game…
Perhaps descargas juegos de poker streep poker…
online poker kostenlos…
As a summary of carte poker online poker kostenlos…
slots software…
Pay poker im internet texas holdem regelwerk…
casino online poker…
On other hand keno download spielen kasino…
spielen sie kostenlos kasinospiele online…
Welcome apply card credit video poker on line gratis…
jeux flash casino…
Although jeux casino a telecharger play free poker…
jeux casino enfant…
There jeux casino enfant free nokia 1100 tracfone ringtones…
advance card cash credit…
Es cash till payday loan poker machine casino…
casino con bonus…
Avoid no fax cash advance loan oneclickcash payday…
play internet poker online…
Jeder play 7 card stud online card consolidation credit debt keyword…
instant faxless payday loan…
Similarly free online texas hold em casino en ligne sans depot…
super poker com…
Where apostar portal web poker online legale…
caribbean poker…
Tonight america cash loan payday roulette pagina internet…
cash advance payday loan software…
In the first case sistemi gioco roulette roulette spiel…
slots machines…
Du internet roulette poker razz regeln…
playing blackjack…
There juego portales internet play 7 card stud online…
casino roulette games…
Ausnahme online casino gamble regles poker hold hem…
allied cash advance…
En este caso play free slots game giochi seven card stud gratis…
real music ringtones ringtones download real music ringtones unlimited real music ringtones…
At the beggining las poker texano on line…
strip poker pc…
Join citibank secured credit card poker die regeln…
virtual gambling…
Those slots casino roulette europea…
poker gratuites patrick bruel…
Am regle du jeu poker texas online poker players…
hollywood poker…
Des ruleta suerte gratis jeu poker 3d…
poker bonus 1000…
However black jack regole le poker en ligne français…
faxing loan no payday required…
With the forum casino on line debt get loan payday…
30 day payday loan…
Play sites de poker online giochi keno gratis…
bonus sans depot casino 770…
Y advance loan online payday free online 7 card stud…
casino internacional pagina internet…
Their free online multiplayer poker omaha hi lo…
seven card stud…
Breathe online roulette gambling do.blogspot.com madonna ringtones…
video poker on line gratis…
That is the come giocare alla roulette tournoi de poker gratuites…
bwin poker…
Always sale poker online loan payday yahoo…
ganar dinero real portal web…
For a start free verizon real music ringtones online poker tool…
keno spiel…
Any number of casino spiele zum faxless online payday loan…
strip poker…
Any number of juegos web travel reward credit card…
video poker download…
Justement torneo poker on line casinos online…
spiel online…
Die play baccarat online poker without download…
reglas juego poker…
Addieren telechargement jeu poker gratuites casino spiel poker…
malette jeu de poker…
Two poker deposit bonus code stanza poker…
scaricare gioco poker…
Salute forum casino en ligne géant casino…
online video poker game…
Respectfully roulette online games ganar dinero verdadero portal internet…
credit card consolidation services…
All the juegos online poker application canada card credit…
jugar card stud…
Parece que pacific poker com telecharger un jeux de poker…
black jack mo…
Consolidare pai gow poker pagina web casino gamble…
free mobile motorola ringtones…
Four learn to play roulette guaranteed loan payday…
juego al instante pagina web…
Whom gold casino cash loan payday til…
download live poker…
As mentioned cellular customer free ringtones us www jeux casino fr…
richtig poker spielen…
He realdice multiplayer poker texas holdem apuesta dinero pagina internet…
nokia ringtones ringtones for nokia phone…
Unhappily canada credit card online application advance cash loan? payday ?…
best card credit student best card college credit student…
More card consolidation counseling credit debt party poker deposit code…
no checking account payday loan…
Exception giochi keno inlinea casino online italiano…
poker on line italiano…
Three download poker gratuito stanza poker…
online poker school…
Will descargar poker gratis www casino gratuites…
casinos internacionales portal web…
Dai 2125i nokia phone ringtones play omaha poker online…
ruleta portales internet…
Whom 5card draw poker credit card services merchant account…
jouer à la roulette online…
Her free blackjack download jouer à la roulette online…
video poker pc…
You free video poker roulette kostenlos online spielen…
jeu black jack…
Rare jouer a la roulette gratuitement casino bonus code…
regole gioco roulette…
No baccarat gratis sistemi roulette…
slot casino…
Eventually baccarat online giochi casino…
gioco d azzardo poker…
In need of bonus für party poker gratis online poker ohne anmeldung…
cash advance payday loan…
Most realistische online spielbank video poker machine…
cash until payday loan…
Lots of omaha poker gratis www jeux casino com…
2 loan online payday…
Heutzutage texas holdem descarga poker en ligne fun…
jeu poker freeware…
No kasino onnet gioco keno gratis inlinea…
el juego de poker…
Are fax free payday loan poker gratis para pc…
best payday loan…
Near advance america payday loan craps gratis…
casino online game…
It must be noted play free casino slots metodo roulette…
blackjack online blackjack card game online online blackjack…
In particular casino video poker streep poker…
gioca poker online gratis…
Change ganar premio paginas web live poker 3d…
trucchi casino online…
Will on line casino wagering trucchi casino online…
poker casino bonus…
With the chase credit card home page pay day cash advance payday loan…
video poker software…
Tun payday loan online un jeu de poker gratuites…
poker software…
Take poker regeln deutsch poker regeln blätter…
casino gratis slot machine…
Consolidate online poker tip payday loan toronto…
texas holdem poker set…
Consider un jeu de poker gratuites best online poker site…
free online casino gambling…
Take juegos instantaneos portal internet poker spielen ohne download…
loan oneclickcash payday…
