Online vs. Face-to-Face

Lately I have been thinking about how technology is continually integrating itself into our daily lives. As a couple of examples, consider the new Facebook Home app for smartphones, or Google Glass. Ostensibly, these innovations are meant to enrich our lives and help us connect with people, but, more often than not, they distract us from the people who are right next to us. Also, we seem to be under the impression that our online persona is a shield or a mask of anonymity—we are bolder, doing and saying things we would never do or say in “real life.” We think no one but our friends can see us, but what about potential employers? Many bosses are starting to screen applicants based on what they find on Facebook and other social media. Additionally, technology has firmly integrated itself into the fabric of business, allowing professionals from all over the world to collaborate with people they have never seen in person. In this blog post, I would like to explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of this last phenomenon.

Advantages. There are many obvious and important advantages to being able to meet with another professional in cyberspace. First, meeting in cyberspace saves money. With an internet connection and a decent computer system, anyone can meet—no matter how far away they are. This saves the travel budget. Second, meeting on the internet allows companies to broaden their horizons and expand into markets formerly closed to them because of distance. Third, meeting online saves time. Aside from monetary cost, there is a time cost to travel, and online meetings can cut that 15-hour trans-Pacific flight into comparatively nothing. Fourth, online meetings allow for more flexibility than face-to-face ones do. For a few more advantages, see this website.

Disadvantages. There is a flip side to every coin, however, and this is no exception. Consider an experience I had this past semester while taking an online course. Our class had met once, briefly, at the beginning of the semester so the professor could explain and clarify a few things. The class was meant to be interactive, and included a group project at the end of the semester. When my group was assigned, a few people tried to get the project moving, but to no avail. Our efforts seemed vague and directionless. Having never met each other in person (the brief meeting at the beginning didn’t really count), we had less patience with each other and were less motivated to complete the project than we probably would have otherwise. It wasn’t until we met in person that we were able to get on the same page. I can’t speak for the other members of my group, but I missed the unity of purpose and the clarity that a real live face-to-face meeting brings.  

Really, my only objection to holding online meetings is the lack of connection and the creativity that a live group discussion brings. It doesn’t necessarily outweigh all of the advantages, but it is something to consider when holding meetings in cyberspace.

How to Interview Well

The internet is full of advice on how to have a successful interview. They tell you how to dress, how to talk, how to stand, how to sit, what to say, what not to say, etc. The list goes on. In my experience, interviews come in various shapes and sizes—they may not be the traditional suit-and-tie sit-down interview. The style of interview often depends on the type of job. For instance, while a traditional desk job requires the qualities depicted in the picture below, part of the interview process for field staff in a wilderness therapy venture requires applicants to take part in a one-week field training. Therefore, my advice for how to interview well is based in three things: (1) knowing what to prepare for, (2) doing your homework, and (3) knowing what to say.

Knowing what to prepare for.  As stated in the opening paragraph, it is imperative that you know what you are going in to. Ask ahead of time what the format of the interview will be. If you are going to be interviewing in an office, go ahead and wear formal to semi-formal dress. However, if it is a job that requires physical fitness, they may want to see how well you can perform the required tasks, which means you will want to wear clothes you can move around in.

Doing your homework. Researching the company can give you a heads-up about what to expect in the interview. You can often guess the types of questions they will ask and the types of things they will require you to do. Being knowledgeable about their company will also help you stand out from other applicants, especially if you can find ways to demonstrate that knowledge in meaningful ways.

Knowing what to say. After doing your homework, you should be able to know what to say about yourself that will make you more attractive to the interviewer. You will also be able to ask meaningful questions about the company—intelligent questions show that you are a critical thinker who is out to make a positive change. Having a list of questions also keeps you from feeling awkward and embarrassed when the interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them.

These are things that have worked well for me, or that I wish I had done. Aside from these, and some basic tips and guidelines (such as those found here), the biggest tip I can give is to be yourself! If you get the job by acting like someone you are not, you are going to be miserable. You will find success in your job interviews as you are honest with the interviewers and with yourself.

