TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-11

Follow-up Interview:

Many people feel that once they make it through an interview they are done with the interview process. This is completely false; you need to follow-up after the interview. By following-up you show the employer that you are well-mannered, focused, enthusiastic, detail-oriented, have the ability to follow through, and that you have good work ethics. Follow-ups will give you a competitive edge and show the employer how interested you are in the position.


It is important to remember that you are not the only qualified applicant. Your actions are being evaluated from the second you contact a company for an appointment/interview. Employers also evaluate a variety of factors during the interview process. You may have done everything perfect, but if your follow-up strategy is not up-to-par you could lose the position. Your follow-up techniques will be scrutinized, therefore you should plan well. The best way to follow-up is with a letter or thank you note.

Thank You Notes & Follow-Up Letters

Any written correspondence needs to be perfect! Your writing skills will be examined to determine your grammar skills, spelling skills, the level of your writing ability and your ability to write convincing copy. The content of the letter will also be analyzed. The employer will look to see if you touch on the subjects that were discussed in the interview. In addition, you need to convince the employer that you have the skills and the qualifications needed for the position you applied for.

Follow-Up Tips for Letters and Thank You Notes

1. Remember and/or write down your interviewer’s name because you will need to use it when writing your follow-up letter or thank you note. Some large companies have a team of interviewers; if this is the case you will need all of their names. They best way to impress is to write a separate letter for each interviewer.
2. Send your letter or Thank You note ASAP! It should be sent the same day if possible. Remember, everything is looked at and the employer will notice the date of your letter (meaning the date stamped on the envelope).
3. You can email a follow-up letter if you have the email address of the interviewer(s)-do not email to a random company email address.
4. Always express your appreciation for the interview and the employer’s time.
5. Clearly explain the level of your interest for the open position.
6. Summarize your skills, qualifications, your educational background, and any other job training that relates to the position.
7. Offer any information you forgot to mention in the interview.
8. Thank them again.
9. Provide complete contact information-Email Address(es), Cell Phone, Home Phone, Fax etc.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-10

Mealtime Interview:

The mealtime interview is used to determine what a candidate is like in a social setting. But, interviewing over a meal can be a candidate's worst nightmare or challenge. The interviewers want to not only know how you handle a fork but how you treat your host, any guests and the serving staff. A candidate must take cues from the interviewer and always remember she is the guest. These tips will help yo with mealtime interviews.

• Do not sit down until the host does.
• Always order something less extravagant than the interviewer.
• Choose manageable food items, if possible.
• If the interviewer wants to talk business, please do so. But if the interviewer and/or guests want to discuss upcoming travel plans or their families, do not, under any circumstance, launch a business discussion.
• Remember ordinary manners: thank the host for the meal and their time.

have been on a number of these types of interviews. I no longer find these difficult. You have to take your time while eating and talking. Never order messy food and limit alcoholic beverages. Real Estate companies and firms hiring salespeople will conduct these kinds of interviews. They want to make sure that the candidate can represent the company in a social setting without embarrassing the company.

Follow-up Interviews

Companies bring candidates back for second and sometimes third or fourth follow-up interviews. There are a number of reasons for this. Sometimes they just want to confirm that you are their ideal candidate. Sometimes they are having a difficult time deciding between a short-list of candidates. Other times, other decision-makers in the company want to gain a sense of who the candidate is before a hiring decision is made.

Additional interviews may go in a variety of directions. When meeting with the same interviewer, a candidate can focus on cementing rapport, understanding where the company is going and how his/her skills mesh with the company vision and their culture. Candidates may find themselves negotiating a compensation package. Or they may find themselves starting from the beginning with a new interviewer.

From my personal experiences, if a candidate is asked back for more than two or three interviews, the company is not sure what they want or need in a candidate. This can be a waste of time and resources for both the candidate and the company.

Conclusion

Interviews are time consuming and training is needed to do them well. They are a flexible method for assessing and selecting candidates for all levels and types of positions. They generate data, which enables the interviewer to analyze the data to generate information about whether a candidate is a good fit for the company. However, information from different interviews is potentially difficult to manage. It has these characteristics.

• Hard to bring together coherently;
• Open to potential interviewer bias;
• May miss certain areas of knowledge, skills, and ability;
• An interview may stress one area and neglect others;
• All kinds of potential problems in the interpretation and analysis of the information obtained; and
• There is always the possibility of distorted impressions.

It is imperative that companies find interviewing styles and formats that are beneficial to the needs of both the company and its potential employees. You'll build bench strength and get the right people in the right seats, moving forward on the bus.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-9

Tag-Team Interview:

Companies often want to gain the insights of various employees when interviewing candidates. Thus, the tag-team interview conducted by two or more interviewers who typically work different jobs.
This interview type is often attractive for companies that rely heavily on team cooperation. Not only does the company want to know whether or not you're a good fit for the company, but also whether or not you get along with other workers as a team player.
In some companies, a tag-team interview means that two or more interviewers will take turns and play off each other to simultaneously interview you in the same room.
In other companies, a tag-team interview means that you will proceed through a series of one-on-one interviews with various interviewers, typically all on the same day.

In either case, your interviewers might consist of department managers, supervisors, project leads, HR personnel, future coworkers or a blend.

Helpful tips for capitalizing on either type of tag-team interview are listed below

• Treat each person as an important individual. Ask for each interviewer's business card at the beginning of the meeting, if possible, and refer to each by name. If there are several interviewers in the room at once, you might wish to scribble down their names on a sheet of paper according to where each is sitting.
• Briefly make eye contact with each interviewer, while speaking directly to the interviewer who asked the question.
• Use the opportunity to gain as much information about the company as you can. Just as each interviewer has a different function in the company, each has a unique perspective. When asking questions, be sensitive not to place anyone in a position that invites him or her to compromise confidentiality or loyalty.
• Be ready to illustrate your main message in a variety of ways to a variety of people.
• Prepare psychologically to expend more energy and be more alert than you would in a one-on-one interview.
• Stay focused, but flexible.
• Send a thank you note to each of your tag-team interviewers.
  

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-8

Group Interview:

Group interviews involve getting together with other job candidates to meet with one or more interviewers. Usually it involves a number of interviewers - potential managers or supervisors, human resources, even future co-workers and a group of candidates all together in one room.

In its most basic form the group interview consists of a presentation to the candidates about the company and position. Generally there will be a question and answer session after the presentation.

These simple interviews serve two purposes. Information is given to all the candidates in an economical and time-saving manner. It also gives the interviewers an opportunity to conduct an initial screening of the candidates as they observe the candidates' behavior and interaction with each other, their communication skills and the impression they make.

Group interviews can be more involved than this. Candidates may be required to participate in wok- stimulation exercises. These can take the form of group problem-solving sessions where each candidate's contributions and participation is noted. Discussion groups take a similar form.

Other exercises include splitting the candidates into teams and each team is given a work-related task to complete. Each team then presents their results to the whole group.

During these team exercises the interviewers closely watch and listen to the candidates. They may also ask questions of individual candidates and take notes.

The skills been observed communication and interpersonal ability, persuasiveness and the ability to influence others, leadership and delegation, organizational and planning skills and the ability to work and contribute as a team-member. Other observable behaviors include the ability to handle stress, to deal with feedback and give feedback and to analyze and problem-solve. Levels of individual knowledge are also noted.

Sometimes the situational exercise is not work related. Candidates are given a controversial hypothetical situation, such as deciding how to choose which people to save from a sinking boat. These type of exercises cause a lot of discussion and argument and interviewers will observe how people interact, influence and reach decisions.

