Some common difficulties od new office graduates of huflit in communication at office

HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES - INFORMATION DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES TECHNOLOGY Graduation Paper SOME COMMON DIFFICULTIES OF NEW OFFICE GRADUATES OF HUFLIT IN COMMUNICATION AT OFFICE AND SOME SUGGESTIONS TV D9i H9C Huflil 1111111111111111111111111111 101000661 Advisor: Mr VO Quac Anh Student: Nguyen Thi NgQc Hoang Student's code: 0271105 H6 Chf Minh City, 7/2006 HOCHIMINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES Graduation Paper SOME COMMON DIFFICULTIES OF NEW OFFICE GRADUATES OF HUFLIT IN COMMUNICATION AT OFFICE AND SOME SUGGESTIONS Ki~fv~8-lhLr "'Jlf:o C~ Advisor: Mr VO Quac Anh Student: Nguyen Thi NgQc Hoang Student's code: 0271105 H6 Chi Minh City, 7/2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In completing this paper, I have received a lot of invaluable help and encouragement from many helpful and respectful people First of all, I have been very lucky to be sponsored by Mr Vu Quoc Anh who has gone along with me and is always enthusiastic to give me support, advice and ideas of how to carry out and develop this paper I would like to save my special gratitude and deep appreciation to him I would like to express my thanks to the Foreign Language Department for the encouragement and support Especially, I am grateful to Ms Sui Thanh Truc for her help and guidance at the very first steps I also would like to send a thank you to four companies: Look Advertising Company, Vidotour Company, Smart HA Company, and Pou Yuen Company for their kind assistance that enabled me to have internship in their companies I also owe a sincere thanks to the twelve employers who agreed to give meetings and former students of course 7.2001 of HUFLIT University that helped me having my questionnaire filled, without both of which I could not fulfill this paper Finally, there is a sincere thanks to all of my friends and my family for their care and encouragement ABSTRACT Nowadays, more and more people realize the important role of communication skills in their success Moreover, it is critical for office people to learn about communication skill However, many new office graduates still get difficulties as entering working environment at the first stage Therefore, the aim of this study was to find out some common difficulties as being in office and give some suggestions in order to help them overcome some obstacle as joining working environment After observing the working place and interaction between people in four companies and conversations with some officials, a questionnaire for employees was carried out Afterhand, another interview with employees was also implemented in order to confirm again about their choice in questionnaire and parallelly, to learn more about expectations of employers toward their employees and their experience the third interview was carried out The analysis of the statistics showed that although realizing the important role of communication in office, many new graduates still felt nervous and embarrassed as interacting with others in office at the first time In addition, the information from the interview with employers also gave us another result that new graduates have not really satisfied Therefore, the paper suggested their that expectations students should in communication be learnt about communication skills as being in universities, so that they might not be new to new office environment and could integrate easily in it EXAMINER'S COMMENT , , EXAMINER'S COMMENT " " " EXAMINER'S COMMENT " TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements Abstract Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Literature Review 2.1 The importance of Communication 2.1.1 The Importance of Communication in School 2.1.2 The Importance of Communication in Society 2.2 An Overview of Communication in Office 2.2.1 The Importance of Communication in Office 2.2.2 Communication to Employers 2.2.3 Communication to Colleagues Chapter 3: Method 3.1 Subjects 3.1.1 Description of Employees 3.1.2 Description of Employers 3.2 Materials and Procedures 3.3 Statistical Treatment Chapter 4: Results 4.1 Results of the Questionnaire Table Table Table Table Table Table Chapter 5: Discussion and Suggestions 5.1 Commun ication to Colleagues 5.1.1 At The First Time in Office 5.1.2 Choosing Suitable Colleagues to Communicate First 5.1.3 Some Behavior With Colleagues 5.2 Communication to Employers 5.2.1 Attitude to Employers in The First Days 5.2.2 Behaviors Based on Some Special Characteristics 5.2.3 Behaviors With Two common Styles of Employers Chapter 6: Conclusion Appendix Reference 4 7 12 12 12 12 12 14 16 16 16 18 20 22 24 26 30 30 30 32 34 37 37 39 40 44 and his/ her unwritten working rules as well as understand more his objective Arredondo (2000:208-209) stated that to communicated and worked well we should understand clearly our boss' goals He also added, "If we not, find out." To find it out, asking him/ her in the meeting or in the office only is not enough unless we take advantages to talk to him/ her more As a result, we will have suitable working ways with him/ her This makes him/ her satisfied 5.2.2 Behaviors Based on Some Special Characteristics of Employers The data collected in Table have shown that most of new graduates tended to play passive roles as communicating with their employers When managers kept silent and just talked about work, many did not dare to find chances to make conversation Many of them kept silent or just laughed at the most while their employers joked It is quite strange that to open and concerned employers, they still answered only as being asked From these data, we can see that new comers just express themselves as their employers require It is likely that the subjects did not have enough confident to take the initiative in communicating with their employers They may be afraid of displease their leaders by chance while interacting with them, so they protect themselves by keeping silent As approaching a power leader, many new comers often become nervous and not dare to contact This is also a natural psychology However, if they always play passive role in the organization during a long time, they will create a gap with their employers by accident However, as mentioned above, we should take advantages to talk to them Employers may show their serious appearances, yet they also feel pleased as receiving regard from their employees Therefore, new comers sometimes should be active in communicating with their managers Their concern will be appreciated by employers if they know to choose right time 39 The employers also stated that they were humans, hence they still needed care from the other As mentioned above, they still loved talking to their subordinates Interestingly, when mentioning to humorous case, they shared the same ideas To them, if the bosses want to be successful in managing he/ she should have sense of humor In the conversation, a managing director, told a story when he was an official that: One day, I was in a coffee shop with my managing director, and some of friends There, we chatted a lot about many issues in which we also mentioned about chatting in working hours My director said that at least more than three times he felt embarrassed when we were joking in the office, but when he appeared all of us kept silent immediately He expressed that he actually was going to join us but he could not because of our act Thus, we should join the joke if we have any chance, the new graduates should realize this opinion to join freely the boss' joke More or less, when we join the joke he will feel that we support and like him Our boss feels happier at that time This will help the working atmosphere friendlier 5.2.3 Behaviors with Two Common Slyles of Employers: One of the most striking revelations from the Table was that most of new graduates have different behaviors depending on each style of employers and circumstances Firstly, this is a joyful sign because new comers learn to observe and distinguish their employers The results can be explained by assuming that many new graduates paid attention to their employers' expression, and they could communicate with their leaders regularly or rarely depend on that 40 expression Besides, this also leads to a communicative gap between two common styles of employers: the hot-temper and the composed Firstly, when being criticized or given feedback unjustly by a hot-temper boss, the most of them just listened to the boss and then explained right away, interrupted to explain and a few explained latter This number is nearly the same with that of the composed Explaining to protect ourselves is quite good However, we should consider each kind to that It is easy for us to work with the composed, yet to the hot temper we should be more careful When the latter become annoyed, they usually think that they are right in any cases They feel that when the opposite explain they usually feel that he/ she is answering back to him and this is unacceptable to him Therefore, interrupting him to explain is a silly act, except we want to lead the conversation to an argument It is better to listen to them first, showing your sympathy Then we should wait for a good chance when the problem becomes softer or over At that time, we will explain them why we made him misunderstand and then criticize us wrongfully Maybe, this time or another time, we are criticized unjustly, yet if we try to avoid making him more annoyed at the point and know how explain in suitable time, the boss will find out that we are patient and nice and they will save us deeper affection In the interview, most of employers shared agreed that this is a good way to behave though it also depends on the situation Arredondo (2000: 211) added, "when your boss gives you feedback, receive it agreeably Don't make excuses Don't react defensively Do what you wish your boss your employees would when you give them feedback." Arredondo (2000: 211) also advised, "look for opportune times to raise the issue." Next, as the new graduates were assigned so many tasks, there were many subjects who tried their best to complete There was more than half of them kept silent and manage to fulfill the task as contacting with the hot-temper 41 Interacting with the composed, although the numbers