INDEX

S. No CONTENTS PG.NO
1 Conversational Skills (Formal and Informal) 1-3
2 Group Discussion 4
3 Listening to Lectures 5-6
4 Discussions 7
5 Talk Shows 8-9
6 News Programmes 10
7 Dialogues from Podcast 11-12
8 Choosing the Organization 13-14
9 Goal Setting 15
10 Time Management 16
11 Leadership Traits 17-18
12 Team Work 19
13 Communicating Across Teams 20-22
14 Designing Career and Life Planning 23-24
15 Understanding Body Language Aspects and Presenting 25-26
Oneself to An Interviewer
16 Proper Handshakes. 27-30
17 Writing Job Applications 31-32
18 Cover Letter 33-37
19 Resume 38-43
20 Emails 44
21 Letters 45-52
22 Memos 53-55
23 Reports 56-58
24 Blogs 59-60
25 Writing for Publications 61-63
26 Designing Presentations and Enhancing Presentation Skills 64-68
 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AND SOFT SKILLS

Conversational Skills (Formal and Informal)

The two primary internal communication types are formal and informal communication:

Formal communication is communication through pre-defined channels set by

organizations. They are typically conveyed from top leadership to various departments that
funnels down to lower level employees. It is backed by organizational procedure, and it is
necessary to fulfill the goals of the organization.

Informal communication is more relational than formal. It is not backed by any pre-
determined channels and can happen anywhere within the organization. The primary goal of
this messaging is to preserve and establish relationships with colleagues and superiors and
subordinates. Since it is not defined by any channels, messaging moves a lot faster, but it is
without any paper trail or official documentation.

A formal notification is also favorable in situations where documentation is needed to prove

or disapprove a claim or complaint. If someone violated company policy or broke a rule
against another coworker, it is easy for employees to point to formal communications
between staff and upper management.

Informal communication, as stated above, is all about relationships; if a culture of

goodwill and relationship is adequately fostered by the company, then informal
discussions can create solidarity and strengthen teams. However, one of the most
important reasons for why informal communication is critical to businesses is that it allows
employees to give feedback to their superiors. It facilitates the action of upward interface and
enables messaging to go both ways efficiently. When employees are given the opportunity to
comment on their experiences in the company informally, it puts the ball back in the court of
upper management to improve and meet their expectations. This action then leads to higher
employee morale.

Also, informal communication can pick up where formal discussions end. A great example of
this is conflict resolution. If employees or managers and employees can resolve their
problems informally, then this can prevent the need for upper management to have to get
involved and elongate the matter.

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FORMAL AND INFORMAL LANGUAGE

Formal and informal communication serve different purposes. The tone, the choice of
words and the way the words are put together vary between the two styles. Formal
communication is less personal than informal communication. It is used when writing for
professional or academic purposes like university assignments. Formal communication
does not use colloquialisms, contractions or first-person pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’.

Informal communication is more casual and spontaneous. It is used when communicating

with friends or family either in writing or in conversation. It is used when writing personal
emails, text messages and in some business correspondence. The tone of informal
communication is more personal than formal communication.

Examples of formal and informal communication are shown below:

Contractions

Informal: The improvements can’t be introduced due to funding restrictions.

Formal: Improvements cannot be introduced due to funding restrictions.

Informal: I don’t believe that the results are accurate.

Formal: The results are not believed to be accurate.

Informal: The research project won’t continue next year.

Formal: The research project will not continue next year.

Phrasal verbs

Informal: The balloon was blown up for the experiment.

Formal: The balloon was inflated for the experiment.

Informal: The patient got over his illness.

Formal: The patient recovered from his illness.

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Informal: The results of the study were mixed up.
Formal: The results of the study were confused.

Slang/Colloquialism

Informal: The mob was very rowdy during the protest cuts to university funding.
Formal: The crowd was very rowdy during the protest the cuts to university funding.

Informal: Lecturers still count on students to use correct grammar and

punctuation in essays.
Formal: Lecturers expect students to use correct grammar and punctuation in
essays.

Informal: It was raining cats and dogs.

Formal: It was raining very heavily.

First person pronouns

Informal: I considered various research methods for the study.

Formal: Various research methods were considered for the
study.

Informal: We believe the practice is unsustainable.

Formal: It is believed the practice is unsustainable.

Informal: During the interview I asked students about their experiences.

Formal: During the interview students were asked about their

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 Group Discussion
"Group" is a collection of individuals who have regular contact and frequent interaction and who
work together to achieve a common set of goals. "Discussion" is the process whereby two or more
people exchange information or ideas in a face-to-face situation to achieve a goal. The goal, or end
product, maybe increased knowledge, agreement leading to action, disagreement leading to
competition or resolution or perhaps only a clearing of the air or a continuation of the status-quo.

"Group Discussion", popularly labeled as GD, is a methodology used by an organization (company,

institute, business school, etc.) to gauge whether the candidate has certain personality traits. GDs form
an important part of the short-listing process for recruitment or admission in a company or institution.
In this methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, typically given some time
to think about the same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves for a specific duration (which
may vary from one organization to another). As in a football game, where you play like a team,
passing the ball to each team member and aim for a common goal, GD is also based on teamwork,
incorporating views of different team members to reach a common goal.

Few tips for GD:

1. Grooming (appearance)
2. Be a good listener & support or add to the other points. (But don’t interrupt in middle)
3. Speak loudly and clearly.
4. Try to be the first and the last speaker of the discussion.
5. Be confident while speaking (analyse with numbers if you know & it has to be fact).

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 LISTENING TO LECTURES

Your academic success here at UNCA is contingent on a variety of factors, such as your
ability to take thorough notes, study effectively, and prepare for exams. All these factors
share an essential common denominator - listening. After all, in order to get the most out of
your class lectures, take good notes, and be prepared for upcoming exams, you need to
acquire solid listening skills. In doing so, you will be able to take information in, process it,
and add it to your repertoire of knowledge. Below are some tips to help you improve your
listening skills.Listening is an active - not passive - process. It is important to distinguish
the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a sense that is the first step towards
listening. On the other hand, listening is an active communicative process in which you
evaluate the message you hear and then respond once the speaker has finished talking. As
such, an active listener works while the speaker is talking.Attitude is everything - stay
motivated. Granted, it is not easy to be alert and motivated for a Calculus lecture at 8 am. In
moments when you are tempted to allow your mind to wander, change your position in your
seat and recommit yourself to trying to focus by asking yourself, “How is this information
useful to me?” Effective Listening requires a great deal of concentration. While you are
listening to a lecture, you need to evaluate the message you’re receiving, determine the main
points the instructor is trying to make, and think of how the new material you are learning
about relates to information you already know. Listen to get the main ideas. Keep in mind
that the intention behind listening to a lecture is to gain better insight and knowledge of the
topic. Instead of trying to remember every word spoken, your goal is to have an overall
understanding of the material covered.Pay close attention to how your instructor presents
his/her lectures. Within the first few minutes of a lecture, an instructor usually reveals the
purpose behind the lecture, along with what you should gain from listening to it. By
recognizing this at the beginning of every lecture, you will get into the right mindset for
learning and have a solid idea about what you will need to focus on in your notes.Ask
Questions. To make sure you understand what you are listening to, ask questions whenever
you do not understand or need clarification. If you are not able to ask a question during a
lecture, jot down your question and approach your instructor after the lecture is over to
discuss it.

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By practicing effective listening skills, you will be able to notice phrases within a lecture that
serve to transition from one point to another or emphasize particular points. Recognizing
these particular words and/or phrases will help you identify important moments within a
lecture. Below are a few examples of commonly used transitions. Introduction Sequence or
Enumeration “Today’s lecture covers.” “First, secondly, thirdly” “Today I’d like to
discuss...” “Next, then, finally” “Let’s look at...” “In addition to, Lastly” Comparisons and
Contrasts Cause and Effect “Similarly, Both, Likewise” “Because of this, For this reason,
The cause of” “However, Instead of, Nevertheless” “As a result, Therefore, Thus” “Although,
On the other hand, Despite” To Relate A New Concept with Summarize a Learned Concept
“So, In short, In conclusion” “If you remember...”“Just to review, To sum up” “You already
know...”“This relates back to...”Be alert for nonverbal cues. Although we associate
listening with our ears, our eyes also play an important role in this activity since they detect
nonverbal communication. Therefore, pay attention to the nonverbal cues your instructor
provides throughout the course of a lecture; they highlight important aspects of a
presentation. Examples of nonverbal cues include tone of voice, the use of extended pauses to
emphasize a point, facial expressions, and gestures.

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 Discussion
Discussion is defined as talking or writing about something, especially in order to solve a problem or
resolve a question. the action or process of talking about something in order to reach a decision or to
exchange ideas. consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate. a formal
treatment of a topic in speech or writing

Benefits of Discussion

1.It helps students explore a diversity of perspectives.

