If you have cultivated the following four communication skills, you have the right foundation for landing any job you want.
Excellent Speaking Skills
When most people think about communication, they think about speaking. While this area is only one part of communication, it’s a very important one. Speaking well matters, whether you’re a manager delivering motivational speeches to inspire your team, a bookkeeper explaining a client’s financial situation, or a public relations specialist interacting with members of the media.
Having good public speaking skills helps you talk to others and persuade them with your point of view. Your speaking skills will help you command others’ attention. You can showcase your excellent speaking skills during a job interview, so make the most of the opportunity.
Good Telephone Skills
While good speaking skills go some way toward making someone competent on the telephone, phone communication skills are skills unto their own. Without the visual clues of face-to-face communication, telephone speakers must take cues from what they’re hearing and express themselves only through their voices.
The more you use the telephone, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Try to resist the urge to simply text friends or book restaurant reservations online. Pick up the phone to make your arrangements instead.
Remember to speak clearly as the person you call can rely only on your words. You may also deal with people who don’t want to take your call, particularly if you’re cold-calling them. While they may be frustrated or even rude, you should always stay polite and friendly.
Most people will need to use the telephone to communicate at some point during their careers, but well-developed telephone skills are especially important for call center operators and advertising salespeople.