Lecture 14 Meeting and Interview Skills會議與面試技巧

1、SUCCESSFULEFFICIENTLecture 14 Meeting and Interview Skills 會議與會議與面面試試技巧技巧Module 2:Principles and Tips for Business Communication 商務(wù)溝通技巧商務(wù)溝通技巧SUCCESSFULContents12345Types of business meetings Be an effective organizer Be a real participantTypes of interviews Be an interview killerSUCCESSFUL1. Types o

2、f business meetingsClassification by purpose:uInformation-sharing meetings: to inform participants of what is going on in a particular field; often follow a top-down patternuProblem-solving meetings: to analyze causes leading to the problem and find some ways out; often use the brainstorming methodu

3、Decision-making meetings: to take some actions; within a small group, may use the NGT (nominal group technique) techniqueSUCCESSFULClassification by form:uFormal meetings: organized, called and chaired, involve lots of preparatory and documentary work, e.g. agenda, minutes, participant selection, sp

4、ot booking, equipment checkinguInformal meetings: involve less preparatory work, be held on short notice, can be anywhere, may be called discussions, focus groups, dialogues, brainstorming, or feedback sessionsSUCCESSFULClassification by media:uFace-to-face meetingsuVirtual meetings: teleconferences

5、 or videoconferences, some guidelines:At the beginning of the meeting, introduce all the participantsIdentify yourself whenever you are to speak to avoid confusion: e.g. “Ted talking here: I agree with Melissa” Keep distractions to a minimum: e.g. ringing phones, alarm clocks, slamming doors Use the

6、 best equipment possible: cheap speaker phones and computer cameras may make it difficult to understand each otherSUCCESSFUL2. Be an effective organizer Communication practice:What would you do if you are the GM, as the organizer of the meeting? GM: Shall we start? OK. As you can see, were facing a

7、tough challenge from our major competitor Thunderrain. Yesterday I got the message that Thunderrain is going to launch a new campaign on purifying the municipal environment. Its said that the media is very interested in this campaign. Im calling this meeting for two purposes: First, I want to hear y

8、our opinions on Thunderrains new campaign. Second, I want to see how you will suggest what action we should take to beat theirs. I guess youd like to start the ball rolling, Jimmy, right?PR Chief: Well, Tony, I happened to have met one of the guys from the production department of Thunderrain last w

9、eek and we had a chat. He mentioned something about the wasted spare parts he had seen last time he came here. He said Prod. Manager: Just a moment. What do you mean by that? Do you mean that my department has not done a good job in disposing those wasted parts? Thats unfair SUCCESSFULuHave a clear

10、“time budget”: e.g. when to hold it, how long it should last, how many people to speak, for how long each speak is supposed to talk, etc. uBook a meeting place and arrange facilities: tables and chairs, blackboard or whiteboard, thumbtacks (圖釘), projector, microphone, computer, lighting system, air-

11、conditioners or fans, tea or coffee; if possible, have meetings on the same day of the week/month at the same time in the same placeuLimit the participants: the more people invited, the less ideas contributed; at least one participant from one each department concerneduPrepare and circulate the agen

12、da (會議議程會議議程): as early as possible, in printed or electronic formuDelegate roles: e.g. the chair, the facilitator, the timer, the scribe (記錄員), the minutes writer (會議紀(jì)要撰寫者) uHave the last-minute check: ensure that nothing remains undoneSUCCESSFULAgendas Agendas may vary in form from company to comp

13、any and from person to person, but they conventionally cover the following items:Date of sending the agenda Sender and receivers of the agendaDate and time/length of the meetingPlace/location Subject Participants expectedBackground informationReason(s) for the meetingGoal(s) expectedSee “Format for

14、a Comprehensive Agenda” on Page 56SUCCESSFULuExplain the agenda and highlight the subject right after the meeting startsuSet ground rules: e.g. We will start and finish on time. We will not interrupt. We will treat all information as confidential.uKeep the meeting on the right track: bring the discu

15、ssion back onto the set track, e.g. “Brilliant idea, but its a bit away from our focus today. How about keeping to the point of the agenda?”uAsk open-ended questions and paraphrase peoples responses to clarify understandinguGet everyone involved: a general appeal vs. a targeted appeal, e.g. “Tony, w

16、e havent heard from you about the ad campaign. You must have something to share with us.”uPrevent eloquent speakers from monopolizing the meeting: cut this person short skillfully, e.g. “Tommy I think youve brought up some good points for the topic. Then how abut looking at the problem from other pe

17、rspective? Id like to hear other comments.”SUCCESSFULuHandle conflict or disagreement: give a positive appraisal of the enthusiasm shown in the argument, remind them of their role as participants at a meeting, and point out the necessity and importance of keeping the discussion to the set target as

18、time is limited, or raise a new topic and leave them behinduKeep a positive tone: enhance the value of members comments, acknowledge the merits of the (even worthless) ideauHave a sense of time: monitor the progress properly, intervene without hesitation if it takes longer than scheduled, unless it