2.It increases students’ awareness of and tolerance for ambiguity or complexity.
3.It helps students recognize and investigate their assumptions.
4.It encourages attentive, respectful listening.
5.It develops new appreciation for continuing differences.
6.It increases intellectual agility.
7.It helps students become connected to a topic.
8.It shows respect for student voices and experiences.
9.It helps students learn the processes and habits of democratic discourse.
10.It affirms students as co-creators of knowledge.
11.It develops the capacity for the clear communication of ideas and meaning.
12.It develops habits of collaborative learning.
13.It increases breadth and makes students more empathic.
14.It helps students develop skills of synthesis and integration.
15.It leads to transformation.

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 Talk Shows
A talk show or chat show is a television programming or radio programming genre in which
one person (or group of people) discusses various topics put forth by a talk show host.

Usually, guests consist of a group of people who are learned (such as current affairs experts
or pundits) or who have experience with whatever issue is being discussed on the show for
that episode. Other times, a single guest such as a celebrity or expert discusses their work or
area of expertise with a host or co-hosts. A call-in show takes live phone calls from callers
listening at home, in their cars, in their gardens, etc. Sometimes, guests are already seated but
are often introduced and enter from backstage. There have been many notable talk show
hosts; in many cases, the shows have made their hosts famous.

Types of Talk Shows

Talk shows have been shown on American TV for nearly as long as television has been
popular in America. A talk show can be loosely classified as any TV program in which
people discuss something.

Interview Talk Shows

On an interview talk show, the host of the talk show interviews celebrities and experts about
topics of their choice. Often, a celebrity will make an appearance on an interview talk show
to discuss an upcoming project or movie release, while academic experts will appear to be
interviewed when their subject of expertise comes up in the media in conjunction with a news
event. Interviews are often incorporated into a diverse variety of talk shows, but they also
exist as a category of talk show by themselves. "David Letterman," "The Tonight Show."

Political Talk Shows

Political talk shows exist to allow pundits and talk show hosts to discuss the political goings-
on in the country. Political talk shows generally receive a spike in popularity during
presidential elections and other notable political events, and they generally run on Sunday
mornings and afternoons. Examples: "McLaughlin Group," "Meet the Press."

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Issue-Based Talk Shows

In these talk shows, guests appear on the show to discuss the issues that are going on in their
lives. In many cases, these talks show present sensationalized accounts of intricate
relationship intrigue. Many of these issue-based talk shows air during daytime hours and
often involve loud outbursts from agitated guests who find themselves growing increasingly
upset while confronting friends or loved ones who have wronged them in some way.
Examples: "Jerry Springer," "Maury Povich."

Comedic Talk Shows

Talk shows with a comedic bent have been gaining in popularity in recent years. In these
comic talk shows, a host provides comedic commentary on current events, celebrity scandals
and other notable items of discussion. The focus during these talk shows is on being both
entertaining and informative, with laughs taking precedence over the delivery of news.
Examples: "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report."

Talk Show Hosts

One of the most important parts of any successful talk show is the appeal and talent of the
host who presides over the talk show. Whether the host is working on a sensationalized issue
talk show or a serious political broadcast, the quality of the host directly affects the quality
and entertainment factor of the talk show itself.

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 News Program
A program devoted to current events, often using interviews and commentary

A news program, news programme, news show, or newscast is a regularly scheduled radio or
television program that reports current events. News is typically reported in a series of
individual stories that are presented by one or more anchors. A news program can include
live or recorded interviews by field reporters, expert opinions, opinion poll results, and
occasional editorial content.

A special category of news programs is entirely editorial in format. These host polemic
debates between pundits of various ideological philosophies.

In the early-21st-century news programs – especially those of commercial networks – tended

to become less oriented on "hard" news, and often regularly included "feel-good stories" or
humorous reports as the last items on their newscasts, as opposed to news programs
transmitted thirty years earlier, such as the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. From
their beginnings until around 1995, evening television news broadcasts continued featuring
serious news stories right up to the end of the program, as opposed to later broadcasts with
such anchors as Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Diane Sawyer.

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 Dialogues from Podcast
A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files that a user can download in order to
listen. Alternatively, the word "podcast" may refer to the individual component of such a
series or to an individual media file.

Podcasting often uses a subscription model, whereby new episodes automatically download
via web syndication to a user's own local computer, mobile application, or portable media
player.

The files distributed are in audio format, but may sometimes include other file formats such
as PDF or EPUB. Videos shared following a podcast model are sometimes called video
podcasts, vodcasts or vlogs.

Podcasting studio in What Cheer Writers Club in Providence, Rhode Island

The generator of a podcast maintains a central list of the files on a server as a web feed that
one can access through the Internet. The listener or viewer uses special client application
software on a computer or media player, known as a pod catcher, which accesses this web
feed, checks it for updates, and downloads any new files in the series. This process can be
automated to download new files automatically; thus, it may seem to subscribers as though
podcasters broadcast or "push" new episodes to them. Files are stored locally on the user's
device, ready for offline use. Many different mobile applications allow people to subscribe
and to listen to podcasts. Many of these applications allow users to download podcasts or to
stream them on demand as an alternative to downloading. Many podcast players (applications
as well as dedicated devices) allow listeners to skip around the podcast and to control the
playback speed.

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Some have labelled podcasting a converged medium (bringing together audio, the web, and
portable media players), as well as a disruptive technology that has caused some individuals
in the radio business to reconsider established practices and preconceptions about audiences,
consumption, production and distribution. Listeners usually consume podcasts free-of-charge,
and one can often produce them for little to no cost, which sets them apart from the
traditional 20th-century model of "gate-kept" media and their production tools. Podcast-
makers can monetize their podcasts by allowing companies to purchase ad time, as well as
via websites such as Patreon, which provides special extras and content to listeners for a fee.
Podcasting is very much a horizontal media form – producers are consumers, consumers may
become producers, and both can engage in conversations with each other.

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 CHOOSING THE ORGANIZATION

After deciding that you're going to start your own business, your next step should be to begin
planning the most basic organizational aspects of your business. These choices can be vital to
the success of your business.

Naming your business.

First, what are you going to name your business. You need a name that is unique, or whoever
started using it before you will be very unhappy with you. The name must convey what your
business is and does. There's not much doubt about what you're going to get at "Joe's Garage"
or "Momma O'Rourke's Family Irish Restaurant". For more information, see Naming Your
Start-up Business.

Organizing your business.

Second, you have to choose a form of organization. This decision dictates what
organizational formalities must be followed, how income is reported, and numerous other
issues. Research the issue carefully before making a decision. Don't forget that this decision
can and should be revisited as your business circumstances change.

There are several choices among entity types, and each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Make sure that you consult with your attorney or accountant before making a final decision.
Choose one of the following:

 Sole proprietorship
 Limited partnership
 Limited liability company
 Limited liability partnership
 C corporation
 S corporation
 Non-profit organization
 Benefit corporation
 Professional corporation (PLLC)

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Remember, the form that you choose isn't permanent. If the circumstances of your business
change, you can always change the form of your business. For example, you may start your
business as a sole proprietorship, but as your business grows, you may take on a partner and
become a partnership. Or, you may choose to incorporate to protect business creditors from
pursuing your personal assets.

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 Goal Setting
Goal setting involves the development of an action plan designed to motivate and guide a
person or group toward a goal. Goal setting can be guided by goal-setting criteria (or rules)
such as SMART criteria. Goal setting is a major component of personal-development and
management literature.

Studies by Edwin A. Locke and his colleagues have shown that more specific and ambitious
goals lead to more performance improvement than easy or general goals. The goals should be
specific, time constrained and difficult. Difficult goals should be set ideally at the 90th
percentile of performance if motivation and not ability is limiting attainment of that level of
performance. As long as the person accepts the goal, has the ability to attain it, and does not
have conflicting goals, there is a positive linear relationship between goal difficulty and task
performance.

The theory states that the simplest most direct motivational explanation of why some people
perform better than others is because they have different performance goals. The essence of
the theory is fourfold. First, difficult specific goals lead to significantly higher performance
than easy goals, no goals, or even the setting of an abstract goal such as urging people to do
their best. Second, holding ability constant, as this is a theory of motivation, and given that
there is goal commitment, the higher the goal the higher the performance. Third, variables
such as praise, feedback, or the involvement of people in decision-making only influences
behavior to the extent that it leads to the setting of and commitment to a specific difficult
goal. Fourth, goal-setting, in addition to affecting the three mechanisms of motivation,
namely, choice, effort, and persistence, can also have a cognitive benefit. It can influence
choice, effort, and persistence to discover ways to attain the goal.

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 Time Management
“Time management” refers to the way that you organize and plan how long you spend on
specific activities.

It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management,
instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:

 Greater productivity and efficiency.

 A better professional reputation.
 Less stress.
 Increased opportunities for advancement.
 Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.

Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:

 Missed deadlines.
 Inefficient work flow.
 Poor work quality.
 A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
 Higher stress levels.

Spending a little time learning about time-management techniques will have huge benefits
now – and throughout your career.

