Assignment 5: Communication

Communication varies from person to person because of the status that I hold with them. When I am talking to a friend I can be laying on a couch or on my phone while holding the conversation. This is because a friendship is comfortable and they expect me to be relaxed, not acting like I'm at a job interview. I can talk to friends about anything because we have a relationship in which no topic is off limits. Talking to family members is a little different, especially to my parents. Family members are the ones who raised and shaped me, so there is a different relationship between family and between friends. Family members expect me to act the way I was raised: with good manners and communication skills. Communicating with a potential employer is a very different situation because they expect me to be well-mannered, formal and interested. When talking to an employer, I would be paying attention, sitting with good posture and making eye contact to show I'm listening. Therefore, communicating with an interviewer becomes a situation in which great communication skills are imperative because of the objective of getting a job.

When talking to my mentor, I will consider all parts of communicating. It is very important to come to work everyday with an enthusiastic tone and smile on my face. A firm handshake and good posture is necessary when I meet my mentor so that I can create a good first impression. When my mentor is talking, I will keep eye contact and stay quiet so that they know I am listening to them and taking in all information that they are telling me. My mentors are giving me an amazing opportunity to learn, and it's important that all parts of my communication, body language and words, match my excitement.