BC Notes

Principles of Written Communication

1. Principle One

• Orientation towards the Receiver

Feelings, Relationship, point of view, purpose of the message, time available with the reader, your
tone in the letter, respect for the reader.

2. Principle Two

• Use Short and Simple Vocabulary

Simple, Clear, Easy to read and understand, no pomposity and excessive poetry Eg : Summon – Call

3. Principle Three

• Use Specific Words to bring vitality and Exactness

• Use Plain Language

4. Principle Four

• Prefer the Active Voice to the Passive

5. Principle Five

• Build you vocabulary of ACTION WORDS (Accomplish, conduct, assign, complete, contribute,
generate, identify, implement, plan, supervise, facilitate , complete, execute, develop, direct,
delegate, train, shape)

6. Principle Six

• Be Brief Eg. We have made reductions in the cost of our operations. We have reduced our operating
cost The manager is seeking greater understanding of his assistant’s concerns. The assistant wants the
manager to understand her needs

7. Principle Seven

• Prefer Short Sentences to Long, Compound and Complex Sentences • Short and graceful sentences
(10-20 words) Eg. John is a competent manager. He often achieves his goals. He should be promoted.
John, a competent manager who often achieves his goals, should be promoted.

8. Principle Eight

• Avoid Sexist Wording

9. Principle Nine

• Use Proper Sentence Design Eg. John is a competent manager. He often achieve his goals. He should
be promoted. John, a competent manager who often achieves his goals, should be promoted.
10. Principle Ten

• Take care of the flow, thought process and paragraph structure while writing

11. Principle Eleven

• Maintain Consistency and Continuity

• Principles of Effective Business Writing

12. Principle Twelve

• Build smooth linkages between sentences and paragraphs Eg; Letter for ticket booking

• Too Many Phrases You may be using too many modifying phrases for an easily understandable
sentence. For clarity and conciseness, consider rewording your sentence or splitting it into two or
more sentences.

Instead of: The girl with curly hair in the red dress with the bows on the stage between the twins with
freckles sings like a lark.

Consider: The girl has freckles and curly hair. She is wearing a red dress with bows and is standing
between the twins. She sings like a lark.

The 7 Cs of written communication

1. Correctness means:
▪ Use the right level of language
▪ Correct use of grammar, spelling and punctuation
▪ Accuracy in stating facts and figures
Correctness in message helps in building confidence.
2. Clarity
Clarity demands the use of simple language and easy sentence structure in composing the
message. When there is clarity in presenting ideas, it’s easy for the receiver/decoder to grasp
the meaning being conveyed by the sender/encoder.
Clarity makes comprehension easier.
3. Conciseness
A concise message saves time of both the sender and the receiver. Conciseness, in a business
message, can be achieved by avoiding wordy expressions and repetition. Using brief and to
the point sentences, including relevant material makes the message concise. Achieving
conciseness does not mean to loose completeness of message.
Conciseness saves time.
4. Completeness
Completeness means the message must bear all the necessary information to bring the
response you desire. The sender should answer all the questions and with facts and figures.
and when desirable, go for extra details.
Completeness brings the desired response.
5. Consideration
Consideration demands to put oneself in the place of receiver while composing a message.
It refers to the use of You attitude, emphases positive pleasant facts, visualizing reader’s
problems, desires, emotions and his response.
Consideration means understanding of human nature.
6. Concreteness
Being definite, vivid and specific rather than vague, obscure and general leads to concreteness
of the message. Facts and figures being presented in the message should be specif.
Concreteness reinforces confidence.
7. Courtesy
Courtesy means not only thinking about receiver but also valuing his feelings.
Much can be achieved by using polite words and gestures, being appreciative, thoughtful,
tactful, and showing respect to the receiver. Courtesy builds goodwill.
Courtesy strengthen relations

Elements to consider before you start writing:

A. What is the Purpose ? Is it to
• to inform
• to persuade
• to review
• to invite
• to confirm information
• to make an inquiry
• to ask for approval
• to reject or approve
• to propose or suggest
B. Who are the receivers of the communication (the audience)?
• How does the reader benefit?
• What should the reader do?
• When should the reader do it?
• What happens if the reader does take action?
• What happens if the reader doesn’t take action?
• Who else will benefit? Why?
• Where does the reader go for more information?

