Creating your look for the interview!

Interview is a key to our future! One of the most important thing that we have to do before we go to an interview is to dress the part! What you wear is very important because it creates a first impression. Creating a first impression it's up to you, whether you create a good or bad impression. Your general appearance communicates a lot in the interview. Wearing in an appropriate way is a good start to make a good impression. This non-verbal communication helps you to built a successful first impressions. Your clothing should be professional looking. Also, it is important to understand what the corporate culture is like at the company you'll be visiting and after that you can decide what you will wear in the day of the interview.

In the class we talked about how men and women should be dressed for the interview. I found something on the internet to help you learn more about whhat's the appropriate dress code for an interview.

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewattire/a/interviewdress.htm

Types of interview questions!

Questioning is a communication tactic that is used to fulfill the interview goal. Interviews are not just a spontaneous conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee. These questions can be placed into five categories:

- Behavior
- Attitude/Opinion
- Credential
- Knowledge/Experience
- Imaginative

Behavior questions ask the interviewee to describe how she/he reacts in different situations and to find out how the interviewee will face different challenges in the future and how did she/he come up with problems at work in the past.

Attitude/Opinion questions ask the interviewee to express his/her feelings about certain topics to see if the interviewee is in the same level as the organization.

Credential questions are used to gain information from the interviewee about his/her previous experience or education. This helps the interviewer to compare all the applicants.

Knowledge/Experience questions are used in those situations when the interviewer wants to know about previous experiences.

Imaginative questions are used to see if the interviewee is able to think quickly and to provide creative responses.

Interview!

Interviews are very important and I am sure now everybody knows the importance of it. An interview is a conversation between the interviewer and the interviewee where questions are asked to obtain information from the interviewee. Interviews can take on many forms but no matter what all interviews share these elements:

Interaction is the sharing of ideas, messages, information or feelings between the parties in the interview

Purpose is the main reason for conducting an interview

Exchange is the continual shift in communication and control that happens during an interview situation.


Interviews have three stages:

1. Introduction stage is the most important part in the interview because it sets the tone of the interview. This means how you establish your report with the interviewee in the very first beginning, because this creates the first impression.

2. Body stage usually covers 60% of the interview. Here the participants share their personal goals, opinions and beliefs.

3. Closing stage it is important too. On the closing stage the interviewee summarize all the main points of the interview and say their last thought. This stage decide if the participants will get the second interview or not, so it is very important to built a good relationship with the interviewer.


Three types of interviewing are:

- Selection interviews are the post popular one. This means a situation in which a personnel selector, try to observe the interviewee in order to assess the candidate's suitability for a post. The objective of the selection interview is to predict the candidate's behaviour in a particular job situation.

- Information gathering interviews focus on generating information from the participants. These interviews do not need to much preparation. Examples of it are interviews in a talk show, political shows etc. Information gathering interviews are very practical because it can offer information that is more up-to-date.

- Persuasion interviews are used to change the minds of individuals. The persuasion interviews asks the person to make a decision based on the facts, after they collect all the information. A persuasive interview can be a conversation at the mall, home and other casual situations.

Cover Letter

Dear all,


When I heard that we're going to learn about cover letter I felt very satisfied. I heard about it before but I didn't know what exactly contains. I think it is very important to learn such things, because we won't be students forever and in the future cover letter can help us a lot, when we will apply for a job. I really liked all the examples we did in the classroom because it helped us to understand it very clearly. I also searched in the internet for some other samples to refresh your mind once more.

Here you can find 5 tips for writing an effective cover letter.

http://privateschool.about.com/cs/employment/a/coverletters.htm


Yours,
Edona

Flyer!

Dear all,


An American rapper DMX is coming in Kosovo so I made a flyer about him. I hope you will like it and I am open to critics and advices.


Click the link to see the photo http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/847/flyerso.jpg/




Yours,
Edona

Communication Skills

Basic communication skills to help you communicate more effectively at work and in your personal life are listed below.

1. Body Language

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who couldn't speak your language? It is possible!

Body language can account for 55% of how we communicate. So if you have something important or sensitive to say, meet the other person face to face if possible. You can check their body language, to see how they are reacting to your message.

You also need to be conscious of your own body language, as Perception is Greater Than Reality.

You may be slumped in a chair because you are tired after a long day. The other person might pick that up as a lack of interest in what they have to say.

Eye contact, facial expressions, posture, gestures, dress etc. will have an impact on how your message is received.

2. Tone of Voice

Your tone of voice accounts for 37% of how you communicate in a typical work environment. Focus on the following four aspects to improve this important basic communication skill:

Pitch. A lower pitch can sound more authoritative and knowledgeable; many politicians and people in the public arena actively work to lower their voice pitch.

