The Art of Effective Communication: A Key Factor in Career Development
Photo by Cytonn Photography
As a Career Coach, empowering my clients with the right communication skills is key, and I emphasize that it isn’t only verbal communication that is important. If you are an entry-level professional who is navigating a tough job market, it is easy to feel nervous about communicating your abilities with little to no job experience because you haven’t had a chance to build up confidence. This concept is called imposter syndrome.
So how do you enhance communication skills (and confidence) while navigating this job market? By naming the 4 main communication styles, overcoming communication barriers, and supporting you in your journey to advance your communication abilities.
What Does Effective Communication Look Like In Action?
An effective communicator is one who is engaged, considerate, and really listens to the other person; taking the time to ask questions and respond accordingly. When they speak, they are clear, confident, and gracious in their interactions.
In my individual coaching sessions, I have seen firsthand how important it is to have effective communication skills. For example, I have encouraged my entry-level clients to network on LinkedIn with alumni and former colleagues. Through the development of a clear and concise message, it empowered my recent college graduates and early career professional clients to network more effectively resulting in increased job opportunities. In navigating today’s tough job market, communication has proven to be key and has been one of the most crucial soft skills that are essential for career advancement.
Four Communication Styles and How to Use Them Effectively
There are four main types of communication we use every day. Developing these soft skills can help you better express your abilities and achievements to successfully advance your career.
Verbal: Verbal communication is the use of language to transfer information through speaking or sign language. It is one of the most common types, often used during interviews or key interactions with potential employers. Here are some ways to enhance your verbal communication skills:
Using a strong, confident speaking voice: Especially when presenting your experience and abilities to a potential employer. Using a strong voice ensures everyone can clearly understand you.
Actively listen: Listening to the interviewer’s response is as significant as speaking clearly and confidently. We always want to ensure the interview process is a collaborative one, and not a one-sided conversation. Active listening is also about patience; listening should not interrupt with questions or comments.
Avoid filler words: Practice interviewing with a friend or family member who can identify if you are using filler words such as “um,” “like,” “so” or “yeah.” Try to instead replace them by taking a breath when you are tempted to use them.
Utilize Persuasion Skills: Even if you are not in the sales team, selling plays an important role in your career. You are selling yourself as a potential member of a new team. Be prepared to back up your claims about your skills or characteristics with relevant and specific stories. For example, in earlier interviews as I was starting out in my career, I would mention I worked well with others or I was detail-oriented. I have now learned to provide specific examples to back up these claims. Be sure to come to the interview prepared with a story about how these skills helped your team or company. Did it help identify cost-savings? Did it help identify process improvements? Examples will be key in persuading an interviewer about how you can effectively impact their team.
Be Respectful of Others: In an interview setting, allowing others to speak without interruption is seen as a necessary communication skill tied to respectfulness. This can also mean using your time with someone else wisely and staying on topic.
Respond Promptly: Whether you're returning a phone call or sending a reply to an email, potential hiring managers often view fast communicators as more effective than those who are slow to respond. Be sure to respond quickly to any potential job contacts.
2. Nonverbal: Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, gestures, and facial expressions to convey information to others. This, paired alongside verbal communication, is critical during an interview. Nonverbal communication can be both intentional and unintentional. For example, you might smile unintentionally when you hear a pleasing or enjoyable idea or piece of information.
You can improve your nonverbal communication skills by noticing and connecting your body language to your feelings. When I am nervous or stressed, I tend to clench my jaw or tense up my shoulders. We can avoid this type of body language by building self-awareness around how your emotions affect your body. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member that you are comfortable with and notice the body language during this time. It is important that we are intentional with our body language as it relates to our verbal communication. Employing positive body language, including nodding your approval in response to the interviewer, will help display that you are excited about the opportunity.
Below are a few other examples of nonverbal cues:
Eye contact (are you looking at the person you are speaking with?
Hand and arm gestures (are you closing up your arms or opening them?)
Posture (is it upright or hunched over?)
Crossed or open limbs (are your arms crossed?)