Pay attention to the following:

Language
• Pay attention to details such as name and how you address the person
• Use simple words – avoid jargons
• Subject line should be short but meaningful
• Be clear with obvious points, don’t assume the reader knows

Grammar
• Turn nouns into verbs
e.g. “We would like to make a recommendation that…” say “We recommend that…”
• Use Active voice to sound assertive
e.g. “The report was submitted by the team lead to the CEO,” but “The team lead submitted
the reports to the CEO.”
• The tone should be confident, sincere and courteous

Style
• Formal or informal - depends upon purpose and audience

Formatting
• Use fonts like Calibri, Verdana, Tahoma
• Bullets for non-sequential matter, numbering for sequential.
• Tables
• Maps, flowcharts, and diagrams
• Bold and italics as appropriate
• Paragraphs must be short – around 7-8 lines.
• Use only credible sources. This will make your document more reliable and convincing.

Capitalizing Rules
• Capitalization is the use of an uppercase letter for the first letter of a word and
lowercase for the remaining letters. The general rules of use are as under:
• A sentence always begins with a capital letter
 • Capital letters are used for headings in reports, articles, newsletters, and other
documents
• Capital letters are used for titles of books, magazines, and movies
• Capitalize the first word, and all other important words in a heading or title
(conjunctions and prepositions are normally not capitalized). Example: The Lion and
the Mouse
• Proper nouns must always be capitalized. Examples: Dr. Prasad is my physician. I love
South Indian food.
• Capitalize the name of months, days, cities, states, and countries. Examples: January,
Monday, New Delhi, India, Maharashtra.
• Some abbreviations use capital letters. Examples: NDTV, ATM, HTML
• Capitalize titles that come before personal names. Examples: Ms., Dr., Officer-in-
Charge, Col.
• Capitalize abbreviations for academic degrees and other professional designations
that follow names. Examples: M. Radhakrishnan, PhD.
• Do not capitalize seasons. Examples: winter, spring, summer

Rules for Writing Numbers

• There are rules for expressing numbers as figures or words. General guidelines for
writing numbers include:
• Numbers one through nine should be spelled out with words. Numerals should be
used for the number ten and anything greater. Examples: One clerk and three workers
were needed to form a team. The teacher placed an order for 35 notebooks.
• Use words for numbers that are indefinite or approximate. Examples: About fifty
people offered to donate blood. There were approximately ten thousand new cases
of H1NI last year.
• When a number begins a sentence, it should be spelled out. Example: Thirty copies of
the report should be made.
• When two numbers come together in a sentence, use words for one of the numbers.
Example: There are 9 thirty-year-old people in my team.
• Use words to express fractions. A hyphen comes between each word. Example: The
owner offered one-half of the sales proceeds for the day to his employees.
• When expressing time, use numerals followed by a.m. and p.m. designations. Always
spell out the number that appears before the term “o’clock”. A colon is used between
numerals expressing hours and minutes, but is omitted when using the 24-hour
system. Examples: 2:30 p.m.; eight o’clock; 16:00 hrs.; 1345
• Use numerals for days and years in dates. Do not write “th”, “nd”, “rd”, or “st” after a
number. Examples: I started my journey on March 24, 2022. I quit my job on January
2, 2022.
Letter Writing

• The Salutation
The salutation directly addresses the recipient of the letter and is followed by a comma.

Example:
Dear Mr. Kumar, (formal)
Dear Sir, or Madam/Ma’am, (if the person's name is not known)

• Body of the Message

State the main business, purpose, or subject matter right away. Let the reader know from the
very first sentence what your letter is about.

Paragraphs should be as given below:

Context Paragraph
The first paragraph of the letter will define the context, providing a clear statement of the
letter’s topic and purpose.

Content Paragraphs
The typical letter uses one to three paragraphs to provide the information relevant to its
purpose. Each paragraph should cover a single topic or point. In the case of a long letter that
covers multiple pages, it is appropriate to break the information into sections with internal
headers or bullets to provide clarity.

Action Paragraph
The final paragraph of the letter provide a clear, straightforward statement of the action that
will be taken be the writer, requested of the reader, or expected by a third party.

Final Paragraph
The final paragraph of the letter should be a traditional closing line i.e. We look forward to
your early response.

• The Complimentary Close:

This is where the letter ends. Make sure to have an appropriate sign-off. Use “Yours
faithfully” when you begin a letter with “Dear Sir/Madam,” and use “Yours sincerely” when
you know the person’s name to whom you are writing.