Tips for Group Interviews:

• Before you begin the interview introduce yourself politely to the other candidates.You will be observed from the word go

• It is important to be seen as an active participant rather than merely an observer. Contribute your views and ideas while also listening to the other candidates

• Appear confident but avoid coming across as aggressive

• Avoid dominating the conversation and don't interrupt the othercandidates
• Make sure that you take criticism and give feedback constructively
• Give praise when possible and acknowledge valuable contributions from other candidates
• Avoid obvious power conflicts as these will make you appear uncooperative and unprofessional
• Stay cool under stress

• Be aware of your body language. This is something that will be carefully observed.

• With many candidates all trying to contribute, someone may make your point first. If this happens, think of a statement that adds to this point. This demonstrates that you listen actively and think on your feet

• Prepare meaningful questions to ask. You will be asked at some point if you have any questions and you will stand out from the other candidates if you have a planned list of insightful questions to ask

• Be aware of the interviewers throughout so you can catch any important cues
• Send a thank you letter to each interviewer as soon as possible afterward
  

Use these tips for group interviews and your job interview experience will be a positive one. You will stand out as a mature, confident and competent candidate.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-7

Audition:

For some positions, interviewers want to see job candidates in action before they make a hiring decision.

Subsequently, interviewers might take you through a simulation or exercise in order to evaluate your skills. That's what the audition interview is all about.

For example, if you're applying for a job as a technical instructor, your interviewer might ask you to prepare for instructing a brief lesson about a given topic or one of your choice.

Your "student" audience might consist of interviewers, other interviewees, seasoned technical instructors, employee volunteers or a mix of all. An audition interview can be enormously useful to you as well. That's because it allows you to demonstrate your abilities in interactive ways that are familiar to you. The simulation or exercise will also give you a simplified sense of what the job and working conditions would be like.

If you're not offered a chance to audition, but you sense that other candidates have an edge on you in terms of experience or other qualifications, requesting an audition interview can help you to level the playing field.

To maximize your success in an audition interview, remember to:

• Brush up on your skills before an interview if you think they might be tested in an audition interview.
• Clearly understand the instructions and expectations for your audition interview. Ask for clarification if you don't, as it will show that you make an effort to do things right the first time.
• Treat the simulation or exercise as if you have responsibility for the task laid before you. Take ownership of your work.
• Send a thank you note to each of your audition interviewers as soon as you can.
  

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-6

Behavioral Interview:

In a behavioral interview you will have to demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and abilities, collectively known as competencies, by giving specific examples from your past experiences. The interviewer wants to know, not that you can do something, but that you have done it. He or she, prior to the interview, determines what competencies are required for the position. Then the interviewer develops a series of questions that will allow him or her to find out if you, the job candidate, possess the necessary competencies to perform the job. The basic premise of the behavioral interview is that past performance is a good predictor of future performance.

While many candidates are intimidated by this method, a behavioral interview gives you the opportunity to demonstrate to a prospective employer why you are well suited for the job. Rather then merely telling the interviewer what you would do in a situation, as in a regular interview, in a behavioral interview you must describe, in detail, how you handled a situation in the past. What better way to "strut your stuff?"

On a behavioral interview, you can expect questions like "Tell me about a time when..." or "Give me an example of when..." Fill in the blanks with one of any number of skills, knowledge, or abilities the interviewer is trying to ascertain you have. For example, if conflict resolution is a required competency, the question may be "Tell me about a time two people you had to work with weren't getting along." If you have work experience you can talk about two of your co-workers. If you're interviewing for your first job you can select an experience that occurred during a time you worked on a group project, or participated in a team sport. As long as you clearly state the problem, demonstrate the steps you took to resolve it, and discuss the results, it doesn't matter what experience you draw upon.

Why Would an Employer Use This Technique

When asked simple yes or no questions, a job candidate can easily tell an interviewer what he or she wants to hear. For example, if you're asked what you would do if a client suddenly moved up the deadline on a project, you could reply that you would put in overtime as necessary. However, if the interviewer asks what you have done in the past to complete a project on a tight deadline, you would have to give a real-life example, detailing how you handled the situation. Then the interviewer could ask some probing questions to verify that what you are saying actually happened. For example, she might ask how many hours you spent on the project and whether the client was happy with the results, or what grade you got if you're talking about a school project.


Behavioral interviewing is a style of interviewing that was developed in the 1970's by industrial psychologists. Behavioral interviewing asserts that "the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in a similar situation." Currently, most organizations are using behavioral interviewing to some degree.
Unlike traditional interviews, which include such questions as:

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
3. Why are you interested in working for us?

Behavioral interviewing emphasizes past performance and behaviors. As a consequence, candidates unprepared for the rigor of behavioral interviewing have not fared well. Simply practicing the list of common interview questions no longer works.

Why should you prepare for behavioral interview?

· Candidates who prepare for behavioral interviews are better prepared - even for traditional interviews.

· Using behavioral answers works well with inexperienced interviewers.

· Companies that invest the time and energy in developing behavioral interviews often attract top candidates. Top candidates make the company a more desirable place to work.

How do I prepare for a behavioral interview?

Companies that employ behavioral interviewing have predetermined the skill sets they require for a particular position. These skill sets could include: decision making and problem solving, leadership, motivation, communication, interpersonal skills, planning and organization, critical thinking skills, team building and the ability to influence others. The company determines the skill sets by doing a detailed analysis of the position they are seeking to fill. Job seekers also must go through this same process. To conduct a job analysis the job seeker should ask questions such as:

1. What are the necessary skills to do this job?

2. What makes a successful candidate?

3. What would make an unsuccessful candidate?

4. Why have people left this position previously?

5. What is the most difficult part of this job?

Once you have landed the interview, keep in mind the following points.
· Be detailed and specific. You should have developed three stories that illustrate your past performance. Remember that the interviewer will be operating under the premise that "past performance in a similar setting is the best predictor of future performance."

The best way to accomplish this is to use the three-step STAR process or
1. Situation or Task
2. Action
3. Result or outcome

For example, you might recount a time when communication within your work group had broken down (situation). To resolve the problem, you organized informal lunch meetings for people to discuss relevant issues (action). Morale then improved, as did the lines of communication (result). Using this three step STAR process is a powerful way for you to frame your experiences and accomplishments for the interviewer.

· Limit rambling and tangents. While you can't control what is asked, you can control what you say.
· Listen carefully to each question. If you are unsure, rephrase the question and ask for clarification. When you respond, be sure to recall your past accomplishments in detail.
· Practice your behavioral stories using real-life examples. It is very difficult to make up behavioral stories, which is why behavioral interviewing is becoming more popular. By practicing, you will be able to recall with confidence your past accomplishments.

Sample Behavioral Interview Questions

Decision Making and Problem Solving

Give me an example of a time when you had to keep from speaking or making a decision because you did not have enough information.

Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision.

Leadership

What is the toughest group that you have had to get cooperation from?

Have you ever had difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your approach? Did it work?

Motivation

Give me an example of a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty.

Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the action of others.

Communication

Tell me about a situation when you had to speak up (be assertive) in order to get a point across that was important to you.

Have you ever had to "sell" an idea to your co-workers or group? How did you do it? Did they "buy" it?

Interpersonal Skills

What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?

Describe a recent unpopular decision you made and what the result was.

Planning and Organization

How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?

What do you do when your schedule is suddenly interrupted? Give an example.

Other Behavioral Questions

Give a specific example of a policy you conformed to with which you did not agree.

Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.

Describe an instance when you had to think on your feet to extricate yourself from a difficult situation.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-5

Stress Interview:

In stress interview questions, stressful situation is created by the interviewers deliberately to appraise the candidates whether they can perform well under such a situation. Stress is a term used in physical science which is related to impact of one object on another. Higher is the impact, higher is stress level. This phenomenon is used in human life too.

When stress is used in the context of human life, it represents the pressure that people have in their life, and from the organization’s point of view, in work life.In fact, some of the jobs which have to be performed under constant time pressure are stressing.

In order to create stressful situation during the interview process, the interviewers adopt one or more of the following methods:

1. Keeping a candidate to wait for longer time than anticipated to begin interview process.

2. Calling him in the interview room but not advising him to sit down on the seat meant for him.

3. Long silence even after the entry of the candidate in the interview room.

4. Asking another question before the candidate completes the answer of the previous question.

5. Pretension through body language by the interviewers that they do not listen to what the candidate is saying but actually they might be listening attentively.

6. Criticizing the candidate’s views vehemently even though they may agree with these views.

7. Harassing the candidate with some activities which might not be conducive for congenial environment for the interview.

If you look at all the above methods which are adopted by the interviewers, you will find that all these are quite frustrating to the candidate just like unexpected unfortunate happenings in his life. If the candidate becomes frustrated, he is unlikely to fair well in the interview just like a frustrated employee does not do well on his job. In order to be successful in stress interview, candidate should keep calm and treat this as a challenge.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-4

Meandering Interview:

The meandering interview is often hosted by an inexperienced interviewer, for instance a manager at a small or start-up company who does not often conduct interviews, and hasn’t had any training.

While informality may feel comfortable, the onus is on you to make sure that your skills and abilities are discussed and highlighted. The tone of the interview may change from informal and conversational to formal, with intense questioning. In this situation be attentive to the shift and adapt your performance accordingly.

Sometimes the meandering interview style may be deliberate, as the employer may prefer a more casual approach. The interviewer knows the questions they want to ask, and the qualities they want in a candidate. However instead of following a prescribed format, they allow your responses to direct the order and content of the questions. Some interviewers prefer this style since they can learn much more about you from how you respond to these informal questions than from your responses to more predictable questions.

You might encounter a ‘chatterbox’, an interviewer who dominates the conversation, even when asking questions of you. They end up telling you about their organization, the position, and what they are looking for, but don't give you a chance to tell them anything about yourself. This is frustrating, because at the end of the interview they will not know much about you. In this situation, you will need to politely interject (perhaps when they are taking a breath) with your comments, and quickly mention your top skills and attributes before they jump in again.

Helpful Hints

Employer perspective ~ Why are they conducting this type of interview? Are they unprepared? Relaxed in their style? Or are they being strategic? Your response to the lack of structure could be assessed to determine how you might respond in an unstructured working environment.

Preparation: Determine your interview strategy in advance. Find the opportunity to share your skills and experience. Your preparation can put you ahead of other candidates who might become frustrated by the lack of structure. You can actually prepare for this type of interview by carefully thinking through what kind of person you are, how you react in different circumstances, what qualities you are looking for in a job, and what you think they are looking for in an employee. You could conduct a practice interview to build an interview strategy.

Power of suggestion ~ As this interviewer may not be asking the right questions to prompt you, come prepared with notes to spark conversation, highlight your strengths, or consider creating a summary indicating your skills and career highlights to leave behind.

Balanced Dialogue ~ Open the floor by asking questions of your interviewer. This may allow you to seek out vital information you might otherwise miss out on, and avoid creating the impression that you are taking over the interview, which might be offensive.

Stay on target ~ Be sure to keep both you and the interviewer on track. Consider using your portfolio as a means of guiding the interviewer through your skills. This will also add extra emphasis and dimension to a potentially lackluster interview.

Stand guard ~ Many mistake this interview as a lesser interview, but be forewarned: your actions, comments, dress and personality are being scrutinized, even if the questions are more lighthearted.

Follow up ~ If you haven’t had the opportunity to fully cover all of your skills and attributes in the interview, follow up with your summary and an expression of interest.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-3

Directive Interview:

In the rigid, directive interview type, the interviewer has a clear agenda that he or she follows unflinchingly. Sometimes companies use this interview type to ensure parity between interviews.

In other words, directive interviewers in the same company might ask the same questions of job candidates, so they may compare the results to pick the candidate who consistently gave the same best answers.

Directive interviewers rely upon their direct questions and methods to get from you what they wish to know. You might feel like you are being steam-rolled! On the other hand, if you like a no-frills style, you might find that the conversation develops naturally.

Although their directive style might seem a bit dry or calculating, it does not necessarily mean that your interviewers have dominance or superiority issues. They are likely just trying to lead you straight to the point, to make the most of the interview in the time allotted.

Alternately or additionally, they might be testing how you react to a no-frills leadership style.

However, it's a good idea to keep an eye open for dominance or superiority issues, if the interviewer will be your coworker, lead, supervisor or manager should you land the job. Keeping an eye open for such might provide clues as to how he or she will treat you on the job.

Listed below are tips to help you successfully navigate a directive interview.

• Flex with the interviewer, following his or her lead.
• But, do not relinquish complete control of the interview. For example, if the interviewer does not ask you for information that you think is important in proving your superiority as a job candidate, politely interject it.

In other words, directive interviewers in the same company might ask the same questions of job candidates, so they may compare the results to pick the candidate who consistently gave the same best answers.

Directive interviewers rely upon their direct questions and methods to get from you what they wish to know. You might feel like you are being steam-rolled! On the other hand, if you like a no-frills style, you might find that the conversation develops naturally.

Although their directive style might seem a bit dry or calculating, it does not necessarily mean that your interviewers have dominance or superiority issues. They are likely just trying to lead you straight to the point, to make the most of the interview in the time allotted.

Alternately or additionally, they might be testing how you react to a no-frills leadership style.

However, it's a good idea to keep an eye open for dominance or superiority issues, if the interviewer will be your coworker, lead, supervisor or manager should you land the job. Keeping an eye open for such might provide clues as to how he or she will treat you on the job.

Listed below are tips to help you successfully navigate a directive interview.

• Flex with the interviewer, following his or her lead.
• But, do not relinquish complete control of the interview. For example, if the interviewer does not ask you for information that you think is important in proving your superiority as a job candidate, politely interject it.
• Send a thank you note to each of your directive interviewers.
  

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-2

Informational Interview:

The purpose of an informational interview is to get information about a field of work from someone who has some firsthand knowledge. When you are on an informational interview you should not ask for a job. This is not to say that an informational interview cannot lead to a job. In addition to helping you learn about a particular career, the informational interview is a way to start building a network.The person who is the subject of your informational interview today, may be the first person in your network many tomorrows from now. Here's another way an informational interview can benefit you. For those of us who are a little skittish about going on a job interview, the informational interview provides an non-threatening forum in which to get some practice. Think of it as a dress rehearsal. Here's how I see it. You need information. Someone has that information. Anyone is fair game as long as that person is knowledgeable about the field in which you are interested. Ask friends, relatives, fellow students, your teachers, and neighbors if they know someone who works in your targeted field. People love to talk about themselves and what they do. Call someone you read about who has your "dream job." Call your alumni association. When I first thought about becoming a librarian, I contacted an employment agency that specialized in that area. I was able to get an interview with one of the agency's founders, herself a librarian. She was able to tell me about the job itself, and because of her unique position as a placement counselor, she was able to tell me about the outlook for the field.

