Professional Development Workshop
November 21, 2005
Consulting with Clients to Provide Solutions
Tony Costello, Professor, College of Architecture and Planning
Before you leave for Thanksgiving, attend the November 21 workshop as Tony Costello shares information about communicating with your clients. This session is at the Alumni Center in Meeting Room 2 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

The Art of Body Language
You can speak volumes without saying a word. How is this possible? Nonverbal communication is defined by The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, third edition (2002), in this way: “ Communication without the use of spoken language. Nonverbal communication includes gestures, facial expressions, and body positions (known collectively as ‘body language’), as well as unspoken understandings and presuppositions, and cultural and environmental conditions that may affect any encounter between people.” This means that in interacting with others you need to think just as much about what your body, voice, posture, tone, and face are conveying as you do about the words you speak. You can usually gauge your nonverbal communication through the nonverbal reaction a person you are communicating with is sending you. You also need to be in tune with those nonverbal signals you receive that can indicate confusion, misunderstanding, or boredom. When you learn to communicate and understand communication on a nonverbal level, you will be closer to being a well-rounded communicator.

In last week’s workshop on Conflict Resolution, Dr. Peggy B. Fisher from the Department of Communication Studies emphasized that reading a teammate’s nonverbals is essential to resolving conflicts. Examples of nonverbal ways to manage conflict include being friendly, being likeable, and being open to further communication. For more information about nonverbal communication visit http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/non-verbal_behavior.htm#References

The Cover Letter Is Your "Two Cents"—Don't Waste Them!
During last week’s presentation on Marketing your Business Fellows Experience Part 1, Nicole Feldhues discussed such important topics as résumé writing and portfolios. Another document that is rarely discussed but always required is the cover letter. The cover letter is an opportunity for you to tell an employer why you are the perfect candidate for the job; the trick is in accomplishing this goal. If you don’t know what to highlight and what to leave out, cover letters can be cumbersome to write. The purpose of a cover letter is to show how the skills you have match what the employer is looking for in the listed position. Therefore, the first thing that you need to do is to research the company and the position; this will help you select the skills to highlight. The second step is to write the cover letter.

Learn the Skills for Successful Interviews!
Now that you have your cover letter, résumé, and portfolio in hand, it is time to face the interviewer for your dream job opportunity. Imagine sitting across the desk from a recruiter who says, “Tell me about a time when . . . .” Your mind goes blank. You know you have the skills, your résumé shows that, but you can’t find a way to communicate them. An interview can be a scary thing and a little overwhelming, but the more prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be.

 

You Heard it Right!
““The greatest problem in communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished.”
— George Bernard Shaw

”If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s place and to see things from his point of view— as well as your own.”— Henry Ford

"You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere.” — Lee Iacocca

"The art of communication is the language of leadership." — James Humes

“Communication works for those who work at it.” — John Powell

“To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” — Anthony Robbins