One of the important gaps found among the campus / off-campus recruits is lack of proper communication skill. This is a critical area that needs utmost attention to be given to the importance of communication, needless to say in IT industry. Though one may be technically sound, it is the communication skill that showcases the technical capability.
Being a part of the recruitment panel, it is disheartening to see that youngsters do not understand the importance of spoken communication, and are not taking it serious.
Being a part of the recruitment panel, it is disheartening to see that youngsters do not understand the importance of spoken communication, and are not taking it serious. This is evident when they participate in group discussion, attend an interview or write an essay.
Spoken English – A requirement:
Of various types of communication, this article will concentrate only on spoken communication (English).
The following are some of the common mistakes that need immediate attention:
Proper grammar
A grammatically correct sentence is very important in spoken communication. The following are some of the common examples:
Is / was; has / had; come / came
Wrong: He was coming to me now.
Right : He is coming to me now.
Present : He has ten pencils.
Past : He had ten pencils
Read More Proper pronunciation
Pronunciation is another area where we need to work on. The general tendency is to pronounce using native language.
E.g.
"Hurt" is pronounced as "huRT" with stress on R and T. The "R" is silent.
"Simple" is pronounced as "simble"
Proper language usage
Wrong Plural / Singular usage:
E.g.
Using the word "peoples" to refer to a group of people. "People" actually refers to a group. Some tend to use "staffs" to refer to set of office staff as plural. It must be noted that "staff" itself is plural / singular based on the sentence usage.
Influence of Native language:
E.g.
Wrong : He fast runs.
Right : He runs fast
Usage of Odd phrases
Examples for antiquated and old words / phrases like,
He is a good / bad fellow.
I want to bring to your kind attention…
Where are you stationed?
These were brought into India by the Imperial British; some 200 years later even they have forgotten these words while we continue to use them.
Usage of "Indian-Specific" words (especially to native speakers)
I had curd-rice with brinjal for lunch.
Is it veg or non-veg?
I come to office by two-wheeler
These are words we have adopted into English, and take for granted that everyone knows them. Well, dont be surprised, they dont!
Usage of phrases directly translated from the speaker native tongue
What is your good name?
Aditya sir and Narayanan sir are not available.
I will not do this and all…
Just because Hindi or Tamil requires certain respect phrases or adjectives doesnt mean its equivalent English sentence needs to have this as well
Suggestions for improvement:
The following are some suggestions that every individual should start early in life:
Converse in English whenever possible.
Read good newspapers, magazines, novels, etc.
Listen to good news channel.
Participate in elocution competition.
Present papers.
Conduct mock group discussion.
Use full and proper sentence in emails, sms whenever possible.
Ask friends to correct if they find you are going wrong somewhere.
Also, "dont be afraid to watch a Hollywood blockbuster with your friends – the best way to improve pronunciation is to listen to native speakers"
Conclusion :
Communication is an important skill that one has to develop to prove oneself in the IT industry. Very good spoken English, doubtless to say, gives one a definite lead over others (not that one neednt be technically sound!) and helps in career growth. So it is imperative that everyone take this seriously and work towards improving the communication.
--Adarsh R Pookat is currently working as Project Manager in Hexaware Technologies. He has over 10 years of experience in Airlines Practice (Cargo and Passenger Reservations).