Business Communication Interview Process PDF

PROCESS OF AN INTERVIEW An interview is a structured conversation between two or more parties, typically involving an interviewer and an interviewee. Before, During and After the interview Before the interview: Once you have sent out at least one resume or filled out at least one job application, y...

PROCESS OF AN INTERVIEW An interview is a structured conversation between two or more parties, typically involving an interviewer and an interviewee. Before, During and After the interview Before the interview: Once you have sent out at least one resume or filled out at least one job application, you must consider yourself an active job seeker. Being active in the job market means that you should be prepared to be contacted by potential employers. Making the First Conversation Impressive: Keep a list on your cell phone or near the telephone of positions for which you have applied. Before you hang up, reconfirm the date and time of your interview. Take good notes during the phone conversation. Obtain accurate directions and verify the spelling of your interviewer’s name. If you will be interviewed by more than one person, get all their names. Cleaning Up Digital Dirt: Potential employers screen candidates’ online presence using Google and social media sites. Provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos, or information Content about drinking or doing drugs Poor communication skills. Cleaning up your online presence by following these steps: Remove questionable content. Remove any incriminating, provocative, or distasteful photos, content, and links that could make you look unprofessional to potential employers. Stay positive. Don’t complain about things in your professional or personal life online. Even negative reviews you have written on sites such as Amazon can turn employers off. Be selective about who is on your list of friends. You don’t want to miss out on an opportunity because you seem to associate with negative, immature, or unprofessional people. Don’t discuss your job search if you are still employed. Employees can find themselves in trouble with their current employers by writing status updates or sending tweets about their job searches. Being Polite and Pleasant: When you enter the office, be courteous and congenial to everyone. They will notice how you sit, what you read, and how you look. Introduce yourself to the receptionist and wait to be invited to sit. Greeting the Interviewer and Making a Positive First Impression: Greet the interviewer confidently, and don’t be afraid to initiate a handshake. Doing so exhibits professionalism and confidence. During an Interview: Throughout the interview you will be answering questions and asking your own questions. Your demeanour, body language, and other nonverbal cues will also be on display. The interviewer will be trying to learn more about you, and you should be learning more about the job and the organization. Sending Positive Nonverbal Messages and Acting Professionally: Control your body movements: Keep your hands, arms, and elbows to yourself. Don’t lean on a desk. Keep your feet on the floor. Don’t cross your arms in front of you. Keep your hands out of your pockets. Exhibit good posture: Sit erect, leaning forward slightly. Don’t slouch in your chair; at the same time, don’t look too stiff and uncomfortable. Good posture demonstrates confidence and interest. Practice appropriate eye contact: A direct eye gaze, suggests interest and trustworthiness. If you are being interviewed by a panel, remember to maintain eye contact with all interviewers. Use gestures effectively: Nod to show agreement and interest. Gestures should be used as needed, but not overused. After the interview: After leaving the interview, immediately make notes of what was said in case you are called back for a second interview. Write down key points that were discussed, the names of people you spoke with, and other details of the interview. Sending a Thank-You Message After a job interview, you should always send a thank-you message. This courtesy sets you apart from other applicants. Your message also reminds the interviewer of your visit and shows your good manners and genuine enthusiasm for the job. Contacting Your References: Alert your references that they may be contacted by the employer. You should have already asked permission to use these individuals as references, and you should have supplied them with a copy of your resume and information about the types of positions you are seeking. Following Up: If you don’t hear from the interviewer within five days, or at the specified time, consider following up. Contact the interviewer with a follow-up e-mail or phone call. An e-mail to find out how the decision process may be your best bet because such a message is less intrusive than a phone call. PURPOSE OF AN APPLICANT An applicant refers to an individual who formally expresses interest in a position, program, or opportunity within an organization. Receiving Feedback Applicants often seek constructive feedback during or after the interview process, regardless of the outcome. Understanding areas for improvement can help them in future applications and interviews. Seeking Employment The most direct purpose of an applicant is to secure a