cmst exam 1

What happens in the closing phase of an interview? Why is each part important?

During the closing phase, the interviewer brings the whole interview full circle. Conclusion preparation gives the interviewee a warning that the interview is coming to an end, Final Summary provides a test of your listening and notetaking skills, and Post-Interview Discussion is an informal way to imply the interviewee should relax.

What are employment interviews, how do we prepare, and what should we do post-performance?

Employment interviews are an exchange between a candidate and a prospective employer.We can prepare for employment interviews by understanding the type of interview you will be in. You will also want to know what type of dress code will be applicable. Following this, consider moving on to another job to begin interviewing for.

What are illegal interview questions and what subjects should not be included in questions?

Illegal interview questions are considered intrusive and potentially discriminatory. These include: -Age -Race or Nationality -Pregnancy -Disabilities -Family and marital status -Household situation -Spouse's occupation -Religion or church attendance -Arrest record

What happens in the opening phase of an interview? Why is each part important?

In the opening phase, the interviewer establishes a productive climate. Formality level establishes how parties address each other, Rapport establishes trust between parties, Orientation sets the groundwork for the body of the interview.

Define intra-personal communication, self-concept, and the dimensions of self.

Intrapersonal Communication: within the self Self Concept: how you perceive yourself and your importance Dimensions of Self:

What is interview climate and why is it important?

It contributes to the mood or tone of the information interview. It is important to establish trust and formality between interviewer and interviewee.

Explain how communication is a process

It is a process because as you speak to different people, and in turn receive their feedback, you re-evaluate the way you speak.

Why is it important to understand your audience?

It's important to understand your audience so that you can convey your message properly/not let your message get caught up in the complications of language.

How can language become an obstacle? Define and give an example of the 6 ways.

Language can become an obstacle when you miscommunicate or misunderstand. Examples: -cliche: once-clever word or phrase that has lost its impact through overuse example: "tired old war horse" -jargon: occupation-specific language used by people in a given profession example: accounting terminology -slang: the use of existing or newly invented words to take the place of traditional words example: "swag" -sexist and racist language: uses gender/race as a discriminating factor example: "those people" -euphemisms: substituting an acceptable word for an offensive or controversial one example: "H-E double hockey sticks" -doublespeak: deliberate use of words to disguise, obscure, or change meaning example: "How does it feel to be downsized?"

Define language and how does language play a role in perception and communication?

Language is a system of symbols, words, and/or gestures used to communicate meaning. Words themselves don't hold meaning, so it is up to the speaker to convey their intentions in a way that will be most universally understood.

What are interpersonal needs - both from Maslow and Schutz's version?

Maslow- food and clothing, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self actualization Schutz-3 needs: affection, control, and belonging

What are your communicator responsibilities? Consider what happens if a communicator is not responsible at work.

One's communicator responsibilities include being prepared, ethical, and kind. If a communicator is not responsible at work, a range of negative consequences can ensue, from leaving a bad impression to getting fired due to negligence or poor conduct.

What are tips you can use to help practice an Elevator Speech?

"What are we going to do when we graduate from LSU?" is an example of an Elevator Speech exercise.

What are the 5 parts of a message and their functions?

-Attention Statement: used to capture the audience's attention -Introduction: make your topic clear and establish a relationship with the audience -Body: present your message in detail, using any of a variety of organizational structures -Conclusion: provide the audience with a sense of closure by summarizing your main points and relating them to the overall topic -Residual message: message or thought that stays with your audience well after the communication is finished

What are the 6 ways you can improve verbal communication? Give an example of each.

-Define your terms -be aware of words that might be unfamiliar to your audience -Choose precise words -be concise with what you say so that your meaning doesn't get lost or misinterpreted -Consider your audience -avoid jargon or language that could be offensive to the group you are speaking to -Take control of your tone -get feedback beforehand to make sure you will not be perceived negatively by an audience -Check for understanding -make time for feedback and plan on it -Be results oriented - beginning with the end in mind

What are the roles of a meeting in the business setting? What are strategies that help increase meeting effectiveness?

