GE1711

Communication for Work Purposes

I. Communication in the Workplace

A. Ethics in Workplace Communication (Bernales, et al., 2018)
Accuracy, honesty, and fairness should always be present in workplace communication. If a
writer slants his/her words to conceal the truth or to gain an unfair advantage, he/she is not being
ethical (Kolin, 2017). According to Searles (2014) as cited in Bernales, et al. (2018), workplace
communication will fail the ethics test if it is corrupted by any of the following tactics:
1. Suppression of information
Also known as "data suppression," it refers to the process of withholding or removing
selected information or an inconvenient truth to protect an individual or a group (The Glossary
of Education Reform, 2017). For example, if a pharmaceutical company intentionally hid their
product-testing results that indicate potential danger to consumers, it is considered as data
suppression.
2. Falsification or fabrication
Falsification refers to changing or omitting data or results such that the research is not
accurately represented in the research record. On the other hand, fabrication refers to the act
of making up data or results (Office of Research Integrity, n.d.).
3. Overstatement or understatement
Exaggerating the positive aspects of a situation or downplaying the negative aspects to
create desired impression is unethical. For example, a social weather survey describes 55%
of the respondents as a "substantial majority" while 45% is viewed as a "small percentage."
4. Selective misquoting
According to Kolin (2017), it refers to "deliberate omission of damaging or unflattering
comments to paint a better but untruthful picture of you or your company."
Selective misquotation:
"I've enjoyed… our firm's association with Advanced Computer Services, Inc. the quality of
their service was… excellent."
Full quotation:
I've enjoyed at times our firm's association with Advanced Computer Services, Inc.,
although I was troubled by the uneven quality of their service. At times, it was excellent
while at others it was far less so."
5. Subjective wording
This refers to the intentional use of terms and words that will hide the real meaning of the
situation.
Example:
A telecommunications company advertises "customary service charges" for its postpaid
handset promos knowing that the term "customary" is open to broad interpretation.
6. Conflict of interest
This occurs when a corporation or a person becomes unreliable or biased in his/her
decisions because of a clash between personal and professional affairs (Investopedia, 2018).
Example:
Manager A encourages his department to hire his company as a service provider in a
project rather than soliciting bids.
7. Withholding information
Refusing to share important information or relevant data with coworkers is an unethical act
especially if it would jeopardize the success of an ongoing project. Withholding information
about operating a new software to gain an upper hand over a recently hired colleague to make
the latter appear incompetent is a breach of workplace ethics.
There may be times that an information is temporarily withheld (e.g., If the information will
affect national security, it unnecessarily violates the privacy and confidentiality rights of others,
or it might lead to undue stigmatization of individuals or groups within society.). Eventually, the
reasons for knowingly withholding information should be fully defensible and based on ethical
considerations.
8. Plagiarism
This refers to stealing someone's else's words, ideas, or even the results of a study and
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claiming them as your own without documenting (or even inadequately documenting) the
source (Kolin, 2017).

B. E-Communications (Kolin, 2017)

Emails, blogs, instant/text messages, and social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
LinkedIn and so forth will be a huge part of your business correspondence in the future. While the
said e-communications are the workhorse of business communication, there are key differences
among them you need to know:
• An email with an attachment is used when you need to write a longer message or send
documents to co-workers across the country or the globe.
• A blog post is used when you want to communicate in more detail a new product, service,
or your company’s views on a topic.
• An instant message/text message is a practical way when you want to ask a question to
a team member that is in the field or away from the office or his/her desk.
• A social media page like a Facebook or Twitter account is used when you want to share
news and information quickly, or promote your products visually to your customers.
1. Legal/Ethical Guidelines in Writing E-Communications
The employers have the right to monitor what the employees write and to whom as long
as they use the e-communication systems as well as the computers or smartphones of the
company. An e-communication is a legal record, and an employee is accountable for the things
s/he writes.
Here are some guidelines to help you write and send ethical/legal business e-communications:
a. Do not use them for personal messages.
Use the company's e-communication avenues (e.g., emails, texts, social media, and
blog postings) for official purposes only.
b. Take your time.
Always re-read your email, text, or social media post and revise if necessary before
sending it.
c. Always project your company's best image.
Do not make your employer look bad by undermining management or criticizing a
customer, or even a competitor. Also, never attack a boss or co-worker through an email,
text, blog or social media post.
d. Be accurate.
Do not put a deal or transaction at risk by giving inaccurate or misleading information.
Double-check the contracts, warranties, prices, dates, etc.
e. Respect your employer's confidentiality.
Do not disclose your company's trade secrets nor leak data about an ongoing research,
new product or services, sales figures, or marketing plans.
f. Never write any e-communication about a raise, a grievance, or a complaint about a co-
worker.
Meet with your supervisor in person to discuss these issues.
g. Be professional and conscientious.
Avoid posting stories or pictures unrelated to your company's business. Also, do not
spread office gossip, or make political statements using the social media/blog account,
email, or instant/text messaging services of your company.
h. Deliver what you promise.
Answer e-communications promptly and courteously. Check your inbox every
business day and make sure that you responded to every message that you received. If
you tell someone that you will respond later, do not fail to do so.
i. Be familiar with and follow your company’s policies on e-communication and any company-
specific apps or social media sites.
j. Protect your business records from viruses, spam, worms, Trojan horses, and hackers by
following your company’s security procedures.
k. Always follow company policy.
Find out what your company rules are about texting, formats, screen names, contact

