How Effective Communication Elevates Your Career

What does it mean to be an effective communicator and how does it affect your career as a young professional?

This is an especially relevant inquiry with June being national Effective Communication month!

Communication is the foundation of any relationship and is essential for meeting new people and exploring new opportunities– both necessary to develop a fulfilling career.

Here are some ways you know you are communicating like a CHAMP!

Clear - You are expressing your ideas in a concise understandable manner that resonates with your audience.

Honest - You are speaking the truth and feel good about what you are saying and how you are saying it.

Adaptable - You are able to customize your communication to suit different audiences and situations and you are open to feedback.

Mutual - You are experiencing a healthy give-and-take communication, like a dance, where there is a natural balance between speaking and listening, leading and following.

Productive - Your communication is moving something important forward for all involved in a respectful way and resulting in a measurable positive outcome.

Networking Tips

We really can’t talk about effective communication without mentioning networking. I know you know you “should” do it, but do you ever ask yourself, “Where do I go?” “Who do I talk with?” “What do I say?” You’re not alone!

Building your professional network is critical in the early stages of your career, and effective communication is key to networking successfully. But what does it mean to network successfully?

For starters, networking is much more than getting up the courage to ask someone if they are hiring. Rather, it is about connecting authentically and developing mutually beneficial relationships.

Whether you participate in an after-hours business event or an online seminar– or even speaking with someone at the grocery store– you can practice getting more and more comfortable meeting new people and introducing yourself to others.

Please do not worry about having the perfect pitch; As Maya Angelou taught us, most people will forget what you say but will remember how you make them feel. So just focus on sharing something interesting about yourself and– more importantly– BEING INTERESTED in others. This one ability (superpower, actually) will leave people wanting more of you, not less of you!

Practice being comfortable and confident in your own skin– and others will tend to mirror your behavior. Hint: internal self-worth must precede external self-confidence.

When in doubt, listen twice as much as you speak, especially in networking situations. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason ;)

Nonverbal communication can speak volumes. Be aware of what you are communicating in silence through your posture, facial expressions, and behaviors.

Employer’s Perspective

Being a young professional, you are not expected to be the most experienced person in the room. In fact, employers and prospective employers love when you ask questions because it shows you are interested in learning and growing as well as making a positive contribution to the team.

Turns out most employers would prefer to hire someone with excellent interpersonal communication skills – which are highly transferable skills no matter where you apply them – than someone with a perfect GPA who struggles to interact with people.

After all, it’s easier for employers to teach you a work-related skill than to change your behavior.

In summary, I invite you to expand your comfort zone, socialize with new people, and interact with others as much as you can, especially as we all still rebuild this social fabric post-COVID.

One thing I know for sure is that having conversations will open new doors for you.

It’s time to go out there and show the world who you are! Btw, if you haven’t noticed, the world needs you and your leadership.

To Your Success!

Amy

P.S. HUGE SHOUT-OUT to all of our attendees of the 1st annual Career & Leadership Conference (CLC) for Purpose-driven Young Professionals last Friday! I am so pumped about it, we have already set the date for the 2nd annual: Friday, June 20, 2025... Mark your calendar!