-Master of Ceremonies: the conductor of ritual gatherings (Emcee) -Preparer of the Toast -Roasters: tell brief, exaggerated stories that are based in truth, in order to foster a lighthearted mood You can increase meeting effectiveness by keeping track of all the notes, timing, and roles included in the meeting

Define the 5 stages of a telephone conversation. What are the strategies you can use to make them more effective and easier to understand?

-Opening: both parties identify themselves and greetings are reciprocated -Feedforward: purpose and tone of conversation are established/permission is given to continue -Business: substance of conversation/parties exchange roles -Feedback: signal that business is concluded -Closing: both parties say goodbye You can make these stages easier to understand by using vivid language and crisp, clear descriptions.

Describe the main parts of an agenda and why they are important to use.

-Title Header: title, time, date, location, phone number, email contact, and any other necessary information -Participants: expected participants -Subject Line: purpose statement -Call to Order: who will call the meeting to order? -Introductions: state name and respective roles -Roll Call: takes place while introductions are made -Reading of the minutes: notes from the last meeting are read with an opportunity to correct -Old Business: any unresolved issues from last time -New Business: list of items for discussion and action -Reports: individual action items that require reports to the group or committee -Good of the Order: time for people to offer any news that relates to the topic of the meeting that was otherwise not shared or discussed -Adjournment: note time, date, place meeting adjourned Agendas keep participants on track and prevent chaos.

What are the 4 strategies you can use to emphasize your message? Give an example of each.

-Visual Communication: example- graphic that aids in the understanding the complexities of a topic- example- The Semantic Triangle -Signposts: phrases that alert the audience that the topic is about to change- example- "on the other hand" -Internal Summaries and Foreshadowing: reviewing what has been said to highlight what's coming next- example- "Now that we've got X and Y in our kit; what else do we need?" -Repetition: repeating the same word over and over- example- Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

What are the mistakes to avoid in an Elevator Speech?

-giving too much information at a time -advertising yourself -appearing ingenuine

What are the parts of an Elevator Speech?

1. Attention Statement 2. Introduction 3. Body 4. Conclusion 5. Residual Message

What are 5 factors in phrasing questions? Define each one and give an example.

1. LANGUAGE: use words that interviewees will understand, but are also specific and precise. -replacing words that sound similar 2. RELEVANCE: interviewees must understand the relevance of questions asked -grouping questions about the same topic together 3. INFORMATION LEVEL: do not ask questions for which interviewees do not have the information -avoid asking questions that might insult the interviewees' intelligence 4. COMPLEXITY: phrase questions so they are simple, clear requests for limited amounts of information -avoid asking multiple questions, "When and why did you choose to attend LSU?" 5. INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY: Situational constraints such as a noisy room or lack of privacy may impact interviewee's answers. Social constraints such as an unwillingness to praise ourselves. Psychology constraints such as strong emotions associated with a topic

What key questions should an Elevator Speech include?

1. What is the topic, product, or service? 2. Who are you? 3. Who is the target market? 4. What is the revenue model? 5. What or who is the competition and what are your advantages

What are the 5 stages of conversation?

1.) Initiation - requires you to be open to interact 2.) Preview - an indication, verbal or non-verbal of what the conversation is about, both in terms of content as well as the relationship 3.) Talking-Points - this is the getting down to business step and the reinforcing of the goals of orientation of the conversation 4.) Feedback - allows conversational partners to clarify, restate, or discuss the points of the conversation to arrive at a sense of mutual understanding. 5.) Closing - the acceptance of feedback on both sides of the conversation often signals the transition to the conclusion of the conversation

How do communication skills help you solve problems, learn new things, and build your career?

A good communication skill set can make the difference between deterring a business partner and forming a prolific new goal. The better you can communicate, the better you can collaborate, and the more successful you'll be.

What is an Elevator Speech and when is it used in the business setting?

An Elevator Speech is a presentation that persuades the listener in less than thirty seconds, or around a hundred words. It is used when the speaker wants to inform their listener in a memorable way, no matter how casual the interaction.

What should an Elevator Speech NOT include?

An Elevator Speech should not include too much information.

Why is it important to be an active listener/reader and what are ways to facilitate active listening/reading?

Being an active listener and reader shows that you respect the person speaking, and also allows you to collaborate with them to the fullest extent. You can facilitate active listening/reading by: Maintaining eye contact Don't interrupt or multitask Focus your attention on the message Restate the message in your own words Ask clarifying questions to communicate interest and gain insight

Discuss why communication is important in Business.

