Module 6 - Purposive Communication PDF

RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig SESSION NO. / WEEK 8 MODULE 6: COMMUNICATION FOR WORK PURPOSES 1. Communication Network...

RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig SESSION NO. / WEEK 8 MODULE 6: COMMUNICATION FOR WORK PURPOSES 1. Communication Networks 2. Business Letter 3. Resume 4. Interview 5. Ethics of Interviewing Overview This module talks about communication in the workplace. It discusses about communication networks; business letter as well as its parts, lay out, and types; resume and its functions and parts; interview and the conduct and ethics of it. The essence of communication is sharing, providing data, information, insights in an exchange that benefits you and the people with whom you are communicating with. Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. It plays a important role in the success of every organization it help establish the relationship between superior and subordinates and the relationship between organizations relay on how well and they manage to communicate each other. The organization is run by interchanging information, plans, ideas, proposals, use of data, and conducting discussions, meetings, and research which are all different forms of communication. Individuals in organizations transmit messages through face to-face, written, and mediated channels. To be able to communicate effectively in the workplace is a challenge that future and currently employed people face. Researchers have proven that an efficient communication pattern helps ease conflicts in work and fellow employees and enhances better workflow. While the demand to learn this skill may be high, the rewards are fulfilling. Students like you who have not been exposed to any work community will benefit most from the lessons in this module. PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 1  RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Study Guide To carefully understand this module, you are instructed to read this module thoroughly to be enlightened more of the discussion. Furthermore, an activity and an assessment are provided at the end of this module to assess your learning. Learning Outcomes At the end of the module, you will be able to: 1. Create clear, coherent, and effective communication materials. 2. Present ideas persuasively using appropriate language registers, tone, facial, expressions, and gestures. Topic Presentation COMMUNICATION NETWORKS In an organization, the manager has to read, speak, write, listen, observe, and supervise are all means of communication. You should know how to make letters, reports, proposals, and memos and other communication. In order to do so, you must improve your communication skills. It can be the most important step you can make in your career, the ability to communicate is an essential skill that employers expect employee to have when they enter the workforce. Ambition and great ideas aren’t enough, people in every field need to communicate with people in order to succeed in their career. They often need to share ideas with colleagues and connect with people outside their field. Communication in the workplace primarily involves a system of managing the flow of information within an organization. You will appreciate it more if you understand how confusing unregulated communication is, even in small organization with barely 20 employees. If each were to pass information to everyone, each employee will have to send and receive information- possibly conflicting information- from all those employees. With this degree of complexity, there is come system for structuring who will communicate with whom. These systems are called communication networks- regular patterns of person-to-person relationships through which information flows in an organization. PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 2  RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Formal Communication Networks (Adler & Ehlmorst, 1999) Formal communication networks are systems designed by management to dictate who should talk to whom to get a job done. In a small organization, networks are so simple that they may hardly be noticeable; in larger organizations, they become more intricate. The most common way of describing formal networks is with organizational charts. They are more than a bureaucrat’s toy; they provide clear guideline of who is responsible for a given task and which employees are responsible for other’s performance. A typical organization chart shows that communication can flow in several directions: downward, upward, horizontally, and lateral. Types of Formal Communications in the Organization DOWNWARD UPWARD HORIZONTAL/LATERAL Definition Superior to Subordinate Between co-workers Subordinate to Superior with different areas or responsibility Types Job What Coordinated tasks instructions subordinates Solve Problems Rationale for are doing Share information job Unsolved Manage conflicts Build Organizational work a rapport procedures Problems and practices Suggestions Feedback to for subordinates improvement Indoctrination Subordinate’s to feelings Organization about job culture and co workers  PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 3 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Potential Prevention/ Prevention of Increased Benefits correction of new cooperation aiming employee problems employees with errors Greater and solution different duties job of old ones Greater understanding satisfaction Increased or organization’s Improve Morale acceptance mission of manageme nt decisions Potential Insufficient or Superiors Rivalry may occur Problems unclear may between employees messages discourage, from different areas Message disregard or Specialization overload downplay makes Message importance of understanding distorted as it subordinates’ difficult Information passes messages overload through one Supervisors discourages or more may unfairly contacts Physical intermediaries blame barriers subordinates discourage contacts for Lack of motivation unpleasant news Business Letter From paper to e-mail, letter dominates the world of business and are the most often used in communicating. Historically, business