COMMUNICATIOM SKILLS COURSE OUTLINE AND NOTES

WEE TOPIC SUB-TOPIC SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

K
1 MEANING AND ROLE OF  Explanation of the term  Define communication
COMMUNICATION communication  Explain the role communicatio
 Role of communication in organization
an organization.
2&3 THE PROCESS OF  Communication process  Explain the process of commun
COMMUNICATION  Barriers to effective  Discuss the barriers that affect
communication how to overcome these barriers
 Overcoming barriers to
effective communication
4&5 LANGUAGE USE  Definition of a sentence  Define a sentence
 Sentence structure  Structure a sentence
(syntax)  Define a summary and summar
 Sentence meaning
(semantics)
6&7 SUMMARY WRITING  Definition of summary  Practically summarize a passag
 Summarization
8&9 FORMS OF BUSINESS  Forms of business  Discuss the various forms of bu
CORRESPONDENCE/FOR correspondence correspondences
MAL COMMUNICATION  Letters  Write the various forms of bus
 Memorandum correspondences
 Circulars
10&1 MEETINGS  Definition of meetings  Define meetings
 Different types of  Explain the purposes of meetin
1
meetings  Discuss how to prepare for a m
 Purpose of meetings  Elaborate on how a meeting is
 Terminologies used in  Highlight the advantages and d
meetings meetings.
 Preparation of meetings
 Conduct of meetings
 Advantages and
disadvantages of meetings
12&1 INTERVIEWS  Definition of interviews  Define an interview
 Types of interviews  Discuss the various types of in
3
 Purpose of interviews.  Elaborate on the various purpo
 Preparation of interviewee  Explain the role of the intervie
 Roles of the interviewer  Explain the challenges encount
and interviewee conducting interviews
 Conduct interviews
 Challenges of interviews
14&1 REPORTS  Definition of reports  Define reports
 Types of reports  Explain the various types of re
5
 Purpose of report  Discuss the purposes of reports
  Structure and content of  Write a report
reports  Explain the procedure in presen
 Procedure in presenting a  Discuss the styles used in repo
report
 Styles used in report
writing
16&1 ORAL/VERBAL  Definition of oral/verbal  Define oral and verbal commun
COMMUNICATION communication  Explain the Types of oral comm
7
 Types of oral  Explain the
communication  Importance of oral communica
 Importance of oral  Discuss the Barriers to effective or
communication  Explain how to overcome the barri
 Barriers to effective oral communication
communication
 Overcoming barriers to
oral communication
18&1 NON-VERBAL  Definition of non-verbal  Define non-verbal communication
COMMUNICATION communication  Discuss the various Types of non-v
9
 Types of non-verbal communication
communication  Explain the Importance of non-ver
 Importance of non-verbal  Elaborate on the various ways of O
communication of non-verbal communication
 Overcoming barriers of
non-verbal
communication
20&2 AUDIO AND AUDIO-  Definition of terms  Define AUDIO AND AUDIO-VIS
VISUAL  Types of audio-visual COMMUNICATION
1
COMMUNICATION communication aids  List the various Types of audio-vis
 Importance of audio aids
communication  Explain the Importance of audio c
 Barriers to effective  Discuss the Barriers to effective au
audio-communication  Elaborate on the Importance of vis
 Overcoming barriers to  Discuss the Barriers to effective vi
effective communication  Explain how to overcome the
 Barriers to effective visual communication
audio-communication  List the various Types of audio-vis
 Importance of visual aids
communication  Explain the importance of audi
 Barriers to effective visual communication
communication  Explain the of audio-visual com
 Overcoming barriers to
effective visual
communication
 Types of audio-visual
communication aids
 Importance of audio-
 visual communication
 Barriers to effective
audio-visual
communication
 Overcoming barriers to
effective audio-visual
communication.
22 TECHNOLOGY IN  Definition of technology  Define technology
COMMUNICATION  Technology in  Explain the role of technology
communication  Discuss the impact of technolo
 Impact of technology in
communication
23 EMERGING TRENDS  Emerging trends in  Discuss the Emerging trends in com
communication

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place, person or group to another.
Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message and a recipient.
These include our emotions, the cultural situation, the medium used to communicate, and even our location.

Importance of Communication

1. The Basis of Co-ordination

The manager explains to the employees the organizational goals, modes of their achievement and also
the interpersonal relationships amongst them. This provides coordination between various employees and also
departments. Thus, communications act as a basis for coordination in the organization.

2. Fluent Working
A manager coordinates the human and physical elements of an organization to run it smoothly and efficiently.
This coordination is not possible without proper communication.

3. The Basis of Decision Making

Proper communication provides information to the manager that is useful for decision making. No decisions
could be taken in the absence of information. Thus, communication is the basis for taking the right decisions.

4. Increases Managerial Efficiency

The manager conveys the targets and issues instructions and allocates jobs to the subordinates. All of these
aspects involve communication. Thus, communication is essential for the quick and effective performance of the
managers and the entire organization.
 5. Increases Cooperation and Organizational Peace
The two-way communication process promotes co-operation and mutual understanding amongst the workers and
also between them and the management. This leads to less friction and thus leads to industrial peace in the factory
and efficient operations.

6. Boosts Morale of the Employees

Good communication helps the workers to adjust to the physical and social aspect of work. It also improves good
human relations in the industry. An efficient system of communication enables the management to motivate,
influence and satisfy the subordinates which in turn boosts their morale and keeps them motivated.

Common Barriers to Effective Communication:

 The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.

 Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics
may be completely 'off-limits' or taboo. Taboo or difficult topics may include, but are not limited to, politics,
religion, disabilities (mental and physical), sexuality and sex, racism and any opinion that may be seen as
unpopular.
 Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver. (See our page Barriers to Effective
Listening for more information).
 Differences in perception and viewpoint.
 Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
 Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture
and general body language can make communication less effective. Phone calls, text messages and other
communication methods that rely on technology are often less effective than face-to-face communication.
 Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
 Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what
they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. Our page The Ladder
of Inference explains this in more detail.
 Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which
emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between
different social settings. See our page on Intercultural Awareness for more information.

Important Measures to Overcome the Barriers of Communication

(1) Clarify Ideas before Communication:

The person sending the communication should be very clear in his mind about what he wants to say. He

should know the objective of his message and, therefore, he should arrange his thoughts in a proper order.

(2) Communicate According to the Need of the Receiver:

The sender of the communication should prepare the structure of the message not according to his own level

or ability but he should keep in mind the level, understanding or the environment of the receiver.

(3) Consult Others before Communication:

At the time of planning the communication, suggestions should be invited from all the persons concerned. Its

main advantage will be that all those people who are consulted at the time of preparing the communication

plan will contribute to the success of the communication system.

(4) Be Aware of Language, Tone and Content of Message:

The sender should take care of the fact that the message should be framed in clear and beautiful language. The
tone of the message should not injure the feelings of the receiver. As far as possible the contents of the

message should be brief and excessive use of technical words should be avoided.

(5) Be a Good Listener:

It is the essence of communication that both the sender and the receiver should be good listeners. Both should

listen to the each other’s point of view with attention, patience and positive attitude. A sender can receive

much relevant information by being a good listener.

