Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology

(Gandipet, Hyderabad – 500075)

Department of M&H

INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS

LAB MANUAL
Communication Skills Lab

I Year B.Tech.

(2021– 2022)

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 MEMBERS OF FACULTY

1. Dr .C. S. Srinivas
M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D.,

2. Dr. E. Krishna Chaitanya

M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D., PGCTE & PGDTE

3. Mr. K. Venkata Ramana

M.A., M.Phil., APSET

4. Dr. B. S. Meenakshi
M.A., PGCTE, M. Phil., Ph.D (ELE).,

5. Dr. V. Aparna Reddy

M.A., PGDTE, Ph.D.,

6. Dr. Gousia Sultana

M.A, FET, SET-TS&AP, Ph.D.,

7. Dr. C.N.A. Chandra

M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D.,

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 INTRODUCTION

In view of the growing importance of English as a tool for global communication and the
consequent emphasis on training students to acquire communicative competence, the syllabus
has been designed to develop linguistic and communicative competence of Engineering
students.

The language laboratory makes use of the latest technological aids to support language
learning. It is in fact a complex of audio-visual equipment specially designed to meet the
requirements of language learners. It consists of a teacher console which helps the instructor
in monitoring the learning activities of the individual learners. Each learner is provided with
a learner-booth which includes a monitor to see the visual content of the 'lessons' and a
headphone for the audio component. The instructor can use a pre- recorded audio-visual CD
or cassette at the console and it is simultaneously accessible to all the 30 learners. In fact, he
can record his own lesson which can be simultaneously recorded at all the 30 learner booths.

What makes the language laboratory useful is the fact that the teacher console allows the
instructor to listen to each learner individually and get in touch with any learner through the
head phone without disturbing others. Similarly, the learner by just pressing a button can
communicate with the instructor for suggestions, queries, without once again disturbing
fellow learners. The advantage is that 30 individual learners go through the learning process
listening to the language lesson, reproducing the activities, recording it on the audio tape so
that they can cross check their performance. The language lab has the facility of a
'conference' - that is the instructor can hold brief discussions with five selected learners
without once again disturbing the rest of the class. Though the technology involved is very
simple, it makes a big difference in bringing a shift from passive learning to active,
collaborative learning. It provides a measure of autonomy to the learner because he or she
can choose the learning material at his or her own pace. The learner can repeat exercises,
skip some and always retrieve whatever he requires. At the same time he is also not deprived
of the presence of an instructor. With the availability of highly sophisticated audio video
material prepared by leading institutions of English, one can also ensure the quality of the
learning material. As it is obvious, the laboratory is specially equipped to teach
pronunciation, accent and intonation. The university therefore plans to provide intensive
short-term training to candidates who want to take their TOEFL and IELTS. These
competitive examinations require the ability to comprehend British, American or Australian
accents. The language lab can easily handle this task.

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 Language Lab
English Language learning is very important for today’s global society. English is the
international language for business. The correct phonetics accents and dialects are to be
effectively used for, business communication, official communication, talking to seniors,
colleges and juniors, to the secretary, the telephone operator, etc. With the help of a good
language lab one can easily learn the different dialects and accents- the British, the
American, the India accents, etc. For those aspiring for employment abroad especially
Nurses going to England or America with the language lab will be very useful.

A fully computerized Language Lab with ETNL Software can be of used for learning any
language. Eg:- English, Arabic, French, German, etc. The training materials such as
recorded tapes CDs etc and proficient teacher for that particular language are the extra
requirements for ETNL Language Lab.

What is LANGUAGE LAB?

A Language Lab is a place where student or any one for that matter can learn a language
and improve his speaking and listening capacity. One can get familiar with any language of
his choice, not only that he can develop skills to understand and speak the different dialects
and accents of the same Language.

The idea of Language Lab was originated during the World War. The importance of
communicating in foreign languages was very highly felt by the warring factions. The
Language Lab was born. In the beginning the lab consisted of tape recorders, amplifiers,
headphones and mics systematically laid out so that a teacher can help the students in faster
learning using recorded lessons and other teaching aids. This system worked wonderfully at
that time, but had some inherent defects.

During the 2nd stage of development, computers were included in the system along with tape
recorders and amplifiers. This certainly improved the functioning eliminating some of the
inherent defects.

The 3rd stage of development is the ETNL Language Lab. It eliminates the use of tape
recorders and amplifiers. It is a fully computerized Lab incorporating the software developed
by us. The lessons and the interactive communications are processed in a digital format,
resulting in the highest clarity making the teaching and learning process a pleasant and
effective one. This system transmits the voice without any noise.

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Course Objectives
1. To develop an understanding of the nuances of listening and speaking skills in
English and allow them to practice in formal and informal contexts.
2. To facilitate computer-assisted multi-media instruction enabling
individualized and independent language learning
3. To sensitize students to the nuances of English speech sounds, word accent,
intonation and rhythm
4. To bring about a consistent accent and intelligibility in students’
pronunciation of English by providing an opportunity for practice in speaking
5. To improve the fluency of students in spoken English and neutralize their
mother tongue interference
6. To train students to use language appropriately for oral presentation and
interview skills
7. To improve language proficiency of the students through practice sessions in
English Language Labs

Course Outcomes
Students will be able to attain:
1. Better understanding of nuances of English language through audio- visual
experience and group activities
2. Neutralization of accent for intelligibility
3. Speaking skills with clarity and confidence which in turn enhances their
employability skills
4. Enhancement of fluency in verbal and non-verbal communication
5. Ability to use English both in written and spoken modes through JAM
sessions, GDs, Interview skills etc.
6. Proficiency in Listening for specific and general purposes.

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 CONTENTS

CONTENTS Page No.

1. Listening Skills
2. Communication Skills (Spoken Vs Written)
3. Just-a-minute (JAM)
4. Situational dialogues/Dialogue Writing
5. Greeting People
6. Conversation Skills
7. Role-Play
8. Telephone Etiquette
9. Intonation
10. Presentation Skills
11. Listening for General Details
12. Public Speaking Skills
13. Interview Skills

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Importance of Listening
Communicating well consists of two parts: expressing yourself and listening to others. Many
people forget the second part. Lots of people are good at talking, but when it’s time to hear the
thoughts and feelings of someone else, they fall short. Listening can be very challenging. It
comes naturally to very few people, so to improve, you must be more intentional. Why is
listening worth the extra effort? Here are ten reasons why it’s important:

#1 Listening builds trust

When you make the effort to listen to someone, they recognize your interest. They can tell that
you’re invested in what they’re saying. This makes them more comfortable sharing with you and
being open. If you were only half-listening, not making eye contact, or glancing at your phone,
the other person won’t want to waste their breath. They won’t trust you to respect their thoughts
and feelings.

#2 Listening reduces misunderstandings

Misunderstandings are one of the most common effects of poor communication. When people
aren’t listening to each other, it’s very easy to mishear something or misinterpret someone’s
meaning. Many times, misunderstandings aren’t a big deal, but some can have major
consequences. As an example, if someone isn’t listening when their friend explains they have a
certain food allergy, serving them a dish with a dangerous ingredient could be life-threatening.

#3 Listening helps eliminate conflict

Poor listening skills are at the root of a lot of conflicts. Besides sometimes causing
misunderstandings, not listening well frustrates people engaged in important conversations.
People want to feel respected, which is irrevocably tied to feeling heard. You don’t necessarily
need to agree, but simply making the effort to hear another perspective keeps the situation
calmer. When everyone feels calm and safe, it’s much easier to work through tense situations
without things escalating to conflict.

#4 Listening encourages empathy

Humans are naturally empathetic, but we all have biases and assumptions that come from our
upbringing and experiences. When you talk to people who have different backgrounds and
experiences, it can be tempting to lean on preconceived notions. Instead, you can commit to
listening rather than assuming. When you hear right from a source, you’ll have a deeper
understanding of their perspective, which is key to having empathy.

#5 Listening improves romantic relationships

Relationship experts always talk about the importance of listening. Poor communication is
behind a lot of the conflict and heartache in romantic relationships. By listening to one another,
you create a safe, judgment-free place. This can take a lot of practice as many struggling
couples are used to interrupting and talking over each other. A qualified couple’s therapist can
recommend listening exercises that make the process more structured.

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#6 Listening improves business relationships
If your career involves interacting with others, you know how vital good communication is.
Misunderstandings and conflict can derail projects and earn companies bad reputations. By
committing to listening better, you can build strong relationships with coworkers and clients.
People will feel respected and eager to work with you.

#7 Listening helps deepen your friendships

Listening doesn’t only improve your romantic or business relationships; it deepens your
friendships, too. If you’re feeling distant from your old friends or are struggling to connect with
new ones, being a better listener could be a game-changer. The benefits of listening – greater
trust, fewer misunderstandings, and more empathy – translate well to friendships. It’s worth the
effort. Deeper friendships are linked to better physical and mental health!

#8 Listening increases your productivity

Whether you’re at work or in school, listening is very important to your success. People who are
good listeners are more likely to retain information, understand what’s being required of them,
and ask the right questions. This is a valuable skill in group projects and meetings. Many people
think they need to talk a lot to contribute, but listening is arguably more important. If everyone
listens to each other, there are fewer misunderstandings. This saves everyone’s time.

#9 Listening helps with learning new languages

When you’re learning a new language, you no doubt practice speaking a lot. Listening is just as
important, but it’s often neglected. Why? Many people find it exhausting – and it is – but that’s
because it’s exercising your brain. Considering that we spend around 40-50% of our time
listening as opposed to talking or writing, hearing the language you want to learn is a big part of
mastering it. Audio books, music, and movies are good resources.

#10 Listening improves your leadership skills

If you’re wanting to become a better leader, you should become a better listener. Listening
helps you make connections between your team’s ideas, hear different perspectives, and
prevent misunderstandings. A good team leader ensures everyone feels respected, which
means they all feel heard. If you’ve always thought that good leaders are people who express
themselves really well, that’s just half of the picture. They’re also great listeners.

***

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Effective Listening

1. Start by Stopping (Anything Else)

When someone is speaking, it’s time to stop what else you were doing, so
you can focus on listening.

Put your phone away, turn away from your computer, put aside your thoughts
about what you’re going to have for lunch, and simply concentrate on what
they’re saying. Make eye contact with them to show that you are listening, and
focus your attention on them.

Effective listening requires your full attention. You can’t do it while you’re
distracted or thinking about something else.

If you’re doing something else, then you’re NOT listening effectively.

2. Consciously Set Aside Any Judgement or

Assumptions
Effective listening means putting aside your prejudices, assumptions and biases.
It is also important not to make making any kind of judgement about the speaker
or their message.

Try to listen WITHOUT considering whether you agree or disagree, or how

you are going to reply, or any feelings you have about the speaker.

Certainly do not start preparing a counter-argument in your head. Quite apart

from anything else, if you listen to their whole message, you may find that your
early impressions were wrong.

This ability to set aside judgement is particularly important for empathic

listening. However, it can help you to avoid making assumptions or
misinterpreting the message in any listening situation.

You can find out more about the different types of ineffective listening, and what
can prevent you from understanding the speaker’s message, in our page
on Ineffective Listening.

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 3. Remove Any Physical Barriers to Effective
Listening
We said above that you should remove any distractions. However, it is also
important to consider any (other) physical barriers to effective listening. These
include, but are not limited to:

● A lot of background noise, for example, because you are in a crowded room,
or you have the television or radio on. Turn off the noise, or go somewhere else
where you can hear and listen effectively.

● Being in physical discomfort, for example because you are hungry or thirsty,
or your chair is uncomfortable. With the speaker’s agreement, stop and get a
drink, or something or eat, or change your chair.

● Being distracted by some characteristic of the speaker, such as their looks

or their accent. Under these circumstances, the most effective thing that you
can do is to be aware of your issue. You can then concentrate harder to
overcome the effect.

These factors will prevent you from listening effectively—so remove them
from the equation.

4. Show the Speaker You Are Listening

There are a number of signs that you are listening, both verbal and non-
verbal.

For example, when people are listening attentively, they tend to make eye
contact with the speaker, nod, and make affirmative noises such as ‘Mm-hm’.
This encourages the speaker to continue, because it shows that the listener is
interested.

By contrast, if someone is fidgeting, looking out of the winter, yawning, or

checking their phone or watch, it suggests that they are not paying attention.
Under these circumstances, it is much harder to continue to talk.

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5. Listen for Both Words and Meaning—including
Feelings
The words that we choose when we speak are important. However, a huge
amount of communication—some people suggest up to 80%—is non-
verbal.

In other words, the tone, volume and pitch of voice, facial expressions, body
language, and behaviour, convey an enormous amount of information and
meaning. Your non-verbal communication is particularly important in conveying
emotion. For example, when we are excited, we tend to talk faster, and more
loudly, and the pitch of our voice goes up. When we are upset about something,
our voices drop, and we tend to avoid eye contact.

As you listen to someone talking, take time to consider their non-verbal

communication as well as their words—and ask yourself what message
that is sending to you.

6. If Your Mind Wanders, Bring it Back

Everyone’s mind wanders at times. In fact, most people’s minds wander an
awful lot of the time. That’s understood—but effective listening means noticing
when it is happening, and stopping it in its tracks.

As you are listening to someone, pay attention to whether your mind is

wandering.

If it is, just bring it back to the speaker. Refocus your mind, and
consciously pay attention again.

7. Be Prepared to Ask for More Information or Clarify

Your Understanding
Listening does not mean never talking yourself.

An important part of the listening process is making sure that you have fully
understood the message. It is perfectly acceptable—and indeed, actively

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desirable—to use techniques like reflecting, clarifying and questioning to
make sure that you have correctly understood.

These techniques are also helpful for showing the speaker that you are
listening. They demonstrate your interest in the subject, as well as your
understanding.

They therefore encourage the speaker to say more—and that, after all, is part of
the point.

8. Wait for the Speaker to Pause Before Responding

It’s good to seek clarification or show that you are listening—but wait for
the speaker to finish speaking, or at least pause.

Interrupting potentially tells them that you value your views or ideas more than
theirs.

As a general rule, don’t jump in until you’re sure that the speaker is ready for you
to do so. However, there are exceptions to this, including if someone is talking
too much, and you need to interrupt to give someone else some air-time.
Equally, if you want to check your understanding of a particular point, then do
so. However, try to be mindful of whether they have finished making their point
first.

9. Be Patient
The best, and most effective, listeners are those who are prepared to wait.

They are in no rush to move on in the conversation. They have the patience to
wait for the speaker to order their thoughts, manage their emotions, or do
whatever they need to get the right words—and the right message—across.
They know that sometimes communication takes longer, and they do not
interrupt, or rush to fill in pauses in the conversation.

This, in turn, means that those who are speaking to them trust them to listen,
and to wait if necessary.

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This is especially true when you are talking about something difficult or
emotional—but it follows at any time. Giving people time and space to
speak is the mark of a truly effective listener.

You can find out more about how to develop this most underrated of personal
skills in our page on Patience.

10. Put Yourself in the Speaker’s Shoes

It is impossible to over-emphasise the importance of empathy in effective
listening.

This is the quality of feeling ‘with’ someone: of putting yourself into their shoes
so that you genuinely understand their point of view.

Listening with empathy can help you to fully understand someone’s situation. It
allows you to connect more fully with them on a more emotional level. This, in
turn, makes communication more open and more effective in both directions.

Barriers to Effective Listening

Most of us would like to think that we are good listeners. In

other words, we believe that we hear what someone is saying
and are able to take it in and interpret it correctly, before
responding appropriately.

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that most of us overestimate

our abilities in this area.