letter was sent via postal mail or courier but the rapid innovations on technology change our way in sending business letters. Business correspondence needs to be polished and professionally formatted. Basic Parts Heading/Letterhead/Return Address Dateline Inside Address Salutation Body of the letter Complementary Close Signature Block Reference Initials Heading/Letterhead/Return Address The heading or letterhead includes the sender’s details such as the name, address, contact details (mobile number, e-mail address) and even the logo of the company where the sender is part of. It is also called return address for it contains the address where the recipient will refer when sending the response. This is typed 2 spaces above the dateline. Dateline PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 4 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig The date of a letter when a letter was written should be placed spaces below the writer’s return address information. It is the final component in the heading of a business letter. Format it using the month, day and year or you can also format it using the day, month and year. Date of letter shouldn’t be abbreviated and must be indicated completely. Inside Address Inside Address as a counterpart of the letter head, contains the receiver’s details. These contain information such as the name of the receiver, his or her position, company, and company address. This is typed 2 spaces below the dateline. Salutation Salutation is the initial greetings of the sender to the receiver of the letter. In writing the salutation, it is very important to consider proper titles for the person to which the letter will be sent. In a business letter, a colon is being used as the punctuation mark for the salutation. This part is typed 2 spaces after the inside address. Body of the Letter Body is the most important part because it is the essence of the letter. It contains the message of the sender to the receiver. In writing body of the letter, the sender must take into consideration several factors. There are actually six qualities of effective business letter. Complementary Close It is considered to be the closing greetings of the sender to the receiver. It is typed 2 spaces below the body of the letter. In writing the complimentary close, it is only the first letter of the first word which should be typed in uppercase letter; the rest should be in lower case only. Punctuation mark to be used must be comma (,). Signature Block This part identifies the sender. It shows the full name of the sender of the letter with his or her signature above. It is typed 3 to 5 spaces below the complimentary close to give space for the sender’s signature. This makes the letter valid and reliable. Reference Initials It is the TYPIST’S INITIALS. Therefore, if the sender is not the same person who typed the letter, it is not the sender’s initials which will appear on the letter, rather, the typist’s initials. This commonly happens in business letters. For instance, the company president asked his secretary to type a letter, it is the secretary’s initials which will appear on the letter. However, the company president will remain the sender of the letter whose details and name will appear on the same letter. Reference initials can be typed 2 spaces below the signature block. PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 5 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Styles or Formats of Business Letter Full-block Style Modified Block Styles Semi-block Style Simplified Style Full-block Style This is the format that will work well in every situation and can be used for formal as well as in informal correspondence. This block format business letter illustrates how quick and easy communications can be to type. This format has no indention at the beginnings of paragraphs and all the information is typed flushed left, with one-inch margins all around. Modified Block Style This modified block business letter format differs from the full block style for some parts of it are moved to the right side. However, the beginnings of the paragraphs remain not indented. Modified block style are just a little less formal than full block style. The dateline, complimentary close, and the signature block all start near the center of the page, proceeding to the right side. On the other hand, the other parts remain on the left. Semi-block Style The semi-block business letter format looks very much like the modified block style, except that the paragraphs have been indented. Semi-block letter format letters are just a little formal than modified block style. If you are using this format, the dateline must be placed at the right center of the page, type the inside address and salutation flush left. The complimentary close and signature block must be aligned also with the dateline. For formal letters, avoid abbreviations; indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch. Simplified Style This is another modification of the full block format. This is used when you write a letter and you don’t know the name and title of the person you are writing the letter. The format is widely used when the writer of the letters does not want to give importance to formality; this format gives more importance to the core matter of the letter. This format omits the salutation and the complimentary close; all lines are flush with the left margin; dateline is placed six spaces below the letterhead, inside address is placed 4 spaces below dateline; subject is typed in capital letters, 3 spaces below the inside address; and writer’s name and official title/ position are types in capital letters, 4 or 5 spaces below the body of the letter. COMMON TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTERS PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 6 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Absence Letter Appreciation Letter Congratulations Letter Cover Letter Follow-up Letter Job-offer Letter Resignation Letter Absence Letter Absence letter is a formal notification when you plan to miss work. This is the correspondence that every employee may need to provide an excuse letter when they miss time from work to interview or for other reasons. Appreciation