As we reflect on the beginning of this year, it’s become clear that the Great Resignation is still taking place in the corporate world. A quick study by Willis Towers Watson found that nearly half of employees in today’s global workforce are active job hunters as of Q1 2022. This might greatly impact your success as a job seeker, as competition is fierce. Your qualifications and hard skills aren’t the only things recruiters and employers are looking at anymore. According to LinkedIn’s Career Expert, Andrew McCaskill, the top three skills employers are looking for in new hires this year are dependability, problem-solving, and, you guessed it, communication.
4 Effective Communication Skills to Develop
When thinking about communication, people often address it as a singular skill when in fact, communication is multi-faceted. These are a few communication-specific skills you may want to work on developing, as interviewers will be looking for them.Listening
When it comes to communication, listening is just as essential as speaking. Take the time to process what your interviewers are asking and respond accordingly. Be sure you are actually answering their questions! Don’t talk over them. Know that your time to share will come.Non-Verbal
How do you portray confidence? For many, it’s through non-verbal cues. Think about actions like solid eye contact, open shoulders, intentional hand gestures, etc. All these factors play into an interviewer’s opinion. Teams want those with confidence but who aren’t brazen, and non-verbal communication can help with this!Friendliness
Teams want new hires that will mesh easily with the team. They want individuals they can trust. When you’re friendly and easy to get along with, you’ll immediately outperform someone who is a bit stand-offish.Responsiveness
Now, we’re not saying drop everything and respond the second an email from the interviewer comes in. But timely responses throughout the interview process are critical. You get frustrated with a company’s lack of response and vice versa. Those who communicate more rapidly are usually dubbed as better communicators.
With those skills in mind, how can you apply this to your interviews in a way that will land you at the top of the candidate list? Let’s take a look.
4 Ways to Communicate Effectively During the Interview Process to Stand Out
Develop Thoughtful Answers
The job description for the position you’re interviewing for can help you anticipate some of the questions that will be asked during the interview and plan out thoughtful responses that address your skills. Think through answers that will provide a situation, your response, and the outcome. Clearly communicating your abilities with measurable results is something that not many candidates can do effectively. Doing this will put you at the top of the list, as it shows you’re thoughtful, intentional, and work towards positive solutions.Consider Your Non-Verbal Presentation
Make eye contact immediately. Greet with a firm handshake if it’s an in-person interview. Don’t twiddle your thumbs or click your pen out of anxiety. These small non-verbal communication actions give away more than we realize. You want to exude confidence, and the way you present yourself non-verbally is one of the best ways to share that.Ask Intentional Questions
If you’re not asking questions at the end of the interview process, you’re missing out on an opportunity to rise above.Follow-Up
Don’t email the recruiter every day asking for a status update. Instead, craft a thoughtful and gracious message to send to those you interviewed with, stating you’re available should they have any further questions. Be sure to reiterate your genuine interest in the role. Keep the line of communication open and show that you appreciate their time and consideration.Thinking through your strategy for interviews involves intentionally focusing on each of these skills and more. It’s a lot of work, but it will pay off when you land your ideal role!
NimblyWise Can Help You Develop Your Effective Communication Skills to Land Your Dream Job
If your struggles with communication are standing in the way of your career success, NimblyWise wants to help. You can develop practical communication tools to ace your next interview, land your dream job, and excel through personalized coaching and training! We are here to chat about our program and how it can make you more confident in your communication skills. Schedule a call with us today!