Research shows that we generally only listen with about 25%

efficiency. This means that about three-quarters of spoken
communication is lost on the average person. Instead of giving the
speaker our full attention, we may be formulating a reply, or making
a judgement about what they are saying, or even being distracted

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by what we’re going to have for dinner. This ineffective listening
leads to misunderstandings and a breakdown in communication.

1. Evaluative listening
Evaluative listeners spend all their time evaluating what you are saying, and
making judgements about it. You can spot an evaluative listener, because they
will always respond with either agreement or disagreement (or possibly both, in
the form of ‘yes, but…’).

The big problem with these listeners is that they are hearing everything
from their own point of view. Everything is passed through a prism of their
own experiences and opinions. This means that they often miss critical
information simply because it does not fit with their view of the world.

The other problem is that speaker and listener can get into a negative
spiral of argument and counter-argument. Instead of building on each other’s
communication, they are engaged in knocking it down.

2. Assumptive listening
Assumptive listeners make assumptions about the speaker’s meaning or
intention—and usually before the speaker has finished.

They may therefore finish other people’s sentences, or jump in with a response
before the speaker has really finished. Engaging with an assumptive listener is
hard work, because you constantly have to go back and explain your meaning
again because they have interpreted it incorrectly.

3. Self-protective listening
Here, the listener is so wrapped up in their own situation and/or emotional
response to it that they simply have no brain-space to hear or concentrate
on anything else.

In other words, they are NOT really listening at all, and they are certainly not
engaging with what anyone else says. It is a moot point whether this should
actually be described as ‘listening’ at all—except that these listeners will often

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be nodding and smiling, and generally looking like they are engaging with what
is being said. However, when they come to respond, it will be obvious that they
have not really heard or taken on board anything that is said.

4. Judgemental listening
Judgemental listeners will constantly criticise what speakers are
saying. This type of listening is similar to evaluative listening, but usually with
more negativity and less opportunity to respond. These listeners often have
preconceived ideas about the speaker (for example, bias or prejudice based on
how they look, or their background). This may prevent them from considering
the speaker’s ideas with an open mind.

This type of listening tends to result in the speaker shutting down, and
refusing to provide any more information. Being constantly criticised
quickly becomes unpleasant.

5. Affirmative listening
Affirmative listening is more or less the polar opposite of judgemental
listening. Affirmative listeners only ‘hear’ messages with which they
agree. They therefore only listen for points that they can support, and not those
that show different opinions.

Having an affirmative listener is at first quite pleasant. They tend to agree with
you, which is nice. However, after a while, you realise that they only agree with
some points—and possibly not very important ones—but refuse to engage with
anything else.

The problem here is that these people only listen for themselves. They want
their opinion to be validated—and have no real interest in anyone else. This
quickly gets one-sided and tiresome, especially if you are genuinely interested in
a debate that explores different perspectives.

6. Defensive listening
A defensive listener takes everything that is said as a personal attack.

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These people therefore feel the need to defend themselves against everything,
and to justify everything that they say. They often use the phrase ‘Yes, but…’,
because they have no interest in building on any other communication—only to
justify themselves. They also find it hard to explore other points of view,
because anything different is a threat.

7. Authoritative listening
Authoritative listeners listen solely in order to advise. They always know
best, and are always ready to tell you what to do.

You can often spot authoritative listeners by the use of the words ‘You
should…’ or ‘You need…’ in their sentences.

References:

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/listening-tips.html
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/ineffective-listening.html

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Listening Skills

Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret

messages in the communication process.

Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the

ability to listen effectively, messages are easily
misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and
the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or
irritated.

If there is one communication skill you should aim to master,

then listening is it.

Listening is so important that many top employers provide

listening skills training for their employees. This is not surprising
when you consider that good listening skills can lead to better
customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes,
and increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more
creative and innovative work.

Many successful leaders and entrepreneurs credit their success to

effective listening skills. Richard Branson frequently quotes
listening as one of the main factors behind the success of Virgin.

Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives,

including:
A greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and
confidence, higher grades at school and in academic work, and even better
health and general well-being.

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Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, attentive
listening can bring it down.

Listening is Not the Same as Hearing

Hearing refers to the sounds that enter your ears. It is a physical process that,
provided you do not have any hearing problems, happens automatically.

Listening, however, requires more than that: it requires focus and

concentrated effort, both mental and sometimes physical as well.

Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use
of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other
words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your
ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and
understand these messages.

Listening is not a passive process. In fact, the listener can, and should, be at
least as engaged in the process as the speaker. The phrase ‘active listening’ is
used to describe this process of being fully involved.

See our pages: Active Listening and Types of Listening for more information.

We Spend a lot of Time Listening

Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort
of communication.
Of this, research shows that an average of 45% is spent listening compared to
30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001). That is, by
any standards, a lot of time listening. It is worthwhile, therefore, taking a bit of
extra time to ensure that you listen effectively.

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 Based on the research of: Adler, R., Rosenfeld, L. and Proctor, R. (2001)
Interplay: the process of interpersonal communicating (8th edn), Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt.

The Purpose of Listening

There is no doubt that effective listening is an extremely important
life skill. Why is listening so important?

Listening serves a number of possible purposes, and the purpose

of listening will depend on the situation and the nature of the
communication.
1. To specifically focus on the messages being communicated, avoiding
distractions and preconceptions.

2. To gain a full and accurate understanding into the speakers point of view
and ideas.

3. To critically assess what is being said. (See our page on Critical

Thinking for more).

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 4. To observe the non-verbal signals accompanying what is being said to
enhance understanding.

5. To show interest, concern and concentration.

6. To encourage the speaker to communicate fully, openly and honestly.

7. To develop an selflessness approach, putting the speaker first.

8. To arrive at a shared and agreed understanding and acceptance of both

sides views.

Often our main concern while listening is to formulate ways to

respond. This is not a function of listening. We should try to focus
fully on what is being said and how it's being said in order to more
fully understand the speaker.

Barriers to Effective Listening

To improve the process of effective listening, it can be helpful to
turn the problem on its head and look at barriers to effective
listening, or ineffective listening.
For example, one common problem is that instead of listening closely to what
someone is saying, we often get distracted after a sentence or two and instead
start to think about what we are going to say in reply or think about unrelated
things. This means that we do not fully listen to the rest of the speaker’s
message.

This problem is attributed, in part, to the difference between average speech rate
and average processing rate. Average speech rates are between 125 and 175
words a minute whereas we can process on average between 400 and 800
words a minute. It is a common habit for the listener to use the spare time while
listening to daydream or think about other things, rather than focusing on what
the speaker is saying.

Of course the clarity of what the speaker is saying can also affect how well we
listen. Generally we find it easier to focus if the speaker is fluent in their speech,
has a familiar accent, and speaks at an appropriate loudness for the situation. It
is more difficult, for example, to focus on somebody who is speaking very fast
and very quietly, especially if they are conveying complex information.

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We may also get distracted by the speaker’s personal appearance or by what
someone else is saying, which sounds more interesting.

These issues not only affect you, but you are likely to show your lack of
attention in your body language.

Generally, we find it much harder to control our body language, and you are likely
to show your distraction and/or lack of interest by lack of eye contact, or posture.
The speaker will detect the problem, and probably stop talking at best. At worse,
they may be very offended or upset.

The 5 Purposes of listening:

#1. Mattering. Listen to let others know they matter.

People who feel they matter courageously work to make a difference. Those
who feel they don’t matter go through the motions.

1. What’s important?
2. What are their hopes or fears?
3. What do they really want?

You infuse value into others when you attend to their words.

#2. Humility. Listen to humble yourself.

Arrogance talks. Humility listens.

No one can humble you. You must humble yourself. One way to practice
humility is to let another speak their mind.

Listening elevates others.

#3. Clarity. Listen to help others find clarity.

Provide opportunity for people to hear their own voice. Those who hear their
own voice learn what they really think.

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Stephen R. Covey

#4. Effectiveness. Listen to act effectively.

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It’s a waste of energy to solve the wrong problem.

Listen in order to do the right stuff.

#5. Curiosity. Listen to ask a question.

Questions:

What is the purpose of listening?

Understanding the Listening process

Seema was out grocery shopping in a supermarket when she saw a mother telling her son strictly,
“Listen carefully when I am telling you something. You need to learn to listen.” Seema didn’t get
what the issue was, but one thing was clear to her: the mother was imparting the skill of listening
to her child at an early age.

We are often taught that it is important to speak up and put our views forward or we would be
considered weak and seen as someone who lacks confidence. While expressing yourself is
important, the skill of listening is also crucial. It’s the heart and soul of any conversation.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Speak only if it improves upon the silence.”

But what exactly does being silent mean? What goes into the listening process? How does one
frame a reply or come to a solution by listening to others?

One step towards being a good listener and finding the answers to all those questions is to
understand the Listening Climate concept, part of Harappa Education’s Listening
Actively course. It explains the best practices used by organizations to improve listening skills.
THE FIVE STAGES OF THE LISTENING PROCESS

To get you started, here are the steps of listening you can follow:

RECEIVING

It’s another annual employee survey at your workplace. But have you ever thought about how
HR arrives at conclusions? By practicing the stages of listening! The first of these is the
receiving stage. HR listens to the employees’ complaints and takes appropriate actions to
resolve the concerns.

And this happens because your HR follows these steps throughout the receiving stage:

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  Focuses on what the employee is saying
 Interprets the message with proper context
 Ensures that no information is missed

UNDERSTANDING
‘What would you have done had you been in my place?’ This is a question you must have
heard sometimes with family, friends, or colleagues.

This simple sentence shows the importance of the stages of listening. It is a sign of
desperation on the speaker’s part to make himself understood. It is usually used when the
speaker feels that the listener is not getting what he is trying to convey.

Pose questions to the speaker to make sure you have understood things correctly, especially
in the workplace.

3. EVALUATING
The appraisal month is a busy time at workplaces every year. The reporting manager or HR
calls everyone for face-to-face conversations. This is the time when employees can raise the
issues or problems they face in the workplace.

However, have you ever thought about how the manager decides whether an employee is
deserving or not? It is through careful evaluation. That is why all this comes under the
evaluation stage of the listening process.

In this stage, the manager assesses the information about you such as your performance, team
spirit, and the initiatives taken. The manager then determines whether the supporting points
from the speaker, which in this case is the employee, are:

 Well-constructed or muddled
 Prejudiced or impartial
 Valid or invalid

4. RESPONDING
Once you have received, understood, and evaluated the information, it’s time to formulate a
response or give feedback. Don’t be that silent listener in the room who does nothing but only
listens. As Charles Dickens once said, “The worst of all listeners is the one who does nothing
but listens.”

Responding properly will show your interest and involvement in any conversation. However,
that doesn’t mean you have to come up with a smart question or feedback every time. Even
simple verbal cues such as saying ‘yes’ and nonverbal ones like smiling and nodding your
head will do the trick.

5. REMEMBERING

23
 Remembering all the information is crucial among the steps of listening to be able to move
forward in a conversation or take any action. Research shows a high possibility of forgetting
up to half of what we hear within the first eight hours of listening to it.

We can develop memory capability by using the information at the earliest or by relating it to
a context or previous conversation.

Have you ever tried taking an online course to improve certain skills? In such courses, typically,
you have to listen more than studying. As you progress through the course, your skill set
improves gradually. That’s a smart way of developing and improving your listening process! But
this will only work if you can remember the core of the conversation. In case the listener can’t
recall the speaker’s message, there is a possibility that the person wasn’t listening carefully.
Complicated messages require developed listening skills to decipher and remember the message.
Sometimes, even a little distraction can result in the misinterpretation of a message.

So next time you’re in a conversation, make sure you don’t just hear what the others are saying.
Listen actively.

***

24
Spoken Versus Written Communication

What’s the Difference?

While both spoken and written communication function as agreed-upon rule-
governed systems of symbols used to convey meaning, there are enough
differences in pragmatic rules between writing and speaking to justify discussing
some of their differences. Imagine for a moment that you’re a college student
who desperately needs money. Rather than looking for a job you decide that you

’re going to ask your parents for the money you need to make it through the end
of the semester. Now, you have a few choices for using verbal communication to
do this. You might choose to call your parents or talk to them in person. You may
take a different approach and write them a letter or send them an email. You can
probably identify your own list of pros and cons for each of these approaches.
But really, what’s the difference between writing and talking in these situations?
Let’s look at four of the major differences between the two: 1) formal versus
informal, 2) synchronous versus asynchronous, 3) recorded versus unrecorded,
and 4) privacy.

The first difference between spoken and written communication is that we

generally use spoken communication informally while we use written
communication formally. Consider how you have been trained to talk versus
how you have been trained to write. Have you ever turned in a paper to a
professor that “sounds” like how you talk? How was that paper graded compared
to one that follows the more formal structures and rules of the English language?
In western societies like the U.S., we follow more formal standards for our written

25
communication than our spoken communication. With a few exceptions, we
generally tolerate verbal mistakes (e.g. “should of” rather than “should have”) and
qualifiers (e.g. “uh” “um” “you know,” etc.) in our speech, but not our writing.
Consider a written statement such as, “I should of, um, gone and done somethin’
‘bout it’ but, um, I I didn’t do nothin’.” In most written contexts, this is considered
unacceptable written verbal communication. However, most of us would not give
much thought to hearing this statement spoken aloud by someone. While we
may certainly notice mistakes in another’s speech, we are generally not inclined
to correct those mistakes as we would in written contexts. Even though most try
to speak without qualifiers and verbal mistakes, there is something to be said
about those utterances in our speech while engaging in an interpersonal
conversation. According to John Du Bois, the way two people use utterances and
structure their sentences during conversation creates an opportunity to find new
meaning within the language and develop “parallelism” which can lead to a
natural feeling of liking or sympathy in the conversation partner. So, even though
it may seem like formal language is valued over informal, this informal language
that most of us use when we speak inadvertently contributes to bringing people
closer together.

While writing is generally more formal and speech more informal, there are some
exceptions to the rule, especially with the growing popularity of new technologies.
For the first time in history, we are now seeing exceptions in our uses of speech
and writing. Using text messaging and email, people are engaging in forms of
writing using more informal rule structures, making their writing “sound” more like
conversation. Likewise, this style of writing often attempts to incorporate the use
of “nonverbal” communication (known as emoticons) to accent the writing.
Consider the two examples in the box. One is an example of written
correspondence using text while the other is a roughly equivalent version
following the more formal written guidelines of a letter.

Notice the informality in the text version. While it is readable, it reads as if Tesia
was actually speaking in a conversation rather than writing a document. Have
you noticed that when you turn in written work that has been written in email
programs, the level of formality of the writing decreases? However, when
students use a word processing program like Microsoft Word, the writing tends to
follow formal rules more often. As we continue using new technologies to
communicate, new rule systems for those mediums will continue altering the rule
systems in other forms of communication.

The second difference between spoken and written forms of verbal

communication is that spoken communication or speech is almost entirely
synchronous while written communication is almost entirely
asynchronous. Synchronous communication is communication that takes place

26
in real time, such as a conversation with a friend. When we are in conversation
and even in public speaking situations, immediate feedback and response from
the receiver is the rule. For instance, when you say “hello” to someone, you
expect that the person will respond immediately. You do not expect that the
person will get back to you sometime later in response to your greeting. In
contrast, asynchronous communication is communication that is not immediate
and occurs over longer periods of time, such as letters, email, or even text
messages at times. When someone writes a book, letter, email, or text, there is
no expectation from the sender that the receiver will provide an immediate
response. Instead, the expectation is that the receiver will receive the message,
and respond to it when they have time. This is one of the reasons people
sometimes choose to send an email instead of calling another person, because it
allows the receiver to respond when they have time rather than “putting them on
the spot” to respond right away.

