Group Discussion for Campus Recruitment

GD topics given for campus recruitments are normally simple. You will be able to speak on them comfortably with a moderate level of knowledge base. The focus here is on the logic of the points that the participant puts forward, his/her communication skills and how well he/she is able to mix with the group. We strongly advise students to read an English Newspaper daily and be aware of current happenings and issues.

Sample Group Discussion Topics for Campus Recruitment

I. IT Industry 
1. Future of Indian IT industry
2. Increasing use of IT in daily life
3. India - an IT super power
4. IT helps social integration
5. IT industry is de-humanizing society

II. Sports
1. Cricket is hampering the growth of other sports in India
2. Indian sports and Olympic medals
3. India - a sporting super power

4. Are Indian cricketers over-rated?

5. Cricket telecast is a waste of time

III. Social
1. Is pocket money enough for the youth of today
2. Love cannot be confined to Valentine's Day

3. A women's place is at home
4. Parents don't understand children
5. Are we raising a society of burnt out children?
6. Beauty pageants are a waste of time 
7. Is women empowerment a myth?
8. Film awards are a waste of time and should be stopped
9. Brain drain vs brain in the drain
10. Media should be more socially responsible

IV. College Campus

1. Should college students wear uniforms?
2. Privatisation of professional education: Is it good or bad?
3. Should mobile phones be banned in classes on campus?

4. Should politics be allowed on campus?
5. Open Book Policy for examinations 
6. Education system should be revamped

V. Ethical
1. Is honesty the best policy?
2. Profit is a bad word in business
3. Ethics and business do not co-exist
4. Advertising is all glitter and no truth

VI. Abstract
1. Sun always rises in the East
2. Colour of the cat is not a matter of concern as long as it catches mice
3. Green is better than red
4. Life is like a box of chocolates

Basics of Group Discussions

What is a Group Discussion? Where is it used?

A GD (Group Discussion) is a forum where people sit together; discuss a topic for a certain amount of time with the common objective of finding a solution for a problem or discussing an issue that is given to them.

Why are Group Discussions used as a part of the selection process? How are they useful?

Group Discussions measure certain attributes of the candidates that are otherwise difficult to identify and time consuming to assess. A number of people who can communicate their ideas well and discuss effectively with others in a one-to-one situation become tongue-tied in a group situation. They will just not be able to present their ideas or discuss their ideas with the other members of the group. A Group Discussion will identify people who have such group communication skills and people who do not possess such group communication skills.

What are the similarities / differences between Group Discussions and Public Speaking / Debating?

Debating and Public Speaking are one-to-many communication situations whereas a Group Discussion is a many-to-many situation. A debate or a public speaking contest is about solo performances whereas a Group Discussion is not. In a debate, it is your individual views that matter. In a Group Discussion, apart from your individual views, the views of the entire group matter. In Public Speaking / Debating, the speaker can take a particular position on the topic and speak accordingly. In a Group Discussion, all the members of the group will participate and one has to listen to the views of the other members of the group. It is a discussion and the speaker will be "interrupted" by the other members of the group while speaking.

How is a Group Discussion conducted?

A group of candidates are made to sit together in a circular / semi-circular fashion or in a U-shape fashion. There will be a person to co-ordinate the Group Discussion (called the moderator).       

After the topic is given, the candidates start discussing the topic amongst them. They stop the discussion when the moderator asks them to stop. Any one of the candidates might be asked to summarize the discussion.

How many candidates will there be in a Group Discussion?

The group size could range between 6 to 15 students.

How much time is given for each Group Discussion?

Normally, it could be between 10 to 20 minutes.

Are the participants expected to address each other by name?

No. You should address a specific person either by looking at him / her directly or by pointing out to him / her.

What is the role of the moderator?

The primary role of the moderator is to evaluate the performance of every participant. She / He is the person who tells the group members what they should do, announces the topic and the time for the discussion, keeps track of the time of the Group Discussion and evaluates the performance of the candidates who participated in the Group Discussion. For all practical purposes, She / he is non-existent once the Group Discussion starts.

