Unable to understand British Accent

[sriatkrish]

Hi ,

I am in UK Job Search.
I have got all the technical skills of most UK job openings in my technical stream.

I am unable to understand clearly what recruiters and interviewers accent speak.

I see this is the only hinderance for me to get a job in UK.

Please suggest me a way to get rid of this problem.

I have started watching more Brit movies.

Thanks a lot!

[vinny]

Watch TV.

[Aani]

Youtube/ google is another option. In the search give British Accent and watch the videos.

And as days pass on you will be able to understand. Communicating in English is important as you are in England. But never demotivate yourself because you don't understand them.

Its all in the learning process and making yourself matured.

Wish you good luck.

Regards,
Aani

[t1s2010]

Sometimes, I don't understand Indians speaking English in India.
It takes time to pick the accent, be it USA, be it UK.

As suggested by vinni, I would vote for 'watch-TV' (somehow, I find that movies are easier to pick accent) or listen to radio discussions

[namastelondon]

Hi ,

I am in UK Job Search.
I have got all the technical skills of most UK job openings in my technical stream.

I am unable to understand clearly what recruiters and interviewers accent speak.

I see this is the only hinderance for me to get a job in UK.

Please suggest me a way to get rid of this problem.

I have started watching more Brit movies.

Thanks a lot!

Watch Harry Potter movies, listen to FM may be. ,make local friends. Check also whether others are able to pick up you accent.

[sriatkrish]

Thanks all!
will start watching TV and also start listening to radio.
If you could tell aboout interesting conversational tv shows, series and also radio programs, it will be of gr8 help

[LearningCurve]

Go to a O2 / T-Mobile store or Carphone Warehouse and ask the sales person to explain the different types of contracts, features in phones etc.

Try finding scenarios where you can have the sales person explain services to you, try asking him questions. This will definitely help in addition to watching tv, listening to radio and watching movies.

Best Luck,
LC.

[kenfrapin]

Something that helped me in my early days here, and as suggested here, speaking to the people who love to have a chat - Sales guys in shops, door men, guards, taxi drivers all like to have a hearty conversation and are genuine people who appreciate a good chat - so look for these options

You will be surprised the amount you learn just speaking to them. When it comes to watching shows on the Tele - they are enough sitcoms and comedy shows available via a cheap cable box available at Argos, Asda, Tescos etc - get one of those and watch them

If you can download or find videos on youtube then watch some classic English comedy shows and movies. The Carry On rubbish series is great and so is The Thin Blue Line - Rowan Atkinson, My Family 2005 plus some famous murder/mystery shows like the recent Sherlock Holmes available on BBC iPlayer, or the 1984 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes etc. Even Top Gear does a good job - and watching BBC sitcoms like Emmerdale, Eastenders, Hollyoaks or Weakest Link are wonderful to know how they speak today. If you are home all day just watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4 as there are some nice home shows, game shows and documentaries

All the best - dont worry, I bet you will be fine in a few months time
PS : if you like your drink, go down to the local pub and there will enough company around to have a chat

KP

[sriatkrish]

Thanks so much

[jrge]

This is exactly what I did 10 years ago when I landed in the USA. I went to department stores, supermarkets and other places; gracefully talked to locals and in my particular case, it only took less than 3 weeks to fully understand their accent...!

Good luck!

[prisat]

Hi ,

I am in UK Job Search.
I have got all the technical skills of most UK job openings in my technical stream.

I am unable to understand clearly what recruiters and interviewers accent speak.

I see this is the only hinderance for me to get a job in UK.

Please suggest me a way to get rid of this problem.

I have started watching more Brit movies.

Thanks a lot!

It is a known fact that American accent is easily understandable which Brit is a bit difficult. When you see a person in UK speaking english he can be of any origin in Europe but settled in UK long back. So he will mix their accent with english and speak and thsi makes english in UK a bit difficult to grasp.

And as time passes, you will pick up, provided you have a decent english fluency.