The Effects of Poor Communication in Business

Stress in the Workplace

High-stress levels in the workplace are a huge sign that there are communication problems. Poor
communication can create a feeling that everything on your to-do list is urgent, causing you and others to
hurry, feel tense, overworked and have little-to-no sense of humor. Good communication causes a sense of
stability and predictability, but lack of communication or unhealthy communication introduces a sense of
fear that causes tension, which is counterproductive to efficiency.

Employees who are stressed all day go home stressed and worn out, which impacts their families. Instead of
having a spouse or parent who is energetic and thankful to be home, the family is stuck with someone who
has so many emotions to unload from the workday that an evening is barely enough time to get it all out.
Employees may begin to feel guilty or even to experience conflict at home because of their tension and
stress level. This stress stays with them as they start the next workday and it can be hard, if not impossible,
to get ahead.

Unmet Needs and Expectations

Lack of communication causes unmet expectations. Teams miss deadlines, clients miss appointments, and
people on a project do not seem to know what their roles are. When employees have trouble figuring out
what their priorities should be, they often choose the wrong thing and end up disappointing their superiors.
Without clearly communicated expectations and priorities, it is impossible to know where to start and how
to complete a project efficiently.

Arguments and Other Relational Breakdowns

If you have ever opened your work email inbox, only to find an accusatory message from a colleague,
employee or boss, you have probably experienced the sense of frustration, anger, hurt, fear and helplessness
that can come with unhealthy workplace communication. Instead of asking questions about how a project is
coming along or what your priorities and goals are, the email reads in an accusatory and demanding tone.

Your previously positive relationship might feel strained, so when you pass your co-worker's or boss's
cubicle, you are likely to want to hide, rather than sit down and have a friendly solution-finding
conversation. You may even feel a sense of uncertainty about seeking conflict resolution for fear of how it
might affect your job security. It is also common to feel a sense of insecurity or lack of fulfillment in
completing your daily tasks, and all of these emotions slow down productivity in the workplace.

Low Morale and High Turnover

When people are dealing with intense emotions, they spend more time than normal on emotional
management. Productivity goes down, and morale is replaced by a sense of relief of making it through the
day. Workplace survival mode can be a real problem. When business relationships are wounded and there is
no repair, trust goes out the window, making it difficult to work together to meet deadlines. When people
miss deadlines, they tend to feel poorly about performance. This vicious cycle prevents teams and
businesses from reaching their true potential.

Physical and Mental Health Issues

When things are going wrong both at work and at home, it is not unusual to experience consequences to
mental or physical health. Mental health concerns and chronic health problems are more likely to develop
during stressful times, especially when an employee has no outlet for stress relief, is out of energy for self-
care, or lacks emotional management skills. When these problems pop up, encourage proper professional
care and use it as an opportunity to turn around the situation.

Dissatisfied Clients

Dissatisfied clients can be a sign of poor communication. When teams miss deadlines or appointments,
superiors tend to be frustrated and stressed, but so do clients. If your client was counting on phone service
to begin before its grand opening and your installation team missed the deadline, your client could be out of
money. If your legal team is not fully prepared to present a case in court and is winging it at the last minute,
the ruling might not be in your client's favor. When nursing staff misses a deadline, it could mean that a
patient does not receive medication or a bath on time.

When clients are dissatisfied, they often take their business elsewhere, which costs your company money.
 Improving Communication

If poor communication can impact stress levels, deadlines, morale, health and the bottom line negatively,
then good communication can have a positive and healing effect. Write out job and project descriptions
clearly and check in to ask how things are going. Make use of emails and messaging apps wisely. Treat
others with the kindness you hope for in return. Create a written list of priorities for times when there is
more work than time, and perhaps set aside time each week to directly address workplace concerns and
brainstorm solutions.

Practice active listening skills with co-workers and assume the best of client intentions. Create a culture of
celebrating accomplishments and progress. When appropriate, seek support from a corporate psychologist
or communications consultant who can teach your team communication, self-care, active listening and
emotional management skills. Remember that none of us have perfect communication skills, but by
adopting a growth mindset and moving in a positive direction, improvements can occur quickly.

Communication Process
It is a transmission mechanism that involves transfer of information from the sender to the receiver through a
channel then obtaining feedback to confirm understanding of the message communicated

Elements of the communication process

1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has conceptualized
the idea that he intends to convey it to others.
2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-verbal methods
such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message. The sender’s
knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great impact on the success of the
message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey. The message
can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sighs, sounds, etc. or any other
signal that triggers the response of a receiver.
4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey his message
to the recipient. It must be selected carefully in order to make the message effective and correctly interpreted
by the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships between the sender and the
receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some
of the commonly used communication mediums.
5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to comprehend it
in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The degree to which the
receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter, experience, trust and
relationship with the sender.
6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the best possible
manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the message in exactly the same
way as it was intended by the sender.
7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received the message
and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the effectiveness of the
communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The response of the receiver can
be verbal or non-verbal.

STAGES OF THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

1. Conception of the idea (The sender develops an idea to be sent)

The beginning of the communication process involves the sender creating an idea that they plan to send to
another person or group of people. Essentially, they're planning the overall subject matter or information they
want to transmit.

2. The sender encodes the message

Once the sender develops an idea, they translate it into a form that can be transmitted to someone else. This
means they transform the thoughts of the information they want to send into a certain format. For example, if
you are writing a letter, you'll translate your idea into words. The message can also be nonverbal, oral or
symbolic.

3. The sender selects the channel of communication that will be used

Next, the sender decides how the message will be sent. This involves selecting the most suitable medium for
the message they're relaying. Some communication mediums include speaking, writing, electronic
transmission or nonverbal communication. If you're communicating at work, make sure to select the proper
and most professional channel of communication.
4. The message travels over the channel of communication

After the medium is chosen, the message then begins the process of transmission. The exact process of this
will depend on the selected medium. In order for the message to be properly sent, the sender should have
selected the appropriate medium.

5. The message is received by the receiver

Next, the message is received by the recipient. This step in the communication process is done by hearing the
message, seeing it, feeling it or another form of reception.

6. The receiver decodes the message

The receiver then decodes the sender's message. In other words, they interpret it and convert it into a thought.
After they've done this, they analyze the message and attempt to understand it. The communication process is
performed effectively when the sender and receiver have the same meaning for the transmitted message.

7. The receiver provides feedback, if applicable

Lastly, unless it's a one-way communication, the receiver will provide feedback in the form of a reply to the
original sender of the message. Feedback provides the recipient with the ability to ensure the sender that their
message was properly received and interpreted. Between two people, this is two-way communication.

SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

1. Completeness of the message: when you are communicating either it is social or business
communication, the message should contain all facts. The reader or the listener needs to react to your
desired outcome. Remember that communicators differ in their mental filter. They are influenced by
backgrounds, viewpoints, needs, attitudes, status and emotions. Complete messages are more likely to
bring the desired results without the expense of additional message. They can also do better job of
building goodwill.
2. Consideration: this means that you prepare every message trying to visualize your reader or listener
with their desire, problem circumstance emotions and improbable reaction to your request. You also
need to consider the receiver level of education and field of experience then handle the matter from the
point of view. This thoughtful consideration is also called you attitude and empathy, human touch and
understanding of human nature.
3. Consciousness: a conscious message saves time and expense of both the sender and the receiver.
Consciousness is saying what you have to say in the fewest possible words without sacrificing the
 other principles qualities. By eliminating unnecessary words, you help make important ideas to stand
out. To achieve consciousness try to observe the following suggestions:
 Eliminate wordy expression
 Avoid unnecessary repetition
 Include only relevant statements
 Check on the flow of your information
4. Concreteness: communicating concretely means being specific, definite and vivid rather than being
vague and general. The following guideline should help one to compose concrete convincing message
 When you use specific data
 Put action in you verb
 Image building words
5. Clarity of the message: means getting your message across so that the receiver will understand what
you are trying to convey. You want that person to interpret your message with the same meaning you
have in mind. Accomplishing the goal is difficult because of individual experiences. Some words have
different meanings to different people.
Here are some specific ways to help you in communicating a clear message:
 Choose short familiar conversational words
 Construct effective sentences and paragraphs
 Achieve appropriate readability and listening
 Include examples and illustrations
6. Correctness: the correctness principle comprises more than proper grammar, punctuations and
spellings. A message may be perfect grammatically and mechanically but still lose the interest of the
listeners.
The term correctness as applied to a business message means the writer should:
 Use the right level of language
 Include only accurate facts, words and figures
 Chose non-discriminatory expressions
 Apply all other C’s qualities
7. Courtesy: helps to strengthen the presence of business friendship as well as making new friends.
It stems from sincere you attitudes, therefore you should omit the expression that irritates, hurts or
belittles others. You should grant an apology if need be.
 Guidelines to Effective Communication

Be Clear - The first step in communication is to make your message short and crisp. Simplify your message.
Clarity is an absolute must.
Use Simple Words –
Be wary of using bombastic words and use simple words instead which relate with the audience
or person. Simplicity connects people.

Be other centered - Make your interactions with people more about them and take the focus off yourself. A
key to effective communication is having a genuine interest in other people. Pay attention to where you focus
when you communicate. Think about other’s needs. Meet people where they are and deliver more than they
expect.

Give Respect - Treat everyone with respect. Everyone knows something we don’t. Treat everyone you meet
like a million dollar customer. Give people the best treatment possible and make them feel like a winner.

Expand your vocabulary - Improve your vocabulary by learning new words as this is the best way you can
improve your communication as well. The more words you have to play with the better your speech. Words
are the tools we use to communicate and you have to have a great repertoire of words in your speaking arsenal

Avoid lengthy emails - While communicating through email get to the point early and avoid lengthy emails.
In other words cut to the chase. Don’t have people scramble for a dictionary. Make your sentences short and
sweet.

Have Polite Manners - Maintain eye contact with the person while in conversation. Don’t use the cell phone
or watch television while communicating with others. Give the person undivided attention.

Be authentic – Be yourself while engaging in conversation. Authenticity is the first step in establishing
credibility with your peers. This helps breaking down the barriers in communication. Another key is to
become audience oriented. Ask leading questions to understand your audience. Credibility does indeed
precede great communication. Believe in what you say and you will be authentic.

Have a call to action - As you communicate please remember that all communication should result in
measurable action. If you don’t have a clear result in mind the audience will not be spell bound. There should
be something for the audience to listen to you and they should be better off having listened to you.

Inspire and motivate – The purpose of language is to inspire and motivate people through your
communication. Words are the tools with which to empower people to live their highest vision. Use words
that are positive and bring out the best in people.

Align your words with deeds - There should be no gap between what you communicate with who you are.
The point is your deeds should match your words. Provide a compelling reason for the audience to pay
attention to. Once you have the attention deliver your message with enthusiasm and passion.
Review yourself – Honestly self-evaluate your communication results on a regular basis and adjust the sails
to make your communication even better in the future. Prepare before giving any
speech/meeting/presentation, rehearsal is the key before important meetings and if you are thoroughly
prepared the communication will be more effective.

The key to communication is to keep it simple, result oriented and having a call to action. If we follow these
12 guidelines we can become better communicators.

COMMUNICATION MEDIA

Oral and Verbal communication

The verbal communication is a type of oral communication when in a message is transmitted through the
word spoken.
In oral or verbal communications, information is given directly, either through face-to- face or through
telephone, mobile phones or office intercom. Meetings, lectures, seminar, conferences, interviews are
example of verbal communication. There are some points for the oral communication which can be summed
up as follows:
· Saves time and money
· Provides personal touch
· Tends to be more effective as the feedback can be received immediately
· Doubts can be clarified on the spot
· Chances of understanding are better
· Provides greater flexibility

Disadvantages of Oral Communication

· Oral communication suffers from some inherent limitations.
· It is not always feasible (as in the case of long distances and sometime beyond the network services).
· Not appropriate for lengthy or complicated conversation.
· Not suitable for keeping records
· It has no legal validity and hence lead to problems in certain situations.
· May have chances of misunderstanding.

Non- verbal communication

It refers to the clues we send to others all the time regarding our feelings and emotions, either knowingly or
unknowingly through our facial expressions, gestures and body postures, emphasis and intonations on some
words, and the physical distance between the sender and receiver.

Advantages
· The message of nonverbal communication reaches very fast and reduces the waste of time.
· Nonverbal cues of communication like sign and symbols can be communicated quickly than written or
oral messages.
· Helps illiterates people.

Disadvantages
· Nonverbal communication is vague because words or languages are not used.
· Long conversation and necessary explanation are not possible.
· It cannot be used at public tool for communication.
· In some cases it involves huge cost. e.g. neon sign, power point presentation etc. are very much costly
compared to the other forms of communication.

Written communication
It is a formal method of communicating. It can provide more information to the receiver that what is not
possible in oral communication. Oral communications may take the forms of reports, circular, memos, and
note, manual etc. writing is more reliable than speech.

Advantages of written communication

· Suitable for lengthy matters.
· At times it might be the only available form of communication (as in long distance transactions).
· Can be maintained as a permanent record for later references.

Disadvantages of written communication

· Time consuming and sometimes costly.
· Has a greater chance of miss-interpretation and misunderstanding.
· Difficult to maintain secrecy.
· Suffer from lack of flexibility.

Visual Communication
This is the process of passing information by use of diagrams, drawings pictures, signs, and gestures
etc. Advantages of Visual Communication

 It can be used to pass confidential information

 The information may be obtained at once

Disadvantages of Visual Communication

 Can only be used by people who can see

 The information may be wrongly interpreted

 It may be an expensive method of communication

 Cannot be used for long distances

Audio visual communication

Audiovisual communication is any channel of sending and receiving of messages through what one can hear
or see. The channel is very common and forms the largest form of communication in all aspects of life.

Advantages

1. Gets the attention of the participants

2. easy to follow

3. Participants feel more engaged

4. easier to explain or put things in perspective

5. easier to remember

6. Helps keep mistakes at a minimum

Disadvantages

1. it’s easier to lose focus

2. requires a well-designed presentation or material

3. Participants might pay more attention to the graphics than the audio

Email

Email is an important method of business communication that is fast, cheap, accessible and easily replicated.
Using email can greatly benefit businesses as it provides efficient and effective ways to transmit all kinds of
electronic data.