Does the moderator write the topic on the board?

The moderator normally does not write the topic on the board. She / He just reads it out and repeats it once - you have to be attentive while the topic is being given and make sure that you have got the wording right.

Will we be given paper and pen / pencil to note down the topic?

No. You are normally expected to carry your own pen / pencil and paper to a Group Discussion.

Failure of Resume

Explore a few common reasons for failure of resumes through this article!

Too long - Most new graduates should restrict their resumes to one page. If you have trouble condensing, get help from a technical or business writer or a career center professional.

Typographical, grammatical or spelling errors - These errors suggest carelessness, poor education and/or lack of intelligence. Have at least two people proofread your resume. Don't rely on a computer's spell-checkers or grammar-checkers.

Hard to read - A poorly typed or copied resume looks unprofessional. Use a computer. Use a plain typeface, no smaller than a 12-point font. Asterisks, bullets, underlining, boldface type and italics should be used only to make the document easier to read, not fancier. Again, ask a professional's opinion.

Too verbose (using too many words to say too little) - Do not use complete sentences or paragraphs. Say as much as possible with as few words as possible. A, an and the can almost always be left out. Be careful in your use of jargon and avoid slang.

Too sparse - Give more than the bare essentials, especially when describing related work experience, skills, accomplishments, activities, interests and club memberships that will give employers desired information. Including membership in the Society of Women Engineers, for example, would be helpful to employers who wish to hire more women, yet cannot ask for that information.

Irrelevant information - Customize each resume to each position you seek (when possible). Of course, include all education and work experience, but emphasize only relevant experience, skills, accomplishments, activities and hobbies. 

Obviously generic - Too many resumes scream, "I need a job—any job!" The employer needs to feel that you are interested in that position with that company.

Too snazzy - Of course, use good quality bond paper, but avoid exotic types, colored paper, photographs, binders and graphics. More and more companies are scanning resumes into a database, so use white paper, black ink, plain type, and avoid symbols, underlining or italics.

Boring - Make your resume as dynamic as possible. Begin every statement with an action verb. Use active verbs, describing what you accomplished on the job. Don't write what someone else told you to do; write what you did. Take advantage of your rich vocabulary and avoid repeating words, especially the first word in a section.

Too modest - The resume showcases your qualifications in competition with the other applicants. Put your best foot forward without misrepresentation, falsification or arrogance.

Resume Preparation Tips

Many applicants believe that the purpose of a resume is to help them get a job. This is not true. The purpose of a resume is to help you get an interview. You will not be hired solely on the basis of your resume.

Resume Preparation

When you are searching for employment you are selling yourself. So you've  to think of your resume as a product brochure - of you! So here's a problem: a static document (e.g., a brochure) rarely helps anyone understand what your product or service can do for them. You don't want to send a resume unless you understand the position and tailor the resume to highlight your background relative to the job requirements. And ideally, you want to deliver the resume personally. But reality says you can't always be there in person. So you've to be sure you present yourself in the most relevant light to the employer's needs. Resumes have to convey facts about you to the employer in a precise and concise manner. Include only those details that are relevant to the post that you are applying for.

All of us like to speak volumes about ourselves but most often we are not so patient while listening to others speaking about themselves. That definitely means that others are not interested in our autobiography either. However there are instances when we have to speak about ourselves. How do we do it in a pleasing way? The best way to do it is to keep the description short, precise and clear. The listener should get a clear idea about us and he/she should not feel bored at all. This is a point to be kept in mind while you prepare your resume. A resume is a brief account of you. Person who goes through your resume does that since he/she has a job opening or offer to make and he/she just wants to know whether you would fit the bill. He/She wants only the facts that can help him/her find out whether you are eligible or not.

Here are a few points to be kept in mind while preparing a resume.

