APPLY SOME SOFT SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION TO MEET MEET THE EMPLOYER’S REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH MAJORED SENIORS AT QUANG BINH UNIVERSITY ĐINH THỊ THẢO NHUNG

APPLY SOME SOFT SKILLS IN COMMUNICATION TO MEET MEET THE EMPLOYER’S REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGLISH MAJORED SENIORS AT QUANG BINH UNIVERSITY Nguyen Dinh Hung, Ph.D Dinh Thi Thao Nhung University of English Language K54 I INTRODUCTION Background Communication has been considered as one of the essential need for economic development in almost countries Languages play the key role in this process English is recognized the international language which is used for the majority of texts, books and for global communications In Vietnam, English has been paid much attention from educationists and authority and the language is presented at almost national educational system Especially, good communication skills are the key to all relationships and success Many students have shown their awareness of the necessity of English and they make their best effortless in acquiring the language The primary aim in learning English is to use the language in daily communication which could help people in different mother tongue understand each other In addition, good communication skills can help students find a good job easier, and help them to succeed in many areas of business and life However, communication skills have been a big problem toward English majored students today Bashiruddin (2003) states, “The students have no exposure to English in their everyday communication” Although a large number of students learn to communicate by English language at school, they rarely use it in real situations Davies and Berril (1990) pointed out that “the spoken language in English has been shamefully neglected” It is true in the context of using English of Vietnamese students and more specifically, to Quang Binh English major students who express their shyness, outdatedness and limited words to English use It is doubtful that, whether last year students could succeed in job interview to be offered a position with those poor skills Poor communication is one of the basic causes of the failure to find a suitable job Based on the urgency of the limited communication skills of English students at QBU, my thesis is done with the aim of helping students realize the importance of soft skills in communication as well as help them to “apply some soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements for English majored seniors at Quang Binh University” Rationale of the thesis Based on the reality of the poor communication level and scanty job opportunities for English majors at QBU, I notice the “Apply some soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements for English majored seniors at Quang Binh University” is really necessary As one of the English majored students in the language department at QBU, I particularly care and want to find some useful solutions to help students improve their soft skills in communication to meet the requirements of job interview and help them have a more beautiful future Purposes of the research This thesis aims to point out the importance of communication in learning English as well as in job interviews for students Finding out the most difficulties in the students’ communicating learning as well as in job interviews in the future Giving some useful solutions to help English majored seniors at Quang Binh University improve English communication and job interviews successfully Research questions What are perceptions of English majored seniors at Quang Binh University towards learning communication skill? How difficult that students faced by using English to communicate? What are the most effective solutions for improving communication skills? Scope of the study 28 English majored seniors at Quang Binh University This research focuses on investigation of the advantages and difficulties English majored senior at Quang Binh University encounter in the learning process, and it offers some solutions to help them improve their communication skills effectively to meet the employer’s requirements II DIFFICULTIES THAT ENGLISH MAJORED SENIORS AT QUANG BINH UNIVERSITY MEET IN LEARNING COMMUNICATION SKILLS Theoretical background 1.1 Definition of skill In the Knowledge Economy today, most of the people have almost the same knowledge base What differentiates one person from another is how well they can effectively use their skills to apply their knowledge Skill is the ability to perform a certain job, in a situation, under certain conditions, to achieve a certain target like: sport skills, sing skills, teamwork skills, language skills, etc There are two main types of skills: hard skills and soft skills 1.2 Hard skills and soft skills Soft skills are like "people skills." Unlike hard skills – emotional intelligence, which are the academic abilities, experience and professional expertise students are learned from University, soft skills – logic intelligence, are important skills in human life that not learned in school, not related to professional knowledge Besides, soft skills are also not a special character skills It depends primarily on personality of each person However, soft skills decide who you are, how to work, it is a measure assesses the work The fact is that hard skills create premise but soft skills make up the development The successful person has only 25% due to the expertise 75% remaining is determined by the soft skills are equipped 1.3 Definition of communication, communication skills Communication is an important and complex issue that has been mentioned and researched by many researchers in different angles Communication is the relationship, treating between people - Soviet Union psychologists Communication skills can understand in the thesis context as the ability to apply these experiences in information exchange, express opinions, ideas to others so that they understand what you want to say, and then achieve the purpose 1.4 The roles of communication skills in job interview Communication skills are always top of the “essential skills” list in any job advertisement Good communication skills are of paramount importance as the interviewer judges the quality of the interviewee based on his communication skills Good looking makes first impression – good communication make good relationships and good business Generally, communication skills are important to everyone, especially to employees in general and students who nearly have an interview for a job in particular Methodology 2.1 Participants There are 28 English majored Seniors at Quang Binh University were involved in my thesis 2.2 Data collection method Questionnaire In order to obtain the data we require we need to use appropriate methods Questionnaire was chosen as the main method since it is not only precise but also unambiguous The questionnaire survey consists of questions both