Just as new technologies are changing the rules of formality and informality, they
are also creating new situations that break the norms of written communication
as asynchronous and spoken communication as synchronous. Voicemail has
turned the telephone and our talk into asynchronous forms of communication.
Even though we speak in these contexts, we understand that if we leave a
message on voicemail we will not get an immediate reply. Instead, we
understand that the receiver will call us back at their convenience. In this
example, even though the channel of communication is speaking, there is no
expectation for immediate response to the sent message. Similarly, texting is a
form of written communication that follows the rules of spoken conversation in
that it functions as synchronous communication. When you type a text to
someone you know, the expectation is that they will respond almost immediately.
The lines continue to blur when video chats were introduced as communication
technologies. These are a form of synchronous communication that mimics face-
to-face interaction and in some cases even have an option to send written
messages to others. The possible back and forth between written and spoken
communication has allowed many questions to arise about rules and meaning
behind interactions. Maria Sindoni explains in her article, “Through the Looking
Glass” that even though people are having a synchronous conversation and are
sharing meaning through their words, they are ultimately in different rooms and
communicating through a machine which makes the meaning of their exchanges
more ambiguous.

Verbal Communication Then

Historians have come up with a number of criteria people should have in order to be considered
a civilization. One of these is writing, specifically for the purposes of governing and pleasure.
Written verbal communication is used for literature, poetry, religion, instruction, recording history
and governing. Influential written verbal communication from history includes:

27
1. The Ten Commandments that Jews used as a guide to their faith.
2. Law Code of Hammurabi which was the recorded laws of the Ancient Babylonians.
3. The Quran which is core to the Islam faith.
4. The Bible which is followed by Christians.
5. The Declaration of Independence which declared the U.S. independent from Britain.
6. Mao’s Little Red Book which was used to promote communist rule in China.
-Global Virtual Classroom

The third difference between spoken and written communication is that written
communication is generally archived and recorded for later retrieval, while
spoken communication is generally not recorded. When we talk with friends, we
do not tend to take notes or tape record our conversations. Instead,
conversations tend to be ongoing and catalogued into our personal memories
rather than recorded in an easily retrievable written format. On the other hand, it
is quite easy to reference written works such as books, journals, magazines,
newspapers, and electronic sources such as web pages and emails for long
periods after the sender has written them. New communication applications like
Vine add to the confusion. This app allows users to record themselves and post it
to their profile. This would be considered a form of spoken communication, yet it
is archived and asynchronous so others can look at the videos years after the
original posting. To make the matter more complicated, Snapchat’s many
functions come into play. On Snapchat you have the option of sending videos or
photos that are traditionally not archived since the sender decides how long the
receiver has to view it, then will theoretically disappear forever. Most recently
with the addition of My Story, users of the app can post a picture for 24 hours
and have their friends view it multiple times. The feeling of technological
communication not being archived can lead to a false sense of privacy, which
can lead to some negative consequences.

As with the previous rules we’ve discussed, new technologies are changing
many of the dynamics of speech and writing. Just take a look at the “Verbal
Communication Then” sidebar and see how far we have come. For example,
many people use email and texting informally like spoken conversation, as an
informal form of verbal communication. Because of this, they often expect that
these operate and function like a spoken conversation with the belief that it is a
private conversation between the sender and receiver. However, many people
have gotten into trouble because of what they have “spoken” about others
through email and text. The corporation Epson (a large computer electronics
manufacturer) was at the center of one of the first lawsuits regarding the
recording and archiving of employees’ use of email correspondence. Employees
at Epson assumed their email was private and therefore used it to say negative
things about their bosses. What they didn’t know was their bosses were saving
and printing these email messages, and using the content of these messages to

28
make personnel decisions. When employees sued Epson, the courts ruled in
favor of the corporation, stating that they had every right to retain employee email
for their records.

While most of us have become accustomed to using technologies such as texting

and instant messaging in ways that are similar to our spoken conversations, we
must also consider the repercussions of using communication technologies in
this fashion because they are often archived and not private. We can see
examples of negative outcomes from archived messages in recent years through
many highly publicized sexting scandals. One incident that was very pertinent
was former congressman and former candidate for Mayor of New York, Anthony
Weiner, and a series of inappropriate exchanges with women using
communication technologies. Because of his position in power and high media
coverage, his privacy was very minimal. Since he had these conversations in a
setting that is recorded, he was not able to keep his anonymity or confidentiality
in the matter. These acts were seen as inappropriate by the public, so there were
both professional and personal repercussions for Weiner. Both the Epson and
Anthony Weiner incidents, even though happening in different decades, show the
consequences when assumed private information becomes public.

As you can see, there are a number of differences between spoken and written
forms of verbal communication. Both forms are rule-governed as our definition
points out, but the rules are often different for the use of these two types of verbal
communication. However, it’s apparent that as new technologies provide more
ways for us to communicate, many of our traditional rules for using both speech
and writing will continue to blur as we try to determine the “most appropriate”
uses of these new communication technologies. As Chapter 2 pointed out,
practical problems of the day will continue to guide the directions our field takes
as we continue to study the ways technology changes our communication. As
more changes continue to occur in the ways we communicate with one another,
more avenues of study will continue to open for those interested in being part of
the development of how communication is conducted. Now that we have looked
in detail at our definition of verbal communication, and the differences between
spoken and written forms of verbal communication, let’s explore what our use of
verbal communication accomplishes for us as humans.

***

29
 Just-A-Minute
What Is A JAM Session?
Recruiters use a JAM (Just a minute) Session to screen the candidates in the very first round. It
usually acts as an elimination round.

Why Is A Jam Session Important?

Companies are looking for graduates who have pertinent knowledge and experience in the
required industry. But how would the recruiters differentiate between all the eligible candidates?
When there is an excess number of candidates with desired profile available, then the HR wants
to test them for additional skills. Does the candidate have a fantastic grip over the English
language? Would he be a great team player? Can he further the organization’s vision?
This is where a Jam session helps the HRs and the recruiting team screen the right candidates.

What Are You Required To Do In A Jam Session?

As the name suggests, you are supposed to speak on a given topic for a minute. This is to test
your communication skills, to gauge your confidence and test your general awareness.

What Skills Do You Need To Have To Succeed In A Jam Session?

1. Communication Skills
2. Creativity
3. Confidence
4. Eye Contact
5. Good Listening Skills

You require the ability to be quick and inventive. You must recollect and relate to information
and effectively share that knowledge. It is an added advantage if you have good management
skills and leadership qualities. And to top it all, your overall communication skills should be
impeccable.

If we simply were to put this down in black and white, by practicing to speak in a Jam session
you;

 Learn how to organize your thought flow

 Apply logic and sound convincing
 Improve your general speaking skills

Remember the most basic question at any interview where you are asked to talk about yourself?
This question, in itself, is a Jam session topic.

Tips To Speak In a Jam Session

The mantra is ‘Structure‘. Follow a distinctive flow.
Think of subcategories for any given topic and then expand on that.

30
Category 1: You Can Talk About The Primary Source
Category 2: You Can Talk About The Advantages/Ill-Effects
Category 3: Touch On Personal Contributions And How You Can Reduce/Enhance It

Now, elaborate on these sub-points. Recollect experiences that you are familiar with, acquired
knowledge and try and connect the dots.

For example, let us consider the Jam topic “Vehicular Pollution”.

1. Primary Source – emissions from tailpipes of cars and trucks

2. Ill Effects – reduced lung capacity and chronic illnesses, weakens body’s defenses
against respiratory infections posing a threat to young children and asthmatics leading
even to cancer.
3. Personal Contribution to Reducing Vehicular Pollution – carpooling, mass transit,
biking and walking, avoiding high-speed driving, frequently stopping and starting can
reduce both fuel use and pollutant emissions.

So basically what you’ve done is used acquired knowledge to form a logical structure and made
sense of what you’re saying in under 1 minute.

Quick Decisions And Responses Need Quick Thinking

Practice in such a way that your brain processes information fast. You can learn to speak
instantaneously and still sound meaningful and convincing only when you are able to connect
and synthesize information based out of experiences and acquired knowledge.

It’s time for you to introspect your command over the English language, read a lot and find
opportunities to express your learnings. And I’m positive when you learn to apply acquired
knowledge and organize your thoughts, your responses would sound more logical and
meaningful.

31
 Situational dialogues / Dialogue Writing

Introduction

Dialogue as well as conversation involves exchange of ideas or views with one

another but similarity ends here. In the case of dialogue ideas are exchanged
through words whereas in the case of conversation exchange of ideas is through
spoken words. The former is formal in language whereas the latter is informal.
By implications dialogue is more or less a discussion whereas conversation is the
exchange of views. Dialogue revolves around a thought or a theme whereas
conversation is diversified and discursive; the former generally develops a theme
but conversation may flit from theme to theme.

Talks at a street corner or in a college canteen are conversation but conversation

in dramatic performance is dialogue BUT FOR PROFESSIONAL communication
conversation and dialogue are one and the same.

Dialogue is more difficult to write than conversation because for it we have to

imagine the situation in which is dialogue to be set. Secondly, it should be
argumentative and not just elaborative; the facts should be plausible and
couched in effective language. That does not mean that pithy language should be
used; language should be fluent and words expressive.

Features of a Good Dialogue

Firstly, dialogue should not be rambling or discursive; no dialogue should stray
away from the main topic. It does not imply that we cannot touch the different
aspects of the topic. We can explain or comment on the topic but we should
hover round the topic.

Secondly, dialogue does not imply that the two speakers should always agree or
disagree with the other speaker's point of view, on some they may agree and
some others they should disagree. Apart from it a speaker may modify what the
other has said. What is meant by modify? It means to bring about a little change
in meaning. For example, if on essays-
"Hard work pays"
We may modify it by saying-
"Well directed hard work pays"

By adding the phrase "Well directed" we have modified the meaning of 'hard
work'
Thirdly, in a dialogue the first speaker starts an idea. The second will pick up the
thread of the argument and comments upon it; then the first speaker picks up the
thread of the second speaker's argument. If new aspect is to be introduced, it

32
should be linked with the statement after. The new aspects should not be introduced
abruptly.

Should we use the words of address- "Dear fried", 'Sir', or my worthy friend- in a
dialogue? We should use them only here and there. In other words use them only when
we want to emphasis the point or when we want to attract the attention of the other
person. If you prefix these words with each sentence the dialogue would not be lively. If
we are conversing with a superior person we can use some words of address to give them
the respect they deserve.

Should the dialogue be formal in informal language? By informal language we mean the
language of intimacy. While conversing with a friend we should be informal in tone and in
the choice of words. But formal language is essential when we talk to third person or to a
superior person. If the other person is a shopkeeper or an official be formal with him.

Should we come to a definite discussion? In other words if the topic is "Future of

democracy in India" should we come to the conclusion the "future of democracy in "India
in bright" not necessarily. In the dialogue we may adopt "Golden mean" i.e., if some
conditions are fulfilled democracy will function successfully but as dialogues are sort of
discussions or exchange of views these may be modified or changed by the speakers.

What type of consistency should be there in a dialogue? Of course there cannot be

thematic consistency because in dialogue we have change, revise or modify our viewpoint.
Consistency in dialogues should be with regard to the character and thinking of the
speaker. The speech of an arrogant person is bound to be different from that of a humble
man. A speaker should have a definite point of view and a well-defined opinion. The
language of the speaker helps to form an opinion of the character and personality of the
person. This fact is clearly discernible in the dialogues of the "Dramatic Personae" of the
movies and dramas.

ACTIVITIES
 How do you seek information from college library for opening alibrary
account and borrowing books
 Construct a dialogue between you and rail enquiry clerk about
reservation status and arrival / departure of a train.
 Congratulate your friend on getting visa for further studies inUSA
 Express sympathy to your friends who lost his mother.
 Construct a dialogue among your friends who met after a longtime.

***

33
 Greeting People
When meeting people, there are a number of greetings you can use in
English. These depend on whether you are arriving somewhere, leaving,
meeting people you already know, or meeting someone for the first time.

Depending on the situation, there are formal and informal ways of greeting
each other. However, there is some overlap between the two, and you can
almost never go wrong using some of the formal expressions in other
settings as well.

Meeting People
When arriving at your destination or meeting people during the day, use
the following phrases:

Formal

Hello.
Good morning/afternoon/evening.
How are you (doing)?
(It's) nice/good/great to see you.
How is your day (going)?

Informal

Hi.
Hey (man).
How's it going?
How is everything/life?
How are things?
What's up/new?
What's going on?
How have you been?
Long-time no see.
It's been a while.

34
Example Dialogues

Person 1: Good morning, John.

Person 2: Good morning. How are you?

Person 1: What's up?

Person 2: Nothing much. You?

Leaving People
At departure, there is also a variety of ways you can be polite or friendly:

Formal

Goodbye.
Bye.
It was nice to meet you.
It was nice meeting you.
Goodnight.
Have a good night.

Informal

See you.
See you soon/next time/later/tomorrow.
I have to go now.
I have to get going.
(It was) good seeing you.
Take care (of yourself).
Till next time.

Example Dialogues

Person 1: I have to get going, Sam. It was good seeing you today.
Person 2: You, too. See you soon again. Bye!

Person 1: Goodbye, Lucy. It was nice to meet you.

Person 2: Bye, John. You as well. Take care.

35
Meeting People for the First Time
When introduced to someone for the first time, especially in a formal
situation, use the greetings below. For informal greetings, you can either
use some of these expressions or choose from the informal greetings listed
above.

Formal

Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you.

(It's) (very) nice to meet you.
Pleased/Glad/Good to meet you.
How do you do?

Example of a Formal Dialogue

Person: Ken, meet Steve.

Ken: Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you.
Steve: How do you do, Ken.
Ken: How do you do.

Note: The reply to "How do you do" is "How do you do." This is
appropriate when you meet someone for the first time.

Examples of Informal Dialogues

Person 1: Jessica, this is Laura.

Person 2: Hi, Laura. I'm Jessica. How are you?
Laura: Hi, I'm fine. Good to meet you

Person 1: James, this is my friend Andrew.

James: What's up?
Andrew: What's up?

36
 Greeting People

Observe these effective tips for greeting someone:

1. Stand Up

When you’re greeting new people, do so face-to-face. It’s just polite, and shows
respect. It means that you consider them important enough to change your physical
position for them. It also helps you to make eye contact.

2. Look in the Eye

Making eye contact indicates engagement and focus. It shows that you’re
interested in the other person. Staring at your shoes, your watch, or your phone
shows the opposite, and suggests disengagement. Use positive body language.

3. Smile (and the World Smiles with You)

Even if you’re carrying the woes of the world on your shoulders, try to look happy
to see your new acquaintance. A grimace immediately puts the other person on the
defensive, while a smile is welcoming and inclusive.

4. Take the Initiative with a Handshake/Namaskar

Approach the person you’re greeting and extend your hand/Namaskar. You’ll
come across as confident and assertive, not aggressive. Don’t wait for the other
person to take a lead.

Keep it simple: shake firmly, but avoid the “death grip.” A “limp fish” leaves an
equally poor impression. And keep your spare hand by your side: two-handed
pumping and hands on shoulders are strictly for politicians.

37
5. Say Who You Are

Even better, say why you’re there and what you do. “Hi, I’m Shiva” is a start. “Hi,
I’m Shiva. I’m a software engineer with the Client Success team. How can I help?”
is actually useful, and shows you’re making the effort.