of subjects who bore and completed their tasks were fewer, this was still a problem In interviews with employers, many of them admitted that almost subjects who kept silent and tried to complete assigned tasks could not fulfill them well Therefore, new comers should explain gently with either the hot-temper or the composed However, they should pay much attention to the circumstance and way that they raise the ideas as interacting with hot-temper ones Once leaders assign their subordinates a task, they always hope them will finish it well Thus, as realizing that assignment was out of their abilities, they should softly talk to their manager and could give their methods of reducing tasks Luu (2004: 45) shows that if pressure of assignment is too hard, we can solve that problem by asking managers for adding more people to it or reduce the quantity of the tasks Moreover, because of difficulty in explaining with employers, Luu (2004: 45) also points out that we have to make leaders know thoroughly that there were demands that need to be satisfied Therefore, new comers should think about ways to persuade their employers to reduce tasks before explaining with them By that way, they can fulfill the assignment in their abilities well and not make leaders disappointed and angry as they can not finish their works Similarly, as making a rather serious mistake to the composed boss most of the new graduates met to admit the mistake and nearly 20% try to give excuses In contrast, more than a half hid it and tried to solve it Of course, it depends on the situation If we can solve, it will not be a matter, yet the problem here is that we cannot solve it Actually, in real life experience many cases advise people should sometimes know how to tell a lie to protect us or even hide our mistake until it is uncovered Then, we will give excuses at that time It is quite true, but we should use that tip to cope with not very important problem or the one we deal with and have right to give a decision on it If we can solve, it will 42 not a matter, yet the problem here is that we cannot hide it All of the employers agreed to the idea that they expected their employees to treat them modestly It is certain that they would get unsatisfied or even angry with the mistake, but they felt more satisfied with their employees' deed They added they would become get crazy, disappointed and very ang ry if they were not informed the faults on time To them, the ones who hid them the problem were unreliable and the first thinking in their mind was firing that person It is also advised that admitting the mistake suitably and modestly helps us more confident with comfortable mind and from the mistake we can teach ourselves better In sum, regardless what kinds of employers are, they have the right to know the issue 43 Chapter CONCLUSION As stated at the beginning of this paper, the purpose of analyzing some difficulties as interacting methods with employers and colleagues is to equip new-graduates with some basic communication skills in office To a new- graduate, people who they often contact are their employers and their colleagues The new-graduates will interact differently depend on types of employers they work with However, it is essential for them to get colleagues' support by approaching their colleagues, building relationship, and adapting to fit with them It is the way new-graduates make employers pleased and get their colleagues' support in order to integrate into new office environment This study has showed some types of employers that a new-graduate may work with However, because people' characters are diversified, new-graduates can meet employers that not show in this paper Moreover, finding ways to fit with colleagues also depends on each kind of people and situation Zhang Zi said in life people have to use the "invariable" to deal with the "variable", A compass is not round but it can make a circle "Compass" is "invariable" and "circle" is "variable", communication Communication skills and methods are "invariable" and situation is "invariable" We cannot decide which method is suitable to adapt without being in a situation This paper was carried out with the hope to give some suggestions based on materials and ideas from experienced people in society, Therefore, it is not a handbook for readers The writer only hopes that she herself can learn something from it and share the experience to her classmates only 44 I I This study certainly has some limitation It should give more types of employers and show types of colleagues that new-graduates customize their communication to fit with them By that way, it is easier for new-graduates in recognizing types of their employers and their colleagues in order to find ways to join with them Next, because of a short time and the writer's little experience, it cannot be fulfiled kinds of employers, colleagues and the details of communication kills for suggestions The subsequent paper should be devoted to the study of the same subject on a larger scale 45 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE I am a student of Ho Chi Minh University of Foreign Language and Information Technology (HUFLlT) I am doing the