Page 84 - EN Meta Skills for Employability_Practical Guide
P. 84
11. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
Cases of application for the job market
Imagine that you need to illustrate your strengths in the workplace. If
effective communication and collaboration is one of them your response
could look like one of these cases:
A.
In my former role as a Sales Representative, effective communication
proved pivotal in navigating interactions within and outside the company.
Engaging with various departments and external stakeholders demanded
advanced communication and collaboration skills. Despite successes in
increasing sales and fostering teamwork, there was one person who made
things tough for me and my colleagues. It was the Financial Manager. She
was smart but didn't trust salespeople like us. She made our job hard by
delaying payments and asking for too many details, which upset our
customers too. She also had an aggressive communication style.
Because it was my job to keep customers happy and help sales, I tried to
talk more with her. Instead of just sending emails, I visited her office more,
talked about work problems, and asked for advice. I also brought her small
gifts like sweets on special occasions. I wanted to know her better, her
background, problems she faced in her career, and stuff about her life
outside work.
Building a good relationship took numerous lunches, but the investment
was truly worthwhile for both of us. Being present during our
conversations, actively listening to her problems, not only helped me
understand her better but also taught me valuable lessons about myself. It
made me realize how quick we are to judge others, often without truly
knowing about their lives and struggles. Achieving successful collaboration
at work demands investing time to understand and listen to colleagues,
fostering authentic relationships. The effort and engagement put into this
process will surely yield rewarding outcomes.
82