UNIT-III

LIFE SKILLS FOR SCOCIAL DEVLOPMENT

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Defining the Term Communication Since communication happens around us

all the time, the process is often taken for granted. A large amount of time is spent
communicating hence there is need to make sure that ideas and information are put
in a way that everyone involved can understand. Thinking about what to say,
working out the best way of saying it, finding the right words, making sure the other
person understands and understanding anything he\she says in reply are all vital
stages in communication.

Communication comes from the Latin “communis”, which means “common”

When we communicate, we are trying to establish ³commonness´ with someone.
That is, we are trying to share information, an idea or an attitude (Schramm, 1993).
Looking further, you can find this type of definition: ³Communications is the
mechanism through which human relations exist and develop´.

Carl Hovland, a well-known psychologist defined communication as “the process by

which an individual (the communicator) transmits stimuli (usually verbal symbols)
to modify the behavior of the of the o0ther individuals (Communicates)”.

Other scholars define communication as:-

“Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another, whether

or not it elicits confidence; but the information transferred must be understandable
to the receiver - G.G. Brown.

“We all use language to communicate, to express ourselves, to get our ideas across,
and to connect with the person to whom we are speaking. When a relationship is
working, the act of communicating seems to flow relatively effortlessly. When a
relationship is deteriorating, the act of communicating can be as frustrating as
climbing a hill of sand”- Chip Rose, attorney and mediator.

This can therefore lead us to define communication as giving, receiving or

exchanging ideas, information, signals or messages through appropriate media,
enabling individuals or groups to persuade, to seek information, to give information
or to express emotions. This broad definition includes body-language, skills of
speaking and writing. It also outlines the objectives of communication and
emphasizes listening as an important aspect of communication.

Listening skills
What is listening? “Listening in dialogue is listening more to meaning than to
words. In true listening, we reach behind the words; see through them, to find the
person who is being revealed. Listening is a search to find the treasure of the true
person as revealed verbally and nonverbally. There is the semantic problem, of
course. The words bear a different connotation for you than they do for me.
Consequently, I can never tell you what you said, but only what I heard. I will have
to rephrase what you have said, and check it out with you to make sure that what
left your mind and heart arrived in my mind and heart intact and without
distortion”- John Powell, theologian

Listening is a selective process by which sounds communicated by some

sources are received, critically interpreted and acted upon by a purposed listener.
Listening is to pay attention to somebody or something that you can hear (Oxford
Dictionary) Listening is a combination of hearing what another person says and
psychological involvement with the person who is talking. Listening requires more
than hearing words. It requires a desire to understand another human being, an
attitude of respect and acceptance, and a willingness to open one's mind to try and
see things from another person’s point of view. Listening requires a high level of
concentration and energy. It demands that we set aside our own thoughts and
agendas, put ourselves in another's shoes and try to see the world through that
person's eyes. True listening requires that we suspend judgment, evaluation and
approval in an attempt to understand his reference, emotions and attitudes.
Listening to understand is a difficult task! Often, people worry that if they listen
attentively and patiently to a person who is saying something they disagree with,
they are inadvertently sending a message of agreement. When we listen effectively,
we gain information that is valuable to understanding the problem as the other
person sees it. We gain a greater understanding of the other person's perception.
After all, the truth is subjective and a matter of perception. When we have a deeper
understanding of another's perception, whether we agree with it or not, we hold the
key to understanding that person's motivation, attitude, and behavior. We have a
deeper understanding of the problem and the potential paths for reaching
agreement.

Listening is an important aid to communication. Though its importance had

not been realized till very recently, it is un-doubtable that if people are bad listeners,
they will also make bad communicators (Saleemi, 1997).

Listening is a complex process with three main phases:

Receive-gather all the signals being sent to you, both verbal and non-verbal

Comprehend- try to understand what you’ve sensed and consider what it means

Respond-ask questions and reflect back your understanding.

