It’s baffling to be reminded that despite being in college, there are humongous gaps between myself and others when it comes to certain skill sets. In some ways, it makes sense, like when it comes to cooking all-star meals or having to deal with car repairs. But when it comes to proper communication, it’s just worrying.
In this day and age, it’s crucial to know how to talk on the phone with professionals, how to send an email and honestly, just how to talk to someone. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to avoid communication your entire life, regardless of your anxieties, fears or perhaps blatant ignorance of the subject.
So once again, I’ll be saying what we’re all thinking – about proper communication etiquette.
Phone Calls: Know Why You’re Calling
Phone calls are not the place to ramble on endlessly, especially when making a professional call, such as to your bank, doctor or a potential employer.
The key to an effective, short, phone call is knowing exactly what you’re calling about and how the person on the other line can help you – even if you’re not sure they can.
Personally, phone calls are the bane of my existence, so I’ve pretty much mastered rattling off a script for all of my outgoing calls.
My script starts with a greeting, typically paired with an introduction and brief rundown of why I’m calling. For example, I tell them I’d like to schedule an appointment, I’m having issues with my debit card, I sent in an application, etc. Point being, it doesn’t have to be a long-winded story that dates back to a century ago. Keep it short and sweet.
Chances are, the person you talk to upon pick-up isn’t even the person you’ll end up talking to. The dispatcher is often just looking to know who to transfer you to.
The rest of your phone call will likely involve answering questions to verify your identity as well as the details of why you’re calling. If it’s to schedule an appointment, they’ll want your availability, so make sure you know it. Also, work towards familiarizing yourself with terms that’ll require less time to explain.
For instance, using the term “fraudulent transaction” or “fraud” when talking to your bank as opposed to saying, “I don’t know where this charge came from” will help minimize call time and get you to the solution faster.
In this day and age, time is one of the most valuable resources. Don’t waste it by getting yourself and someone else stuck in an endless loop of conversation.
What Do You Mean You Don’t Use the Subject Line?
The backbone of our society is email formatting. If you don’t know how to send a proper email at this point, I’m honestly scared for you.
Use a grammar checker, the subject line, a sign-off that isn’t “Sent From my iPhone,” spaces between paragraphs, correct punctuation – do it all!
What they don’t tell you about college is that you have to send emails and triple-check your inbox every second you get.
Seriously. Gmail is like my second most used app.
You simply have to know how to send a legitimate, somewhat professional email. There are plenty of guides online about how to do it, some of which even include scripts to follow that you just have to plug information into.
Your professor doesn’t want to see that you don’t know how to use a comma, yet are expecting them to grant you an extension on an assignment from two weeks ago. And frankly, I don’t either.
When Talking, Less is More
Small talk is an art that’s been lost in the vast sea of screen time and brain rot. Conversations, if they happen, are now incredibly awkward and full of unpleasant pauses.
Knowing how to hold a two-minute conversation can carry you far in life.
You don’t have to dive into a deep, emotionally vulnerable conversation right off the bat. When approaching small talk, less is more. Try out surface-level conversation starters, like asking how someone’s doing, but make sure you have another question lined up for after their inevitably short response.
If you recognize this person from class or some other on-campus activity, bring that up. People like to be recognized, and it gives you something in common to help steer the conversation. If that doesn’t help, just do your best to ask easy, light-hearted questions to keep both of you at ease.
Conversations don’t have to be perfect, but as long as you actively listen and know when to let someone go, you’ll do just fine.
Go Out in the World and Conversate
Talking to people is a skill, believe it or not, so treat it as such. Practice often, and you’ll get better at it. Time improves most things.
Just remember to be kind and respectful, and don’t take up too much of someone’s time. Listen to what they say and try your best to match their energy, whether on the phone or in person.
And remember to capitalize your sentences in an email. Like, seriously.
I might not actually police you for your laundry crimes, but I will police you for that.
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