When answering a question or conveying an idea, do you have difficulty relaying what you mean? The type of communication you hold with friends, university staff and even professors is very different from the type of speech that is most effective in the workplace.

Taking on an internship or even a volunteer experience will put you in a professional atmosphere that you may be foreign in. It's worth a moment of your time to think about how you will communicate with your co-workers and your supervisor in these situations, especially concerning stressful topics or during crisis moments.

To speak the most effectively when communicating problems or issues to a supervisor or boss, make sure that you clearly understand what the issue is and are prepared to articulate it to others. If you feel angry or intensely frustrated over the issue, take time to cool down. It is perfectly acceptable to gather your thoughts. Second, know how you would like to see the issue resolved, or at least have a suggestion at the ready on how to improve the circumstances.

Once you are ready to speak, eliminate weak language. "I" statements are the most notorious for weakening your comments. Just as your professors ban the use of "I" statements in your papers, don't include them in the professional atmosphere. Here's how to turn those sentences around:

1. I am too stressed and over-burneded to take on an additional research project.

Considering these two research projects and quantitative data that I am already working on, an additional project of this size will be too large to handle until next Wednesday.

2. I have a problem with one of the associates in our department; they are not completing their work on time and it has made all of us late in finishing this project.

Our department has been unable to complete this project on time because there is a productivity issue with one of our co-workers.

It is also important to communicate effectively in your daily office interactions. Have you responded to a co-worker or boss' statement with offhand words like "cool" or "that's great" and felt immediately that it was not the best response? Don't worry, every one of us has made this mistake. Here is an example on how to respond with a stronger and more professional comment:

1. Respond with a simple okay. Acknowledging their statement shows that you listened and can now act upon their words or are ready to move on to the next topic.

If you need further clarification on their statement, say something like this: "If I heard you correctly, __________" or, "To clarify, ______________." Make sure to repeat what they said, using the same key phrases that they used while speaking to you.


Resources on Honing Your Speech:

For more tips on managing your communication in the professional space, review these two books.

Words that Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz
Words that Work is incredibly valuable for use in the workplace even though Luntz designed the book to guide people in the political arena. One of the best pieces of advice Luntz offers is to use a few, well-thought out words to convey your meaning instead of delivering a dissertation-like comment. The longer the email, letter or discussion, the less attentive the listener.

How to Say It For Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the Language of Success by Phyllis Mindell
This book is more valuable than you can imagine. It's advice comes from a seasoned professional communications expert and will guide you through handling awkward situations, from working through communication mismatches and misunderstandings to handling hot button issues with dexterity. Each chapter is simply written and easy to digest. You'll be utilizing these principals the same day you read them.

When discussing your value at an interview, remember to keep the focus on your ability to deliver core attributes the job demands and willingness to adapt to its unique needs. Additionally, if the interviewer asks you to tell him or her about yourself, they are not looking for your life story. Rather, the interviewer wants to hear how your past experiences, both personal and professional, will directly benefit the company and help you accomplish what is required for the job in question.

Most job descriptions are simply an outline of what will be asked of you. It is up to you to spotlight other requirements of that job to which you bring value. Do as much research as you can on the company and the position beforehand, because interviewers love to see that the requisite homework and preparation has been done ahead of time. Check out the company's website, read news articles that discuss the organization, and talk to people at the company if you can. This will help you stand out and, more likely, land the job of your dreams.

By Lance Stacy, CEO

I just recently had a week full of interviews after applying to over a hundred jobs online.  Off to NYC for a week! How exciting!


During my trip I was reminded of a bunch of interview tips as well as some new ideas to add to my list!

Before going into a string of interviews make sure and review your OWN resume and refresh your memory of everything listed.  If you have any new experience be sure to add it to your resume.   (ex. I forgot I had written punctual and organized and a potential employer asked me about it!  Thank goodness I arrived right on time!) 
 Plan what you are going to wear ahead of time to avoid running late!  Based on my experience if it is a traditional corporate company go dressed more conservative but, if it is a creative company put together a business casual outfit.


 Take advantage of  your trip and schedule as many meetings as possible!  I had the opportunity to meet with the head of  HR  at a corporation. It wasn’t  an interview for a specific position, but it was a wonderful meeting!  I had the opportunity to speak with 3 employees who offered invaluable advice!  I was lucky enough to gain industry contacts and I received valuable feedback on my portfolio.

Don’t forget, this is your chance to interview the company also.  Take your time asking questions and discovering how the office works and where you will fit into that system. 

I always ran into more people at the company than planned so I was glad that I had stashed some extra resumes in my bag! 

When job searching and planning for interviews keep an open mind to your career possibilities. Most importantly, always be ready to go, you never know who you might run into and where you will see them.  Someone may email you last minute to come in for a meeting! 

Have some fun, enjoy the city, and snag a great job!