BMC-Personality Development

Sem-2

Table of contents :

S.no./Unit no Topic

1. Communication :

a.) Body language

b.) Facial Expressions

c.) Interaction

d.) Listening

2.

Bio –data and self projection

a.)Bio-Data writing

b.) Self projection

c.) About yourself

d.) Self -Expression

3. Speaking skills

a.) Voice modulation

b.) Voice control

c.) Use of soft words

d.) Interaction

4. Current Affairs

a.) Social affairs

b.) Political affairs

c.) Economic affairs

d.) Cultural affairs

Unit-1 Communication

Objective : The objective of this unit is to teach the students the importance of body

language in a communicative situation.

1.1:

Body language ,Facial Expressions ,Interaction, Listening

Non –Verbal communication Kinesics ,Proxemics and Paralanguage Verbal communication: 7% Bodily movements , gestures -55%

Voice tone,inflection etc.-38%

It can be defined as communication that involves neither written nor spoken words but takes place without the use of words.

In it we are concerned with such things as body movements, space ,time, voice/tone,pitch, general characteristics of the environment colour ,design, and any other kinds of visual and /or audio signals that the communicator may devise.

Reflection of thoughts ,Feelings and Position:

1. All bodily movements –postures , gestures etc. are guided by our thought processes.

2.By nodding our head, blinking our eyes, waving our hands, shrugging our shoulders , and various other ways we send out signals and messages that often speak louder than words. That is why this area of inquiry has been called Body Language. Just as language uses sets of symbols to convey meaning , our body ,consciously as well as unconsciously or instinctively carries messages ,attitudes, status relationships, moods, warmth/indifference, positive/negative feelings and so on.

We have , however, to infer these meanings from body symbols. We look for these symbols in the face and eyes, gestures, posture, and physical appearance each of which has its own functions. Importance of Body language:

“When people don’t know whether to believe what they are hearing or what they are seeing ,they go with the Body Language-it tells the truth.

You can play fast and loose with words , but it is much more difficult do that with gestures.-Nancy Austin

“Status manifests itself subtly in a relaxed posture and way of interacting .The classic example is that of a soldier standing at attention in the presence of a superior officer. His body is extremely tense and perfect symmetry –signs of subservience” Prof.Alber Mehrabian

Kinesics:

Facial expression:

“The face is the index of mind”. Consider the facial expressions generally associated with happiness, surprise, fear , anger, sadness, bewilderment, astonishment, and contentment.

Different kinds of smiles: a frown, corners of lips, the position of eye brows, the cheeks-whether drawn up or back or drooping , the jaw , nose/nostrils, the position of the eye brows, and observe our own expressions by looking at ourselves in a mirror.

The thoughts and feelings conveyed may be positive or negative. It follo0ws then, that, we can change our behavior/expression by changing the inner nature.

Eye Contact : When we look at somebody’s face we focus primarlily on his eyes and try to understand what he means. The eyes , alongwith the eyebrows,eyelids and the size of the pupils convey our innermost feelings. Eyebrows and eyelids raised and combiled with dilated pupils tell us that the person is excited, surprised or frightened . On the other hand, eyebrows with upper and lower eyelids closed and combined with constricted pupils tell us that the person is angry or in pain.

Eye movement also conveys different kinds of meanings:

Looking at somebody for a long time shows the intensity of our interest in him.

A brief eye contact indicates nervousness or embarrassment on our part.

Gestures: Physical movement of legs ,arms, hands, torso and head. They play a very important role in conveying meaning without using words.

Examples: Pounding your fist on the table shows anger.

A fore finger held high above the head shows number 1.

A fore –finger and thumb touching to form a circle stands for “OK”.

Arms spread wide apart convey the meaning of “wide”

Shuffling from one leg to another means “nervous”.

Torso erect and extended ,slightly forward has been interpreted as intense.

Head and Posture:

“Hold your head high”: Sign of honour ,self-respect and self confidence, integrity and interest.

A head bent low ,depending upon the situation would show modesty, politeness or diffidence.

A head drawn too far backwards or stiffly held up straight up indicates pride or haughtiness .

Head jerks indicate insolence , rejection, or agreement depending upon the context and the personality of the person concerned. Nodding the head sideways or back and forth conveys the intended meaning more eloquently than words. Leaning backward or forward ,standing or sitting erect ,slouching haphazardly or bending sideways-all these postures make an immediate impression on the other person’s mind.

Appearance : Clothing ,hair ,jewellery ,cosemtics. All these may seem unrelated to body language. But on having a closer look we find that they are very meaningfully related to our face,eyes, gestures and postures.

Effective use of body Language:

1. Mind the body talk 2. Carefully identify the little things that people do when they are tense.Some people play with the lock of their hair or pen in their hand.These things undermine the strength of what we want to say.

3. Be careful with the handshake.

4.Establish good eye contact 5.Communicate at the level of the person before you.

6. We must be ourselves 7. Graceful movements and confident posture improve the atmosphere

at the workplace. Advantages of Body Language:

1.Body language is the most easily visible part of communication. It , therefore, helps the receiver of he message in decoding the

message. 2. Body language complements verbal communication .Specially in

face-to-face , no message can be completely sent across without the accompaniment of facial expressions and gestures.It helps in establishing rapport.