• The Signature Block

Usually, you type your name four lines below the complimentary close and sign your name
in between. Whenever possible, include your title or the name of the position you hold just
below your name
Example:
Your name typed: Ms Satya Daval
Your title typed: Director of Human Resources
• End notations
Just below the signature block are often several abbreviations or phrases that have important
functions. They are as follows:
Enclosures: To make sure that the recipient knows that items accompany the letter in the
same envelope, use such indications as "Enclosure," "Encl.," "Enclosures (2)." For example,
if you send a resume and writing sample with your application letter, you would do this:
"Encl.: Resume and Writing Sample." If the enclosure is lost, the recipient will know.
Copies: If you send copies of a letter to others, indicate this fact among the end notations
also. If, for example, you plan to send a copy to your lawyer, write something like this: "cc:
Mr. Sumit Raheja, Attorney."

Claims and Responses

What is a Claim Letter/email?

• It is a request for adjustment
• Two types
1. Routine – when it is normal and generally admissible
2. Persuasive – when it is not routine

What are the points to be covered in a claim letter?

1. Bill No /Invoice No /Order reference no and date.
2. Use the same format of context – why are you writing the letter/email.
3. Content – specify the problem
4. Action – what is the action you want the company to take
5. Closing – positive sentence calling attention to desired outcome.
6. Correspondence phone no/email address as felt appropriate

What is a Response to a Claim?

The reply to the claim letter/email received from a customer/client by the concerned
organisation is known as a response. A claim letter isn’t a guarantee for compensation as
some the concerned organisation will settle or deny the claim based on their policy/guidelines
for settlement. There are three types of settlement responses:
1. Full acceptance
2. Full rejection
3. Partial Acceptance
Follow the guidelines and format for letter writing/email

Flow of reply letter/email for complaint should be as given below:

Use Letterhead when replying on behalf of Company

The flow of the letter/email response by the organisation should be as given below for the different
types of settlement:

1. Full acceptance

• The first paragraph should contain an apology inconvenience /empathy for the customer.
• The second paragraph should contain the good news mentioning the investigation carried out,
followed by the solution offered by the business.
• The next paragraph should provide a promotional offer by way of discount or a voucher, if any and
a closing line expressing goodwill and continued support.
• The letter/email must close on a positive note.

2. Partial acceptance

• The first paragraph should contain an apology for the inconvenience /empathy for the customer.
• The second paragraph should contain the investigation carried out, followed by the solution
offered by the business.
• The third para should state the reason for the inability to settle fully because of some clause in
warranty/ guarantee and / or an alternative solution, if any. It should also clearly state what is the
amount being settled.
• The next paragraph should provide a promotional offer by way of discount coupon or a voucher, if
any and a closing line expressing goodwill and continued support.
• The letter/email must close on a positive note.

3. Full Rejection

• The first paragraph should contain an apology/empathy for the customer.

• The second paragraph should contain the investigation carried out and the outcome of the
investigation.
• The third para should state the reason for the inability to settle the claim because of some clause
in warranty/ guarantee.
• The next paragraph must provide the alternative solution if any. A promotion / discount offers as
a gesture of goodwill.
The letter/email must close by regretting the inability to accede to the claim but on a positive note by
stating that you look forward to their patronage.

Sample Letter (Modified Block Format)

 Building no. 08, Road no. 14
Mumbai – 400 056

May 27, 2020

The Manager
Perfectfit Enterprises
20, Ramon Street
Goa

Dear Sir,
Subject: Return / Exchange of Defective Shirt

On Thursday, 25 May 2020, I bought a shirt from your shop. When I took the shirt home I noticed that there was
a slight tear in the collar.

I went back to the store with the receipt and requested the shop assistant to exchange the shirt. She refused
stating that shirt was perfect when it was sold and had been damaged since leaving the shop. A quick look would
have shown that the tear was most likely a fault that had happened in the factory.

I would like you to replace the shirt or let me have my money back at the earliest.

Please let me know as soon as possible what you intend to do about this matter.

