Mia Khorasani, a graduate sales apprentice at Emerson Automation Solutions, shares her story and explains how she’s using her new skills, developed with the help of Mercuri International, to change her life
Communication techniques
Mia says: “During my sales apprenticeship we have practised and focused extensively on effective communication techniques. With the help of my LDC (learning and development coach) Tom, we have explored how to communicate in the most appropriate way using the right tools. This experience has really boosted my confidence, I was able to utilise these new skills for a job interview.”
There are a number of tools to aid effective communication, such as verbal and non-verbal. More than half of the impact of communication is non-verbal. In a world where remote working is becoming part of ‘business as usual’ and using remote technology to ‘meet’ people is the new norm, improving our understanding of non-verbal communication is crucial. One example is a positioning statement.
Mia says: “As part of my interview preparation, I thought about positioning statements. I used a variation of my positioning statement when I was asked, ‘Tell us a little about yourself.’ Also I considered how we should think about adapting our behaviour to our situation and used the same terminology as the hiring manager.”
Things to consider when thinking about positioning statements:
- Can you explain what your company does and where you add value for customers in a simple and impactful way?
- Consider how you tailor the message to both customer type and the job role of the individual you are speaking with.
- Think about what makes the other person interested in the conversation by clarifying and tuning your high level positioning pitch.
On the results of her new communications skills, Mia says: “I just feel more confident! We have practised our communication styles so much. Even though I haven’t previously been in an inside sales role I felt confident I would be able to do a good job which I think came across during the interview. The best part is that I have been offered this new exciting job in the Netherlands!”
