As an employment counselor, you help people make decisions about
their future livelihood. Good listening and communication skills are therefore
a must.
Imagine you're an employment counselor who works primarily
with managers and salespeople who want to further their career. It's your
job to make them aware of the latest employment trends and career prospects
in their field. But more than that, you help your clients refine their career
goals.
This sort of work requires careful communication skills. You
have to be a good listener and a good speaker with exceptional language skills.
After all, you have to make sure you say what you mean, and mean what you
say.
Below is a list that illustrates the nuances between words many
people use as synonyms. Career coaches use the list to clarify what a client
means, and point out some ways they may be limiting their career choices.
Accomplishment
vs. Result
An accomplishment means that you've learned from the
result that you've created, you've grown from it, and you can then do a lot
more because of the result.
A result is simply something you've done,
but may not have grown from. With an accomplishment, you'll gain momentum
to do more on your own. You've grown from the experience, rather than just
being a machine kicking out results.
Balance vs. Juggle
Balance
is natural and requires no energy. Things just are balanced -- more of a result
than an intention.
Juggle is an action word which means effort is being
expended to keep things from crashing. The client who's juggling may need
to drop some balls in order to accomplish balance.
Being vs. Doing
Being
refers to how one is responding to oneself, others or their environment. It's
how one is coming across. Examples are being happy, being effective, being
extraordinary, being attractive or being yourself.
Doing describes
action as a task, like doing your homework or doing well. Doing produces measurable
linear results.
Ethics vs. Morals
Ethics are the adult
choices we make concerning how we conduct ourselves in life.
Morals
are the behaviors we have adopted at the suggestion or requirement of others
or an institution.
Responsibility vs. Accountability
When
one is accountable, they've taken responsibility for a task or an outcome,
but their accountability is limited to a specific situation.
When one
has taken responsibility, it's usually more than just for the result or the
event. Responsibility is universal and broad. When one is accountable, they
are accountable to someone else. When they're responsible, they're responsible
for their own well-being and for the different situations they find themselves
in.
(From The Career Coach Distinctionary)
Now
it's your turn. Here are a few other words that are often used as synonyms
but can have subtle and important distinctions. Using the above model make
up your own distinct definitions for each pair of words. Can you think of
any other words that are sometimes used interchangeably but have distinct
meanings? Include them in your list. There's no right or wrong here, but how
well you communicate will have a big bearing on how many clients you attract!
Complete
vs. Finished
Create vs. Design
Effective vs. Efficient
Hear
vs. Listen