Yours Faithfully,

Sudesh Khanna
9820612345
 Sample Letter (Block Format) on Letterhead

Perfectfit Enterprises
20, Ramon Street
Goa Ph no 44444444 website www.mira.com
May 29, 2019

Mr. Sudesh Khanna

Building no. 08, Road no. 14
Mumbai – 400 056

Subject: Your letter dated May 27, 2020 regarding defective shirt

Dear Mr. Khanna

Thank you for your letter dated November 27, 2019. I am sorry you had such a frustrating experience trying to return a defective shirt.

I have spoken with our sales executive and have instructed him to give you a full refund plus 10% off your next purchase.

I apologize once again for the inconvenience caused to you and look forward to your continued patronage.

Yours Sincerely,

Ramesh Desai
Manager
Sample Block Format

Perfectfit Enterprises
20, Ramon Street
Goa Ph no 44444444

May 29, 2019

Mr. Sudesh Khanna

Building no. 08, Road no. 14
Mumbai – 400 056

Subject: Your letter dated May 27, 2020 regarding defective shirt

Dear Mr. Khanna

Thank you for your letter dated November 27, 2019. I am sorry you had such a frustrating experience trying to return a
defective shirt.

I have spoken with our sales executive and have instructed him to give you a full refund plus 10% off your next purchase.

I apologize once again for the inconvenience caused to you and look forward to your continued patronage.

Yours Sincerely,

Ramesh Desai
Manager

Email writing

Follow the tips for writing. Important email etiquettes.

1. Use a meaningful subject.

Try to use a subject that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself. For instance, when you
send an email to a company requesting information about a product, it is better to mention the
actual name of the product, e.g. 'Product A information' than to just say 'product information' or
the company's name in the subject.
2. Be concise and to the point.
3. Answer all questions and pre-empt further questions.
4. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation.
5. Make it personal not generic.
6. Use templates for frequently used responses.
7. Respond quickly.
8. Do not attach unnecessary files.
9. Use proper structure & layout.
10. Do not overuse the high priority option.
11. Do not write in CAPITALS.
 IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING.
12. Don't leave out the message thread.
When you reply to an email, you must include the original mail in your reply, in other words click
'Reply', instead of 'New Mail'. Leaving the thread might take a fraction longer in download time,
but it will save the recipient much more time and frustration in looking for the related emails in
their inbox!
13. Add disclaimers to your emails.
It is important to add disclaimers to your internal and external mails, since this can help protect
your company from liability. If your company has an email policy in place and adds an email
disclaimer to every mail that states that employees are expressly required not to make defamatory
statements, you have a good case of proving that the company did everything it could to prevent
offensive emails.
14. Read the email before you send it.
A lot of people don't bother to read an email before they send it out, as can be seen from the
many spelling and grammar mistakes contained in emails. Apart from this, reading your email
through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid
misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.
15. Do not overuse Reply to All.
Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the
original message.
16. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons.
In business emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud).
The same goes for emoticons, such as the smiley :-).

17. Be careful with formatting.

Remember that when you use formatting in your emails, the sender might not be able to view
formatting, or might see different fonts than you had intended. When using colors, use a color
that is easy to read on the background.

18. Take care with rich text and HTML messages.

Be aware that when you send an email in rich text or HTML format, the sender might only be able
to receive plain text emails. If this is the case, the recipient will receive your message as a .txt
attachment. Most email clients however, including Microsoft Outlook, are able to receive HTML
and rich text messages.

19. Do not forward chain letters.

20. Do not request delivery and read receipts.

This will almost always annoy your recipient before he or she has even read your message.
Besides, it usually does not work anyway since the recipient could have blocked that function, or
his/her software might not support it, so what is the use of using it? If you want to know whether
an email was received it is better to ask the recipient to let you know if it was received.

21. Do not ask to recall a message.

Biggest chances are that your message has already been delivered and read. A recall request
would look very silly in that case wouldn't it? It is better just to send an email to say that you have
made a mistake. This will look much more honest than trying to recall a message.

22. Do not assume privacy. Refrain from using email to discuss confidential information
 Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you don't want your email to be displayed on a
bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist or racially discriminating
comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke.

23. Use active instead of passive.

Try to use the active voice of a verb wherever possible. For instance, 'We will process your order
today', sounds better than 'Your order will be processed today'. The first sounds more personal,
whereas the latter, especially when used frequently, sounds unnecessarily formal.

24. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.

Even more so than the high-priority option, you must always try to avoid these types of words in
an email or subject line. Only use this if it is a really, urgent or important message.