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 Leadership Traits
A common misconception is that individuals are just naturally gifted with leadership skills.
The truth is that leadership traits, like other skills, can be acquired with time and practice.
Below are seven traits of an effective leader:

1. Effective Communicators

Leaders are excellent communicators, able to clearly and concisely explain problems and
solutions. Leaders know when to talk and when to listen. In addition, leaders are able to
communicate on different levels: one-on-one, via phone, email, etc.

2. Accountable and Responsible

Leaders hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for any mistakes. Leaders
support and encourage individuality while abiding by organizational structure, rules, and
policies that need to be followed.

3. Long-term Thinkers

Leaders are visionaries. This is evidenced by the leadership trait of being able to plan for the
future through concrete and quantifiable goals. They understand the need for continuous
change and are open to trying new approaches to solve problems or improve processes.

4. Self-motivated

Leaders are self-motivated and are able to keep going and attain goals despite setbacks. In
addition, good leaders try their best to exceed, not just meet, expectations.

5. Confident

Virtually all good leaders share the leadership trait of confidence. They are able to make
tough decisions and lead with authority. By being confident, leaders are able to reassure and
inspire others, establish open communications, and encourage teamwork.

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6. People-oriented

Leaders are typically people-oriented and team players. They’re able to foster a team culture,
involve others in decision-making, and show concern for each team member. By being
people-oriented, leaders are able to energize and motivate others. By making each individual
feel important and vital to the team’s success, they secure the best efforts from each member
of the team.

7. Emotionally Stable

Leaders exercise good control and regulation over their own behavior and are able to tolerate
frustration and stress. Leaders are able to cope with changes in an environment without
having an intense emotional reaction.

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 Team Work
Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in

the most effective and efficient way. This concept is seen within the greater framework of a team,

which is a group of interdependent individuals who work together towards a common goal. Basic

requirements for effective teamwork are an adequate team size. The context is important, and team

sizes can vary depending upon the objective. A team must include at least 2 or more members, and

most teams range in size from 2 to 100. Sports teams generally have fixed sizes based upon set rules,

and work teams may change in size depending upon the phase and complexity of the objective.

Teams need to be able to leverage resources to be productive (i.e. playing fields or meeting

spaces, scheduled times for planning, guidance from coaches or supervisors, support from the

organization, etc.), and clearly defined roles within the team for everyone to have a clear purpose.

Teamwork is present in any context where a group of people are working together to achieve a

common goal. These contexts include an industrial organization (formal work teams), athletics (sports

teams), a school (classmates working on a project), and the healthcare system (operating room teams).

In each of these settings, the level of teamwork and interdependence can vary from low (e.g. golf,

track and field), to intermediate (e.g. baseball, football), to high (e.g. basketball, soccer), depending

on the amount of communication, interaction, and collaboration present between team members.

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 Communicating Across Teams
Communication is more than just talking face-to-face, although this form of communication
should never be neglected. However, individual people and projects may dictate different
types of communication. Technology plays a big part of our communication toolbox and,
when used effectively, can save time and help team members work more efficiently.

Normally a combination of methods works well on most projects, but the key here is how to
increase the overall communication across the whole team. By implementing a few simple
strategies, you should start to see an increase in team interaction.

To give you a head start, we’ve come up with some tips, but don’t stop here; be creative and
think out of the box!

1. Open door policy

When everyone is shut behind closed doors, it creates an atmosphere of secrecy. This applies
physically as well as psychologically. As outlined in an article on Forbes, by physically
opening your door, or encouraging an open plan environment, you are clearly
communicating that everybody is part of the same team. You are effectively removing the
barriers.

This also offers the team a message of transparency, an important concept for building
trust and clarity. Your team should also know that they can come to you at any time for help
and guidance, and that you encourage interaction between colleagues.

2. Encourage two-way feedback

So you have been handed in the first draft of the completed project and it just isn’t up to
scratch. Handing it back with a note to improve it is an example of poor communication at
work.

At this stage your team member will be scratching their head, thinking “How?” they have
already submitted the work they thought was required – what exactly do they need to do to
improve it?

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3. Clarity of roles and responsibilities

Unclear instructions and miscommunications are the cause of many problems at the average
workplace. If a team member is unsure exactly what is required of them, they are likely to
flounder and not complete the task to the correct standards.

By clarifying roles and responsibilities you are jumping the first hurdle to increasing
communications. By using techniques such as Responsibility Chartering (RACI)
accountability for each task is placed with the most appropriate person, which helps to clarify
conception, expectation and behavior of each different role.

4. Build the team spirit

If the team gets on well, they will automatically communicate better.

Do you remember when you first joined a firm as a junior, standing awkwardly at the coffee
machine, not knowing what to say to all your new colleagues? Even now, there are probably
still a few people in the office who you just smile and say hello to in passing, without ever
having a real conversation.

Building a team spirit not only gives everyone the opportunity to get to know each other
better, but helps to create an environment where everyone feels they have an investment in
the outcome. According to team bonding specialists, Teambonding, this in turn improves
communication channels.

5. Use time wisely - Monday morning coffee time

Coffee breaks seem to be randomly distributed within some companies, with different team
members breaking at different times.

Why not consider going back to the “good ol’ days”, when coffee time was at a set time
every day. The whole office downs tools and meets up in the canteen for a cuppa and a
chinwag, providing the ideal opportunity for informal meetings and discussions.

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6. Training

When it comes to communication, you should never overlook the virtues of training. Yes,
training does take time, effort and money, but according to Warkentin and Beranek, improved
interactions were achieved by teams that were given relative training.

This particular research concentrated on the benefits to virtual teams that rely on
communications software, where much of the traditional training has focused on use to the
software rather than “interpersonal communications dynamics”.

7. Use appropriate forms of communication

Every project that comes through your office doors needs handling in an individual way, and
the most effective communication stream should reflect that. If a particular task requires a
hands-on approach, then you may need to instigate more face-to-face meetings to effectively
communicate.

Alternatively, your project may involve team members in different locations, and in-house
meetings will not be viable. In this case technology comes into its own; video conferencing
can be an effective way for the whole team to “meet up”.

8. Online tools instead of meetings

Did you know that the average team member spends over a quarter of their day in their
inbox? According to a report from Mckinsey & Company. On top of that nearly 20% of the
day is spent chasing information or seeking someone to help with specific tasks. That is a
lot of lost productivity time, which is why more companies are turning to cloud-based work
collaboration software.

This type of software allows you to centralize whole projects in one place, allowing every
member of the team to access the information quickly and easily. It eliminates the need
for backwards and forwards emails, plus decreases the amount of meetings.

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 Designing Career and Life Planning

Discover Yourself
Planning a successful career path starts with knowing who you are: your strengths, interests,
values, motivations, and personality. How do you discover these things? By asking yourself:
What is important to me?
What do I like to do in my free time?
What activities make me lose track of time?
What are the most interesting jobs and careers I can think of?
If I could do anything and money was not object, what would I do?
What skills and activities come naturally to me?
Exploring Options
After assessing your interests, values, skills, and motivations, there are many different ways
to explore career options that may relate well to you. These include:
Career-related books, journals, periodicals, and videos
Informational interviews with alumni and other career professionals
Professional associations, social media and other online resources
Job fairs and other professional networking events Ever green’s multidisciplinary programs
and self-designed degrees also give you a huge advantage over students at other colleges and
universities. Rather than taking required courses for a major, you can choose programs that
allow you to explore subjects and disciplines of interest
Making a Decision
After you’ve explored your interests, values, skills and motivations, and how they relate to
occupations, it is time to assess your experiences to date, to narrow your career focus, and
decide. Some critical questions you should ask yourself include:
Have I fully considered, to the best of my ability, all my interests, values, skills, and
motivations?
Have I gathered enough information to make an informed and comfortable decision?
How much and what kind of information do I need to make my decision?
What questions do I still have that will help me make my decision? It’s important to
remember that, when it comes to career choice, decisions are never final. You can, and
probably will, change your mind in the future.

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Taking Action
If you want to get anywhere, you must take action. So, based on your research to date, choose
an academic and career emphasis and begin developing a plan to help you reach your goals.
Some questions you might ask yourself include:
Do I know what programs would be most relevant to my career goals?
Do I know the skills that are necessary in the fields I have chosen?
How do I gain the necessary skills to be marketable to employers, or the prerequisites to
qualify for a specific graduate degree program? Embarking on this journey will help you to
see and learn more about yourself and what the world has to offer.

Evaluate Your Decision

As you gain new experience and knowledge, your view of the world is likely to change. Your
experiences may strengthen your confidence in the decision you’ve made.

Career development is a proactive, continuing process—NOT an event

What you emphasize in college does not pre-determine your entire professional career—
there are lots of career paths you will have the opportunity to explore

While focusing on your college studies you do not have to give up your other areas of
interest. Find extracurricular activities to fulfil your other interests, and consider internships
that earn academic credit

Your priorities, interests and skills will shift over time

Career planning and decision-making take time

When developing your career action plan, keep your end goals in mind—determine what
path you may want to pursue whether it is a career, graduate/professional school or
volunteer/service after graduation

ALL your experiences, whether they are job-related or not, impact your career choices

Keep an open mind and be open to opportunities that present themselves

No one career could possibly meet ALL your needs—choose the career option that appears
to be the best fit

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Understanding Body Language Aspects and presenting oneself to an interviewer

Body language during interview plays a very important role in making or breaking your
career. The expression “actions speak louder than words” holds very true, especially during
job interviews. The way you present yourself leaves a significant impact on your interviewer.

