COMMUNICATION SKILLS - BP105T

Course Materials

UNIT IV

Interviewing is a skill in and of itself, one in which your ability to interact with the interviewer and
to articulate your thoughts are factors that are just as important in getting the job as are the
qualifications listed on your resume.

Definition:

Interview is the widely used election method. It is a face-to-face interaction between interviewee
and interviewer. If handled carefully, it can be a powerful technique in having accurate
information of the interviewee otherwise unavailable. At the same time, if the interview is not
handled carefully. it can be a source of bias, restricting or distorting the flow of communication.

Different scholars have defined 'interview' differently. According to Scott and others, "an
interview is a purposeful exchange of ideas, the answering of questions and communication
between two or more persons'". Bingham and others define an interview as a 'conversation with a
purpose".

Thus, interview can be defined as an attempt to secure maximum amount of information from the
candidate concerning his/her suitability for the job under consideration.

It tries to achieve an accurate appraisal of the applicant in terms of his/her educational

qualification, training. family background, previous work experience and judge the applicant's
certain qualities like manners, appearance, conversational ability, meet other people pleasantly.
etc.
PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW
The interview a conversation in which you and an employer exchange information. Your

objective is to get an offer of a job, and the employer's objective is to find out the following:
"What you have to offer (your skills, abilities, basic knowledge).
Who you are (your personality, character, interests).
Why you should be hired (you have what they are seeking).
The interviewer will try to determine whether you will be an asset to the organization. Your goal is
to present yourself as the best candidate for the position and also to learn more about the position
and the interviewer's organization to determine whether both are well suited for you and your
career goals. Thus, the interview is a two-way discussion rather than an interrogation, as it is often
perceived to be. The interview is a vital step to obtaining a career position and often depends on
your skills in marketing your potential. Do not miss out on a good position for which you are
qualified due to a lack of preparation and practice. You need to be ready to answer questions about
your career goals and background. You willalso want to develop intelligent questions of your own
to help you obtain the necessary information for making an informed decision. Furthermore,
preparation helps build your self confidence in your interview skills and is the key to successful
interviewing.
Do:

" Arrive in good time.

The interview panel may be interviewing a lot of candidates so do not keep them waiting.
" Dress appropriately. Some organisations, especially technology companies, have a very
casual dress code but, for most, a suit will be appropriate interview wear. Remember that
you are being judged on the appearance that you present.
" Act appropriately, which usually means following the interviewer's lead.
" If you are offered a hand to shake, then shake it, but don't offer your own hand if nobody
else seems interested.

" Engage with the interviewers.

. Smile, make eye contact, and build rapport.
Answer the questions that are asked, using relevant examples where at all possible

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Don't:

" Be afraid to blow your own trumpet a bit. After all, nobody else is going to blow it for you;
however do not lie or exaggerate. If you want the job, be enthusiastic and positive.
" Be over-familiar or share too much information. For example, the interviewers don't want
to know how you're going to manage your childcare.

Giving Presentations:
Dealing with fear:

Many people suffer from so much stress while giving a presentation that their heart race, their
hands sweat, their knees shake, and their mouths feel dry. What's more, they may speak too fast or
even forget what they wanted to say. Yet these physical stress responses can be overcome by
identifying the causes of the fear and developing ways to overcome them.

1. Calming your inner critic

Sometimes, in our desire to excel and give of our best, we end up becoming our own worst critic.
Instead of taking strength from the many positive experiences of our lives, we remember and
exaggerate the effect of our mistakes. We brood over them, worry, and avoid future situations in
which we may make the same errors. We allow our inner critic to destroy our confidence, affect
our performance, or prevent us from reaching our potential. The problem in thinking this way is
that we start to shut down our personal and professional horizons, instead of expanding them.

2. Making realistic improvements

At best, our fears challenge us. At worst, they immobilize us. This is especially true for those who
have a phobia of public speaking. So,take tiny steps and keep your expectations realistic.
Understand that you may continue to feel nervous, but not overly scared. More important, you will
slowly start to look calm and confident, even if you don't feel that way yet. As you prepare and
plan, you will feel more in control of various elements of your presentation. At the beginning, you
are unlikely to feel confident or to enjoy the experience. This happens only after you have
accumulated many successful experiences. Nevertheless, you can learn how to give the impression
that you are confident and happy to be there. Each positive performance will boost your self
esteem and motivate you to improve further. Finally, do not aim for perfection: aim for
improvement. That is the way all of us grow and expand.

3. Changing your focus

As you progress in your career, and give more presentations, you will find that your focus begins
to change from yourself to your audience. This changed attitude is an indication that you are no
longer limited by the fear. A variety of strategies can help you to calm yourself and reach this
stage.