Letter Sending thank you notes to everyone who helps with your career or job search goes a long way. It is a great way to reach out and make others aware of your gratitude for their help. Congratulations Letter This is the type of correspondence that you send someone who has just gotten a promotion or a new job, retirement, or when someone has done a great job at work, congratulate them to let them know they are appreciated. Cover Letter A cover letter is a one-page document that explains why you are an ideal candidate for the job. Attach a cover letter with your resume when you apply for jobs to show your passion for the position or company, and highlight relevant qualifications that could add value to the company. Follow-up Letter A follow-up letter is sent after an interview to check on the status of a resume or a job application you have submitted. It gives you the chance to re-introduce yourself if you received no response to an earlier correspondence. Job-offer Letter Formal job-offer letter confirms the details of the offer of employment including some or all of the following job description, salary, benefits, paid time-off, work schedule, reporting structure, etc. Resignation Letter PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 7 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Resigning professionally and gracefully, whenever possible, is the best way to leave a job. A resignation letter will ease the transition over the job and will help you maintain a positive relationship with your employer even after you are no longer with the company. There are a variety of circumstances, including basic and formal resignation letters, two week’s notice, no notice, short notice, retirement, and farewell letter. RESUME A resume is a structured summary of a person’s education, employment background, job qualifications and accomplishments which highlights the aspects that would be of interest to a prospective employer. Where to start? First, you should decide on the format that you will use. It can be Chronological and Functional. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages. Chronological Format This format presents the traditional type of a resume that emphasizes career progression that provides a quick, orderly overview of your candidate’s work and educational experience. This format is used when a candidate wants to apply for a similar field and wants to promote upward career mobility. Functional Format This format focuses on the abilities and skills of a candidate. It emphasizes the applicant’s qualifications. Functional format is more suitable for those candidates with an expert level of experience. This format is used when a candidate has gaps in employment and if the candidate wants to change career path and wants to highlight a specific skill set. ORDER OF INFORMATION Name Mailing Address Telephone Number Email Address Picture Resume Introduction Key Skills and Strengths  Technical/ Software Skills Educational History Employment History References/ Referees INTERVIEW PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 8 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig Interview is a two-party conversation in which at least one person has a specific, serious purpose. This definition makes it clear that interviewing is a special kind of conversation, differing from other types in several ways. Most important, interviewing is always purposeful. Unlike more spontaneous conversations, an interview includes at least one participant who has a serious, predetermined reason for being there. There are two parties involved in an interview: the interviewer and the interviewee. INTERVIEWER is the one who initiates the interview. It refers to the person who delivers the questions to the other part who is called the interviewee. INTERVIEWEE is the one who responds to the questions being asked by the interviewer. PLANNING AN INTERVIEW A successful interview begins before the parties face each other. Whether you are the interviewer or the respondent, background work can mean the difference between success and disappointment. In planning the interview, the steps on the left side of this slide are being considered. Identify and analyze the other party. Prepare a list of topics. Choose the best interview structure. Consider possible questions. CONDUCTING AN INTERVIEW The environment where an interview takes place greatly determines the success or failure of its conduct. With some planning of time and place, you can avoid the frustrations of trying to discuss a confidential matter with a co-worker within earshot of people who would love to overhear your conversation or of trying to stop your boss in the hall to ask for a raise when she’s on her way to a meeting and the easiest way to get free of you is to say no. After careful planning, the interview itself takes place. An interview consists of three stages: Opening (Introduction) Body Closing (Adler & Elmhorts, 1999) Opening A good introduction can shape the entire interview. Research suggests that people form lasting impressions of one another in the first few minutes of a conversation. Deaver (1986) describes the importance of its impressions in a job interview this way: “The first minute is all-important in an interview. Fifty percent of the decision is made within the first 30 to 60 seconds. About 25 percent of the evaluation PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION 9 RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig is made during the first 15 minutes. It’s very difficult to recover the last 25 percent if you’ve blown the first couple of minutes”. These initial impressions shape how a listener regards everything that follows. Body It is here that questions and answers are exchanged. While a smooth interview might look spontaneous to an outsider, you have already learned the importance of preparation. It is unlikely that an interview will ever follow your exact expectations, and it would be a mistake to force it to do so. As an interviewee, you will think of important questions- both primary and secondary- during the session. As a respondent, you will probably be surprised by some of the things the interviewer asks. The best way to proceed is to prepare