Following are some useful tips for you to ensure you have a perfect body language to leave a
good impression.

Eye Contact

Body language during interview should have you make eye contact with the other person.
One of the most vital aspects of your body language during job interview, making and
maintaining eye contact is a must. It not only shows you’re paying attention to your
interviewer but also suggests your engagement with the situation.

Sit up straight

Again, sitting up straight in your chair gives an automatic signal of confidence and reliability.
It is recommended not to slouch forward or backward, as such a position suggests you have a
very casual and “not-really-bothered” attitude.

If you’re unable to sit straight, try pulling up yourself from the head. Push down on your
shoulders and maintain a steady balance of your upper body while sitting should be your
body language during interview.

Hand gestures

Job interview body language suggests making use of your hands by way of subtle gestures.
Hand movements like touching your fingertips, clasping palms, and moving your fingers as
you speak – are signs of honesty and openness. You can also try resting your hands in your
lap at a time.

Avoid touching your face

Candidates who touch their face frequently are considered to be dishonest and untrustworthy.
Touching the face in the form of playing with one’s hair or rubbing nose is not considered as
a good body language technique.

25
Similarly, rubbing your head or neck makes the other person think of you being bored or not
interested. Crossed arms and legs make you look unapproachable and defensive. Instead,
keep your shoulders relaxed and facing the interviewer to show your involvement in the
interview.

Smile!

Wherever and whenever appropriate, improve body language during interview and do smile
so that there’s positivity in and around the interview room. Smiling once at a time also shows
you’re comfortable with the flow of the interview. Maintain a fairly balanced smile – neither
too timid to seem timid or too exaggerating to seem ridiculous.

Stay at one spot

Precisely, from your fingertip movements to your legs, try and keep yourself at one spot.
Otherwise if you keep fidgeting, it maybe comprehended as you’re getting bored or impatient
with the interview process. This way you’ll not only have your posture straight but your focus
would be on the interviewer and not elsewhere. It’ll help you seem more focus and interested
in the session.

Mirror image

Last but not the least, be the mirror image of your interviewer. It is one of the best job
interview body language tips to do as the other person does. Well, but that does not mean you
purposely imitate your HR manager and have the entire process backfired.

Quick pointers:

 Sit straight and tight in your chair

 Have and maintain passive eye contact
 Occasionally use hand gestures to express yourself
 Improvise on your posture – no slouching
 Nod your head as you’re listening

26
 Proper Handshakes

Handshakes are an indispensable part of our lives. Day in and day out, we meet friends and
colleagues with whom we are supposed to shake hands. Handshakes are as old as the human
civilization. In Roman times, the practice of lower arm grasp was followed as a way to check
if the other person has concealed a dagger under the sleeves. Slowly, this converted to a form
of common greeting and then, it eventually turned into the modern-day handshake.

Shaking hands has a lot of Do’s and Don’ts. You should not always offer a handshake to a
stranger. Handshake is a sign of welcoming people. If you are unsure whether you are
welcome at one place or not, it is better to not go for a handshake. Salespeople can be
observed taking care of this all the while they meet a new person. They resort to a simple
head-nod rather than initiating a handshake. A handshake should not convey dominance or
submission. What it should actually show is equality. Let’s take a quick look at some of the
common handshake customs around the world and their features.

The Equality Handshake

Whenever you shake hands, it’s interpreted as a subtle symbolic power struggle between you
and the other person. In short, the palm of either of those involved in the handshake must
neither be facing down nor facing up.

For a proper handshake, the palms of both the individuals must be in vertical position.
Then, both the people must apply the same pressure. If you find that the pressure you are
applying is greater or lesser than the other person, then you need to modulate your pressure
accordingly.

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The Submissive Handshake

The submissive handshake happens when your palm in facing up and is below the palm of the
other person. This is called “palm up thrust”. This makes you look submissive. Don’t let the
other person get an upper hand at the handshake.

The Dominant Handshake

The opposite of submissive handshake is the dominant handshake. This happens when you
place your arm above the palm of the other person and hence, your palm is facing down. This
is called “palm down thrust”. This handshake conveys authority and dominance on your
part. Don’t let the world think that you are submissive just because your palms are placed
over the palm of the other person.

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The Double Handler Handshake

When a person presents you with a palm down thrust, respond with your hand in the palm up
position and then apply your second hand to make his palm straight. It is one of the most
powerful handshakes in the world as it symbolizes sincerity and a strong bond between the
two people involved in the handshake. This handshake is also called as the politician’s
handshake, since politicians use this type of handshake a lot.

The Wet Fish Handshake

This is one of the worst handshakes in the world. In this handshake, the hands are cold and
sweaty. This is perceived as a weak handshake and the person giving such a handshake is
considered to be of weak character and to be lacking commitment.

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The Vice Handshake

The vice handshake is another much loathed handshake around the world. This handshake is
done by a palm up thrust and then a stronghold of the other person’s hands followed by
vigorous hand movements. The strokes are so hard that it appears the person giving such a
handshake is too authoritative and dominant.

The Bone Breaker Handshake

In the bone breaker handshake, the person giving this handshake grips the hand of the other
person and grinds it with his hands. This handshake signifies aggressive personality and
should not be used at all.

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The Fingertip Handshake

One of the most hated types of handshakes is the fingertip handshake. In this type of
handshake, the two people merely touch the fingertips of each other and give a very slight
stroke or may even miss the stroke. This handshake conveys lack of confidence and lack of
self-esteem. This is a handshake observed many a times during job interviews. Even before
the interview begins, this type of handshake puts off the interviewer and the interviewee’s
impression goes for a toss.

The Straight Finger Handshake

In this type of handshake, the person giving the hand has all his fingers straight. It is a very
bad and rude gesture not to clasp the palm of the other person, as it shows lack of interest in
the meeting and repulsion towards the other person. Always remember to clasp the hands of
the other person during a handshake and give it a proper stroke.

Writing Job Applications

Before you begin writing your job application letter, do some groundwork. Consider what
information you want to include (keeping in mind that space is limited). Remember, this
letter is making a case for your candidacy for the position. But you can do better than just
regurgitating your resume — instead, highlight your most relevant skills, experiences, and
abilities.

To include the most convincing, relevant details in your letter, you'll need to know what the
employer wants. The biggest clues are within the job advertisement, so spend some time
decoding the job ad. Next, match your qualifications with the employer's wants and needs.
Make a list of your relevant experience and skills. For instance, if the job ad calls for a strong

31
leader, think of examples of when you've successfully led a team. Once you've jotted down
some notes and have a sense of what you want to highlight in your letter, you're ready to get
started writing.

Writing Guidelines for Job Application Letters

Writing a job application letter is very different from a quick email to a friend or a thank-you
note to a relative. Hiring managers and potential interviewers have certain expectations when
it comes to the letter's presentation and appearance, from length (no more than a page) to font
size and style to letter spacing:

Length: A letter of application should be no more than one page long.

Format and Page Margins: A letter of application should be single-spaced with a space
between each paragraph. Use about 1" margins and align your text to the left, which is the
standard alignment for most documents.

Font: Use a traditional font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. The font size
should be between 10 and 12 points.

What to Include in Each Section of the Letter?

There are also set rules for the sections included in the letter, from salutation to sign-off, and
how the letter is organized. Here's a quick lowdown on the main sections included in a job
application letter:

Heading: A letter of application should begin with both your and the employer's contact
information (name, address, phone number, email) followed by the date. If this is an email
rather than an actual letter, include your contact information at the end of the letter, after your
signature.

 Header Examples

Salutation: This is your polite greeting. The most common salutation is "Dear Mr./Ms."
followed by the person's last name. Find out more about appropriate cover letter salutations,
including what to do if you don't know the person's name, or are unsure of a contact's gender.

32
Body of the letter: Think of this section as being three distinct parts.

In the first paragraph, you'll want to mention the job you are applying for and where you
saw the job listing.

The next paragraph(s) are the most important part of your letter. Remember how you
gathered all that information about what employers were seeking, and how you could meet
their needs? This is where you'll share those relevant details on your experience and
accomplishments.

The third and last part of the body of the letter will be your thank you to the employer;
you can also offer follow-up information.

Complimentary Close: Sign off your email with a polite close, such as "Best" or
"Sincerely," followed by your name.

Cover Letter

The cover letter is a tool to help introduce yourself in a memorable, personal way during a
job application.

A well-crafted cover letter goes over information on your resume and expands this
information for the reader, taking them on a guided journey of some of your greatest career
and life achievements.

When starting to write any cover letter, it is always best to plan the content of your letter
based on the requirements of the job you’re applying for.

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What is a Cover Letter?

Your resume is intended to lay out the facts, but your cover letter is meant to convey more
personality. The cover letter is your first introduction to the person who may hire you, and its
goal should be to make you as memorable as possible, in a good way.

