How to Develop Speaking & Technology Skills in Business Communications
A study published by the Journal of Employment Counseling on March 1, 2005 found that employers today are looking to hire people with excellent communication and technology skills. Specifically, the study found that the majority of companies interviewed were interested in finding candidates with excellent speaking skills and the ability to use technologies like PowerPoint and e-mail effectively. To meet the demands of potential and current employers, you may need to sharpen this skill set.
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Instructions
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Speaking
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Concentrate on using effective non-verbal cues when speaking. This may include standing up straight, smiling and making consistent eye contact. Effective non-verbal communication can convey confidence, even if you're nervous.
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Keep your message clear. Structure your presentations in a logical, easy to follow format. Structured and organized messages are easier to understand and retain, making your communication all the more effective.
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Keep it professional. Our words represent us, so keeping our communication habits professional in nature is more likely to help your reputation and increase the credibility of the messages you convey.
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Instill a sense of urgency to your speaking. Enthusiasm is contagious. The more energetic and excited the speaker is, the more likely the audience is to get excited.
Technology
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Stay up to date on the latest technological advances. Understanding the utility and usage practices of emerging technological tools can help you to more effectively use them.
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Train yourself to higher proficiency in programs that are frequently used in your industry. For example, understanding how to effectively use Excel may prove important in a business where you work on spreadsheets on a regular basis.
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Always double check yourself. While various forms of technology, like email or word processing, may spell or grammar check your communications, it is important that you take responsibility for your own results. Reading aloud what you are about to transmit may help you catch errors or insufficiencies that a computer misses.
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Tips & Warnings
Consider participating in seminars tailored to advancing your communication or technology skills. Not only will this improve your skill set, it will convey a sense of initiative to your superiors.
References
- Journal of Employment Counseling: What communication skills do employers want? Silicon valley recruiters respond.
- Basic business communication: skills for empowering the internet generation: Raymond Vincent Lesikar and Marie Elizabeth Flatley: 2002
- Improving Business Communication Skills: Deborah Roebuck: 2005
- Achieving Business Value from Technology: Tony Murphy: 2002
- Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses: Ramon Ray: 2004
- Photo Credit business image by david levasseur from Fotolia.com