What You Need to Know Before the Informational Interview

Just as you need to prepare for a job interview, preparation for an informational interview is very important. As my friend did, searching for information on the occupation is step one. She felt she needed to know as much about her targeted career in order to ask intelligent questions.
When you go on a job interview it is wise to learn as much about the potential employer and the interviewer as you can. When you go on an informational interview you should do the same type of research. As mentioned above, people love to talk about themselves. People also love to hear about themselves (the good things of course!). If your interviewee was referred to you by someone, ask that person about him or her. Also, see what you can find out by looking in local business journals and industry publications. For example, was the interviewee recently promoted or did he or she receive some special recognition? Research that person's employer as well. You will be prepared for the interview and therefore make a good impression.

Questions to Ask At an Informational Interview

As previously mentioned, you should research your career of interest in order to ask intelligent questions. Was there something mentioned in the occupational information you didn't fully understand? The informational interview is a good forum to get that clarified. Here is a small sampling of questions you should ask:

• Describe a typical day at work.

• How many hours do you normally work in a week?

• What do you see as the potential for growth in this field?

• What can I do now to help me find employment in this field?

The Big Day: Time for Your Informational Interview

You've done your homework and can walk into the informational interview confident that you will make a good impression and get the information that will help you make a wise decision. Don't forget to dress appropriately. Arrive on time, keep the interview to the scheduled length, and remember proper etiquette.

Speaking of proper etiquette, please remember to send a thank you note to show your appreciation. The interviewee has taken time out of what is probably a very busy schedule to help you.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW//PART-1

Screening Interview:

The initial screening interview is used to determine which candidates are most qualified and interested in an available position. This interview is also conducted to screen out applicants who are not a good match for the employer's needs. Qualified candidates who are not prepared for interviews may be screened out.Screening interviews are often structured; i.e., the interviewer has a standard pattern of basic questions that she/he asks nearly everybody. Screening interviews are normally rather brief, lasting from 15 to 30 minutes.The screening interview is most often carried out over the telephone and focuses on clarifying and confirming the information contained in your resume.

Following are some screening interview tips:

* It is important to make a good impression on any telephone and face-to-face interviews.

* Smile always helps you in every situation. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice.

* Do keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth.

* If you can't talk freely when you are called, arrange another time for the interviewer to call back - you need to be able to perform to your best.

* Remember that even a "casual" telephone conversation may make the difference between being screened out or continuing in the selection process.

* Have your application and advertisement close to the phone so you can refer to it during the interview.

* Have blank paper and pen handy.

* During the selection process always use correct phone manner when answering the telephone.

* Think carefully about how you respond to each question.

* Communicate your enthusiasm in your tone and words as the interviewer cannot see your non-verbal expressions.

* As with all interviews, practice telephone interviews. Ask someone to call you and practice your technique with him or her.

Job Screening Interview:

The job screening interview may be conducted in person or by telephone. It is almost always a behavioral interview (questions about your past often predict your future action) conducted by just one person. It is very common for recruiters to screen candidates by phone as it is the quickest way to ascertain a candidate’s skill set, qualifications and match to the job opportunity.

Likewise, employers receiving numerous applications also find the telephone to be the best method for screening candidates for the first round.

Tip 1:Treat all interviews formally.

It might seem a bit more informal, but do not be lulled into that feeling because every interview is formal, important and critical to your success in moving onto the next interview level. At every step along the way you are being highly scrutinized. Employers are looking for elements in your resume and from your answers that confirms you might be a match for their position, but they are also interested in screening out those that simply do not match up. The sooner they can assemble a solid candidate pool of three to five top notch candidates to invite in for face-to-face interviews, the better.

Tip 2: Always be prepared.So whether or not you are being screened in person or by telephone, you need to be prepared no matter what for the screening interview as this is only the first in what may be several steps and interviews you will have to go through. However, assume that when you are actively job seeking and have distributed your resume, that a prospective employer is going to call you. Your phone is going to ring and you will be facing the initial screening interview. Are you prepared? Probably not. That is because the interviewer is prepared to begin asking you questions about your background, experience and achievements. You, on the other hand, usually have no idea who is calling you, and thus, may not be prepared at that moment, or even be in the situation, to carry on an interview.

Tip 3: Don’t answer your phone.What can you do? Simple, let the caller go into your voicemail and leave you a call back message and phone number. We all live in a world of voicemail and leaving one message is usually not a problem, as long as the person returns the call in a timely manner. By letting the call go into voicemail you have some time to prepare. That way you can take a moment to compose yourself and be better prepared to call back at a time more suitable to you so you can give the best interview possible. When you list your phone number on your resume, you can be absolutely certain an employer will use that to make an initial contact. Now you know an employer is going to call you; you must anticipate this and be prepared. Thus, it is imperative that the message on your phone is professional,warm and courteous. It should not be cute, humorous, folksy or anything else but above board and professional. This is another “first impression” and you do not want to drop the ball here.When your phone rings and you do not recognize the caller, it is safer to let the call go to voicemail so you can return it at the right time than it is to be caught off guard and give a poorly prepared interview. You could knock yourself out of contention right at the outset, so why take such a risk?

Tip 4: Call back at your choosing.When is the right time to call the interviewer back? As soon as you are relaxed and in a comfortable setting where you will not have annoying background noise, disturbances, interruptions, or anything that implies you are not in a professional setting and mode. You should call back as soon as possible; within minutes is best because the interviewer is eager to talk with you, already has you and your resume on their mind, is somewhat familiar with you and does not want to have to keep chasing you down.

Tip 5: Control the environment.If you are driving and on your cell phone, pull over and get off a loud, busy street. If you are at home, go into a quiet room where no one can disturb you. Likewise, if you are at your office, close the door, use a private conference room, or go outside with your cell phone and find a suitable location (not near a door where people are going past you with greetings or might be tempted to stop and talk). Have your resume and any other important materials neatly organized and at your fingertips so you can refer to them at a moment’s notice. After all, the interviewer has them and is reading from the materials you supplied to them.

Tip 6:Get prepared for your next interview.Assuming you have passed the initial screening interview, most likely by telephone, now what? Usually the next step is to invite you in for a more in-depth second screening interview – referred to as the qualification interview. The screening interview was to determine if you match up with the job desicription, possess the required job skills and requirements, and have most of the qualifications. The qualification interview will determine your strength and position within the candidate pool.

TYPES OF INTERVIEW

There are various types of interview given below-


1.Screening
2.Informational
3.Directive
4.Meandering
5.Stress
6.Behavioral
7.Audition
8.Group
9.Tag-Team
10.Mealtime
11.Follow-up


Introduction:
Interview means a mutual sight or view; a meeting face to face; usually, a formal or official meeting for consultation; a conference; as, the secretary had an interview with the President.

A conversation,or questioning,for the purpose of eliciting information for publication.

Discuss formally with(somebody) for the purpose of an evaluation; "We interviewed the job candidates".

All job interviews have the same objective, but employers reach that objective in a variety of ways. You might enter the room expecting to tell stories about your professional successes and instead find yourself selling the interviewer a bridge or editing code at a computer. One strategy for performing your best during an interview is to know the rules of the particular game you are playing when you walk through the door.
Go for an interview in the hope of being hired; "The job candidate interviewed everywhere"

Office Etiquette// Part-3

Cell Phone Etiquette:

More cell phone etiquette is needed than for any other type of communication device.

Cell phones, being mobile, are often used in situations where the phone user and the conversation are not welcome. They may be considered rude and even downright offensive.