Advantages of using email

Email can increase efficiency, productivity and your business readiness. Using email in business is:
  cheap - sending an email costs the same regardless of distance and the number of people you send it to
 fast - an email should reach its recipient in minutes, or at the most within a few hours
 convenient - your message will be stored until the recipient is ready to read it, and you can easily send
the same message to a large number of people
 permanent - you can keep a record of messages and replies, including details of when a message was
received
Disadvantages of using email
Despite the host of benefits, there are certain weaknesses of email that you should be aware of, such as:

 Spam - unsolicited email can overwhelm your email system unless you install a firewall and anti-spam
software. Other internet and email security issues may arise, especially if you're using the cloud or
remote access.
 Viruses - easily spread through email attachments. See how to detect spam, malware and viruses.
 Sending emails by mistake - at a click of a button, an email can go to the wrong person accidentally,
potentially leaking confidential data and sensitive business information. You should take care to
minimize the likelihood of business data breach and theft.
 Data storage - electronic storing space can become a problem, particularly where emails with large
attachments are widely distributed.

LISTENING
This is the absorption of the meaning of the words and sentence by the brain.
It leads to understanding of the facts and ideas.

Listening process
1. Receiving the message: this is the internal focus of hearing the speakers’ message, which happens
when we filter out other sources so that we can isolate the message and avoid confusing mixture of
incoming stimuli. At this stage, we are still only hearing the message.
2. Understanding the message: in this stage, we attempt to learn the meaning of the message, which is
not always easy due to different levels of understanding knowledge.
3. Remembering: it begins with listening. If we cannot remember something that was said, you might
not have been listening effectively. However, even when you are listening attentively some
messages are more difficult than others to remember. Highly complex messages that are filtered
with detail call for highly developed listening skills. If something distracts your attention even for
a moment, you could miss the information that explains other new concepts you hear when you
begin to listen fully again.
 4. Evaluation of the message: it involves judging the value of the message because everyone
embodies biasness and perceptiveness from widely diverse set of life experiences. Evaluation of
the same message can vary widely from one listener to another.
Even the most open-minded listeners will have opinions of a speaker and those opinions will
influence how the message is evaluated. People are more likely to evaluate a message positively if
the speaker speaks clearly, presents ideas logically and gives reasons to support the points made.
5. Responding/ feedback: You indicate involvements at the stage. Almost anything you do at this
stage can be interpreted as feedback.
6. Formative feedback: it is a natural path of ongoing transaction between a speaker and a listener. As
the speaker delivers the message, the listener signals his/her involvement with focus attention, root
taking, nodding and other behaviors that indicate understanding or failure to understand the
message. These signals are important to the speaker who is interested in whether the message is
clear and accepted or whether the content of the message is meeting resistant or preconceived
ideas. The speaker can use this feedback to decide whether additional examples support material or
explanation is needed.
7. Summative feedback: given at the end of communication. There are verbal and non-verbal ways of
indicating your appreciation for or your disagreement with the message or the speaker at the end of
the message.

Listening barriers
Barriers to effective listening are present at every stage of listening process.
1. At receiving stage, noise can block or distort incoming stimuli
2. At the interpreting stage, complex information may be difficult to relate to previous experiences
making it difficult to understand that message
3. At recalling stage, natural limits to your memory and challenges to concentration can interfere with
remembering
4. At evaluation stage, personal biases and prejudices can lead us to block people out or assume you
know what they are going to say.
5. At responding stage, lack of paraphrasing and questioning skills can lead to misunderstanding
The following barriers affect listening
1. Environmental and physical barrier to listening
 Environmental factors affect our ability to listen. A room, which is too dark, can make us sleep, just as
a room that is too warm or cold can raise awareness of our physical discomfort to a point that it
becomes distracting.
2. Cognitive and personal barriers to listening
It emanates from our bodies. Cognitive limits and lack of listening preparation makes it difficult or
disorganized messages and prejudices can interfere with listening.
3. Differences between speech and thought rates
Our ability to process more information than what comes from one speaker or source creates a barrier
to effective listening.
4. Getting plugged in
Technology multitasking, media multitasking can also give people the sense of control as well as use
of multiple technologies to access various point of information to solve a problem or to complete a
task.
Media multitasking can produce an experience that feels productive but is it really. What are the
consequences of our mind and technology circulated world. Although many of us like to think that, we
are good at multitasking some researchers indicate otherwise.
5. Lack of listening preparation
Although some people think listening skills just develop over time, competent listening is difficult and
enhancing listening skills take effort.
Even when listening, education is available but people do not embrace it as importantly as they do not
take chances to enhance their speaking skills.
6. Bad messages and/or speakers
Sometimes our trouble listening starts in the sender in terms of message construction, poorly
structured messages or messages that are too vague, use of jargons too simple can present listening
difficulties.

MEETINGS

A meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the purpose of achieving a
common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching agreement. Meetings
Identify your meeting type to plan for success
The first step towards planning a meeting is defining what type of meeting it is. While every meeting is
unique, being familiar with the six most common types of meetings will help you better identify the goals,
structure, and activities best suited for your meetings.

The six general types of meetings:

 Status Update Meetings
 Information Sharing Meetings
 Decision Making Meetings
 Problem Solving Meetings
 Innovation Meetings
 Team Building Meetings

Here is a break-down of the six general types of meetings with examples of the main activities involve in each
type. Knowing what type of meeting you are planning will increase the success of your meeting.

1: Status Update Meetings

Status update meetings are one of the most common meeting types. This category includes regular team and
project meetings, where the primary goal is to align the team via updates on progress, challenges, and next
steps. Commonly found group activities in these kinds of meetings are problem solving, decision making,
prioritization, and task assignment..

2: Information Sharing Meetings

Presentations, panel debates, keynotes, and lectures are all examples of information sharing meetings. The
primary goal of these meeting is for the speakers to share information with the attendees. This could be
information about things like upcoming changes, new products and techniques, or in depth knowledge of a
domain. Visual communication tools, like slides and videos, are powerful tools for making the shared
information more memorable.

At information sharing meetings the attendees have historically been passive listeners. With new technologies
like Meeting Sift they can use their smart devices to go from passive spectators to active participants, making
the meeting more engaging and productive for all..

3: Decision Making Meetings

The vast majority of business decisions are made by groups in meetings. While small decisions are made in all
kinds of meetings, the more important decisions often get their own dedicated meetings. There are different
types of group decision making processes, and care should be taken to choose a process that best matches the
situation. A decision making process can include group processes like information gathering and sharing,
brainstorming solutions, evaluating options, ranking preferences, and voting..

4: Problem Solving Meetings

Problem solving meetings are perhaps the most complex and varied type of meetings. Whether the meeting is
addressing an identified problem, or it is focusing on creating strategies and plans to navigate the future, there
are rich arsenals of group processes that can be used. Scopes and priorities need to be defined, opportunities
and threats need to be identified, and possible solutions should be brainstormed, evaluated, and agreed upon..

5: Innovation Meetings

Innovation meetings and creative meetings often start with thinking outside the box, by brainstorming,
associating, and sharing ideas in a broad scope. Meeting participants can then use various techniques and
processes to reduce the diverse pool of ideas to a more focused short list. Through ranking, evaluations, and
decision making the most suitable idea, or ideas, are identified, and recommendations and tasks can be
assigned based on this..