That means writing a unique cover letter for every job you apply to. No templates. No pre-
written nonsense. The format of your cover letter should also match the company and the
industry you’re applying to.

Successful cover letters go something like this:

1. Memorable introduction
2. Specific, organized examples of relevant work done and problems solved
3. Concise conclusion with a call to action

The rest is up to you. As we’ll go over in the next section, “What to Include in Your Cover
Letter,” successful cover letters prove that you are qualified for the job by telling stories that
demonstrate your skills and experience.

What to Include in Your Cover Letter?

You shouldn’t try to fit your whole career and life into the space of a cover letter.

Your cover letter should be a carefully curated selection of stories from your career that gives
the reader a clear idea of who you are and how you can add value to their company.

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The Society for Human Resources surveyed organizations on resumes, cover letters, and
interviews and found the top three things that must be included in a cover letter are:

 How a candidate’s work experience meets job requirements.

 How a candidate’s skills meet job requirements.
 Why a candidate wants to work at the organization.

Show how you can solve specific problems

Saying you’re a ‘problem-solver’ is about as helpful as explaining your preference for

chocolate croissants over regular croissants. Don’t tell them about your amazing problem-
solving skills. Explain the details of a problem you were key in solving and how exactly you
employed your skills to solve it. Better yet, if you know the company has a problem you
could help solve, outline how you can help solve it.

Pick an appropriate voice and tone

You should write like yourself, but you should also pick the appropriate voice and tone for
the company you’re applying to.

Researching the company will help dictate the tone you want to use, which may differ
greatly, depending on where you apply. For example, the tone of your letter for a legal
consulting firm will likely differ from a tech start-up.

Tell your story

Telling stories from your career is a great way to demonstrate your skills and give hiring
managers some insight into your personality and work style.

When looking for the right stories to tell, always look to the requirements for the position in
the job description.

It is also helpful to research the company further online to get a sense for the company’s
culture. Before drafting your cover letter, compare your skills with the requirements for the
position.

Honesty is the only policy

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Dishonesty on your cover letter isn’t in your best interest.

Implying or stating that you have a skill that you don’t actually have will come back to bite
you upon being asked to use that skill in the interview or on the job.

Don’t sound like everyone else

“Hi, I’m ___. I’m a detail-oriented, multi-tasking, natural-born leader and I am perfect for
your company.”

Hiring managers are going to read the same basic cover letter repeatedly, and you don’t want
to be the last template email the hiring manager discounts before lunch. Adding a little word
variation helps you stand out against other applicants.

End with a call to action

End your letter with a reason for them to contact you. But don’t add remarks like, “I’ll call to
schedule an interview.” This doesn’t make you a go-getter, it crosses a boundary.

Instead, let the call to action be polite and open ended, suggesting that you are excited to
offer more information and that you’re looking forward to talking with them.

Proof your cover letter

Always proofread your cover letter for errors and have friends and family read through the
cover letter.

How to Make Your Cover Letter Unique?

When thinking about how to make your cover letter unique, keep the following statements in
mind:

 You should make your cover letter unique and show the reader who you are as an
individual.
 You should include experience and skills that relate directly to the job posting.

These might sound like opposing statements, but they’re equally important for writing a
successful cover letter.

36
Your cover letter needs to be highly related to the job you’re applying to, but the way that
you prove your qualifications should show who you are as an individual.

Tell a compelling story

Everyone loves a good story, and recruiters and hiring managers are no exception. Telling
compelling stories from your career will make your cover letter unique and memorable for
whoever reads it.

Just be sure that the stories you choose demonstrate proficiency with the skills, tools and
concepts that are required by the job you’re applying for.

Address the recruiter or hiring manager by name

Now it’s fine to just use “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern” when addressing
the recruiter. In fact, I can tell you from experience that most people use precisely these
words. However, I can also tell you that most people don’t get the job. If you want to make a
strong impression, then take the time to find out who you’re addressing.

You may have to make a few phone calls or try several searches before you find the right
name, but, the harder they are to find, the less likely other applicants are to do it and the more
impressed they will be with you.

Give your cover letter a unique visual format

A unique visual format for your cover letter can help you stand out from other candidates in a
positive way. Just be sure that the unique format you use is appropriate for the company
you’re applying to and their industry.

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 RESUME

What is a Resume?

A resume is a short document used to summarize a job seeker’s experience and qualifications
for a prospective employer. A resume includes the job seeker’s contact information, work
experience, education, and relevant skills in support of a job application.

Your resume is arguably the most critical part of the modern job application process. Writing
the best resume possible is more important than ever now that online job postings routinely
attract hundreds if not thousands of applicants. A well-organized, tailored resume will
increase your chances of landing an interview while a poorly written resume could get lost in
the sea of applicants.

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What is the Difference Between a Resume and a CV?

Sometimes you will see the words resume and CV used interchangeably. They are not the
same. A resume is relatively short document meant to market your professional abilities
while a CV contains a thorough listing of your professional, academic, and other experiences.

CV stands for curriculum vitae (“course of life”). CVs are comprehensive by design. Think of
them as the encyclopaedia version of your professional life, spanning your work history,
education, certifications, affiliations, publications, and specializations. They can extend well
beyond three or four pages.

In the United States, CVs are typically limited to professions with standardized positions in
which deep expertise is critical, such as academia, science, and medicine. These CVs are
filled with expanded education sections, work history, internships, speaking gigs, teaching
appointments, journal publications, and other details that establish credibility.

Resumes are used across most industries and are relatively short at just one or two pages
long. That’s because resumes aren’t meant to include every detail of your past experience.
Your resume should be tailored and updated based on the specifics of each job to which you
apply. Irrelevant duties from past jobs can be removed to save space and drawn more
attention to your most applicable skills and accomplishments.

How to Write a Resume

1. Pick a resume format with the sections you need

2. Always include contact information, work experience, and education

39
3. Use traditional headings for maximum compatibility
4. Include applicable skills directly from the job description
5. Replace basic job duties with impactful accomplishments
6. Don’t include an outdated objective statement or references section
7. Proofread and double-check what you’ve written
8. Save the resume as a DOCX file (preferred) or PDF.

What to Include in Your Resume?

At a minimum, your resume should include your contact information, work experience, and
education. Additional sections for career summary, skills, volunteer work, and additional
qualifications can be added if they’re relevant to the job for which you’re applying.

The operative work here is “relevant.” Remember that your resume is meant to quickly
highlight the reasons you’re a great fit for the job. It’s not meant to detail every job duty
you’ve ever performed. Instead of simply writing your day-to-day responsibilities from past
jobs, study the job listing and try to come up with an answer for each requirement listed. This
is more likely to get the attention of a recruiter who may only look at your resume for a few
seconds. It also optimizes your resume for the applicant tracking system sorting algorithms
that help companies identify top candidates.

Below you’ll find which resume sections to include in your resume and how to tailor them to
the job you want.

Contact Information

The top of your resume should include the following information:

 Name
 Phone number
 Location (City, State, Zip Code)
 Email Address
 LinkedIn profile URL

40
It might seem obvious, but job seekers sometimes forget a key piece of contact information in
this section. Double check and make it as easy as possible for recruiters to contact you for a
job interview.

Include a personal phone number, never a work number. Add your city, state, and zip code
(e.g. “Seattle, WA 98104”). This is important as some applicant tracking systems allow
recruiters to filter candidates based on location. Recruiters will always start with local
candidates first. If you’re relocating from another area, list both your current location and
your future location.

Use a professional-sounding email address. An email address based around your name is
ideal, such as jackieromano12@email.com. Your “fun” email address might work perfectly
fine in your personal life, but “beersnob88” or “Bieber superfan” might not cast you in the
most professional light. Even using an email client that is considered outdated -- like AOL or
Hotmail -- could hurt your chances. Consider creating a free Gmail account for your job
search.

If a recruiter is intrigued by your qualifications, they will look up your online profiles. All job
seekers should create a strong LinkedIn profile and include the URL on their resume. This
will make the recruiter’s life a little easier and help them cross check the claims on your
resume.

Work Experience

The work experience section is the heart of your resume. Differentiate this section with a
clear, to-the-point heading, such as “Work Experience,” “Professional Experience,” or
“Employment History.” This will help guide recruiters through your resume as well as ensure
it is accurately parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Under the main heading, list each job in reverse-chronological order. Each job should have its
own subheading that includes the following information:

 Company
 Job location
 Your job title
 Start and end dates

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For example:

 ABC Corporation, Seattle, WA

 Distribution Manager (01/2017-Present)

The first things a recruiter looks for on your resume are the job titles you’ve held and the
calibre of companies you’ve worked with. This format not only makes it easy for them to find
that information, but our research has found that this sequence also offers maximum ATS
compatibility.

Under each position’s subheading, include responsibilities and measurable results that are
relevant to the job for which you’re applying. Remember, you don’t need to include every
duty that was part of your day-to-day work. Use your available space to emphasize the skills
and experiences that are asked for in the job description. Jobscan helps you determine exactly
which skills are being requested and whether you’ve highlighted them in your resume.