Things that we listen to actively

i. Music
ii. Lecturer
iii. News
iv. Sermons
v. Discussions
vi. Advices
vii. Gossips

Why You Need Good Listening Skills Good listening skills increase productivity
amongst workers. The ability to listen carefully will allow you to:

i. Understand better the assignments and what is expected of you by

you teachers and lecturers
ii. It build rapport among colleagues, your bosses, and the customers
iii. It boast team-work
iv. Many problems, between workers and bosses are resolved through
listening v. Through listening you can be able to answer many
questions and correctly

Tips to Effective and Active Listening Skills

According to Cortright (2011) Listening makes our loved ones feel worthy,
appreciated, interesting and respected. Ordinary conversations emerge on a deeper
level, as do our relationships. When we listen, we foster the skill in others by acting
as a model for positive and effective communication. In our love relationships,
greater communication brings greater intimacy. Parents listening to their kids help
build their self-esteem. In the business world, listening saves time and money by
preventing misunderstandings. And we always learn more when we listen than
when we talk. Listening skills fuel our social, emotional and professional success,
and studies prove that listening is a skill we can learn (Cortright, 2011). Active
listening is really an extension of the Golden Rule. To know how to listen to
someone else, think about how you would want to be listened to. While the ideas are
largely intuitive, it might take some practice to develop (or re-develop) the skills.
Here are the tips to effective listening according to (Cortright, 2011)

i. Face the speaker - Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your
attentiveness through body language. Maintain eye contact, to the degree
that you all remain comfortable.
ii. Minimize external distractions - Turn off the TV. Put down your book or
magazine, and ask the speaker and other listeners to do the same.
iii. Respond appropriately to show that you understand you can Murmur
(“uh-huh” and “um-hmm”) or nod. Raise your eyebrows, laugh, frown
and/or be silent.
iv. Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what
you are going to say next. The conversation will follow a logical flow after
the speaker makes her point.
v. Minimize internal distractions- If your own thoughts keep horning in,
simply let them go and continuously re-focus your attention on the
speaker, much as you would during meditation.
vi. Keep an open mind -Wait until the speaker is through before deciding that
you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is
thinking. Avoid letting the speaker know how you handled a similar
situation. Unless they specifically ask for advice, assume they just need to
talk it out.
vii. Even if the speaker is launching a complaint against you, wait until they
finish to defend yourself. The speaker will feel as though their point had
been made. They won’t feel the need to repeat it, and you’ll know the
while arguments before you respond. Research shows that, on average, we
can hear four times faster than we can talk, so we have the ability to sort
ideas as they come in and be ready for more.
viii. Engage yourself- Ask questions for clarification, but, once again, wait until
the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt their train of
thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase their point to make sure you
didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying…”
ix. According to Saleemi (1997), to become a good listener you should
concentrate on what the person is saying rather than on how he looks.
Don’t be distracted by his physical appearance or his mannerism. physical
appearance or his mannerism.
x. He said that you should listen with a positive attitude. Many listeners fail
to listen because they are mentally unprepared to listen. Don’t let your
prejudices close your mind to what the other person has to say.
xi. Repeat the key ideas to yourself. Particularly, while listening to a long
lecture see if you can repeat to yourself all the important ideas the speaker
has put before you. This will also help you to understand the lecture
better.
How to become a good listener

For you to be a good listener, firstly you must prepare for listening:
How to prepare
i. Focus your attention on the subject that is being discussed. Avoid any
activities that are not in par with the day’s business of the talk ahead.
Concentrate on the speaker and the topic. Review mentally what you
already know about the subject, Organize in advance relevant material in
order to develop it further.
ii. Avoid distractions by sitting in-front, sit still, near the speaker. Also avoid
sitting next to a window, a talkative neighbor or noise.
iii. Suspend emotions until later. Keep your eyes fixed on the speaker and
listen with your ears but also with your eyes and other senses
iv. Concentrate on what a person is saying rather than how he looks and
mannerism. Nod your head to show you are understanding
v. Repeat the key ideas to yourself. It will help you understand better
vi. Try to relate the speakers remarks to your personal background and
experiences
vii. speaker has to say.
viii. Maintain eye contact.
ix. Repeat instructions and ask appropriate questions when the speaker has
finished. Let the speaker finish before you begin to talk. Speakers
appreciate having the chance to say everything they would like to say
without being interrupted. When you interrupt, it looks like you aren't
listening, even if you are.
x. Give the speaker your full attention. Avoid looking out of the window or
at what else is going on in the room.
xi. Listen with an open-mind. xii. Ask questions. If you are not sure you
understand what the speaker has said, just ask.

