American accent in England

I have to say, I wouldn't worry about people not hiring you because of your accent. However, I do think it could have to do with your personality or attitude.

Now, before people jump on me, let me explain. Most companies nowadays (in my experience) look for someone with the personality or attitude that would work best in the company with with the other employees as well as the experience.

If you're not getting the job even though you're qualified then it's most likely because the people that work there are old and grumpy and the recuiter knows this and is protecting you from 8 hours of misery with these people. 

Don't worry about the accent. 

I get compliments on my accent all the time.  One of DH's friends even makes it a point to tell me "And don't you ever lose that accent!" every time we part.  And a drunken lady in a pub one time told me that I had a lovely accent after she was leaving a toilet stall and I told her she'd forgotten her purse. 

there are alot of people where I work right now that keep telling me they could listen to me alllll dayyyy lonnggggggg becaue they absolutely love my accent.
Then there's a few who ask me if I'm american or canadian, when I say american they sort of back up and say "oh gee I'm sorry" that was a bit of a let down and insult for a while until i found out that they were apologising to me for insulting me by asking if I could possibly be canadian....LOL
I never thought being canadian was bad, nor being american, but somehow the british do? Dunno *shrugs*
either way, on one hand it's sort of nice to be a kind of "novelty" and on the other hand it does tend to get old after a while.

I wonder, though, if one might start to lose their American accent after living over there for a while. Meh, probably not. I've talked to Brits that have lived in the States for over 40 years and still haven't lost their accent.

I wonder, though, if one might start to lose their American accent after living over there for a while. Meh, probably not. I've talked to Brits that have lived in the States for over 40 years and still haven't lost their accent.

Your accent may change a bit though.  And, of course, when you talk to the folks back home, they will swear you sound totally British...

You're just not hearing them! I get compliments on my accent all the time.

Both of those of you who receive compliments are in Yorkshire. There is a pattern here.

I have NEVER been complimented on my (unregional but vaguely Northeast) US accent in London.

In fact, I have had friends pompously correct my pronunciation when it was actually just an American pronunciation. Most recently, for example, the way I said "borough" was "entirely wrong".

In Southern England, people seem to have a problem with this (i.e. with American accents).

I would also note that my vocabulary easily places me as a well-educated American (from a very good university). No matter, people feel free to criticise, after all we're just ignorant Americans (!). I remember well once when someone told me, in an exasperated tone of voice , that I shouldn't say "one fourth" - It's one quarter, PLEEEEEASE.

 

My accent is already one-quarter (note that I DIDN'T say fourth) British after being here nearly ten years. If I lived up North, it would be well on its way to being fully Brit, but you know what - I prefer an American accent to a posh Southern English sound. It's just my own aesthetic. Now Welsh, that's another (beautiful) thing entirely...

I'm (secretly) hoping that, over time, I'll pick up a bit of a Geordie twang.  It's such a hilarious accent and really sounds like a totally different language to me.  I'd love to be able to go home to visit my family and "Hah weeyh" (sp?) them to death!   

I've interviewed and taken on staff in the UK, (occasionally) in my past 20 or 30 years. Some thoughts / comments; sorry if they're a bit late but we've been away-ish for a week.

First, if there's one vacancy available, an employer will fill it with the best possible person for the role.  You might feel you're ideal for a job (and you might be) but if there's someone who's "more ideal" you'll loose out to them. You might feel discriminated against, because friends / contacts have fallen into similar jobs they've applied for with lesser qualifications; indeed, it might be discrimination, but it could simply be that in your particular race there tougher competition.  Don't loose heart.

But, yes, there ARE potential employers out there who may discriminate against non-UK applicants. Apart from anything else, the UK government makes it the responsibility of each employer to check that new employees can legal work, and threatens severe sanctions if they take on someone they shouldn't; this frightens off a number of potential employers. Whether this is "racial discrimintaion" I wouldn't know - I'm not a lawyer, but it's certainly not based on skin colour or religion.  Race and nationallity are slightly different. me thinks. But if an employer can't see your worth, do you want to work for him anyway?