4. Congquering nervousness
Most people feel nervous when they give a presentation. The key is to control the negative
manifestations of your nervousness and to channel the extra energy flow. Remember, many people
feel nervous but not everyone shows their nervousness. And that's what matters.

Implementing useful strategies

Once you identify the ways you express your nervousness, you can use the following techniques to
steady your wobbly knees and calm your racing heartbeat:
Mental Strategies
" Psychological Controls
Physical Techniques
The best approach is to experiment with a combination of techniques and see what works best for
you. It doesn't matter what helps your friend or colleague. We are all different and require unique
methods to make us feel calm, cool, and in control. Whatever happens, don't give up. Know that
everyone has passed through the fear and everyone can come out of it. If the fear persists, it may
be because you gave up too soon; delivering one or two more presentations might have been all
that was required to break away from the fear for life.

1. Mental Strategies
Prepare Property
One of the best ways to overcome fear is to be adequately prepared. Nervousness is often produced
by fear of the unknown. If you are familiar with your presentation material, your anxiety about
speaking willbe reduced. If you have ever given the same presentation more than once, you will
have experienced this already.
Take the time to plan your presentation well. Use an organization template make sure the

information flows logically. Make sure you emphasize and repeat the key points you want people
to remember. Don't give in to the temptation to include too much information. People can only
absorb so much knowledge at one stretch in an auditory manner.
Study the guidelines about designing effective visuals. Most people include too much information
on their slides. Write only the most basic information on the slide itself so you can play a
meaningful role in fleshing out the information and argument. If there are additional details you
want to share, include them in a handout.
Then, after you've chosen the information and created your visuals, rehearse as often as necessary
to get a feel for the flow of events. Identify how you will move smoothly from one point or section
to the next. Draw up a plan and rehearse till you feel like you could deliver the presentation in your
sleep. The repetition will also help you identify any bugs in your talk before the real event. If you
always get stuck on particular word, for example, drop that word or expression and choose another
you're more comfortable with.
In short, the more you sweat while preparing the presentation, the less you will sweat while
actually delivering it!
Conduct a Dialogue
Standing before a group of people to present your ideas often creates the feeling that you are
delivering a monologue. However, any presentation, regardless of how formal, is a dialogue
because you are constantly receiving visual feedback from the audience. You can reinforce the
conversational aspect of presentations in your mind by using the following techniques:
Interact with audience members before the presentation. Mingle with the crowd and
introduce yourself.That way, they won't be strangers anymore.
" Maintain eye contact during the presentation. Begin by establishing eye contact with a
friendly face. As you feel more comfortable, focus on each person in small groups.
" Ask questions, so as to involve the audience whenever possible.
 2. Psychological Controls
Identify your fears
One helpful step toward conquering your fear is to identify what it is you are afraid of. Some
commonly expressed fears are:
Imight make a fool of myself.
Imight forget what I am going to say.
Imight begin to stutter or say the wrong thing.
" People may laugh at me.
Once you've identified what it is you are afraid of, you can determine whether the fear
is legitimate. To analyze your fears, ask yourself the following questions:
" Is this a rational fear?

. If this is a rational fear, what is the worst that could happen?

. So what?

Send positive messages

In life, you generally get what you expect. Learn to handle your inner critic and tell him or her that
you can and will change. Look into the mirror and give yourself positive affirmations to offset the
negative self-talk and to make a breakthrough. Instead of telling yourself that you're terrible at
giving presentations, for example, give yourself the positive message that you have the required
skills to do a good job. Instead of saying you might forget what to say, tell yourself that you have
reviewed and rehearsed so often that you could deliver the presentation well in your sleep!
Use visualization techniques
Visualization is kind of mental rehearsal. It is a psychological process in which you prepare
yourself to produce a positive result by imagining a future event in your mind. It doesn't take
much time, and enables you to practice mentally for your presentation. If you visualize yourself
giving a successful, confident presentation, you are more likely to do so. Never visualize yourself
making mistakes, or you may subconsciously program yourself to do so. Expect a positive
outcome as most winning personalities do. Be confidently optimistic in your own abilities and
expect a better tomorrow.
Meet your audience
If possible, walk around, introduce yourself and greet members of your audience before the
presentation begins. In this way, you will be speaking to fewer strangers and are more likely to get
a positive nod from the individuals you have already met.
Do your best
To minimnize your fear, you also must accept that it is not your job to please every single person in
the room. Do your best to get your message across, focus on the positive responses you are picking
up and forget the others.

