Communication is crucial to any situation, no less for job seeking. But you might be doing it wrong.

"Take a step or two forward, lads. It will be easier that way." These were the last words said by Irish Nationalist Robert Erskine Childers. He was being executed by firing squad. Despite the grim nature of the situation it was a genius example of meaningful communication. What Childers displayed so brilliantly in his final moment is that effective communication is about being interested in others rather than just saying things that are interesting. This is a distinction people generally fail draw when they are trying to communicate. A good comparison is on the profiles of thousands of people using social networking sites. The internet is full of vacuous contributions of continuous nonsense.  People tweeting what they had for breakfast, or posting a video captioned “OMG look at this video of my 18 month old draw a circle”. This kind of communication is limiting. The only way you can respond is with a seemingly redundant “like” or perhaps a comment saying “that is so cute!”. Though it’s easy and you might get a moment of self-gratification following your circle drawing 18-month-old getting 3 likes, it doesn’t achieve much. This kind of communication can only elicit a limited response.  Real and effective communication is two-way. Now think about how this affects you as a job seeker. As someone with a goal you need to understand how what you are communicating is going to prompt the person looking at it to do something. As a job seeker the response you want to prompt from an employer is a positive one. You want an employer to position you in their mind as a potential employee. To do this you need to be effectively engaged with the job you are applying for. You need to be able to give potential employers the ability to see how you will add value to their business. The language you use on your New Force profile should reflect how you add value to the prospective employer’s business. Reflect on your skills tests and how you well you did, where are your strengths and where do you excel?   Then, apply this to your video intro and written bio. Consider how you are communicating this.  Rather than say something limiting such as  ‘I have 3 years accounting experience and am familiar with MYOB’ Consider saying it like this: “As someone who is proficient in Microsoft Excel and has experience using accounting software, I could add real value to your business” The main point is that if you want to be considered seriously you need to go beyond simply trying to be interesting, and actually communicate how your interest in the position relates to your skills and experience. To be an effective communicator you don’t need to write Shakespeare or have the superbly humorous vernacular of a 20th Century Irish Nationalist. We’re all guilty of taking the easy road and just stating what we know, the real value is creating a path for prospective employers to come back to you and stand out from the rest. To learn more or to get more tips and advice, check out www.newforce.co.nz/advice