Body position (is your body angled towards or away from the person with whom you are speaking?)
3. Visual: Visual communication is the act of using photographs, art, drawings, sketches, charts, and graphs to convey information. To utilize visual communications in navigating today’s job market, you may provide a potential employer with your resume, portfolio, website, and/or a list of achievements on paper to have them better comprehend your experience. Recently, I had a client in the sales field portray his revenue growth numbers on a spreadsheet during an interview as this was his preferred communication style.
You can also utilize visuals to map out your job search strategy, should you need help in this reach out to WCG today! Be sure to set personal goals and what you want to accomplish step by step. Using visual communication can help you map out your next career move.
4. Written: Written communication is the act of writing or typing to convey information. It is imperative in today’s job market to put your best foot forward with a clear and optimized resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn Profile. It can be daunting to create these documents on your own to effectively communicate your experience.
Be clear and impactful: Writing a resume is no easy task and we often have trouble communicating our achievements on paper. Recruiters are typically reading resumes for up to 7 seconds at a time, so being clear in our bullets and summary is imperative in catching the attention of a potential employer.
Tone is important: Because you do not have the nuance of verbal and nonverbal communication, be careful when you are trying to communicate a certain tone when writing your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn Profile content. As mentioned above, the potential employer wants to be able to clearly see who you are as a person on paper.
On the resume we suggest leaving off personal interests and hobbies as the document is reserved for only portraying professional experiences. While in the cover letter and LinkedIn Profile we encourage personal statements that will help a potential employer get to know who you are outside of the workplace. This can include speaking to volunteer work and/or board memberships.
Take time to review your documents: More often than not, I will notice typos or simple grammar mistakes on important career documents. Taking the extra time to review your written communications that can also include direct messages on LinkedIn or email interactions can help you identify mistakes and rectify them easily. For important communications such as these, it may help to have a friend or family member take a second look before sending.
Putting Your Best Communication Style Forward
We communicate daily through our words, actions, and even facial expressions to say how we are feeling. Learning how to translate these skills will set yourself up for career success both on paper and in an interview.
Whether you are a recent college graduate or a seasoned executive, communication is key in developing your career. Employers consistently include communication skills as one of the most commonly requested skills in job postings. Improving and showcasing your communication skills can help you advance in your career and stay competitive in today's job market.
To navigate today’s job market and develop your career, you will use both formal and informal communication channels to make connections, build relationships, and identify potential opportunities. Developing strong communication skills can help you succeed in your career, make you a competitive job candidate, and expand your network.
Much like with your everyday communications, you will come across a few barriers that make it difficult to convey information on your resume or during an interview. Here are examples:
Too much Information: Is your resume overwhelmingly long winded? Or are you speaking too much in an interview and not allowing for a response? If you need help, reach out to WCG for resume assistance and/or interview preparation help.
Differing communication styles: Everyone has their own communication style. Some people are outwardly expressive while others maintain a more neutral tone. It is important to remember that not everyone is the same while speaking in an interview. If you are one that thrives on being more detailed, be sure to ask if your audience has any follow up questions to ensure complete clarity.
Physical barriers: You may need to navigate communication during a phone/virtual interview rather than an in-person meeting to make a first impression on a potential employer. In this case, you can’t rely on non-verbal communication such as hand gestures, facial expressions, and other cues. Instead, being responsive and smiling back to the interviewer will help make a good impression if you cannot be in person.
Developing your Emotional Intelligence: Developing Emotional Intelligence involves recognizing and managing your own emotions and those of others. It can help you navigate difficult conversations and build stronger connections while navigating the job market and also in the workplace.
Master The Art of Effective Communication
In the journey of career advancement, mastering the art of communication and leadership proves crucial. Remember, career advancement doesn't happen overnight. It requires continuous learning, practice, and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone. By practicing the tips above, you will soon be able to overcome communication barriers and utilize a confident tone through your nonverbal as well as verbal communication styles.
Contact a WCG Career Consultant today to develop your communication skills before you continue your job search!