Comments on: Accent http://www.GeekMBA360.com/accent Career Advice At The Intersection Of Business And Technology Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:00:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Renita Kalhorn http://www.GeekMBA360.com/accent/comment-page-1#comment-19238 Renita Kalhorn Sat, 04 Apr 2009 09:11:16 +0000 http://www.GeekMBA360.com/?p=655#comment-19238 When I was a college student at Juilliard (which has a very international student body), there was a girl in my class who spoke with a strong Russian accent --articulately, with perfect grammar. I still remember how surprised I was when I found out she had lived in the States since she was five years old or so. Clearly, she had made an effort to assert her cultural heritage by maintaining her accent.<br><br>Of course, certain accents are harder to understand in English than others, but I think if someone fundamentally expresses themself clearly and intelligently, an accent simply adds "spice" to the delivery. :-) When I was a college student at Juilliard (which has a very international student body), there was a girl in my class who spoke with a strong Russian accent –articulately, with perfect grammar. I still remember how surprised I was when I found out she had lived in the States since she was five years old or so. Clearly, she had made an effort to assert her cultural heritage by maintaining her accent.

Of course, certain accents are harder to understand in English than others, but I think if someone fundamentally expresses themself clearly and intelligently, an accent simply adds “spice” to the delivery. :-)

]]> By: Renita Kalhorn http://www.GeekMBA360.com/accent/comment-page-1#comment-13739 Renita Kalhorn Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:11:16 +0000 http://www.GeekMBA360.com/?p=655#comment-13739 When I was a college student at Juilliard (which has a very international student body), there was a girl in my class who spoke with a strong Russian accent --articulately, with perfect grammar. I still remember how surprised I was when I found out she had lived in the States since she was five years old or so. Clearly, she had made an effort to assert her cultural heritage by maintaining her accent.<br><br>Of course, certain accents are harder to understand in English than others, but I think if someone fundamentally expresses themself clearly and intelligently, an accent simply adds "spice" to the delivery. :-) When I was a college student at Juilliard (which has a very international student body), there was a girl in my class who spoke with a strong Russian accent –articulately, with perfect grammar. I still remember how surprised I was when I found out she had lived in the States since she was five years old or so. Clearly, she had made an effort to assert her cultural heritage by maintaining her accent.

Of course, certain accents are harder to understand in English than others, but I think if someone fundamentally expresses themself clearly and intelligently, an accent simply adds “spice” to the delivery. :-)

]]> By: GeekMBA360 http://www.GeekMBA360.com/accent/comment-page-1#comment-13691 GeekMBA360 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:56:59 +0000 http://www.GeekMBA360.com/?p=655#comment-13691 You have a good point. I think in certain professional areas such as management consulting, appearance and language skills are really important. Like said, accent could be a liability.<br><br>However, over the years, I have seen plenty of people who succeed in investment banking, high tech, or even legal careers while speaking with heavy accents. It could be mind-boggling sometime. :-) But, I think it's really important that you believe in yourself, and not let your accent to prevent you from trying things out.<br><br>A Harrison Barnes, a former lawyer, legal industry recruiter, and successful entrepreneur, had a great post about this Russian lawyer who speaks with a heavy accent and graduate from a tier-3 law school, but kept getting better and better lawyer jobs in L.A. (<a href="http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/2009/03/alpha-pygmy-goats-unreasonably-optimistic-russian-attorneys-and-setting-high-expectations-for-yourself/" rel="nofollow">http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/2009/03/alpha-py...</a>). Check it out. A great read -- human minds can make a lot of "impossible things" happen if you believe and go for it. You have a good point. I think in certain professional areas such as management consulting, appearance and language skills are really important. Like said, accent could be a liability.

However, over the years, I have seen plenty of people who succeed in investment banking, high tech, or even legal careers while speaking with heavy accents. It could be mind-boggling sometime. :-) But, I think it's really important that you believe in yourself, and not let your accent to prevent you from trying things out.

A Harrison Barnes, a former lawyer, legal industry recruiter, and successful entrepreneur, had a great post about this Russian lawyer who speaks with a heavy accent and graduate from a tier-3 law school, but kept getting better and better lawyer jobs in L.A. (http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/2009/03/alpha-py…). Check it out. A great read — human minds can make a lot of “impossible things” happen if you believe and go for it.

]]> By: Nam http://www.GeekMBA360.com/accent/comment-page-1#comment-13690 Nam Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:11:55 +0000 http://www.GeekMBA360.com/?p=655#comment-13690 Is accent really not a liability? If you speak with heavy accent and you want to work in management consulting, I bet you could not land any job. And I hardly see anyone who can use a heavy accent as an asset to advance in her/his career. Well, except William Hung in American Idol. :D Is accent really not a liability? If you speak with heavy accent and you want to work in management consulting, I bet you could not land any job. And I hardly see anyone who can use a heavy accent as an asset to advance in her/his career. Well, except William Hung in American Idol. :D

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