19、is permitted by the big bossuConclude the meeting skillfully: make a summary of the meetings accomplishment, emphasize the actions to be taken, thank the groupuWrite the minutes shortly after the meeting and circulate it to all participantsSUCCESSFULMinutes The minutes of a meeting can be very diffe

20、rent in style and detail, but they often include:Date and time: the month in full to avoid confusionLocation: cityPresent: full names and job titles to make responsibilities clear and avoid confusionApologies for absenceMinutes of previous meeting: any correction or amendment, confirmation Body: mai

21、n points, decisions, people responsible for actions SUCCESSFUL3. Be a real participantuThink actively and always have something in your minduDo proper preparatory job: understand the subject and the goal, do research work, come up with relevant ideas to proposeuBe cooperative: follow agenda and the

22、organizers directives uContribute, but dont talk too muchuListen attentively and seriously: be patient enough to listen to the whole idea, be cautious to interrupt (See “Poor Listening Behaviours” and “The Impact of a Listeners Ineffective Verbal Response” on Page 57)uUse proper body language to giv

23、e physical attention to the speaker: maintain open posture, lean slightly forward in a relaxed way, face the speaker squarely, nod, use supportive eye contactuUse backchannels to invite the speaker to continueuCheck the minutes: ensure that what you have said is recorded correctly; if there is an er

24、ror, make sure it is corrected before the minutes are approvedSUCCESSFUL4. Types of interviews The information-gathering interview: to seek information, for corporate restructuring or marketing plan development, etc. The employment interview: to explore how well a candidate might fit a job The perfo

25、rmance appraisal interview: regularly scheduled between superior and subordinate to discuss the quality of the latters job-related performance SUCCESSFULTypes of employment interviewsuThe one-on-one Q-and-A interviewuThe panel/team/group interview: one candidate is questioned by a group of interview

26、ers, or a group of candidates are questioned by a group of interviewersuThe technical/audition interview: candidates are asked to demonstrate their specific skills (e.g. driving, typing) or problem-solving capabilities (e.g. dealing with a picky client)uThe stress interview: the interviewers behave

27、in an aggressive, uninterested, or hostile style, e.g. avoid eye contact, sigh at the candidates answers, interrupt, raise challenging questions, take phone calls during the interviewuThe behavioral interview: candidates recall their past experience in specific situations; some questions you might h

28、ear in a behavioral interview:Give me a specific example of when you sold an idea to your professor or supervisor. What was the result?Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a challenge you or your company was facing. What was the challenge? What role did others play?De

29、scribe a situation where you faced multiple projects. How did you handle it? SUCCESSFULPossible sites for employment interviewsuthe potential employers officeua conference roomua hotel during a professional meetingua restaurantuover dinner at the potential employers homeua quiet corner of a cafeteri

30、a at a non-meal timeSUCCESSFUL5. Be an interview killer5.1 Before the interviewDont go into any interview cold. uPrepare a CV/resume: Update it!Be familiar with it! uResearch the institution: e.g. company profile, corporate culture, business environmentvisit the official website read the companys an

31、nual report and other literaturetalk with former/current employeesSUCCESSFULuStudy the job: Is it an existing post, or a new one?What are the job description and job specification?Are there similar jobs in other markets?If year, what is the average salary for the post in the market?uPrepare for FAQs

32、:Tell us about yourself.Why do you want to work in this field?Why do you want to leave your present company?Why do you get such a low GPA (grade point average)?What are your weak points?How do you deal with stress?Do you like working alone or as part of a team?SUCCESSFUL5.2 The big dayuArrive 10-15

33、minutes earlier uBring with you documentation of your credentials: a copy of CV, a portfolio of your writings, designs, certificates or other workuDress in a neat and tidy way: first impressions are lasting ones; smart suits, skirts at or below he knee, clean and comfortable shoes uKeep proper etiqu

34、ette: close the door politely, greet the interviewers, have a firm handshake, mute your cell phone, maintain good paralanguage and body language (eye contact and smile!)SUCCESSFULuBe yourself: your long-term self might not match the role the company would like you to performuRemember the name of the

35、 (main) interviewer: use the formal “Mr.” or “Ms.” unless you are asked to use a first name; avoid any mis-prononciation, e.g. “Mr. Melody” for “Mr. Medley”, Richard, Howard, Greenwich, Beckham, 華，樂，仇，單，區(qū)，解，任，燕，查uBe brief: keep your answers in 2 minutes uGive new and relevant information: see “Talki

36、ng about Yourself” on Page 58-59uNever tell lies (esp. with hard facts): lies are nearly always found out, and your career may never recover; background and reference checksuBe ready to deal with negatives: everybody have some black spots in his career; make strengths from weaknesses, emphasize the

37、positive, explain how they have helped your career development, and may be beneficial to your employerSUCCESSFULuBack up your answers with evidence: esp. in a behavioral interview; use the “PRA” approach (identify the problem, describe the action you took, and state you results that your action prod

