At some point your teen may want a part-time or full-time job, which means they’ll most likely need a CV and to hone their communication and interviewing skills. So many people struggle to effectively express themselves through written, verbal or body language. Self-expression is vital when it comes to being understood and gaining a competitive advantage.
Clever communication will have a positive impact on your teen’s exam results, work life and personal relationships. Here are some valuable keys to help your teen connect with others.
Face to face communication
When you meet someone, give them a firm handshake, smile and look them in the eye. Speak clearly – finish each word before starting the next one. Lift your chin to project your voice. When you look down, your voice loses volume. It also sends a signal that you’re not interested in the other person, or that you have no confidence.
C.V. (Curriculum Vitae)
There are all kinds of opinions about what defines a good C.V. There is no magic formula, but here are a few pointers:
Layout
Choose a font size of 11 or 12. Have plenty of white space – don’t cram the information. Your spelling and grammar must be perfect.
Keep the format consistent. Only use one or two easy to read fonts. Your C.V. isn’t meant to be a work of art unless you’re applying for a graphic design position or something similar in the creative industries. Keep it simple, clean and tidy.
Create a footer that includes your name, and appears on each page, in case the pages get separated. If you are a recent school leaver or still at school, your C.V. only needs to be two pages long.
If you plan to hand out copies, double side your C.V. on one piece of paper. Sound interesting. Include examples of your brilliance, and list any volunteer work or community projects in which you’ve been involved. Even babysitting shows leadership and care for others. Don’t include a photo unless you are asked to.
Emailing
Email is a key tool for communicating in the business and corporate world. How you present yourself in this written form will impact how people perceive you. The style of writing should be different to texting – don’t use text-speak in work-related communications.
Subject line
Keep the subject line of your email short and precise. Be clear about the content of your email so that yours stands out in the receiver’s inbox and encourages them to open it.
Content
Start your email with a greeting and the person’s name. Unlike texting, you can’t just launch into what you want to say. If you are writing a formal email, such as a job application or sales pitch, use ‘Dear’; otherwise ‘Hi’ is fairly widely accepted.
Use paragraph breaks to separate thoughts, ideas or topics. This makes it easy for the reader to digest the content, and not get lost or lose interest. It’s usually best to limit the number of topics you try to cover. Think about the attention-span of the reader, and how busy that person might be. To end a business email, sign off with ‘Kind Regards’, ‘Sincerely’ or something similar. In less formal emails, ‘Cheers’ or something similar is fine. Finish with your name and, to stand out, add your cellphone number so the other person can call you. Never put anything in writing that you wouldn’t want to be shared, or anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother to read. Think before you send! Use good people skills when writing emails, and if someone asks for a response, reply as soon as you can. Good manners go a long way when you are building great connections. Remember, the people you’re in contact with may not be able to help you directly, but they probably know the person who can. Add value to the people who know the people who can add value back to you!
Yvonne Godfrey, is the founder of MIOMO (making it on my own), youth independence programme. She is also the author of ‘Parenting Yadults’ – How to Set Up Your Young Adult for Independence and Success in Life! and ‘Making it on my Own’ – 52 Smart Ways to Smash it in the Real World. Yvonne and her husband Simon have 2 adult daughters, and 2 grandchildren. For more information MIOMO.com
