MyGlasgow

Communication

Communication skills involve listening carefully, understanding others’ perspectives, and expressing your own ideas clearly so people can engage with them. This can happen in group discussions, presentations, emails, or everyday conversations with classmates, tutors, or colleagues.

Where can I find this in the skills language?

Communication > Communicating with others

Communication > Communicating through content

Why does this skill matter?

Being a strong communicator helps you work effectively with others, solve problems collaboratively and build relationships. It is an essential skill not just for university or work, but for life - helping you engage meaningfully with people from different backgrounds, navigate challenging conversations and express yourself confidently.

At university, it supports group projects, discussions and assessments. In work and everyday life, it helps you explain ideas clearly, influence decisions and succeed in interviews or professional interactions.

Where will you use this skill at university and beyond?

… as part of your degree
You develop communication skills at every step of your degree. From communicating effectively in group settings to completing assessed written and spoken assignments.

… as part of the wider student experience
You may use this skill to find friends and build a lasting network. For example, by volunteering, joining clubs, networking, or taking part in student societies.

… as a professional in the future
Communication skills may be used to pitch ideas, negotiate with your supervisor or persuade teams to deliver an outcome in a short duration.

Student insight

“Communication skills is one of the initial topics all employers touch upon today. It is not just essential to have at-par communication skills but also to know how to describe them. I try to put myself in uncomfortable situations and conversations every day, just so I can improvise my communication approach in the moment.”

~ Student from the School of Social and Political Sciences

How can you evidence this skill?

You might be able to evidence this skill through:

• group projects and presentations
• written communications, such as reports, essays, emails or proposals
• seminar contributions or leading discussions
• making friends and valuable connections
• internships, volunteering, or part-time work experiences

How else might employers describe this skill?

You might also hear this skill described as…

• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Stakeholder engagement
• Conflict resolution
• Explaining complex information clearly

What are some example interview questions that feature this skill?

1. Can you describe a time when you explained technical or complex information to someone unfamiliar with the topic?

2. Tell us about a situation where you received negative feedback on your communication and how you responded.

3. Describe a time when you successfully helped resolve a conflict between team members or colleagues.

4. How would you approach communicating with someone who disagrees with you?

What does a good response look like?

Question

Can you describe a time when you explained technical or complex information to someone unfamiliar with the topic?

Response

Situation: As one of the first people in my family to study social sciences, I was asked by my uncle to explain the difference between marketing, advertising, and public relations, which he had always seen as the same.

Task: I needed to explain these concepts clearly and accessibly, without using technical language that might cause confusion.

Action: I used a simple analogy to make the ideas more relatable, comparing marketing to planning a party — deciding the audience and overall concept. I explained advertising as designing and sending invitations, and public relations as generating excitement and encouraging people to attend. This helped break down the differences in a way that was easy to follow.

Result: The analogy prompted further discussion, and my uncle said it made the distinctions much clearer. This demonstrated my ability to adapt complex information for a non-specialist audience and communicate ideas in an engaging and accessible way.