Communication Skills (Transferable Skills Part 2)

Communication skills – getting the message across

There’s more than one way to communicate.  And more than one way to show you’re good at it!  Whether you’re working one-to-one, in a group, or in front of an audience, here’s how you can demonstrate these skills to employers, and some suggestions for getting more experience.

Face to face
By telephone
As part of a group
Leading a group
In front of an audience
In writing

Face to face

What employers are looking for

All jobs (and indeed the rest of your life) will involve having to communicate with people face to face, but in many jobs you may specifically have to:

• Deal politely with customers.
• Support, reassure and give advice and guidance to people.
• Train, educate or otherwise convey information.
• Build networks, persuade and negotiate.

Can you act appropriately, judging the type of relationship required?  Do you speak clearly, in a way that the listener understands – i.e. with suitable pace and volume, and without unnecessary jargon?  Do you listen well? Is your body language and personal presentation appropriate?  Other communication skills that may be required include knowing how to ask questions, and how to give feedback.

Where might you have used these skills?

• Jobs or volunteer roles involving customer service.
• Talking to members of the public at events (stewarding at festivals, open days, exhibitions etc.)
• Peer support or mentoring.
• Being in a caring role.
• Teaching someone a skill – this could be in an informal setting, like teaching a relative computer skills.
• Getting to know people at social events.

Ways to improve and gain experience

• If you’re not confident talking to people, maybe start by finding a group with shared interests, so you know you’ll have something to talk about.
• Find a volunteer position working one-to-one with someone as a befriender or mentor – this could be a child, an older person or someone with special needs.  Find volunteer roles on Do-It.org.
• Many colleges and universities have peer support networks, where established students are paired up with new ones to help them get used to student life.
• Some jobs offer accredited customer service training (or you can find free courses online, such as this one from Vision2Learn)
• Networking is very important for creatives.  Attend some networking events (like Redbrick’s Coffee and Cake).
• Courses in basic counselling, NVC or assertiveness all teach useful face to face communication skills.

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By telephone

What employers are looking for

Many jobs require answering the phone to customers, and it’s important that you give a good impression of the company.  Do you come across as polite and helpful?  Do you give accurate and relevant information?  Are you able to listen and identify the problem, then deal with it appropriately?

Where might you have used these skills?

• Answering phones at work or in a volunteering role.
• Dealing with business calls at home, such as sorting out utilities; or arranging something, like booking a holiday.
• Organising an event where you had to get support or sponsorship from various organisations.
• Being a club or society leader or secretary, where you had to contact club members by telephone.

Ways to improve and gain experience

• Charities often require volunteers for telephone fundraising, and they will give training for the role.
• Similarly, charities providing support helplines will train volunteers.

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As part of a group

What employers are looking for

Knowing how to communicate well within a group is quite a specific skill.  As a team member or in group discussions, do you make relevant contributions?  Do you know when to contribute, and when to let others have a say?  Are you good at listening, and taking on board a variety of perspectives?  Can you ask for clarification when something is misunderstood, to make sure everyone is on the same page?  And do you take responsibility for the actions you are given?

Where might you have used these skills?

• Group projects at school, college or university.  This might have involved discussion, brainstorming, allocating tasks and reporting back to other team members within a group setting.
• Team meetings at work where you may have contributed ideas or been given actions to pursue.
• Hobbies such as book clubs or drama groups.

Ways to improve and gain experience

• Join some groups!  They could relate to any of your hobbies or interests.  Meetup.com is a good place to start looking.
• Sign up to community volunteering projects where you’ll be working with like-minded people on a specific project.
• Get politically active; join a party and attend local meetings.  Or take part in public meetings or community groups.

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Leading a group

What employers are looking for

There is a continuum between directly leading a group (giving orders or instructions to be followed) and purely facilitating (supporting a group to make its own decisions); most leadership roles require a bit of both.  You’ll need to be able to get and hold people’s attention and give clear instructions.  You will help a group function smoothly by ensuring everyone gets a turn to speak and keeps on topic, making sure things run on time – such as when chairing a meeting.   You’ll be aware of group members, whether they are engaged and following the discussion, and make sure there are opportunities for questions or clarification.  You might need to motivate, persuade and inspire.

Where might you have used these skills?

• Chairing a meeting, either at work or in your spare time as a chairperson for a club or society.
• Leading a workshop or activity session
• Coaching a sports team
• Supervising children in an after-school club

Ways to improve and gain experience

• Look for positions of responsibility within any clubs you currently take part in – can you be a team leader or chair a meeting?
• Look for roles with an educational element, either paid or voluntary, where you might be able to lead workshops or activities.
• Volunteer as a facilitator for a peer support group – many organisations will offer training for this.
• Find leadership training opportunities through organisations such as the Prince’s Trust, National Citizen Service or Duke of Edinburgh Award.
• See if your employer offers CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses in leadership and management.

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In front of an audience

What employers are looking for

Some jobs will require you to be able to be confident speaking in front of a group of people.  This could be a presentation where you are conveying information, or it may be more for entertainment or social purposes, such as announcing acts or making speeches.  You’ll need to be able to keep people’s attention.  Can you project your voice, and come across as interesting and enthusiastic?  Can you present information in an engaging way?  For a presentation you will often be able to use different media – visual aids, audio, props etc. to add variety and help people take in the information through different channels.  You’ll also need confidence!

Where might you have used these skills?

• Making a presentation as part of your academic studies at college or university.
• Making a speech at a wedding or other social gathering.
• Taking part in debates.
• Acting or performing music in public.

Ways to improve and gain experience

• If you want to get used to being in front of an audience, try amateur dramatics or join a choir.
• Have a go at stand up comedy or open mic nights.
• Learn to use presentation software – and use it well (reading from PowerPoint slides is a big no-no).  There are many to choose from these days: Haiku Deck, Prezi etc.

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In writing

What employers are looking for

Having a good standard of literacy is always a plus, but sometimes a job will require particular skills in written communication.  This may be the majority of the job, such as in editing or copywriting, or it may be supplemental, such as preparing resources in teaching, or writing formal communications to clients.  How easy is it for the reader to pick up on your message?  Is it tailored to a particular audience, e.g. a certain age range, or a certain type of client?  Is it clear, jargon-free, and laid out in a manner that makes it easy to read?  Does it have accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar?

Where might you have used these skills?

• Academic essays and dissertations.
• Formal letters or emails either as part of a job or in day-to-day life.
• Producing newsletters, leaflets or flyers for a club or an event.
• Creative writing – stories, poems, travel writing etc.
• Writing a blog or website.

Ways to improve and gain experience

• Read a lot.  Particularly the type of writing you are trying to produce.  So, if you want to write a blog, read other blogs as examples.
• Write a journal or diary – just getting into the habit of writing regularly can help, even if it’s something no one else will read.
• If you don’t know how to use punctuation and grammar properly, look it up!  Here’s a list of some useful tools.
• When you write something, read it aloud to yourself to see if it sounds right.
• Find yourself a pen friend.
• Try using creative writing prompts (just put “Creative Writing Prompts” into Google and be showered with examples).

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written by Beth Hammond

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