3. Physical Methods
Although nervousness is caused by a mental lack of confidence, the body responds as if it were
being threatened physically. In both situations, the body is reacting to stress. The solution is to find
a way to control your body's physical reaction. The following methods will help you relax.
Progressive relaxation is a method of systematic tightening and loosening various muscles of your
body until your entire body is in a relaxed state. The action of tightening and loosening enables
you to feel the difference between the two states in a more pronounced way.
Guided imagery is a relaxation method which transports you mentally to a place which you
associate with peace and restfulness (the opposite of stress) and thus allows your body to feel more
relaxed before a presentation.
Moving about before and during the presentation relaxes your muscles and processes excess
adrenalin. So get up out of your chair and walk around a bit, in a relaxed way, where you can get
away from the crowd for a short while.
Breathe deeply and slowly while others are speaking or before you are introduced and called upon
to begin your presentation. Then, walk confidently to the podium and begin speaking with energy.

Planning your Presentation:

A good presentation requires careful planning. In general, you will need to follow these steps to
plan a successful presentation:

1. Brainstorm and outline: What's your topic? What do you know about the topic? What do
you want your audience to know?

2. Research: Use research to support your argument, find examples and statistics, or to learn
more about your topic.
3. Write an outline.
4. Write a draft.
 5. Plan any visual aids such as PowerPoint or any activities you want your audience to
participate in
6. Practice, practice, practice! Make sure your presentation is not too long, and edit it down
as needed.

Presentation Structure:

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point
for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your
content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself:

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and
your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an
immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your
expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will
trust you more and think youre credible.

2. Introduction:

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the
audience's interest and confidence. I's sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped
to help filter down your topic:

1. Introduce your general topic

2. Explain your topic area
3. State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
4. State your presentation's purpose his is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you
provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, "I will argue that.."
or maybe you will "compare", "analyse", "evaluate", "describe" etc.
5. Provide a statement of what you're hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example,
"Im hoping this will be provide you with..."
6. Showa preview of the organisation of your presentation
In this section also explain:

The length of the talk.

Signal whether you want audience interaction - some presenters prefer the audience to ask
questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing
handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to
present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and
then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be
better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience's attention and connect with
them.

3. The main body of your talk:

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the
nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing. and then work
your way through them one at a time - it's important for everything to be organised logically for the
audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by
priority, theme, chronologically etc.

Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
Before mnoving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you're moving
onto the next point.
Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared
beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself "What I
am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?" refining your answers this way will
help you produce clear messages.
4. Concusion:

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it's
the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal - that could be
to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to
make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This
clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

Signal that it's nearly the end of your presentation, for example, "As we wrap up/as we wind
down the talk..."

Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation - "n this speech I wanted to compare..."n
Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
Indicate what is nexUa call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions:

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they
may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the
main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of
initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Delivering the Presentation:

How you say things may often appear to be more important than what you say. Have you listened
to charismatic speakers who gain and maintain the attention of the audience? Have you also
encountered speakers who quickly put an audience to sleep? Experienced presenters learn to
communicate effectively by using voice, gestures, and visual aids while trying to establishing a
comfortable environment for the audience.
Voice:

Using your voice effectively can have a great impact on your delivery. The best speaking voice is
conversational, natural, and enthusiastic. Use the following guidelines develop an effective
speaking voice:

Alter the pitch (high and low) of your voice to prevent yourself from sounding monotone.
Don't alter the pitch too much, however, because this may make you sound unnatural.

" Speak oudly enough to be heard by everyone the room, but vary the volume of your
voice to maintain interest and emphasize key points.

Stress certain words as another way to add emphasis. Typically when you stress a word, the
pitch and the volume increase.

Alter the rate at which you speak to maintain interest and add emphasis. Speak faster to
show excitement andlor build suspense. Speak slower to show the importance of an idea.
Pause after important ideas to allow the audience time to grasp them.

Gestures:

Speakers often communicate with their audience either intentionally or unintentionally using
gestures and other physical behaviors. Use the guidelines below to help use gestures to your
benefit:

" Maintain eye contact with members of the audience to keep their attention level high. Eye
contact signals that you care about the audience and you are attuned to their needs. Also
use eye contact to detect confusion or boredom so that you can then modify your approach.

Use positive facial expressions such as smiles, expressive eyes, and looks of empathy and
encouragement to communicate feelings and emotions.

" Stand naturally with your feet spread slightly apart and arms relaxed at your sides.
 Minimize gestures like pacing back and forth, rocking back and forth, playing with coins in
your pocket, wringing your hands, and other types of fidgeting. These gestures not only
signal that you are nervous, but they are distracting to the listener as well.

