Having listened online to the live question and answer debate with Nick Clegg, the Deputy PM in Bristol, he raised one very interesting point about communication and how we express ourselves. He confirmed that he believes live television debates are here to stay and that they actually engage a huge amount of people to watch and listen.

Nick Clegg spoke about an interview he watched whilst on a train, which involved Bill Clinton, George Bush Snr and Ross Perot. Having lost the sound briefly, he still felt engaged by looking at the individuals in terms of their body language and direct eye contact with the camera. Clegg commented that it may not always be what we are saying, but actually how we communicate it and the body language we portray, that is just as important.

Common factors which contribute to making a weak first impression at an interview are timidity, a limp handshake and no eye contact i.e. your body language. First impressions are vital and I believe it is critically important to give a confident and memorable first impression at your interview in order to increase your chances of succeeding. My top tips are:

1. Ensure you give a firm handshake

2. Maintain plenty of eye contact

3. Answer the question you are asked

4. Avoid jargon

5. Finally don’t digress!

Body language, communication, Deputy PM, eye contact, firm handshake, Interview technique, Nick Clegg, West Country

With the proliferation of social and professional networking sites, employees - regardless of position, industry, or sector should seriously consider how it may benefit them both personally and professionally to engage with others through online media.  The internet, with all that it offers is used a daily source of information as well as a tool for communications for everybody with access to a computer all over the world. 

photo credit: M i x y

For some, social networking is another realm of communication that is so vast and rapidly changing that the whole idea of using it leaves them feeling  overwhelmed.  However, the best approach is to think about why it’s important to join these sites and what benefits –if any – they will bring to both your personal life and your working life. 

It’s simple really.  In order to benefit from these sites, you need to understand the strengths of each one and focus on what you want to gain from joining them. There are a multitude of networks that all serve a different purpose. Don’t feel that you have to set up accounts on each networking site available to you. Remember, it is vital that once you have an account that you use it regularly, idle accounts are wasted opportunities.

Top 3 Networking sites

LinkedIn– to connect professionals and job seekers, expand networks, research companies and locate people, probably the most important networking site. Beneficial for company profiles as well as personal profiles.

Twitter – initiated to allow an exchange of information between people with similar interests. This is not to promote your business / you. Its function is to enhance and build professional relationships.

Facebook   –  Most commonly used for personal networking, for example staying in contact with old friends / family members.Recently, businesses have begun interacting with Facebook by setting up a business page.

 For further insight I recommend visiting Career Hub. Here Sital Ruparelia blogs a quick and informative post on social media and 6 simple rules you need to know.

career, communication, Facebook, Linkedin, Networking, Social Media, social networking, Twitter