Brian Bell
English 111-03H
Oct. 7th, 2015
Communication skills
Communicating as a professional
It is important to know how to communicate as a professional in not just a work environment, but
in every social situation where someone may be judged on intelligence and grasp on the English
language. Susan Adams states that she can understand why job interviewers do not take people who
use bad grammar seriously. If someone were to use bad grammar, not only does it give a bad
impression, but it also seems like they are not very intelligent and have nothing to offer the company.
Using grammar correctly in speech is also important, because it can show how somebody’s mind
functions and if that person thinks before they speak and how their thought process is. Having a good
grasp on grammar and the correct usage of words goes a long way in not just intelligence, but in a
person’s reliability as well. (Adams) Whenever an interviewee goes to a job interview, they make them
take a mandatory aptitude test. So they had better have a good grip on the English language or there is
no chance they will get the job. In his article Kyle Weins says, “Good grammar is credibility,” which is
true in many cases. If somebody were speaking gibberish, there is little to no chance they would be
taken seriously. (Weins)
The line of work that I am going into is called Art Direction. These are the people responsible for
the end product that a consumer sees. Such as movie posters, DVD box covers, billboards, character
and set planning, and other forms of advertising and creative designs. For this job, it is required to
have good listening and speech skills in order to correct and clearly hear other people’s ideas and to
get one’s own concepts across to the client or the fellow artist. It is a good idea to have a good
understanding on note taking and writing techniques for the critiques and tips that will need to be given
to the other artists, so they can read and learn from the art director’s input. Most of these are fairly
common and expected of anyone with a bachelor’s degree from college, which is required for this
position. Along with some work experience and basic understanding of fine arts and design.
My communication skills could always be improved, but as of right now I have a good understanding
on reading techniques, proper word usage, and the correct usage of punctuation. I can always check
the class page for different activities that can improve my skills in grammar and communicating as a
professional. In class, take rigorous notes and work on note taking techniques, ask for help, do the
homework, and even the class work will help to improve skills as a communicator. One of the most
important skills to have is proper grammar, because in the future nobody is going to hire someone if
their resume has grammatical errors and if it is not very clear. This makes it seem like the applicant is
uneducated and that is what makes people hesitant to hire a new employee. Another skill that would be
beneficial is understanding these skills and applying them to everyday speech. This shows people that
not only can the person write with correct grammar, but they are also quick witted and can think on
their toes. Lastly, taking notes is very important in college and in the work place. So it is good to know
different effective note taking strategies, like Cornell notes. Which can be developed both in and out of
class.
Works Cited:
Adams, Susan. "Why Grammar Counts at Work." Forbes. 20 July 2012.
Weins, Kyle. "I Won't Hire People Who Use Poor Grammar. Here's Why." Harvard Business
Review: HRB Blog Network. 20 July 2012.