There is no doubt that cell phones have a permanent and essential role in modern society.

But when cell phones interrupt important proceedings and are used in the wrong place at the wrong time, it is unacceptable and makes us grind our teeth in despair at the users’ rudeness and blatant lack of care and consideration for the people around them.

The following are some of the places and events where cell phones should be switched off or the ring tone muted.

If it is vitally important to be reached in such places then the call should be kept brief and the voice low:

- On public transport in proximity to other commuters
- In hospitals, restaurants and shopping centres
- At checkouts, cinemas and theatres
- Train stations, bus stops and air ports
- Doctors’ surgeries, churches and conventions
- Waiting rooms, libraries and lecture rooms
- At christenings, weddings and funerals
- And at a dozen other places that you can think of without my help
It’s not the use of cell phones that is the problem; it’s the loud and annoying ring tone. It’s the shouting into the cell phone; it’s the airing of one’s private life on the cell phone in the presence of strangers.
It’s the endless verbal diarrhoea and ear bashing that one and all are subjected to without fear or favour that is the problem.

Driving or walking on the street while talking on the mobile phone delays the reflexes and can shorten someone’s life. That life could be yours. So be safe or be sorry.

It is bad cell phone etiquette to make a call whilst in the company of another person. In fact, it is downright rude. If you absolutely must make that call, apologise first, then make the call. Keep it very brief.

Sending text messages in company is even worse. Once again, if you must, excuse yourself first and then be very brief. Share the message with those present as a courtesy to let them know that they are not the subject of the message.
It is unforgiveable to talk on a mobile phone while 'dealing' with another person such as a checkout in a shop or bank-teller or greeting or farewelling someone.
Lastly, camera cell phones. These are so useful and handy. Be aware of privacy laws, the rights of others and charges of voyeurism if used inappropriately in the wrong places.
Practicing good cell phone etiquette will not improve your popularity but it will certainly not make you unpopular. Importantly, you will not be contributing to cell phone rage.

Office Etiquette// PART-3

Telephone Etiquette:

Telephone etiquette means being respectful to the person you are talking with, showing consideration for the other person's limitations, allowing that person time to speak, communicating clearly and much, much more.

Your voice must create a pleasant visual impression over the telephone.
Good phone etiquette is important because we cannot see the facial expressions and body language of the other person and they cannot see us.
We must compensate by choosing our words carefully and using much more tone inflection to convey our message than if we were face to face.

This is becoming standard business practice and a challenge to good phone manners when we are finally able to talk to a person

We get desperate to talk to a real live person and when we do find a human being we are dismayed to find the person lacks the basics of good telephone manners.

Rudeness and a lack of consideration have surreptitiously crept into our telephone practices and in many cases we are unaware of this.

Office Etiquette//PART-3

E-mail Etiquette:

E-mail etiquette is just a small part of Netiquette - no, that’s not a typo! Netiquette is Internet Etiquette for all aspects of the internet, including e-mailing.

The most important and most used and abused is the e-mailing part of the net. Here are some rules to follow for forwarding E-mails. These rules are for those who are being truly considerate and thoughtful
E-mail Etiquette Rule 1.

Don’t forward anything without editing out all the forwarding other e-mail addresses, headers, and commentary from all the other forwarders

People really don’t want to look amongst all the gobbly-gook to see what it is you thought was

worth forwarding. If you must forward, only forward the actual ‘guts’ or content of the e-mail that you are of the opinion is valuable.

E-mail Etiquette Rule 2.

If you cannot take the time to write a personal comment at the top of your forwarded e-mail to the person you are sending to – then you shouldn’t forward it at all.

E-mail Etiquette Rule 3.

Think carefully about if the e-mail you are forwarding will be of value ,will it be appreciated ,if it is humorous

E-mail Etiquette Rule 4. I

t should go without saying that forwarding of e-mail chain letters; regardless how noble the topic may seem, virus warnings or anything that says ‘forward to everyone you know’, simply should not be forwarded because in most cases it is plain old garbage

Remember, e-mail is only e-mail; it does not have any magical powers that can bring you bad luck or whatever else the chain letter threatens. By the same token it cannot bring you fame and fortune as they promise.

E-mail Etiquette Rule 5.

If you must forward an e-mail to more than one person, put your e-mail address in the To: field and all the others you are sending to in the Bcc: field to protect their e-mail address from being published to those they do not know.

This is a serious privacy issue! Do not perpetuate a breech of privacy started by other forwarders who included their contact’s addresses in the To: or Cc: field by continuing to forward those visible addresses to your contacts.
Remove any e-mail addresses in the body of the e-mail that have been forwarded by those who disregard the privacy of their friends and associates.

Rule 7.

Use the Subject field to enter a clear concise indication of what the e-mail is about. This is a very useful field and can be helpful to the recipient if used judiciously, so make it informative.

Rule 8.

Type in capitals only if you mean to SHOUT. Now, it is ill-mannered to shout, so, type in lower case and remember your punctuation.

You do not want to give the impression of sloppiness. Save multi-coloured text for love letters and kindergarten kids to express their creativity.

Rule 9.

It is alright to intersperse your replies between a whole bunch of questions; just be sure to reply in a different coloured text so that your replies stand out.
It would help to start the reply with the customary greeting and then refer the recipient to the answers written below each question.
Rule 10.

Keep your attachments to less than one MB (if possible). It will transmit faster and avoid 'time-outs."
Rule 11.

With all the above "rules" to consider would it be more friendly,

personal and enjoyable to simply telephone them?

If one cannot make these extra efforts, then you really have no excuse for feeling hurt when asked to stop sending this unwanted mail.
If you are asked to stop forwarding, don’t get mad; just realize the person on the other side is not interested or too busy to have to cope with a whole bunch of unwanted e-mail.

Office Etiquette//PART-2

Employee Etiquette:

Employee Etiquette is how you conduct yourself in your capacity as an employee to your

employer and your co-workers

NEVER arrive at work drunk, smelling of alcohol on under the influence of drugs
Be on time for your job. Better still, be early
Be respectful to your employer

It’s ill-mannered to wear iPod buds in your ears at work
Respect the business goals and help to achieve them

Respect the firm’s confidentiality of information
Respect the firm’s clients’ confidentiality of information
Provide your boss with information as required
Keep your boss well informed in a timely fashion
Brush up on your computer skills

Respect all other employees
Cooperate with your employer
Cooperate with all employees

Do not ‘big note’ yourself, there is no place for arrogance in this world
Wear appropriate office attire, for example correct footwear, not thongs (flip flops) - they are strictly casual or beachwear. No exposed midriff to display tatoos and body piercing. Be neat, clean and as conservative as the business requires
It is extremely rude to arrive late for a meeting. It is ruder still to not attend at all. Having a good excuse does not exonerate you

Do not dominate the meeting. All communication must take place through the chairperson

Do not interrupt another speaker
Pay attention to the proceedings quietly
Do not leave the meeting until it is closed by the chairperson
Answer your phone pleasantly even if you are having a bad day
Always return telephone calls and do so as soon as possible.
Show consideration for other people’s feelings
Apologise if you are clearly in the wrong. If in doubt, apologise anyway. It’s no big deal and brings closure to a fruitless event
Accept an apology graciously and with compassion

If there is conflict, do not get personal in your remarks
Keep interruptions to a minimum and always apologise if your intrusion is an interruption of a discussion, concentration or other activity ..