Have a proper focus

Some people have the tendency to make a resume and give copies of it to whichever place they go hunting for a job. As far as possible avoid doing this. Try to make changes to your resume to address the need of the employer whom you are approaching. Give only the facts relevant to him/her. For example if you are applying for the post of a software professional, you have to give details of your educational background and experience related to the software field. If you do not want to take up software and are trying to pursue a career in teaching with your post graduate degree in English language and literature, you need not describe in detail about the software related qualifications while submitting a resume for that post.

Don’t say too much

Be short and precise. You need not include your family details and all your educational qualifications beginning from school days. You need not even describe your physical attributes like height and weight if it is not asked for. Just include the details that are relevant to the post that you are applying for.

SMART method helps

Resume writing professionals say that the SMART method can help in quantifying your achievements. You have to describe the positive results of your past job experiences in your resume. It should be Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time based.

Imagine that you were into marketing and had made some commendable achievements. You should project those achievements. Do not just say, "made remarkable achievements while working for so and so company". It will look good if you describe the percentage growth that you could achieve for the organization in a particular time span.

Do not try to impress

The employer likes to know about your accomplishments to see whether you can do the job. However do not think that you can even cook up stories to prove that you are a great person. Always keep in mind that you will be tested for your worth, before you are appointed.

Use action verbs

Resumes should be lively. So it is always good to use action verbs. Try words like organized, analysed, achieved, implemented etc., and see how strong your sentences now turn out to be.

Use a cover letter

The cover letter should introduce you and your resume, point out the things that make you ideally qualified for the job opening and give information about how you can best be contacted. As with the resume, be honest, concise, accurate and neat. Keep the length to two paragraphs.

Looks matter too

It is always better to decide upon a format for your resume after you finish putting down the details. Once all the facts are in place you will have a clear idea as to which format your resume should have. Remember, the resume has to catch the eye of the employer who goes through thousands of resumes. There should be proper spacing, margins and white space. Borders, Italics, boldface etc., can be used to emphasize text. However do not employ too much of these emphasizing tools. It will give your resume a cluttered look.

Seven Commandments for Success in Campus Interviews

1. Know Thyself

Not everyone is good in each and every field. Each one of us has our fortes and weaknesses too. But that's not a stumbling block! What we look for are people who know their area of specialization and are an expert in it. Therefore, it pays to be a master in some fields if not the jack of all.

The most common mistakes many make is to profess knowing a field of which they know little about. Remember that huge and bulky resumes are as tough to read as they are to make. So, identify your skill set, and keep your resumes simple and straight. Know your limits and polish on your strengths.

2. Testing What You Know and NOT What You Don't

Many interviewers may ask the student the subjects that she/he wishes to be interviewed upon. Eureka!! Here's a golden opportunity. Answer this wisely! Never end up choosing a difficult subject that you know only little about, rather choose the one you are most confident of.

3. Rack Your Brain - Analyze

The interview is not just limited to testing your knowledge base, but we are also interested in knowing your ability to apply it. Often questions that need to be solved then and there are asked. Now keep in mind - the right answer is not the only thing being looked at. The focus area is also the way in which you attack the problem i.e. approach to problem solving is equally important. So, remember to put your thinking caps on!

4. Ask for Help!

Murphy chooses to strike at the appropriate time! In spite of the fact that you may know something very well, it might just slip your mind. After all, heavy preparation does takes its toll. Who better to ask for help than the poser of the question; Remember the interviewer is not there to grill the confidence out of you, but to bring forth the best in. Just in case you are stuck, ask for a hint. 

5. What are your biggest accomplishments?

You may like to begin your reply with: "Although my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, my involvement was with…… I made my contribution as part of that team and learnt a lot in the process".

It will be a good idea to close your answer with also specifying what attributes and circumstances made you succeed.

6. Be Calm, have Clear Verbal and Sound Non-Verbal Communication

Calmness shows emotional maturity. True, being calm in a job interview is a difficult proposition, but then that is where it is required! Calmness does not imply being unenthusiastic or apathetic during the interview, but knowing that you are nervous and not letting it come in the way. A clear verbal communication implies clarity of the thought process.

