L33T Index
Careers Advisors
Effectiveness of Communication & Barriers
By Asif Khan
If you are applying for jobs or looking for a promotion with your current employer, you will almost certainly need to demonstrate good communication skills.
Effective Communication
What is effective communication? Communication is the process of sharing information, thoughts and feelings between people through speaking, writing or body language. There are three types of effective communication; general, interpersonal and written.
General communication
General communication (Verbal communication) is primarily to listen and an ability to be able to speak. In a business organization, listening is a key to help build relationships among employees and between customers and clients.
To have the most effectiveness of speaking and listening you must be able to know the types of dialect, language and accents into consideration. So that you are able to get your message or point across.
This is a beneficial skill to help you get into employment as you would want to not only understand your customers/clients but for them to also understand you.
Interpersonal communication
Interpersonal Skills are the skills we use when engaged in face-to-face communication with one or more other people.
Interpersonal skills consist of having a focused attention and clear concise messages.
Having a focused attention is something you need to apply this to yourself in a work ethic as you must remember to pick the most understandable terms and words to ensure what your saying is not misunderstood and is still being able to get your point across.
Having clear concise messages will help accuracy and audience comprehension and you can do this by using simple, concrete words and give brief, understandable explanations.
On top of that having an active listening skill means you must ensure you are watching the other party member to ensure that they are understanding you.
Written communication skills
What is written communication skills? Written communication skills is communicating via verbally in a context of a written manner. Which can be either an email, letter, memo are perfect examples in work related.
Written communication is also important for instructing employees on certain tasks and projects. For example, a boss may meet with an employee about a special project.
Email is an extremely important written communication tool used in business. Employees write multiple emails each day, setting up meetings or apprising bosses about the status of projects.
You must ensure that you’re writing in the form of a formal manner as in a working environment you must have a professional tone as the way you would text your friends would not be appropriate in the work life.
Barriers to Communication
Language
Language is probably one of the most major setback as you have to take into consideration of different languages and also different unfamiliar accents.
Given example if you are going to an interview you must talk in standard formal English, because if you talking in another language most very likely the person interviewing you would not understand.
You also have to take into account that you may speak in a different accent or dialect, and must be aware of making sure the person interviewing you understands what you are saying and that it is appropriate.
In addition you must always be careful of what you say as the way you talk in your social life will most probably be unsuitable or could even be offensive so you must ensure you speak in a professional manner
Body language
“The gestures, postures, and facial expressions by which a person manifests non-verbally.”
Lack of eye contact is something you don’t wish to do. No matter what result you’re hoping for from communicating face-to-face, eye contact is one of your most powerful tools in an interview.
Trying to communicate without making good eye contact is like trying to speak without opening your mouth. By keeping eye-contact shows you are listening and that you are not distracted which will set a great impression.
Having a strong cover letter and resume will get you an interview for that desired job, but you can easily kill your chances with weak body language.
Adopt a good posture that displays interest but still comes across as being relaxed. You can do this by sitting up straight in your chair at the start of the interview, with your back against the back of the chair. If you slouch or hang sideways in your chair, it will give the impression that you are not that interested in the job.
Physical Barriers
A given example of a physical barrier to communication can be a noise barrier between both the sender and receiver(s).
To help avoid this you can always make sure you are speaking clearly and loud so that when you are speaking to a potential employee that the interview is going smoothly.