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information, whether you can download documents, software, etc.

2. Types of E-Communications
a. Email
Email is the lifeblood of every business or organization nowadays because it speeds
up the communication process. It allows a person to send short messages about routine
matters and enables quick dissemination of longer documents though file attachments.

benjie.tito@deped.gov.ph

Precise
Attend EduTECH Conference on my behalf
subject line

Appropriate
salutation
Good morning, Benjie:
Starts with
context of I would like to inform you that EduTECH Philippines sent me an invitation regarding a conference that
the request will be held on February 20-21 at SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. I am sending you there on my
and basic behalf because I have a business meeting with H2O Technologies on that day. I attached the event’s
information brochure for the program and registration details.

Provides Also, do not forget to file an Official Business Trip leave for the said dates once you receive this email
clear as I have to arrange your transportation allowance with our HR Department as soon as possible.
Kindly notify me regarding the progress of your registration and leave approval before lunch break.
explanations
and
Thank you,
instructions
John I. Ramos, LPT, MAEd
Learning Resources Production Manager
Detailed Learning Resources Production Division | Department of Education Central Office
signature DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City 1604
line : + (02) 636 1663 loc. 802 | : john.ramos@deped.gov.ph

Figure 1. An email sent to a colleague

The following points should be observed in composing an email:

1. A professional email is confidential and ethical.
Avoid flaming or using strong, angry language that mocks, attacks, or insults your
employer, a colleague, a customer, a government agency, or a company. The rule of
thumb is do not send an email that you would not want to see in your company’s
website or that of your local newspaper. Always think before you click the send button.
2. Make your email easy to read.
First, provide a clear and precise subject line to give your reader an idea of the
email's content. The recepient may ignore an email that has a vague or weak subject.
Second, observe proper capitalization and punctuation and avoid overusing typefaces
like italic or bold, or decorative fonts within the body of an email. Lastly, avoid unfamiliar
abbreviations such as afk, tc, lol, and jargons.
3. Observe the rules of Internet etiquette.
Respond promptly to an email and give your reader a reasonable time to respond.
Sending your email right after composing it also implies lack of professionalism so it is
always better to proofread and revise it before hitting the send button.

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4. Adopt a professional business style.

