Five Ways To Improve Your Remote Communication Skills

Remote work and the cornucopia of different technologies used to facilitate it mean that how we communicate with our coworkers has changed drastically. Balancing different platforms like video conferences, email, text chat, and social media platforms like LinkedIn can be a challenge, and your communication skills need to evolve with new and emerging technology.

Even if you aren’t seeing your coworkers on a daily basis, and even if your networking and sales conversations take place over a screen, you can still be personable and charismatic. Evolve your remote communication skills by embracing these five philosophies.

Know how the tech works

There are a lot of tools used to facilitate online communication, and they all serve different purposes. Knowing how and when to use these tools is the foundation for remote dialogue.

The specific platform you’ll use for different forms of communication will vary between companies. For video conferencing, you might use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Discord, or Meetings, and each program has different intricacies. Once you know what your team uses, do your best to master it. It’s hard to be an effective communicator if you aren’t using the tech properly.

Once you’ve mastered the tech, learn the best uses for each form. Different tools have different purposes, and you’ll want to use the right tool for the job, writes Jacky Xu. Have a simple question you need answered quickly? You’ll have to decide whether to use a text, an email, or a messaging program like Slack.

“For example, an instant messaging platform (like Slack) is best for short messages that need a fairly immediate response. Email is usually better for longer messages or something with multiple attachments, and for when you can wait on an answer.” –Greg Kratz

Be clear

In an in-person conversation, if you felt you weren’t clear with your intent, it’s easy to follow up with a quick explanation or pop back into someone’s office to clarify. You can look into your coworker’s eyes and see potential confusion. That isn’t so in remote communication, and you may not realize your request was ambiguous.

Quality writing is one of the top traits employers seek in remote employees, according to Goncalo Silva of Doist. The ability to eliminate redundancies and fluff and get to the heart of a matter is the key to making your writing clear. The easier it is for the recipient of your message to understand what you need, the more effectively they can assist.

Hannah Morgan reiterates to keep your messages brief, especially when communicating with someone new. People tend to skim long bodies of text (something we blog writers must constantly be aware of!), so the more you meander, the less likely you’ll get a response.

“Get straight to the point, and don’t dance around the reason for your contact. It’s best to be direct.” -Hannah Morgan

Be prompt

It’s difficult to ignore someone talking to you face-to-face, and if you’re in an office, it’s easy for a person to pop in and remind you when they need something. With remote communication, it’s much easier to forget to respond. How many times have you ever mentally responded to a text without actually texting back? Or have you meant to respond to an email and suddenly hours have passed?

It’s not only good etiquette to respond in a timely matter but it’s the expectation to keep the operation running smoothly, says Kelsey Arrington. By promptly following up with your team, you’ll build a greater culture of responsibility and reliability. Open communication is what allows remote communication to flourish.

Be available

On the subject of open communication, making yourself available is another important step. Remote work offers more autonomy than working in an office, which is a massive boon, but you can’t cut yourself off entirely. Jacky Xu suggests regularly scheduling check-ins with your team as a way to keep everyone on the same page. This provides an opportunity to share ideas without directly intruding on anyone’s time.

Kelsey Arrington adds to always participate in meetings and to turn your video on during conference calls. This will remind your coworkers you’re still there and actively engaged in work. Your ideas won’t fall on deaf ears and you’ll be viewed as part of the team. Being on video might mean your pajamas will face scrutiny, but you’ll provide the often lost body language communication thrives on.

Mind your body language

Even with video calls, body language is crucial and can shape the nature of your conversations. Watch your body posture, make eye contact with others (not your webcam), avoid looking at your phone, and don’t be afraid to dress up for a meeting as if it were in person. Treating a remote meeting like an in-person one will keep you engaged, and your professionalism will be appreciated.

“Posture not only shapes the way we feel, it also shapes the way we think about ourselves–from our self-descriptions to the certain and comfort with which we hold them. And those self-concepts can either facilitate or hinder our ability to connect with others, to perform our jobs, and, more simply, to be present.” –Carol Kinsey Goman

Wrap up

Remote work models are the norm, and even a significant percentage of networking occurs online. Knowing how to adapt your communication skills to the current landscape is a must for career success. Know how to use every tool at your disposal, and know when to use them. Be clear, prompt, and available, and you’ll gain a reputation as a reliable team member. Go the extra mile and be a professional in video chats, and you’ll feel a stronger sense of connection with your team.