One should also watch out for the impressions made in non-verbal communication. Body language and facial expressions can assist you in establishing a good rapport with the interviewer. Pauses, silences and gestures may all indicate what you mean, understand, or would like to emphasize.

7. Two-Way Exchange Process

The interview process is a two-way exchange of information. Make sure you also understand about the company, its activities, job requirements. The company is in need for good candidates and you need a good company to launch your career. Interview is an opportunity to present yourself and your skills to your best advantage. Make sure you make the most out of it. 

Major Reasons for Rejection in an Interview

There is always some or the other reason behind failures in an interview. In order to succeed, it is very essential to remove all your weaknesses as soon as you come across them. Explore a few common reasons for rejection of individuals in the interview through this article!

Not taking the interview seriously - Don’t make the mistake of thinking the interview is just a formality. Even if all the preliminaries have gone well. The biggest error you can make is to assume that, because you’ve gotten this far, the job is in.

Poor attitude - Many candidates come across as arrogant. While employers can afford to be self-centered, candidates cannot.

Dressing down - Many candidates do not consider their appearance as much as they should. First impressions are quickly made in the first three to five minutes. How you present yourself during your initial meeting with a potential employer is very important, and your physical appearance can speak volumes to someone who is meeting you for the first time. Even if you know that the firm allows employees to wear jeans, don’t show up in the interview in casual clothing. Show up in neat, professional clothing, preferably a business suit.

Lack of research - Learned about the job, company or industry prior to the interview. Visit the library or use the Internet to research the company, and then talk with friends, peers and other professionals about the opportunity before each meeting.

Not having questions to ask - Your resume may be impressive on paper, but employers also appreciate a candidate who can ask intelligent questions during an interview. Prepare at least 3 or 4 questions in advance to ask the interviewer. Interviews are an exchange of information, and not having questions to ask can reveal a lack of preparation. Asking questions shows your interest in the company and the position.

Not readily knowing the answers to interviewers’ questions - Rehearse answers to tough questions about your background, such as recent termination or an employment gap. Practicing with your spouse or a friend before the interview will help you to frame intelligent responses.

Relying too much on resumes - Employees hire people, not paper. Although a resume can list qualifications and skills, it’s the interview dialogue that will portray you as a committed, responsive team player.

Too much humility - Being conditioned not to brag, candidates are sometimes reluctant to describe their accomplishments. Explaining how you reach difficult or impressive goals helps portray you as a committed, responsive team player.

Talking too much - Interview meeting should be a two-way conversation, and many interviewees cover up their nervousness by blathering on. Sit calmly and listen carefully, answering questions thoughtfully.

Trash talking - Even if you hated your former boss or felt you were treated unfairly by your previous employer, a job interview is not the place to launch complaints. If you were laid off or fired from a previous position, be prepared with an explanation on the circumstances.

Not relating skills to employers’ needs - A list of accomplishments means little if you can’t relate them to a company’s requirements. Reiterate your skills and convince the employer that you can “do the same for them”.

Not showing why you’re the best choice - Be familiar with the job description of the position you’re interviewing for so you can illustrate how your experience, abilities, and strengths are in line with the company’s needs. Many potential employers want to know why they should hire you specifically. Make it clear to them.

Handling salary issues inaptly - Candidates often ask about salary and benefit packages too early. If they believe an employer is interested, they may demand inappropriate amounts and price themselves out of the jobs. Candidates who ask for too little undervalue themselves or appear desperate.

Lack of career direction - Job hunters who aren’t clear about their career goals often can’t spot or commit to appropriate opportunities. Not knowing what you want wastes everybody’s time.

Job shopping - Some applicants shop for opportunities and have little intention of changing jobs. This wastes time and leaves a bad impression with employers they may need to contact in the future.

Lack of enthusiasm - This is your first and sometimes only chance to showcase your personality. Don’t walk in announcing how you’re having a bad day. Be polite and upbeat. Show your enthusiasm for both the job and the opportunity to interview for it. And don’t forget to thank the person at the end of the interview!