3. Body language adds intensity to the process of communication .In the absence of any gestures , change of posture , proper eye contact any face-to –face communication will look bland or insipid.

4.Because people care for body language it goes a long way to improve the overall atmosphere and looks of the organization. A resourceful manager can make very effective use of it.

Limitations of Body Language : 1.Since it is non-verbal communication

,relying on facial expressions , gestures it cannot be wholly relied upon. Words written or spoken can be taken seriously , but body language cannot always be taken seriously.

2.People belonging to different cultural backgrounds send out different signals. One has to be , therefore, to be vary carefully careful in their use and understanding.

3. Facial expressions , gestures, postures etc. become ineffective if the

listener is inattentive .It , therefore, requires extra care in getting the right message.

4. Use of body language is not very effective in large gatherings .It is

effective in face-to-face situation , that means there are just two or a small number of participants in the communication situation.

Facial expression:

“The face is the index of mind”. Consider the facial expressions generally associated with happiness,

surprise, fear , anger, sadness, bewilderment, astonishment, and contentment.

Different kinds of smiles: a frown, corners of lips, the position of eye brows, the cheeks-whether drawn up or back or drooping , the jaw , nose/nostrils, the position of the eye brows, and observe our own expressions by looking at ourselves in a mirror.

Paralanguage:

Voice : The first signal we receive or use is our voice.It tells us so much about the speaker’s gender , background, education, training and temperament.

There are all kinds of voices – clear, musical, raucus, cultivated,

pleasant/unpleasant and son on.

Unless damaged by some injury to the vocal cords or some neurological problem, the human voice normally does a satisfactory job.In other words, it coveys the meaning or the message.That is why, it is absolutely necessary in certain jobs for the applicant to have a clear and pleasant voice.

For example, jobs involving the use of telephone ,traffic control , tape-recording etc. require a very clear voice.

A.)Pitch variation: Most of us introduce wide variations in pitch while

speaking .It is necessary to catch the listener’s attention and to keep him interested in us. Those who speak in monotones fail to keep the listener’s attention. That is why the wor “monotonous” has come to be used as a synonym for “boring” .Many speakers are not aware of this weakness on their part. Once they become aware of it, the problem can be solved.

B.) Speaking speed : In the first place it must be made clear that fluency in a language is not the same thing as the speed of speaking. We, do however, speak at different speeds on different occassions and while conveying different parts of the message . As a general rule we should present easy parts of the message at a brisk pace because it is likely to be understood easily and soon. On the other hand, the difficult ,complicated , highly technical part of the information should be conveyed at a slower pace. If we reverse the order the result will be counterproductive. C.) Pause: The pace or speed of speaking is also accompanied by pause. We d not , go on speaking without pausing voluntarily or involuntarily. But the pauses have to be at the right moments. Incorrect

uses of pauses can create problems.A pause can be highly effective in emphasizing the upcoming subject and in gaining the listener’s attention .But it must also be noted thatfrequent ,arbitrary pauses spoil the speech and distract the listener’s attention.

D.)Volume variation: We must speak loudly enough for all of our audience to hear , but not too loudly. The loudness of our voice should be adjusted according to the size of our audience.The simple Logic is that the larger the audience the louder our voice will be. But some speakers incorrectly believe that the only way to sound convincing is to speak louder and louder. But the fact is that we become more convincing but adjusting our volume from loud to soft .

E.) Proper Word stress: By putting stress or empahsis on a word here or a word there in the same sentence or utterance we can change the whole meaning .

Advantages of Paralanguage: A.) Paralanguage is very closely allied to language .No oral message is complete without it. B.) Paralanguage is a sufficiently dependable indicator of the speaker’s place in the organization.On the basis of his voice-quality one can easily guess his position in the hierarchy. C.) Paralanguage tells us quite clearly about the speaker’s educational background. D.) Paralanguage speaks volumes about the speaker’s national /regional background.This information is of immense use to the recever /organization dealing with him.

2. Specially what is said and how it is said must be blended .But very often it does not happen .It , therefore, requires extra care to get the exact content of the message.

3. The voice quality and pitch of the speaker may unnecessarily prejudice the receiver of the message .the listener /receiver of the message has, therefore, to be very open minded and patient. 4. Because of the reasons given above paralnguage may sometimes misguide or mislead.

5. As speakers belong to different speech communities it is difficult to achieve unformity in oral communication.

Proxemics:

1.The space around us and its contents convey a definite meaning.Of course , it requires quite some effort on our part to arrange them meaningfully , and on the part of others to understand or interpret the meaning. Since it is first of all a personal matter , proxemics has come to be regarded as”personal space language”.

2. Our interaction with the people around us has a rather well-defined or well understood spatial dimension. Conversely we can say that the spatial dimension or distance between us and other people tells us something important about our relations and nature of our communication with them.

1. Intimate 2.Personal 3. Social 4.Public

Distance wise it can be stated as follows: 1.Intimate : Physical contact /touch to 18 inches

2. Personal : 18 inches to 4 feet

3. Social: 4 to 12 feet

4. Public: 12 feet to as far as we can see and hear.

1.Intimate space : Family members, closest friends and selected people enter this area.