6. Observe the Hierarchy

If you’re making the introductions, remember business etiquette. Introduce less

senior people to more senior ones. Start with the name of the senior person, then
introduce the junior person to them.
As you did when you introduced yourself, give some context. So, “Ravi, may I
introduce Ram? Ram is our new lead developer. Ram, Ravi is our chief financial
officer.”

7. Get the Name Game Right

Make sure that you remember the name of anyone you’ve been introduced to, and
use the name properly. It’s better to ask the person to repeat the name than to keep
using an incorrect version.
Wait for permission before using someone’s first name. It’s respectful. Some
people don’t like informality from the get-go, and it may be seen as culturally
insensitive.

***

38
 Conversation Skills

Formal Communication

Formal communication can be considered as communication efforts that are “dressed up”
to fit customary rules and ceremony For example, in a written letter, the formal
communication style will demand that the layout of the piece of written communication
follow a specific format that includes the date, header, salutation, body of the letter, close,
signature lines and any indicators of enclosures all placed neatly upon company letterhead
or personal stationery. By contrast, an informal piece of written communication can be as
simple as a jotted note to a friend on a torn slip of paper.

Formal communications are mostly written, although they may now also include formal
presentations that are on computer disk, video tape or DVDs, MP3 presentations and other
similar electronic reproductions of written communications. Other forms of formal
communications include newsletters, legal advisories, invitations, awards, and letters of
congratulations. Non-written formal communication devices are in-person
communications in the forms of departmental meetings, telephone calls, conferences and
special interviews. Some publications that are devoted to a special purpose, such as a
company’s annual report, are formal communications.

There is a non-verbal component to formal communication as well. The style and manners
of the presenter dictate the formalness of a meeting, and this can be immediately seen at
the time of introduction of a speaker. Some elements of non-verbal formal communication
include maintaining a certain distance from others, standing above the crowd, speaking in
formal tones and using formal means of address to others, such as “Mister” or “Doctor”
when calling upon others.

Colloquialisms, which are freely used in informal communication, are not present in
formal communications. Proper English or another language is spoken. Formal
communications will follow a chain of command in the flow of the communication, either
upwards to or down from managers.
The use of formal communication is more prevalent in highly technical areas where a
message must be exact and specific, leaving no room for misinterpretation. The written
communication is carefully thought out, and planned for a certain effect or result. It often

39
is written in a third person non-personal voice of “he, she, it, and they” rather than “I” or
“you” voices. Grammar, spelling and layout are important for written communications,
and for spoken communications there is an emphasis placed on the quality of the speech
voice and pronunciation.

Some formal communications are congratulatory; others can be advisory or informational.

Legal papers follow a tightly formatted layout that is customary within the professional
and widely used by others. Likewise, scientific research papers have a customary format
to follow. Any written communication that is expected to adhere to particular rules can be
considered to be formal communication, and the actual tone of the piece may range from
friendly to threatening. It can be more demanding and imply expectations to the receiver
that should create desired results.

Informal Communication

Informal communication arises out of all those channels that fall outside the formal
channels and it is also known as grapevine. It is established around the societal affiliation
of members of the organization. Informal communication does not follow authority lines
as in the case of formal communication.

Informal communication takes place due to the individual needs of the members of an
organization and subsists in every organization. Normally, such communication is oral and
may be expressed even by simple glance, sign or silence. Informal communication, is
implicit, spontaneous multidimensional and diverse. It often works in group of people, i.e.
when one person has some information of interest; he passes it on to his informal group
and so on.

An organization can make efficient use of informal channels to fortify the formal channels
of communication. It acts as a valuable purpose in expressing certain information that
cannot be channeled via the official channels. It satisfies the people desires to identify
what is happening in the organization and offers an opportunity to express dreads, worries
and complaints. Informal communication also facilitates to ameliorate managerial
decisions as more people are involved in the process of decision-making.

40
In spite of many advantages, informal communication has certain disadvantages. Informal
communication contains facts, deceptions, rumors and unclear data. The informal channels
of communication may transmit completely imprecise information that may harm rather
than help an organization. In addition, it is impossible to fix the responsibility for its origin
or flow of information. However, for the efficient working of any organization both
formal and informal communications are required.

Expressions for Formal and Informal Communication

I) Greeting
Informal Any time/Any where Formal
Hello! Morning/Afternoon/Evening/ Good morning!
Hi (everybody/ everyone/) `Good to see you (again)! Good after noon
How (very) nice to see you (sir/madam)! (from 12 noon
(again)! to end of the day)
Hi there What a pleasant to see you! Good evening gentlemen!
(everybody/ ( 6pm onwards)
everyone/)
Long time no see!

II) Responses
Informal Any time/Any where Formal
Hi! Morning/after noon/evening Good morning/after
noon/evening (sir/madam)
Hello
Yes, long time no see

III) Asking After

Informal Any time/Any where Formal
How’s life (treating you)? How are you? I trust you are keeping well
What’s new the latest? How are you keeping? I hope all goes well with you

How are things? Ah, Mr. Anand are you well?

How are things with you? Are you better now?

( after someone has been ill)
How are you doing?

IV) Responses
Informal Any time/Any where Formal
Ok, thanks Fine, thanks (I’m ) very well, thank you

41
So, thanks I’m fine, thank (I’m) very well indeed, thank
you And how are you.
you?
Nothing much Quite well, thank you I’m in excellent health, thank
you.

42
 Not (too) bad
Fine, how about you
Fine and you?
V) Introducing yourself
Informal
Hi I’m Mukul Ray
Hell, you must be Karan. I’m
Mukul
Excuse me, you’re Karan
aren’t you? I’m Mukul
Aren’t you Mukul? I’m
Karan. Remember me?
VI) Responding to Introduction
Informal Any time/Any where
Hi hello How do you do?
Hello, How do you do?
Hi hell, I’m Kiran
Nice meeting you.
I’m not Kiran , I’m Kavita
I’m Meena, good to meet you
Yes, I’m / it is.
VII) Thanking
Informal
Thanks
Many thanks
Thanks a lot
(For………)
All right thanks
Any time/Any where
Hello, I’m Mukul Ray
How do you do?
(shaking hands)
my name is Mukul
Excuse me ,my name
is Mukul
Excuse me. I don’t think
we‘ve met before. My name
is Mukul.
I’m afraid I don’t know /
remember your name. I’m
Mukul. Good morning this is/
I’m Mukul speaking ( on
phone)
Nice meeting you
Pleased to meet you
I’ve been eager to meet you
Any time/Any where
Thank you (very
much/ indeed)
You ‘re most kind
It’s very good of you
Formal
Good morning I’m Mukul
Ray
May I introduce myself? I’m
Mukul Ray, regional sales
manager Vishal enterprises
I’d like to introduce myself
I’m Mukul Ray
Formal
Its great pleasure to meet you
Delighted to meet you
I’m very glad to meet you
Formal
You ‘ve been so/very kind
I’m most / extremely grateful
to you
I’m much /extremely obliged
to you.
43
 That was /it’s really nice of
you
It’ s most kind of you
I’m obliged (to you) I’m
really obliged to you for ….
I really can’t thank you
enough.
I really don’t know how to
thank you.
I should like to express my
gratitude for……

VIII) Responding to thanks

Informal Any time/Any where Formal
( you ‘re welcome) Not at all Delighted to help
It’s ok It’ s a pleasure Glad to be of (some) service.

That’s all right ( it was) my pleasure It was the least I would do

Any time (Pleasure) don’t mention The pleasure was mine
it. It’s no trouble at all.
Thank you.

IX) Response to apologies

Informal Any time/Any where Formal
It’s / that’s ok That’s (quite)all right It’s / that’s perfectly all right.

Forget it Not all There’s no reason/ need to

X) Asking permission
Informal Any time/Any where Formal
Is it all Can / could I … please? Do I have your permission
right To to…?
/if….?
All right if…? Do you mind if …? Do/ will you have any
objection to if….?
Let me ….? Might / may I ….? With /by your leave….?
With your permission….

XI) Giving and refusing permission

Informal Any time/Any where Formal
Sure Of course Feel free to…..
Ok / fine/ all right Yes, certainly There seems to be no reason.
Why you can’t…..
Yes,/ ( that’s) all right You’re welcome Sorry. That’s out of question

Yes , that’s fine sorry Not at all sorry, you can’t no. Sorry that’s not possible
I am afraid, no way.
( I’m afraid)

44
 Conversations Made Easy

Notes on effective ways to develop conversations:

I. Common Mistakes to Avoid

1) Speaking without enthusiasm
2) Not listening carefully for clues
3) Failure to share opinion & interests
4) Stuck in a routine & bored

Firstly, if one speaks without enthusiasm then the conversation may not last long. Secondly, the
listener should carefully look for clues when a person is speaking so that the discussion may
continue, else it breaks. Thirdly, if the listener fails to share the opinion out of fear of boring
people, then the conversation ends. Lastly, if one is stuck in a routine and bored, they will not
be able to show interest in continuing the conversation.

II. More Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1) Hope the other person will rescue you
2) Narrow focus of personal interests

One should not hope that the other person will take up and continue the conversation. One
should not narrow down the point of conversation to a specific topic as the listener may or may
not be interested in it.

III. Develop Active Curiosity:

1) Decide that life is interesting
2) Allow people to be interesting
3) Find out what excites people
4) Explore what is new in the world
5) Look for shared values and beliefs

One should have active curiosity to develop a conversation. Always feel that conversation on
any topic or with anyone is interesting and will help. One can trigger the interest in the listener,
if we know what excites the listener. One thing that mostly everyone is interested in is ‘what is
new in the world’. Finally, look for shared values and beliefs which will help the people to
develop good conversation.

45
IV. Simple tactics that work
1) Vary voice tone and volume
2) Use dynamic body language & breathing
3) Ask directly about interests
4) Watch Non-verbal responses closely

One can use varying voice tone and volume to develop interest in conversation. Using dynamic
body language and breathing will also help the people in the conversation to find enthusiasm
and interest. If required, directly ask the interests of the listener politely to continue the
conversation besides closely watching the non-verbal clues which are obviously presenting the
interest of the listener.

V. More Simple tactics that work

1) Talk about their interests first
2) Fish for clues
3) Ask open questions
4) Be provocative about personal disclosures

To talk about the interests of the listener first, fishing for clues during the conversation, asking
open ended questions where one needs to share the opinion and not just respond with yes or
no. Finally, one can be provocative about personal disclosures to trigger interest among the
listener.

VI. Action steps for Success

1) Start using these recommendations now
2) Aim to improve a little each day
3) Keep learning from personal experience

One should take up action steps for success in developing an interesting conversation with
anyone you meet making use of the recommendations immediately and not to postpone.
Secondly, aim to improve a little each day as it helps to enhance the confidence and to adjust to
the new approach. Finally, to keep learning from the personal experience as each conversation is
unique and gives a new experience.
***

46
 Non-Verbal Communication

When we talk about ‘communication’, we often mean ‘what we say’: the words that we use.
However, interpersonal communication is much more than the explicit meaning of words, and
the information or message that they convey. It also includes implicit messages, whether
intentional or not, which are expressed through non-verbal behaviours.

Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, gestures
displayed through body language (kinesics) and the physical distance between the
communicators (proxemics).

These non-verbal signals can give clues and additional information and meaning over and above
spoken (verbal) communication. Indeed, some estimates suggest that around 70 to 80% of
communication is non-verbal!

Using Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication helps people to:

 Reinforce or modify what is said in words.

For example, people may nod their heads vigorously when saying “Yes” to emphasise that they
agree with the other person. A shrug of the shoulders and a sad expression when saying “I’m
fine, thanks” may actually imply that things are not really fine at all!

 Convey information about their emotional state.

Your facial expression, your tone of voice, and your body language can often tell people exactly
how you feel, even if you have hardly said a word. Consider how often you have said to
someone,

“Are you OK? You look a bit down.”

We know how people feel from their non-verbal communication.

 Define or reinforce the relationship between people.

If you have ever watched a couple sitting talking, you may have noticed that they tend to ‘mirror’
each other’s body language. They hold their hands in similar positions, they smile at the same

47
 time, and they turn to face each other more fully. These movements reinforce their relationship:
they build on their rapport, and help them to feel more connected.

 Provide feedback to the other person.

Smiles and nods tell someone that you are listening and that you agree with what they are saying.
Movement and hand gestures may indicate that you wish to speak. These subtle signals give
information gently but clearly.

 Regulate the flow of communication

There are a number of signals that we use to tell people that we have finished speaking, or that
we wish to speak. An emphatic nod, and firm closing of the lips indicates that we have nothing
more to say, for example. Making eye contact with the chair of a meeting and nodding slightly
will indicate that you wish to speak.

Learning the Language

Many popular books on non-verbal communication present the topic as if it were a language that
can be learned, the implication being that if the meaning of every nod, eye movement, and
gesture were known, the real feelings and intentions of a person would be understood.

This, of course, is absolutely true.

Unfortunately interpreting non-verbal communication is not that simple.

As our Interpersonal Communication page, non-verbal communication is not a language with

a fixed meaning. It is influenced and driven by the context in which it occurs. This includes
both the place and the people concerned, as well as the culture.

For example, a nod of the head between colleagues in a committee meeting may mean something
very different from when the same action is used to acknowledge someone across a crowded
room, and again when two people are having a social conversation.

Non-verbal communication may also be both conscious and unconscious. Facial expressions
are particularly hard to control, because we cannot see ourselves to know what we are doing. We
may, therefore complicate communication by trying to convey one message consciously, while
in fact conveying quite another unconsciously.

Interpersonal communication is further complicated because it is usually not possible to

interpret a gesture or expression accurately on its own. Non-verbal communication consists

48
of a complete package of expressions, hand and eye movements, postures, and gestures which
should be interpreted along with speech (verbal communication).

Non-Verbal Communication in Writing

Over the years, many people have argued that written words also contain non-verbal
communication. Your handwriting can give clues about how you were feeling when you wrote a
note, for example, and nowadays, your choice of font and colour also says something about you.

However, it is now generally agreed that these forms of non-verbal communication are pretty
unreliable indicators of character. They convey far less information than the non-verbal
communication that is part of face-to-face interactions.

The Cultural Context

The good news is that most of us learn to interpret non-verbal communication as we grow
up and develop. It is a normal part of how we communicate with other people, and most of
us both use it and interpret it quite unconsciously.

This can make it harder to interpret consciously. However, if you stop thinking about it, you will
probably find that you have a very good idea of what someone meant.

The bad news is that non-verbal communication can be very culture-specific.

Examples of culture-specific non-verbal communication

1. The popular stereotype of Italians, involving big gestures, lots of hand-waving, and
plenty of loud and excited shouting, may be a stereotype, but it exists for a reason. In the
Italian culture, excitement is shown a lot more obviously than in the UK, for example.
Non-verbal communication tends to be a lot more obvious. This can make it much harder
for Italians to interpret non-verbal communication in the UK or USA, where it is more
subtle. However, even in Italy, there are geographical variations.

2. The thumbs-up gesture, which generally signals approval in English-speaking countries,

is considered offensive in other countries, including apparently Greece, Italy and some
parts of the Middle East.

49
 3.

Making a circle with your thumb and forefinger like this means OK in Western cultures.
It is used in particular by divers in this way. In Japan, however, it is reputedly the sign for
money, and in Arabic countries, it is a threat.

It’s worth being careful how you use gestures and body language!

For more about this, see our pages on Intercultural Communication and Intercultural
Awareness.

The Importance of Non-verbal Communication

It is essential to remember that non-verbal cues can be as important, or in some cases even more
important, than what we say.

Non-verbal communication can have a great impact on the listener and the outcome of the
communication.

Warning!

People tend to have much less conscious control over their non-verbal messages than of what
they’re actually saying.