Forgetting the follow-up - Make sure to send thank-you note or polite email to the interviewer for his or her time and consideration. And while you don’t want to start calling the company on a daily basis, a phone call checking in a week after the interview is mostly acceptable.

Fifty Standard Entry Level Interview Questions

The questions are very simple but difficult to answer because there is no prescribed answer.
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you want to do with your life?
3. Do you have any work experience?
4. How would you describe your ideal job?
5. Why did you choose this career?
6. When did you decide on this career?
7. What goals do you have in your career?
8. How do you plan to achieve these goals?
9. How do you evaluate success?
10. Describe a situation in which you were successful.
11. What do you think it takes to be successful in this career?
12. What accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction in your life?
13. If you had to live your life over again, what would you change?
14. Would you rather work with information or with people?
15. Are you a team player?
16. What motivates you?
17. Why should I hire you?
18. Are you a goal-oriented person?
19. Tell me about some of your recent goals and what you did to achieve them.
20. What are your short-term goals?
21. What is your long-range objective?
22. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
23. Where do you want to be ten years from now?
24. Do you handle conflict well?
25. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How did you resolve it?
26. What major problem have you had to deal with recently?
27. Do you handle pressure well?
28. What is your greatest strength?
29. What is your greatest weakness?
30. If I were to ask one of your professors to describe you, what would he or she say?
31. Why did you choose to attend your college?
32. What changes would you make at your college?
33. How has your education prepared you for your career?
34. What were your favourite classes? Why?
35. Do you enjoy reading?
36. Who were your favourite professors? Why?
37. Why is your GPA not higher?
38. Do you have any plans for further education?
39. How much training do you think you’ll need to become a productive employee?
40. What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
41. Why do you want to work in this industry?
42. What do you know about our company?
43. Why are you interested in our company?
44. Do you have any location preferences?
45. How familiar are you with the community that we’re located in?
46. Will you relocate? In the future?
47. Are you willing to travel? How much?
48. Is money important to you?
49. How much money do you need to make to be happy?
50. What kind of salary are you looking for?

Interview Preparation Tips

This article is meant to guide you with the pre-requisites of any interview preparation. 

The Interview:

Interview is an opportunity for both the employer and the applicant to gather information. The employer wants to know if you, the applicant, have the skills, knowledge, self-confidence, and motivation necessary for the job. At this point you can be confident that the employer saw something of interest in your resume. He or she also wants to determine whether or not you will fit in with the organization’s current employees and philosophy. Similarly, you will want to evaluate the position and the organization, and determine if they will fit into your career plans. The interview is a two-way exchange of information. It is an opportunity for both parties to market themselves. The employer is selling the organization to you, and you are marketing your skills, knowledge, and personality to the employer.

Interview Preparation:

Research is a critical part of preparing for an interview. 

Spend time researching and thinking about yourself, the occupation, the organization, and questions you might ask at the end of the interview.

Step 1: Know Yourself-

The first step in preparing for an interview is to do a thorough self-assessment so that you will know what you have to offer an employer. It is very important to develop a complete inventory of skills, experience, and personal attributes that you can use to market yourself to employers at any time during the interview process. In developing this inventory, it is easiest to start with experience. Once you have a detailed list of activities that you have done (past jobs, extra-curricular involvements, volunteer work etc., it is fairly easy to identify your skills.

Simply go through the list, and for each item ask yourself “What could I have learned by doing this?” “What skills did I develop?” “What issues/circumstances have I learned to deal with?” Keep in mind that skills fall into two categories - technical and generic.

Technical skills are the skills required to do a specific job. For a laboratory assistant, technical skills might include knowledge of sterilization procedures, slide preparation, and scientific report writing. For an outreach worker, technical skills might include counselling skills, case management skills, or program design and evaluation skills. Generic skills are those which are transferable to many work settings.