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Don’t Add These Skills To Your Resume

Resumes are tricky beasts—you need to clearly state what you bring to the table in as direct and concise a way as possible. But you only have so much space, so it’s necessary to only highlight the skills and experiences necessary for that particular job.

It’s tempting to create a one-size-fits-all document covering your entire work history, but that doesn’t provide value to potential employers. This is why we stress the importance of tailoring your resume to each application.

With this in mind, make the most of your limited space and leave these types of skills off of your resume. Highlight only what adds value, and you’ll stand a much better chance of getting an interview.

“When your job application is facing the six-second resume test, it’s important to not include information that will distract the hiring manager from seeing your true qualifications.” –Amanda Augustine, TopResume

Expected skills

Your resume is meant to highlight why you’re best suited for the job and to prove you bring something unique to the table. If the skills you highlight are things anyone can do, you aren’t really bringing anything of value.

While basic computer knowledge might have been a rarity last century, these days, anyone applying for an office job is expected to know how to operate a computer. While specific programs hold obvious merit, core competency isn’t anything unique and appears as fluff, says Peter Riccio. If you have important “computer skills” relevant to the job, spell them out; don’t leave them vague.

“At this point, listing “email” or “Microsoft Word” as skills is almost equivalent to listing “reading” or “basic math.” They’re not differentiators–they’re expected.” –Emily Moore, Glassdoor

Likewise, typing, online research, data entry, filing, and customer service are examples of skills employers expect rather than anything unique. While they’ll certainly want to know how you’ve handled customer interactions in the past, those are questions saved for the interview.

Cliches

Other overused resume buzzwords that commonly fill up resume space are another example, says Alison Doyle. Companies assume that they’ll be hiring someone willing to work hard. Every employee is expected to be a team player. Good written and oral communication skills are the norm.

If it sounds generic when you’re writing it, it probably is, according to Indeed. Try to spice up the language of your resume or find other ways to phrase that particular skill. Use action verbs and find ways to show rather than tell.

Skills you don’t actually have

Some skills are truly impressive and head-turning and are sure to generate employer interest. If you’re adding these types of skills to your resume, make sure you actually have them.

Indeed’s editorial team lists languages you don’t actually speak as a prime example of skill fraud. If you studied a language in school but aren’t actually fluent or remember enough to be useful, leave it off your resume. You may think it adds value to your future employers, but it won’t take long for them to realize you’re a fraud. Google Translate can only take you so far.

“At some point, somewhere, somehow, someone is going to discover the truth. Besides, if you don’t really have enough other skills to make you qualified, it’s probably a good idea to just apply for a different position anyway.” –ZipJob

Most job descriptions are more “employer wishlists” than anything else. You don’t need to match every single qualification to be considered. If you lie about some qualifications, it will be apparent eventually. Save yourself and the employer the time and be honest.

Irrelevant skills

The key property of the most desirable skills is their transferability. Especially when changing industries, these types of skills show that you have the important foundation down even if you haven’t used them in this particular capacity. But not every skill is transferable!

Some skills are highly interesting for personal anecdotes but won’t really matter to the position you’re applying for. Remember to keep things tailored to the job at hand.

“For example, if you are applying for an accounting position, including the fact that you have great drawing skills is most likely not going to help you get that job.” –Indeed

Soft skills—without examples!

We’ve stressed the importance of soft skills, and we aren’t saying to not include them. But how you present them is key. A list of soft skills comes off generic and like a way to fill space or target any keyword searches. You want to highlight your soft skills in other ways through your resume (and cover letter) and to use tangible examples. Show, don’t tell.

“The single most common mistake job seekers make is to list out soft skills on their resume — for example communication, multitasking, leadership, problem solving, etc. The message that sends to anyone reading the resume is ‘I may not have made clear what my soft skills are, so I’m listing them out just to make sure you see them,’” –Peter Riccio

Wrap up

The key theme is to make sure the skills on your application documents provide value for the role you’re applying for. If every single applicant can do it, it’s not really a skill, and just adding buzzwords won’t do you any favors. By removing much of the resume bloat caused by these irrelevant skills, you’ll have more space to highlight your newsworthy skills and accomplishments, which will lead to more interviews.