2. Personal space : Normal conversations with close friends, colleagues, associates and visitors.

3. Social space language : Formal purposes –most of our business is done within this area.

4.Public space: Detachment of perception , objectivity of approach and formailty of communication/speaking.

5.Fixed and semi-fixed spaces : Walls, room sizes, the building, its total capacity ,places, corners, counters for special purposes and so on. In semi fixed spaces the physical features are, to some extent , changeable or likely to be rearranged. This flexibility in arrangements permits a variety of spaces that can be used to conduct different types of communication activities. For example, the same type of furniture , heavy or not so heavy , can be arranged or rearranged for an interview, a group discussion , or for an oral presentation.

6. Space use: Proxemics is also concerned with the use of space by groups of people. The way groups of people use the space assigned to them determines their respective places and interaction patterns. For example people who begin conversation and those who seated at thefront are usually considered leaders of the group.If the same people are seated in a row their communication pattern will be of a different nature. Seated around a round or oval table they will most likely communicate in the form of a conference.

7. Time Language : We communicate with others in terms of time by showing them , in our own cultural way , what time means to us. We do this mostly by symbolizing time, and by sending out signals regarding the importance of time, a particular point of time and so on. “Time management” is now one of the most important parts of overall management. TMI(Time management international) is one of the most important American consultancy companies. It renders valuable advice to business organizations in respect of optimal time use.

8. Surroundings: Our surroundings or physical environment speak their own nonverbal language. It is a vast area .It is, therefore, worthwhile to cover only two important aspects of our physical context-colour and layout or design for the purpose of non verbal communication.Through our sensory perception we get meaning from our surroundings , in the same way as through our choice of colour and design we send out definite signals to others.

9. Colours: Colours are associated with different behaviour patterns , attitudes and cultural backgrounds .People make serious effort to choose the right colour for any significant moment and indifference to choice of colour is regarded as lack of cultivation.

Pink ,yellow, red , purple, blue, green are gay colours. Black and gray are associated with negative feelings.

10. Layout and Design: The space arrangement of an office ,carpeting or its absence , the furniture and its designing everything conveys a meaning. Everybody is impressed by a “tastefully” furnished office , the layout of a lobby /dining hall/ conference room/ reception desk.

The significance of Body Language :