Following is a list of the ten most marketable skills. You will notice that they are all generic.
* Analytical/Problem Solving

* Flexibility/Versatility

* Interpersonal

* Oral/Written Communication

* Organization/Planning

* Time Management
* Motivation

* Leadership

* Self-Starter/Initiative

* Team Player

Often when people think of skills, they tend to think of those they have developed in the workplace. However, skills are developed in a variety of settings. If you have ever researched and written a paper for a course, you probably have written communication skills. Team sports or group projects are a good way to develop the skills required of a team player and leader. Don’t overlook any abilities you may have. When doing the research on yourself, identifying your experience and skills is important, but it is not all that you need to know.

Consider the answers to other questions such as:

* How have I demonstrated the skills required in this position?

* What are my strong points and weak points?

* What are my short term and long term goals?

* What can I offer this particular employer?

* What kind of environment do I like? 

* What do I like doing?

* Apart from my skills and experience, what can I bring to this job?

Step 2: Know the Occupation-

The second step in preparing for an interview is to research the occupation. This is necessary because in order to present a convincing argument that you have the experience and skills required for that occupation, you must first know what those requirements and duties are. With this information uncovered, you can then match the skills you have (using the complete skills/experience inventory you have just prepared) with the skills you know people in that occupational field need. The resulting “shortlist” will be the one that you need to emphasize during the interview.

It is also in your best interest to identify the approximate starting salary for that position, or those similar. There are several ways to find out about an occupation:

* Acquire a copy of the job description from the employer (Human Resources/Personnel) or check with Student Employment Services. If you are responding to an advertisement, this may also supply some details.

Step 3: Know the Organization-

The more you know about an organization, the better prepared you will be to discuss how you can meet its needs. Some of the characteristics that you should know about an organization are:

* Where is it located?

* How big is it?

* What are its products and who does it serve?

* How is the organization structured?

* What is its history?
* Have there been any recent changes, new developments?

There are a number of ways in which you can access this information. Most medium- to large-sized organizations publish information about themselves. You can access this number of ways:

* On campus at the Student Employment Services (company literature and business directories)

* Many companies have internet home pages which you can locate by searching by industry and company name

* Finally, you can visit or phone the organization and request some information on their products, services or areas of research

If the organization is fairly small, or fairly new, there may not be much information published. In this case, it will be necessary to do an information interview. Contact someone within the organization, introduce yourself, explain that you are considering moving into the field, and ask if it would be possible to meet with him/her to inquire about the company/organization and about what exactly the position would involve.

Step 4: Prepare Questions-

Having completed your background research, you are now ready to prepare questions to ask the interviewer(s). Try to think of questions for which the answer was not readily available in company literature. Intelligent well thought-out questions will demonstrate your genuine interest in the position. Be careful how many questions you ask, however, as too many can imply you feel the interview was not successfully run. Pick your questions with care - this is your chance to gather information, so ask about what you really want to know. Avoid sounding critical by mentioning negative information you may have discovered. This is one of the most effective ways to compare different employers, so for issues of particular importance to you (for example, whether they support staff upgrading), you should ask the same questions of each employer.

Some sample questions are:

* What are the most significant factors affecting your business today?

* How have changes in technology most affected your business today?

* How has your company grown or changed in the last couple of years?

* What future direction do you see the company taking?

* Where is the greatest demand for your services or product?

* Where is most of the pressure from increased business felt in this company?

* Which department feels it the most?

* How do you differ from your competitors?

* How much responsibility will I be given in this position?

* What do you like about working with this organization?

* Can you tell me more about the training program?

* Have any new product lines been introduced recently?

* How much travel is normally expected?

* What criteria will be used to evaluate my performance?

* Will I work independently or as part of a team?

* How did you advance to your position?

* What are the career paths available in this organization?

* When can I expect to hear from you regarding this position?

It is very important to ask the last question because employers want to hire individuals who are interested in the position - and asking this question definitely helps to demonstrate interest on your part. Exercise judgement when asking questions to an employer. When being interviewed by a large company that has a high profile, one would not ask the question “What is the history of your company and how your company was started?” You can find the answer to this question in the company’s annual report or articles in magazines/newspapers. However, small- and medium-sized companies do not always produce publicly available annual reports and it may be difficult to access information on the company and its role in the industry. This question is appropriate if you have exercised all other ways to find out the answer.

