Communicate Effectively During Your Job Search in 8 Easy Steps

Communicate Effectively Do you think you have the right communication skills to earn the available position?

Your chances of getting hired depend on your communication skills. Many companies look for communication skills in every candidate they interview.

Your cover letter and resume are often evaluated by hiring managers to gauge how well you communicate.

Because there are different forms of communication, keep in mind that your body language is also a part of the equation. Is your mind cluttered or well-ordered? How much preparation went into your interview outfit? These nonverbal cues are often noticed, no matter how small they are.

Here are 8 keys to consider when it comes to communicating effectively:

Organized reasoning. How does the prose of your cover letter read? Do you beat around the bush or get to the point directly? How well do you present facts? Are they easy to follow?

Strong usage of action words and vocabulary.Keep in mind that effective communicators often begin every bullet with strong verbs like built, managed, conveyed, analyzed, delivered, etc. (Putting those action verbs in the past tense makes a stronger resume and impact.)

Wasting time. Don’t bother including information that won’t be relevant to the job position you are applying for. Cluttering your written documents and speech only puts you in the back of the pack.

Interest in the position and company.It is best to relay your interest through your cover letter. Mention that you have been following the company on LinkedIn, or that you’ve set up a Google Alert to get updates from time to time. State something about the company that appeals to you most.

Passion. Even if you are highly qualified in terms of education, experience, degrees and licensing, without passion, you’ll go nowhere. It is best to work within an industry that you really love. And that spark of fire can set you apart from other candidates.

Let your resume speak for you. Your resume bullet points should include all the challenges you’ve faced and the positive results. Once hiring managers understand how meaningful the work is to you, they are more likely to gravitate toward you.

Follow-up. Take the initiative and respond with a thank-you noteto show your respect and thoughtfulness.

Listen. Learning when to talk and when to listen is an art. Don’t hear only what you want to hear. Instead, listen actively to your audience to understand what the other parties want. Doing this helps you articulate the right information in an appropriate fashion.

Don’t forget to assess your situation carefully and think out what you want to say, logically in a clear and professional manner. This will help you make the best possible case for yourself and help convince the employer what an asset you will be for the company.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.