Written Communication

In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate. A

written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication message
can be transmitted via, letter, report, memo, reports, bulletins, job descriptions,
employee manuals, and electronic mail are the types of written communication used
for internal communication. For communicating with external environment in
writing, electronic mail, Internet Web sites, letters, proposals, telegrams, faxes,
postcards, contracts, advertisements, brochures, and news releases are used (Wenbin
Nah, 2008). Message, in written communication, is influenced by the vocabulary and
grammar used, writing style, precision and clarity of the language used. Written
Communication is most common form of communication being used in business.
Written communication has various advantages and disadvantages as explained
here under:-

Advantages of written communication

i. Written communication is good for complicated and vital instructions,

which can be given in a precise and uniform manner.
ii. Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles,
policies and rules for running of an organization.
iii. It is a permanent means of communication: written instructions can be
used for future references. Therefore important where record maintenance
is required.
iv. It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities.
v. Written communication is more precise and explicit
vi. Effective written communication develop and enhance an organization’s
image.
vii. It provides ready records and references.
viii. Legal defence’s depend upon written communication as it provides valid
records
ix. There is a lesser chance for the message to be misunderstood.
x. Authority is transmitted more effectively with a written order than with
an oral one
xi. Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent.
xii. Written communication provides record for every message sent and can
be saved for later study.
xiii. Reader can read the information at a pace that suits them.
xiv. A written message enables receiver to fully understand it and send
appropriate feedback.

Disadvantages of written communication

i. People may not always read them.
ii. Written communication takes time.
iii. It is impersonal or unfriendly.
iv. Written communication is expensive. It costs huge in terms of stationery
and the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.
v. Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not
immediate. The encoding and sending of message takes time
vi. Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in
language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a
negative impact of organization’s reputation.
vii. Too much paper work viii. It does not answer questions and there is no
immediate feedback.
Technical writing skills

Technical writing is a highly valuable skill. It is crucial for anyone working in a tech-
related business, for engineers and scientists communicating their knowledge, and
for people looking for rewarding, full-time work as writers.

So, what is involved in technical writing, and how can you become a technical
writer?

Technical writing is not just about understanding technical information and

recording it in a document. Technical writing takes high-level information and
processes it into digestible content for a specific audience. This article will outline
and define the technical writing process, best practices, and steps to launch your
technical writing career.

What is Technical Writing

Technical writing is broadly defined by the Society of Technical Communication as

“any form of communication that shows one or more of the following qualities:

 Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer

applications, medical procedures, or environmental regulations.
 Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social
media sites.
 Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how
technical the task is or even if technology is used to create or distribute that
communication.”

This writing style covers any type of text that aims to explain detailed information. A
technical writer communicates in a way that presents technical information so that
the reader can use that information for an intended purpose.

Style Definition

Technical writing has a clear, direct and neutral style. The text should present the
information in the most professional and accessible way possible.

Role

Technical writing is used anytime technical information must be conveyed by text.

The text will explain the scientific or specialized details and guide the reader in how
to use that information. Due to the high-tech nature of workplaces and day-to-day
life, technical writing is increasingly common.
Benefits

Technical writers have the great benefit of becoming lifelong learners. In order to
communicate the content, you must be (or become) well-versed in that field.
Therefore, with each new technical document, you will become an expert on that
subject.

While the reader does not need to know all the details, you need to have a depth of
knowledge to select just the crucial elements to include. A broad understanding will
ensure that the text is accurate and communicates the necessary data most
efficiently.

Letter writing skills

Formal Letter Writing Skills

A formal letter is a method of communication that uses a professional tone and

manner. There are many reasons for writing a formal letter. It could be to order
supplies, to identify a mistake that was committed or to apologize for an error. A
formal letter should be clear, concise and courteous as well as following a set
structure. This should include:

1. The sender’s address.

2. Name, title and company name.

3. Date (day, month and year).

4. Heading to indicate the reason for writing the letter.

5. Greeting (Dear Mr/Mrs).

6. Introductory paragraph.

7. Middle paragraphs containing the relevant information behind writing the letter.

8. Closing paragraph describing what action you expect the recipient to take and a
courteous closing sentence.

9. A complimentary close (Yours faithfully if you do not know the recipient or Yours
sincerely if you know the recipient).