A professional email is concise and polite. So, cut the chatter and get straight to
your point but this does not mean that you would sound mechanical or unsympathetic.
Let your reader know that you appreciate his/her help or cooperation and look forward
to his/her reply as you end the message. In addition, you could have two types of
salutation in your email: one for a colleague (e.g, Hi, Hello) and another one for a
customer or a business partner (e.g., Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Mr./Ms.). For
complimentary close, "Thanks," and "Cheers", is an informal but still professional while
"Sincerely yours," and "Best regards" are formal but cordial.
5. Respect your international readers.
Use common English words and abbreviations and be mindful of your recipient's
culture and tradition. Do not use first names unless your recipient approves and make
sure that his/her name is spelled correctly. Also, check if the graphics and photographs
that you will send are appropriate in your recipient's culture. Humor might build rapport
but it is a safe bet to stay away from it as it might be misinterpreted.
6. Ensure that your email is safe and secure.
Seek the assistance of your company's information technology (IT) department
regarding measures that would protect you from virus, phishing, and identity theft.
Companies you do business with will never ask for personal information such as your
bank account or social security number. Keep your accounts secure by creating a
password that is not easy to guess. It is recommended that you change your password
quarterly and do not use the same password for all your accounts. Lastly, back up
important files and emails.
b. Blog
A weblog or blog is used by companies to communicate current news and commentary
on a variety of issues to its employees and customers through short regular articles or blog
posts. Blog posts are usually a few paragraphs long and are written two (2) to three (3)
times a week, although some post their work more frequently.
1. Two (2) Types of Blogs
Internal
An internal blog is exclusively used in the company's network to announce events,
introduce new staff, and communicate up and down the corporate ladder. Generally,
this type of blog is aimed at making the workplace safer, more productive, and
professionally more satisfying.
External
Also called business blog due to its marketing and public relation functions,
external blogs allow a company to share information about its brand, mission,
achievements, and activities. It is also used to sell new products, services, or
technology and respond to consumer or community concerns.
2. Guidelines in Writing Business Blogs
• Use the right tone to attract readers.
The blog needs to sound sincere and friendly to attract more readers and keep
them from coming back for more.
• Follow company protocol.
Always keep your company's reputation in mind. Display its best image by
being enthusiastic about its products, services, mission, and commitment to the
community. Avoid posting false and misleading information and stories or pictures
unrelated to the goals, services, and products of your company.
• Target your audience.
Know what your audience cares about through tracking the number of page
views and their feedback in the comments section of your blog. Be open to
suggestions and acknowledge readers' insights.
• Make your blog persuasive.
The first step to a persuasive blog post is writing an attention-grabbing
headline. Next, make sure that you will tell the readers at the first paragraph what

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you are blogging about and why. Providing them with firsthand information about
the topic implies that you are knowledgeable and sincere and will increase your
credibility. In case you are writing about a new product or service highlight its
improvement and/or special features. Facts and statistics would also help in
persuading your readers
• Write concisely and sincerely.
Keep your posts short and easy to read. Through adopting a casual and
conversational style of writing. Your blog post should not look and sound like a
technical report.
• Document your sources.
Always cite your sources especially when you are using someone else's
statistics, surveys, illustration, or ideas.

Attention-
grabbing
A Must-Have App for STI Students
Friday, Dec 14, 2018
headline. Contributor: Cedric Gabrang
Posted by: Rollie M. Flores

Informs the Introducing the One STI Student Portal, an app exclusively for STI students to view their grades, tuition
readers balance, and more.
about the
functions of
the app.

Includes an
image which
shows how
does the app
look like.

Provides Developed by the MIS team, the One STI Student Portal is a free must-have app for STI students
detailed where they can access their student records on their Android devices. Through the app, senior high
information school and college students can now:
about the
• View their grades and monitor their academic performance in their subjects;
app's • Know their day-to-day class schedule complete with room assignments and professors;
accessibility • Get tuition balance updates, payment schedules, dues, and assessment balances;
and • Catch up on current STI news and announcements from campuses nationwide.
usefulness.
The student will only need their STI Microsoft O365 account to enjoy its full features on their phone or
on their tablet. Students will not need to fret about their first-year experience in the campus – an
Addresses
important milestone which can impact academic and future professional success, according to studies.
the reader
directly but Keep an eye out for more features coming soon!
sincerely.
Figure 2. An article in an external blog

c. Instant Message (IM) / Text Message

Messaging is a real-time conversation that can take place either online or a mobile
device. In spite of its informal and instantaneous nature, the company's instant/text

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messaging services should be used cautiously.

1. Guidelines in Using Instant Message or Text Message in the Workplace
• Stay connected.
For instant messaging applications, always indicate whether you are "Away,"
"Busy," or "Offline." You can also set an auto-reply which contains details where
your colleagues can contact you whenever you will not be around.
Note: Texting while driving or operating machinery is strictly prohibited. Such
behavior will not be tolerated just for the sake of "staying connected."
• Always ask if the other person is available for messaging.
The person you will send a message might be in a meeting or on the road, so
it is better of you will ask if he or she is available. If the person is busy, ask about
a better time to chat. It is discourteous to bombard someone with queries if you
haven't received any response from that person.
• Keep your message short.
Go straight to the point right away and do not inject unnecessary pleasantries
(e.g., "How was your weekend?). Ask your question and wait for a reply.
• Write about one (1) topic at a time.
Keep the conversation flowing in one direction. Do not open two (2) or three
(3) different topics in one (1) message exchange.
• Avoid textspeak.
Avoid acronyms and abbreviations such as "BRB" for "Be right back" and
"CUL8R" for "See you later," especially when writing to an international reader who
may not understand them. It is advised to use correct spelling and punctuation
whenever you are texting.
• Be professional.
You might be prompted to choose or encode a username in some instant
messaging apps. In that case, choose a username that would best represent you.
You may use the format first name's initial + middle name's initial + surname (e.g.,
JLDelaCruz for Juan Lopez Dela Cruz) in formulating your username. When
talking with others, make sure that the tone and style of your message are polite
and business-like.