25. Avoid long sentences.

Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick medium
and requires a different kind of writing than letters. Also take care not to send emails that are too
long. If a person receives an email that looks like a dissertation, chances are that they will not even
attempt to read it!

26. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene
remarks.
By sending or even just forwarding one libelous, or offensive remark in an email, you and your
company can face court cases resulting in multi-million-dollar penalties.

27. Keep your language gender neutral.

In this day and age, avoid using sexist language such as: 'The user should add a signature by
configuring his email program'. Apart from using he/she, you can also use the neutral gender: ''The
user should add a signature by configuring the email program'.

28. Use cc: field sparingly.

Try not to use the cc: field unless the recipient in the cc: field knows why they are receiving a copy
of the message. Using the cc: field can be confusing since the recipients might not know who is
supposed to act on the message. Also, when responding to a cc: message, should you include the
other recipient in the cc: field as well? This will depend on the situation. In general, do not include
the person in the cc: field unless you have a reason for wanting this person to see your response.
Again, make sure that this person will know why they are receiving a copy.

29. Avoid using bcc.

Use sparingly if at all you need to be discreet or you are told to send a bcc.

30. Address the recipient properly

First names are often okay in business, but not always. If this is your first time communicating with
the recipient you should use his title, i.e. Mr., Ms., or Dr., and last name. Look at how the recipient
signs his messages before you decide whether you should be on a first name basis with him.

31. Is your email too wordy?

Avoid wordiness. Say out loud what you are trying to write. Listen to how the words sound. For
example, the sentence, "I found out that I should take a look at our past sales figures in order to
come up with a plan to help us re-evaluate our sales technique" could be more simply stated as "I
must take a look at our past sales figures to re-evaluate our sales technique."
32. Proof-read your message
Make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. Errors will make you look careless.

Email Format

The email writing format is the same for all emails. Though the choice of words and language may differ
depending upon the type of email. One can use friendly and casual language in informal emails. The
language used in formal emails should be professional, clear, and formal.

The email writing format is as follows:

Opening / Referring to previous contact

Thank you for your letter dated March 15 ...
• Thank you for contacting us.
• In reply to your request ...
• Thank you for your letter regarding ...
• With reference to our telephonic conversation yesterday ...
• Further to our meeting last week ...
• I would just like to confirm the main points we discussed on Tuesday.
• I'm writing in reply to your letter dated [date] about [topic].
• I saw your advertisement on [website].
• We understand from your letter dated that you're interested in
(product/service/feature).
• We talked last week about...
Making a request

• We would appreciate it if you would ...

• I would be grateful if you could...
• Could you possibly tell us/let us have...
• In addition, I would like to receive ...
• It would be helpful if you could send us ...
 • I am interested in (obtaining/receiving...)
• I would appreciate your attention to this matter.
• Please let me know what action you propose to take.
• I would be grateful if you could send me further information about...
• Shall I [verb]? (E.g. Shall I meet you at the airport?)
• Would it be possible to...? (E.g. Would it be possible to have a quick chat on Monday?)

Call to Action

• Are you considering [action]? (E.g. Are you considering upgrading to the new version?)
• Just let me know and I can answer all your questions on the product and pricing.
• Or if you’d rather [alternative option], you can…
• Help us [give value to you] by [what action we want them to take]. (E.g. Help us give
you the best advice by telling us a bit more about your project.)
• Please walk me through your project.
• This may be a great time to … [call to action] (This may be a great time to take a look
at our Knowledge Base)
• If you’re interested, drop me a line and we can [action] (e.g. If you're interested, drop
me a line and we can have a quick chat to discuss your further steps.)
Ways to end Letter/email
• I look forward to hearing from you.
• I’m eager to receive your feedback.
• I appreciate your quick response.
• Please keep me informed. ( generally written by boss to subordinate)
• I await your immediate response.
• Happy to hear from you. ( informal)
• If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know.
• For further details you can refer to our website...
• If you require more information ...
• Thank you for taking this into consideration.
• We look forward to a successful working relationship in the future.
• We would be (very) pleased to do business with your company.
• I would be happy to have an opportunity to work with your firm.
• I look forward to seeing you next week.
• Looking forward to hearing from you.
• I would appreciate your reply.
• I look forward to doing business with you in the future.
• Do not hesitate to contact us again at [telephone number/email address] if there's
anything we can help you with.
• Thank you for your patience/time/cooperation.
• I'd appreciate your reply.
CV and Cover Letter
CV
A CV, which stands for curriculum vitae, is a document used when applying for jobs. It allows you to
summarise your education, skills and experience enabling you to successfully sell your abilities to
potential employers. Alongside your CV employers also usually ask for a cover letter.

