here are lots of different aspects to English communication skills, and some of them have

come to be known as “soft skills’.

Soft skills can be defined as interpersonal skills that you use when you work and interact
with others. These skills are important because you need these skills as well as your
professional technical skills, to be able to interact and communicate at work and socially.
These skills support you to fit in, and to be able to move ahead in your career.

According to Forbes, 94% of recruiters believe that top-notch soft skills outweigh

experience when it comes to promotion to leadership positions. They are an important part
of getting a job and essential for career growth.

There are many ‘soft skills’ and I will talk about 8 skills in this article.

1. English Communication Skills-  Soft

Skills Employers Look For- Speak
Clearly
This is sort of an obvious one, but some people don’t realise how important this is. If you
want to get ahead and fit in at work, it’s important to speak English clearly. If colleagues,
employers and clients/ customers have to work hard to understand what you’re saying, they
become tired and give up, or find it frustrating. This gets in the way of clear, open
communication.

Besides this, it is also very frustrating not to be understood by others, and not to be able to
get your meaning across.

As one of my students said, ‘People think less of me, and don’t believe I have the skills they
need, because I have a heavy accent in English, and sometimes people can’t understand
me.’

2. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Greetings

It’s important to greet people appropriately, and look at them when you greet them and
when they greet you. You need to take the time to do this because it’s part of building your
connection with others at work, or on your team. Notice how people greet each other. What
words and physical gestures do they use? Learn to use them also. This also includes
saying goodbye at the end of the day.

3. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Smile

Make sure you smile at the person you are greeting. This signifies that you are open to their
communication, and open to interacting with them. The flow on effect of this is that you are
open to being part of ‘the team.’

4.  English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Politeness

In English communication it is important to use the common forms of politeness- please,

thank you, would you mind…. etc. Even if this is not the way you do it in your native
language, if you don’t use polite skills, you will be considered rude and that you don’t have
the ‘people skills’ that you need.

Notice how others respond, ask for something etc. This includes body language which is a
big part of what we unconsciously pay attention to when interacting with others. (How close
do they stand-personal distance, what sort of facial expression do they use to convey their
meaning etc).

This also applies to written communication as well. Use please and thank you. How do
people sign off in their emails? How does the boss sign off as apposed to a colleague?

5. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Word stress

If you want others to understand a particular message or instruction and especially if you
are giving a presentation, then work on English word stress. You need to stress
(emphasize) the words you would like them to pay attention to.

Another reason to master this is because certain words said with stress, can also convey
your intention without you actually explaining your intention.

For example, let’s take the sentence ‘I want you to drive.’ I’ll write the stressed word in bold
each time and explain the intention implied:-

I want you to drive. – I particularly want you to drive. Maybe others don’t , but I do.

I want you to drive. – It’s my wish that you drive, not me.

I want you to drive. – I don’t want anyone else that’s here to drive .

I want you to drive.– I don’t want you to take the bus or walk, I want you to drive there.

6. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Intonation

This element also conveys intent, but is more about speech intent. For example, if you want
to signify that you haven’t finished talking and want to keep going, but are pausing for effect
or to take a breath, you make your intonation go up- not as much as with a question
though.  (usually this corresponds to where you would put a comma in written speech).
If you have finished saying your piece and are happy to have someone else have a turn,
you make your intonation go up for the vowel just before the end of the word, and then
down at the end.

Listen how colleagues use these cues in speech. Attune your ear to it so you can use it
also.

7. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Ability to Listen

Develop active listening to others rather than waiting for your turn to talk. Notice what they
are really trying to get across to you including the emotion behind what they are saying, and
respond to that.

For example, you might ask your secretary or colleague how some project, or piece of work
is going. They may say ok… with a pause, or have a doubtful look on their face. You can
notice this and could say “Are you sure? You don’t look sure about it. Can I help in any
way?”

Or if someone sounds frustrated as they are telling you something, rather than offering a
solution straight away, you could say ” That sounds frustrating.” This shows the speaker
that you ‘get’ how they’re feeling and will feel/ think that you are communicating and
connecting with them well.

Another aspect of this is following the instructions you are given rather than trying to do
something else because you think it’s better. If you think it might be better, discuss it first.
The person giving the instruction may want you to do it that way for a reason.

8. English Communication Skills- Soft Skills Employers Look For- Attitude

This seems obvious, but often this is more important than the actual skills someone may
have. It is important to have the technical/ appropriate skills for the job, of course. On the
other hand, if someone has great technical skill but isn’t interested in being enthusiastic, or
being friendly, or being part of a team, or willing to learn, it can mean that an employer will
choose someone else with the same skill level, who does have a good attitude. Attitude is
an important soft skill.

For more on other important soft skills have a look here.

Best wishes, Esther

Choose:- I want to speak more clearly in a…

 British Accent