Assignment 5: Communication

Communication, in my experiences, is the most important part of any relationship: familial, friendly, and professional. The way one communicates in each type of relationship varies based upon the context of the interaction. Familial relationships and those with your peers are different from those with a potential employer. Since your family and your friends already know you as a person, their expectations are based of off how you have reacted in the past. Because you can expect them to know what your are going to do or say, it is easier to communicate with those that you know. There also does not need to be as much communication because there are already understood boundaries in place. For example, my mother knows that I wake up early during the week, but like to sleep in a little on the weekends. I don't have to communicate this to her, since it's an established expectation.

There is a difference between communication with friends and family, however. Since ones friends are usually the same age as them, communication within that relationship can be more casual. Siblings can also be more casual with each other. Communication with parents and older relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents on the other hand needs to be a little more formal. Since these family members are usually much older than you, there needs to be a level of respect given to them that is higher than that with friends. For example, if my friend did something nice for me and I wanted to thank them, I would probably send them a nice text message. If an older family member did this, I would probably take my time and write them a nice card and give it to them in person, or call them and mail the card if they live far away.

With a potential employer, communication is different. Since they do not know what to expect from you, it is important to make a good first impression, both in written and face to face communication.
Email etiquette is crucial, as well as following up and and thanking them for their time. Additionally, handwritten letters of thanks can show a potential employer that you really care after an interview. During the interview, the employer does not know what to expect so having a firm handshake, good posture, and maintaining eye contact are good nonverbal ways to demonstrate to an interviewer that you really care. Additionally, the language you use with an interviewer should be respectful and professional, avoiding colloquialisms (such as "ya'll") and filler words (um, so, uh, yeah, etc.). For me, I can use all of the methods to a successful interview I just listed (that I learned at a leadership seminar yesterday!) throughout my mentorship to maintain a positive and trustworthy reputation with my mentor. I think it is important to remain consistent with how one communicates with others, because it shows that they are stable and dependable.

Yasamin, 9/16