This is partly because non-verbal communication is much more emotional in nature, and
therefore much more instinctive.

If there is a mismatch between the two, therefore, you should probably trust the non-verbal
messages, rather than the words used.

A lack of non-verbal message may also be a signal of sorts, suggesting that the speaker is
carefully controlling their body language, and may be trying to hide their true emotions.

50
 Types of Non-Verbal Communication
There are many different types of non-verbal communication. They include:

 Body movements (kinesics), for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking the head, which
are often the easiest element of non-verbal communication to control;

 Posture, or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed, and so on;

 Eye contact, where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and
trustworthiness;

 Para-language, or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed of
speaking;

 Closeness or personal space (proxemics), which determines the level of intimacy, and which
varies very much by culture;

 Facial expressions, including smiling, frowning and blinking, which are very hard to control
consciously. Interestingly, the broad facial expressions that show strong emotions, such as fear,
anger, and happiness, are the same throughout the world; and

 Physiological changes, for example, you may sweat or blink more when you are nervous, and
your heart rate is also likely to increase. These are almost impossible to control consciously and
are therefore a very important indicator of mental state.

 In Conclusion…
 Non-verbal communication is an extremely complex yet integral part of overall
communication skills. However, people are often totally unaware of their non-verbal
behaviour.
 A basic awareness of non-verbal communication strategies, over and above what is
actually said, can help to improve interaction with others. Knowledge of these signs can
be used to encourage people to talk about their concerns and can lead to a greater shared
understanding, which is, after all, the purpose of communication.




Read more at: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/nonverbal-communication.html

51
 ROLE PLAY

In most role-playing exercises, each student takes the role of a person affected by
an issue or a problem. They study the impacts of the issues on human life and/or
the effects of human activities on the world around them from the perspective of
that person. More rarely, they take on the roles of some phenomena, such as part
of an ecosystem, to demonstrate the lesson in an interesting and immediate
manner.

Role-playing is simultaneously interesting and useful to students because it

emphasizes the "real-world". It challenges them to deal with complex problems
with no single "right" answer and to use a variety of skills. In particular, role-
playing presents the student a valuable opportunity to learn not just the course
content, but other perspectives and life skills and analyzing skills.

Role-playing can be thought of as unstructured drama. In these exercises, a

student looks at the topic from the perspective of a character, who will affect and
be affected by the topic. The instructor provides the setting and the characters,
but the students have to decide their characters' lines and directions. Generally,
the students will need to do some research to make informed decisions from
their characters' perspectives. This research opportunity can easily become an
inquiry element.

The character might be a miner trying to figure out how to stake a claim and to
make his or her fortune off of it or an engineer who wants to build a space probe.
Alternatively, the character could be an organism that is part of a food web and
the student's job is to work out his or her relationships to the other members of
the food web.

Role-playing exercises teach skills that are often assumed to be learned outside of
the classroom (and sometimes aren't), and how to use those skills to complement
scientific knowledge. These exercises require the students to use imagination,
background knowledge appropriate to the character being role-played, and
communications skills.

52
 Some Sample Role Play Topics for Practice

1. A: Invite B to go somewhere this weekend.B: Politely

refuse A's invitation.
2. A: Call and tell your boss(B) you can't come to work because of illness.
B: Youth in kA is bluffing(not really sick).
3. A: Ask B to teach you to play tennis.B: You
hate coaching for free.
4. A: Try to get B to divulge a secret about someone else.B: Don't
be persuaded to doit.
5. A: Ask B to give you a ride home.
B: A's house is out of the way, and your time is limited.
6. A: Call and tell B you can't come to the party on Friday.
B: Try to get A to come to the party. (It's a surprise party for him/her.)
7. A: Call to order a pizza.
B: Wrong number. You sell pitas, not pizzas.
8. A: Present B with an unsolicited gift.
B: You do not feel comfortable accepting the gift.
9. A: Try to get B to go on a date with your niece/nephew.B: You
can't stand A's niece/nephew.
10. A: You ran over B's favorite pet with your truck. Apologize to him/her.B: You
are very upset with the news. The pet is irreplaceable.
11. A: You lost your wedding ring. Tell your spouse (B).B: Get
angry with A for losing the ring.

53
Role play - At the market (variation)

Janki: (to her husband Surendra) why don't we come to the market more often?
Surendra: I don't find it a very enjoyable place.
Janki: but I do. I want to come here every day.
Surendra: come here everyday then who stops you? You have nothing better to do...
Janki: now, don't shout, honey. I didn't say I will come here every day I said I want to come here.
Surendra: let's not argue anymore. Let's quickly do the shopping and go home. The children must
be getting impatient.

(Assume one of the roles (Janki/ Surendra) and continue the conversation with your partner.
Close the conversation in which ever manner you think is appropriate)

Role play - At the market

Janki: (to her husband Surendra) why don't we come to the market more often?
Surendra: I don't find it a very enjoyable place.
Janki: but I do. I want to come here every day.
Surendra: come here everyday then who stops you? You have nothing better to do...
Janki: now, don't shout, honey. I didn't say I will come here every day I said I want to come here.
Surendra: let's not argue anymore. Let's quickly do the shopping and go home. The children must
be getting impatient.
Janki: ok here is the shopping list. We will first buy toiletries and groceries and then go to the
vegetable stall.
Surendra: that's right. Let's go to the department store next door.
Shop assistant: what can I do for you, madam?
Janki: we are new to the store and we don't know where things are. Can you tell us where the
groceries are? And the toiletries?
Shop assistant: for the groceries turn right madam and then walk straight on until you come to the
end of the corridor. And for the toiletries just turn left and you walked right into them.
Janki: thanks
Surendra: I want these 15 items. Please make me the bill quickly.
Counter clerk: I'll take only a minute sir, here is the bill.
Janki: most of the vegetables I wanted to buy are stale. Some of them are rotten. You should have
thrown them away.
Counter clerk: sorry madam. In fact yesterday the whole sale market was closed and so we could
not bring in fresh supplies.
Janki: but that doesn't mean you should sell rotten vegetables.
Counter clerk: sorry, madam.
Janki: I won't come to this place again.
Surendra: Not until next week! Bye !

54
Role play: At the Doctor's

Patient: Good evening, doctor.

Doctor: Good evening, sir. What's your trouble?
Patient: I haven't been feeling well lately.
Doctor: What exactly is the problem?
Patient: I often feel quite sick. Have had a lot of pain in the stomach for several days. I've also had
severe headache for over two days.
Doctor: What's your appetite like?
Patient: Not at all good. I don't feel like eating anything. I feel full up all the time.
Doctor: Have you had any fever?
Patient: Well, I do feel feverish all the time. I've also had a bad taste in the mouth since I have
been sick.
Doctor alright let me take your temperature first. There! give me your wrist please. There is
nothing wrong with the pulse stop now take off your pullover. And your shirt too. Loosen your
clothes a little. Exam in u if u lie down on the couch. Do you feel any pain here?
Patient: yes, some.
Doctor: And here?
Patient: oh! that's quite painful!
Doctor: All right you may get dressed now.
Patient: hope there's nothing serious, doctor?
Doctor: No, nothing serious. I am prescribing two kinds of tablets. Take one before meals. And the
other after meals for 3 days. Don't eat any fried or spicy food. Drink milk and have milk foods as
much as you can. And do take rest.
Patient: Do I need to stay away from work doctor?
Doctor: No, not at all. Just take it easy and have rest whenever you can. If the trouble does not go
quickly.
Patient: Thank you very much doctor. Goodbye!
Doctor: Bye!

Communicating:
Greeting and leave taking:
When two people meet, they greet each other. They tell each other that they are happy to see
each other. In our own language we use 'namaste'. In English, the most common way of greeting
is:
Good morning /Good afternoon /Good evening.
People say 'Good morning' in the morning. It is used before noon, before lunch time. 'Good
afternoon' is used after mid day and after lunch, until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. After that,
people greet each other, saying 'Good evening' until bedtime.

Good morning /Good afternoon/ Good evening are formal ways of greeting. They were used
between strangers or by people who meet in official or business situations like the patient and the
doctor in our dialogue. When relatives or friends meet they use more informal ways of greeting
like-
Hi, Hello, Hey,
Similarly,
Morning /Afternoon /Evening
These are shortened forms of Good morning /Good afternoon /Good evening. They are used as
informal greetings.
When people take leave of each other they usually say 'Goodbye ! ' This is rather formal.
Between friends, the common way of leave taking is 'Bye' and 'Bye-Bye!'. They may also use
'See you'. Some people say 'Cheerio!' or 'Ta-ta' when they take leave but these are very informal
expressions.
'Good night' is used when leaving someone at night especially before going to bed.

55
Buying a shirt:

Shop assistant: good afternoon madam what can I do for you?

Customer: good afternoon I would like to look at some shirts.
Shop assistant: cottons or synthetics, madam?
Customer: Terycots, if you have some.
Shop assistant sure madam. Over here if you don't mind. We have an excellent range of shirts in
Terycot.These are striped ones or new arrivals.
Customer I rather fancy those blue ones with red stripes.
Shop assistant well they are men's shirts. But nowadays...
Customer could you take them out, please?
Shop assistant what's the collar size madam?
Customer 15
Shop assistant 15 are you sure madam?
Customer yes I am sure
Shop assistant here you are madam
Customer how much is it
Shop assistant: that's 219 rupees 95 paise. Plus taxes. Would you like to try it on?
Customer: Try it it on, no. Could you gift wrap it? You see! it's a gift to my husband on his
birthday!
Shop assistant: I see! (Later) here it is! I have stuck on it a little card saying 'Happy Birthday'!
Customer: that's very kind of you young man. Bye!
Shop assistant: Goodbye madam. Please visit our store again.

56
 Telephone Etiquette
Here are some typical phrases that you can use in a telephone conversation.
Answering the Hello? (informal)
phone
Thank you for calling Boyz Autobody. Jodyspeaking.
How can I help you?
Doctor's office.
Introducing
Hey George. It's Lisa calling.(informal)
yourself
Hello, this is Julie Madis on calling.
Hi, it's Gerry from the dentist's office
here. This is .*
Speaking.*
*The person answering says this if the caller does not recognize their
voice.
Asking to Is Fred in?(informal)
speakwith
someone Is Jackson there, please?(informal)
Can I talk to your sister?(informal) May
I speak with Mr. Green, please? Would
the doctor be in/available?

Just a sec. I'll get him.(informal)

Connecting
someone Hang on one second.(informal)
Please hold and I'll put you through to his office.
One moment please.
All of our operators are busy at this time. Please hold
for the next available person.

Could you please repeat that?

Making special
requests Would you mind spelling that for me?
Could you speak up a little please?
Can you speak a little slower please. My English isn'tvery
strong.
Can you call me back? I think we have a bad
connection.

57
 Can you please hold for a minute? I have another call.
Taking a message Sammy's not in. Who's this?(informal)
for someone
I'm sorry, Lisa's not here at the moment. Can I
askwho's calling?
I'm afraid he's stepped out. Would you like to leave a
message?
He's on lunch right now. Who's calling
please? He's busy right now. Can you call
again later? I'll let him know you called.
I'll make sure she gets the message.
Leaving amessage Yes, can you tell him his wife called, please.
with someone
No, that's okay, I'll call back later.
Yes, it's James from Comp Inc. here. When do
youexpect her back in the office?
Thanks, could you ask him to call Brian when he gets
in?
Do you have a pen handy. I don't think he has my
number.
Thanks. My number is 222-3456, extension12.
Confirming Okay, I've got it all down.
information
Let me repeat that just to make sure.
Did you say 555 Charles St.?
You said your name was John, right?
I'll make sure he gets the message.
Listening to an Hello.You'vereached222-6789.Pleaseleavea
answering detailed message after the beep. Thankyou.
machine
Hi, this is Elizabeth. I'm sorry I'm not available to take
your call at this time. Leave me a message and I'll get
back to you as soon as I can.
Thank you for calling Dr. Mindin's office. Our hours
are 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday. Please call back during
these hours, or leave a message after the tone. If this is
an emergency please call the hospital at333-7896.
Leaving amessage
Hey Mikako. It's Yuka. Call me!(informal)
on an answering

58
machine Hello, this is Ricardo calling for Luke. Could you
please return my call as soon as possible. My number
is 334-5689. Thank you.
Hello Maxwell. This is Marina from the doctor's office
calling. I just wanted to let you know that you're due
for a check-up this month. Please give us a ring/buzz
whenever it's convenient.
Finishing a Well, I guess I better get going. Talk to you soon.
conversation
Thanks for calling. Bye for now.
I have to let you go now.
I have another call coming through. I better run.
I'm afraid that's my other line.
I'll talk to you again soon. By

59
 THE MOBILE PHONE ETIQUETTE

The misuse of mobile phones is a common complaint in our society, so much so that the use of
mobile while driving has been made a criminal offence. The main reason for this negative public
attitude towards the users of cellular phones is that they use it without caring for the sensitivity
of other people around them. If somebody, for example, in a meeting goes in the middle or
corner of a hall to talk on his cellular phone after every twenty minutes, it implies that he wants
to flaunt his image of being a busy and important person. Actually, the impact of this behaviour
on others is rather opposite: that of the so-called sobriety in his or her character. Therefore, in the
higher echelons of business and social life, there are certain unstated norms of etiquettes
regarding the use of cell phones.

Following are certain points regarding Mobile-etiquette:

1) Avoid the abrupt picking of the mobile to dial any number while in a meeting.
2) Whenever you visit a restaurant, a bank, college, office, etc. prefer to go out or stand in the
corner to answer cell-call.
3) Whenever you go out or at work/class, make sure that mobile is kept in DND (Do not disturb)
mode. When you are free, may be in the afternoon, call back to only urgent calls either in your
room or in a secluded place.
4) Whenever you call on somebody's cell phone, avoid long exchanges of pleasantries and try to
quickly get down to business.
5) Plan in advance before dialing someone's cell phone. Also keep all the relevant papers with
you if you intend to refer to them.
6) If you have to use your mobile while driving, park your vehicle near an empty roadside. It is
risky to use a cell phone while driving and on the red light crossing.
7) Do not ask your assistant to call on somebody's mobile and expect the caller to wait for you to
come on the line.
8) If you want to hold a long conversation, it is a good idea to seek the other person's permission
in advance.
9) Do not ask the person on the mobile to hold on so as to answer another call or deal with
another person.

60
10) Do not switch off the unwanted cellular calls abruptly. Rather, request him/her to call later
on when you are free.
11) Avoid talking loudly on the mobile.
12) During important meetings, prefer to keep the use of mobile phones to the minimum.
13) Though you may like to be precise on my mobile, avoid being curt. It helps you in better
time management.
14) If you promise, always return the call at the earliest convenience.
15) Don't give mobile phones to others even for a minute. It may be handled wrongly/misused.

***

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 Intonation Patterns in English

When we speak to each other, our voices tend to rise or fall in pitch over a part
of an utterance. This rise or fall in pitch is known as intonation. Intonation is
used mainly to indicate the speaker's attitude towards the listener or towards the
topic.

He's going.
He's going?

These sentences contain exactly the same words, but the punctuation shows that
the first sentence is a statement while the second is a question. The difference is
brought about by a difference in intonation. In the first sentence the tone of the
speaker falls, while it rises in the second one. The fall or rise in tone takes place
at the last stressed syllable, which is referred to as the nucleus.

