Proficiency in English
 Excellent Communication Skills
 Command on English
 Professional and Courteous Communication   Skill

These are only some of the phrases that are picked out from ‘Opportunities Column’ and we presently come across them with repeated frequency in advertisements in daily newspapers/journals. Employers seek candidates, who are proficient in English, possess excellent communication skills, have good command on the language and are professional and courteous in their interaction. Irrespective of the profile of the organization and the status of the job, employees are expected to have all the above skills.

It is quite intriguing when we read these advertisements asking for language skills, when Graduates /Postgraduates should naturally acquire them while they are still on the campus. But, sadly, the situation is not like that now .That is the main reason for the employers making doubly sure that they recruit candidates only if they meet these requirements. Though batches and batches of students come out of universities with a degree, he/she is not equipped with good language skills.

Now-a-days job/career fairs are conducted with repeated frequency. Lakhs of highly qualified and eligible candidates rush to attend these fairs with the fond hope of landing up in a lucrative job. However, it is quite disheartening to know that the Corporates and MNCs who come to select candidates reveal the fact that they are not able to communicate effectively. Though they study in an English medium school and college, they badly lack in language skills. Owing to this backlog, they are losing career opportunities.
Unfortunately, such candidates are becoming not only unemployed but also unemployable. Candidates with excellent communication skills have an edge over others and they are given preference in the job selection process. A very small number of candidates are being hired by these companies because of their command over English and the others are outright rejected. This is the sad state of affairs that we come across in the present day scenario. Therefore, it is obligatory for all job seekers to mainly focus on improving their communication and presentation skills so that a bright future opens up for them.  Especially, since learning English language does not happen overnight, preparation should start during the +2 Stage or even before that.

Communication +Psychology = Communicology

Communicology is the art and science of communication. It is specially related to the fields of advertising, marketing and media. A person who studies communicology is known as a communicologist. Communication is the buzzword now. If we combine it with psychology, it becomes ‘Communicology’. Research shows that psychology too is involved in learning communication. Technical aspects apart, we should know that language learning is not a mechanical activity. Nor is it content-mastering. Learning English does not involve in mastering content like how we learn other content-oriented subjects. Learning a language is skill-oriented. Learning English is a skill just like that of learning any other skill such as learning music, dance, swimming, cycling etc. Every skill has a set of techniques. For example, to learn cycling, one has to firstly learn the act of balancing. Similarly, another set of techniques are involved in learning swimming. These techniques differ in form and content for different skills. No two sets of techniques are the same for different skills.
However, learning a skill by itself is not enough. One should constantly practice it in order to gain mastery. Once we master these techniques we become champions in it. If we lose touch with that skill, we tend to forget it very soon. To cite an example, though we have mastery in handling the keyboard of a computer, if we do not touch it for a long time, we tend to fumble again like a beginner. This rule applies to learning English also.

LSRW Skills: As mentioned above, learning English is also a skill. There are four skills that are involved in learning the language. English can be learned by mastering the LSRW skills -i.e. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. According to a study, the four language skills should be learnt in this order and in the following pattern:

Listening   -   45%
Speaking   -   30%
Reading     -   16%
Writing     -    09%

These four skills are mutually interdependent. If Listening is the input, Speaking is the output. Similarly, Reading is the input and Writing is the output. Without the input we cannot expect any output. Speaking and Writing are productive skills, which are not focused upon in schools and colleges. It is surprising to note that no attention is paid to improve the other two skills either. Of all the four skills, listening is the most neglected and next comes speaking, which is completely ignored. However, you should know that the more you listen to good English the better speakers you become and the more you read the better writers you become. You have to understand that there are no shortcut methods to learn English.

Firstly, you need to have interest and be resolved that you will improve your language skills. Set a time frame to achieve this target. Nothing is impossible in this world and learning English should be your goal now. If you have the determination and strong will, you can surely master English and become a proficient speaker and a prolific writer. Begin your practice today to achieve bets results.