Office Etiquette//PART-1

Employer Etiquette:

The role of the employer etiquette is very important in a office..
Employer Etiquette is how you conduct yourself in your capacity as an employer to your employees

Be respectful to your employees. Do not play favourites with any of them or you will quickly lose the respect of the rest of them.Give equal imporatance to all.

If an employee disagrees with you, hear them out. Give them your full attention. You may learn something useful from them. You will certainly get a different perspective on the subject.

This is an excellent opportunity to test your skill at handling the disagreement with tact and sensitivity. Never be dismissive or invalidate your employee's point of view. Do not trivialize their opinion

Get to know your employees; remember what they tell you about themselves. Keep notes to help your memory if necessary

Be sure to know their names

Respect what is told to you in confidence

Introduce new employees to their co-workers
and have proper indoctrination procedures in
place to make them feel welcome and useful from the start

Tell them what you expect of them

Let them get on with it

Help them when they need it

Tell them how they are doing

Reward and encourage them

Give them adequate training. To brush up on their computer skills and improve staff efficiency.

Give them credit for their contribution

Do not take them for granted

Don't ‘snoopervise’ (snooping supervision)

Deal with employee grievances promptly and fairly.

Do NOT trivialize them

Even though you pay your employees, show them that they are appreciated

Even though you are the boss, good etiquette requires that you keep your interruptions to a minimum and always apologise if your intrusion is an interruption to their concentration, a discussion or other activity

Office Etiquette (Office Manners)

Office Etiquette includes the following......

1.Employer Etiquette
2. Employee Etiquette
3.(a) E-mail Etiquette
(b) Telephone Etiquette
(c) Cell Phone Etiquette

Introduction-
Office Etiquette or Office Manners is about conducting yourself respectfully and courteously in the office or workplace.
First impressions are important! You are the ambassador/s of the business.

Always act with honesty and dignity

Chewing gum and popping bubble gum in the presence of co-workers is neither cool nor dignified

Never do it whilst attending customers

Wear appropriate office attire, for example correct footwear, not thongs (flip flops) - they are strictly casual or beachwear

No exposed midriff to display tattoos and body piercing.

Be neat, clean and as conservative as the business requires you to be

We are put off by smelly people. So, be sure to shower regularly and use a suitable deodorant

Do not cough or sneeze in anyone's direction. Use a tissue, if possible, to contain the germs and then say "Excuse me"

The essence of good manners and etiquette is to be respectful and courteous at all times and with everybody

Therefore, treat your co-workers, cleaners, maintenance people and others with respect and courtesy

Good office etiquette is easily achieved by using common courtesy as a matter of course

Keep your interruptions of others to a minimum and always apologize if your intrusion is an interruption of a discussion, someone’s concentration or other activity

Show respect for each others workspace. Knock before entering

Show appreciation for the slightest courtesies extended to you

Be helpful and co-operative with each other

Brush up on your computer skills so that you can help others

Aim to improve your other workplace skills and attributes too

You will find help from some of the sponsors listed at the top or right side of this page. Check them out as well

Speak clearly without shouting. Loud people are a vexation

Say, “Please; Thank you; You’re welcome”, as part of your everyday courtesy

Be discreet and compassionate in your criticism of a co-worker

Don’t gossip about any co-worker’s private life

Do not try to sell things to your colleagues

Don’t hover around while waiting for a co-worker to get off the phone. Leave a note for them to call you or return later

It’s not a good idea to take your iPod to your office. It hinders communication

Avoid sexist comments about a co-worker’s dress or appearance

Surveys show that the office know-it-all proved to be the biggest gripe amongst co-workers. Don't be a know-all

Take responsibility for your mistakes, apologise and go about correcting the mistakes

Apologise if you are clearly in the wrong. If in doubt, apologise anyway. It’s no big deal

Never blame someone else if it is your mistake

If your boss criticizes your work, inquire about what precisely is wrong with it. Consider the comments, discuss them amiably if you disagree with the comments but defer to the bosses opinion if he/she is adamant.

Effective Man Management

Leadership

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss.... The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads and the boss drives."

While leadership is easy to explain, leadership is not so easy to practice. Leadership is about behavior first, skills second. Good leaders are followed chiefly because people trust and respect them, rather than the skills they possess. Leadership is different to management. Management relies more on planning, organizational and communications skills. Leadership relies on management skills too, but more so on qualities such as integrity, honesty, humility, courage, commitment, sincerity, passion, confidence, positivity, wisdom, determination, compassion, sensitivity, and a degree of personal charisma.

Some people are born more naturally to leadership than others. Most people don't seek to be a leader. Those who want to be a leader can develop leadership ability. And many qualities of effective leadership, like confidence and charisma, continue to grow from experience in the leadership role.

Leadership can be performed with different styles. Some leaders have one style, which is right for certain situations and wrong for others. Some leaders can adapt and use different leadership styles for given situations.

People new to leadership (and supervision and management) often feel under pressure to lead in a particularly dominant way. Sometimes this pressure on a new leader to impose their authority on the team comes from above. Dominant leadership is rarely appropriate however, especially for mature teams. Misreading this situation, and attempting to be overly dominant, can then cause problems for a new leader. Resistance from the team becomes a problem, and a cycle of negative behaviors and reducing performance begins. Much of leadership is counter-intuitive. Leadership is often more about serving than leading. Besides which, individuals and teams tend not to resist or push against something in which they have a strong involvement/ownership/sense of control. People tend to respond well to thanks, encouragement, recognition, inclusiveness, etc. Tough, overly dominant leadership gives teams a lot to push against and resist. It also prevents a sense of ownership and self-control among the people being led. And it also inhibits the positive rewards and incentives (thanks, recognition, encouragement, etc) vital for teams and individuals to cope with change, and to enjoy themselves. Leaders of course need to be able to make tough decisions when required, but most importantly leaders should concentrate on enabling the team to thrive, which is actually a 'serving' role, not the dominant 'leading' role commonly associated with leadership.

Today ethical leadership is more important than ever. The world is more transparent and connected than it has ever been. The actions and philosophies of organizations are scrutinised by the media and the general public as never before. This coincides with massively increased awareness and interest among people everywhere in corporate responsibility and the many related concepts, such as Fair Trade, sustainability, social and community responsibility . modern leader needs to understand and aspire to leading people and achieving greatness in all these areas.

Incidentally as a quick case-study, the BBC illustrates an important aspect of leadership, namely philosophy.

Philosophy is the foundation on which to build strategy, management, operational activities, and pretty well everything else that happens in an organization.

Whatever the size of the organization, operational activities need to be reconcilable with a single congruent (fitting, harmonious) philosophy.

Executives, managers, staff, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, etc., need solid philosophical principles (another term would be a 'frame of reference') on which to base their expectations, decisions and actions. In a vast complex organization like the BBC, leadership will be very challenging at the best of times due to reasons of size, diversity, political and public interest, etc. Having a conflicting philosophy dramatically increases these difficulties for everyone, not least the leader, because the frame of reference is confusing.

For leadership to work well, people (employees and interested outsiders) must be able to connect their expectations, aims and activities to a basic purpose or philosophy of the organization. This foundational philosophy should provide vital reference points for employees' decisions and actions - an increasingly significant factor in modern 'empowered' organizations. Seeing a clear philosophy and purpose is also essential for staff, customers and outsiders in assessing crucial organizational characteristics such as integrity, ethics, fairness, quality and performance. A clear philosophy is vital to the 'psychological contract' - whether stated or unstated (almost always unstated) - on which people (employees, customers or observers) tend to judge their relationships and transactions.