The falling tone is used for situations given below:

- ordinary statements
- commands
- exclamation
- wh questions
- question tags seeking confirmation of an opinion expressed by the speaker
- yes/no questions suggesting an indifferent attitude on the part of the speaker

The rising tone is used for situations given below:

- statements expressing surprise, disbelief, sarcasm, etc.
- yes/no questions
- sentences which have the structure of a statement but turn into questions due
to rise in intonation
- requests
- suggestions
- question tags seeking information
- wh questions indicating a feeling of surprise
- wh questions where the speaker is asking for the repetition of something that
was said earlier

Finality and Incompleteness:

The falling tone is used at the end of a statement, indicates finality.

A rising tone on the other hand, gives a sense of incompleteness.
In a complex sentence where there is a subordinate clause before the main

62
clause, a rising tone is used for the subordinate clause and a falling tone for the
main clause.

Falling-Rising Tone:

The falling rising tone is used in the following situations:

- polite requests
- to express disbelief on the speaker's part
- in short questions, to show enthusiasm
- when making a polite correction to something that someone said
- in incomplete utterances

MTI (Mother Tongue Influence)

Pronunciation is the most important part of making your English sound fluent.
You need to consciously learn how to articulate English sounds to improve their
pronunciation in English.

What is MTI?

Mother Tongue Influence (MTI) is an impact of the way your first language is
spoken on the second language. When you speak the second language, you can
see how effective the mother tongue can be. Therefore, when you speak to any
native north Indian or South Indian, you will see how heavily their mother
language influences them.

Why does MTI Happen?

Right from the birth to growing up, we speak our mother tongue, which ends up
being the part of regular communication. When we keep speaking our mother
tongue daily, the pattern and tone set hard in our brain. Each language has its
own peculiar sounds, which retains in us for long. If we keep speaking second
language right from the young age, we will witness the flexibility of speaking
both languages fluently.

Negative Effect of Mother Tongue Influence-

One of the worst things about MTI is it kills your confidence in communication.
When you speak in front of any fluent speaker, you end up feeling self-
conscious as the person might find your tone or accent funny. Each language

63
has different words, letters and script. There are certain sounds, which you will
find in Hindi or any language, but not in English.

Some of the Reasons behind MTI-

Heavy mother tongue influence majorly happens due to native language sounds
and replacing with second language is difficult. Here are top three reasons
behind MTI-
● Not spoke English
● Not communicating with native English speakers
● Avoided English speaking classes

One of the best ways to make your English sound fluent and MTI issue solved
is to communicate in English daily. Speak to your colleagues and friends. Daily
communication will help to bring down the MTI effect. Moreover, it will help
you to speak confidently in English. You can Listen and watch English songs
and movies and record your own voice to check your Pronunciation.
***

64
 Indian Variants of English

The varieties of English one comes across in India may be considered to be distinct variants
of the language. They evolved out of British English imbibing several features of
pronunciation, grammar and semantics from the native languages of India. A superset of all
those varieties could be referred to as 'Indian English'. Indian Variants of English (IVE) is,
however, a more apt phrase for these varieties.
There is a great deal of regional variation in terms of pronunciation within Indian English.
Similar to the different regional accents of English in Britain, Indian English has very distinct
pronunciation patterns in the different regions of India. The different areas, such as North-
Eastern India, Bengal, Orissa, Andhra and Karnataka, as well as Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Panjab and Bihar, all add different flavours of pronunciation.
Comparing 'Indian English' with British Received Pronunciation (BRP), we find many cases
of Indianisms. A few examples are: (a) Diphthongs in BRP corresponding to pure long
vowels in Indian pronunciation (e.g. 'cake' and 'poor' pronounced as 'ke:k' and 'pu:r',
respectively); (b) The alveolar sounds 't' and 'd' of BRP pronounced as 'retroflex' (harsher
sounds); (c) the dental fricatives θ and δ replaced by 'soft th' and 'soft d' (e.g. 'thick'
pronounced as 'thik' rather than 'θik'); (d) 'v' and 'w' in BRP are both pronounced somewhat
similar to 'w' in many parts of India and they are usually merged with 'b' in Bengali,
Assamese and Oriya pronunciations of English (e.g. 'vine' and 'wine' are both pronounced
somewhat similar to 'wine', whereas 'vet', 'wet' and 'bet' are all pronounced as 'bet' in Bengali
speech).
Some words that are not found in Englishes elsewhere are used in Indian English. These are
either innovations or translations of some native words or phrases. Examples here would
include cousin brother (for male cousin), prepone (advance or bring forward in time),and
foreign-returned (returned from abroad).
There are also examples of Indianisms in grammar, such as the pluralization of non-count
nouns (e.g. breads, foods, advices) and the use of the present progressive for the simple
present (I am knowing).

India is a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic country. Languages belonging to four different

families are spoken in India. The language families are: Indo-Aryan (a branch of Indo-
European), Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic.
English over the years has turned into an unphonetic language. Many languages have
migrated into English and many variations of English have been developed. The link between
the speech sounds and the spellings has been broken unlike in may other languages. Indian
languages are all mostly phonetic. This difference has been creating a barrier in front of the
Indian mass to make proper pronunciations in English. A child learning and speaking
completely phonetic languages from birth cannot all of a sudden start speaking an unphonetic
language of course, same goes for the people of India.

Indian speakers acquainted with the phonetic languages often tend to replace English sounds
by their Indian equivalents

The main reasons of the un-intelligibility of Indian English to foreigners are:

1. faulty pronunciation of the sounds of English

65
 2. replacements of English sounds by their Indian equivalents
3. wrong accentual pattern
4. leaving important words unaccented in connected speech
5. faulty rhythmic patterns
6. faulty division of a long utterance into a tone group
7. wrong location of the nucleus or the tonic syllable in a tone group

These are some main reasons of the unintelligibility of Indian English to foreigners.

66
The three major differences between American and British English are:

 Pronunciation - differences in both vowel and consonants, as well as stress and

intonation
 Vocabulary - differences in nouns and verbs, especially phrasal verb usage and the
names of specific tools or items
 Spelling - differences are generally found in certain prefix and suffix forms.

Minor Grammar Differences

There are very few grammar differences between American and British English. Certainly,
the words we choose might be different at times. However, generally speaking, we follow
the same grammar rules. With that said, there are a few differences.

Use of the Present Perfect

In British English, the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in
the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example:

I've lost my key. Can you help me look for it?

In American English, the following is also possible:

I lost my key. Can you help me look for it?

In British English, the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are
generally accepted in standard American English. Other differences involving the use of the
present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already,
just and yet.

British English:

I've just had lunch.

I've already seen that film.
Have you finished your homework yet?

American English:

I just had lunch OR I've just had lunch.

I've already seen that film OR I already saw that film.
Have you finished your homework yet? OR Did you finish your homework yet?

Two Forms to Express Possession

There are two forms to express possession in English: have or have got.

Do you have a car?

Have you got a car?
He hasn't got any friends.
He doesn't have any friends.
She has a beautiful new home.
She's got a beautiful new home.

67
While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have
got (have you got, he hasn't got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English,
while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn't have
etc.)

The Verb Get

The past participle of the verb get is gotten in American English.

American English: He's gotten much better at playing tennis.

British English: He's got much better at playing tennis.

"Have got" is used predominately in British English to indicate "have" in the sense
of possession. Strangely, this form is also used in the United States with the British
participle "got," rather than "gotten." Americans will also use "have got to" in the
sense of "have to" for responsibilities.

I've got to work tomorrow.

I've got three friends in Dallas.

Vocabulary
The largest differences between British and American English lie in the choice
of vocabulary. Some words mean different things in the two varieties, for example:

Mean: American English - angry, bad humored, British English - not generous, tight-
fisted.

American English: Don't be so mean to your sister!

British English: She's so mean she won't even pay for a cup of tea.

There are many more examples (too many for me to list here). If there is a difference in
usage, your dictionary will note the different meanings in its definition of the term. Many
vocabulary items are also used in one form and not in the other. One of the best examples
of this is the terminology used for automobiles.

 American English - hood / British English - bonnet

 American English - trunk / British English - boot
 American English - truck / British English - lorry

For a more complete list of the vocabulary differences between British and American
English, use this British vs. American English vocabulary tool.

Spelling
Here are some general differences between British and American spellings:

68
  Examples of words that end in -or in American English and -our in British English:
color/colour, humor/humour, flavor/flavour
 Examples of words that end in -ize in American English and -ise in British English:
recognize/recognise, patronize/patronise

The best way to make sure that you are being consistent in your spelling is to utilize the
spell check tool associated with your word processor and select the type of English
(American or British) you'd like to use.

69
There is an old saying that America and Britain are “two nations divided by a common
language.”

No one knows exactly who said this, but it reflects the way many Brits feel about
American English. My British friend still tells me, “You don’t speak English. You speak
American.”

But are American and British English really so different?

Vocabulary

The most noticeable difference between American and British English is vocabulary.
There are hundreds of everyday words that are different. For example, Brits call the
front of a car the bonnet, while Americans call it the hood.

Americans go on vacation, while Brits go on holidays, or hols.

New Yorkers live in apartments; Londoners live in flats.

There are far more examples than we can talk about here. Fortunately, most Americans
and Brits can usually guess the meaning through the context of a sentence.

Collective nouns

There are a few grammatical differences between the two varieties of English. Let’s start
with collective nouns. We use collective nouns to refer to a group of individuals.

In American English, collective nouns are singular. For example, staff refers to a group
of employees; band refers to a group of musicians; team refers to a group of athletes.
Americans would say, “The band is good.”

But in British English, collective nouns can be singular or plural. You might hear
someone from Britain say, “The team are playing tonight” or “The team is playing
tonight.”

Auxiliary verbs

Another grammar difference between American and British English relates to auxiliary
verbs. Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are verbs that help form a
grammatical function. They “help” the main verb by adding information about
time, modality and voice.

Let’s look at the auxiliary verb shall. Brits sometimes use shall to express the future.

70
For example, “I shall go home now.” Americans know what shall means, but rarely use
it in conversation. It seems very formal. Americans would probably use “I will go home
now.”

In question form, a Brit might say, “Shall we go now?” while an American would
probably say, “Should we go now?”

When Americans want to express a lack of obligation, they use the helping verb do with
negative not followed by need. “You do not need to come to work today.” Brits drop the
helping verb and contract not. “You needn’t come to work today.”

Past tense verbs

You will also find some small differences with past forms of irregular verbs.

The past tense of learn in American English is learned. British English has the option
of learned or learnt. The same rule applies to dreamed and dreamt, burned and burnt,
leaned and leant.

Americans tend to use the –ed ending; Brits tend to use the -t ending.

In the past participle form, Americans tend to use the –en ending for some irregular
verbs. For example, an American might say, “I have never gotten caught” whereas a Brit
would say, “I have never got caught.” Americans use both got and gotten in the past
participle. Brits only use got.

Don’t worry too much about these small differences in the past forms of irregular verbs.
People in both countries can easily understand both ways, although Brits tend to think
of the American way as incorrect.

Tag questions

A tag question is a grammatical form that turns a statement into a question. For
example, “The whole situation is unfortunate, isn’t it?” or, “You don’t like him, do you?”

The tag includes a pronoun and its matching form of the verb be, have or do. Tag
questions encourage people to respond and agree with the speaker. Americans use tag
questions, too, but less often than Brits. You can learn more about tag questions on
a previous episode of Everyday Grammar.

Spelling

There are hundreds of minor spelling differences between British and American
English. You can thank American lexicographer Noah Webster for this. You might
recognize Webster’s name from the dictionary that carries his name.

71
Noah Webster, an author, politician, and teacher, started an effort to reform English
spelling in the late 1700s.

He was frustrated by the inconsistencies in English spelling. Webster wanted to spell

words the way they sounded. Spelling reform was also a way for America to show its
independence from England.

You can see Webster’s legacy in the American spelling of words like color (from colour),
honor (from honour), and labor (from labour). Webster dropped the letter u from
these words to make the spelling match the pronunciation.

Other Webster ideas failed, like a proposal to spell women as wimmen. Since Webster’s
death in 1843, attempts to change spelling rules in American English have gone
nowhere.

Not so different after all

British and American English have far more similarities than differences. We think the
difference between American and British English is often exaggerated. If you can
understand one style, you should be able to understand the other style.

With the exception of some regional dialects, most Brits and Americans can understand
each other without too much difficulty. They watch each other’s TV shows, sing each
other’s songs, and read each other’s books.

They even make fun of each other’s accents.

I’m Jill Robbins.

And I’m John Russell.

72
 Differences between British and American English
History

The British actually introduced the language to the Americas when they reached these lands
by sea between the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, spelling had not yet been
standardised. It took the writing of the first dictionaries to set in stone how these words
appeared. In the UK, the dictionary was compiled by London-based scholars. Meanwhile, in
the United States, the lexicographer was a man named Noah Webster. Allegedly, he changed
how the words were spelled to make the American version different from the British as a way
of showing cultural independence from its mother country.

In terms of speech, the differences between American and British English actually took place
after the first settlers arrived in America. These groups of people spoke using what was called
rhotic speech, where the ‘r’ sounds of words are pronounced. Meanwhile, the higher classes
in the UK wanted to distinguish the way they spoke from the common masses by softening
their pronunciation of the ‘r’ sounds. Since the elite even back then were considered the
standard for being fashionable, other people began to copy their speech, until it eventually
became the common way of speaking in the south of England.

Spelling differences

British and American English have some spelling differences. The common ones
are presented in the table below.

British English American English

-oe-/-ae- (e.g. anaemia, diarrhoea, -e- (e.g. anemia, diarrhea, encyclopedia)

encyclopaedia)

-t (e.g. burnt, dreamt, leapt) -ed (e.g. burned, dreamed, leaped)

-ence (e.g. defence, offence, licence) -ense (defense, offense, license)

-ell- (e.g. cancelled, jeweller, marvellous) -el- (e.g. canceled, jeweler, marvelous)

-ise (e.g. appetiser, familiarise, organise) -ize (e.g. appetizer, familiarize, organize)

-l- (e.g. enrol, fulfil, skilful) -ll- (e.g. enroll, fulfill, skillfull)

73
-ogue (e.g. analogue, monologue, catalogue) -og (e.g. analog, monolog, catalog)
*Note that American English also recognizes
words spelled with –ogue

-ou (e.g. colour, behaviour, mould) -o (e.g. color, behavior, mold)

-re (e.g. metre, fibre, centre) -er (e.g. meter, fiber, center)

-y- (e.g. tyre) -i- (e.g. tire)

Vocabulary differences

The Americans and the British also have some words that differ from each other.
The table below lists some of the everyday objects that have different names,
depending on what form of English you are using.

British English American English

trousers pants

flat apartment

bonnet (the front of the car) hood

boot (the back of the car) trunk

lorry truck

university college

holiday vacation

jumper sweater

74
crisps chips

chips French fries

trainers sneakers

fizzy drink soda

postbox mailbox

biscuit cookie

chemist drugstore

shop store

football soccer

Grammar differences

Aside from spelling and vocabulary, there are certain grammar differences between
British and American English. For instance, in American English, collective nouns
are considered singular (e.g. The band is playing). In contrast, collective nouns can
be either singular or plural in British English, although the plural form is most
often used (e.g. The band are playing).

The British are also more likely to use formal speech, such as ‘shall’, whereas
Americans favour the more informal ‘will’ or ‘should’.

Americans, however, continue to use ‘gotten’ as the past participle of ‘get’, which
the British have long since dropped in favour of ‘got’.

‘Needn’t’, which is commonly used in British English, is rarely, if at all used in

American English. In its place is ‘don’t need to’.

In British English, ‘at’ is the preposition in relation to time and place. However, in
American English, ‘on’ is used instead of the former and ‘in’ for the latter.