Graduation Paper about the topic: "Some common difficulties of new office graduates of Huflit in communication at office and some suggestions" I really need your help to complete this paper, please remember feelings and behaviours that you had in the first period in office Please not answer in theory view Please not write or sign your name on the questionnaire, all information in your answers will be secured and implemented for the purpose of serving my research I am thankful for your help Being new graduates, joining in the working environment for the first time, contacting with new colleagues, you probably had so many strange feelings Thus, please answer the following questions: Male D Female D Did you feel nervous and worried as being in the office at the first time? a Yes D b No D In the first working days, what was your attitude as communicating with your new colleagues? a b c d Being reserved Being studious Taking advantages to make impression with colleagues Showing your confidence and not talking to anyone else D D D D In the first conversations, how often did you take the initiative in opening the conversation? a Very often b Sometimes D D o o c Rarely d Never Did you feel isolated as being in the office at the first stage? a Yes b No If choosing obtion "a", please come on with the 5th• If choosing obtion "b", please ignore the 5th and continue the ffh When you realized being isolated, what did you do? a Feeling sad and showing disregard b Seeking way to approach them 0 After a period of time being in office, you more or less understood some special characteristics of your colleagues Please show your behaviors in that time to each style of colleagues: In some following styles of colleagues, which one did you find to communicate first? a Taciturn, silent people b Humorous people c Conversational, concerned people d Inquisitive people e Garrulous, talkative people What was the way that you chose to approach each style of colleagues? How did you behave with the taciturn or silent? a Finding ways to approach b Not daring to approach 0 How did you behave with the humorous? a Finding chances to joke with them first b Just listening and laughing with everybody as they are joking c Keeping silent and working, not joining 0 How did you behave with the conversational or concerned? a Often talking to them D b Making friend with them D c Just answering as they ask D 10 How did you behave with the inquisitive? a Avoiding and bewaring of them b Approaching but bewaring of them c Finding ways to enjoy their sympathies 11 How did you behave with the garrulous or talkative? a Not interested in approaching and talking b Still conversing with them c Finding affairs of others to talk to them D D D D D D After working and being familiar with your colleagues, you more or less understood special characteristic of each colleague Please tell me the way you behaved to your colleagues in some following situations: 12 What did you when your behaviors were not familiar to ones of your colleagues? a Changing behaviors to suit them b Finding common tastes to talk to them c Rarely talking to them D D D 13 What did you when your colleague did not like you? a Finding ways to enjoy their sympathies D b Not paying attention D c Being against, then finding ways to enjoy their sympathies D d Being against D 14 What did you to a colleague who treated you kindly, but he/she always depend on you for help? a Still doing as he/she asks for help D b Just doing sometimes D c First, still doing, but then, talk directly to them D 15 What did you to a colleague who often scolded you? a Keeping silent and trying to bear D b Keeping silent, but then finding chances to talk directly to them c Smiling and making peace with them 0 d Talking back to them In working environment, besides your colleagues, you had to contact with your employers Please give your feelings and behavious as communicating with your employers at the first time: 16 What was your attitude when you presented yourself to your employer the first time? a Showing confidence and studiousness in spite of being nervous b Being confident c Being reserved d Not paying attention in 0 0 17 How did you feel as communicaitng with your employer in the first days? a Feeling more confident and studious b Being tense c Being nervous d Not paying attention 18 What was your way to contact with your employers in the first days? a Outside the working hours, finding chances to make conversation b When being call c Others: After a period of working with your employer, you more or less know his/her special characteristics Please show your approach to each style of employers: 19 How did you behave to silent emplooyer? a Seeking chances to make conversation b Just talking about work c Others: o o o 20 How did you behave to humorous employer? a Laughing as he/she jokes, not joking o b Joking c Keeping silent and working d Others: 21 How did you behave to open and concerned employer? a Often showing interest in him/her b As having troubles, coming and talking to him/her c Answering zealously as he/she asks 0 0 0 22 How did you behave to simple-mind and working employer? a Just talking about work b Trying to make