I can’t think of a single job that doesn’t require some form of communication skills. And communication skills feed into every other skill like teamwork and client facing skills.
We all need to be able to communicate with our team, our managers and other people that we interact with in our day to day jobs, and ultimately that’s what employers are looking for.
During your interview for a job, the interviewer will ask you about your communication skills including how you communicate with managers, how you handle challenging situations.
Communication skills that interviewers are looking for:
Listening skills
How are you supposed to understand the needs, demands and preferences of your employer and stakeholders if you aren’t listening?
An interviewer is looking to assess if you are an active listener who is paying attention and reflecting on what is said. Part of that is making eye contact, mirroring body language, nodding and responding to the question using similar language back.
Clear and Concise
When answering questions in an interview, and at work in general, be sure to respond in a clear, concise and compelling manner. Responses that waffle or are incoherent are not going to give a great impression to the interviewer.
The first step in ensuring you have clear and concise responses is preparation.
Respect
Two ears, one mouth. Showing respect in an interview is necessary. It shows how you will work with a team, with management, clients and other people you come into contact with in a professional setting.
No manager is going to hire someone who speaks over them or responds to questions in a rude way. The best thing you can do is let the interviewer talk, and take your time answering.
Confidence and Friendliness
Communicating in a friendly, confident, welcoming and open way creates an atmosphere of trust, and it makes you a more attractive candidate for the job. Interviewers are always going to favour friendly people over someone who is a bit more closed off. It’s easier to be friendly if you feel confident in your answers if you are prepared. Prepare your answers so that you come across confident and strong in your responses.