75
 Presentation Skills

Most presentations are divided into 3 main parts (+ questions):

1 INTRODUCTION
2 BODY
3 CONCLUSION
Questions
As a general rule in communication, repetition is valuable. In presentations, there is a golden rule
about repetition:
1. Say what you are going to say,
2. say it,
3. then say what you have just said.
In other words, use the three parts of your presentation to reinforce your message. In the
introduction, you tell your audience what your message is going to be. In the body, you tell your
audience your real message. In the conclusion, you summarize what your message was.
We will now consider each of these parts in more detail.
Introduction
The introduction is a very important - perhaps the most important - part of your presentation.
This is the first impression that your audience have of you. You should concentrate on getting
your introduction right. You should use the introduction to:
1. Welcome your audience
2. Introduce your subject
3. Outline the structure of your presentation
4. Give instructions about questions
The following table shows examples of language for each of these functions. You may need to
modify the language as appropriate.
Function Possible language
1 Welcoming  Good morning, ladies and gentlemen
your audience
 Good morning, gentlemen
 Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman
 Good afternoon, everybody
2 Introducing  I am going to talk today about...
your subject
 The purpose of my presentation is to introduce our new range
of...
3 Outlining your
structure  To start with I'll describe the progress made this year. Then I'll

76
 mention some of the problems we've encountered and how we
overcame them. After that I'll consider the possibilities for
further growth next year. Finally, I'll summarize my
presentation (before concluding with some recommendations).
4 Giving  Do feel free to interrupt me if you have any questions.
instructions
about questions  I'll try to answer all of your questions after the presentation.
 I plan to keep some time for questions after the presentation.

Body
The body is the 'real' presentation. If the introduction was well prepared and delivered, you will
now be 'in control'. You will be relaxed and confident.
The body should be Cohesive and well structured, divided up logically, with plenty of carefully
spaced visuals.
Remember these key points while delivering the body of your presentation:
 do not hurry
 be enthusiastic
 give time on visuals
 maintain eye contact
 modulate your voice
 look friendly
 keep to your structure
 use your notes
 Signpost throughout
 remain polite when dealing with difficult questions
Conclusion
Use the conclusion to:
1. Sum up
2. Give recommendations if appropriate
3. Thank your audience
4. Invite questions
The following table shows examples of language for each of these functions. You may need to
modify the language as appropriate.
Function Possible language
1 Summing up  To conclude,...
 In conclusion,...
 Now, to sum up...

77
  So let me summarise/recap what I've said.
 Finally, may I remind you of some of the main points
we've considered.
2 Giving  In conclusion, my recommendations are...
recommendations
 I therefore suggest/propose/recommend the following
strategy.
3 Thanking your  Many thanks for your attention.
audience
 May I thank you all for being such an attentive
audience.
4 Inviting questions  Now I'll answer any questions you may have.
 Can I answer any questions?
 Are there any questions?
 Do you have any questions?
 Are there any final questions?

Questions
Questions are a good opportunity for you to interact with your audience. It may be helpful for
you to try to predict what questions will be asked so that you can prepare your response in
advance. You may wish to accept questions at any time during your presentation, or to keep a
time for questions after your presentation. Normally, it's your decision, and you should make it
clear during the introduction. Be polite with all questioners, even if they ask difficult questions.
They are showing interest in what you have to say and they deserve attention. Sometimes you
can reformulate a question. Or answer the question with another question. Or even ask for
comment from the rest of the audience.

Important aspects of a good Presentation

 to allow plenty of time for preparation
 to ask the all-important question-words, why? who? where? when? how? and what?
 to structure your presentation into introduction, body, conclusion and questions
 to write notes based on keywords
 to rehearse your presentation several times and modify it as necessary
 to select the right equipment for the job
 to use equipment effectively
 to make use of clear, powerful visual aids that do not overload your audience
 to use clear, simple language, avoiding jargon
 to use active verbs and concrete facts
 to explain the structure of your presentation at the beginning so that your listeners know

78
 what to expect
 to link each section of your presentation
 to signpost your presentation from beginning to end so that your listeners know where
they are
 to say what you are going to say, say it, and say what you have just said
 to overcome your nerves
 to establish audience rapport
 to be aware of your body language
 to understand cultural differences
 to control the quality of your voice
 to maintain interest by varying the speed, volume and pitch of your voice
 to deal with listeners' questions politely
 to respond to your audience positively
***

79
General Listening Types
Discriminative listening and Comprehensive Listening
 Discriminative Listening - Imagine yourself surrounded by people
who are speaking a language that you cannot understand. Perhaps
passing through an airport in another country. You can probably
distinguish between different voices, male and female, young and old
and also gain some understanding about what is going on around
you based on the tone of voice, mannerisms and body language of
the other people. You are not understanding what is being said but
using discriminative listening to gain some level of comprehension of
your surroundings
• Comprehensive listening is complimented by sub-messages from
non-verbal communication, such as the tone of voice, gestures and
other body language. These non-verbal signals can greatly aid
communication and comprehension but can also confuse and
potentially lead to misunderstanding. In many listening situations it is
vital to seek clarification and use skills such as reflection aid
comprehension.
Specific Listening Types
Informational Listening
Whenever you listen to learn something, you are engaged in informational
listening. This is true in many day-to-day situations, in education and at work,
when you listen to the news, watch a documentary, when a friend tells you a
recipe or when you are talked-through a technical problem with a computer –
there are many other examples of informational listening too.
Informational listening, especially in formal settings like in work meetings or
while in education, is often accompanied by note taking – a way of recording
key information so that it can be reviewed later.
Critical Listening
We can be said to be engaged in critical listening when the goal is to evaluate or
scrutinise what is being said. Critical listening is a much more active behaviour
than informational listening and usually involves some sort of problem solving
or decision making. Critical listening is akin to critical reading; both involve
analysis of the information being received and alignment with what we already
know or believe. Whereas informational listening may be mostly concerned

80
with receiving facts and/or new information - critical listening is about
analysing opinion and making a judgement.
Therapeutic or Empathic Listening
Empathic listening involves attempting to understand the feelings and emotions
of the speaker – to put yourself into the speaker’s shoes and share their
thoughts.
Empathy is a way of deeply connecting with another person and therapeutic or
empathic listening can be particularly challenging. Counsellors, therapists and
some other professionals use therapeutic or empathic listening to understand
and ultimately help their clients.

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 PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS

Prepared and Extempore:

Introduction:

Successful presentations are designed to meet the needs and expectations of the
audience. The information and delivery should be relevant and presented in a way
so that the audience will listen and keep listening. Many presenters get caught up
in the details of the topic and what they want to say, and lose sight of the audience
and what they need to gain. The emphasis should be on the listener, not the
presenter. You will have determined what information will appeal to them and this
will increase your persuasiveness. There is no question about the importance of
content. A presentation without good content will always fall flat. However there
are many skills that must be applied to bring good content to life.

Objectives:

 To analyzing audience
 Help to decide what to include in the presentation
 How to best present the information.
 To develop enthusiastic delivery style
 To develop skills are comprised of effective eye contact, volume, pacing,
tone, bodylanguage, word choice, and appearance

For the Best Presentation:

Even with solid research, subject expertise, good planning and excellent facilities,
some presentations fail. If a presenter does not have a confident, enthusiastic
delivery style, the audience quickly loses interest and becomes bored. Research
has shown that an audience’s opinion of a presentation is based

 7% from the presentation content,

 38% from voice
 55% from facial expressions and gestures.

Presentation Style:

Presenters need to use their own personality while focusing on their delivery
skills to project the professional and confident style needed to create a successful
presentation.
Utilizing an interactive and lively presentation style uses nervous energy in a
positive way instead of as an inhibitor. Delivery skills are comprised of effective
eye contact, volume, pacing, tone, body language, word choice, and appearance.

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Presentation Content:

 ¬Focus their attention

 ¬Start with a clear, relevant purpose statement that shows the benefit to them
 ¬Use language that is clear and easily understood
 ¬Start with the familiar
 ¬Use examples and analogies
 ¬Stay focused on your main objective(s)
 ¬Use concrete examples
 ¬Make it memorable

Physical Environment:

 ¬Keep room temperature on the cooler side

 ¬Give them a break if they have been sitting more than 1 hour
 ¬If a break isn’t possible, ask them to stand up and stretch
 ¬Eliminate unnecessary noise distractions
 ¬Lighting should be bright
 ¬Visuals should be easily viewed by all audience members

The Presenter:

 ¬Create an attention-getting introduction

 ¬Make a positive first impression
 ¬Use your voice, gestures, and facial expressions for emphasis to increase retention

Dos & Don’ts:

The sound of your voice can be a major detractor from the content of your
presentation, or it can be one of your most effective tools. The pitch, tone and
volume of your voice is crucial for effective delivery. In our culture, we expect
good, direct eye contact. In many presentations, speakers look at the walls, floor,
their notes, anywhere but at the audience members! We need to look at
individuals. Eye contact opens the channel of communication between people.
When you prepare for a presentation, you organize your thoughts and prepare
your words. When the moment arrives to present, your adrenaline starts pumping
and produces extra energy. Mastering key techniques allows you to channel your
nervous energy in a way that brings life to your presentation.

Right Body Language in Presentations:

 Using your body language properly will help your presentation become
interestingand engaging.
 Keep your weight balanced equally over both feet.
 Stand facing the audience.
 Gestures add visual emphasis to your words and help your listeners
remember the content. When possible, check your physical appearance in a
full-length mirror prior to your presentation.
 Your appearance affects the audience’s perception of you.

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  Everyone experiences nervousness before presentations.
 The trick is to make your excess energy work for you by fueling it into your
presentation. Good visuals help support and organize a presentation.
 The best way to come across as sincere and interested is to be yourself.
 How do you let your own personality shine through without
compromising thestructure and content of the presentation?
 Share personal experiences
 Use humor (appropriately), tell stories not jokes
 Relax
 Speak in a natural, conversational style – Avoid reading from a script
 Use your visual aids as your notes rather than reading from them or a script
 Become involved and committed to your topic.

Tips for Overcoming Nervousness:

 Prepare. Research has shown that 50% of nervousness is caused by lack of

preparation. Knowing your topic and that your presentation is well
organized gives you confidence.
 Practice. Stand up and practice your presentation.
 Ask a few friends or family members to serve as your audience.
 Practice answers to questions you anticipate from the audience.
 Videotape yourself if possible or stand in front of a full-length mirror while
practicing.
 Visualize. Think positively.
 Mentally rehearse the entire presentation in vivid detail.
 See yourself as a dynamic, knowledgeable speaker, it will also help you
focus onwhat you need to do to be successful.
 Eat and drink right. Eat a light meal beforehand. Drink fluids the previous
day. Stayaway from sugar, dairy, caffeine, and alcohol.
 Breathe: Breathing from your abdomen releases stress-producing toxins.
 The first thing to do is sit up, erect but relaxed, and inhale deeply a number of times.
 Stretch: To relax, you need to release tension by allowing your muscles to flex.

Use of Visual Aids:

People depend on what they see visually as their primary source of information.
Adding visual aids to your presentation has a dramatic impact on how much your
audience takes away. Research shows that information seen and heard has a much
better chance of being remembered than information just heard. Good visuals help
support and organize a presentation. They focus the audience’s attention and
clarify and augment ideas. Visuals enable you to get more content across in a
shorter period of time, simplify complex information, and eliminate
misunderstanding.

Extempore Presentation (Impromptu):

There comes a time in any person’s life when he’ll have to give an impromptu
presentation or speech. It may be for anything –a teacher trying to get you to
speak up in class, or even in a casual debate. It happens more often than most
people would think.
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Feel free to acknowledge that you have not prepared for a speech. Do this in a
professional way! This should not be an attempt to garner pity, but rather a way
to put yourself and your audience at ease. Then, excuse yourself for a moment and
take time to jot down a quick outline. Zone out the audience. Jot down interesting
or significant points about your topic, which will be related in some way to the
event you’re attending.

If it is a homework assignment you are addressing, for instance, write down your
impression of the assignment or anecdotes about your time spent on it. Begin with
your introductory sentence, elaborate, and then start working your way to your
ending sentence. Fill in the middle space with as many points as you can,
elaborating on each oneas you go. As you deliver your speech, concentrate on diction
and tone.

***

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 Resume and Cover Letter Writing
A resume packages your assets into a convincing advertisement that sells you for a
specific job.

A resume is a selective record of an individual’s background. It is basically a professional

employment-seeking document that presents a summary of an individual’s education,
professional training, experience, skills, abilities, achievements, and references. It
introduces the individual to a potential employer. A resume is sent to prospective
employers when an applicant is seeking job interviews. So, the main objective of a
résumé is winning a job interview by highlighting the applicant’s fitness for a particular
position.

Writing an effective resume that represents one’s current skills, abilities, and background
is a challenge faced by all candidates. As a well-written persuasive résumé tailored to a
specific job position immediately grabs the attention of an employer, it should therefore,
be made as persuasive as possible. The following section presents several techniques and
suggestions for creating persuasive résumés.

Important Points

 Finding a job involves writing resumes and job applications.

 A resume should have an effective design with a focus on readability and adaptation to
audience expectations.

 A resume contains the heading, position sought, career objective, education, work
experience, skills, achievements, activities, interests and references.

The resume (pronounced re-zyu-may) is also called the curriculum vitae (CV) is called in
Britain English, is another term for a biodata and it is sent with a short letter of application
for a job or for admission to a course of study. It is a brief account of your personal
details, your education and the work experience that you have had.

Salient features of resume

1. Heading:Address and Contact Details.

2. Career Objective: Should be tailor-made to the position he/she seeks.
Seeking the position of a Software Developer in Wipro where I can employ my coding,
C++ language and lateral thinking skills to learn and contribute to the growth of the
organization.
Objective
One of the most frequently heard complaints made by recruiters about entry-level resume
is that they lack a specific objective. Resumes of fresh graduates have fuzzy, general
objectives or no objective at all. The only thing worse than the absence of an objective is a
vague objective. For example, an objective i.e. "My objective is to work with a dynamic
company which will fully utilize my talents…" is unacceptable. It is because it gives the

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potential employer no idea about candidate’s goals or direction.

Candidate’s objective should be clear, well-defined and short-not more than 2 or 3

sentences. It should be aimed towards getting a particular position in a specific industry
with required skill set. The objective should talk about the following:
1. Position wanted
2. Functional area/Industry
3. Skill-set

Model objectives for fresher’s resumes

 To work as a System Manager in leading IT Company where I will have opportunities

to use my experience with VB, ASP, NET, XML, and SQL Server.
 To work as a product architect in an innovative software company where I will be able
to use m work experience in the areas of product and system architecture with
expertise in enterprise applications to promote company’s development.
 To strive for Excellence in the field of software development – with dedication, focus,
proactive approach, positive attitude and passion. And to utilize my knowledge and
skills in the best possible way for the fulfillment of organizational goals.
 Looking to obtain a position in a leading organization where I am able to apply the
knowledge gained through my bachelor’s degree. I firmly believe in the principle of
implementing my duties with dedication and determination.

3. Professional summary:
Summary is the second most important factor that is conspicuous by its absence in résumé
s of entry-level graduates. Summary of the resume can be written after career objective.
This sums up resume in a nutshell and gives an opportunity to highlight the candidate’s
strengths. It invites the recruiter to read his detailed resume. The summary should consist
of 4-5 specific points-either bulleted or in one paragraph.

Sample summary 1:
 B.E (Computer Science) from IIT-Delhi, in 2000.
 Course in Computers Database programmes Oracle 8I & VB6 from PENTASOFT
in 2005.
 Consistently good academic record.
 Good analytical and communication skills.
 Have worked on a curriculum project "XXX XXXXX XXXX"
Sample summary 2:
"Masters in Computer Application with specialization in J2EE/Web Technologies. Great
operational, communication and computer skills. Good academic record throughout.
Among the top three students out of a batch of 120 students. Undergone Industrial training
in a top petrochemical Company.