Body Language Interpretation

Facial expressions

Frown Displeasure , unhappiness

Raised eyebrows Disbelief,happiness, amazement, freindliness

Narrow eyes and pursed lips anger

Hurling , trembling lips Excitement , nervousness

Drooping lips Sadness , disappointment

Half-open lips Sexual excitement, eagerness

Eye movement /expressions

Eye to eye contact Interest ,keenness

Steady glancing Active listening , interest

Side on glancing Seduction ,sexual interest

Avoidance of eye contact Lack of confidence , discomfort, embarrassment

Shifting of eyes Lack of concentration , disinterest, avoidance

Blinking of eyes rapidly Poor confidence

Rubbing one side of the neck gently Insecure , lacking in confidence

Gently stroking the chin Considering issues carefully

Clenching of the fists Angry , irritated

Rubbing of the hands fast Excitement , enthusiasm

Slow rubbing of hands Preoccupation , disinterest

Washing of the hands gesture Done and over with

Fidgeting ,doodling Boredom

Shrugging of shoulders Indifference

Squaring of shoulders Problem solving , concerned listening

Biting the lips , biting finger nails Nervouness , tension

Sitting on the edge of the chair Listening with great interest

Slouching in the chair Lack of interest

Tapping fingers on table /chair Boredom, disinterest

Tilting head Sign of interest

BODY GESTURES

Wringing the fingers Authority /displeasure

Folded arms Not open to suggestions

Arms at the side Open to suggestions and relaxed

Crossed arms Skeptical/defensive

Closing arms behind the head Dominance posture , authority stance

Hands on the hips Anger /defensiveness

Scratching of the head Thoughtful/puzzled/unsure

Styles of Walking Interpretations

Head bent , shoulders drooping walk Depressed , disappointed

Eyes looking towards the ground walk

Preoccupied , lost in thought

Eye looking upward in the air walk Preoccupied , searching for solutions

Kicking an imaginary object with leg Anger , frustration

Walking with hands in pocket Withdrawn , shy , thoughtful, macho

Speech and Voice Modulations Interpretation

Voice types Interpretation

1. High-pitched voice Enthusiasm , excitement , eagerness

2.Low –pitched voice Disinterest

3.Slow –paced voice Disappointment

4. Monotonous Voice Boredom ,lack of enthusiasm

5. Sharp tone voice Amazement

6. Fast –paced voice Confidence /or hiding the real issue

Smiles and communication Interpretation

The happy smile

Broad smile or grin Pleased with the interaction

Where both sets of the teeth are exposed The mouth is oriented upwards

Desire to continue with the

or Only the upper set of teeth are exposed

interaction

Walking styles Interpretation

Head bent , shoulders dropping walk Depressed , disappointed

Eyes looking towards the ground walk

Preoccupied , lost in thought

Eye looking upward in the air walk Preoccupied , searching for solutions

Kicking an imaginary object with leg Anger , frustration

Walking with hands in pocket Withdrawn, shy , thoughtful, macho

STANDING : Straight and shoulders pulled back reflect confidence and control. Keeping hands in the pocket while conversing is neither graceful nor polite . Folded arms and locked ankles both indicate lack of openness and feelings of discomfort. SIITING: Slouching or sinking in the chair is bad and slovenly .Avoid this at all costs .Crossing the legs is seen as a defensive posture. Never ever shake a leg or thigh. It is ugly and impolite .At times it is seen as a nervous gesture , also. FACIAL EXPRESSIONS: Have to be warm and friendly .Never try to fake an expression .Avoid overdoing any of the expressions .the face must never show a frown or a furrow, These are read as carrying negative connotations .Blank expressions or poker faces are treated with suspicion or lacking in commitment. These are seen poorly in business contexts . Meeting the other person in the eye is seen as a sign of interest , while avoiding the eye contact is viewwd as an attempt at deception .Staring iis not only rude, but interpreted to mean threat as well. So this is inappropriate all times. Continuous eye contact is also a strict no , no. Gestures : To much of gesticulation is seen as having a poor taste .Snapping of fingers, playing with one’s hair , pursing one’s lips , biting the finger nails are all perceived as poor and lacking etiquettes .Excessive head nodding is not taken well .The nodding has to be measured and dignified .Nodding along with smiling is a far more mature response to agreeing to understanding any conversation. 1.2:

Listening skills :

Listening is a highly complex , interactive process by which spoken language is converted to meaning in the mind. As this definition suggests listening is more than just hearing ,although childres and adults often use the two terms , hearing and listening , synonymously .Hearing is only one important component of listening. In order to become a good learner, you need to become a good learner, you need to become a good listener.You may be surprised to know that hearing and listening rae not the same thing. You could say that good hearing is the foundation of good listening. Listening is a specialized form of hearing and is the primary function of the ear. It is the thinking or converting to meaning what one hears that is the crucial part of the listening process. 1.Hearing is a passive process.It is merely the detection of sounds around us .Norammly, we come across “hearing” in certain situations .Eg.,The guest in a hotel is angry about the service and abuses the service boy .At this instance most of the service boys tend to just “hear” the sound of the abuse. 2.Listening :It is an active process .It involves the conscious desire to determine the meaning of what is heard. While listening , one is engaged in processing the data , reconstructing it, and also giving meaning to it. In the above stated example , if the guest abuses the manager instead of a service boy, the well-trained efficient manager , who has learnt the process of “listening” will go one step ahead and try to solve the problem, which in turn would please the guest! Types of Listening: 1.Discrminative 2.Comprehensive 3.Evaluative 4. Appreciative 5. Empathetic 6. Therapeutic 7. Dialogic1. Discrminative listening : As the name itself suggests , Discrminative listening si the most basic type of listening , whereby the difference between the sounds is identified.If you cannot hear differences , then you cannot make sense of what the meaning that is expressed by such differences. We learn to discriminate between between sounds within our own language early , and later are unable to discriminate between the phonemes of other languages .This is one reason why a person from one country finds it

difficult to speak another language perfectly , as they find the sounds similar and cannot distinguish the subtle sounds that are required in that language.Likewise , a person who cannot hear the slight variation in the tone of another person’s voice will be less likely to discern the emotions experienced by the person. 2.Comprehensive listening: When discriminating of sounds is achieved ,you should learn to make sense of the learnt sound.To comprehend the meaning, you require a lexicon of words and all rules of grammar and syntax by which you can understand what others are saying. The same is true , of course, for the visual componenet of communication , and an understanding of the body language helps us understand, what the other person is really meaning. In communication , some words are more important and some less so , and comprehension often benefits from extraction of key facts and items from a verbose communication. 3.Evaluative listening : Evaluative listening is also called “critical listening” because we make judgements about what the other person is saying .We seek to assess the truth of what is being said .We also judge what they say against our values , assessing them as good or bad, worthy or unworthy .Evaluative listening is particularly relevant when the other person is trying to persuade us, perhaps to change our behaviour and maybe even to change our beliefs. 4. Appreciative listening : In appreciative listening , the main intention us to seek certain information which we will appreciate .For example, the information that helps meet our goals and needs are looked for. We use appreciative listening when we are listening to good music , poetry or may be even the stirring words of a great leader. 5. Empathetic listening : When we listen empathetically, we seek to understand the beliefs , moods, emotions and goals of other people. This requires excellent discrimination and close attention to the nuances of emotional signals. In order to get others to expose these deep emotions to us , we also need to demonstrate our empathy in our demeanor towards them; this can be done by asking them sensitively and in a way that encourages self-disclosure.