Other questions that come up in the employer's mind "is this person looking for a permanent job, or just passing through the area" and "is this likely to be a sue-happy employee pushing his / her rights to the extreme" and if the potential employee is customer facing "Are there likely to be misunderstandings because he / she speaks a different varient of English".  Finally, there's the question "if this doesn't work out, will I get blamed for hiring the wrong person" - a great one for middle managers who will go for the safe option of the local lad or lass who may be slightly less qualified, but whom they won't get critised for taking on if it doesn't work out.

There's also been talk of accents and receptionist jobs here. The person who answers the phone is the first ambassador for the company, and should be a bit special.  Any qualities they have that can help establish that in their first few words to the customer are worth their weight in gold, and such qualities include a very clear but non-UK accent. In the right situation, it says to the caller "here is someone who's not just been hired out of the local school, but rather someone who knows a bit", and I've seen this work with French, Canadian, South African and American receptionists. But attitude and how's it's projected (at interview and later) is even more important.

Now putting all of this together, it actually means that it's harder for the not-run-of-the-mill candidates to get job offers, but when they do, they'll typically be with good employer and the interviewer will be especially wanting them to work out well.

In Southern England, people seem to have a problem with this (i.e. with American accents).

I lived in Cheltenham and got complimented about my accent. Almost everyone asked, "Are you from NY?" or "Are you from America?" and "I love your accent." I always returned with a "I love your accent too" because I do.

Your accent is probably very pretty misch.  Im sure people will get more used to it and tell your 'so called' friends you really don't need any more corrections; you're doing fine. Maybe they don't realize thet are bothering you and see it as a joke?!

Mrs C, a Southern Bell, works as my PA.
All our customers and suppliers love her accent.
It happens that they "forget" my direct line number, but remember hers - especially the men.

Mrs C, a Southern Bell, works as my PA.
All our customers and suppliers love her accent.
It happens that they "forget" my direct line number, but remember hers - especially the men.

Cascode,

That is a funny - was it intentional? "Southern Bell" was the previous incarnation of the local AT&T telephone monopoly in most of the states of the southeastern US. It is now called something else, I think, but I'm not sure.

The southern belle would use Southern Bell to give her lover a bell. (that last bit is English, as opposed to American. We would say give him a ring...)

 

I'm (secretly) hoping that, over time, I'll pick up a bit of a Geordie twang. It's such a hilarious accent and really sounds like a totally different language to me. I'd love to be able to go home to visit my family and "Hah weeyh" (sp?) them to death!

Having one of those northeastern type hubbies, he informs me that there's a difference between how that saying is used between regions.

Wear Area:  Ha' Way the Lads
Tyne Area: Ho' Way the Lads

You can actually see these written in the seats of Sunderland and Newcastle's football stadiums.

I had such fun with the Northeast accent when I lived up there.  I'll never forget the first time I heard: ha' way 'n bile yer heed -- fortunately it wasn't directed at me!

Cascode,

That is a funny - was it intentional? "Southern Bell" was the previous incarnation of the local AT&T telephone monopoly in most of the states of the southeastern US. It is now called something else, I think, but I'm not sure.

The southern belle would use Southern Bell to give her lover a bell. (that last bit is English, as opposed to American. We would say give him a ring...)

 

Yes, I meant Southern Belle of course.

I am not marrried to Ma Bell ...........lol !

I got hired but unfortunately my accent caused a few mishaps. 

I was a receptionist for the GMC in London and one of my few duties was to tell the post room when packages from a company called Sentinel arrived. 

I have lived in Mississippi for seven years and my accent is an odd mixture of southern and east coast.  Apparently this is lethal.

I rang the post room and said "the package from sin-nal is here."  They said "okay."  Well long story short, they had no idea what I said (sen-TI-nul) and I got in trouble because they didn't come and pick them up soon enough.

And I think I pissed of a member of the Queen's Privy Counsel because I couldn't understand what he was saying.  I got him to spell his last name (v. politely) but he trilled in a booming scottish accent "and you can add OBE, MP, Etc. to that."

I was mortified.  but my DH's parents, who are from Yorkshire, say that I don't have an accent.  As a matter of fact, the did not even notice it for the first thirty minutes. 

I think the southern accent has a similar cadence to some northern accents, tho.

Not all of the South of England is that bad...
the SW is pretty nice and I have not had any major issues with my accent or being American so far...