6: Team Building Meetings

All meetings should contribute to team building, strengthening relationships and corporate culture. However,
now and then team building activities should be the main focus for a meeting. This category includes
meetings like include all-hands meetings, kick-off meetings, team building outings, and corporate events.
Have participants felt like essential parts of their unit, team, department, branch, and company has all kinds of
positive impact on their engagement, performance, and satisfaction.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN IMPORTANT MEETING

How many times are you called into a meeting only to walk out wondering where that hour of your time
went?

There is nothing worse than having your day interrupted by a meeting that doesn’t have a clear agenda or is
derailed because someone forgot to prepare crucial information beforehand.

If you want to ensure meetings you host and attend, make the most effective use of your time then consider
these tips.

Understand the Purpose of the Meeting

The first thing you need to consider is to clarify the purpose of your meeting. What is the meeting about? Is it
meant to solve a problem, discuss a concept or inform your colleagues of an important step the organization
has made?

Once you understand the purpose of the meeting you can make sure that you actually have a need to host a
meeting in the first place. While face to face communication is great, sometimes you can save everybody time
and effort by simply sending an email or making a phone call.
Develop an Agenda for the Meeting

If all meetings have a purpose then it naturally follows that all meetings should have an agenda.

To prepare an agenda for your meeting you should provide a brief introduction/context as to why the meeting
is taking place and the items for discussion. You should list the items for discussion in a relevant order and if
you want even schedule a certain amount of time to discuss each point. If you nail the agenda you can also
keep the meeting short.

Preparing an agenda is only half of the process however. You also need to make sure that everyone receives
(and reads) it beforehand. This will help reduce the time that is often wasted at the start of a meeting where
you are just filling people in on the small details.

Prepare For the Meeting

Whatever you do don’t be that person who asks for someone to explain what the meeting is about when you
first sit down!

Whether you are hosting the meeting or attending one you should make sure that you know exactly why you
are there. If you don’t think you are really needed then ask to be removed from the invite list unless the
organizer thinks it is absolutely crucial you attend.

Once you have committed to going make sure you understand the agenda and what you are expected to know
or discuss at the meeting. You may find that you need to do some research beforehand or bring some material
along for discussion.

Know the Participants

For the meeting to be productive, select participants who will help you accomplish its objectives. If someone
doesn’t have anything to say or discuss at the meeting then they don’t really need to be there. This will save
them time and help your meeting run smoother.

Overall the people who attend the meeting should have something to actively contribute. You can still keep
other people up to date with what was discussed by emailing a brief recap of the meeting to others if required.

Send an Invite and Select an Appropriate Venue

It should go without saying but you would be surprised at the number of meeting requests that get sent
without an associated calendar request/invite.

Taking the time to create an invite makes it easier on you as the organizer and for those participating. You can
easily see who can and cannot attend and the attendees also have all of the details they need. This should
include the agenda that we discussed previously, as well as details on the location or venue of the meeting.
It is also important to consider the people you are inviting to the meeting and their relationship with one
another. If they are people from different departments or companies it helps to provide a one line summary of
each person who is attending and their role.

Gather and Send Relevant Information

If there is information that is going to be discussed at the meeting makes sure that each participant is sent a
copy of it prior. The more time you can give someone to go through it the better, although there are often
occasions where meetings are scheduled at the last minute or with short notice.

In addition to this, if you are the host of the meeting makes sure you have a couple of printed copies as people
often forget to bring their own or don’t think it is needed. It is better to be prepared than lose 5 minutes of
your time waiting for someone to turn on their laptop or print a new copy.

Measure the Results

A meeting is only as good as the action it results in. Every meeting with an agenda should also have a desired
outcome. As the organizer of the meeting you should continue to drive people towards that desired outcome
and act like a “ringmaster” of the different opinions and cases presented at the table.

Once consensus has been achieved this should be confirmed in an email so that everyone has written
confirmation. You should also track your progress against these stated objectives until

INTERVIEW

An interview is a conversation where questions are asked and answers are given. In common parlance, the
word "interview" refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee.

Top 10 Common Job Interview Questions with Best Answers

How to Respond to Interview Questions

You don't need to memorize your answers, but you should think about what you're going to say so you're not
put on the spot. Your responses will be stronger if you prepare in advance, know what to expect during the
interview, and have a sense of what you want to focus on.

Knowing that you prepared will boost your confidence, help you minimize interview stress and feel more at
ease.

Top 10 Interview Questions and Best Answers

1. Tell me about yourself.

What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know why you're an excellent fit for the job. Try to
answer questions about yourself without giving too much, or too little, personal information. You can start by
sharing some of your personal interests and experiences that don't relate directly to work, such as a favorite
hobby or a brief account of where you grew up, your education and what motivates you. You can even share
some fun facts and showcase your personality to make the interview a little more interesting.

2. Why should we hire you?

What They Want to Know: Are you the best candidate for the job? The hiring manager wants to know
whether you have all the required qualifications. Be prepared to explain why you're the applicant who should
be hired. Make your response a confident; concise, focused sales pitch that explains what you have to offer
and why you should get the job.

You should hire me because my experience is almost perfectly aligned with the requirements you asked for in
your job listing. I have seven years’ progressive experience in the hospitality industry, advancing from my
initial role as a front desk associate with Excalibur Resort and Spa to my current position there as a concierge.
I’m well-versed in providing world-class customer service to an upscale clientele, and I pride myself on my
ability to quickly resolve problems so that our guests enjoy their time with us.

3. What is your greatest strength?

What They Want to Know: This is one of the questions that employers almost always ask to determine how
well you are qualified for the position. When you are asked about your greatest strengths, it's important to
discuss the attributes that qualify you for that specific job, and that will set you apart from other candidates.

As a cyber-security specialist, my greatest strength is my intellectual curiosity. I

enjoy researching the latest technology trends so that our critical information technology systems remain
uncompromised. Not only do I do this by reading the latest issues of cyber security journals, I also convinced
my employer to fund my participation in quarterly information technology conferences. This has allowed me
to build a network of peer resources—many of whom are leaders in the field—that I can call upon for
strategies when new threats arise to our systems.

4. What is your greatest weakness?

What They Want to Know: Another typical question interviewers will ask is about your weaknesses. Do
your best to frame your answers around positive aspects of your skills and abilities as an employee, turning
seeming “weaknesses” into strengths. You can also share examples of skills you have improved, providing
specific instances of how you have recognized a weakness and taken steps to correct it.

My greatest weakness used to be procrastination. Friends who knew my work style would tease me, saying,
“Panic precipitates performance.” In college, I was the person who pulled all-nighters to finish their essay
right before deadline. This isn’t as irresponsible as it sounds—from the moment I’m assigned a project, I’m
thinking about it. Most of my first and second drafts get composed mentally, so it’s only a matter of writing
down the final draft. And, since I have an excellent command of grammar, I don’t have to spend much time
proofreading or revising.

However, after I landed my first job as a content writer, it became clear that while this process worked for me
(I’ve never missed a deadline), it made my editor extremely nervous. And so I’ve learned to set “early”
deadlines for myself, at least 24 hours before the actual deadline, so that my projects now always arrive with
plenty of time to spare.