10. Leave room for your signature.

Letter of complaint
You have recently purchased a new sound system for your car, from a well known
parts and accessory supplier. Having spent many hours fitting it, you find that two
of the speakers do not work properly and that there is an intermittent fault with the
remote control unit. When you returned to the place where you bought it, the sales
adviser was very dismissive of your concerns and refused to help you. Using the
appropriate language, write a letter of complaint to the company’s head office,
setting out:

• what you purchased

• what is wrong with it

• how you were treated by the sales adviser

• what you would like the company to do to resolve your complaint.

Ensure that the letter includes the following:

1. The sender’s address

2. Name, title and company name

3. Date (day, month and year)

4. Heading to indicate the reason for writing the letter

5. Greeting (Dear Mr/Mrs)

6. Introductory paragraph

7. Middle paragraphs containing the relevant information

8. Closing paragraph describing what action you expect the recipient to take and a
courteous closing sentence

9. A complimentary close (Yours faithfully if you do not know the recipient or Yours
sincerely if you know the recipient)

10. Room for a signature

Job application
Job Application Letter: It is a document that should be submitted along with the
resume to an employer to express the candidate’s interest in the position while
applying for jobs. It is also known as a Cover Letter. It explains why the candidate
qualified for the position and should be shortlisted for an interview. Whereas the
resume explains the candidate’s history of work experience, skills, and
accomplishments. The letter should emphasize the candidate’s skills and key
qualifications which is fit for the role.
A well-written job application helps to get the attention of an employer while
reviewing an application. However, the job application can be written to express the
aspects of the candidate’s personality. The job application letter should be well
presented by keeping in mind the following information:

 It should be written on a single page.

 It should be single-spaced with a space between every paragraph and a
1-inch margin with the text aligned to the left.
 Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri font should be used with a font size
between 10 to 12 points

Job Application Letter Writing Tips

Refer to the following writing tips before writing a Job application Letter.

 It should be written like a formal business letter. It must include the

candidate’s contact numbers at the top, date, and contact information of
an employer.
 Make sure to add a salutation at the start and your signature at the
ending of the application.
 Emphasize your skills and abilities to express yourself as a suitable
candidate for the available position.
 It should be written grammatically correct to get a good impression of
an employer.
 It should be concise as a hiring manager may not read a lengthy and
multiple pages letter.
 It should include the job listing keywords posted by an employer to
express yourself as a good fit for that role.
 You should send the letter for every position you apply. Unless the job
posting mentions sending only your resume, it is good to send one for
every job you apply.

 Job Application Letter Format

 Refer to the following Job Application Letter Format before writing a job
application letter to an employer.
Report writing

Are you wondering how to write a report? Unlike an essay, which sets out to defend
a writer's view about a topic and does not have to feature headings, a report
discusses a topic in a structured, easy-to-follow format. Reports are divided into
sections with headings and subheadings.

Reports can be academic, technical, or business-oriented, and feature

recommendations for specific actions. Reports are written to present facts about a
situation, project, or process and will define and analyze the issue at hand.
Ultimately, the goal of a report is to relay observations to a specific audience in a
clear and concise style. Let's review the proper report writing format so you can craft
a professional finished product.

Preparation and Planning

First, you should take some time to prepare and plan for your report. Before you
start writing, identify the audience. Your report should be written and tailored to the
readers' needs and expectations. When planning, ask yourself several questions to
better understand the goal of the report. Some questions to consider include:

 Who are the readers?

 What is the purpose of the report?
 Why is this report needed?
 What information should be included in the report?

Once you identify the basics of your report, you can begin to collect supporting
information, then sort and evaluate that information. The next step is to organize
your information and begin putting it together in an outline. With proper planning,
it will be easier to write your report and stay organized.

Formatting the Report Elements

To keep your report organized and easy to understand, there is a certain format to
follow. This report writing format will make it easier for the reader to find what he is
looking for. Remember to write all the sections in plain English, except the body,
which can be as technical as you need it to be.

The main sections of a standard report are as follows.

Title
If the report is short, the front cover can include any information that you feel is
necessary, such as the author(s) and the date prepared. In a longer report, you may
want to include a table of contents and a definition of terms.

Summary

The summary consists of the major points, conclusions, and recommendations. It

needs to be short, as it is a general overview of the report. Some people will read the
summary and only skim the report, so make sure you include all of the relevant
information. It would be best to write this when the report is finished so you will
include everything, even points that might be added at the last minute.