The BBC is an example (it's not the only one) of an organization which has a confusing organizational philosophy. At times it is inherently conflicting. For example: Who are its owners? Who are its customers? What are its priorities and obligations? Are its commercial operations a means to an end, or an end in themselves? Is its main aim to provide commercial mainstream entertainment, or non-commercial education and information? Is it a public service, or is it a commercial provider? Will it one day be privatized in part or whole? If so will this threaten me or benefit me? As an employee am I sharing in something, or being exploited? As a customer (if the description is apt) am I also an owner? Or am I funding somebody else's gravy train? What are the organization's obligations to the state and to government?

Given such uncertainties, not only is there a very unclear basic philosophy and purpose, but also, it's very difficult to achieve consistency for leadership messages to staff and customers. Also, how can staff and customers align their efforts and expectations with such confusing aims and principles?

The BBC is just an example. There are many organizations, large and small, with conflicting and confusing fundamental aims. The lesson is that philosophy - or underpinning purpose - is the foundation on which leadership (for strategy, management, motivation, everything) is built. If the foundation is not solid and viable, and is not totally congruent with what follows, then everything built onto it is prone to wobble, and at times can fall over completely.

Get the philosophy right - solid and in harmony with the activities - and the foundation is strong.

This of course gives rise to the question of what to do if you find yourself leading a team or organization which lacks clarity of fundamental philosophy and purpose, and here lies an inescapable difference between managing and leading:

As a leader your responsibility extends beyond leading the people. True leadership also includes - as far as your situation allows - the responsibility to protect or refine fundamental purpose and philosophy.

Public Speaking / Presentation Skills

The art of public speaking is not god gifted....its all about the clarity of thoughts and the art of a good control over communicating with people.....the best of speakers archived it by practicing .....
so all we got to do is get less haunted by the audience and be confident of our talent and ideas....it would come natural to us.a blunder or two would happen many a times then only we all say practice makes a man perfect.
so NEVER GIVE UP TILL YOU PERFECT THE ART OF OPENING UP BEFORE AN AUDIENCE.....NEVER GIVE UP...... This is the MANTRA.

• Oratory

the art of public speaking

• The use of gestures

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate conventionalized particular messages, either in place of speech or together and in parallel with spoken words. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body. Gestures differ from physical non-verbal communication that does not communicate specific messages, such as purely expressive displays, proxemics, or displays of joint attention. Gestures allow individuals to communicate a variety of feelings and thoughts, from contempt and hostility to approval and affection, often together with body language in addition to words when they speak. The use of gesture as language by some ethnic groups is more common than in others, and the amount of such gesturing that is considered culturally acceptable varies from one location to the next.

• Control of the voice (inflection)

In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case. Conjugation is the inflection of verbs; declension is the inflection of nouns, adjectives and pronouns.

• Vocabulary, register, word choice

A vocabulary is defined as "all the words known and used by a particular person". However, the words known and used by a particular person do not constitute all the words a person is exposed to. By definition, a vocabulary includes the last two categories of this list:

1. Never encountered the word.
2. Heard the word, but cannot define it.
3. Recognize the word due to context or tone of voice.
4. Able to use the word but cannot clearly explain it.
5. Fluent with the word – its use and definition.

• Speaking notes

There is a right way and wrong way to use speaking notes when delivering a presentation. The wrong way is to read directly from your notes. The right way is to glance at them throughout your presentation to keep it on track.

• Use speaking notes to capture the outline of your presentation. If you write out everything you want to say, you will likely end up reading it to your audience.
• Use speaking notes to capture additional points or points of interest you want to mention.
• Put your speaking notes on index cards, instead of full sheets of paper. Index cards are easier to hold (and have less space for notes!).

• Using humor

"Humour" also originally had a connotation of a combined ridiculousness and wit in one individual.

• Developing a relationship with the audience

It's very tempting to keep focused on how you're feeling, especially if you're feeling really uncomfortable. You'll start to notice every bead of sweat.

To make your nerves work for you, you need to focus on just about anything other than yourself. You can distract yourself by paying attention to the environment in which you're speaking and seeing how you can make it work for you.

Once you're actually in front of your audience, pay attention to them. If you can, notice how people are dressed, who's wearing glasses, who has on bright colours. There will be dozens and dozens of things you can pay attention to help you trick your mind into not noticing what's going on with you.

Anything will do and you will find that the less you concentrate on how you are feeling and the more you concentrate on other things, the more confident you will feel.

Your audience can be your friend

Unless you know you're absolutely facing a hostile group of people, human nature is such that your audience wants you succeed. They're on your side!

Therefore, rather than assuming they don't like you, give them the benefit of the doubt that they do.

They aren't an anonymous sea of faces, but real people. So to help you gain more confidence when speaking in public, think of ways to engage your audience. Remember, even if they aren't speaking, you can still have a two-way conversation.

When you make an important point pay attention to the people who are nodding in agreement and the ones who are frowning in disagreement. As long as you are creating a reaction in your audience you are in charge.

Keep them awake

The one thing you don't want is for them to fall asleep! But make no mistake public speaking arenas are designed to do just that: dim lights, cushy chairs, not having to open their mouths - a perfect invitation to catch up on those zzzzs.

Ways to keep them awake include

• Ask rhetorical questions
• Maintain eye contact for a second or two with as many people as possible
• Be provocative
• Be challenging
• Change the pace of your delivery
• Change the volume of your voice

Communication Skills:

Communication Skills:

Communication Skills:
Communication is one of the most important aspects of building up relations......mis-communication can ruin everything.....as per the definition of communication ...it is the processes of getting through to people and making them understand what we think
...the exchange of understanding should be clear and simple....The more complicated the words become....the more opaque a conversation becomes.......
and in a professional approach it matters the most how effectively we get to connect and get across our ideas without stressing the other person before us.....

Types of communication skill:

Communication is generally classified into a couple of types. The classifications include: Verbal and non-verbal Technological and non-technological Mediated and non-mediated Participatory and non-participatory

However, the commonly known types of communications are :

1.Intra-personal communication skills : This implies individual reflection,

contemplation and meditation. One example of this is transcendental mediation. According to the experts this type of communication encompasses communicating with the divine and with spirits in the form of prayers and rites and rituals.

2.Interpersonal communication skills : This is direct, face-to-face communication that occurs between two persons. It is essentially a dialogue or a conversation between two or more people.

It is personal, direct, as well as intimate and permits maximum interaction through words and gestures. Interpersonal communications maybe:

3.Focused Interactions : This primarily results from an actual encounter between two persons. This implies that the two persons involved are completely aware of the communication happening between them.

4.Unfocused interactions : This occurs when one simply observes or listens to persons with whom one is not conversing. This usually occurs at stations and bus stops, as well as on the street, at restaurants, etc.

5.Non verbal communication skills : This includes aspects such as body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, etc., which also become a part of the communicating process; as well as the written and typed modes of communications.

6.Mass communication : This is generally identified with tools of modern mass media, which includes: books, the press, cinema, television, radio, etc. It is a means of conveying messages to an entire populace.

Here are the 7 top barriers:-

Many people think that communicating is easy.It is after all something we've done all our lives.There is some truth in this simplistic view.Communicating is straightforward.What makes it complex, difficult, and frustrating are the barriers we put in the way......

1. Physical barriers

Physical barriers in the workplace include:

• marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed

• closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for people of different status

• large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others.

Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another.

2. Perceptual barriers

The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we didn't, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception would take its place.

The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts, assumptions and perceptions shape our own realities:

A traveller was walking down a road when he met a man from the next town.

