What are Communication Skills?
Communication skills are abilities you use when giving and receiving different kinds of information. While these skills may be a regular part of your day-to-day work life, communicating in a clear, effective and efficient way is an extremely special and useful skill. Learning from great communicators around you and actively practicing ways to improve your communications over time will certainly support your efforts to achieve various personal and professional goals.
Communication skills involve listening, speaking, observing and empathizing. It is also helpful to understand the differences in how to communicate through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations, and digital communications, like email and social media.
Types of communication
There are four main types of communication you might use on a daily basis, including:
- Verbal: Communicating by way of a spoken language.
- Nonverbal: Communicating by way of body language, facial expressions, and vocals.
- Written: Communicating by way of written language, symbols, and numbers.
- Visual: Communication by way of photography, art, drawings, sketches, charts, and graphs.
How to make communication skills stand out
Here are a few ways you can highlight your communication skills in your resume, cover letter, and job interview:
Communication skills on your resume
A well-written resume is itself a demonstration of strong communication skills. Ensure that your resume is structured appropriately and free of spelling and grammatical errors. Additionally, you may also want to include some positive communication skills in your resume skills section, especially if the job post calls for specific communication skills in the description. You can add skills to your Indeed Resume for employers searching for candidates with your skillset.
Communication skills on your cover letter
Your cover letter is a great opportunity to elaborate on your communication skills. While you can talk more directly about how effectively you communicate here, at a high level, your cover letter is one of the employer’s first impressions of your skills. You will want to make your cover letter brief, well written, free from typos and spelling errors, and tailored to the position you’re applying for.
Communication skills in your job interview
The first, most important way you can communicate in your interview is through how you present yourself. Show up for the interview 10–15 minutes early and dress appropriately for the job you’re applying for. Pay attention to the nonverbal cues you’re displaying through body language.
Avoid actions such as slouching or looking at your phone during the interview. Looking your interviewer in the eye, employing active listening skills and displaying confidence are all positive ways to communicate in your interview. Almost everything you do—both on the job and in life—can be seen as a form of communication. By identifying your strengths and weaknesses and regularly practicing good habits, you can improve the way you connect and communicate with others.