Introduction

The first page of the report needs to have an introduction. Here you will explain the
problem and inform the reader why the report is being made. You need to give a
definition of terms if you did not include these in the title section, and explain how
the details of the report are arranged.

Body

This is the main section of the report. The previous sections needed to be written in
plain English, but this section can include technical terms or jargon from your
industry. There should be several sections, each clearly labeled, making it easy for
readers to find the information they seek. Information in a report is usually arranged
in order of importance with the most important information coming first.
Alternatively, you might choose to order your points by complexity or time.

Discussion

If you wish, this optional section can be included at the end of the main body to go
over your findings and their significance.

Conclusion

This is where everything comes together. Keep this section free of jargon as many
people will just read the summary and conclusion.

Recommendations

This is where you discuss any actions that need to be taken. In plain English, explain
your recommendations, putting them in order of priority.

References
Appendices

This includes information that the experts in the field will read. It has all the
technical details that support your conclusions.

Report Writing Style

There are also some writing styles to consider:

 Keep It Simple. Don't try to impress; rather try to communicate.

Keep sentences short and to the point. Do not go into a lot of details unless it
is needed. Make sure every word needs to be there, that it contributes to the
purpose of the report.
 Use the Active Voice. Active voice makes the writing move smoothly and
easily. It also uses fewer words than the passive voice and gives impact to the
writing by emphasizing the person or thing responsible for an action. For
example: "Bad customer service decreases repeat business" is more concise
and direct than "Repeat business is decreased by bad customer service."
 Mind Your Grammar. Read the report aloud and have someone proofread
it for you. Remember that the computer cannot catch all the mistakes,
especially with words like "red/read" or "there/their." You may even want to
wait a day after you write it to come back and look at it with fresh eyes.

Non-verbal Communication
According to McConnell, (2003), nonverbal communication is behavior, other than
spoken or written communication, that creates or represents meaning. In other
words, it includes facial expressions, body movements, and gestures. Nonverbal
communication is talking without speaking a word. It is very effective, maybe even
more so than speech. As the saying goes, “Action speak louder than words”.

Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice

quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well prosodic features such as
rhythm, intonation, and stress. On the other hand, written texts have nonverbal
elements such as handwriting style, spatial arrangement of words, or the physical
layout of a page. However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has
focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal
areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical
characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during
interaction. Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of speaker.
Nonverbal communication helps receiver in interpreting the message received.
Often, nonverbal signals reflect the situation more accurately than verbal messages.
Sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal communication and hence affects
the effectiveness of message. Nonverbal communication has the following three
elements:-

Appearance

Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics

Surrounding: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings

Body Language

Facial expressions, gestures, postures and how one stands is an important element
of non-verbal communication. For example, leaning towards a speaker indicates
intense interest. Frequently looking away from the speaker indicates disinterest or
impatience.

Functions of nonverbal communication

According to Argyle et al (1970) spoken language is normally used for

communicating information about events external to the speakers, non-verbal codes
are used to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships. It is considered more
polite or nicer to communicate attitudes towards others non-verbally rather than
verbally in order to avoid embarrassing situations (Rosenthal, Robert and Bella
(1979). Argyle (1988) concluded that there are five primary functions of nonverbal
bodily behavior in human communication namely:-

i. Express emotions
ii. ii. Express interpersonal attitudes
iii. To accompany speech in managing the cues of interaction between
speakers and listeners
iv. Self-presentations of one’s personality.
v. Rituals (greetings)

In regards to expressing interpersonal attitudes, humans communicate

interpersonal closeness through a series of nonverbal actions known as
immediacy behaviors. Examples of immediacy behaviors are smiling,
touching, open body positions, and eye contact. Cultures that display
these immediacy behaviors are considered high-contact cultures.

Advantages of non-verbal communication

 i. You can communicate with someone who cannot hear.
ii. You can communicate in places where you have to avoid talking
audibly.
iii. You can communicate without others around you hearing what is
being communicated.
iv. You can communicate when a person is too far away from you to
hear you (for example, by gesturing)
v. Non-verbal communication makes conversation short and brief.
vi. Non-verbal communication saves on time and can be used as a tool
to communicate with people who don't understand your language
Disadvantages of non-verbal communication
i. Long conversations using non-verbal communication are usually
not possible. ii. Non-verbal communication varies from culture to
culture.
iii. Particulars of messages using non-verbal communication cannot
be discussed in detail.
iv. It is not useful as a public tool for communication
v. It cannot be used everywhere and is less influential than verbal
communication.