" Use quick and energetic movements of your hands and arms to add expression to your talk.
Maintain the attention of the audience by making your movements unpredictable.

Visual Aids in Presentation:

Visual aids can help you emphasize main ideas, illustrate a concept, or stimulate the interest of
your listeners. Examples of visual aids include posters, overheads, flip charts, photographs,
computer-generated slides, and three-dimensional effects.

Use visual aids to emphasize important points and add interest to your presentation - dont
put every word of your entire presentation on them.

Select the appropriate visual aid for the environment. It may be possible to pass visuals
around to a small audience but in large groups you'll need to project them.

Give the visuals a consistent appearance including color and spacing. Start the text at the
same place on each visual.

Try to observe the seven by seven rule: on an overhead slide have no more than seven lines
and seven words per line. Similar rules would also pertain to flip charts, PowerPoint and
other computer generated slides, and posters.

" Use a simple typeface or font. Don't use more than two different typefaces, if possible.

Make sure the text is large enough for people in the back of the room to read. Letters on a
flipchart should at least 3 inches in height. For a projected overhead or slide, fonts
between 20 and 48 points are customary.

Dont show visuals that conflict with what you're saying this includes displaying them
once you've moved beyond their content.
 " Don't read the text that's on the visual, but do paraphrase and add to it.

Establishing a Comfortable Environment:

While you won't always have control over the environment when you do a presentation, there may
be ways you can modify the environment so that it is both comfortable for you and the audience
members. The guidelines that follow are intended to help you become aware of environmental
factors that can affect the delivery of your presentation.

" Make sure the lighting is adequate.

Locate the temperature controls and regulate the temperature if necessary. If it is too warm
or too cold, audience members will focus on their discomfort rather than on your
presentation.

Conduct a test of any audiovisual equipment to ensure it's in working order. Have a backup
plan in place just in case - whatever can go wrong. will go wrong at the worst possible
time.

" Clean off any white boards or chalk boards that might distract the audience.

Make adjustments to the setup of the room to ensure everyone in the audience will be able
to see you. Make sure that everyone can see the visuals you plan to use.

" If possible, practice your talk in the setting where you are scheduled to speak. This will not
only help you determine what other factors you might have to overcome, but also make you
feel more comfortable. If practicing in the room isn't possible, try to visit it prior to your
presentation so you know what to expect.

When possible, greet members of the audience as they come into the room. Not only will
this make them feel welcome and at ease, but it may also help reduce your nervousness.
 Try to eliminate barriers between you and the audience. These kinds of barriers include
lecterns, tables, or audiovisual equipment. Physical barriers communicate that you're trying
to maintain your distance from the audience.

10 effective presentation techniques:

Focus on your audience - every presentation you do should be tailored to your listeners, this
will keep them interested and engaged. What do you want your audience to think, feel and
do? Plan how you will achieve this.
" Keep your presentation slides simple - be as clear and concise as possible. Your listeners
cannot concentrate on what you are saying if you have lots of text on slides. Try to use
imagery to supplement what you are saying instead of text.
Be passionate and emotive - humans are more interested when emotion is involved. Think
about how you can make your presentation personal and relatable.
" Practice, practice, practice - the saying is true, practice does make perfect and there is
nothing worse than forgetting what you were going to say in your presentation. First practice
aloud to yourself, then practice in front of your friends, family or colleagues. Then ask them
for feedback, improve, and practice again.
Have an open and inviting body language - having an open body language shows you are
confident and believe in what you are saying. Great presenters always perform with their
hands open and palms facing towards the audience. Try this yourself, it helps the audience to
connect with you better.
Smile and make eye contact this shows you are friendly and builds rapport with the
audience. It also helps keep you calm and concentrated as you will feel like you are talking to
individuals rather than a room filled with people.
Dress for the occasion check what the dress code is; if in doubt we would always advise
you to dress smartly as this willlook much better than being under-dressed.
Prevent getting sweat marks - there is nothing more embarrassing than getting sweat marks
whilst presenting. Avoid this scenario
Don't rush, keep your speech at a slow and steady pace - this is a common fault with
presenters, it especially happens when people are nervous. Try to be aware of the pace you
 are speaking at and speak slower than you think you need to; trust us this will be a perfect
speed.
Banish the nerves if you struggle with confidence whilst presenting then adopting a
persona can help. Acting helps your brain achieve things you wouldn't usually feel
comfortable with, breaking down those usual barriers.

References:

Personality development and soft skills, Barun KMitra, 1"Edition,

Oxford Press,2011
Soft skill for everyone, Butter Field, 1st Edition, Cengage Learning
india pvt.Itd, 2011