for the general areas you expect will be covered and do your best when expected issues come up. Closure An interview should not end with the last answer to the last question. As with most other types of communication, certain functions need to be performed to bring the interview to a satisfactory conclusion. Review and clarify the results of the interview. Establish future actions. Conclude with pleasantries. ETHICS OF INTERVIEWING The exchange of information that goes on between interviewer and interviewee should be guided by some basic ethical guidelines and responsibilities (Wilson & Goodall, Jr., 1991) as mentioned in Adler & Elmhorst (1999). In addition to the moral reasons for following these guidelines, there is often a pragmatic basis for behaving ethically. Since the interview is likely to be part of an on-going relationship, behaving responsible and honorably will serve you well in future interactions. Conversely, the costs of developing a poor reputation are usually greater than the benefits of gaining a temporary advantage by behaving unethically or irresponsibly. Obligations of the Interviewer Make only promises you are willing and able to keep.  Keep confidences Allow the interviewee to make free responses. Treat every interview with respect. Obligations of the Interviewee TYPE OF INTERVIEW DO’s DON’Ts PURPOSIVE 10 COMMUNICATION RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig FACE-TO-FACE Make a research about Never be late. Being INTERVIEW the profile of the tardy is never This is the most excusable. Do not be company you are too cocky. Wait for the common type and often applying to. interviewer to offer you called a “personal a seat. Dress interview”. Do not slouch. professionally. Good posture The interviewer gets to Arrive on time. reflects see to interviewee up confidence. Greet interviewer with close and personal. Always be modest a smile. when answering. He/ She can keep an Sit upright. Do not be eye on the body desperate. Do not Maintain eye language of the fidget. contact. Be interviewee to assess Never lie yourself. Do not speak bad his/ her sincerity, Thank the interviewer things about your flexibility, and company or after the interview. commitment. It can be colleagues. Do not reveal formal or informal and personal information it’s usually or make conversational. unprofessional remarks. TYPE OF INTERVIEW DO’s DON’Ts  PANEL INTERVIEW Be sure to do Don’t rush your This type of some research on answers. Don’t act both the interview involves pressured because of interviewers. Know two or more their roles within the the “firing squad”. company. The key to interviewers. They try a panel to gauge the group interview is to keep all management and group the interviewers involved by maintaining presentation skills of the eye contact. Build interviewee since this rapport. type is mostly used Engage the group when interviewing with your responses. When responding, applicants for senior direct your initial level positions. answer to the one who asked you the question, but as you elaborate your examples, address other interviewers. TYPE OF INTERVIEW DO’s DON’T’s PURPOSIVE 11 COMMUNICATION RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig  GROUP INTERVIEW Dress appropriately. Do not arrive It is also known as Instead of unprepared. emphasizing other Group Discussion of Do not talk too much people’s GD. It weaknesses, highlight to overpower your involves bringing an the positive things you fellow interviewees, can do for the applicant with several but do not talk very company. other candidates who Listen to your little, too. Know when are vying for the same peers’ answers. to strike a balance. This will help you position. All of them Do not ask what the think and answer are interviewed better. company does, how simultaneously. The Support some co much pay you would interviewee’s main purpose of this be getting, or if you statements. Smile type of interview is to and nod a lot. Ask got the job. evaluate how different brilliant questions. This Do not bully other interviewees react and will make you stand applicants. out from the rest. interact with others and Greet and thank how they the interviewer influence others with and co interviewees. their knowledge and reasons. TYPE OF INTERVIEW DO’s DON’T’s TELEPHONE Remember Do not search the INTERVIEW telephone etiquettes. internet while talking This type of interview is Make a research about the company in over the phone. conducted via advance Make the Do not use slang telephone. Usually, interviewer feel that or informal companies do this as you are listening well by being alert in language. an initial step answering the Do not interrupt the before inviting an questions. Practice interviewer. applicant for a face-to being interviewed over the Don’t be afraid to ask face interview. phone by asking questions for Because the your friends to call clarification. interviewer cannot you. see the applicant’s Be professional and upbeat. body language, it is Maintain important that the professional tone interviewee has throughout the positive and concise interview. Take down notes. answers and speaks with enthusiasm to  impress the interviewer. PURPOSIVE 12 COMMUNICATION RIZALTECHNOLOGICALUNIVERSITY Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig DON’T MISINTERPRET THE FACTS OR YOUR POSITION Whether the setting is an employment, a performance review session, or an information-gathering survey, it can be tempting to tell interviewers what they want to hear. The temptation is especially great if your welfare is at stake. But besides, being unethical, misrepresenting the facts is likely to catch up with you sooner or later and harm you more than telling the truth in the first place would have. DON’T WASTE THE INTERVIEWER’S TIME If the choice exists, be sure you are qualified for the interview. For example, it would be a mistake to apply for a job that you have a little chance of landing or to volunteer for a customer survey if you are not a member of the population being studied. If the preparation for the interview is necessary, be sure to do your homework. Once the interview has begun, be sure to stick to the subject in order to use the time most wisely.  COMMUNICATION 13 PURPOSIVE