In the USA and Canada CVs are known as résumés. These documents tend to be more concise and
follow no formatting rules.

How long should a CV be?

A standard CV in the UK should be no longer than two sides of A4.

That said one size doesn't fit all. For example, a school leaver or recent graduate with minimal
experience may only need to use one side of A4. Although not used as often, a three-page CV might
be needed for those in high-level roles or for people who have gained a lot of experience or worked
in multiple jobs over the last five to ten years. While it's important to keep your CV concise you should
also avoid selling your experience short.

To save space only include the main points of your education and experience. Stick to relevant
information and don't repeat what you've said in your cover letter. If you're struggling to edit your CV
ask yourself if certain information sells you. If it doesn't cut it out. If it's not relevant to the job you're
applying for delete it and if it's old detail from ten years ago summarise it.

What to include in a CV
• Contact details - Include your full name, home address, mobile number, and email address.
Your date of birth is irrelevant and unless you're applying for an acting or modelling job you
don't need to include a photograph.

• Profile - A CV profile is a concise statement that highlights your key attributes and helps you
stand out from the crowd. Usually placed at the beginning of a CV it picks out a few relevant
achievements and skills, while expressing your career aims. A good CV profile focuses on the
sector you're applying to, as your cover letter will be job specific. Keep CV personal statements
short and snappy - 100 words is the perfect length.

• Education - List and date all previous education, including professional qualifications. Place
the most recent first. Include qualification type/grades, and the dates. Mention specific
modules only where relevant.

• Work experience - List your work experience in reverse date order, making sure that anything
you mention is relevant to the job you're applying for. Include your job title, the name of the
company, how long you were with the organisation and key responsibilities. If you have plenty
of relevant work experience, this section should come before education.

• Skills and achievements - This is where you talk about the foreign languages you speak, and
the IT packages you can competently use. The key skills that you list should be relevant to the
job. Don't exaggerate your abilities, as you'll need to back up your claims at interview. If you've
got lots of job-specific skills, you should do a skill-based CV

• Interests - 'Socialising', 'going to the cinema' and 'reading' aren't going to catch a recruiter’s
attention. However, relevant interests can provide a more complete picture of who you are,
as well as giving you something to talk about at interview. Examples include writing your own
 blog or community newsletters if you want to be a journalist, being part of a drama group if
you're looking to get into sales and your involvement in climate change activism if you'd like
an environmental job. If you don't have any relevant hobbies or interests leave this section
out.

• References - You don't need to provide the names of referees at this stage. You can say
'references available upon request' but most employers would assume this to be the case so
if you're stuck for space you can leave this out.

CV format
• Section headings are a good way to break up your CV. Ensure they stand out by making them
larger (font size 14 or 16) and bold.

• Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans. Choose something professional, clear and easy to read such
Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman. Use a font size between 10 and 12 to make sure that
potential employers can read your CV. Ensure all fonts and font sizes are consistent
throughout.

• List everything in reverse chronological order. Then the recruiter sees your work history and
most recent achievements first.

• Keep it concise by using clear spacing and bullet points. This type of CV layout allows
potential employers to skim your CV and quickly pick out important information first.

• Name the document when saving - Don't just save as 'Document 1'. Make sure the title of the
document is professional and identifies you, such as 'Joe-Smith-CV'.

• Unless the job advert states differently (for example, it may ask you to provide your CV and
cover letter as a Word document) save with a .PDF file extension to make sure it can be
opened and read on any machine.

• If you're posting your CV, print it on white A4 paper - Only print on one side and don't fold
your CV - you don't want it to arrive creased.

How to write a good CV

• Use active verbs when possible. For example, include words like 'created', 'analysed' and
'devised' to present yourself as a person who shows initiative.

• A good CV doesn't have any spelling or grammar mistakes. Use a spell checker and enlist a
second pair of eyes to check over the document.

• Avoid generic, over-used phrases such as 'team player', 'hardworking' and 'multitasker'.
Instead, provide real-life examples that demonstrate all of these skills.

