Of course, communication is two-way. We are by no means neglecting the ability to listen, but this article will focus on the seven Cs of outward communication that you will need to employ throughout the process. They are:

• Clear
• Concise
• Concrete
• Correct
• Coherent
• Complete
• Courteous

Clear

When writing an email regarding an opportunity, answering an interview question or speaking on the phone, be clear. Constantly consider the clarity of the message you are trying to get across. If it can be said with the same impact in fewer words, you know what to do.

Try to minimise the number of ideas in each sentence, emphasise understanding. People shouldn't be forced to read between the lines to understand the message you are trying to get across.

If necessary, separate information and actions required, so that the reader is crystal clear on what to do and what you plan to happen next.

Concise

Stick to the point and keep it brief. No one has the time to get through waffle. Less is more. Any fluff will simply dilute the clarity and impact of the point you are trying to make.

Are there adjectives or filler words that could be removed from your email?

You can often remove "for instance", "kind of", "basically", "literally". Infact, I challenge you to find a scenario where you can't remove those fillers.

Concrete

Very simple, how solid is your message? Is there room for manoeuvre or is it laser focused?

Correct

When your communication is correct, it fits your audience. Correct communication is also, of course, error free communication. We will cover this more in the article on utilising Grammarly.

Ask whether the terms that you are using are easy to understand. Could the message be lost through use of terminology that may be misunderstood at some stage of the process?

Are names and titles spelled correctly? Is YOUR name spelled correctly?

If a recruiter has signed their email or message off using a preferred name, such as Dan over Daniel, you should pick up on this and adopt it going forward.

Coherent

Is your communication logical? Does it follow a simple structure and flow from one point to the next? All of the points made should be relevant to the main purpose of the message, and if they are not, they should be kept separate.

Complete

When a message is complete, the recipient or audience has everything that they need to be informed and, if applicable, take action.

Does the message you send include a "call to action"? A call to action tells your audience exactly what they need to do and when you expect them to do it by if appropriate.

Have you included all of the relevant information? If you say you have attached your CV, for goodness sake, attach your CV!

Courteous

Courteous communication is the icing on the cake. It means that your message is friendly, open and honest. There are no hidden passive-aggressive tons or double-meanings. You remain empathic to the viewers needs and time constraints.