Soft Skills "Interview Questions" Part 1

Here are some soft skills interview questions, largely focused on a behavioral approach, you may want to use or adapt during your interview process.

Interpersonal Skills

• Describe how you developed relationships with others when you were new on your current/ most recent job?
• Have you ever worked for an extremely talkative manager? How did you ensure you were communicating effectively?
• Have you ever worked for a very reticent manager? How did you ensure you were communicating effectively?
• Describe a time when you had problems with a supervisor and had to communicate your unhappy feelings or difficult disagreements. Tell me what you did and what happened?
• What words do your current co-workers use to describe you and how accurate do you think these are? If they are not accurate, what do you think caused the person to choose that word?
• Tell me about a time when you became involved in a problem faced by a co-worker -how did it happen, what did you do and what happened?
• When you are dealing with co-workers or customers, what really tries your patience and how do you deal with that?
• Describe a situation when one of your decisions was challenged by higher management; what did you do and how did you react?
• Describe how you changed the opinion of someone who seemed to have a very negative opinion of you?
• Describe some of the most unusual people you have known - what was different about them and how did you work with them?
• Give me an example of how you handled a very tense situation at work?
• How skillful do you think you are at "sizing up" others? Give me an example.

Dears, Next is Oral Communication Questions..


Enjoy Learning,
Amjad T. Alqaisi

Soft skills "Survey with Professor Anna Tzanakaki "

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Professor Anna Tzanakaki (MSITT Program Director) she answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

Communion skills, leadership skills, Negotiation skills, presentation skills etc…

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

Yes, although to some extend it depends on the person’s type of work.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

Not very effectively

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

By the impression I get through the interaction & specific relevant questions I ask.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

It maybe a good idea although having it as elective maybe more appropriate.


Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

Communication Skills

Effective Communication Skills are very important for our professional /personal success, regardless in what business we participate to.

The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and unambiguously, and the communication becomes successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication.

Searching online for "How to.." on Communication Skills, i cam across on some very useful videos which i want to share them with you.

Communication Skills_Part1

Communication Skills_Part2

Communication Skills_Part3

Communication Skills_Part4

More to come....

Enjoy,
Ana

Tips to Improve Your Interpersonal Skills.

Recently i had a job interview with an International company, and despite testing technical / professional skills, a great importance on the interview process was given to the "Interpersonal skills".

Interpersonal Skills is one of the elements how you are perceived by your manager and coworkers, which play a large role in things as minor as your day-to-day happiness at the office and as major as the future of your career.

No matter how hard you work or how many brilliant ideas you may have, if you can’t connect with the people who work around you, your professional life will suffer.

Here are some tips, on how to improve our Interpersonal Skills.

• Smile. Few people want to be around someone who is always down in the dumps. Do your best to be friendly and upbeat with your coworkers. Maintain a positive, cheerful attitude about work and about life. Smile often. The positive energy you radiate will draw others to you.
• Be appreciative. Find one positive thing about everyone you work with and let them hear it. Be generous with praise and kind words of encouragement. Say thank you when someone helps you. Make colleagues feel welcome when they call or stop by your office. If you let others know that they are appreciated, they’ll want to give you their best.
• Pay attention to others. Observe what’s going on in other people’s lives. Acknowledge their happy milestones, and express concern and sympathy for difficult situations such as an illness or death. Make eye contact and address people by their first names. Ask others for their opinions.
• Practice active listening. To actively listen is to demonstrate that you intend to hear and understand another’s point of view. It means restating, in your own words, what the other person has said. In this way, you know that you understood their meaning and they know that your responses are more than lip service. Your coworkers will appreciate knowing that you really do listen to what they have to say.
• Bring people together. Create an environment that encourages others to work together. Treat everyone equally, and don't play favorites. Avoid talking about others behind their backs. Follow up on other people's suggestions or requests. When you make a statement or announcement, check to see that you have been understood. If folks see you as someone solid and fair, they will grow to trust you.
• Resolve conflicts. Take a step beyond simply bringing people together, and become someone who resolves conflicts when they arise. Learn how to be an effective mediator. If coworkers bicker over personal or professional disagreements, arrange to sit down with both parties and help sort out their differences. By taking on such a leadership role, you will garner respect and admiration from those around you.
• Communicate clearly. Pay close attention to both what you say and how you say it. A clear and effective communicator avoids misunderstandings with coworkers, collegues, and associates. Verbal eloquence projects an image of intelligence and maturity, no matter what your age. If you tend to blurt out anything that comes to mind, people won’t put much weight on your words or opinions.
• Humor them. Don’t be afraid to be funny or clever. Most people are drawn to a person that can make them laugh. Use your sense of humor as an effective tool to lower barriers and gain people’s affection.
• See it from their side. Empathy means being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand how they feel. Try to view situations and responses from another person’s perspective. This can be accomplished through staying in touch with your own emotions; those who are cut off from their own feelings are often unable to empathize with others.
• Don't complain. There is nothing worse than a chronic complainer or whiner. If you simply have to vent about something, save it for your diary. If you must verbalize your grievances, vent to your personal friends and family, and keep it short. Spare those around you, or else you’ll get a bad reputation.

Enjoy,
Ana

Soft skills "Survey with AIT's Managing Director"

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Mr. Athanasios Zesimopoulos he answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

This term refers to a set of personality characteristics and traits that are complementary to the “hard skills” acquired through formal education and training. Under the wide umbrella of soft skills someone could include leadership, motivation, communication skills, team management, confidence, versatility, reliability, efficiency among others.