d. Social Media
Social media websites and applications enable users to create and share content and
participate in social networking through their mobile devices or personal computers. With
the help of technology, companies can now reach the consumers through posting
advertisements and status updates and gauge market trends through browsing different
forums and analyzing the online reviews about their products and services.
Tips in Managing a Social Media Page
• Know your customers and what they like.
Monitor visitors' likes, retweets, or repins. Ask for the readers’ favorite image, story,
product, etc. to give them a strong sense of having participated in your marketing plan
to serve them better. You may also promise readers a reward for visiting your site such
as giveaways, discount sales, prizes, exclusive promotions, etc. Keep your readers
updated by posting new content regularly, which may be twice (2) a day or four (4)
times a week.
• Choose your content carefully.
Stay away from giving away your personal opinions in areas such as politics,
religion, and sports. Save those posts in your personal social media site. Always
remember that you post as a representative of the company so you should observe
the ethics and etiquette in e-communications.
• Style
Keep your posts short but interesting. Your audience could easily move on to other
posts if you do not grab their attention quickly. The medium or channel should also be
considered in posting as different sites emphasize different communication strategies

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(e.g., Twitter is for status updates or "microblogs" while Facebook is a blend of weblogs
and messaging). Choose what is best for your content.
• How to respond to criticism
First, have a clear Page/Community Guidelines that will cover issues such as
bullying, hate speech, racism, violence, spamming, and harassment. If there are
negative comments or complaints in your page, you have to respond to them promptly
(at least 15-60 minutes from the time the comment was posted) and professionally. Be
courteous and thank the person for his/her post, comment, or question. Then, provide
a simple and straightforward solution to address the concern. Going out of your way to
accommodate a customer's need by offering complimentary gifts or services would
help in saving your company's reputation. Lastly, do not be afraid to admit a mistake
but make sure that you will learn from it.
According to Polaczyk (2016), there are three (3) things a person needs to do when
talking with an angry customer:
1. Thank them for their opinion (try not to be formal, short “thanks for reaching out
to us” should be fine);
2. Apologize for the inconvenience (“sorry to hear that you’re having problems with
our product / you didn’t like our services”); and
3. Encourage them to send you a private message.

C. Writing Letters
1. Elements of a Business Letter (Colorado State University, n.d.)
a. Heading
This part contains the return address to which the recipient will refer when sending a
response. Indicate the writer's street, city, state, zip code, and date in this part. To reduce
the chance of the response being sent to an incorrect address, words such as street,
avenue, corner, circle, and drive should be spelled out rather than abbreviated.

29-C Sunflower Street

Binondo, Manila, 1006
+ 632 384 5432
pablo.empleo@sjfc.com

January 18, 2019

b. Inside Address
Located two (2) spaces below the date (or four [4] spaces for very short letters) and
justified to the left margin, the inside address contains the mailing information belonging to
the recipient.

Mr. John Solomon

Sales Associate
ABC Global Solutions Corp.
750 Saint Ariel Street
Paco, Manila, 1007

c. Salutation
The salutation is an indicator of respect and sets the level of formality between the
sender and the recipient. Usually, it begins with Dear followed by a title such as Mr. or Ms.,
but this formality can be dropped if the sender writes on a first name basis with the recipient.
Remember that the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr., are always abbreviated while
Professor and Senator should be spelled out. Also, women should always be addressed
as Ms. except when she has personally expressed a desire to be addressed as Miss or
Mrs. Do not use gender-based salutations if you are uncertain whether the recipient is a
man or a woman. Dear Student or Dear Customer are acceptable for gender-neutral
correspondence.
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d. Body of the Letter