5. Why do you want to leave (or have left) your current job?

What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know why you want to work for their company. When
asked about why you are moving on from your current position, stick with the facts, be direct and focus your
answer on the future, especially if your departure wasn't under the best circumstances.

I was very fortunate to be hired by ABC Company right out of college. They taught me a lot about digital
marketing, and it’s been stimulating to work as a contributor to their creative teams. However, I’m ready for
the next step. I’ve always been a leader—I was captain of the crew team in college, student body vice
president, and I’ve served as team lead for most of our projects in FY 2019. I think I’m ready to move into
management, but ABC Company already has very talented managers in place, and they won’t be leaving such
a great employer anytime soon. I’ve completed supplemental management training courses during my time
there, and I know I can hit the ground running as your next digital marketing manager.

6. What are your salary expectations?

What They Want to Know: The hiring manager wants to know what you expect to earn. It seems like a
simple question, but your answer can knock you out of competition for the job if you overprice yourself. If
you underprice yourself, you may get shortchanged with a lower offer.

7. Why do you want this job?

What They Want to Know: This question gives you an opportunity to show the interviewer what you know
about the job and the company, so take time beforehand to thoroughly research the company, its products,
services, culture and mission. Be specific about what makes you a good fit for this role, and mention aspects
of the company and position that appeal to you most.

Construction design is in my blood—both my dad and my grandad were home builders who owned their own
construction firm. From the time I entered college, I knew that I wanted my architecture career to be focused
on sustainable, green design practices, so I earned my certification as a LEED Accredited Professional.
Greenways Construction is the most respected sustainable design firm in Texas. I’ve been following reports of
your LEED Certified projects in Journal of Green Engineering, and I wrote my capstone project on the energy
modeling you pioneered for the ACME Business Park and the ABC Tech campus. Working here really would
be my dream job, since your mission aligns perfectly with my goals as a sustainability specialist.

8. How do you handle stress and pressure?

What They Want to Know: What do you do when things don’t go smoothly at work? How do you deal with
difficult situations? The employer wants to know how you handle workplace stress. Avoid claiming that you
never, or rarely, experience stress. Rather, formulate your answer in a way that acknowledges workplace
stress and explains how you’ve overcome it, or even used it to your advantage.
I’m not someone who is energized by or thrives in stressful environments. My first step in managing stress is
to try to circumvent it by keeping my work processes very organized, and my attitude professional. When
customers or associates come to me with issues, I try to look at things from their perspective, and initiate a
collaborative problem-solving approach to keep the situation from escalating. I find that maintaining an
efficient, congenial office with open lines of communication automatically reduces a lot of workplace stress.
Of course, sometimes unanticipated stressors will arise. When this happens, I just take a deep breath,
remembering that the person I’m dealing with is frustrated with a situation, not with me. I then actively listen
to their concerns and make a plan to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

9. Describe a difficult work situation or project and how you overcame it.

What They Want to Know: The interviewer wants to know how you respond when faced with a difficult
decision. As with the question about stress, be prepared to share an example of what you did in a tough
situation. It’s important to share details to make the story believable and engaging.

I think the most difficult situation I face as a production manager is when I have to lay off staff, either because
they aren’t doing their job properly or, even worse, because sales are down. When I can, I try to work with
underperforming personnel to see if we can’t improve their efficiency. If not, then I hand them their pink slip
and give them straightforward reasons for why they are being laid off. No one wants to be fired without an
explanation. When this happens, I keep my tone polite and avoid using too many “you” statements; I
absolutely do not want to cast shame on them.

10. What are your goals for the future?

What They Want to Know: This question is designed to find out if you’re going to stick around or move on
as soon as you find a better opportunity. Keep your answer focused on the job and the company, and reiterate
to the interviewer that the position aligns with your long-term goals.

I’m someone who likes stability. My goal is to find a job that I can hold long term with a local company,
becoming a valued employee as I gradually advance to positions of increasing authority and responsibility.
I’m extremely interested in the teller job here at First Financial Credit Union because of your internal training
program. My long-term goal is to eventually become a branch manager after I’ve proven my competencies in
customer service and team leadership.

Possible Follow-Up Questions

Here are some related questions you might be asked during a job interview that will require some thought to
answer.

 How do you handle success?

 How do you handle failure?
 Do you work well with other people?
 What can you do better for us than the other applicants?
 Why are you the best person for the job?
What else will the hiring manager ask? Review more of the most frequently asked interview questions, tips
for responding, and sample answers you can use to practice for a job interview. You can also expect to be
asked about how you would respond to a specific work-related situation. Here's a list of examples of these
behavioral interview questions you may be asked.

What shouldn't the interviewer ask? There are some questions that hiring managers should not ask during a
job interview for legal reasons. Here are questions that shouldn't be asked, with advice on how to
respond diplomatically.

Questions to Ask the Interviewer

At the close of the interview, most interviewers ask whether you have any questions about the job or
company. If you don’t have any questions, this can make it seem like you are apathetic about the opportunity.
It's always a good idea to have a list of questions ready, and to be prepared to discuss them.

How to Prepare for a Job Interview

The more time you spend preparing for a job interview, the better your chances will be of acing it. You’ll feel
more comfortable speaking with the hiring manager if you’re familiar with the company’s products and
services.

Research the company. Before your interview, take the time to learn as much as possible about the job and
your prospective employer. There are many different resources you can use to find information and news
about the organization, its mission and its plans.

Tap your connections for insider information. Who you know at a company can help you get hired. Check
LinkedIn to see if you have connections who work at the company. Ask them if they can give you any advice
that will help with the interview process. If you’re a college graduate, check with your career office for
alumni who may be able to help.

Make a match. Take the time before the interview to make matches between your qualifications and the
requirements as stated in the job announcement. This way, you will have examples at hand to demonstrate
your suitability for the job.

Practice your responses. Write out your answer in advance for each question and then read it aloud to ensure
it sounds natural. Try to keep it short and sweet. You don’t want to come across as the type of person who
endlessly drones on about themselves.

Be prepared to show and tell. It can be helpful to remember the tip “show, don't tell.” For example, rather
than stating that you are an excellent problem solver, instead give an example that demonstrates this, ideally
drawing on an anecdote from your professional experience.

How to Make the Best Impression

The first impression you make at a job interview, is going to be the most important one. Hiring managers can
decide whether you’re a good candidate, or not, within a few minutes of meeting you. These tips will help you
make a terrific first impression.

Dress for success. What you wear to the interview is important because you don’t want to be underdressed or
overdressed. A three-piece suit can be as out of place as shorts and a t-shirt. Carefully choose appropriate
attire, and don’t be afraid to ask the person who scheduled the interview if you’re not sure what to wear.

Be on time or a little early. You definitely don’t want to keep your interviewer waiting, so be on time or a
few minutes early for your appointment. If you’re not sure where you’re going, do a trial run ahead of time so
you know how long it will take you to get there.

Keep it positive. Always try to put a positive slant on your responses to questions. It’s better to give the
impression that you’re more motivated by the possibility of new opportunities than by trying to escape a bad
situation. In addition, it’s important to avoid bashing your current organization, colleagues or supervisor. An
employer is not likely to want to bring on someone who talks negatively about a company.