• Tailor your CV. Look at the company's website and social media accounts, look to see if they've
recently been mentioned in the local press and use the job advert to make sure your CV is
targeted to the role and employer.

• Create the right type of CV for your circumstances. Decide whether the chronological, skills-
based, or academic CV is right for you.

• Make sure your email address sounds professional. If your personal address is inappropriate
create a new account for professional use.
 • Don't lie or exaggerate on your CV or job application. Not only will you demonstrate your
dishonesty to a potential employer, but there can be serious consequences too. For example,
altering your degree grade from a 2:2 to a 2:1 is classed as degree fraud and can result in a
prison sentence.

• Always include a cover letter unless the employer states otherwise. It will enable you to
personalise your application. You can draw attention to a particular part of your CV, disclose
a disability or clarify gaps in your work history.

COVER LETTER THAT GOES WITH YOUR CV

The purpose of a cover letter

1. Is to introduce yourself.
2. Mention the job (or kind of job) you're applying for (or looking for).
3. Show that your skills and experience match the skills and experience needed to do
the job.
4. Encourage the reader to read your resume.
Sample Cover Letter (When you are responding to an advertisement).
15 Anzac Avenue,
New Lane,
Business City, CA 54321

September 1, 2018

Jane Smith
Director, Human Resources
Fit Living
123 Business Rd.
Business City, CA 54321

RE: Application for ………. ( With some experience)

Dear Ms. Smith,

I’m writing to apply for the position of Social Media Manager for Fit Living, as advertised on
your website careers page. I have three years of experience as a Social Media Assistant for
Young Living, and I believe I am ready to move up to the manager position.
In your job posting, you mention that you want to hire a Social Media Manager who
understands Internet and social media trends. During my time at Young Living, I was given the
responsibility of increasing follower numbers on Instagram. I explained to my manager that I
would be happy to do so, and that I would also work hard to increase follower participation,
because engagement has become an important metric.
Within six months, I increased our followers by over 50 percent and increased engagement
by 400 percent. I’m very proud of that accomplishment. Currently, I’m working to build a
following with the best influencers in our niche.
When I saw the job opening, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to offer you both my social
media marketing skills and people skills. I’ve included my resume so you can learn more about
my educational background and all of my work experience. Thank you for your time and
consideration.
Please feel free to email me or call my cell phone at 555-555-5555. I hope to hear from you
soon.
Sincerely,

Joseph Q. Applicant
From: joannetint@xmail.com

To: enquiries@johnsmithandassociates.com.au

General application for available positions within your organisation (ENTRY LEVEL)

Dear Mr. Moyle,

I am a recent Bachelor of Information Technology (Networking) graduate. I would like to know

about positions available within your esteemed organisation for fresh graduates

I have had a strong interest in IT since a young age. I have always enjoyed the challenge of
being able to identify bugs and work to resolve them. Encouraged by this passion I have
recently graduated as a Bachelor of Information Technology with a major in Networking.

While studying I worked as a provider of casual support for IT-related issues on a referral
basis. I also worked part-time at Drew Smith Electronics. A technically competent individual,
I have a passion for all things technological and a desire to establish a career as an IT
professional.

I have been recognised for my high level of motivation and my strong communication skills. I
am able to adapt my communication style to reflect the needs of any audience. I have a high
level of problem-solving skills and a willingness to focus on my ongoing professional
development.

I understand that, as a graduate, I have a lot to learn about working within an organisation. I
would like to start in an entry-level position that would allow me to be mentored in my
professional development.

I am interested in your organisation's reputation as a leader in the provision of data centre

management services. My research into your organisation has shown me that you work
closely with a range of clients to manage their data centre needs through outsourced service
agreements.

I believe that the opportunity to work in different environments and with different
technologies will help me develop skills your organisation can use to meet the changing needs
and demands of your clients.

Your reputation for quality support and for being an employer of choice shows that you have
an understanding of the needs of your clients as well as your employees. I would appreciate
the opportunity to meet with you in order to introduce myself and discuss any suitable
positions that may be available.

I enclose my resume for your consideration. I will follow up this enquiry in the coming weeks,
but I would be be grateful if you were to contact me in the meantime should you know of a
position that you think is suitable. I can be contacted at all times on the details provided
above.

Thanking you in advance for your time.

Yours Sincerely,

Joanne Tint
Mobile: XXX XXXX XXXX