job or position within an organization. This involves demonstrating their qualifications, skills, and experiences that align with the requirements of the role. Gathering Information To understand the company’s values, mission, and work environment to determine if it is a good fit for their professional goals and personal values. Demonstrating Qualifications They seek to illustrate how their background aligns with the company’s needs and culture, emphasizing their potential contributions to the organization. WRITING DIGITAL AGE EMAIL MESSAGES AND MEMOS E-mail is appropriate for short, informal messages that request information and respond to inquiries. It is especially effective for messages to multiple receivers and messages that must be archived (saved). An e-mail is also appropriate as a cover document when sending longer attachments. Composing Professional E-mails Instead of casual words tossed off in haste, professional e-mails are well-considered messages that involve all three stages of the writing process. They have compelling subject lines, appropriate greetings, well-organized bodies, and complete closing information. Draft a Compelling but Concise Subject Line: The most important part of an e-mail. To improve your chances that your e-mails will be read, avoid meaningless statements such as Help, Important, or Meeting. Summarize the purpose of the message clearly and make the receiver want to open the message. Include a Greeting: To help receivers see the beginning of a message and to help them recognize whether they are the primary or secondary receiver. The greeting sets the tone for the message and reflects your audience analysis. Organize the Body for Readability and Tone: Get rid of wordiness, but don’t sacrifice clarity. If a longer sentence is necessary for comprehension, then keep it. To convey the best tone, read the message aloud. Close Effectively: At the end of your message, include an action statement with due dates and requests. You might include a friendly closing such as Many thanks or Warm regards. Do include your name because messages without names become confusing when forwarded or when they are part of a long string of responses. Writing Interoffice Memos Memos are necessary for important internal messages that: Are too long for e-mail Require a permanent record Demand formality Inform employees who may not have access to e-mail. Within organizations, memos deliver changes in procedures, official instructions, and reports. Prepared as memos, long messages are then delivered as attachments to e-mail cover messages. Memos seem to function better as permanent records than e-mail messages because the latter may be difficult to locate and may contain a trail of confusing replies. Similarities Between Memos and E-Mails Both usually carry non-sensitive information that may be organized directly with the main idea first. Both have guide words calling for a subject line, a dateline, and the identification of the sender and receiver. To enhance readability, both should be organized with headings, bulleted lists, and enumerated items whenever possible. E-mails and memos both generally close with an action information, dates, or deadlines, a summary of the message, or a closing thought. DISADVANTAGES AND ADVANTAGES OF USING EMAIL MESSAGES AND MEMOS Advantages: 1. Environmentally Friendly: Reduces paper use, contributing to sustainability. 2. Mass Communication: Can easily be sent to multiple recipients at once, making it effective for team or organization-wide announcements. 3. Accessibility: Can be accessed anytime and anywhere with an internet connection. Cloud storage ensures that emails and memos can be retrieved even if the original device is unavailable. 4. Cost-Effectiveness: Eliminates the cost of paper, printing, and postage. Disadvantages: 1. Decreased Productivity: Frequent email notifications can interrupt workflows, leading to reduced focus and efficiency.  2. Time Consumption: Managi ng a high volume of emails or memos can consume significant amounts of time, diverting attention from other tasks. 3. Security Concerns: Emails and digital memos are vulnerable to hacking, phishing, and unauthorized access. Sensitive information can be inadvertently shared with unintended recipients. 4. Information Overload: The ease of sending emails leads to excessive communication, causing inbox clutter and potentially overlooked messages. WHAT ARE THE COMPETITIVE JOB MARKETS Crisis Communication: The ability to think quickly and manage sensitive information is vital. Specialists are needed to handle communication during emergencies or negative events. Social Media Management: Growing need for professionals who can engage audiences and manage brand presence online. Familiarity with social media platforms and content creation is crucial. Public Relations: High demand for skilled PR professionals who can manage brand reputation and media relations. Candidates should have strong writing skills and the ability to craft compelling narratives. Marketing Communication: Involves creating strategies to promote products and services effectively. Knowledge of digital marketing tools and analytics is increasingly important. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO RÉSUMÉ Interview Preparation: Your resume serves as a reference point during interviews. Being familiar with your own resume helps you articulate your experiences and achievements more confidently when discussing them with potential employers. First Impression: A resume is often the first document an employer sees from you. It provides a snapshot of your professional background and skills, making it crucial for creating a positive first impression. Demonstrates Professionalism: A well-structured and polished resume reflects professionalism and attention to detail. It shows that you take your job search seriously and are committed to presenting yourself effectively. Required for Job Applications: Many employers require a resume as part of the application process. Having a ready-to- go resume ensures you can apply for jobs promptly and meet application deadlines. UNLOCKING THE HIDDEN JOB MARKET WITH NETWORKING Building a Personal Network This effort involves meeting people and talking to them about your field or industry so that you can gain information and locate job vacancies. Step 1: Develop a contact list. Make a list of anyone who would be willing to talk with you about finding a job. Step 2: Make contacts in person and online. Call the people on your list or connect online. During your visit be friendly, well organized, polite, and interested in what your contact has to say. Provide a copy of your resume and try to keep the conversation centred on your job search. Your goal is to get two or more referrals. Step 3: Follow up on your referrals. Call or contact the people on your list. Most important, ask how a person with your background and skills might get started in the field. Send an informal thank-you note to anyone who helps you in your job search and stay in touch with the most promising people. Ask whether you could stay in contact every three weeks or so during your job search. Targeting Social Media in a Job Search  Letting LinkedIn Help You Find a Job: This social media site dominates the world of job searching and recruiting. Developing an online presence at LinkedIn enables you to post information about yourself in one central place where it’s available to potential employers, graduate schools, future colleagues, and people you will want to stay connected to. A LinkedIn page tells the working world that you are a professional, and it remains significant even after you obtain a position. Enlisting Other Social Networks in a Job Hunt: Job seekers can join Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ to find job opportunities, market themselves to companies, showcase their skills, highlight their experience, and possibly land that dream job. Organizations may post open jobs to their Facebook or Twitter pages prior to advertising them elsewhere, you might gain a head start on applying by following them on these sites. WHAT DOES A BUSINESS PRESENTATION ENTAIL AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN A BUSINESS SECTOR Types of business presentations: Components of a Business Presentation 1. Purpose and Objectives: Clearly define the purpose of the presentation (e.g., to inform, persuade, educate, or report) and outline the specific objectives you aim to achieve.  2. Engagement: Encouraging questions, discussions, or feedback to foster engagement. 3. Q&A Session: Allow time for questions and answers at the end to clarify any doubts and engage with the audience further. 4. Content: Well-organized and relevant information tailored to the audience's needs. Why it’s important 1. Problem Solving: Presentations can be used to address challenges, present solutions, and outline action plans, facilitating constructive discussions. 2. Effective Communication: Business presentations enable clear and organized sharing of complex information with teams, clients, or stakeholders. 3. Decision-making: They provide essential data, analysis, and recommendations, facilitating informed decision-making. 4. Training and Education: Business presentations are often used for training purposes, helping to educate employees about new products, processes, or policies. WHAT IS A BUSINESS REPORT A business report is a structured document that presents information, analysis, and recommendations regarding a specific business issue, project, or situation. DIFFERENT KIND OF INTERVIEWS AND THE PURPOSE OF THOSE INTERVIEWS Screening Interviews: Screening Interviews screen candidates to eliminate those who fail to meet minimum requirements. Companies use screening interviews to save time and money by weeding out lesser-qualified candidates before scheduling final face-to-face or video inter- views. Panel Interviews: Panel interviews are typically conducted by people who will be your supervisors and colleagues. To evaluate a candidate by multiple interviewers at once. This allows different perspectives and reduces bias. One-on-One Interviews: In one-on-one interviews, which are most common, you can expect to sit down with a company representative and talk about the job and your qualifications. If the representative is the hiring manager, questions will be specific, and job related. Group Interviews: Some employers use this technique to evaluate leadership skills and communication styles. During a group interview, stay focused on the interviewer, and treat the other candidates with respect.