The body is located two (2) spaces below the salutation. It contains the main purpose
of the letter. Each paragraph should be single-spaced with a double space separating each
paragraph. For short letters, it is acceptable to double space the text for aesthetic
purposes. In such instances, it is appropriate to indent the first line of the paragraph.

e. Complimentary Close
The customary expressions used to close a formal business letter are Thank you,
Sincerely yours, and Yours truly. Less formal expressions such as Regards, Best regards,
and Best wishes should be used only when addressing a business associate that is also a
friend.

f. Signature Block
Allot four (4) spaces between the complimentary close and the writer's full name. The
space between is reserved for the handwritten signature. Always sign your name in black
ink. According to Kolin (2017), "an unsigned letter indicates carelessness or, worse,
indifference toward your reader. While a stamped signature tells readers you could not give
them personal attention." The writer's position or title should appear directly below his/her
name.

Sincerely yours,

Pablo S. Empleo
Logistics Officer

g. Additional Notations
There are situations which call for a business letter to be marked with a notation. These
notations should be placed two (2) spaces below the position of the sender. First, when a
letter references one or more documents that are enclosed for the recipient, it is noted
using one of the following ways:

• Enclosure: Learning Materials Brochure

• Enclosures (5)
• Enc. or Encs.

Second, when a letter has been dictated to an assistant, it should be initialed. The
writer's name will appear in uppercase letters (PSE for Pablo S. Empleo), and the
assistant's name will appear in lowercase letters (esp for Emilio S. Pedrigon) in one of the
following ways:

• PSE: esp
• PSE/esp

Lastly, when copies of a letter are sent to other parties, the copy recipients are
acknowledged with their full name as in the following example:

• cc: Mr. John Santos

• cc: Mr. John Santos, Ms. Annie Batungbacal

2. Formats of Business Letter

a. Block
In this format, the entire letter is left-justified and single-spaced except for a double
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space between paragraphs.

b. Modified block
In this format, the body of the letter and the sender's and recipient's addresses are left-
justified and single-spaced.
c. Semi-block
It is much like the modified block style except that each paragraph is indented instead
of left-justified.

3. Types of Business Letter

a. Acknowledgment Letter
It is written to somebody to say that something that he/she sent has been received by
the sender.
b. Adjustment Letter
This letter informs the customer how a problem with a product/service may or may not
be resolved. If it tells the customer “the problem may be resolved,” then start with the good
news, but if it says “the problem cannot be resolved” or denies the claim, avoid blaming or
scolding the customer. Instead, arrive at a firm and fair decision, but without hedging
(evading the risk of commitment) because indecision will infuriate customers who believe
they have presented a convincing case.
c. Apology Letter
It is written to try to salvage a relationship after the sender has made a mistake, or
otherwise offended another party. It is important that the letter “rings true” with sincerity, or
it will not be taken seriously by the receiver and will therefore fail.
d. Authorization Letter
It is written confirmation of a person’s rank, authority or ability to enter into a legally
binding contract, take a specific action, spend a specified sum, or to delegate his/her duties
and powers to someone else.
e. Complaint or Claim Letter
It expresses a complaint and requests specific action about a defective product or
inadequate service. Maintain your poise and diplomacy in writing this letter.
Tips in writing complaint or claim letters:
i. Maintain your poise and diplomacy.
ii. Describe product or service with necessary details.
iii. State what is wrong with the product or service.
iv. Describe the inconvenience you have experienced.
v. Indicate what you want to be done and give a deadline.
f. Complimentary/Thank-you Letter
It is written to express gratitude for a gift, service, or opportunity. It can be an essential
job-seeking technique, as well as a gesture of courtesy is to thank the interviewer or
company.
g. Invitation Letter
This type of letter is written to invite or request the recipient to be present or take part
in a celebration, special occasion, or an important function. It is typically used to invite
customers/clients to participate in a business event.
h. Inquiry Letter
The purpose of this letter is to ask for information. It requests more facts about a
product, service, or procedure. This type of business letter tends to include specific details
such as product/service type in the form of brochures, catalogs, telephone contact, etc.
Three (3) basic rules for an effective inquiry letter:
i. State exactly what information you want.
ii. Indicate clearly why you must have this information.
iii. Specify when you must have it.
i. Refusal Letter
This letter declines a customer claim/credit, job offer, or a similar invitation. Since this
letter contains something negative, find a way of writing through which, you can convey
your message without hurting the sentiments of the recipient. Thus, it is important to
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choose appropriate words and to write the letter as promptly as possible upon making your
decision, so the recipient can have time to search for other means to solve his/her problem.
j. Sales Letter
This letter aims to persuade the reader to “buy” a product, service, idea, or point of
view. It is also used to introduce a new product/service to new customers and past clients.
One essential technique in sales letters is to outline an important consumer problem that
needs to be solved and provide the solution in the letter. A sales letter can be improved
through the use of personalization in some means to ensure the reader’s attention.
k. Special Request Letter
The way your present your request is crucial in this type of letter since your reader is
not obliged to give you anything. When asking for information in a special request letter,
state precisely what information you need and when you need the information, but give
your reader sufficient time to process the request. If you are asking for information to
include in a report or other document, you may offer to forward a copy of the finished
document as a courtesy to the reader. State that you will keep the information confidential
if it is necessary.