Anyone can perform a task, so demonstrating that you did it well will make you stand out
from other applicants. There is a saying in resume writing, “duties tell, accomplishments
sell.” Using numbers, percentages, time, and dollar amounts to quantify your
accomplishments will help the recruiter or hiring manager visualize your potential impact.

Education

If you’re a few years into your career, your resume’s education section can be minimized at
the bottom of your resume. Unless you’re applying in a career that puts extra emphasis on
education (like academia, law, or medicine), most job seekers can get away with providing
only the following information on their resume:

 Name of Institution
 Degree
 School Location
 Years Attended

If you’ve recently graduated college, your education section goes above your work
experience and includes more detail. Skills developed in school are real skills that have value

42
in the professional world. Recent grads can include relevant coursework, societies,
organizations, and extracurriculars that strengthen their candidacy.

Skills

98 percent of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to sort, filter, and
search applicants. Some ATS, like Taleo, can automatically rank your resume’s content
against the job description, allowing recruiters to focus only on the “best” applicants.
Recruiters also search their applicant pool for important resume keywords, like “customer
service,” “accounts receivable,” or “Adobe Photoshop.”

Ranking highly or coming up as a search result is all about including the right hard skills and
keywords in your resume. The best way to identify skills important to the ranking and search
algorithms is by noticing which skills are most prominent in the job description. Matching
these skills in your resume, when applicable, increases your chances of being selected for an
interview.

Jobscan automates this process by showing you a side-by-side comparison of the skills found
in the job description and in your resume.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Some resume formats allow room for several optional sections. Only use an awards or
honours section on your resume if it makes sense for the job for which you’re applying.
Relevant honours will increase your credibility while irrelevant awards might only distract
from your best qualifications. For example, list that you earned Employee of the Month or
received the highest customer satisfaction rating in your department, but maybe not that you
are a go kart racing champion in your spare time.

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 Email

Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between

people using electronic devices. Invented by Ray Tomlinson, email first entered limited use
in the 1960s and by the mid-1970s had taken the form now recognized as email. Email
operates across computer networks, which today is primarily the Internet. Some early email
systems required the author and the recipient to both be online at the same time, in common
with instant messaging.

Today's email systems are based on a store-and-forward model. Email servers accept,
forward, deliver, and store messages. Neither the users nor their computers are required to be
online simultaneously; they need to connect only briefly, typically to a mail server or a
webmail interface for as long as it takes to send or receive messages or to download it.

44
Originally an ASCII text-only communications medium, Internet email was extended by
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) to carry text in other character sets and
multimedia content attachments. International email, with internationalized email addresses
using UTF-8, has been standardized, but as of 2017 it has not been widely adopted.[2]

The history of modern Internet email services reaches back to the early ARPANET, with
standards for encoding email messages published as early as 1973 (RFC 561). An email
message sent in the early 1970s looks very similar to a basic email sent today.

Letters

Letter Format

Here are professional letter and email formats including cover letters, business letters,
resignation letters, reference letters, thank you letters, and letters for a variety of other
employment-related scenarios.

1.Professional Business Letter Format

Even though many communications are handled via email, printed letters are still used for
formal business correspondence. A business letter should include the following components:

45
Writer's Contact Information

Date

Recipient's Contact Information

Salutation

Body of Letter
When writing a business letter, keep it simple and focused, so the purpose of your letter is
clear. Use the first paragraph to introduce yourself. The second and third paragraphs will
explain why you are writing and what you are requesting from the reader. End your letter by
thanking the reader for considering your request.

Closing

Your signature

Your Typed Signature

Tips for Formatting a Business Letter

 Keep your letter short. Two or three paragraphs and a single page is sufficient, leaving room
for your signature at the bottom of the letter.
 Choose a simple font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. A 12 point font size is easy to
read.
 Single space your letter, leave a space between each paragraph and before and after the
contact information and closing. Left justify your letter.

2.Business Email Message Format

When you're sending emails to apply for jobs, for work, or for business purposes, it's
important to format each section of your message correctly. It's easy, for example, for emails

46
to get lost in an inbox if they don't have a subject line, or to not get a second glance if they
have typos or other errors.

Here's how to format a business email:

Subject Line - This should explain why you are writing in a few words.

Salutation - Start the email with a professional greeting.

The body of the Message - Explain why you are writing as briefly as possible.

Closing - End your message with a professional closing just as you would a business letter.

Signature - Your signature provides information for the reader to get back in touch with you.
Include your full name, email address, phone number, and your address if you are expecting a
written reply.

Tips for Formatting an Email Message

 Write your email messages as you would any other business correspondence, with full
sentences, paragraphs, and a space between each paragraph.
 The key to writing and formatting email message is to keep them short. Most people don't
read beyond the first or second paragraph, so make your point at the beginning of your
message.

Review Examples
Review examples of professional email messages to use to correctly format your own
messages.

3.Cover Letter Format

To be effective, a cover letter written to apply for a job should follow the basic format of a
typical business letter. Include the following sections in your letter:

Your Contact Information

Date

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Employer's Contact Information

Salutation

Body of Letter
Include information on the job you are applying for, why you are a good fit for the position,
and how you will follow up. Take the time to match your qualifications to the job. Use your
closing paragraph to thank the employer for their consideration.

Closing

Your signature (hard copy letter)

Your Typed Signature

Tips for Formatting a Cover Letter

 Be sure to include spaces between paragraphs and an appropriate greeting and closing.
 Left justify your letter and use a simple font like Arial, Verdana, or Times New Roman.

4.Job Acceptance Letter Format

When you accept a job offer, it's a good idea to write a formal job acceptance letter to
confirm the details of employment and to formally accept the job offer. The letter should
include the following elements:

Your Contact Information

Date

Salutation

Body of Letter
The first paragraph of the letter should include your thanks and appreciation for the
opportunity. Next, mention that you are accepting the offer. State the terms of employment
including the salary, benefits, and anything else you have negotiated with the employer. The

48
last paragraph of the letter or email confirms your start date. You can also mention that you
are looking forward to starting work.

Closing (printed letter)

Your signature

Your Typed Signature

If you are accepting a job via email, list your name and contact information after the closing.

5.Letter of Interest Format

A letter of interest, also known as a prospecting letter or inquiry letter, is sent to companies
that may be hiring but haven't listed a specific job opening to apply for.

Your letter of interest should contain information on why the company interests you and why
your skills and experience would be an asset to the company. The letter should follow this
format:

Your Contact Information

Date

Company Contact Information

Salutation

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Body of Letter
Your first paragraph should mention what you have to offer the company. Explain why you
would be an excellent new hire. The second and third paragraphs should provide examples of
how you have used your strengths in prior roles. The last paragraph of the letter should
include a request to meet with the company to discuss employment opportunities.

Closing

Signature
Be sure to include your contact information in your signature (email address, phone, mailing
address) if you are sending an email message, so it's easy for the reader to get in touch with
you. For a printed letter, include your full name and sign above it.

Include Your Resume

Send a copy of your resume with your letter of interest so the employer can review your
complete work history, educational background, and qualifications.

6.Reference Letter Format

A reference letter should provide information on who you are, your connection with the
person you are recommending, why they are qualified, and the specific skills they have.

A reference letter should be formatted as follows:

Salutation

Body of Letter
The first paragraph of the reference letter describes how you know the person you are
recommending and why you are qualified to provide a recommendation. The second and third
paragraphs of the letter provide information on why the person is qualified for a job or
graduate school, what they can offer, and why you are endorsing them.

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The next paragraph should state that you "highly recommend" or "strongly recommend" the
individual.

The final paragraph contains an offer to provide more information. Include an email address
and a phone number within the paragraph. Also, include your phone number and email
address in the return address section of your letter or your signature if you are sending an
email reference.

Closing (printed letter)

Your signature

Your Typed Signature

7.Resignation Letter Format

The format of a resignation letter should be brief and factual. You don't need to include any
more information other than the fact that you are resigning and the date your resignation will
be effective.

Optional, but not required, information that you can include in a resignation letter is your
appreciation for the opportunities you had, a reason for leaving, and an offer to help as you
transition out of your job.

Here's how to format a resignation letter:

Your Contact Information

Date

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Employer Contact Information

Salutation

Body of Letter
The first paragraph of your letter should say that you are resigning and include your last day
of work. Optionally, you can another paragraph thanking the company for the opportunities
they provided while you worked there. Also optional is an offer to help with the transition.

Closing (printed letter)

Your signature

Your Typed Signature

8.Thank You Letter Format

When you write a thank you letter after a job interview, as well as saying thanks for the
interview, it's a good idea to restate why you are interested in the job, what your
qualifications are, how you might make significant contributions, and why you are qualified
for the position.

Your letter should be formatted as follows for a mailed letter. If you're emailing your thank
you, list your name and "thank you" in the subject line of the message.