6.Therapeutic listening : In therapeutic listening , the listener has a purpose of not only empathisisng with the speaker , but also to use this deep connection in order to help the speaker understand , change or develop in some way. This not only happens, when you go to see a therapist but also in many social situations , where friends and family seek to both diagnose problems from listening and also to help the speaker cure herself/himself of those problems.This also happens in work situations , where Managers ,HR People , trainers, and Coaches seek to help employees learn and develop. 7.Dialogic listening: The word “dialogue” stems from the Greek words “dia” , meaning “through” and “logos” meaning “words” .This dialogic listening means learning through conversation.It is an engaged interchange of ideas and information in which we actively seek to learn more about the person and how they think.Dialogic listening is sometimes known as “relational listening” because with the help of exchange of ideas while listening , we also indirectly create a rrelation. Barriers to effective listening: Listening is the most important part of the communication process.However, lsietning skills do not come naturally to most people ; they require willingness , practice and patience to develop. There are many reasons individuals fail to listen successfully. these include: 1.Interrupting 2.Faking attention 3. Becoming emotional 4. Jumping to conclusions 5. Becoming distracted 6.Prejudging the subject 7.Wrong focus 8. Gathering only facts 9.Inflexibility while listening 10. Avoiding complicated subjects Strategies for effective listening : 1.Provide clues that you are actively involved 2.Concentrate

3.Refrain from formulating an immediate responses 4. Try to be prepared beforehand 5. Be prepared to accept revisions 6. Be sure the environment is conducive to listening.

Unit-2

The objective of this unit is to apprise the students of the difference between a Bio-

Data and a resume. The students will also be taught how to draw up their own

resume for job advert.

3.1:

Bio-Data and self projection

(a.) Bio-Data writing

(b.) Self-projection

(c.) About yourself

(d.) Self-Expression

Preparation of Bio-Data ,CV :

In a competitive market, graduates need a good CV or Resume to succeed in securing a job. Your CV or Resume is an advert for you, an opportunity to sell yourself to potential employers. Your CV or Resume is the first step in the recruitment process so it has to be right – our CV guide tells you everything you need to know about creating a successful graduate CV.

Personal Details

Career Aim/Personal Statement

Education and Qualifications

Work Experience

Specialist Experience

Activities/Interests/Positions of Responsibility

Additional Information

References/Referees

Personal Details

You don't need to write 'Curriculum Vitae' at the top of your CV or Resume – it's

pretty obvious what it is! Make sure your name appears at the top and is in a larger

font than the rest of your CV so it stands out. Beneath, all you need to include is

your home address (and term address if you are still at university) and contact

information. Don't include a novelty email address - boozyfloozy@hotmail.co.uk

doesn't sound very professional.

Career Aim/Personal Statement

This is optional but if you do include it, make sure it isn't vague or generic. Keep it

brief (three or four lines max). Demonstrate your career focus and perhaps evidence

of two or three main strengths and where they were developed. This part of your

CV or Resume should be tailored to the role and company you're applying to.

However, to save space, this could be included in your covering letter.

Education and Qualifications

Start with your most recent education – your degree or postgraduate qualification.

University qualifications will be of more interest to an employer than what you did

at school so devote more space to this. Include the dates, name of university/s,

degree title e.g. BA (Hons) Philosophy, and the grade you are expecting or have

achieved.

It is advisable that you include any modules you studied that are relevant to the job

application in addition to your thesis/dissertation research or project work. Time

spent abroad or work placements attended as part of your degree course should be

mentioned.

For school education, include dates, name of school/college and A-Levels or

equivalent qualifications studied with grades. Unless specified, it is not normally

necessary to list every subject studied at GCSE or equivalent level. The number of

passes achieved is enough but state the grade you got for Mathematics and English.

Work Experience

The Work Experience section of your CV or Resume is where recruiters will focus

most of their attention. You must include the dates of your employment, the job title

you held and the name of the employer. For international applications, cite the

country in which you were employed.

Employers are realistic about the fact that students and recent graduates have

mostly done part-time and summer jobs that may not relate to the career you want

to pursue. However, employers will still expect you to be able to show the

responsibilities and skills you got out of your work experience.

The most common way of presenting work experience is to do it in

reverse chronological order (most recent first). However, if you have very

relevant experience in the career field you are applying to e.g. an internship with a

company, you may wish to include this first under a separate heading such as

“Relevant Work Experience” and list less relevant jobs under “Other Work Experience”. This will immediately show an employer that you have taken the

initiative to gain knowledge of the sector and have experience of that work

environment.

Don't despair if this isn't the case for you. Thousands of graduates don't have that

head start but still get the position they want because they capitalised on the

experience they did have. Remember, employers are looking for the skills you have

used and developed, and more specifically they are identifying links between your

experience and skills and the requirements of the job. Here are some tips to help

you:

Target your CV to the specific job advert - Read over the terminology used

and the skills mentioned in the advert and where appropriate, use these

words in your CV.

Back up your claims - Avoid writing bland content; if you have "good

communication skills" demonstrate how you have used them effectively to

get something done.

Identify the contribution you made - Rather than just stating a list of duties

you had, think about ways of demonstrating success in a particular role.

Mention your achievements at work and any concrete results you achieved

(in measurable terms if possible). For example, rather than writing,

"designed company's web site," you could say, "designed company's web

site, which increased company's overall product sale by 50 percent."

When describing your job responsibilities, avoid sounding monotonous in your CV

or Resume and use a variety of action verbs and skills.

Specialist Experience

List any specialist experience and or qualifications that are relevant to the job role

under specially designed sections. For example, researchers may provide the

sections 'Research' or 'Research Interests,' and those having worked abroad may

choose to include a section titled 'Research Experience Abroad'. Professors may

include 'Teaching Experience,' 'Foreign Lecturing,' or 'Lectures and Presentations';

likewise, physicians may include sections such as 'Community Service,' 'Licensure,'

or 'Qualification Examinations'.