Volume. If you are naturally quiet spoken, you may benefit from raising the volume. A quiet voice can be mistaken for a lack of confidence and timidity in certain situations. Similarly, if you normally speak at a high volume, reducing it may make you sound less aggressive to some people.

If you find yourself in conversation with someone who is shouting, raise your voice to match theirs and gradually reduce it - they will follow.

Inflection. Put emphasis on certain words when you speak, to convey passion, enthusiasm and add meaning to what you are saying.

Pace. Take care that you pace what you are saying to allow the message to sink in. Avoid racing through the message or speaking so slowly that the other person loses interest.

3. Words

Although in a complex communication setting, words may only account for 8% of how you get your message across, you can still make a better impact with the words you use. Here are some tips:

Speak in metaphors. Connect better with others by helping them to visualise what you are saying. For example, instead of:

"The task is going to be difficult, but it will be worth it when it's done." say:

"We have a difficult mountain to climb but the view from the top will be great!"

Write using short, simple sentences (less than 20 words)to help understanding. Instead of:

"I would be extremely grateful if you would return the product at your earliest convenience.." say:

"Can you please return the product as soon as possible?"

Ask questions that are positive and specific. Your brain is like a Google Search Box; the better the questions, the better the response. So instead of:

"How can we reduce costs?" say:

What steps can we take to make even greater cost savings?"

4. Empathy

So what is empathy? This is a basic communication skill which involves putting yourself in another person's shoes. You recognise the feelings and the situation that the other person finds themselves in. It doesn't mean that you agree with them, it means that you understandwhere they are coming from.

Empathy involves being trustworthy, confidential and non-judgemental. You can develop empathy with someone if you share common values and experiences.

It is not sympathy, where you may end up supporting a negative frame of mind and making the situation worse. It is also not apathy, where you show no interest in the situation or the feelings of the other person.

5. Active Listening

This involves reflecting back the feelings and the situation that you believe the other person is experiencing, to check that you have understood them correctly.

It is closely linked to empathy (above). It is a basic communication skill that can be developed with practice, and is very useful in an emotionally charged situation.

It allows the other person to vent, and as you are not adding your point of view at this stage, you avoid the danger of "saying the wrong thing" and making the other person even more upset.




References


http://www.practical-management-skills.com/basic-communication-skills.html

How To Read Body Language

If you want to improve the way you communicate with others, learning how to read body language will give you the edge. The importance of body language, eye contact and other non verbal communication signals has been well researched.

Two key points to remember:

1. View the whole picture, not just one aspect of body language, if you want to read it accurately.

2. Be aware of the body language signals that you send to others. For example, you might be standing with your arms folded across your chest just because it feels comfortable. The person you are talking to might think you are angry with them!

Here are some of the signals you might send and receive; the whole picture has to be taken into consideration for more accuracy.

Body Language Signals

1. Defensive Body Language

If you want to know how to read body language when you are talking to someone, be aware of all the signals they are sending. If they have their arms folded AND this is coupled with: a head thats pointing slightly downwards, a tight-lipped mouth and their body not turned to face you, be worried!

2. Mixed Signals

Arms or legs crossed can also be a sign of nervousness. The man in the sketch on the left is sending mixed signals; crossed arms indicating that he is nervous, masked by a smiling face intended to show confidence.

The man in the sketch on the right is in the open, competitive position (hands behind head) but at the same time is keeping his legs crossed, indicating that he might be on the defence.

3. Hand to Face Signals

Although in each of these poses, the hand is on the face, they are all sending different body language signals. The position of the hand on the face, together with facial gestures, builds a picture. Can you spot which poses signify boredom, interest, questioning and making a decision?

  

4. Negative Body Language

In the pose below, the man is rubbing his eye and has raised eyebrows. He is looking down and away from the person he is talking to. His tight lipped smile adds to the picture of negativity or possible deceit.

5. Open Body Language

In contrast, the man in the sketch below shows open body language. The turned up palms of his hands and spread fingers may signify submission.

6. Mirroring

In the sketch below, the two people on the outside are mirroring each other's body language. That is a sure sign of interest and empathy. If you watch people in public places such as restaurants and coffee shops, you will soon know how to read body language that displays the mirroring technique. You can see this very clearly. When one person shifts position, the other follows.

Take another look at the photo at the top of this page. See the mirroring of the two people on the outside, and the fact that the woman in the centre is leaning towards the man on her right, showing a clear sign of interest. Her facial expressions also back this up.

If you want to come across as approachable, friendly and trustworthy, your body language should reflect:

• Good eye contact
• Open posture
• Smile
• Upright stance
• Clean and tidy dress
• Careful grooming - hair, nails etc.

When you want to develop rapport with someone, see if matching their body language signals makes a difference and helps you connect at a deeper level.




References


http://www.practical-management-skills.com/how-to-read-body-language.html