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

One set of skills balances the other.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

Soft skills refer mainly to personality and the conduct towards others/tasks/jobs, etc. Interaction and sometimes mimicking others behavior is a key component in acquiring soft skills. If an on-line method allows real time interaction then some soft skills could be taught by experts.

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

An interview and direct interaction are the only ways to evaluate his/her personality and his/her ability to deal with a set of issues/problems/standards. Setting real problems and case studies evaluating his/her reaction to these is one way to measure soft skills.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

As an academic institution that concentrates on the hard skills our students should acquired (especially in technical masters) and given the limitations of time and heavy work load such an addition could be difficult. However, in the MBIT program there is a mandatory course on negotiation which is in this direction. Moreover part of every day student life is presentation and defense of the projects, homework, thesis, etc. There are also team projects and a number of activities that involve the use of soft skills. Finally, the preparation towards AIT’s career days and the interview process with potential employers itself is a valuable activity through which a set of soft skills are acquired.


Finally, Tomorrow we will publish the MSITT Program Director Professor Anna Tzanakaki’s Answers (visit us again)!

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

Soft skills "Survey with Professor G. Yovanof"

In a survey conducted by our team members titled “Soft skills & E-learning” with Professor Gregory S. Yovanof (Our respected and expert professor at AIT) he answered:

What do soft skills mean to you?

They are people’s skills, presentations, communication skills, team players, and openness to cultural diversity. Personal traits (such as time management, leadership ability, being dependable and honest) all fall under soft skills.

Are soft skills as important as “Hard skills”?

Yes, they are equally important since they contribute towards establishing an overall healthy working environment.

Do you believe that soft skills can be taught through internet means (E-learning)?

No! They are primarily social skills developed through personal relationships. The virtual world is a poor substitute for social networking.

When you interview a possible employee or a student, how do you measure his/her soft skills generally?

Through direct questions, but also relying on observation of body language clues, eye contact…etc.

Do you recommend AIT to include core subject about “Soft skills” in its curriculum?

It should be an integral part of “Human Resource Management” elective course, recently added to the MBIT curriculum (to be offered first time in the summer 2008)!

Tomorrow we will publish the AIT’s Managing Director’s Answers (visit us again)!

Enjoy & Learn,

Amjad Alqaisi

6 steps to more productivity

Every one of us needs to organize his/her workload in order to be more productive below is a summarized steps on how to reach that. (summarized from reference below)
1-make a daily list: make a daily list of what you are going to finish today.
2- Segregate time for each task: give each task of your daily list a specific amount of time to be finished.
3- focus: The instant we break concentration, the entire problem that we were modeling in our head drops on the floor and shatters into a million pieces.
4- Take breaks: When you can’t figure out a problem, it’s time to put it on your mind’s back burner for a bit. Or, right after you solve a problem, have a 10 minute celebration before moving on to the next thing.
5- Take care of your equipment: Most of what you’re paid for is produced by your brain, so treat it like your most important piece of equipment. Caffeine may put some spark in it, but overdoing caffeine may make you think less clearly. Beer as well causes neurotoxins (nerve cell damages)
6- Follow through: If you have a choice between working on two projects, choose the one that is nearly finished even if the other one is more fun. When you complete a project, it creates momentum and reduces that long to-do list.

Reference: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/project-management/?p=193&tag=nl.e108

The Power of the Mind - Taking You to Another Dimension

pI received the following email from price water house about a confrance about the power of mind here in Greece and thought of sharing it.
“8 April 2008
Badminton Theatre

The main theme of the conference is the power of the human mind. As many of us have been told at some point in our careers, there is no barrier to what we can achieve if only we were to put our minds to it. During this event, we aim to show those of you developing or embarking upon your careers that your achievements are in your hands. Similarly, those of you who have already achieved a great deal, may be able to discover new avenues to even greater success both personally and professionally.

The speakers we have chosen for this event are here to inspire and empower you through their individual views on life, and prove to us all that ‘the power of the mind’ really is the one tool we all need to succeed.

Career Event: The Best Meet the Best
Following last year’s success, this year the Career Event will also take place within the framework of our corporate conference. Top companies will meet with top students within the conference venue and discuss their career potential.

PricewaterhouseCoopers 2008 Scholars
During the conference we will be proud to announce the names of the students and professionals that will be awarded PwC Scholarships for 2008. This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme, focussing on the young and talented people. Our objective is to contribute to bridging the gap between market demand and relevant education. This year we have increased the number of our scholarships to 16 (from 6 last year). Applicants must submit their credentials by February 28.

This conference is directed towards high-calibre professionals and young talented people, so whether you are an Executive or Student and interested in paricipating, please click on the links below to register. Participation is free of charge.
· Executive Registration Form
· Student Registration From
“
For more info check thier web site
http://www.pwc.com/extweb/ncevents.nsf/docid/B43FEFF622E7512C802573E100778CB1

Enjoy
fadi

Personal Development!

Today as I was talking online to a very best friend of mine, I noticed his personal quote:

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay for a while and leave footprints in our hearts, minds and steps we walk. We're never the same"

These words make me think for the people I have encountered up so far, and how different I was going to be would be without having shared those experiences and moments.
As I interact with people, different situations, I slightly changed myself. Interests change in my life. I have found new goals to pursue, at professional or personal level.
Sometimes I am more self motivated and at other moments not.
What I try to do on my daily life is to improve myself emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically.

This is what the term "Personal Development" or "Personal Growth" is all about. Each of us can give its own definition for it.
I was searching online to come up with a scientific definition for the term "Personal Development", and I found a very interesting video on this topic, by Jim Rohn.

Jim Rohn-Personal Development_1.

Jim Rohn-Personal Development_2

Enjoy folks!
Ana.