Five Ways to Stay Focused on Your Goals

Finish what you started

You probably have heard the saying, "So many things to do and not enough time to do them." Even though that may be true, you still have to complete them all, especially if these things help you to reach your goals. To make it easier for you, just take 1 thing you have to do and complete that task until it is done. When it is done, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and it will motivate you to move on to your next task.

Organize to make things easy and simple

Take a moment to put things in order. If people write to you or send your orders in the mail, make 3 piles. Put the letters that need to be answered right away in the 1st pile. Letters that can be answered at a later date you can put in the 2nd pile and letters that have orders in them; you can put in the 3rd pile. Doing things like this in other areas of your life will help you keep things in priority and keep you focused on your goals.

Change the way you look at things

If you find yourself at times having a negative attitude, you must realize that the way you look at things can make all the difference when it comes to reaching your goals. Even when obstacles stand in your way, maintaining a positive attitude, not a negative one and knowing that things can and will get better, will help you stay on track in reaching your goals.

Understand goals will take time to reach

Everything in life, if it is worth it, will take time. This goes for the goals you set for yourself. When you set goals, you should set 2 types of goals - a short-term goal such as 6 months and also a long-range goal, such as 3 years. You must realize that you are not going to reach your long-term goals in 2 weeks. Whatever your goals may be, only through hard work, determination and keeping yourself focused, this is the way you will eventually reach your goals.

Study and read articles on motivation

Reading articles, books or even listening to cassette tapes on motivation is a must if you want to keep yourself focused on your goals. Many successful people will tell you that even when they wanted to give up, a paragraph in a book or something a motivational speaker said to put them back on the right track and helped them reach their goals. No matter how excited you are about your work, with so many distractions and things that may be going on in your life, you can easily find yourself losing focus on your goals and what you want to accomplish. So if you want to stay focused on your goals, take these 5 points and put them into action today.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence is a person’s ability to be self aware, manage emotional feelings and information, detect emotions in others and manage human relationships.
Skill sets for building Emotional Intelligence are

1.      Self-Awareness

2.      Self Management

3.      Social Awareness

4.      Relationship Management

 

Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the first skill set in building Emotional Intelligence. High self awareness is identifying the sensations one feels and to be able to name which emotion is happening at any given time.
Components of Self-Awareness are:

1.      Emotional Awareness: Recognizing one’s emotions and their effects

2.      Accurate Self-Assessment: Knowing one’s strengths and limits

3.      Self-Confidence

 

Self-Management

Self-management is the ability to use the awareness of one’s emotions to stay flexible and direct behavior positively. This second step is to regulate feelings and manage them so they do more good, both to self and others, than harm.

Components of Self-Management are:

1.      Self-Control: Managing disruptive emotions and impulses

2.      Trustworthiness: Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity

3.      Conscientiousness: Taking responsibility for personal performance

4.      Adaptability: Flexibility in handling change 

Social Awareness

Once we have become honest and intentional with our emotions, it is time to look outward. After all, nobody in life will listen to us unless they feel we have listened to them. Emotional intelligence is both tuning into our own feelings and tuning into the feelings of those around us. Empathy is being able to see from another’s perspective. Empathy begins with listening.

Components of Social Awareness are:

1.      Empathy: Sensing others’ feelings and perspective and taking an active interest in their concerns

2.      Service Orientation: Anticipating, recognizing and meeting needs

3.      Offer appropriate assistance

4.      Political Awareness: Reading a group’s emotional current and power relationships

 

Relationship Management

Mastering the abilities of self-awareness, self management, and social awareness pave the way for more effective relationships. This fourth component, relationship management, is about interacting with people and being adept at managing emotions in others.

Components of Relationship Management are:

1.      Influence: Using effective tactics of persuasion

2.      Communication: Sending clear and convincing messages

3.      Conflict Management: Negotiating and resolving disagreements

4.      Collaboration and Cooperation: Working well with others towards shared goals