Activities/Interests/Postitions of Responsibility

These are all relevant sections to include because they demonstrate that you are

motivated to pursue other activities and are a well-rounded individual. Positions of

responsibility and achievements can be extra-curricular, for example, significant

involvement in the Student Union, organising events in a social or sporting club,

spearheading charity fundraising at school or university etc. Stating your interests

doesn't mean just writing a list. Try to indicate your level of involvement and what

you gain from the activity.

Additional Information

Languages

If you are applying overseas then you should indicate your native language and any

additional languages you know accompanied by your level of proficiency.

Skills

Skills in this section include anything vocational that has not appeared elsewhere on

your CV, for example, IT skills and driver’s license. For IT skills, list the software

packages and applications you use and your level of competency for each. Any

certificates you have such as First Aid or Health and Safety for example, should be

listed in this section.

Conferences

If it is relevant to the job you are applying for, then you may want to mention any

conferences, workshops or seminars you have attended. Give the name of the

conference, date, place and organizers.

The Resume Don’ts

Don’t title your resume as “Resume” start with your full name. Don’t mail or fax if email is an option. Don’t go over one page. Don’t use fancy fonts. Don’t use personal pronouns “I”, “my” or “me” Don’t use passive words. Don’t use colorful paper – white, buff or beige is standard. Don’t include a picture or other artwork. Don’t lie. Brag but never lie. Don’t include your whole life’s history. Don’t include personal information. Don’t include salary information. Don’t include more that 10 years of employment history.

Don’t say you were laid off or fired from your last position. Save it for the interview. Don’t include personal references. Don’t include “references available upon requests.” If they want them they will ask. Don't include your age, height, weight, date of birth, marital status, sex, ethnicity, health, religion, or political affiliations.

The Resume DO’s

Do send your resume with a cover letter. Do strive to make a good impression. Do make your resume clear, concise and easy to read. Do use BOLD or Underline for section headings. Do emphasize your strongest qualifications. Do focus on accomplishments, skills, and results. Do print your resume on high quality 8 ½ by 11 paper. Do make contacting you easy. i.e. consider including home & office telephone numbers. Do include descriptive terms that include supportive facts and figures. Do use short phrases, not long and complex sentences. Do utilize action words. Do list your most recent job/educational experience first. Do list job titles, dates, cities and states. Do use word processing and spell checkers. Do ask 2 friends or colleague to proof read your resume. Do create a resume tailored to the job you after. Do keep your resume up-to-date. You never know when opportunity may come knocking.

Unit-3

Objective : The students will be taught how to introduce voice modulation in a

speaking situation. The various ways to improve voice quality will also be

introduced.

Speaking skills

Voice modulation, Voice control, use of soft words, Interaction

3.1: Voice

We are all aware of the importance of voice in expressing thoughts in social life and

classroom presentations .According to communication experts ,atleast 74% of all

communication is through speech or speaking voice .Of that 38% of the meaning is

conveyed through voice quality. Every person has a certain voice quality which is specific to

him or her. Infact voice quality reflects the character and personality of a person .Voice is a

major concern for both trainers of speech and vocal music .They study the physiology of the

vocal mechanism to develop their student’s natural voice. Every language has its own

features in terms of words and sounds.Correct usage of words and pronunciation is part of

language training. Today, English has become a favorite language for many young students

and managers .

Importance of voice clarity :

Clarity is the qulity of being heard and easily understood .Speaking clearly is important to

many of us. For instance, a public speaker , debater, voice artist , and prose or poetry

reader must speak to be successful.

Clear speech is obviously important for everyone and in every occasion.A study by a team

of researchers has conducted that we are judged by the way we sound than how we dress.

Careers are made or marred by voice. When working in organizations and in public

speaking voice assumes graet significance.

1. Voice is an asset to individuals .It is the primary link between the speaker and

his/her listeners. An individual’s personality is mirrored by his/her voice. A natural

sweet voice is considered God’s gift. From the voice , you can understand not only

the psychological state of a speaker’s but also the emotional side of the message.

2.Speaking clearly helps you avoid misunderstandings in your social life. Relationships are

based on good mutual understanding. Infact , those who speak well will enjoy higher status

in social groups.

3.Clear speech is an essential skill required for effective public speaking. Lack of clarity in

voice leads to listening failures. The audience may lose interest and give negative responses.

4. Business transactions with various parties require good communication abilities .If the

staff of a company fails to speak clearly , the business suffers. Activities like giving clear

instructions and negotiating with customers requires clear speech.

5. Clear speech is important to artists like singers, actors and announcers.Without voice

clarity they cannot succeed in the audition test. It is also important to professionals like

teachers and lawyers.

6. Students who have clarity in speech get good grades and secure good jobs. In the English

examinations , correct pronunciation , and grammatical expressions are important

.Inability to speak clearly limits their opportunities.

3.2:

Voice types and characteristics :

Obviously different people have different voices .Voices can be boring , lazy or mumbling

.They can be squeaky , nasal or whining. They can be interesting , clear and warm .

The table below presents some of the voice types and impressions they create about the

speaker:

Voice types:

Type of voice Impression

Hard and Edgy Irritable and tense

Breathy and thin Unreliable and weak

Fast Inconsiderate

Mumble Apathetic

Soft and pleasant Nice and sociable

A good voice is one that has the following qualities :

1.Pleasant tone , conveying a sense of warmth.