Communication is so important in business because it allows one to effectively and efficiently work with others to complete a task or relay an idea.

Define communication.

Communication is the process of understanding and sharing meaning.

How is conversation a ritual?

Conversation is a ritual because it is one of the main ways we interact in the business environment. This is something that everyone will have to eventually do or learn how to do because it is almost a rite of passage. Conversation is something that has multiple steps and by taking the steps seriously, it can allow you to have the best possible outcomes for the conversations you have chosen to partake in so you can get the most out of it

Why is delivery important in the business setting?

Delivery is important because audiences can take your message positively or negatively depending on how you say it, regardless of the words used.

What are the 3 strategies you can use to learn about your audience better? Give an example of each.

Demographic Traits: Sharing the trait of "femininity" as a woman around other women Improving Your Perception of Your Audience: Open your mind and understand different perspectives Fairness in Communication: Reciprocity between audience and speaker

What are the different types of questions? Give an example and state the best use in an interview.

Open Ended: broad questions, often specifying only the topic highly open ended: Tell me about yourself. moderately open ended: What are the main ways that life in Brazil is different from life in the United States? Closed Ended: limit answer options; specific response required. highly closed ended: What is your class standing? bipolar: Have you finished your assignment? moderately closed ended: How old are you? Primary: introduce topics or new areas within a topic; can stand alone out of context and make sense How do others describe the gardens you design? Secondary: attempt to elicit more fully information asked for in primary question or previous secondary question; may be open or closed silence: resist the urge to talk to fill the silence nudging probes: "Go on." clearinghouse probes: Is there anything else you would like to add? probes to increase depth of content: What happened after you found your old guitar in the attic? probes to probes to increase clarity: I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "incompetent." probes to identify feelings: How are you defining "excellent?" probes to get the other back on track: So how did that affect YOU? mirror or summary questions: I want to be sure that my notes are accurate relative questions: Did you say your sister's name was Irene or Jolene? hypothetical probes: Imagine you can go back in time. Who would you meet? reactive probes: Most of the students in your classes receive A's or B's. How do you explain that? Neutral: seek straight-forward answer; typically, the questions you ask in the information interview are neutral What is your favorite color? Leading: imply or state expected answer in question; generally, you will want to avoid these questions in the information interview Aren't you a big fan of the Indigo Girls? Loaded: imply both answer and some negative belief, behavior, etc on the part of respondent; provides a strong, direct, virtual demand for a particular answer; often include emotionally charged language, name calling, entrapment; these are not appropriate questions in an informational interview Are you still as boring as you were 10 years ago? Tag: inserted at end of answer; often weaken impact of answer; you want to avoid these as an interviewer (or an interviewee) in the information interview I feel that's a good idea, don't you? Multiple: two or more questions asked at the same time; also called double-barrelled questions; you'll want to avoid these in an information interview as they confuse interviewees How did you like your trip to Hollywood? What was the most interesting part?

Why should open-ended questions be used over closed-ended questions? Discuss what factors open-ended questions include

Open ended questions allow for the interviewee to give context and explanation to their answer, as opposed to closed ended questions, which only call for a one word answer. Open ended questions require a pause to think and reflect, incite opinion based responses, and put the interviewee in control.

How does perception differ from person to person? And why is this important to recognize when examining your audience?

Perception differs from person to person based on their past experiences or the mental expectations they have set. When examining your audience, you want to be relatable and convincing, so you must put yourself in their shoes and understand how they will digest the information you are showing to them.

What is perception and its 3-part process? Be sure to include what influences selection, the principles of organization and how interpretation influences our perceptions. Why is perception important?

Perception is the lens through which you observe your situation. It is a 3-part process: -Selection -> Influenced by what is most important, or what most primarily catches your attention. -Organization -Proximity: organization based on relationship of space to objects -Continuity: drawing connections between things that occur in sequence -Similarity: grouping things or concepts by properties they share -Uniformity/Homogeneity: noting ways in which concepts or objects are alike -Figure and Ground: emphasis on a single item that stands out from its surroundings -Symmetry: balancing objects or ideas equally from one side to the other -Closure: tendency to use previous knowledge to fill in the gaps in an incomplete idea or picture -Interpretation influences our perceptions when we assign meaning to current stimuli based on past experiences and current expectations Perception is important because it is the way that we see the world. If we are about to share our views with an audience, we want to be as conscious of our perceptions in comparison to theirs.