Interview skills

We all need interview skills. In a wide range of situations, the ability to answer
tough questions, and to stay cool under pressure, is extremely valuable.

Perhaps you're looking for a new job or a promotion. Maybe you need to reinterview
for your own job. Or maybe you want to brush up on your interview skills before
meeting with a potential new client.

In this article and video, you can learn the skills you need to ace your next interview
– whatever form it takes.

We'll outline the preparation you need to do in advance, how to follow up

afterward, and how to deliver a polished and persuasive performance in the
interview itself – giving you the very best chance of success!

How to Prepare for an Interview

There's no doubt that interviews can be stressful. But the more time you spend
preparing for an interview, the more confident you will feel. That confidence will be
noted, favorably, by your interviewer.

Follow these six steps to set yourself up for success.

1. Research the Organization

If you have an interview with a new organization, start by finding out more about it.
Spend time browsing the organization's website (the "About" section is a good place
to start) and reach out to anyone in your network that may have a personal
connection or any other information.

This will help you to plan answers that align with the organization's goals and
values. By mentioning key facts during the interview, you'll show that you're
organized, diligent, and serious about the job.

It's also a good idea to research your interviewer as an individual. Visit

their LinkedIn profile  to discover their professional interests and career history. If
possible, you can also make discreet inquiries within your wider professional
network. This will help you to anticipate their questions, and to build rapport  with
them on the day.

2. Prepare and Practice Your Answers

You'll likely be under pressure in the interview, so having answers ready for the
most common – and most difficult – questions will ensure that you don't forget
something important. This will also save you from having to think them up on the
spot!

Thoroughly reread the job advert, or the job description, as the interview will likely
be structured around it. Consider how your experience matches the job
requirements, and try to come up with examples.

Our article How to Answer Interview Questions  contains a comprehensive list of

common questions, along with guidance on preparing powerful answers for each
one.
Many people find role-playing  useful before an interview. Sit down with a friend or
colleague who's willing to act as the interviewer. Then, go through several rounds of
mock interviews until you feel confident with your answers.
You can also use visualization techniques  to rehearse a successful interview.
Picture yourself sitting confidently, speaking clearly, and giving all the responses
you've prepared.
And there are a range of memory techniques that you can use to fix your answers
firmly in your mind. The Roman Room System  is a particularly powerful method
for remembering and recalling your key points.

3. Calm Your Nerves

A few nerves can sharpen your mind and push you to perform at your best.
However, many people struggle with anxiety before an interview. And, if you don't
take steps to control it, that anxiety could hamper your performance.

There are many techniques that you can use to reduce stress , quiet your mind, and
restore feelings of calm and control.
See our articles on physical relaxation techniques  and guided imagery  for useful
ways to combat anxiety.

4. Polish Your Image

You need to show up to your interview looking professional. In general, this means
dressing "one level up" from what regular employees at the company tend to wear.

If you don't know what the normal level is, try to look for images of the office online.
If that doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to ask! The organization will likely be happy
that you take these things seriously.

Lay out your outfit the night before. Make sure that your clothes are clean and
pressed, and that your personal appearance is tidy and professional.

5. Don't Forget the Basics

Some of the simplest things are the most important.

With that in mind, make sure you plan your journey – check your route and leave
plenty of time to get to your destination.

This may sound obvious, but people regularly miss interviews, or arrive late, due to
unexpected hitches on their journey. Leaving it to the last minute can also make you
more anxious in an already stressful situation. If it's practical, consider making a test
journey in advance.
Also, if you're bringing a portfolio to showcase your career highlights, ensure that
it's ready to go the night before. And pack extra copies of your résumé – it's a good
idea to reread this, too, so that you're not caught out by anything in it!

During the Interview

1. Make a Good First Impression

Your interview may be your first interaction with the organization or this group of
people. So, treat everyone you meet as though they were your interviewer.