Picture courtesy of studytipsandtricks.blogspot.com

OABC and Effective Business Writing

There are several aspects of writing in the business world, including organization, grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and style of writing (i.e. direct and indirect). While all of these items are very important, organization is, in my opinion, the most important mainly because it makes messages easier to follow and remember. Without organization, the message gets lost in a sea of words. One of the most important principles of organization is described by the acronym OABC, which stands for Opening, Agenda, Body, and Closing. This blog post will describe each of these and why they are important.

Opening: A document’s opening, or introduction, is what initially catches a reader’s eye and persuades him or her to keep reading. It also introduces the topic by presenting preliminary information. It should be tailored to the type of message being conveyed. For example, an email conveying bad news would be less direct than a letter selling a product.

Agenda: This section is comparable to a thesis statement in a research paper. It provides both the focus of and a basic outline for the rest of the document; additionally, it gives readers a general idea of where to find specific information. It generally includes a list of topics to be covered in the order they will appear.

Body: This is the bulk of the article. It is organized in sync with the agenda provided in the introductory paragraph. Each of the items listed in the agenda then becomes a paragraph or section of its own.

Closing: The closing paragraph or section often summarizes what was said, and links the main ideas together, but most importantly it ought to fit the purpose of the document. This isn’t the place to provide new information about the topics covered in the agenda, but it could include requests for action, contact information, and any other appropriate closing statements.

OABC is a very effective acronym for organizing pretty much any form of business correspondence. Businesses thrive on efficiency, which is a result of effective organization. People are busy, and often do not have time to read lengthy, unorganized messages. Without organization techniques like OABC, business correspondences run the risk of being ignored. Organization helps improve communication because it allows the reader to (1) decide within the first paragraph if the correspondence is relevant, (2) know generally where to look for information specific to his or her needs, and (3) scan the document and obtain an idea of its content. 

There are many other important tools to remember when writing business correspondence; this great video by Chris Amorosino gives a brief overview. His website is another good resource for business writing tips.

Reflective Listening

I work at a residential treatment facility for teenage boys who have Asperger’s syndrome and other learning and social disabilities. As a mentor, a significant part of my job consists of helping these boys learn social skills, how to build and maintain positive interpersonal relationships, and how to express themselves in appropriate ways. Part of this learning process includes conflict, which is often mediated by staff members. Reflective listening allows staff to understand the nature of the problem, find out what the student is feeling and thinking, and develop a relationship of trust.

One afternoon at work, one of the students (I’ll call him John, to preserve anonymity) hurt himself while he was playing around in a manner that could have been construed as threatening. He was visibly upset and blamed me for his injury, which was a minor (but painful) scratch on the inside of his lip. We sat down in the hallway and started to talk about what had just happened. While reflective listening works best when both parties of the conversation are using it, the next best thing is if one person is at least trying, which is what I was doing (and not necessarily doing a spectacular job of it, I might add). I felt bad that he was hurt, and he appeared to be feeling worse than what the situation seemed to call for, but I couldn’t get all of the reasons out of him. At that moment, John’s therapist came into the hall and provided a masterful example of reflective listening, asking the right questions and responding to the feelings and thoughts that were racing through John. In a matter of minutes, John was able to express what he was going through, and we were able to attain an understanding with each other.

This experience has been followed by other, less dramatic instances where John and I have been able to talk to each other and build our relationship through reflective listening, even in casual conversations about the books he likes to read. I have been much more attentive to reflective listening in our conversations. Even though he does not open up to me as much as he did to his therapist that day, our relationship has improved to the point where we are able to have fun with each other and get the things done he needs to do. Most significant to me is he is willing to do things I ask and listen to what I have to say because he has learned I am willing to listen to what he has to say. Generally, I have found this principle to be true in any kind of relationship; there is always give and take, and you only get what you put in. 

This link leads to a blog post that describes reflective listening in much greater detail.

The First Post: Small and Simple Things

Since this is the first post, I thought it somewhat significant because it will essentially set the tone for this blog. This morning, I heard the sounds of songbirds outside my apartment, the temperature was close to warm, and the feeling of spring was definitely in the air! It never ceases to amaze me how change comes about so gradually, almost imperceptibly, but there is always a turning point. It's how the seasons change, it's how situations change, and it's often how people change. With this thought in mind, I hope this blog can be one of the small and simple things that produces a positive change in the world. Since I am a man of diverse interests, it will also be somewhat random in its scope.