38、uced) uDont complain about your current job and companyuAvoid mentioning superficial reasons for applying the job: higher pay, shorter working hours, more chance of promotion, etc.uDont be afraid to use your notes: show your commitment and seriousness about the companyuDecline to answer questions if

39、 they are inappropriate: e.g. about your age, marital status, spouses employment, children, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, political preferenceSUCCESSFULCase study: Answers at the interviewAre they good answers? Give your comments and if necessary, your answers. Case 1:Interviewer: T

40、ell us something about your career. Applicant: I have had a very good career. First I worked with Pudong Technology, then I worked with Electronic Solutions, then I worked with New Age Developments, and finally I worked with First Stage Electronics. SUCCESSFULYou may reply in this way: Well, I think

41、 my experience so far could be very beneficial to your company, particularly as I have six years of experience in the industry. I started off with Pudong Technology, as you know, and that gave me a very solid base. I learned a lot there and was grateful to the company for he knowledge I gained. Then

42、 I moved on to the other companies I have mentioned in my application. All the time, I was looking not just to gain promotion, but also to understand just where our industry is heading in the future. I dont think we can just rely on what has happened in the past; the word is changing so quickly. So,

43、 I moved on to my present company, where I have spent two happy years. Now, I feel it is time to face new challenges and I very much liked the description of this job in your advertisement. Of course, I know that your company is a leader in the field. SUCCESSFULCase 2: Interviewer: I see from your a

44、pplication that you had a six-month break in your employment two years ago. Why was that? Applicant: Well at that time I felt extremely tired, and I didnt think I could keep on working. So I quitted the job and went traveling to give myself some time to recharge. SUCCESSFULYou may reply in this way:

45、 I had just completed a very demanding project for a previous employer and had worked very intensely, virtually seven days a week, twenty hours a day, for eight months. I felt that it would be of benefit to me personally, and to future employers, if I visited some parts of China that I had never see

46、n, so I spent six months traveling around the country. I went as far west as Xinjiang, and visited remote areas elsewhere. I also spent a couple of months in the north of the country. I lived in small hostels and sometimes even in local families. I think this gave me a broader horizon and a better u

47、nderstanding of this vastly diverse country, especially the thoughts and needs of people in less developed rural areas. And this would otherwise have not be attained by someone like me who was born and raised in a big city in the southeast coastal area. SUCCESSFULCase 3:Interviewer: What strengths w

48、ould you bring to this job? Applicant: Im a self-starter who can work without close supervision.SUCCESSFULYou may reply in this way: Im a self-starter who can work without close supervision claim. For example, in my last job, my immediate supervisor was away from the office off and on for 3 months b

49、ecause of some health issues problem. We were switching over to a new accounting system during that time, and I worked with the software company to make the change action. We made the changeover without losing a single days work, and without any loss of data result. SUCCESSFULCase study:The intervie

50、wee: Merry Wang, who applies for the post of Sales ManagerThe interviewer: Harry White, the Director of HR Department, P&G China The setting: Harry White interviews Merry Wang in his office. Your task: Based on the interview skills weve discussed, evaluate the performance of Merry Wang in the in

51、terview. Make a list of her strengths and weaknesses. SUCCESSFUL5.3 After the interviewWithout exception, every employment interview should be followed immediately by a thank-you letter/email, which helps to: uDemonstrate common courtesyuReminds the employer of youuReiterate your interest in the pos

52、itionuProvide important facts about you that you may have omitted in the interviewuCorrect any possible misunderstandinguenclose any further documentation of your credentialsuTactfully remind the interviewer of any promises made, such as a second interview, or a response by a certain dateSUCCESSFULA

53、 sample follow-up email:Dear Mr. Thompson, I enjoyed talking with you yesterday at the Career Planning and Placement Office here. You only increased my already keen interest in working for Premier Systems. As you requested, Ive enclosed a copy of the article on software houses that I mentioned. It a

54、ppeared in last Tuesdays issue of the Triangle, our biweekly campus newspaper. It mentions Premier Systems on the second page. Again, thank you for taking the time to talk with me yesterday. I look forward to hearing from you. with best regards,Joe Wang_Department of Computer Science, South China Un

55、iversity of Science and Technology510300, Guangzhou, ChinaSUCCESSFULSUCCESSFUL1. Communication practice You are the administrative assistant of Charles Computing. Below is an email sent to you by your boss. The previous meeting was held in Meeting Room Two at the headquarters of your company, NO.16

56、Changan Avenue, Beijing. Prepare an agenda for the next meeting. Hi Janet, We had a meeting on the annual travel budget last month. I want to hold another one at the same place. Lets say 4pm on 16 April. Ive asked Mr. Liu, of our resources section, to prepare a report on our use of different airlines. I think we might be able to negotiate a good corporate deal if we think about things carefully. Oh, and I want to be able to talk about discounts at hotels, as a friend of mine has told me that there a