Communicating at Work

1. 9 Communicating at Work

2. Communicating at Work • The Information Interview • Information Interviews as Precursors to Job Interviews • The Employment Interview • Presentations • Summary

3. The Information Interview • An interview is a series of questions and answers, usually exchanged between two people, that has the purpose of getting and understanding information about a particular subject or topic.

4. The Information Interview • An information interview is designed to gather facts and opinions from someone with expertise and experience in a specific field. • The appraisal interview is where a supervisor makes a valuation by estimating and judging the quality or worth of an employee’s performance and then interviews the employee in connection with the appraisal.

5. The Information Interview • An information interview (continued) • A disciplinary interview concerns a sensitive area, where the employee is notified, and the interview involves hearing the employee’s side of the story and, depending on the outcome, instituting disciplinary action. • An exit interview occurs at the termination of an employee’s employment, and is designed to resolve any outstanding concerns of employers and employees.

6. The Information Interview • An information interview (continued) • A stress interview is designed to see how you act under pressure—to give interviewers a realistic sense of your response to difficult situations

7. The Information Interview • Preparing for the Interview • Choosing the Person to Interview • Most class project interviews will focus on either policy information (data on how an organization should be run) or factual information (data dealing with who, what, where, when, and the like). • Gathering Background Information • Deciding on the Format • Open-format interviews are relatively unstructured. • Closed-format interviews are highly structured. • Semiopen format interviews occur when you have a core set of standardized questions.

8. The Information Interview • Preparing for the Interview • Preparing Questions • Primary questions are designed to cover the subject comprehensively, and should be based on your background research. • Follow-up questions are questions you think of based on the answers given by your interviewee. These are useful when you want to go into a subject in greater depth. • Open-ended questions permit the person being interviewed to expand on his or her answers.

9. The Information Interview • Preparing for the Interview • Preparing Questions (continued) • Questions worded in ways that restrict their answers are closed questions. • Questions that do not show how the interviewer feels about the subject are neutral questions. • Leading questions point the interviewee in a particular direction. • Using Tape or Notes? • The main advantage of either form of taping is that it allows you to record the interview without taking notes.

10. The Information Interview • Conducting the Interview • Know what you are talking about. • Make the person feel at ease. • Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. • Keep control of the situation. • Watch for nonverbal cues. • Don’t run beyond the time you have scheduled. • Analyzing the Interview • When the interview is over, spend some time thinking about how well you did.

11. The Information Interview • Communicating at Work • Consider This 1. Have you found quality Internet sites for job listings? What are they? 2. If you were a woman looking for a job, what are the key factors you would want to know about before accepting a new job? What are the key questions you would ask at an interview?

12. Information Interviews as Precursors to Job Interviews • A precursor is simply something that precedes or comes before something else. • Information interviews can help clarify and define career goals, introduce potential employers, and establish a network of contacts that could lead to future employment.

13. The Employment Interview • The employment interview is an interview used by an employer to determine whether someone is suitable for a job. • Evaluating the Job Description • Listing the job responsibilities and the skills needed is a good way to discover whether you qualify for a job. • Preparing a Résumé • A résumé is a summary of your professional life written for potential employers.

14. The Employment Interview • Preparing a Résumé (continued) • Scannable Résumés • A scannable résumé is one that can be scanned into a computer using document imaging technology. • Cover Letter • A letter of inquiry accompanies your résumé and determines if an employer has an opening. • A letter of application accompanies your résumé when you know an employer has an opening in which you are interested.

15. The Employment Interview • The Interview • Preparing for the Interview—find out about the company and what it does. • The Interview • Interview Questions—most employment interviews follow a predictable line of questioning. • Being Interviewed—how you dress reveals your professionalism. • The Follow-Up Letter

16. The Employment Interview • The Employment Interview • Another Point of View 1. Are you aware of the necessity that Reich points out, the value of the connections you acquire during your college education? Reich claims, “The more prestigious the university, the more valuable such connections are likely to be” (P. 134). 2. If you do not have the connections necessary to impress companies, what kinds of things can you do that would compensate for this lack?

17. The Employment Interview • The Employment Interview • Another Point of View (continued) 3. Reich writes in the paragraph following the one excerpted above, “Personal job referrals are like letters, e-mails, and phone calls from familiar names in this era of communication overload. They’re convenient filters” (p. 134). Knowing that a communication overload exists, what tactics can you use in writing your resumes, or applying for jobs, that would help you stand out form the crowd? That would help you break through this communication overload?

18. Presentations • A presentation is created to communicate ideas in a compelling and graphic manner. • Thorough Preparation • Effective presentations result from thorough preparation. • Presenters must carefully appraise their audiences • Presenters must establish a clear central idea, sometimes referred to as the thesis, goal, objective, or purpose.

19. Presentations • Natural Delivery • Natural delivery is the collection of speech and actions that best represents your true self. • One author suggests using the acronym PETAL to conceptualize every presentation (Birdsell, 1998) • Pertinent materials • Engaging format • Timely manner • Appropriate to the audience • Legible

20. Presentations • Effective Visuals • Presenters need to use transition statement between visuals. • One writer suggests following the words represented by the acronym RDAT: • Read the visual • Describe its meaning • Amplify it with an explanation or illustration • Transition to the next slide.

21. Summary • An interview is a series of questions and answers, usually between two people, which has the purpose of getting and understanding information about a particular subject. • Interviews can be used for wide variety of purposes, including speeches, group projects, and research papers. • Before the interview, the interviewer should decide whether to use tape or take notes.

22. Summary • Information interviews also can serve as precursors to job interviews. • Gaining employment usually involves evaluating the job description and writing and application letter and a résumé.

23. Summary • During the employment interview be prepared to talk about your job expectations, academic and work backgrounds, knowledge of the organization, career goals, and strengths and weaknesses. • Presentations involve a variety of skills so that professionalism is revealed throughout the presentation.