2. Natural , reflecting one’s personality.

3. Dynamic , with variations in modulation and pitch. The flow of words is smooth and

forceful.

4. Expressive , making different meanings clear , forceful and energetic .

5. Audible , easy to hear with proper volume and clear articulation.

Voice clarity determinants:

Voice influences the impact of your message. As such voice is considered important in

interaction. The four factors that determine voice clarity are :

1. Physiological factors: laryngeal and articulatory system

2. Psychological : Confidence ,energy and enthusiasm

3. Acoustic: Pitch, intensity ,resonance, intonation etc.

4.Perceptual: Pitch , volume , modulation, emotion etc.

Physiological factors:

The production of voice is dependent on two factors:

1. The force with which the vocal folds in larynx (voice box) impact every time thye

close for each vibration cycle.

2. Articulatory habit.It determines the characteristics of the sound traveling from the

larynx to the lips.

Confidence : Stage fright , like nervouness , often leads to failures in public speaking.

Powerful delivery requires courage and character towards expressing thoughts on a

particular topic. Powerful articulation never fails to make an impact when delivered clearly

and with the right modulation.

Energy : It is important to speak with a certain level of enthusiasm or vitality. The level of

energy depends on the interest in the topic and occasion.People show normal enthusiasm

levels while speaking to family members or friends in their living room or a restaurant

.Energy levels will be high when making a sales or a class room presentation.

Articulation: Correct pronunciation is important in articulation.In English language , the

pronunciation of words is difficlt .Examples of incorrect pronunciation are:

T is sometimes dropped , as in “bo “le” instead of “bottle” , “cadalog” instead of

“catalogue”.

Tone : Speaking in the right tone is important .To a speech therapist or a linguist , “tone”

implies the sound quality of the voice when it utters words. Tone conveys the attitude of the

speaker or writer by the intonation of speech and the choice of sentence construction. The

different types of tones found in written or spoken communication are : conversational ,

formal , ironic, frivolous and pessimistic.

Speaking in different tones may be necessary to make speaking effective .Monotonous

speech is not clear speech .It can spoil articulation. More than a thousand men and women

were asked the question :”Which irritating or unpleasant voice annoys you the mose?’ in a

nationwide survey. The answer received from the majority of the people was: a complaining

, whining or nagging tone.Your tone must be commanding and modulated .You must take

care that your voice does not sound harsh, not to be perceived as bossy or overbearing.

Pitch: It is the fundamental frequency(F0 , read as “f-knot) associated with the voice. The

opening and closing of the vocal folds is referred to as vibrations and the number of cycles

of vibration per second is called the fundamental frequency.The habitual F0 of the speaker

is the average F0 value of a voice when uttering a long steady vowel.

The pitch of an individual’s voice keeps developing throughout life. Voices will sound

pleasant to the listeners, when one uses pitches within the natural lower half of one’s range

.One common experience has shown us that the extremely higher and extremely lower

pitches will be annoying to hear.

Factors like age, gender and lifestyle affect the pitch .A woman’s vocal cords vibrate at

double the speed of a man’s. As such her normal pitch is usually about an octave higher .

Changes in the natural pitch take place as one passes from childhood to adulthood .For a

female full maturity in voice occurs at the age of 35 and for a male around age 25. Lifestyle

exerts considerable effect on voice quality .For example , aggressive people often shout and

yell. Smokers consume harmful tobacco.Sick people take medicine that dries the mouth and

throat. For these people , voice may become husky. Their pitch range may be affected.

Rhythm: English language is a “Stress-timed” language , whereas most other language s are

“syllable –timed” languages.In a syllable timed language each syllable gets one beat .It is

not so in English. For instance , take “How are you?” It has three syllables. But the stress

points are only two.(How and You).So it has only two beats. Consider the sentence “How’s

your little sister?”.It has four syllables , but only two stress points. (How and SIS) .So the

amount of time in both cases in equal.

Duration: Every word wave has its duration .A speaker may take different durations to

stress syllables or complete words.The duration of vowels actually determines the clarity of

delivery. To emphasize certain words or sentences , a speaker may take longer time by

drawing the word.

Stress: Stress or emphasis is another element of voice. Each tone group can be further

subdivided into syllables in a sentence. These can be weak or unstressed or strong and

stressed .The stressed syllable is referred the speaker wishes to focus on. For example :

This /is/ the /best/chance/you/ could/ get /in your lifetime.

Here , best, you and life time are stressed .You is the nuclear syllable because it is stressed

harder.

Observe how variation in stress vary the meanings:

*If the emphasis is on the best , it highlights the chance: it is the best and not other chances.

* If the stress is on “You”, it means you only and not others.

* If the stress is on life time , the view is : such could never be found again.

Juncture: It refers to the way vowels and consonants are connected in speech. During

speaking one should know where one word stops and another begins.

Pause: Pauses are periods of silence between words and phrases .They help separate ideas

and draw attention of the audience.