multiple choice and open-ended ones related to the teaching and learning communication skills and the soft skills necessary for communication 2.3 Data analysis methods Data collected and analyzed were converted into a percentage and shown in the charts, the calculated statistics will also be shown alongside the relevant questions that were asked Students’ perceptions towards communication skills 3.1 Students’ response on the importance of communication skills Students' awareness of the importance of learning listening skill is expressed on the chart below Figure Students’ response on the importance of communication skills 3.2 Students’ time on learning communication Figure Student’ time on learning communication Difficulties in learning communication skill that the students encounter 4.1 The most soft skills students find difficult trammel their communication learning process Figure 3: The most soft skills students find difficult trammel their communication learning process 4.2 The duration of teaching and learning communication skills at class Figure 4: The duration of teaching and learning communication skills at class 4.3 How interviewers assess student’s communication skills Figure How interviewers assess student’s communication skills Suggestions for the improvement of students’ communication skill 4.1 Solutions to limit the difficulties in communication Solutions Percent Develop speaking skills 98% Improve listening skills 95% Practice body language and eye contact using skills 78% Develop observation skills 44% Enhance presentation skills 22% Focus more on influencing skills 80% Be confident in public 70% Table 1: Solutions to limit the difficulties in communication 4.2 Useful activities in practicing communication skills Figure 6:Useful activities in practicing communication skills 4.3 Some solutions help students to improve the soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements Solutions Percent Develop speaking skills 93% Improve observation, listening, negotiation and presenting skills 90% Be created in Q & A skills 89% Practice body language, eye contact using skills 71% Be confident in public 72% Use media (internet, TV, newspapers, etc) 75% Refer interview information from successful people 74% Table Some solutions help students to improve the soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements III CONCLUSION Conclusion Overall, through this study we can conclude that for English majored seniors at Quang Binh University, their soft skills in communication should be improved and developed to meet the social developments and to get a good job after graduate The difficulties hinder the communication learning of students mainly because they have no appropriate solutions during their learning communication process There is also a number of other causes affecting communication skills of students such as students are too lazy, rarely take their time to learn communication; students are still passive, they not care about their future carefully; or students not have adequate means for learning, and so on Based on the real communication skills of English majored seniors and the employer's requirement today, some useful solutions were given to help students get better in learning and applying some soft skills in communication to have a great interview and get a good job in the future Through this paper, there are some useful advices to help English majored seniors at Quang Binh University to improve communication skills are follows:  Students should develop speaking skills  They also should improve observation, listening, negotiation and presenting skills  Students must be created in Q & A skills is extremely necessary for students to win the interview in the future  Moreover, they should practice body language, eye contact using skills  Besides, students are also should be confident in public  Furthermore, they greatly need to reference interview information from successful people and media (internet, TV, newspapers) to get better in communication learning process as long as the job interview well, surely have a good opportunity to go to the great future Recommendations Several recommendations have been made based on the results of this research as follows: Effective communication is an important element of success for anyone Good communication skills can give students edge in getting the jobs they want and help them move up the ladder to better paid position Good communication in English is a great dream of many people today, thus, as an English student, you should heighten your awareness about the importance of English communication in social needs and try to improve as much soft skills to communicate well as you can It proves that communication skills seem indispensable in life today According to this study, I have some useful advices for English majored seniors at Quang Binh University that students must pay more attention on learning communication, search and find out what soft skills are necessary for learning communication process such as speaking skills, listening skills, presenting skills, observation and negotiation skills, etc; and spend much more time on this subject Moreover, students must practice communication as much as possible, active speak to people in public by confident way, usually talk to native speakers, enhance influencing skills, learn how to communicate well from the successful people, etc REFERENCES [1] Carita Nyberg Communication skills (E – book) [2] Dong Thap University, Foreign language Department Improving the English speaking skill by supporting background knowledge For 11Th Grade students at Thong Linh high school [3] Ho Minh Thu, Da Nang University Làm để cải thiện kỹ nói tiếng Anh cho sinh viên?” (How to improve student’s English speaking skills?) http://vieclam.nld.com.vn/cam-nang/Thao-luan-sinh-vien-va-ky-nang-mem23700-nd.html http://www.skillsyouneed.com [4] Nguyen Minh Hanh, Vietnam national University Some communicative activities to enhance speaking skills for fi rst year students of English department – university of languages and international studies [5] Nguyen Thi Thuy, Hanoi National University Kỹ cần có vấn tuyển dụng cho sinh viên” (Skills required in job interviews for students [6] The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development Improving English oral communication skills of Pakistani public school's students  ... Apply some soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements for English majored seniors at Quang Binh University is really necessary As one of the English majored students in the. .. with the aim of helping students realize the importance of soft skills in communication as well as help them to apply some soft skills in communication to meet the employer’s requirements for English. .. communicating learning as well as in job interviews in the future Giving some useful solutions to help English majored seniors at Quang Binh University improve English communication and job interviews