For example, imagine that you arrive late to your interview, and you start
complaining about the journey to the person who's sharing the elevator with you.
Only when you both get out at the same floor do you realize that they're the CEO!

Arrive in good time and be courteous, polite and friendly to everyone you meet
– making a great first impression  will pay off later in the process.

2. Answer the Right Questions

Although you've prepared responses to the questions you think you'll face, be sure

to answer the questions that you are asked.
Listen carefully  to what's being said, and don't be afraid to ask for clarification if
necessary. It's better to have the question repeated than to "wing it" because you
haven't understood what you've been asked. This will also show that you're fully
engaged in the interview – and buy you some time to consider your answer.
Even if you get the precise question you'd anticipated, resist the urge to repeat your
practice answer word for word. Instead, act as though you're hearing it for the first
time. This will stop you from coming across as robotic or overconfident, and
reassure the interviewer that you're giving an engaged, honest response.

3. Ask Questions

Think of your interview as a conversation, not an interrogation. Yes, the interviewer

will be asking you lots of questions, but it's important that you ask questions, too –
and that you listen carefully to their answers.
This will enable you to make an informed decision about whether the organization
or role is a good fit for you.

Here are some questions to consider:

  What is the biggest challenge in this role?

 Who will be my boss, or who will I be reporting to? What are they like?
What are their expectations?

 Who previously held this role? Why did they leave?

 What does this company value the most?

 How will my success be evaluated? What metrics will be used? (This is

particularly important if you're reinterviewing for your own job

4. Get Your Tone Right

An interview is usually a fairly formal situation and the language you use should
reflect that. You can still be yourself, but make a particular effort to speak clearly, to
use the appropriate terminology, and to avoid slang (and certainly bad language).
Aim to match your tone to that of the interviewer.

Keep "reading the room" during the interview, to make sure that your words are
having the desired effect.

5. Pay Attention to Your Body Language

Your body language  plays an important part in the way you come across during
interviews. Practice maintaining good eye contact, offering a firm handshake, sitting
comfortably but confidently in your chair, and smiling.
It's also important to stay in control of your arms and legs, even if you're nervous.
Try not to play with items in your hands, touch your hair or face, fidget, or jiggle
your feet or legs. These are all signals to your interviewer that you're nervous or
uncomforta

After the Interview

You're not finished when you walk out of the interview room! Follow the steps
below to make sure that you get the best out of the whole process.
1. Follow Up

After your interview, send a thank-you letter or email within 24 hours. Include
everyone on the interview panel, not just the person at the top. If you can't contact
everyone directly, ask your primary contact to pass on your thanks.

2. If You're Offered the Job

If you're offered the position, congratulations! You now need to gather all the
information you can about your role. This is the time to get details about your start
date, the terms and conditions of employment, and what kind of onboarding  or
training you'll receive.
It's also worth understanding the goals that relate to your position, and whether the
organization expects any quick wins  within the first 60-90 days.

3. If You're Not Offered the Job

A rejection can be tough to process, especially if it was a role you really wanted or
thought you could easily secure.

Keep in mind that sometimes things simply don't go our way. There will be many
factors behind the decision of who gets a job offer. If it wasn't you this time, try not
to take it personally.

See our article Developing Resilience  for advice on how to bounce back even

stronger after a setback.

4. Get Feedback

Once the process is complete, try to get feedback from your interviewers on how you
performed, and how well your skills matched the position on offer.

If you didn't get the job or contract, learn whatever lessons you can to increase your
chances of success in the future. And if you were successful, you'll know which areas
you can improve on when you start your new role.
Group Discussion
What is Group Discussion?
A Group Discussion (GD) is a technique used by corporate companies, educational
institutes, and other organizations to judge the communication skills of the
participant.

Hence, many companies are now making Group Discussion as to their first
criteria for screening the candidates before the face-to-face interviews. There
indeed is a reason for giving importance to GD.
This discussion in the interview process is used for mass screening. The GD selection
criteria are based on the actual company requirements.

Communication and GD are two relevant soft skills that are a must for anyone
looking for a job in the IT or other fields.

Importance Of Group Discussions

As it is said that, the first impression is the best impression. The way you
communicate professionally with your peers, heads and most importantly the
customers is directly or indirectly an add-on to the quality of services that your
company offers to the masses.

Hence, GD is a means of the strainer to strain the right candidate from a pool of
applicants.