What is self-concept? What factors relate to self-concept and why is self-concept important?

Self concept is your central identity and set of beliefs about who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing. Your self esteem, attitudes, and beliefs all intertwine with your self concept. When you have confidence and believe you are capable of growth and improvement, your quality of work will improve.

What is the shared meaning and why is it important?

Shared meaning is when the sender and receiver are on the same page as far as intent of the message. If shared meaning does not happen, the receiver does not interpret the message the way the sender intended.

Define sound bites, slogans, and quotes and give an example for each. What makes these communication activities most effective?

Sound bites: brief statements that zero in on the point of a larger or longer message Ex: "Ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country." Slogans: phrases that express the goals, aims, or nature of a product, service, person, or company Ex: "Just Do It." Quotes: memorable sayings extracted from written or verbal messages Ex: "D'oh!"

What can you do as an interviewer to make the interview process run more smoothly?

The interviewer should be laid back but sociable, make sure questions are appropriate and concise, and give cues at the beginning and end of the interview.

Explain how the audience relates to an Elevator Speech.

The more you tailor your message to the audience, the more likely you are to spark interest.

What is the semantic triangle and how does it work?

The semantic triangle is a diagram that connects thoughts, words, and subjects. It illustrates how the word refers to the thought, which then refers to the thing itself.

What are the 3 types of language and their functions?

The three types of language are: Syntactic: govern the order of words in a sentence Semantic: govern the meaning of words and how to interpret them Contextual: govern meaning and word choice according to context and social custom

Describe the 2 models of communication and compare the similarities/differences

The two models of communication are the Transactional and Constructivist o Both involve two people who act as both the receiver and the source. o In the Transactional model, speakers take turns to state their messages, whereas in Constructivist, both speakers aim to reach a common ground.

What happens in the body phase of an interview? What are the ways to organize interview questions?

This is where you ask your questions. Ways of organizing these questions include: Funnel, Inverted Funnel/Pyramid, Diamond/Hourglass, and Tunnel

What factors should you consider when preparing and conducting a successful interview?

You should make sure you are presentable, have appropriate and legal questions prepared to ask, do your research, be respectful, be mindful of your body language, and be conscious of how long/extensive the interview should be.

Group

a small number of people engage in a conversation

Define interpersonal relationships, why they are important in business, and the connection to predictive outcome value theory?

a social connection or affiliation between two or more people. They are important in business as they allow you to help build relationships that are long-lasting with your co-workers, managers, and even bosses. It relates hand in hand to the predictive outcome theory because 9 time out of 10, all of our relationships in business are to either better ourselves or the company we work for.

Intrapersonal

inner dialogue to yourself

Define conflict at work and explain the ways to manage conflict.

it is a physical or psychological struggle associated with the perception of opposing or incompatible goals, desires, demands, wants, or needs. You can manage conflict in the workplace by1.) Avoidance2.) Using supportive communication instead of defensive3.) Implementing Face-saving Strategies4.) Empathetic listening5.) Avoid gunnysacking and let your emotions be on the table rather than holding everything in to explode6.) Understand how to take criticisms under evaluations7.) Learn how to manage your emotions8.) Listen without interruption9.) Determine the speakers intent

Define the 8 components of communication

o Source: the person giving the speech o Message: the stimulus or meaning produced by the source for the receiver or audience o Channel: the way in which a message or messages travel between source and receiver o Receiver: receives the message from the source, analyzing and interpreting the message in ways both intended and unintended by the source o Feedback: composed of messages the receiver sends back to the source, both verbal and nonverbal o Environment: the atmosphere, physical and psychological, where you send and receive messages o Context: involves the setting, scene, and expectations of the individuals involved o Interference: anything that blocks or changes the source's intended meaning of the message

Public

one person speaks to a group of people

Mass Communication

sending a single message to a group on a larger scale

Interpersonal

two people speaking to each other, can be either personal or impersonal