Communication Skills: More Than Written And Verbal

Communication is a very varied thing. We all do it but the manner in which we communicate at our most comfortable depends on many factors. Some people are very confident speakers and they can more than hold their own in a debate, while others may gain confidence from the barrier of a computer keyboard. Then there are those who have a good telephone manner, but who may not be so confident when speaking face-to-face. Here is a demonstration of how different means of communication present their own plus and minus points. It is a job application that calls into play three different forms of communication.

Written
Fred believes he has the relevant skills for a job he saw advertised in the local paper. The first stage in applying for this particular post is to submit his CV along with a letter of application. This form of communication offers Fred total control over what he reveals to his prospective employers and it is a one-way street, with no questions being asked in relation to what appears on his documentation. He can edit and polish his application until he is satisfied that it will stand the best possible chance of standing out from the crowd. Even though he is somewhat apprehensive about the prospect of being chosen for interview, Fred can project an air of confidence from the safe detachment of his computer keyboard.

Verbal
Taking so much care over his written application paid off because Fred has been selected for interview. He will now have to demonstrate his verbal communication skills in the far less comfortable environment of a face-to-face meeting. Of course he can still prepare for this by memorising details related to his employment history and trying to pre-empt some of the questions he might be asked, but he is no longer in total control of the information he divulges.

Unlike the written part of his application, there is nothing to hide behind in a face-to-face meeting. Fred must concentrate on participating in the interview in a confident manner, expressing himself with clarity and not becoming flustered.

Non-Verbal
It's all going swimmingly for Fred. The interview is coming to a close and he has demonstrated good verbal communication skills to reinforce his strong written application. Then this happens:

Interviewer: How long were you in your job with Smith Brothers?

Fred: I was there for three years.

Interviewer: Why did you leave?

Fred: I successfully applied for a job nearer to home that cut out a daily round trip of forty-four miles.

Interviewer: If you were a stand-up comedian, how would you open your act?

This comes right out of the blue and is completely unrelated to the line of questioning that went before it. There is a reason why this type of unanticipated question is being used increasingly at job interviews, and again it involves a means of communication. For as well as those written and verbal skills, we also communicate via our expressions and body language. So while Fred may embellish his CV and rehearse his lines for what he would be expecting to be asked, this unforeseen question has really put him on the spot.

The sudden change of tack will actually tell the interviewers as much about Fred as any of the other lines of communication, as it will show them exactly how he reacts to an unexpected situation. It will demonstrate his ability to think on his feet and also reveal his levels of composure under pressure.

But this line of questioning can also work to Fred's advantage. If he remains calm and shows no signs of becoming flustered, he can work on an answer to the question. This is unlike any of the questions he has been asked thus far and he can reply in any manner he likes. If he can come up with a witty reply, thus demonstrating that he has a sense of humour, then he will probably score more points as humour is usually in short supply at job interviews.

Communication skills go beyond the written or spoken word. Our body language and facial expressions can say as much about us as a printed CV. And with unexpected questions becoming an increasingly popular aspect of a job interview, it may be worth brushing up on those written, verbal and facial communication skills.