We’ve seen a steady job growth for the past few years. But even though it seems it’s a candidate’s market, it is still a long process to land a good job in most industries. Yes, there are more jobs, but the competition is still fierce. What do employers want? In my Savvy Professional series I’ve been addressing critical skills for professional success in any line of work. Communication skills are perhaps the most sought after skills. Strong communication skills are a requirement for practically every job no matter the level within the organization. Communication skills refer to the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with a wide variety of people effectively getting the message across as well as gaining and understanding information. Good communication skills are key to successful relationship at work and outside of work.
Communication is a two-way process of sending and receiving information. Effective communication is delivering the right information to the right people at the right time. Communication is successful only when both the sender and the receiver have a good understanding of the same information.
There is always a sender and a receiver in communication. The sender is the initiator of the message. It’s not enough to have brilliant ideas. Good communication is about the effective articulation and delivery of the message. The receiver needs to decode the message for complete understanding to be able to assign meaning to it and encode a response. The biggest communication challenge is that all too often we don’t listen to fully understand the message and get distracted trying to form a response. Effective communication requires that we hone our skills both in delivering and receiving messages. Here’s how:
As sender: Clearly understand the purpose and intent of your message and chose the delivery method accordingly. Often how you say something is more important than what you say. Look for clues of emotional response and comprehension.
As receiver: just listen. Give the speaker your full attention and avoid the temptation to respond. Ask questions to ensure you understood the message correctly. Fully consider the message and intention before responding.
In every exchange we are both the Sender and Receiver simultaneously. The best communicators are those who make a genuine effort to understand other people; those who can empathize with and understand the needs of others.
Job interviews are an opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills, from the first handshake to your closing statement. Practice and come prepared to talk about the company and the position. From the very beginning of the interview, you are given information, listen and respond appropriately. And ask questions. Don’t ask questions for the sake of asking. Ask questions that genuinely interest you about working for the company and the job. Curiosity is a desirable trait in talent. It’s good to come prepared, but it’s better to actively listen and let the good questions come to you within the context of the conversation. The best questions come from actively listening to what you're asked during the interview and coming up with just the right comments and questions. Interviews should be viewed as a two-way street. The employer’s job is to select the best candidate for the position. It is your job to determine whether this is the right company for you and how well the position fits within your career plan.
To learn more about asking great questions during an interview:
Thanks for following along. I’ll leave you with the following quote:
Watch your thoughts;
They become words.
Watch your words;
They become actions.
Watch your actions;
They become habits.
Watch your habits;
They become character.
Watch your character;
It becomes your destiny.
~Lao Tzu
More about interviewing skills in my next blog posts. Be sure to follow the savvy professional series for job search and interviewing tips and offers for free feedback and critique.
Email me at info@choicefulpath.com.
