Um and uh counter

um and uh are not a character flaw. They are what the mouth does when the next phrase is not ready and silence feels rude. In an interview, a short silence is not rude. It sounds like you are choosing. The sound in the middle of the choice is what makes the answer feel unfinished.

What gets counted

um, uh, uhh, umm, uhm, er, and ah are clear hits. you know, I mean, and basically sit in the same bucket: they rarely change the meaning. The counter also lists like, so, well, right, and actually, because people who successfully delete um often pour those in instead. Half weight in the score, full visibility in the list.

A realistic bar: zero um or uh in the opening sentence, and fewer than two clear fillers a minute after that. If the whole answer is ninety seconds, that is about three clear fillers, not zero for the entire story. Perfection makes people talk in a stiff line they cannot repeat when they are nervous.

The replacement is silence

Say the answer. Find the first um in the transcript. Say that sentence again and close your mouth where the um was. One second is enough. The longest-pause number should move a little, and it should stay under about two and a half seconds. If the pause runs past four seconds, you did not have the next phrase. Use a bridge you can memorize: “The part I owned was,” or “The decision was.” Then the content, not another um.

Do this on a story you actually tell, not on the alphabet. Random question will hand you a behavioral prompt from the hub if you are tired of your own favorite story. The habit shows up more on the story you have not polished.

FAQ