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The Most Sought-After Skills To Develop In 2022

Self-growth is the key to career success no matter what industry you work in. Many businesses offer continuing education to aid their employees in this growth, whether through seminars, training programs, or even education assistance. But if you really want to succeed in your career journey, you need to take the initiative and develop necessary skills on your own time.

But what skills will give you the most “bang for your buck” in terms of relevancy and versatility? Erika Andersen of Harvard Business Review wrote that the best skills are at the intersection of organizational needs and personal satisfaction.

“Given all the ways in which organizations and jobs are changing, figuring out which new skills to develop and when to develop them can be hard. The key is to focus on skills that will propel your organization forward, that play to your strengths, and that you feel passionate about learning.”- Erika Andersen

The pandemic changed the professional world at all levels, and new needs must be accounted for. Regardless of industry, certain soft skills are more important than ever. We’ve looked to various experts and found these soft skills to be the most desired in this new age.

Communication

Communication often comes up as a buzzword, but it is a tricky skill set to develop. Communication covers a wide array of skills, including active listening, public speaking, writing ability, observing, empathy, and providing feedback. So many other soft skills require a foundation based on strong communication skills, making this a great place to start.

Forbes’ William Arruda reminds us that employees are people first. Employees face their own private challenges, and those are even more magnified in today’s troubled times. Knowing how to open a transparent and encouraging dialogue is crucial in connecting with your team, and good communication skills increase morale, productivity, and focus. Good leadership is first built on good communication.

In addition, the remote landscape has changed where communication takes place altogether. With less opportunity for in-person conversation and meetings, leveling up your written communication skills is crucial. ApplyBoard reminds us to use technology to check-in and keep the dialogue going.

“Whether it’s a quick Slack message, an engineering blueprint, or a formal whitepaper, new grads who can communicate key messages clearly and convincingly will see their team thrive.” –ApplyBoard

Problem-solving

Tying back to remote work, working out of the office means you won’t have immediate access to support staff or a direct connection to managers. You’ll often be left to your own devices, paving a need to develop independent problem-solving skills.

In their top-five most in-demand skills for 2022, Star Outico has problem-solving skills as the most frequent subcategory. Four of their top five skills fall under this category, including:

•Analytical thinking and innovation

•Complex problem-solving

•Critical thinking and analysis

•Creativity, originality, and initiative

IT Resources highlights how desirable these traits are to employers, who want well-rounded employees capable of going beyond their job description.

“Employers prefer hiring candidates who show no fear of taking on a challenge. Therefore, when answering questions in your interview, describe how you solved problems. Hiring managers look for innovative solutions rather than a no-brainer.” –IT Resources

Adaptability

The pandemic has thrown a lot at all of us, and the ability to adapt has been necessary at all levels. In terms of our professional lives, adaptability is one of the most sought-after skills by employers. A stable 9-to-5 at the office is a rarity anymore, so those who can thrive in the face of chaos and come out on top are the priority candidates in any industry.

“Whether an employee needs to alter their workload as the business re-staffs or expands, or if the location of their job changes, being adaptable is always an asset. This shows employees that you are willing to roll with the punches to achieve success.” – Michael Page

ApplyBoard deduces adaptability also means being able to cope with not only your own evolving challenges but those of your team as well. Keeping a cool head and being accepting of others’ needs fall under the adaptability umbrella.

Time management

Part of adaptability is knowing how to prioritize your time. With less overhead while working from home, you need to be a master of self-management and time management.

Understanding the needs of your organization and how to prioritize those needs is directly tied to your success. If you have five tasks you need to complete, how do you know which to tackle first? And how do you balance these tasks without becoming overwhelmed?

GrowthSpace’s Sarah Vonnegut discusses the myriad of ways to develop this particular skill, including using software packages, practicing psychological methodologies, or creating simple routines that help.

Wrap up

It always pays to sharpen your skills but choosing what skills to master can often be overwhelming. In the pandemic landscape, soft skills like communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and time management are more important than ever, thanks to new challenges emerging every day. These skills are extremely versatile and can help advance or start your career no matter what field you’re in.

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