Your Contact Information

Date

Employer Contact Information

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Salutation

Body of Letter
Start your letter by thanking the interviewer for the time they spent interviewing you. In the
next paragraph, mention the specific qualifications that make you a strong candidate for the
job. If there was anything you wished you had said at the interview, but didn't, use the third
paragraph to mention. Conclude your letter by reiterating your thanks and stating that you are
looking forward to hearing from the hiring manager.

Closing (printed letter)

Your signature

Your Typed Signature

MEMOS

A memo (also known as a memorandum, or "reminder") is used for internal communications

regarding procedures or official business within an organization.

Unlike an email, a memo is a message you send to a large group of employees, like your
entire department or everyone at the company. You might need to write a memo to inform
staff of upcoming events, or broadcast internal changes.

If you need to inform your employees of official internal business, here's an easy-to-follow
business memo template, as well as examples for further guidance.

Business Memo Template

MEMORANDUM

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TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

I'm writing to inform you that [reason for writing memo].

As our company continues to grow … [evidence or reason to support your opening

paragraph].

Please let me know if you have any questions. In the meantime, I'd appreciate your
cooperation as [official business information] takes place.

Header:

In your header, you'll want to clearly label your content "Memorandum" so your readers
know exactly they're receiving. Then, you'll want to include "TO", "FROM", "DATE", and
"SUBJECT". This information is relevant for providing content, like who you're addressing,
and why.

Paragraph One:

In the first paragraph, you'll want to quickly and clearly state the purpose of your memo. You
might begin your sentence with the phrase, "I'm writing to inform you … " or "I'm writing to
request ... ". A memo is meant to be short, clear, and to-the-point. You'll want to deliver your
most critical information upfront, and then use subsequent paragraphs as opportunities to dive
into more detail.

Paragraph Two:

In the second paragraph, you'll want to provide context or supporting evidence. For instance,
let's say your memo is informing the company of an internal re-organization. If this is the
case, paragraph two should say something like, "As our company continues to grow, we've

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decided it makes more sense to separate our video production team from our content team.
This way, those teams can focus more on their individual goals."

Paragraph Three:

In the third paragraph, you'll want to include your specific request of each employee -- if
you're planning a team outing, this is the space you'd include, "Please RSVP with dietary
restrictions," or "Please email me with questions."

On the contrary, if you're informing staff of upcoming construction to the building, you might
say, "I'd appreciate your cooperation during this time." Even if there isn't any specific action
you expect from employees, it's helpful to include how you hope they'll handle the news and
whether you expect them to do something in response to the memo.

Downloadable Memo Template

Want to see the the above memo format in its final form? Download HubSpot's free business
memo template, shown below. The document gives you a framework that sorts your
memorandum into subtopics to help employees better digest the information and understand
what's expected of them after reading it.

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Memo Examples

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 Reports

A report is a document that presents information in an organized format for a specific

audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete
reports are almost always in the form of written documents.

In modern business scenario, reports play a major role in the progress of business. Reports
are the backbone to the thinking process of the establishment, and they are responsible, to a
great extent, in evolving an efficient or inefficient work environment.

The significance of the reports includes:

 Reports present adequate information on various aspects of the business.

 All the skills and the knowledge of the professionals are communicated through
reports.
 Reports help the top line in decision making.
 A rule and balanced report also helps in problem solving.
 Reports communicate the planning, policies and other matters regarding an
organization to the masses. News reports play the role of ombudsman and levy checks
and balances on the establishment.

Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a

particular purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem,
often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear
and well-structured.

Requirements for the precise form and content of a report will vary between organisation and
departments and in study between courses, from tutor to tutor, as well as between subjects, so
it’s worth finding out if there are any specific guidelines before you start.

Reports may contain some or all the following elements:

 A description of a sequence of events or a situation;

 Some interpretation of the significance of these events or situation, whether solely your own
analysis or informed by the views of others, always carefully referenced of course (see our
page on Academic Referencing for more information);

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  An evaluation of the facts or the results of your research;
 Discussion of the likely outcomes of future courses of action;
 Your recommendations as to a course of action; and
 Conclusions.

Not all of these elements will be essential in every report.

If you’re writing a report in the workplace, check whether there are any standard guidelines
or structure that you need to use.

For example, in the UK many government departments have outline structures for reports to
ministers that must be followed exactly.

Sections and Numbering

A report is designed to lead people through the information in a structured way, but also to
enable them to find the information that they want quickly and easily.

Modern word processors have features to add tables of contents (ToC) and page numbers as
well as styled headings; you should take advantage of these as they update automatically as
you edit your report, moving, adding or deleting sections.

Report Writing
Getting Started: prior preparation and planning

The structure of a report is very important to lead the reader through your thinking to a course
of action and/or decision. It’s worth taking a bit of time to plan it out beforehand.

Step 1: Know your brief

You will usually receive a clear brief for a report, including what you are studying and for
whom the report should be prepared.

First of all, consider your brief very carefully and make sure that you are clear who the report
is for (if you're a student then not just your tutor, but who it is supposed to be written for),

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and why you are writing it, as well as what you want the reader to do at the end of reading:
make a decision or agree a recommendation, perhaps.

Step 2: Keep your brief in mind at all times

During your planning and writing, make sure that you keep your brief in mind: who are you
writing for, and why are you writing?

All your thinking needs to be focused on that, which may require you to be ruthless in your
reading and thinking. Anything irrelevant should be discarded.

As you read and research, try to organise your work into sections by theme, a bit like writing
a Literature Review.

The Structure of a Report

Like the precise content, requirements for structure vary, so do check what’s set out in any
guidance.

However, as a rough guide, you should plan to include at the very least an executive
summary, introduction, the main body of your report, and a section containing your
conclusions and any recommendations.

Introduction

The introduction sets out what you plan to say and provides a brief summary of the problem
under discussion. It should also touch briefly on your conclusions.

Report Main Body

The main body of the report should be carefully structured in a way that leads the reader
through the issue.

You should split it into sections using numbered sub-headings relating to themes or areas for
consideration. For each theme, you should aim to set out clearly and concisely the main issue
under discussion and any areas of difficulty or disagreement. It may also include
experimental results. All the information that you present should be related back to the brief
and the precise subject under discussion.

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 Blogs
A blog (a truncation of "weblog") is a discussion or informational website published on the
World Wide Web consisting of discrete, often informal diary-style text entries (posts). Posts
are typically displayed in reverse chronological order, so that the most recent post appears
first, at the top of the web page. Until 2009, blogs were usually the work of a single
individual, occasionally of a small group, and often covered a single subject or topic. In the
2010s, "multi-author blogs" (MABs) emerged, featuring the writing of multiple authors and
sometimes professionally edited. MABs from newspapers, other media outlets, universities,
think tanks, advocacy groups, and similar institutions account for an increasing quantity of
blog traffic. The rise of Twitter and other "microblogging" systems helps integrate MABs and
single-author blogs into the news media. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to
maintain or add content to a blog.

The emergence and growth of blogs in the late 1990s coincided with the advent of web
publishing tools that facilitated the posting of content by non-technical users who did not
have much experience with HTML or computer programming. Previously, a knowledge of
such technologies as HTML and File Transfer Protocol had been required to publish content
on the Web, and early Web users therefore tended to be hackers and computer enthusiasts. In
the 2010s, the majority are interactive Web 2.0 websites, allowing visitors to leave online
comments, and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.

Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject or topic, ranging from politics to
sports. Others function as more personal online diaries, and others function more as online
brand advertising of a particular individual or company. A typical blog combines text, digital
images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability
of readers to leave publicly viewable comments, and interact with other commenters, is an
important contribution to the popularity of many blogs.

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What is a Blog?
Definition of blog

A blog (shortening of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying

information in the reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first. It is a
platform where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject.

What is the purpose of a blog?

There are many reasons to start a blog for personal use and only a handful of strong ones for
business blogging. Blogging for business, projects, or anything else that might bring you
money has a very straightforward purpose – to rank your website higher in Google SERPs,
a.k.a. increase your visibility.

Blog structure

The appearance of blogs changed over time, and nowadays blogs include different items. But,
most blogs include some standard features and structure. Here are common features that a
typical blog will include:

 Header with the menu or navigation bar

 Main content area with highlighted or latest blog posts
 Sidebar with social profiles, favourite content, or call-to-action
 Footer with relevant links like a disclaimer, privacy policy, contact page, etc.

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 Writing for Publications

This subsection addresses several aspects having to do with the situation of writing for
publication. In a way, it is a very central aspect to academic writing, since it is the aim for
researchers, coupled with the fact that senior students at the higher levels of study are
encouraged to undertake studies that could be turned into publications.

Publication practices differ between disciplines, about when, where, and what to publish. In
some fields, co-authored articles are the most common form of publication, whereas single-
authored articles and monographs are more common in other disciplines.

Producing compilation theses is the norm in some fields within science and engineering.
Doctoral students in such fields of research have to get a certain number of articles accepted
for publication, and these are included in the thesis, together with a summarising chapter. In
other disciplines, monographs are more common and doctoral students may have no
publications prior to their thesis

7 Types of Articles You Can Write and Submit to Publications

Nonfiction writing is not just about writing and publishing books. You also can write and
submit articles to publications. And many nonfiction writers earn a decent living writing for
publications.

