Placement Tip #2
The Importance of Communication:
This is a skill that impacts almost every part of a role. You could even argue that it’s just as important as technical expertise.
Here are a few places where it really makes a difference:
Communication with clients - Whether it’s an incident in Production or a new feature, this one is essential to prioritise. Give regular updates. Surface risks early so you can plan for them. If concerns arise, don’t deflect or take things personally. Instead, schedule time to listen and think about how to improve for next time. Don’t underestimate a simple “please” and “thank you”, it matters more than you think.
Communication with your team - Break down technical blockers clearly. Summarise what steps you’ve already taken and what you've found in a document before asking for help, this saves a lot of time. If you feel there’s a lot on your plate, reach out early and ask for help in prioritising. Delegation is far easier than failing to deliver and dealing with the fallout.
Collecting Feedback - This is where the growth happens. Reach out regularly for feedback from your team and your manager, they all probably made the same mistakes once upon a time and are more than happy to share what they’ve learnt from their own experiences.
University offers some of these insights through group projects, but real-world communication goes deeper. Good news is it doesn’t take long to learn. Don’t be daunted, just use these as a starting point and build from there!