"Excuse me," he said. "I am hoping to stay in the next town tonight. Can you tell me what the townspeople are like?"

"Well," said the townsman, "how did you find the people in the last town you visited?"

"Oh, they were an irascible bunch. Kept to themselves. Took me for a fool. Over-charged me for what I got. Gave me very poor service."

"Well, then," said the townsman, "you'll find them pretty much the same here."

3. Emotional barriers

One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others.

"Mind your P's and Q's"; "Don't speak until you're spoken to"; "Children should be seen and not heard". As a result many people hold back from communicating their thoughts and feelings to others.

They feel vulnerable. While some caution may be wise in certain relationships, excessive fear of what others might think of us can stunt our development as effective communicators and our ability to form meaningful relationships.

4. Cultural barriers

When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adopt the behaviour patterns of the group. These are the behaviours that the group accept as signs of belonging.

The group rewards such behaviour through acts of recognition, approval and inclusion. In groups which are happy to accept you, and where you are happy to conform, there is a mutuality of interest and a high level of win-win contact.

Where, however, there are barriers to your membership of a group, a high level of game-playing replaces good communication.

5. Language barriers

Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may present barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzz-words and jargon. When we couch our communication in such language, it is a way of excluding others. In a global market place the greatest compliment we can pay another person is to talk in their language.

One of the more chilling memories of the Cold War was the threat by the Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev saying to the Americans at the United Nations: "We will bury you!" This was taken to mean a threat of nuclear annihilation.

However, a more accurate reading of Khruschev's words would have been: "We will overtake you!" meaning economic superiority. It was not just the language, but the fear and suspicion that the West had of the Soviet Union that led to the more alarmist and sinister interpretation.

6. Gender barriers

There are distinct differences between the speech patterns in a man and those in a woman. A woman speaks between 22,000 and 25,000 words a day whereas a man speaks between 7,000 and 10,000. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys and at the age of three, have a vocabulary twice that of boys.

The reason for this lies in the wiring of a man's and woman's brains. When a man talks, his speech is located in the left side of the brain but in no specific area. When a woman talks, the speech is located in both hemispheres and in two specific locations.

This means that a man talks in a linear, logical and compartmentalised way, features of left-brain thinking; whereas a woman talks more freely mixing logic and emotion, features of both sides of the brain. It also explains why women talk for much longer than men each day.

7 Interpersonal barriers

There are six levels at which people can distance themselves from one another:

1. Withdrawal is an absence of interpersonal contact. It is both refusal to be in touch and time alone.

2. Rituals are meaningless, repetitive routines devoid of real contact.

3. Pastimes fill up time with others in social but superficial activities.

4. Working activities are those tasks which follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more.

5. Games are subtle, manipulative interactions which are about winning and losing. They include "rackets" and "stamps".

6. Closeness is the aim of interpersonal contact where there is a high level of honesty and acceptance of yourself and others.

Working on improving your communications is a broad-brush activity. You have to change your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical connections.

That way, you can break down the barriers that get in your way and start building relationships that really work.

How To Communicate:

Improve Your Relationships With Effective Communication Skills

1. Stay Focused: Sometimes it’s tempting to bring up past seemingly related conflic ts when dealing with current ones. Unfortunately, this often clouds the issue and makes

   

   finding mutual understanding and a solution to the current issue less likely, and makes the whole discussion more taxing and even confusing. Try not to bring up past hurts or other topics. Stay focused on the present, your feelings, understanding one another and finding a solution.
2. Listen Carefully: People often think they’re listening, but are really thinking about what they’re going to say next when the other person stops talking. Truly effective communication goes both ways. While it might be difficult, try really listening to what your partner is saying. Don’t interrupt. Don’t get defensive. Just hear them and reflect back what they’re saying so they know you’ve heard. Then you’ll understand them better and they’ll be more willing to listen to you.
3. Try To See Their Point of View: In a conflict, most of us primarily want to feel heard and understood. We talk a lot about our point of view to get the other person to see things our way. Ironically, if we all do this all the time, there’s little focus on the other person’s point of view, and nobody feels understood. Try to really see the other side, and then you can better explain yours. (If you don't 'get it', ask more questions until you do.) Others will more likely be willing to listen if they feel heard.
4. Respond to Criticism with Empathy: When someone comes at you with criticism, it’s easy to feel that they’re wrong, and get defensive. While criticism is hard to hear, and often exaggerated or colored by the other person’s emotions, it’s important to listen for the other person’s pain and respond with empathy for their feelings. Also, look for what’s true in what they’re saying; that can be valuable information for you.
5. Own What’s Yours: Realize that personal responsibility is a strength, not a weakness. Effective communication involves admitting when you’re wrong. If you both share some responsibility in a conflict (which is usually the case), look for and admit to what’s yours. It diffuses the situation, sets a good example, and shows maturity. It also often inspires the other person to respond in kind, leading you both closer to mutual understanding and a solution.
6. Use “I” Messages: Rather than saying things like, “You really messed up here,” begin statements with “I”, and make them about yourself and your feelings, like, “I feel frustrated when this happens.” It’s less accusatory, sparks less defensiveness, and helps the other person understand your point of view rather than feeling attacked.
7. Look for Compromise Instead of trying to ‘win’ the argument, look for solutions that meet everybody’s needs. Either through compromise, or a new solution that gives you both what you want most, this focus is much more effective than one person getting what they want at the other’s expense. Healthy communication involves finding a resolution that both sides can be happy with.
8. Take a Time-Out: Sometimes tempers get heated and it’s just too difficult to continue a discussion without it becoming an argument or a fight. If you feel yourself or your partner starting to get too angry to be constructive, or showing some destructive communication patterns, it’s okay to take a break from the discussion until you both cool off. Sometimes good communication means knowing when to take a break.
9. Don’t Give Up: While taking a break from the discussion is sometimes a good idea, always come back to it. If you both approach the situation with a constructive attitude, mutual respect, and a willingness to see the other’s point of view or at least find a solution, you can make progress toward the goal of a resolution to the conflict. Unless it’s time to give up on the relationship, don’t give up on communication.
10. Ask For Help If You Need It: If one or both of you has trouble staying respectful during conflict, or if you’ve tried resolving conflict with your partner on your own and the situation just doesn’t seem to be improving, you might benefit from a few sessions with a therapist. Couples counseling or family therapy can provide help with altercations and teach skills to resolve future conflict. If your partner doesn’t want to go, you can still often benefit from going alone.

Tips:

1. Remember that the goal of effective communication skills should be mutual understanding and finding a solution that pleases both parties, not ‘winning’ the argument or ‘being right’.
2. This doesn’t work in every situation, but sometimes (if you’re having a conflict in a romantic relationship) it helps to hold hands or stay physically connected as you talk. This can remind you that you still care about each other and generally support one another.
3. Keep in mind that it’s important to remain respectful of the other person, even if you don’t like their actions.
4. Here's a list of common unhealthy ways to handle conflict. Do you do some of these? If so, your poor communication skills could be causing additional stress in your life.

Today, effective communication skills has become a predominant factor even while recruiting employees. While interviewing candidates, most interviewers judge them on the basis of the way they communicate. They believe that skills can be improvised on the job; but ability to communicate well is important, as every employee becomes the representing face of the company.

There are trainers, who specialize in delivering custom-made programs on the subject. Through the session they not only facilitate better skills in the department of communications, but also look into the problems that come in the way of being able to convey messages effectively. They discuss these issues with the management and then sought to design programs accordingly


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