conversation as contacting him/her c Keeping silent as contacting him/her 0 After working with your employers in a long time, you understood his!her characteristic Here, I just focus on two common styles of employers: the hot-temper and the composed Please show your behaviors with them in some following special situations: 23 What did you as being scolded unjustly by the hot-temper? a Keeping silent and listening, not explaining b Interrupting him/her as he/she scolding and explaining c Listening to him/her, then explaining clearly right away d Keeping silent, afterwards, finding chances to explain 24 What did you as being scolded unjustly by the composed? a Keeping silent and listening, not explaining b Interrupting him/her as he/she scolding and explaining c Listening to him/her, then explaining clearly right away d Keeping silent, afterwards, finding chances to explain 25 What did you as being assigned so many tasks by the hot-temper? a Trying to complete b Still doing, but not care whether it can be finished or not c Explaining and asking for reducing works 26 What did you as being assigned so many tasks by the composed? a Trying to complete b Still doing, but not care whether it can be finished or not c Explaining and asking for reducing works 0 27 What did you as not having the same point of view with the hottemper? a Keeping silent and taking his/her ideas b Listening to his/her ideas, but taking your ideas c Presenting your ideas, and convincing him/her to take yours d Presenting your ideas, and letting him/her make decision 28 What did you as not having the same point of view with the composed? a Keeping silent and taking his/her ideas b Listening to his/her ideas, but taking your ideas c Presenting your ideas, and convincing him/her to take yours d Presenting your ideas, and letting him/her make decision 29 What did you as having made a mistake to the hot-temper? a Meeting and apologizing to him/her b Defending yourself with a certain reason c Keeping silent and hiding your mistake d Keeping silent and finding ways to correct the fault 30 What did you as having made a mistake to the composed? a b c d Meeting and apologizing to him/her Defending yourself with a certain reason Keeping silent and hiding your mistake Keeping silent and finding ways to correct the fault Thank you for your help! 0 0 0 0 REFERENCE Ampikaipakan, T.D & Daim, A (?) Get It Right, translated by Nguyen, K.D, (2004) Cach XJ Giao Va Cu Xu Noi Lam Vi?c, Ho Chi Minh City: T6ng Hc;1PPublishing House Arredondo, L (2000) Communicating Effectively, New York: Jeffrey Krames Barrow, I (1992) You Can Communicate, 4th edition, Singapore: Heinemann Aisa Carnegie, D (1999) £Jac Nhan Tam - Bf Quya't Thanh Cong, Ha Noi: Van H6a Publishing House 8inh, P (2003) 79 Cach tJng Xu Trong CUQCSong Hi?n £J?i, Ha Noi: Ha NOi Publishing House 6, 80, H & Ouang Vinh (2006) TtY B6 Thai Quen KhOng Nan Cd, Ha NOi: Lao Dong - Xii HOi Publishing House 7, Giblin, L (2003) Thu?t £Jo/ Nhan Xu The; Ho Chi Minh: Thanh Nien Publishing House 8, Ha, H.D (2005) Clm Nang Giao Tiap - Xu The'Trang CUQc Song, Ha Noi: Van H6a - Thong Tin Publishing House Hoai Ouynh (2004) Tinh Hoa Xu The; 8a Nang: 8a Nang Publishing House, 10, Hoang, L (2003) HQc An HQc Ndi HQc Gdi HQc Ma, Ho Chi Minh: Tre Publishing House 11, Ingram, K.C (2002) Winning Your Way With People, translated by Nguyen, H.L (2002) Cach Xu The' Cua Nguai Nay, Ha Noi: Van H6a Thong Tin Publishing House, 12 Keller, J (2005) Thay Thai £JQ £Jo'i CUQc £Jai, Ho Chi Minh: T6ng Hc;1P Ho Chi Minh Publishing House 13 Lam, N.8 (1998) Tinh Hoa Xu The; Ho Chi Minh: 80ng Nai Publishing House, 14 Le, D,B & Tran, 0,0 (1986) Tl/c NgO Anh-Vi?t, Can Tho: Can Tho University Publishing House, 15, LL1u,O S, (2004) NhOng ChUac PhOng Tia'u Nhan, Ha NOi: Ouan 80i Nhan Dan Publishing House 16 LL10ng, O.M, & Tran, T.Y (2004) 500 Bf Quya't Giao Tiap Trang Cong Vi?c, Ho Chi Minh: T6ng Hc;1PPublishing House 17 Matthews, A (2005) £Jai Thay £Jo'i Khi Chung Ta Thay £Jo'i, vol 2, Ho Chi Minh: Tre Publishing House , 18 Matthews, A (2005) Doi Thay Do'i Khi ChiJng Ta Thay D6'i, vol 3, Ho Chi Minh: Tre Publishing House 19 Nguyen, K (2000) TMm Do Tfnh Cach NgUoi DO'i, Ho Chi' Minh: Thanh Nien Publishing House 20 Nguyen, D.N (1994) Loi Hay Y D(Jp, (?): Van Hoa Publishing House 21 Nguyen, H L (1994) Trang Til - Nam Hoa Kinh, Ha Noi: Van Hoa Publishing House 22 Nguyen, N.N & Nguyen, H.N & Nguyen, C.K (2000) TU(Jng Trong PhiJt Da'u Giao Trap, Ben Tre: Thanh Nien Publishing House 23 Niven, D (2006) af Quye't Cua Thflnh Cong, vol 2, Ho Chi Minh: Tre Publishing House 24 NgQc Anh (2006) Ngh? Thu?t Xu The'- Gioi Vuong Gioi Tron, Ho Chi Minh: Lao Dong - Xa HOi Publishing House 25 Phan, K.H & Nguyen, L.T (1998) Thu?t Thu Phljc Long NgUoi, Thanh Hoa: Thanh Hoa Publishing House 26 Phan, K.H & Nguyen, L.T (2001) Dac NMn Tam & Ngh? Thu?t Thuya't Ph lj c, Thanh Hoa: Thanh Hoa Publishing House 27 Sheri B & Gottlieb, A (1979) How to Get What You Really Want, New York: Ballantine Books 28 Thuc ram [SIC] (2004) Ca'm Nang Vao Doi, Ho Chi Minh: T5ng HQp Publishing House 29 Winnett (?) 'Communicating Effectively in the Work Place', URL: http://www.hodu.com/default.htm [accessed May 2006] An