Why should a Group Discussion be the first criteria for selecting Software
Testers?
Any Software Tester requires communication with different people like team
members, managers, and customers. Hence, interpersonal skill is very important for
the tester.

Yesterday one of our readers mailed me about her problem. She is very good at
work but when it comes to taking credit for her work, someone else is taking the
credit.

Why is this happening? She is lagging in interpersonal skills. Lagging in

communication. She might be proficient in many skills, but what if she isn’t able to
communicate her thoughts in front of her seniors or evaluators? She will just lose the
credits of her own work!
Making a good impression while speaking in the meetings or interviews is the
basic skill that every professional should possess.
Let’s see how you can make an impression.
What Skills Are Judged In Group Discussion?
 How good you are while communicating with others?
 How you behave and interact with a group?
 How open-minded are you?
 Your listening skill.
 How you put forward your views?
 Your leadership and decision-making skills.
 Your analysis skill and subject knowledge.
 Your problem solving and critical thinking skill.
 Your attitude and confidence.
How To Start A Group Discussion?

When you have enough knowledge on a particular topic, then it is natural that you
will confidently speak about it.

Initiate The first and foremost step to come in light among the group is to be
knowledgeable enough to initiate  the discussion.
It is not necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the topic with actual facts and
figures but at least the basic information on the topic will be good enough to speak
on it. In order to make your speech more interesting, you can start with a quote
which is relevant to the topic or can start with a short and simple incident/story.
Lead: There could be a situation where you do not have enough information on the
given topic. It’s wise to Wait, Watch and Listen to what the other candidates speak
until you get a chance to glide into the discussion. Take charge and start your
conversation forward.
Once you take charge of the discussion, make sure that you speak to the point
without dragging the topic for the sake of it. Always remember that less is more. The
more you add to the speech, the more you may get prone to making mistakes.
Hence, being precise and leading the discussion impactfully is the key.
To Summarize,
Just as initiating a Group Discussion helps to grab the attention of the GD
evaluators. Similarly, summarization is an opportunity to turn heads of the
evaluators.

Putting together the whole discussion by highlighting the star points and concluding
the results of the discussion is summarizing the discussion. The summary should be
short and to the point and no new points should be added for further discussion.
Make sure that the summary is not single-sided but an amalgamation of both sides
of the discussion. 
Presentation skills

Presentation skills can be defined as a set of abilities that enable an individual to:
interact with the audience; transmit the messages with clarity; engage the audience
in the presentation; and interpret and understand the mindsets of the listeners. These
skills refine the way you put forward your messages and enhance your persuasive
powers.

The present era places great emphasis on good presentation skills. This is because
they play an important role in convincing the clients and customers. Internally,
management with good presentation skills is better able to communicate the mission
and vision of the organization to the employees.

Importance of Presentation Skills

Interaction with others is a routine job of businesses in today’s world. The
importance of good presentation skills is established on the basis of following points:

 They help an individual in enhancing his own growth opportunities. In

addition, it also grooms the personality of the presenter and elevates his levels
of confidence.

 In case of striking deals and gaining clients, it is essential for the business
professionals to understand the audience. Good presentation skills enable an
individual to mold his message according to the traits of the audience. This
increases the probability of successful transmission of messages.

 Lastly, business professionals have to arrange seminars and give

presentations almost every day. Having good presentation skills not only
increases an individual’s chances of success, but also enable him to add
greatly to the organization.

How to Improve Presentation Skills

Development of good presentation skills requires efforts and hard work. To improve
your presentation skills, you must:

 Research the Audience before Presenting: This will enable you to better

understand the traits of the audience. You can then develop messages that can
be better understood by your target audience. For instance, in case of an
analytical audience, you can add more facts and figures in your presentation.
 Structure your Presentation Effectively: The best way to do this is to start
with telling the audience, in the introduction, what you are going to present.
Follow this by presenting the idea, and finish off the presentation by
repeating the main points.

 Do a lot of Practice: Rehearse but do not go for memorizing the presentation.

Rehearsals reduce your anxiety and enable you to look confident on the
presentation day. Make sure you practice out loud, as it enables you to
identify and eliminate errors more efficiently. Do not memorize anything as it
will make your presentation look mechanical. This can reduce the degree of
audience engagement.