Note: You may refer to 09 Handout 2 for the sample of each type of letter mentioned
above.

D. Memorandum
1. Definition
Usually shortened to memo, the memorandum is a Latin word which means "something to
be remembered." Its main function is to "record information of immediate importance and
interest in the busy world of work" (Kolin, 2017). It is also defined as a "written report that is
prepared for a person or committee to provide them with information about a particular matter"
(Collins Dictionary, n.d.). On the other hand, Nordquist (2019) emphasized its scope and use
when he defined it as "a short message or record used for internal communication in a
business."

2. Parts of the Memo

a. Heading
It provides information about who will receive the memo, who is sending the memo,
the date, and the memo’s subject. To, From, Date, and Subject lines can be found in this
part.

To: [Receiver's Name and Job Title]

From: [Sender's Name and Job Title]
Date: [MM/DD/YYYY or Month, Day, Year]
Subject: [Subject Matter]

b. Message or Content
The message is divided into three (3) parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. First,
the introduction should state the reason for the memo and explain briefly any background
information. It can be one paragraph or several paragraphs, but it needs to explain the
purpose of your memo clearly. Second, the body should develop the major point of the
memo with supporting complete details (e.g., dates, times, locations, costs). It should state
why a problem should be solved, who will be affected by it, what caused it, and why did it
happen. Lastly, the conclusion should be fairly short and should state specifically how the
reader should respond. You may also provide a list of recommendations that the readers
are to approve, follow, revise, or reject (Kolin, 2017).

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TO: Arnulfo A. Gabaldon

Sales Manager

FROM: Joseph C. Manaloto

Sales Supervisor

DATE: January 20, 2019

SUBJECT: Request for microwave oven purchase

At our department meeting last week, I agreed to research the

purchase of a microwave oven for the department. A survey of
the department yielded an overwhelming preference for the
[BRAND NAME, MODEL NAME: Mama Halin E2] microwave oven. The
people in our department feel that the need for speed and ease
of use outweighs the issue of cost.

Potential uses for the microwave oven include service for

individual employees, group meetings, and department guests.

Since my research has yielded a clear preference, I am ready

to make the purchase. Please initial the attached requisition
for the [BRAND NAME, MODEL NAME: Mama Halin E2] microwave
oven, written to [SUPPLIER’S NAME: Make-Your-Own Hardware]
against our budget.

We will all enjoy hot food during our staff meetings.

Figure 3. Sample memorandum

E. Agenda and Minutes of the Meeting

The agenda lists all the matters to be discussed, acted, or voted upon at a meeting. It should
only list items that your group regards as most crucial. Prioritize your action items so that the most
important ones come first.
The minutes of the meeting contains a summary of what happened at the meeting. It is an
official, permanent record of the group's deliberations and is regarded as a legal document. The
minute-taker's and participants' opinions and emotions should not be included in the minutes (Kolin,
2017).

Note: You may refer to Page 1 of 09 Handout 2 for the sample of the minutes of the meeting.