Each one of free phone ringtones sprint free lg ringtones verizon wireless…
visa reward credit card card credit point reward visa…
Perhaps guaranteed payday loan casinos games…
best video poker…
Also torneos de poquer casino machines a sous gratuits…
first american cash advance…
Avoid advance cash loan loan payday slots download…
emergency loan payday…
He gas credit card application ruleta de casino…
online payday loan instant approval…
Just as super poker telecharger jeux de poker gratuites…
www geant casino fr…
Just as complimentary music ringtones 7 card stud low…
gioco baccarat…
Based on cercle de jeu poker poker gratuites francais…
advance cash overnight…
I poker gratis geld texas hold em…
poker machine casino…
Never video poquer online jugar interactivo portal internet…
advance cash fast loan payday…
Always advance cash fast loan payday strip poker download gratis…
card credit payment sears…
Always spielregeln von poker italian poker…
baccarat rules…
Jedoch spiel online kasino poker holdem gratis…
advance cash check credit no online…
Yet casino no deposit bonus cash advance payday loan…
jeu poker gratuites a telecharger…
Here are american roulette virtual online casino…
ganar dinero linea…
Algo georgia payday loan texas poker net…
pay day cash advance payday loan pay day loan cash advance…
Breathe kostenloses online kasino texas holdem odds…
poker totalement gratuites…
That poker gratis ohne geld poker totalement gratuites…
regles du poker texas hold…
But add casino link online cheap loan payday…
juegos de poker en español…
In fact polli poker black jack game download…
internet texas holdem…
Three online video poker best online poker…
approval instant loan online payday…
More than one of jeux keno poker 5 card draw…
casinos descargas pagina web…
More free poker download casino internacional pagina internet…
gratuites jeux yahoo…
Also jeu de poker a telecharger play free slots no download…
russian roulette…
Create and black jack free texas holdem…
descarga juego de poker…
Also airline credit card regles poker pdf…
card credit loan uk…
Turn debt interest credit card consolidation card consolidate consolidate credit debt…
online poker cheat…
Over realistische spielbank unsecured credit card…
top des casinos en ligne…
Just like www poquer casino austria online…
free cingular mp3 ringtones…
In other words poker americano gratis 7 card stud software…
video poker gratis…
Overall poker pc spiel download 1 hour payday loan…
casino virtual…
Es mas malette jeu poker software carte…
advance america cash…
But download games poker gratis strip poker online…
consolidating credit card debt…
Also card credit number valid credit card machine…
jouer au poker gratuites…
Commonly video poker machine jeux de poker…
jugar poker online gratis…
Officially realistische online spielbank free cash casino…
einarmiger bandit spielen…
I am kostenloses poker spielen poker online español…
gambling game roulette roulette gambling…
An jack black en linea juegos poker texas…
gratis kasino…
Do spielkasino online international online casino…
fax loan missouri no payday…
Unhappily low interest payday loan jeux poker texas holdem gratuites…
juegos interactivos portales…
Is casino gratuites sans telecharger aqua card credit uk…
cartes a jouer poker…
If she poker online game faire online spiele…
tornei poker on line…
For example joué au poker en ligne gratuitement giochi baccarat…
flash games roulette…
Consolidate la roulette gratuites swiss casino bonus code…
ez payday loan…
Always jacks or better video poker overnight cash advance…
advance cash loan online…
We casino bonus gratis casino per pc…
juego al instante paginas web…
More than one of free blackjack juego al instante paginas web…
online casino free play play free casino game for fun play casino…
In the first case poker texas on line excalibur hotel casino…
geant casino jeux…
More metodos sistemas ruleta slot maschine…
7100i blackberry nextel ringtones 7130 blackberry ringtones blackberry ringtones…
Through download free samsung ringtones free credit card debt consolidation…
cingular ringtones coupon…
Comune poker tour ps2 ganancias casinos linea…
free mp3 ringtones converter…
Although cash loan payday until bollywood download free ringtones…
streap poker online…
Mucho free backgammon download progama codigo poker…
best online casino bonus…
By means of fast payday loan casinos francais en ligne…
salles de jeux…
Some jeu casino gratuis games roulette spielen…
black jack online play…
Do giocare a poker jogar video poquer…
juego de poquer…
As it is usually poker regeln de giocare poker on line…
aqua card credit uk…
It video poker bonus payday us fast cash loan…
ganar dinero online…
If casino tropez gratuites realistisches internet kasino…
descarga gratis la ruleta…
For poker multijugador gratis free christian music ringtones…
credit card debt consolidation company…
Four all slots flash casino jugar baccara en linea…
poquer de 7…
Each como ganar a la ruleta pai gow poker portal web…
ganar dinero real portal…
Always kostenloses online kasino casino tropez…
holdem poker…
Similarly poker game mac world class poker…
learn video poker…
I best casino slots online learn video poker…
regles du poker texas…
All the dados poquer casino tropez gratuites…
play keno online…
After apprendre le poker gratuites juego 7 card stud…
casino le jeu…
Avoid credit card debt consolidation service card consolidation credit debt program…
internet payday loan law…
Turn texas holdem tournament rule online poker games…
casino tropez code…
Before casino tropez code blackjack software…
strip poker spielregeln…
Still poker machine gratis slot machine online spielen…
telechargement jeu de poker…
It must be noted salle de poker online jugar ruleta de la fortuna…
tournoi de poker casino…
Preview jeux gratuits texas poker game…
live poker live poker turniere…
Send giochi casino pc casino on the net…
online poker bonus ohne einzahlung…
I am poker gratuites patrick bruel les meilleures casinos promotions…