Writing articles for publications also provides a phenomenal way to promote your books in
your target market. When magazines (online or off) in your target market publish your work,
this exposes you and your book to your ideal audience.

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Additionally, writing for publications can be fulfilling. You get to write about your favorite
topics, interview interesting people, and see your name in print.

If you know nothing about articles, here’s a short primer on the seven primary types of pieces
you could write and submit to publications.

1. Essay: Most essays are short to medium-length pieces about a personal experience or an
opinion. Typically, an essay revolves around one subject and presents your views.

2. How-To: These prescriptive pieces contain steps, ways, or tips that help the reader do
something specific. They provide the Rx (solution) for a problem or the answer to a question.
(Think recipes. Write a how-to article in a similar manner to writing down a recipe.)

3. Question and Answer: This is an article based upon an interview. However, with the
exception of the lead or introductory paragraphs, you do not analyze or build a story around
the interviewee’s answers to your questions. Instead, you pose your questions and provide the
answers you receive.

4. Personality Profile: This type of article revolves around a person’s life (not yours) and
accomplishments. Based on an interview, you provide an in-depth look at her life, including
early beginnings, significant life events, accomplishments, quirks, faults, character, and
strengths. (Think People magazine.)

5. Trend: Just as the name implies, a trend article showcases an increasing or decreasing
movement over time, such as in housing prices, the number of people playing Pokemon Go,
or couples getting divorced.

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6. Lifestyle: These articles focus on a lifestyle issue, such as health, relationships, or
recreation, and can include interviews as well as statistics. Such a piece might discuss the
private school options in a city, how to use a new walking path in a town, or the best
restaurants around town.

7. Shorts: Many publications feature short pieces. These might be 150-500 words in length.
The topics vary but always focus on the target market of the particular publication.
Sometimes a magazine will have a section on health and fitness, for example, and it might
consist of four to five short pieces on the topic.

You can find variations on any of these article formats.

You also might find an opportunity to write additional pieces, such as:
 book reviews
 movie reviews
 restaurant reviews
 op-ed pieces (opinion)

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 Designing Presentations and Enhancing Presentation Skills.

Whether you’re developing a presentation for a conference or a meeting with potential

customers, great design can take your slides from average to awesome.

PowerPoint is a great tool to showcase an idea or a proposal in a very engaging way. It’s also
ideal when you want to present a lot of information and make it easy for your audience to
absorb the main ideas with just a few bullet points or charts.

This article will provide you with a few tips on how to make presentations that impress.

1. ALWAYS USE SLIDE MASTER

Instead of designing each slide separately, save time, effort, and hard drive space by using
Slide Master to create eye-catching templates. Include your animation process in the same
step so you get a 100 percent ready-to-use design. Use Slide Master to set elements that
appear on all slides such as the header, footer, page numbers, etc. You can use it to create
different layout templates like a section page, title page, or agenda.

2. MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT VISUAL STYLE

Creating your own theme is an important way to maintain your brand guidelines and
represent your company or brand in a consistent way. All the fonts, colors, layout, and
animations should be consistent in their feel and look. Whatever the topic of your
presentation, be sure to stick to one look and feel. If you use a different style for every slide,
you’ll end up with a messy, unprofessional-looking presentation. The shapes you use,
placement of text boxes, and style of charts and graphs should also be consistent throughout
the presentation.

3. USE HIGH-QUALITY GRAPHICS

Graphics add a lot to the design of a presentation, but using a poor-quality, low-resolution
image will detract from the entire presentation rather than improving it. Once you’ve added
your images to the presentation, make sure they’re aligned and look like they’re visually
related. You can do this by using a grid to line them up or cropping them into different shapes
like circles. Also avoid using clipart from PowerPoint, which can be very generic.

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4. AVOID CLUTTER

Don’t try to cram too much onto a slide—less is more. Keep each point or summary short. If
there’s too much content, split it up onto more than one slide. Too many pictures, words,
tables, colors, or animations will only end up overwhelming or confusing your audience.
Keep the information to a minimum if possible, so you can organize and design it for
maximum impact. An ideal slide will contain a headline, 3-6 bullet points, and a picture or
graph. You can always add extra talking points in the Notes section that you can speak to
during the presentation. This will enable you to keep the information on the slide high level
and clutter-free.

5. DON’T GET TOO FANCY WITH FONTS

While different fonts can enhance the presentation and add visual interest, sticking with easy-
to-read fonts is always the best choice. For corporate presentations, avoid overly stylish or
whimsical fonts. For more informal topics, feel free to use fonts that match the topic as long
as they’re still legible. Font size is also very important. As a general rule, use a font size of at
least 24 points for headings and 14 points for the body copy.

Note: With PowerPoint for Mac, fonts aren’t embedded. That means if you share the
presentation or view it on another computer that doesn’t have that font, PowerPoint will use a
different font and your presentation may not render correctly.

6. USE COLOR CAREFULLY

Colors are one of the main components when designing a presentation. When used in a smart
way, they can add a lot to the style. Colors are usually used in accordance with the logo or
brand colors of the company. A logo can have one or more colors, so decide which one is the
most prominent or best for presentations and use that color for most things. If there is no
brand color, use colors that highly contrast each other. For example, if you’re using a dark
color in the background, try using white on top of it. A black background with white font is
the most contrasting combination. Never use colors that are similar or match each other, like
pink on red. They’ll not only be difficult to read but also look bad. Red fonts should only be
used for errors or warnings. Don’t make your slide a rainbow of colors. Stick to 2-3 colors
per slide and keep the same color, or at least the same color style, for the whole presentation.

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7. BRING IT TO LIFE WITH ANIMATION

Animation can take a presentation from boring to inspiring. Add animation that suits the topic
and the content. Avoid cluttering the presentation with too many animated elements or overly
complex animations. Don’t use any animation that diverts the audience’s focus from the
content or from the presenter. Slow and simple animations best suit corporate presentations
while faster animation can be used for more informal topics. The purpose of animation is to
help better define and enhance the content, not to overwhelm or distract. If there’s too much
content on a slide and you don’t want to split it into multiple slides, animation is the best
solution. For example, if you have a list of five steps, you can use animation to reveal one
step at a time.

8. CREATE EYE-CATCHING CHARTS

Charts are a great way to present a lot of data in one easy-to-digest graphic. Be smart how
you use color and be very clear what story the chart is telling. What’s the most important
thing you want your chart to communicate? Use only as many data points as your audience
needs to know. Avoid cluttering it with text, numbers, or extra lines. If a lot of text is needed,
use reference numbers in circles and put the details under the chart.

9. TAKE A STEP BACK

Once your presentation is almost done, look at it. Does it tell a powerful story? Do all the
little details work together? Is it communicating what you want it to communicate? Will it
resonate with your audience? Don’t be afraid to break the rules, not all of them are always
applicable. For design inspiration, check out well-executed presentations from design firms
such as Duarte for ideas. For technical advice, visit Microsoft’s help centre. Explore, play
with features, try new things, and come up with a powerful presentation that resonates with
you and your target audience.

4 Ways to Enhance Presentation Skills

1. Use Original Templates

Are you picky about the colors you choose for your presentation?

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If not, you should learn more about the psychology of colors as you can influence your
audience by choosing the right colors.

Colors can affect moods, so learn more about the role of colors in presentations here:

People don’t like boring templates. So, make sure to use original pieces. The design app
Canva offers a variety of templates that can help you create some attractive presentations,
even if you’re not comfortable or confident with your design skills.

2. Edit and Proofread

A good presentation should have no mistakes or typos! Make sure to edit and proofread
multiple times before you present.

There are some key points to remember:

 Fix grammar and spelling mistakes (Grammarly is your biggest helper)

 Reduce the number of words on every slide (up to 36 words is optimal)
 Improve readability (use a simple font and make sure the font size is readable from a
distance)
 Use high-quality images (1000px or more) and make sure you have permission to use them.
Apixaban and Pixels are great for free stock photos.

Spend time on editing and refining your presentation, and it will give you a huge advantage.

3.Practice

Even if you’ve prepared the best presentation, it’s not enough to deliver your message the
right way in order to engage an audience. You need to hone your presentation skills, and
practicing is the best way to do it.

It would be wise to have notes to use while delivering a presentation. But if you practice a lot,
it will help you memorize key points so you can present your information better.

Rehearse as many times as you can. Try to present it in front of your friends or relatives and
practice in front of the mirror as well.

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4. Look the Part

Believe it or not, your image plays an important role for the audience during the presentation
delivery. You make the first impression with your look.

If you think that grooming is just about personal hygiene and appearance, you’re mistaken. It
also requires looking after your body language as non-verbal communication matters.

Prepare some formal/business clothes for delivering a presentation and pay attention to your
posture and gestures. Avoid using filler words like “uh” and “um”.

Take Your Time

The process of enhancing presentation skills takes a considerable amount of time, but these
tricks will help you craft a better presentation within one day.

Don’t hesitate to make your presentation impress your audience.

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