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4. Educational qualifications:

The name and location of the school, college, university, institute attended, dates of
attendance, major areas of study, degrees, and certificates received be mentioned.
Relevant professional qualifications should be added. Qualifications must be written in a
reverse chronological order. i.e. the recent ones first followed by earlier ones. Entry level
resumes should also mention the names of the school and college, years in which the
candidates passed their board examinations. However, marks that show a good academic
performance should be included.

Course Year Name of the institution Board Marks obtained

Year College name Board Percentage

UG

5. Technical Qualifications:

Operating System:MS DOS and WINDOWS.

Languages:C, C++, JAVA and J2EE in NIIT
Software : MS Office, Oracle and Visual Basic 6.0.
Internet Applications:HTML, ASP, JSP and Servlets

7. Work experience:
Reverse chronological details and dates of present and previous employers should be
given along with brief job profile of each. Since an entry level resume cannot compete
with an experienced one, it can list projects, internships, voluntary work and summer
training which have been undertaken. They must be presented in an impressive way i.e.
clearly define your duty and responsibilities during this training.
E.g.: "Worked as a summer trainee in India’s largest Oil Refinery. I was working for the
system control department. Wrote quality reports as well as ISO features for the
company."
Any projects done for your school or your college could also be mentioned.

6. Special skills, abilities and aptitudes:

1. Good presentation, communication and inter-personal skills.
2. Have an ability to integrate into and work in teams.
3. Have steep learning curves.
4. High degree of persistence.
5. Adaptable to any software package.
6. Possess leadership skills.
7. Passion for Computers.

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8. Ability to work independently.

7. Activities and interests:

Extra-curricular and co-curricular, professional activities and hobbies and interests must
be mentioned. They should reflect dynamic nature of an individual.
8. Achievements, accomplishments and honours:
9. Personal details:

Father’s Name :
Date of Birth :
Nationality :
Languages known :
Hobbies:
10. Declaration:

Place: Signature
Date: (Name of the Candidate)
Dos and Don’ts
Design: Follow a simple design, which gives maximum information in the minimum
number of pages. Use an easy to read and commonly used font like 'Times New Roman' or
'Verdana.' Limit your font size to 10-11. Do not underline heavily.

Word usage: Simple language, lucid expression with good grammar is the thumb rule.
Watch your tenses carefully. Use short and simple sentences. And never-ever make the
mistake of using long words just to impress the recruiter. Flowery words are for speeches;
keep them away from your resume.

The truth hurts: While writing a resume the strong temptation to stretch the truth (or
simply lie through our teeth) can be quite overpowering. But just stamp on the temptation.
Most companies opt for a reference check during recruitment. Your resume is considered a
legal document and fudging up small details may cause you great embarrassment in your
career.

Post Resume Dos: Most frequent resume mistakes

Mistake: Incorrect Contact Information

Correct: Double-check even the most minute, taken-for-granted details -- sooner rather than
later.

Mistake: Using really small fonts

Correct: What's too small? Generally don't go smaller than a 10 point, but notice that all font
styles aren't sized equally. For example, a 10 point Arial font is smaller than a 10
point Antique Olive.

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Mistake: Really wide margins with content squeezed in the middle.
Correct: Your margins should be at least one half inch. You really don't need more than one
inch. Lots of students ask if their résumé s have "enough white space." An employer
isn't reading white space. Employers are reading your content, and you want it to be
easy to see.

Mistake: Long wordy descriptions in your objective and elsewhere.

Correct: You don't need complete sentences in your resume. Concise, understandable phrases
are sufficient. Look at the examples in resume formats and samples..

Mistake: Typos.
Correct: You have one chance to make a first impression. The view is that if you would
make a mistake on your resume, you'll probably make a lot more mistakes on the
job. It's easy to miss your own typos. Ask friends to proofread.

Mistake: Using too complicated a format; getting too creative.

Correct: The employer typically spends about 15 to 30 seconds reading your resume. Keep
the layout simple and clean. Stick with one font size for the document; only make
your name larger. Don't mix font types.

Mistake: Using a unique, creative layout or style to stand out from the crowd.
Correct: The best way to stand out from the crowd is with high quality content and a clearly
written, neat, error-free document. Employers are looking for content, not fancy or
dangerously creative layout. Don't stand out for the wrong reason.

If you are a fresher, stress more on your education section and also mention other
additional qualification in detail. Give a brief description about projects and extra-
curricularactivities undertaken by you. Include sections like languages known, hobbies
and interests, extra-curricular activities and your positive points in brief.

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 Model Resume
Vandana verma
80/A, Creek Lane
Hi-Tech City, Phone:040 – 24733473
Hyderabad – 500 016 E-mail:vandanaverma@yahoo.com

Objective: To obtain a position as a Software Engineer in a leading MNC where I can use
my technical skills of Java and J2EE to accomplish company’s objectives and find
personal growth.

Technical profile

a) Operating systems : MS-DOS, MS-OFFICE, Windows 2000 & XP.

b) Languages : C, C++, Assembly Language (8085, 8051), Java/J2EE

from NIIT, Hyderabad.

Educational qualifications

Month
Name of the
S. Examination Discipline/ & year Percentage
institute/ Division
No. passed subject of of marks
university
passing

JNTU
Electronics &
college of April
1. B. Tech Communication 75 Distn.
engineering, 2016
Egg.
Hyderabad

Board of
inter
Maths, Physics, March
2. Intermediate education, 85 First
Chemistry. 2012
A.P.,
Hyderabad.

Board of
secondary
Maths, Science, March
3. S.S.C education, 88 First
Social Studies 2000
A.P.,
Hyderabad.

Courses Undergone
 C++ at CMC, Hyderabad from June 2005 to August, 2005.
 Enterprise Applications using Java and J2EE at NIIT, Hyderabad from September,
2005 to February, 2006.

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Projects:
a) Title : Measuring of Displacement using ATMEL 89C51

Microprocessor.

b) Duration : Aug 2015 to Feb 2016.

c) Purpose : Towards partial fulfillment for the award of my B.Tech,

Degree.

d) Material Used : ATMEL 89C51 Micro controller kit.

e) Team Size : Five (5)

Achievements
 Qualified on merit in national it aptitude test conducted by NIIT in 2005.
 Won prizes in essay writing and elocution, sports & games.
 Anchored for the national paper conference in my college.

Conferences participated

 Presented a paper on "Cellular & Mobile Communication" in national level

conference held at JNTUH on 8th January 2015.

Personal profile

Father's name : Dr. Manoj Verma, Ph.D.

Date of Birth : 8th September 1990
Nationality : Indian
Languages known : English, Telugu and Hindi.

Declaration: I hereby state the information mentioned here is true to the best of my
knowledge.

Date:

Place: (Vanda Verma)

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 Interview Skills

“A job interview is a pre-arranged and planned conversation used for evaluating the
suitability of a candidate for a particular position”.

Success in a job interview depends on knowledge, self-confidence, good speaking skills,

thorough preparation, and use of appropriate interview strategies.

Characteristics of the job interview

 Planning – time, venue, the no. of experts, covering areas

 Purpose – objectives – HR int. to test personality traits
 Conversation – Listening and speaking
 Two-way interaction – one-to-one interview structured
 Informality – achieve goals – it tension exists

Pre-interview preparation techniques

 Self-analysis – strengths and weaknesses

 Analyze your background – critical examination
 Identify your accomplishments / achievements
 Identify you special interests and hobbies
 Analyze your career goals
 Analyze your skills
 Job analysis (what)
 Revise your subject knowledge
 Develop the interview file

Answering strategies

 Attentiveness
 Accuracy
 Brevity
 Focus
 Clarity
 Positive Attitude
 Logical Thinking

Types of interview questions

There are seven different types of questions that are asked to elicit certain responses from
candidates. They include open, closed, probing, reflective, loaded, hypothetical and
leading questions.

Open questions :Its main purpose is to encourage candidate to talk broadly about a topic
and to engage in deeper thinking. Following are some of the examples:

1. Tell us something about yourself

2. Describe the most difficult situation that you recently faced.

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 3. What do you think about the impact of multinational companies on Indian
economy?

Closed questions: Closed questions limit the freedom of candidates. Here they should
provide specific responses/information/facts.

1. When did you complete your graduation?

2. What was your major subject in the college?
3. Did you know data processing?

Probing questions:They probe more deeply or ask for an explanation/clarification of a

statement just made. They encourage candidate to talk in greater depth about the
subject/topic. For example, after the response, ‘I believe students should be allowed in
academic decision making’, the interviewer might ask a probing question, ‘Do you think
this should include all academic decisions?’.

Reflective questions:Here the purpose is to confirm the statements made by the

candidate. It is also to check the interviewer understands what the candidate has said.

1. That means you want the public sector companies to be totally privatized?
2. Am I right in thinking that you are against economic liberalization in India?
3. Does that mean you favour a total ban on any type of violence in movies?

Loaded questions: They assess candidate’s ability to handle difficult and sensitive
situations. There may not be right or wrong answer to a loaded question, rather it would be
reasonable or unreasonable response. The following are some examples:

1. You are too short. Don’t you think this is going to be a handicap for you?
2. Your GPA in the first semester of B.Tech id too low. How do you justify that?
3. Do you think a Ram temple should be constructed at the sight of Babri Masjid?

Hypothetical questions:They involve you in a hypothetical situatin. It test the possible

reaction of a candidate to a certain situation. They begin with ‘what would you do if…?

1. What would you do if you face a group of angry employees who want to harm
company vehicles because one of the workers has been hurt by a company lorry?

2. One of your staff has been involved in activities detrimental to your organization.
He has been doing this for money that he needs for the treatment of his ailing
mother. What would you do?

Leading questions: Such questions generally suggest a point of view on the part of
interviewer and call for agreement with a ‘yes’ answer. Given below are some of the
examples.

1. Don’t you agree that our company is a market leader in electronic products?
2. Don’t you think that MNCs have boosted the Indian economy?
3. Don’t you agree our economy needs more privatization?

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Frequently asked interview questions

Several popular questions repeatedly appear in the job interviews. Practicing replies to
these questions and rehearsing mock interviews to develop confidence will help in
improving job interviewing skills.

1. Tell us something about yourself

This may be the first question of an interview. Without focusing on any specific area, a
brief description highlighting the relevance of one’s background, education, skills and
experience may be given.

2. What are your career objectives? / What type of position are you looking for?
/What do you want to do?/What are your short term and long term goals?

This question intends to know whether working in their company falls within the
candidate’s objectives.A positive answer expressing candidate’s career goals in relation to
the targeted position and conveying his motivation and interest n the job.

3. Tell us something about your interests and activities:

This is a direct question. The interviewers want to know if the candidate’s interests and
activities match the key components of the job. The candidate should mention his/her
activities projecting as a dynamic and energetic person who accepts challenges.

4. Why should we hire you/What makes you fit for this position?

The interviewers want to hear the candidate’s interpretation of the job and self assessment
of his suitability for the position. The candidate should be able establish how well his/her
qualification, knowledge, and skills match he needs of their organization and job
requirements.

5. Why do you want to join our company?/What makes you interested in our
organization?/Why are you interested in our company?

This question should be answered in the light of the company analysis that the candidate
has done, projecting the strengths of the company.

6. Tell something about your academic achievements.

The candidate should give a direct answer mentioning hi/her achievements enlisting
his/her skills and personal qualities.

7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths should be answered in the light of candidate’s self analysis highlighting strong
points as well as the suitability for the job. Weakness should be answered with a mild
weakness or an indirect strength which one attempts to improve.

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8. Where do you see yourself in five years/How long do you be with us?

Interviewers like to know if the candidate’s goals and ambitions are realistic. The
candidate should answer the question in the light of his self analysis explicitly expressing
his intention to work with it for a long time.

9. Tell us about a problem you have faced and strategy you used to handle it?
Interviewers want to know how the candidate handles a problem. In order to illustrate
one’s problem solving skills, brief description of a problem situation and strategy to solve
it should be outlined.

10. Will you accept a lower position for time being?

Unless one is desperate to join somewhere, the question should be answered with a polite
refusal.

Tick the appropriate questions that you can ask your recruiter at the end of your
interview.

1. How long have you been with the organization?

2. What is the company's management style?
3. How would you describe the responsibilities of the position?
4. If I get the job when can I take time off for vacation?
5. Are there any other questions I can answer for you?
6. What are the prospects for growth and advancement?
7. Can I change my schedule if I get the job?
8. What do you like about working here?
9. Have I got the job?
10. How much travel is expected?

The interview

 Being on time – relaxation – visit before

 Dress ; right dress gives you right impression

Waiting for the interview

 Compose yourself
 Spontaneous smile be friends the interviewers
 Don’t lean or change postures often
 While answering – be lucid, straight forward
 Accept your ignorance / ask for repetition
 Don’t speak bad about your previous organization

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What the interviewers looking for:

 Personality projection
 Communication Skills

 Knowledge Subject

Strengths / Weakness

 Loyalty & commitment

 Whether you are capable to develop the organization

Dos for the Interviews Don’ts for the Interview

 Be on time  Don’t give monosyllabic answers

 Wear neat clothes  Don’t leave your answers unsupported

 Be yourself  Avoid flattery

 Be brief and to the point  Don’t’ sit without being asked

 Sell yourself  Don’t start talking

 Keep the interviewer’s attentions  Avoid too many gestures

 Avoid the use of slang  Don’t interrupt

 Be poised  Don’t argue

 Be well-mannered  Don’t be emotional

 Listen carefully  Don’t be evasive

 Ask questions  Don’t change your stand

 Be natural  Don’t enter into a political controversy

 Maintain eye contact  Don’t touch your button, hair etc.

 Expect the unexpected  Don’t forget to close the door when

you leave

 Be consistent in your claims

Important points:

 Success in a job interview depends on knowledge, self-confidence, good speaking,

skills, through preparation, and use of appropriate interview strategies.

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 There are five aspects of job interviews: planning, purpose, conversation, two-way
interaction, and informality.

 Pre-interview preparation techniques include self-analysis, skills assessment, company

analysis, job analysis, subject revision, and developing the interview file.

 Self-analysis involves identifying your background, career goals, accomplishments,

achievements, special interests, and hobbies.

 Skills assessment is the process of analyzing your skills in terms of the skills required
for the position you are seeking.

 There are two types of skills: learned skills and intuitive skills.

 Researching an organization involves gathering basic information about the nature,

operations status, structure, growth rate, and activities of the organization.

 Job analysis will provide you broad information about the position.

 Revise your subject for clarity and confidence.

 There are seven types of interview questions: open, closed, probing, reflective, loaded,
hypothetical, and leading.

 Seven factors that can improve quality of answers during a job interview are
attentiveness, accuracy, brevity, focus, clarity, positive attitude and logical thinking.

 Candidates should analyze commonly asked interview questions so that an answering

strategy may be devised in advanced.

What do employers want?

What are the most desirable qualities for job seekers in the 2000 workplace? Watson
Wyatt, a global consulting firm, offers the following list of in-demand skills:

1. Willingness to share information and ideas.

2. Commitment to teamwork.
3. Responsiveness to change.
4. Ability to work under pressure.
5. Sense of ownership of work and ideas
6. Willingness to take calculated risks, without fear of consequences.
7. Multicultural experience and/or ability to speak multiple languages.
8. Ability to communicate clearly and honestly with
peers, managers, customers.
9. Understanding of business strategy and how you create shareholder value.
10. Commitment to continuous learning, skill development.

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