II. Preparing for a Job Interview

A job interview is a conversation that occurs between a potential employer and a job applicant.
During the job interview, the employer determines if the applicant is suitable for the position, while the
applicant convinces the employer to hire him/her. Job interviews can vary from a structured to
unstructured. According to Uychoco & Santos (2018), there are four (4) types of interview:

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• Traditional interview
In this type of interview, the candidate is interviewed by one (1) person. The candidate may
be asked a series of questions that may or may not be standardized. The best preparation for
this is to research the employer and industry before the interview. This is the most common
type of interviewing (Atlantis University, n.d.).
• Panel interview
This is conducted by a group of two (2) or more interviewers. At a minimum, the
interviewers will expect you to know the job role, the company, its products, services and
competitors, how it is viewed, and issues within the market. Researching the job roles, career
background, and recent work success of the panel members might also help in the interview
(Kirkpatrick, 2014). Also, try to engage with all interviewers and do not just focus on the person
who asked the question.
• Group interview
In this type of interview, the candidate will be put in a room with other job applicants. This
type of group interview is not very common (Schweitzer, 2017). The goal here is to stand-out
among others in the group through your appearance, communication skills, and critical thinking.
• Stress interview
In a stress interview, the interviewer creates an emotionally chaotic setting, which puts
candidates under psychological stress to see if they will crack, remain calm, or even thrive
under pressure. The key to getting through this process is remaining calm and unemotional
throughout the interview by clarifying the question, requesting more details, and focusing on
your problem-solving method rather than devising the correct answer (Doyle, 2019).

A. Resume and Application Letter

1. Resume
A resume is a document giving details of one's educational qualifications and work
experience. It is sent to an employer by a job-seeker or an applicant (Macmillan Dictionary,
n.d.). The most common form of resume in use today is the chronological resume. It lists one's
work history in order of date, with the most recent position at the top. The second type is the
functional resume, which focuses on one's skills and experience rather than on chronological
work history. It is typically used by job seekers who are changing careers, who have gaps in
their employment history, or whose work history is not directly related to the job.
The STI provided a Standard Resume Template for its students who will undergo on-the-
job-training. The said resume has the following parts: heading, objective, education, work
experience, technical skills, extra-curricular activities, seminars attended/conducted, research
papers/projects prepared, personal background, and references. It uses the font faces Arial,
Verdana, Times New Roman, and Tahoma and is written at 10 to 11 points. The document
should be printed on a white A4 bond paper (8.5 x 11 inches) and has a 1-inch margin on all
sides.

2. Application Letter
An application letter is written to provide detailed information about someone applying for
a job. Also called a cover letter, it accompanies another document such as a resume or
curriculum vitae to provide additional information on a job applicant’s skills and work
experience.

Note: You may refer to Pages 2-3 of 09 Handout 3 for the sample of resume and application letter.

References
Atlantis University. (n.d.). Traditional interview. Retrieved from https://www.atlantisuniversity.edu/traditional-interview
Bernales, R., Balon, W., & Biligan, R. (2018). Purposive communication in local and global contexts. Malabon: Mutya
Publishing House, Inc.
Colorado State University. (n.d.). Elements of a business letter. Retrieved from
https://writing.colostate.edu/guides/page.cfm?pageid=1477&guideid=72
Doyle, A. (2018, December 10). What is a functional resume? Retrieved from
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-functional-resume-2061997

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Doyle, A. (2019, January 13). Stress interviews: Tactics to handle the pressure. Retrieved from
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-stress-interview-2062108.
Ethics of withholding information. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://pagecentertraining.psu.edu/public-relations-
ethics/ethics-in-crisis-management/lesson-2-access-to-information-during-a-crisis/ethics-of-withholding-
information
Kirkpatrick, S. (2014, September 22). How to prepare for and succeed at a panel job interview. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/how-prepare-succeed-panel-job-interview-advice-careers
Kolin, P. (2017). Successful writing at work (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Memorandum. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/memorandum
Office of Research Integrity. (n.d.). Definition of research misconduct. Retrieved from
https://ori.hhs.gov/node/1468/printable/print
Polaczyk, J. (2016, April 13). How to handle negative comments on social media like a pro. Retrieved from
https://www.livechatinc.com/blog/how-to-handle-negative-comments-on-social-media
Schweitzer, K. (2017, July 16). Group interviews: How to deal with group interviews. Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-deal-with-group-interviews-466634
The Glossary of Education Reform. (2017). Data suppression. Retrieved from https://www.edglossary.org/data-
suppression
Wide, P. (2017). Mastering technical communication skills: A student's handbook. Singapore: Pan Stanford Publishing
Pte. Ltd.
What is a conflict of interest. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/conflict-of-interest.asp

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