Volume: It is related to the relative loudness or softness of speech sounds. The volume of

sound is measured in a unit called “decibel” or dB. When you are speaking loudly , it

distracts.If you are speaking too quietly , you can’t be heard. The volume of sound should

be great enough so as to be able to reach the target audience. When addressing a large

group use a microphone .When microphone is not available , raise the volume of voice

.Enquire from the people seated in the back rows of the classroom or hall, whether they are

able to hear or not.

Pace or tempo:It refers to the rate of speech measured in words per minute. It can be fast or

slow. Speaking too fast , or speaking too slow act as hurdles in speaking clearly. Pace

depends on the message you are trying to convey. Urgent or important messages are spoken

fast ; others slowly. For instance, a manager may speak slowly while communicating the

views of top management .On the other hand , he may speak fast (120 words to 140 words

per minute) when giving an inspirational speech to employees.

3.3:

Modulation, Intonation and Inflection:

The other three important determinants of voice quality are modulation, intonation and

inflection.

Modulation :Voice modulation is an important dimension in voice clarity.It refers to the

adjustment of the pitch , inflection or tone of voice to make the voice clear and audible to

the audience. The general observations regarding modulation are :

Increase –Anger , fear, disgust , surprise or urgency.

Decrease: Sadness, warmth, curiosity , suspense or anticipation.

Intonation: Intonation is about how we say things. The “melody” we hear in the speech of a

person is intonation. Pitch describes the frequency (low or high pitch) of your voice. For

example: deep or squeaky .Intonation describes the variation of tone when speaking , to

help add meaning to the words. It is the spoken equivalent of punctuation. Intonation

typically has more to do with fluctuation in voice. For eg., some people speak in monotone,

particularly teenagers in public speaking roles. Speech is divided into phrases , called “tone-

units”. The pitch varies within a “pitch range”.Every person will have his or her own range

of pitch.Different languages have different ranges of range.

How does pitch variation occur in the tone units? The movement of pitch , that is, the rise

and /or fall in tone occurs on the most significant syllable referred to as the “tonic –

syllable”. Languages , in which the changes in pitch reflect a change in the meaning of a

message, are referred to as “tonal languages” .Examples are: Mandarin Chinese , and

Thai.English is non-tonal.

However, English speakers also use intonation to vary meaning, intent, and emotion. For

example, you an say: “It is raining” in different ways to mean surprise or frustration

.Incorrect intonation can result in misunderstandings.Under normal conditions you can

speak with a low-pitched , well-modulated voice to show that everything is normal.To

indicate excitement, or helplessness we can raise the pitch.

One can use a range of pitches from low to high as given below:

Inflection up or rising pitch

Inflection down or lowering pitch

Inflection up and down or raising and lowering pitch

Inflection down and up or lowering and raising pitch.

The following conversation demonstrations this:

Rao: Did you finish the report?(Rise)

Sri: No sir! I will (fall)

Rao: Is there any problem (fall-rise)?

Sri: None (Flat).

Rao: Can I ask (rise) , Raman and Sulekha (fall) to help you?

Sr: Of course (fall), if you need the report immediately (fall).

Volume and pace should be used together in proper combination to create the right effects.

You can raise your voice ,associating it with increasing pace and quickening volume until

you reach a climax. Then you can drop both volume and pace to a dramatic whisper.

Inflection: Inflections are smooth changes in pitch or tone of the voice .Using inflection , you

can make your voice sound interesting and melodious. Also you can dramatize you talk.

You can express your views in a more clear and expressive way. Placing stress on certain

phrases, stretching out some of the words or pausing will enhance clarity.For instance, take

the expression : “far away”. If it is said as “f----a-r away” and not simply “far away” , your

point of view becomes much clearer.

Another benefit is the breaking of monotony of a speech. Inflection adds meaning to

words.When your friend says “I hate you”, you distinguish difference by the way it is

spoken. You will check whether it is said harshly with anger (negative emotion) or softly

with affection (positive emotion).

How do you make use of inflection effectively? Communication experts have identified

certain basic rules for using this tool of inflection.

Your voice should be loud enough to reach out to the last row of the audience. It

should be divided by meaningful pauses so that everybody can follow your talk. You

have to maintain soft but formal conversational tone.

Start your talk in a low voice .Too high voice inflection at the very starting is

undesirable for two reasons. One , your tone sounds irritable.Second, it will not be

possible for you to modulate your voice to say exciting things.

Use rising , falling or circumflex appropriately to convey emotions and ideas to

listeners given in the table below:

Inflection type Demonstrative-Emotive uses Rational –Valid uses

Up To express pleasure .Prayer

or appeal.Surprise or fear.

For questions which require

“yes/no, answers , expressing

doubt , or incomplete

thought.Example: Are you

going to Chennai?

Fall Negative emotions(hatred or

anger), to give commands ,

to express belief or

reprehension.

Interrogative questions

which require explanation

.Example Why are you going

to Chennai?Completed

thoughts.

Circumflex Negative emotions like scorn

or contempt .Expressing

irony.

Emphasise ambiguity ,

highlight anti-thesis.

Circumflex can be either rising (up –down-up) or falling (down-up-down) .Rising

circumflex (up-down-up) at the ends of phrases indicates contrast (“It is not Raman , it’s

Sheila”) or ambiguity (unfinished thought).

Unit-4

This portion will be covered in the class.

Current Affairs :

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