Follow up after the interview. After every job interview, take the time to send a thank you note or email
message sharing your appreciation for the time the interviewer spent with you, and reiterating your interest in
the job. If there was something you wish you had said during the interview, but didn’t get a chance to, this is a
good opportunity to mention it

PERSONAL PRESENTATION
How do you groom an interview?

Interview Grooming Tips

1. Wear formal clothes.

2. Avoid use of strong perfumes as many people can be allergic to them.
3. Your hair should be well shampooed. Avoid oily hair.
4. Bring a professional looking folder to carry your Mark sheets, Resume and Certificates.
5. Keep your cell phone switched off or in silent mode.

Tips to Hone Your Job Interview Etiquette

1. Greet your interviewers as Ms or Mr.

Most people prefer you call them by their first name. When the last time was someone instructed you to call
them by their last name?

Again, it's a little thing, but in a world where there is too little respect going around, it will make you stand
out from other competing candidates for this same position.

Special Tip: Throughout your interview, hiring managers will be trying to assess how easy you will be to
work with and manage. It's true, employers need self-starters and leaders, but sometimes they simply need you
to be a good soldier and do your job.
2. Make sure your cell phone is off...not on vibrate

The last thing you need is a distraction during one of the most important meetings of your life. People can still
hear your cell ring in vibrate mode. Better yet...just leave your cell phone in your car.

Right now there is nothing more important than your interview. This could be a life changing moment for you
and your family. BTW--How did we survive all those years without cell phones?

3. Look people in the eye...and smile

Body language is an extremely important detail of proper job interview etiquette.

Communication experts tell us that 80% of our communication with others is non-verbal.

One of the best ways to connect with people and build trust is to look them in the eye. Eye contact is also
important during a group interview.

4. Firm handshake

This is another non-verbal way to connect with people.

It seems ludicrous to be judged negatively by a limp handshake, but people do it all the time.

Even so, be careful with this advice.

You don't want your handshake to be too firm--especially if a man is shaking hands with a woman.

There is this guy at my church who practically breaks my hand every time we shake hands.

I actually try to avoid "The Bone Crusher" on Sunday. He's a great guy, but sheesh, take it easy!

5. Let the company take the lead during your interview

Sometimes when your interviewer is soft spoken or laid back you may feel the urge to keep things moving.
So, you start taking back some control and the next thing you know, you're rambling.

If there are periods of silence...just sit there in the silence. If you are well prepared for your interview, relax,
you have nothing to worry about.

One of the most common interviewing mistakes is talking too much. It's easy to ramble and over explain
things if your interview is a person of few words and there are periods of silence. Resist this and simply let
them set the pace of the interview.

6. Don't step on the last 3 words of someone's conversation

I've noticed a disturbing trend these days.

When I'm talking with someone, often times they will step on the last 2-3 words of my sentence and talk over
me without extending to me the courtesy of finishing my sentence.

Has this ever happened to you? Annoying, isn't it?

7. Sit up straight and lean slightly forward

In my role as an executive recruiter, I can't tell you the number of times hiring managers have rejected good
candidates because, they were too laid back in their interview...literally. This is especially true for candidates
over 50 years old.

Disgracefully, older job seekers are often prejudged as lacking in drive and ambition; however, younger job
seekers need to also be on guard against being too casual or relaxed.

It's hard to believe that in a few seconds you can make this kind of impression, but it's true. So ignore this
slice of interview etiquette at your own peril.

8. Take notes during your interview

Bring a professional looking binder with you so you can jot down a few notes during your interview. This
conveys a sincere interest in what your interviewers have to say, and gives you a chance to jot down a
question to ask at the appropriate time.

When I say a professional looking binder, I'm not talking about a cheap 3 ring binder like you carried around
in the 8th grade. Invest in a leather binder that looks first class. Also, don't use an

9. Pursue the job even if your interview is going badly

You might be enduring an awful interview experience quietly thinking to yourself, this is the last place I'd
ever want to work...get me out of here!

Best advice I can give you is be professional and finish what you started to the best of your ability. No one has
a gun to your head to take this job. You're in the driver's seat because you can always withdraw from the
process or turn down an offer.

Here are 2 situations where job seekers made the fatal mistake of prejudging things too early...and lived to
regret it. As a general rule, wait until you have all the facts before making your final judgment about an
individual or a company.

Pearl of Wisdom: You never know who you are going to meet or how a total stranger might positively affect
your career downstream. Leave people with a positive impression of you. It could pay dividends in the future.
I once knew of a company that merged with a competitor. Imagine having interviewed poorly with this
competitor's VP who is now your boss.
10. Your interview is not over until you drive down the road.

In a few cases, I've known hiring managers to watch candidates from their office window as they exit the
building and get into their car. People can do some pretty outrageous things like spitting, lighting up a
cigarette, arranging them, yapping on their cell phones for 20 minutes while leaning on their car, chowing
down on a sandwich in their car, and other things you would not believe.

11. Arrive 15 minutes early...but no sooner

Obviously you never want to be late for your interview; however, did you know that arriving too early could
be annoying to employers? Find out why in this short article I wrote on another one of my Webpages.

12. Promptly send a thank you note after your interview

This is a MUST on your job interview etiquette list. Not only is this a common courtesy, but it also keeps
your name in front of those who interviewed you.

WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS

As a continuous learning environment built upon Berea’s Great Commitments and Common Learning Goals,
Berea College expects all workers “to be active learners, workers and servers,” and seeks to be a place where
the Christian values of human compassion, dignity, and equality are expressed and lived. Therefore, workers
are expected to:

 Exhibit enthusiasm for learning

 Act with integrity and caring
 Value all people
 Work as a team
 Serve others
 Encourage plain and sustainable living
 Celebrate work well done

WHAT IS A CV
In its full form, CV stands for curriculum vitae .CV is a document you use for academic purposes. The US
academic CV outlines every detail of your scholarly career

How to Write a Perfect CV

It gives you the following valuable information on how to write a perfect CV:
 Identify the right personal details to include. Learn what to add and what to leave out, such as
whether to include your marital status or nickname.
 Add a personal statement. Find out what one is and how it can be used to focus a potential
employer’s attention on your best attributes.
 Know what to include in the skill section. Discover how to bring your skills to the fore and make
sure you understand the difference between transferable, job-related and adaptive skills.
 Mention former jobs. Brush up on the best ways to present former or current employment in a way
that shows you in the best light.
  Don’t forget your qualifications. Learn what to include, how to select relevant qualifications for a
particular CV and why not listing everything exhaustively is crucial.
 Tailor it to the application. Gain skills with writing a CV that is adapted to an individual employer or
a particular sector of industry to get the best results.
 Keep it up to date. Find out the best ways of keeping your CV up to date so that it is ready to go at a
moment’s notice.

Here’s how to write a CV:

1. Make sure you know when to use a CV
2. Pick the best CV format
3. Add your contact information the right way
4. Start with a CV personal profile (CV summary or CV objective)
5. List your relevant work experience & key achievements
6. Build your CV education section correctly
7. Put relevant skills that fit the job opening
8. Include additional CV sections to impress the recruiter
9. Organize this all on a professional CV template
10. Complement your CV with a cover letter

Sample CV Format
1. CV Header with Contact Information
2. Personal Profile: CV Objective or CV Summary
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional Sections

When filling in the sections, always keep in mind the gold CV formatting rules:
1. Choose clear, legible fonts
Go for one of the standard CV typefaces: Arial, Tahoma, or Helvetica if you prefer sans-serif fonts, and
Times New Roman or Bookman Old Style if serif fonts are your usual pick.
Use 11 to 12 pt font size and single spacing. For your name and section titles, pick 14 to 16 pt font size.
2. Be consistent with your CV layout

Set one-inch margins for all four sides.

Make sure your CV headings are uniform—make them larger and in bold but go easy on italics and
underlining.
Stick to a single date’s format on your CV: for example 11-2017, or November 2017.
3. Don’t cram your CV with gimmicky graphics

Less is more.
White space is your friend—recruiters need some breathing room!
Plus, most of the time, after you send out your CV, it’s going to be printed in black ink on white paper. Too
many graphics might make it illegible.
 4. Get photos off of your CV

Unless you’re explicitly asked to include your photograph in the job ad.

If so—make sure to use a professional looking picture, but not as stiff as an ID photo.
5. Make your CV brief and relevant
Don’t be one of those candidates stuck in the nineties who think they have to include every single detail about
their lives on their CVs.
Hiring, nowadays, is one hell of a hectic business. Nobody’s got the time to care for what high school you’ve
attended or to read 10+ bullet point descriptions of past jobs. We’ll get to that later on.
After listing their contact information on a CV, most candidates jump right into their work experience or
education.

But you’ll do better than that. You will actually get remembered by the employer.

So, how to make a CV pop?

How to write a cover letter

A cover letter is a single-page letter that you include with your job application.

You should always include a cover letter, unless the job advertisement clearly says not to.

The purpose of a cover letter

When writing a cover letter, you should:

 introduce yourself
 mention the job (or kind of job) you're applying for (or looking for)
 show that your skills and experience match the skills and experience needed to do the job
 encourage the reader to read your resume
 Finish with a call to action (for example, asking for an interview or a meeting).

How long should a cover letter be?

Keep it short. A cover letter is meant to be a summary of your resume, so don’t write more than one page.

Matching your cover letter to the job

Use a different cover letter for each job you apply for. Your cover letter needs to show that you know what
the job involves, and what the employer is looking for.

To do this, be specific about your skills and qualities. You also need to show how they match the needs of the
job or the organization.
Here are three simple ways to make your cover letter as specific as possible:

1. Find out who to address it to

Try not to address your letter ‘To whom it may concern’. Find out the name of the person who will read your
application. This might take a little effort, but it's worth it.

If you found the job in an advertisement, it will probably name a person to send the application to. If it
doesn’t, call the employer or advertiser and ask who to send the application to. Telephone is best, but emails
them if you can’t find a contact phone number.

If you find out the person's name, don't use their first name. Use either ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms’ and their last name
instead.

2. Find out more about the job

When finding out whom to address your application to, you could also try to contact that person so you can
ask questions. This can help you match your cover letter (and resume) to the job.

You could ask:

 Does the job involve working as part of a team?

 Who would I be reporting to if I got the job?
 Can you tell me more about the kind of person you're looking for?
 Is there a position description I can look at? (Only ask this if the job advertisement doesn’t mention a
position description.)

3. Find out more about the company

Find out more about the company so you can tailor your cover letter for the job. Here are some tips:

 If you know the name of the company, look for information online.
 If the company has a website, visit it (especially their ‘About us’ page).
 If the company name isn't in the advertisement, call the recruitment agency or advertiser and ask who
the employer is.

What to include in your cover letter

Here's a list of things you should include in your cover letter. For examples of how to include these things,
visit our sample resumes and cover letters pages.

Your name and contact details

Put your name and contact details at the top of your cover letter. You don't have to give your postal address,
but you do need to include your email and phone number.
Your email address should create a professional impression. Don't use an email address like
yolozapbangpowdude@xmail.com.

If you don't have a professional email address, you can make one with a free email provider. Make it simple –
something that includes your first name and your last name is a good way to go.

Their name and contact details

Under your own name and contact details, you should include:

 the name of the person you're writing to

 their position or the name of their company
 Their contact details.

If you're having trouble finding this information, you can call the company to ask who you should address
your application to.

You can also use ‘To whom it may concern’, but it’s best to only use this as a last resort.

The name of the job you're going for

At the start of your cover letter you need to say which job you're applying for.

You can do this on a line by itself (for example, ‘regarding: Application for Stock Controller position’).

You can also do this in the opening paragraph (for example, ‘I am writing to apply for the recently advertised
Stock Controller position’.)

A list of your relevant skills

Include a brief summary about how your skills and experiences match the job description. A short bullet list is
fine.

If you're answering a job advertisement, there may be a position description that lists essential skills and
experiences. It may also have a list of ‘desirable’ skills and experience. Your cover letter needs to respond to
all of the items on the ‘essential’ list. You should also respond to as many items as you can on the ‘desirable’
list.

Remember that if you say you have a skill or experience, you need to show how you've used it or how you got
it (for example, if you say you've got child-minding skills, mention some jobs where you've used them).

A summary of why you're right for the job

After listing your skills and experience, you should explain why these mean you're suited to the job (for
example, ‘My ability to get along with anyone and my experience in solving customer problems in a retail
setting make me ideally suited for this job.’)
Speak their language

Using the same language as people who do a particular job shows that you understand the industry or field
that the employer works in.

Find out what the employer does, and how they talk about themselves. Use this language in your cover letter.

For example, if there's a tool or software or skill the job requires, like machining tools or cash handling,
mention it in your cover letter (but make sure you mention it correctly!).

Read what to research before a job interview page to find more ways to research an employer.

Ask them to contact you

Your cover letter should finish by asking the employer to read your resume. It should also ask them to contact
you about an interview.

Try something simple like, ‘I have attached a copy of my resume. I look forward to hearing from you about
this job’.

What you shouldn’t include in your cover letter

There are some things that should never be in your cover letter. Here are some things to watch out for.

Mistakes

Always spell-check your cover letter. It's even better to get someone else to read it and point out any mistakes
or confusing things.

People you could ask to read your cover letter include friends, family members, your careers teacher or a
careers counselor at your university or TAFE.

Double-check everything in your cover letter. If you mention a company's name, make sure you spell it right.
If you mention places you've worked before, make sure you spell their names right, too.

Including your whole resume in your cover letter

Don't cut and paste your resume into your cover letter. Try to re-word the information in your resume, rather
than just repeating it. Keep your cover letter short and let your resume tell the whole story.
Using ‘I’ too much

Try not to overuse phrases like ‘I believe’, ‘I have’ and ‘I am’. Remember, it’s not about you – it’s about how
you can help the employer.

Once you've written your letter, read over it, and try to take out or rewrite as many sentences that start with ‘I’
as you can.

Don't mention your other job applications

You're probably applying for more than one job at a time. However, it’s best not to mention other job
applications. Your letter should aim to convince the employer that you really want this job.

Even though most employers will assume you're applying for more than one job, you don’t need to mention it.

Different kinds of cover letters

There may be times when you need use different kinds of cover letters. Visit the pages below for examples of
these situations: