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 www.neerajbooks.com
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
BUSINESS SOCIAL SKILLS AND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Greetings and Introductions
Neeraj
The greeting is the most important aspect of the
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business communication. In the business dealings, it has
been estimated that 85 per cent of the lost sales occur
during the first fifteen seconds of the conversation. And
in not just the sales but any other business engagement,
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an effective greeting is essentially important. There are
various keys to an effective greeting which include smile,
speak and act sincerely, enhancing the self-esteem of
the person you are talking to, ask questions which are
non-threatening to your listeners, etc. In this chapter,
we will talk about small talks, skills necessary for small
talks, and the importance of small talks. Apart from small
talks we will also look in to corporate entertainment.
Before we get to the small talks let us first
understand the term “communication”.
COMMUNICATION
The word ‘communication’ is derived from the latin
term ‘communicare’ or ‘communico’, both of which
means ‘common’. But communication is not merely
transmission of meaning from one person to another
through symbols. It implies that the system of
communication is commonly owned, accepted and
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1
recognized by the members of a community. It enables
them to acquire, exchange, store, retrieve and process
information. Communication is thus essentially a social
affair.
Hundreds of explicit and implicit definitions of
communication have been published in related
literatures for use by scholars, students and practitioners
trying to describe, predict and understand
communicative phenomena. These definitions vary
around the common language definitions, with variations
depending on individual scholarly interests and general
scholarly trends. The diverse definitions of
communication are offered to serve as a representative,
sample of ideas about communication from a wide range
of disciplines.
The author would like to put the definitions of
communication as below:
(i) Communication occurs if, and only if, infor-
mation moves from the input to one process
to the output from a second process, the latter
process being the inverse of the first process.
(ii) We can refer to the information at the output
of this inverse, receiving, process, as a
communication. Communication is more
complex than information; communication
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2 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
processes are composed of multiple
complementary informative processes.
(iii) Communication is something that is commu-
nicated by or to or between people or groups.
(iv) The act of transmitting verbal and non-verbal
information and the understanding between
seller and buyer.
(v) The process by which information and
feelings are shared by people through an
exchange of verbal and non-verbal messages.
In the context of medical education, its
primary function is to establish understanding
between patient and doctor. In an atmosphere
of effective communication, patients improve
faster, cope better with post-operative pain,
requires less psychotropic drugs, and
experience numerous other health benefits.
Neeraj
(vi) The successful transmission of information
through a common system of symbols, signs,
behaviour, speech, writing or signals.
(vii) A process by which information is transferred
between at least two parties.
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(viii) Transmission of intelligence between two
points (origin and reception) without
alteration of sequence or structure of the
information content.
The creation of shared understanding through
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interaction among two or more agents. Communication
depends upon interpretation of some message by the
listener. Shared understanding is constructed through
the detection and repair of misunderstandings (as
opposed to a one-way transmission of data). The
understanding created through communication can never
be absolute or complete, but instead is an interactive
and ongoing process in which common ground, i.e.,
assumed mutual beliefs and mutual knowledge, is
accumulated and updated.
In simple words, authors put the definition of
communication as “the process of passing information
and understanding from one person to another.”
Communication has the following characteristics:
1. Communication is characterized by information
transfer,
2. Processing takes place in communication
systems,
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3. Both the sender and the revceiver are actively
involved in a communication system, and
4. The quality of communication varies.
Not all information transmitted represents
communication. Given communication is defined in
terms of inverse processes, the page you are reading
isn’t communicating with you. You are receiving the
information that is on the page because of visual
processes. The author is communicating with you
through process that first took ideas resulting in written
text, and an inverse proceses within the reader is taking
written text and transforming it back into thoughts.
Similarly, if one person is talking to another and is
nervous, the nervousness may be communicated to
anyone who can translate observed perspiring or a
quivering voice or shaking hands into an understanding
that the first person is nervous.
THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
As we defined communication, we may define a
communication channel as the set of components in the
universe that implement the functionality needed for the
communication process to take place. Because
communication requires two or more information
processes, a communication channel always consists of
two or more information channels in series. By using
the word ‘needed’, we refer only to those components
that directly and obviously contribute to the operation
of the channel, ignoring the fact that a butterfly moving
on the other side of the world, does affect the
performance of a communication system on the reader’s
side of the world.
Looked at more closely, what is essential for the
communication to occur is the cooperation between two
parties, one active or at the giving end and the other
passive or at the receiving end.
The sender selects appropriate symbols to suit the
situation and realises the meaning through speech or
writing depending upon the socially regulated
requirements or self-perceived needs. At the receiving
end the symbols are indentified and indentification
obviously implies recognition and realization of
meaning through the interpretive process.
Both these processes may be summarized as
follows:
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GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS / 3

It would be observed that the entire event takes

Parties Media Mode Function
place within a common frame of reference, also called
Selection
communication environment. The source refers to the
Spoken – Speaking
Execution point of origin of a message which is encoded by the
Sender
sender and transmitted through the channel to the
Selection receiver. The receipt of the message exercises an impact
Written – Writing
in communication environment leading to some result.
Execution
The observance of the result by the sender is called
Indentification
‘feedback’. The message sent is not the same as the
Spoken – Listening
Interpretation message received. For this a number of factors which
Receiver
may be collectively termed as ‘noise’ are responsible.
Indentification It is also to be noted that all the messages do not produce
Written – Reading
Interpretation the intended result. Thus, the success of communication
is measured in terms of not only the effective
Communication is thus a network of interactions transmission of the message, but also the achievement
and naturally the sender and the receiver keep on of the indended result. Figure indicates the processes
changing their roles. of initiation and reaction on the part of the sender and

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Another aspect of communication is the
deployment of a code consisting of arbitrarily evolved
symbols and the determination of the appropriateness
of their use in given situations, leading to the emergence
of diverse communication patterns. Some of these are
receiver respectively. The choice of channel is
determined by socio-physical factors.
MACRO FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
The macro functions of communication are listed
below:

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tangible (e.g. physical setting) and others intangible such
as intellectual, psychological and emotional.
Communication cannot therefore always be regarded
as a momentary event. In fact, it often is a momentary
1. The Emotive Function: It is to communicate the
inner states and emotions. e.g. Sorry!; Thank
God!; Oh No!
2. The Directive Function: It seeks to affect the

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intensification of a continuing, cumulative process that behaviour of others. e.g. Close the door, please;
starts before the actual communicative event takes place Please call up Mr. Sharma.
and continues after it has occurred. The communicator, 3. The Phatic Function: Opening the channel or
therefore must acquire a true perspective of not only checking that it is working. e.g. Hello, are you
the present requirements of the situation, but also its online?; Can you hear me?
relationship with the past and its impact on the future. 4. The Peotic Function: The particular form
A clear understanding of the various components chosen is the essence of the message. This refers
and their interrelationship is shown in following figure to the aesthetic function of language.
indicating the process of communication: 5. The Referential Information: To carry information.
6. The Metalinguistic Function: Focusing
attention on the code itself.
7. The Contextual Function: Creating a particular
kind of context. e.g. OK! Let’s begin the meeting
now.
Meaning and Importance of Communication:
Effective communication is central to the success of any
business organization. Communication is a pervasive
Components of Communication or Process of Communication
activity which encompasses almost all facets of our lives.

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4 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
The term communication is derived from the Latin
word “communis” which means common. Thus,
communication involves rendering common ideas,
opinions or information that is the sharing of idea
opinions or information.
Communication is defined as the interchange of
thought or information between two or more persons to
bring about mutual understanding.
When communication is referred to in
organizational context it is know as organizational
communication.
The diverse definitions of communication are
offered to serve as a representative sample of ideas about
communication from a wide range of disciplines.
Here are some such definitions of communication:
(i) Communication occurs if, and only if,
information moves from the input to one
Neeraj
process, to the output from a second process,
the latter process being the inverse of the
first process.
We can refer to the information at the output
of this inverse, receiving process, as a
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communication. Communication is more
complex than information; communication
processes are composed of multiple
complementary informative processes.
(ii) Communication is something that is
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communicated by or to or between people or
groups.
(iii) The act of transmitting verbal and non-verbal
information and the understanding between
seller and buyer.
(iv) The process by which information and
feelings are shared by people through an
exchange of verbal and non-verbal messages.
In the context of medical education, its
primary function is to establish understanding
between a patient and this doctor. In an
atmosphere of effective communication,
patients improve faster, cope better with post-
operative pain, require less psychotropic
drugs, and experience numerous other health
benefits.
(v) The successful transmission of information
through a common system of symbols, signs,
behaviour, speech, writing or signals.
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(vi) A process by which information is transferred
between at least two parties.
(vii) Transmission of intelligence between two
points (origin and reception) without
alteration of sequence or structure of the
information content.
(viii) The creation of shared understanding through
interaction among two or more agents.
Communication depends upon interpretation of
some message by the listener. Shared understanding is
constructed through the detection and repair of
misunderstandings (as opposed to a one-way
transmission of data). The understanding created
through communication can never be absolute or
complete, but instead is an interactive and ongoing
process in which common ground, i.e. assumed mutual
beliefs and mutual knowledge, is accumulated and
updated.
In simple words, we can define communication as
“the process of passing information and understanding
from one person to another.”
Communication has the following characteristics:
1. Communication is characterized by
information transfer,
2. Processing takes place in communication
systems,
3. Both the sender and the receiver are actively
involved in a communication system, and
4. The quality of communication varies.
Not all information transmitted represents
communication. Given communication is defined in
terms of inverse processes, the page you are reading
isn’t communicating with you. You are receiving the
information that is on the page because of visual
processes. The author is communicating with you
through a process that first took ideas resulting in written
text, and an inverse process within the reader is taking
written text and transforming it back into thoughts.
Similarly, if one person is talking to another and is
nervous, the nervousness may be communicated to
anyone who can translate observed perspiring or a
quivering voice or shaking hands into an understanding
that the first person is nervous.
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
Scope of Business Communication: Business
Communication is an extensive sphere and in a business,
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communication is optimized to share and extend
information and deal, after efficiently using the same
medium to promote the business products and services.
In an organization, there is consistent movement of
information, legal and otherwise. Business
Communication has a wide scope covering everything
within branding, marketing, advertising, customer
relations, research, reputation management and even
employee engagement. The bigger the set up, the more
extensive is the sharing and the level of business
communication. Today, many businessmen use the
techniques of effective communication to handle
complex corporate interactions, community
engagements, event management and global online
communication.
Business communication can either take place
within an organization or outside of it. Within the
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organization, the communication takes place among the
management and employees. Internal business
communication involves effective communication of
strategies and plans and emphasis on the corporate
culture and shared values. Guiding principles to the new
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and existing staff are also taken care of via internal
communication. Within the organization, the
communication ensures the establishment of avenues
for employee motivation and ideas.
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On the outside, the communication takes place
between the organization and another one that is
affiliated or related to the operations in some way or
the other. External business communication involves the
establishment of company branding and marketing ideas
and strategies. Effective advertising and after sales
customer and media relations with external links and
individual parties are also dependent on communication.
Probably, the most important area where business
communication helps a lot is negotiating business
transactions.
SMALL TALKS
Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does
not cover any functional topics of conversation or any
transactions that need to be addressed. Small talk is
conversation for its own sake, or “…comments on what
is perfectly obvious.” The phenomenon of small talk
was initially studied in 1923 by B. Malinowski, who
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GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS / 5
coined the term “phatic communication” to describe it.
The ability to conduct small talk is a social skill hence
small talk is some type of social communication. Early
publications assume networked work positions as
suitable for social communication.Newer habits make
use of social media as an instrument for small talk.
What is the purpose of Small Talks?
In spite of seeming to have little useful purpose,
small talk is a bonding ritual and a strategy for managing
interpersonal distance. It serves many functions in
helping to define the relationships between friends, work
colleagues, and new acquaintances. In particular, it helps
new acquaintances to explore and categorize each
other’s social position. Small talk is closely related to
the need for people to maintain positive face–to feel
approved–of by those who are listening to them. It
lubricates social interactions in a very flexible way,
although the desired function is often dependent on the
point in the conversation at which the small talk occurs:
1. At the beginning of a conversation: When the
talkers do not know each other, it allows them to
show that they have friendly intentions and desire,
some sort of positive interaction. In a business
meeting, it enables people to establish each other’s
reputation and level of expertise. Where there is
already a relationship between the two talkers,
their small talk serves as a gentle introduction
before engaging in more functional topics of
conversation. It allows them to signal their own
mood and to sense the mood of the other person.
2. At the end of a conversation: Suddenly ending
an exchange may risk appearing to reject the other
person. Small talk can be used to mitigate that
rejection, affirm the relationship between the two
people, and soften the parting.
3. As a space filler: In many cultures, silences
between two people are usually considered
uncomfortable. Tension can be reduced by
starting phatic talk until a more substantial subject
arises.
In some conversations there is no specific functional
or informative element at all. The following example of
small talk is between two colleagues who pass each other
in a hallway:
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6 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
William: Morning, Paul.
Paul: Oh, Morning, William, how are you?
William: Fine, thanks. Have a good weekend?
Paul: Yes, thanks. Catch you later.
William: OK, see you.
In this example, the elements of phatic talk at the
beginning and end of the conversation have merged
together. The entire short conversation is a space-filler.
This type of discourse is often called chatter.
The need to use small talk depends upon the nature
of the relationship between the people having the
conversation. Couples in an intimate relationship can
signal their level of closeness by a lack of small talk.
They can comfortably accept silence in circumstances
that would be uncomfortable for two people who were
only casual friends.
In workplace situations, small talk tends to occur
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mostly between workers on the same level. However, it
can be used by managers as a way of developing the
working relationships with the staff who report to them.
A boss who asks their employees to work overtime may
try to motivate them by using small talk to temporarily
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decrease their difference in status. The balance between
functional conversation and small talk in the workplace
depends on the context, and is also influenced by the
relative power of the two speakers. It is usually the
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superior who defines the conversation, because they
have the power to close the small talk and “get down to
business.”
PATTERN FOR SMALL TALKS
A study of small talk in situations which involve
the chance meeting of strangers has been carried out by
Klaus Schneider. He theorises that such a conversation
consists of a number of fairly predictable segments, or
“moves”.
The first move is usually phrased so that it is easy
for the other person to agree. It may be either a question,
or a statement of opinion with a tag question. For
example, an opening line such as “Lovely weather, isn’t
it?” is a clear invitation for agreement.
The second move is the other person’s response.
In functional conversations that address a particular
topic, Grice’s Maxim of Quantity suggests that responses
should contain no more information than was explicitly
asked for. Schneider claims that one of the principles of
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small talk contradicts the Maxim of Quantity. He
suggests that politeness in small talk is maximized by
responding with a more substantial answer. Going back
to the example of “Lovely weather, isn’t it?”, to respond
by just saying “Yes” is less polite than saying, “Yes,
very mild for the time of year.”
Schneider describes that subsequent moves may
involve an acknowledgement such as “I see”, a positive
evaluation such as “That’s nice”, or what’s called “idling
behaviour”, such as “Mmm”, or “Really?”.
TOPICS FOR SMALL TALKS
The topics of small talk conversations are generally
less important than their social function. The selected
topic usually depends on any pre-existing relationship
between the two people, and the circumstances of the
conversation. In either case, someone initiating small
talk will tend to choose a topic for which they can assume
a shared background knowledge, to prevent the
conversation being too one-sided.
Topics can be summarized as being either direct or
indirect. Direct topics include personal observations
such as health or looks. Indirect topics refer to a
situational context such as the latest news, or the
conditions of the communicative situation. Some topics
are considered to be “safe” in most circumstances:
The Weather
Recent shared experiences, for example, “Good
weather last night, wasn’t it?”
Television and Films/Sports
The level of detail offered should not overstep the
bounds of interpersonal space. When asked, “How are
you?” by an acquaintance they do not know well, a
person is likely to choose a simple, generalized reply
such as, “Fine, thank you.” In this circumstance it
would probably not be appropriate for them to reply
with a list of symptoms of any medical conditions they
were suffering from. To do so would assume a greater
degree of familiarity between the two people than is
actually the case, and this may create an uncomfortable
situation.
Some Differences
Speech patterns between women tend to be more
collaborative than those of men, and tend to support
each other’s involvement in the conversation. Topics
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for small talk are more likely to include compliments
about some aspect of personal appearance. For example,
“That dress really suits you.” Small talk between women
who are friends may also involve a greater degree of
self-disclosure. Topics may cover more personal aspects
of their life, their troubles, and their secrets. This self-
disclosure both generates a closer relationship between
them, and also is a signal of that closeness.
By contrast, men’s small talk tends to be more
competitive. It may feature verbal sparring matches,
playful insults and putdowns. However, in a way these
are also both creators and signals of solidarity; the men
are signalling that they are comfortable enough with
each other’s company to be able to say these things
without their being taken as insults.
Small talk rules and topics can differ widely
between cultures. Weather is a common topic in regions
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where the climate has great variation and can be
unpredictable. Questions about the family are usual in
some Asian and Arab countries. In cultures that are
highly status-oriented such as China and Japan, small
talk between new acquaintances may feature numerous
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questions that enable social categorization of each other.
In many European cultures it is common to discuss the
weather, politics or the economy, although in some
countries personal finance issues such as salary are
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considered taboo.
SMALL TALKS IN BUSINESS EVENTS
The idea of making small talk with strangers at a
business event usually fill people with dread? It isn’t
easy making small talk with people you don’t know. If
you’ve ever ended up with a frozen smile on your face
while you frantically think of a topic to discuss, here
are some tips to which can really help.
1. Prepare conversation topics ahead of time:
Chances are, before heading out to a business or
social event, you think about what you will wear,
how you will get to the event, and even where
you will park. How often do you plan what you
will say once you get there?
Before the event, plan three or four conversation
topics. This will save you from a frantic search
for a new topic when the conversation grinds to a
halt.
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GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS / 7
At a business event, know what’s happening in
your industry. Read professional journals and
newsletters in your field to keep up-to-date.
Be up on current events. Read the local and
national newspapers. Skim the headlines and top
stories for topics of interest. Watch the local and
national news so you won’t to be in the dark about
recent developments. Then plan at least one topic
from your industry, and one general interest topic
that you can discuss.
2. Use an opening line to start the conversation:
Don’t worry, you don’t need a brilliant opener. In
fact, it can stop the conversation because when
you say something weird or unexpected, people
may be momentarily taken aback if they aren’t
sure how to respond.
Stick to simple topics like the weather or why
you are at the event. That’s why we talk about the
weather–it’s something everyone can talk about!
A compliment is always a great opener. Comment
on the person’s unusual tie or necklace, or on the
wonderful hors d’oeuvres. Just make sure your
compliment is sincere, and not too personal.
3. Get the conversation rolling: The best way to
do this is to begin with your shared experience,
such as the event you are attending. Ask about
the person’s relationship to the event or group.
Ask their opinion on the speaker, or how they
know the host. Or talk about the venue or city
you are visiting.
Any of these questions give you an instant
connection because you’ve had the same experience.
One should remember that at business events,
people want to meet new people. Be friendly, use your
opening line, and talk about the event.
Certain it is that small talks are very important social
skill, which not only help us to improve our social
relations but also make us more confident and add up
in our personality. This skill becomes more important
in a business scenario, where in talking and improving
socio-business relations is extremely important.
CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT
What is Corporate Entertainment?
Corporate entertainment relates to private events
held by corporations or businesses for their staff, clients
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8 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
or stakeholders. These events can be for large audiences
such as conventions and conferences, or smaller events
such as retreats, christmas parties or even private
concerts.
It is also commonly used to mean corporate
hospitality, the process of entertaining guests at
corporate events.
The companies that provide corporate
entertainment are called Corporate Event Planners or
Corporate Booking Agencies.
There are various types of corporate events that
make use of entertainment. An Opening General Session
may include entertainment that adds excitement and
presents the overall theme of the meeting. Mixers or
pre-dinner parties many times use entertainment meant
to provide a backdrop for conversation, perhaps an
acoustic ensemble or pre-recorded music. Awards or
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Gala events, usually the last event in a series of meetings,
can make use of many options, from celebrity
entertainers to exciting bands providing dance music
or other options that will leave the attendees with a
feeling of excitement and looking forward to the next
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meeting. There are many different types of corporate
entertainment.
Corporate Entertainment as a way to Corporate
Success
Corporate communication, corporate culture,
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corporate event, corporate governance–the word
‘corporate’ is often used to refer to something ‘relating
to a corporation’; but it also has another, an older
meaning–‘united or combined into one body’. When
speaking about organizations, the image of the body
perfectly reveals the principles of their operation: each
person in the group has their function, there is a strong
coherence between the members, and everyone is
working as one. This is precisely what corporate
entertainment is for; namely, creating bonds and
enhancing relationships to make individuals work as one
body.
An entertaining event, be it outdoor activities, travel
or a party, not only makes people get together, but also
creates the sense of unity. Entertaining activities
encourage communication between colleagues, team
members, subordinates and superiors. People have the
chance to get to know each other better. Contrary to
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work environment, relaxing activities extend
relationships into more than job-related conversations.
Entertainment incorporates the human element into
relationships both within and outside the company
(depending on the audience) which is equally and
sometimes even more important in building or
improving relationships.
In the ever more demanding work environment it
is easy to slip into tensions, misunderstandings, and
conflict, which do no good for the corporation. Changing
the environment and a bit relaxation while taking part
in entertaining events helps the participants get rid of
everyday stress and enjoy each other’s company. Thus
relationships between team members, business
associates, companies and their clients are being based
on positive emotions, which have a great impact on
people’s behaviour in their social environment and
performance at work.
One of the forms of corporate entertainment where
shaping relationships is practically the aim is team
building events. Through entertaining activities that
require the contribution of each member and a common
decision, the group receives a dose of positive emotions
and learns basic teamwork skills at the same time.
In a corporation, corporate entertainment may
enhance interpersonal relationships in a number of ways:
it inspires communication, helps to sketch relationships
on a positive-emotion background, provides relaxation,
reduces psychological tensions, and instills the spirit of
team in the participants.
Benefits of Corporate Entertainment
Corporate entertainment is an excellent way to win
favour with clients while motivating and rewarding your
team for work well done or great effort being put in.
Why is this good for your business? Corporate
entertainment helps to build strong relationships with
new and potential clients as well as nurtures and
cultivates a long and healthy relationship with existing
clients.
The best way to do this is to use some sort of
participatory event–this generally seems to set the
relaxed mood and is great for getting away from the
work type of environment. Other forms of corporate
entertainment would be special functions (business
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GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS / 9

anniversaries etc.), conferences, seminars, fundraisers,
tournaments and even golf days.
When going about setting up a corporate
entertainment event, it is best that you seek out the
services of a professional corporate event and
entertainment planner. This way you are ensured to get
the best end result, and won’t be paying good money
for a below par event.
Corporate Events
Planning a corporate event these days isn’t just a
simple case of organizing a few sandwiches and a DJ to
play the golden oldies. The organizing that has to go
into a big event for your business or company can be
time consuming and complicated as you have to
carefully schedule the venue, entertainment and the
caterers if you want it to run smoothly on the night and
be a success.
customers and business associates who can help your
trade.
Team-building events can be planned from a huge
array of activities, including themed days, ‘It’s A
Knockout’ type activities and Treasure Hunts. Once you
start searching for ideas you’ll realize the many
possibilities open to you and will have just as much fun
planning the entertainment as you have on the actual
day!
There are all kinds of entertaining acts, from stand
up comedians, pop bands and musicians to circus acts
and look-a-likes. Motivational speakers can get clients
interested and ready to sign on the dotted line, whilst
comperes, hosts and presenters are guaranteed to make
your event a success. There are lots of online companies
that cater for this market and will help you to stand out
from the crowd. If you are responsible for organizing a

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conference that is going to involve an overnight stay,
Corporate events are as crucial for a business as
then it’s becoming increasingly common for the
promotions and advertising, maintaining social
company to also provide dining and entertainment in
networks, and attending exhibitions. One of the most
the evenings.
important aspects to consider is what type of event it is
You can find lots of information online for
going to be, and from there you can then decide the

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inspiration if you really want to make an impact on the
entertainment that would suit it.
night. There are various directories that list all the
The entertainment should be considered carefully
entertainment acts in your area and put you in touch so
as it will be greatly appreciated by your customers and
everything can be arranged with the entertainer directly.
your objective should be to have the people who attend

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Using a service like this will save you a lot of time and
talk about it for months to come, a really successful
money as all the information is already there, just scroll
event is one that is not forgotten in a hurry. If you want
through until you find something that sounds interesting
to create a relaxing atmosphere where people can enjoy
and give them a call.
themselves in their own time then a buffet followed by
You’ll find thousands of bands to suit all tastes in
a live band is always a popular choice. Find an act that
music, circus performers or magicians to add a little
can play to the masses and has a wide repertoire as
fun and mystery, a contortionist to leave them baffled,
everyone has different tastes and you want to please as
or themed parties and casino tables provide excitement
many as possible. If the venue has a dance floor then
all around and promise a night that will be remembered
you should consider a DJ who can get everyone up
for years to come. Whether you are looking for
dancing, this can be a great way to get to know existing
something different to entertain for the evening, have a
and potential customers better and encourage them to
conference that is going to last 2/3 days, or are planning
do business with you.
a family fun-day then make the event really special with
If you want your business to be a success then it’s
the best entertainers available in the UK.
important you keep a high profile and one of the most
successful and popular methods to achieve this are to
provide corporate entertainment. Promotions and Q. 1. What do you mean by conversation?
advertising are all very well but imagine the opportunity Ans. Conversation is interactive, more-or-less
you have in front of you with a room full of potential spontaneous, communication between two or more

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10 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
conversants. Interactivity occurs because contributions
to a conversation are response reactions to what has
previously been said. Spontaneity occurs because a
conversation must proceed, to some extent, and in some
way, unpredictably. (Contrast with a scripted
conversation, which falls outside this definition.)
(However, the scope of that spontaneity may legitimately
be somewhat pre-limited for the purpose of expediency,
e.g. a talk show or a debate.)
Q. 2. What is the importance of greetings?
Ans. The importance of greetings in daily life can
hardly be overstated. Learning how to greet is an
important part of learning how to function in society
and how to establish and maintain personal
relationships. The importance of greeting others
shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s the first opportunity we
have to focus entirely on another person and the way
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we choose to use those initial seconds determines the
tone of our interactions. When we greet someone
warmly and focus on them with our undivided attention
the conversation will most likely reflect that warmness.
When we greet someone indifferently or are too busy
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to bother, we set up an interaction that will probably
be of a similar tone–and we lose the opportunity to
reinforce good relations.
Q. 3. Define the process of conversation?
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Ans. Conversation for the informal educator is not
about trying to win an argument. Rather, conversation
is about understanding and learning.
This does not mean that we avoid debate and
challenge. What it does involve, though, is constantly
being open to the possible truth of what others are saying.
To be open to what others are saying we have to bring
our own beliefs and feelings into play. In other words,
we have to enter conversations ready to change our
view of things.
However, being open does not mean that we accept
everything we hear, we have to make judgements. We
have a responsiblity to engage with what is going on.
Thus, we should often check:
(i) We are clear about what is being said.
(ii) The truth of statements.
(iii) The sincerity of the people speaking.
(iv) Whether what is said fits the situation.
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To fully engage in conversation, we have to be in a
certain frame of mind. We have to be with that person,
rather than seeking to act upon them. If we enter into
conversation with the desire to act upon the other
participants then we are seeing them as objects rather
than people. It means that we are not able to be fully
open to what they are saying. We are not open to
interaction. Thus, we have to take great care of the spirit
in which we act–and the way this may be experienced
by other people. We need to be ready to listen and ask
questions. Nothing is served by arbitrarily closing down
conversations.
Q. 4. What is the significance of small talk in
business events?
Ans. The idea of small talk is not only important in
our daily lives but also in our work and occupational
lives. It actually serves as primary ritual to take a next
step in any personal relationship, may it be with friends,
strangers, colleagues, or any other relations. It helps to
dissolve the first barrier which we quite often face while
taking an initiative to talk to someone. Small talks do
not have any purpose, rather than to reach on to a stage
where you can start a conversation with specific purpose.
In business events, the idea becomes more important
because such events require multiple acquaintances. And
small talks break ice between two strangers and make
them acquaintance.
Q. 5. What are the ways to initiate small talks in
business events?
Ans. Making small talk can be difficult even if
you’re an extrovert, but it’s especially difficult for
introverts. Here’s how to enjoy making small talk.
Keep up with current events. Make small talk about
the news, sports, your community, or politics (unless
politics is too controversial. On second thought, that
can generate some pretty fiery dialogues!)
Comment on a piece of clothing or accessory. Ask
where it came from, what the significance is, how much
it cost (just kidding). Making small talk is about being
observant about people you don’t know well.
Pay attention to what they’re saying. When you’re
making small talk, follow up on phrases; for instance, if
they say they’re “excellent”, ask why–ask where you
can get some. If they mention that they’re exhausted,
follow up on it. When you’re making small talk,
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remember that great conversations and good connections
can be just around the corner.
Q. 6. What do you mean by corporate
entertainment?
Ans. Corporate entertainment can be defined as
events organized by corporates for the entertainment
and refreshment of their employes, clients, or
stakeholders. Such events can be organized keeping in
mind a large number of audience or small number of
audience, depending on the need of the company. In
today’s world when the idea of the corporate
entertainment has gained such momentum, many
companies have started taking contracts for organizing
such events. Such companies are called event planners
or corporate booking agencies.
Q. 7. What are the benefits of corporate
entertainment?
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GREETINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS / 11
Ans. Corporate entertainment is an excellent way
to win favour with clients while motivating and
rewarding your team for work well done or great effort
being put in. Why is this good for your business?
Corporate entertainment helps to build strong
relationships with new and potential clients as well as
nurtures and cultivates a long and healthy relationship
with existing clients.
The best way to do this is to use some sort of
participatory event–this generally seems to set the
relaxed mood and is great for getting away from the
work type of environment. Other forms of corporate
entertainment would be special functions (business
anniversaries etc.), conferences, seminars, fundraisers,
tournaments and even golf days.
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12
Company Profile/Jobs and Responsibilities
Quiet often people just apply for the job, and either
at the time of the interview or after being selected they
feel that this is not what they were looking for. And the
result is simple; such people never find job satisfaction,
they get bored, they do not take their work seriously
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and by and by they do nothing but put their own career
in danger. They cannot even quite job because it will
affect their resume. There it is quit important for anyone
looking for a job to do his/her homework of researching
about the profile of the company he/she is going to apply
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for. And also know about the position and
responsibilities which he/she would be responsible for.
A proper research about such things can actually make
your job environment very charming and your work very
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enjoyable.
HOW TO RESEARCH A COMPANY PROFILE
It is always advisable to do your homework on the
prospective employer. Researching as much information
about the company as you can, will boost your
confidence. Also, mentioning some of the salient
features of the company during the interview can create
a good impression. By visiting the company’s web site,
you will collect important information about its
products, recent changes, competitors and clients. Here
are some guidelines on how to research a company
online before your job interview.
Enter the name of the company in a search engine
such as Google or Yahoo! to find the company’s Web
site. If you already know the URL address of the
company’s Web site, you can enter it into your browser
straightaway. Once you’re in the company’s site, click
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on different sections such as About Us, Products,
Services, Mission and Executive or Management Team.
These sections will give you information about what
the company is doing.
Look specifically at the “About Us” section as it
will give you the profile of the company. Remember the
important points to mention in the interview.
Prepare a list of the products and services the
company offers. See what markets it targets and how
your skills could fit in. Try to assess the job requirements.
Locate the “News” and “Press Releases” sections
if available. This will give you information on the new
projects and other changes in the company.
Search for information about the company’s
competitors. This may help you answer questions about
marketing strategies in the interview.
Get all relevant information about your job profile.
Such information is usually mentioned in the job posting
that you may have responded to. For instance, if you
applied through a job portal, the company and job profile
will be mentioned. Knowing more about the company
and the job you will be interviewed for will help you
prepare better.
Browse through blogs, especially business blogs
such as Google Blogs. Many reputable companies and
their employees post good information about these
companies in such blogs. Blogs are a great way to get
inside information about a company. Similarly, look at
online job networking resources, groups and discussion
forums.
STUDY THE JOB DESCRIPTION
Gone are the days of the single resume set in stone,
blasted to every job ad that seemed to match your
talents. Today, the resume is a living document,
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constantly updated with newly acquired skills and
experiences.
It’s an open secret that resumes are reverse
engineered to fit a particular job description. It’s not
unethical to highlight the most appropriate traits and
skills that match with what the employer is seeking. Yes,
it’s unethical to say you have skills you don’t possess,
but competition being what it is, you need to look for
an edge. And an important place to look for one is in
the job description.
Job descriptions aren’t written by machines.
They’re written by people and often reveal a specific
need for soft skills or people skills. Looking closer,
you’ll discover clues that can help make your resume
stand out. For example, if the job description demands
evening and weekend work, you’d include the fact that
you provided round the clock support during an upgrade.
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Many job descriptions are as generic as the resumes
they get in response. Phrases like detail-oriented,
meticulous, takes ownership in a job description are as
generic as resume buzzwords like developed,
implemented, deployed. Still, that job description may
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hold clues about the employee who vacated the position
and the manager who’s looking to improve upon it.
For example, consider this job description:
ABC. Co. is looking for experienced Business
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Development Managers. We are a fast growing
company, will reach 100 employees capacity soon.
Looking for an enthusiastic, energetic and honest BDM
who will share our vision and help us to go to the next
big step.
Wouldn’t honest be assumed? Could it be the person
who vacated the position was less than honest?
Of course in responding, you don’t list honest as
one of your best traits. Not only is it disingenuous, but
honesty is assumed in applicants. Instead, use an
example of what you’ve done that could be considered
an honest act. Something like: Developed a method for
HR to maintain their own documents that was
inaccessible to those in IT.
Here’s another one. This was buried in a 950 words
job description:
Composure: Is cool under pressure; does not
become defensive or irritated when times are tough; is
considered mature; can be counted on to hold things
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COMPANY PROFILE/JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES / 13
together during tough times; can handle stress; is not
knocked off balance by the unexpected; doesn’t show
frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling
influence in a crisis.
You might skip over that, thinking it’s not as
important as implementing SharePoint. But it’s in the
job description for a reason. Try to elegantly combine
the SharePoint implementation and the rough patches
that you coolly overcame.
And another:
Excellent communication skills. Willing to put ideas
out in the open without fear of being wrong, and to stand
up for ideas you believe in. Open debate and discussion
is strongly encouraged on the team.
Strong analytic and design capabilities. Ability to
think about and decompose a problem into simpler parts.
Demonstrated preference for simple, cohesive,
decoupled and practical solutions.
Again they’re stressing skills that have nothing to
do with IT. Clearly they’re looking for a courageous,
imaginative, intellectually secure person. How do you
demonstrate you’re the one? If they want out-of-the-
box thinking, give it to them. Include a paragraph
demonstrating those skills in your cover letter.
There’s no science to this, and I’ve only discussed
soft skills. There are many ways to imaginatively weave
your unique skills into your resume, but first you must
understand what the hiring manager is looking for. So
don’t skip over what may at first appear to be fluff.
WHY CLEARLY DEFINED JOB
ROLES ARE IMPORTANT
Where job roles are clearly defined, expectations
of a particular employee are known from the outset,
and it becomes much simpler to set staff goals and
objectives. There is no room for any confusion over
responsibilities, and relationships with colleagues are
likely to be easier as a result.
Good job descriptions can be used as part of the
performance management process, and if necessary, the
disciplinary process, too. They can also be invaluable
in any recognition or rewards system, and will highlight
any gaps in employee training.
These documents should be considered separately
from job specifications, which describe the skills and
background needed to perform various job roles rather
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14 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
than breaking down their specific duties and
responsibilities.
A good description clearly indicates the purpose
of a job, the reason it exists and where it sits within the
organization as a whole. It outlines working conditions
and reporting relationships.
Properly written job descriptions will include input
from the employee, and are updated regularly to reflect
a business’s changing needs. They will also reflect the
reality of the job roles they describe as closely as
possible. To cover themselves, most employers like to
state that the member of staff will need to carry out ‘other
duties as required’.
Especially in very large organizations, where there
could be employees working on contracts all over the
country, clearly defined job roles encourage
standardization. This means, for example, that two
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people doing the same job are not working with different
job titles.
When it comes to taking on new staff, or creating
new posts, well-written job descriptions for both internal
and external posts attract the right candidates for the
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jobs. A vague or poorly described job role could give
job-hunters the impression that the employer hasn’t
really though through what they want from the person
doing it.
If you’re hiring, especially for temporary positions,
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you may well want to think about using a recruitment
agency to save you time, and to boost your chances of
finding someone who has exactly the skills and
qualifications you need. After all, agencies have
databases with access to potentially hundreds of suitable
employees, often in a specialist area such as transport,
nursing or IT.
You may also want to consider using the services
of a recruitment advertising agency, who can take care
of producing and placing your job adverts in the press,
and make sure everything is carried out to a high
standard. But you’ll still need a very clear sense of what
you are looking for in your new recruit.
Equally, if you’re looking for work, it won’t cost a
penny to sign up with an agency. And, because it’s in
the agency’s interests to operate quickly, you’re unlikely
to be kept hanging around.
Whether you’re interested in tax jobs or cleaning
jobs, clearly defined job roles and accurate job
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descriptions are key to straightforward, successful
recruitment and retention.
WHY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
ARE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
Job responsibilities are the fundamentals on the
basis of which a candidate gets an idea of what his job
profile would consist of and through which the employer
chalks out his requirements at a particular post. Before
applying for any job, it is important that the applicant
scans through the job responsibilities if it has been
mentioned by the organization in the advertisement.
What are Job Responsibilities?
Job responsibilities mean the various tasks and
duties a candidate is supposed perform at a
specific post in a company.
These tasks may be something that he is already
familiar with or something new which will add to
his resume.
According to one’s job responsibilities, one’s
designation and salary may be determined and
they are also important during appraisal, review
and increment.
Job Responsibilities helps to determine the
authority over the job profile as well.
Why are Job Responsibilities Important?
Job responsibilities give the candidate an idea of
what to expect once he joins the job.
By highlighting the job responsibilities, the
employer also lays down what it requires from
the employee and it helps it to get a suitable
candidate.
A person’s performance may be judged on the
basis of how well he fulfilled those
responsibilities.
An employee gets a chance to improve his skills
if he is assigned with adequate job responsibilities.
How does one develop job responsibilities?
Job responsibilities must be developed keeping
in mind what outcome one expects from the
employee and must keep the communication open
and take suggestions.
By developing the required job responsibilities,
you also give out the message of the kind of
employee you require, what skills and
qualifications you look for.
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Q. 1. Why researching about the company
profile is important?
Ans. Researching about a company’s profile is very
important before applying for any job as it makes you
clear about the idea of work environment where you
are going to enter. It also helps you decide what you
what. What kind of company you want to work in. After
all one should always ask him/herself before applying
any job whether this company is suitable for me or not.
And researching about the company actually helps in
making this decision.
Q. 2. How can one research about a company’s
profile?
Ans. In order to research about a company, one
can simply type the name of the company in any search
engine. Or if the person has the URL for the company
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website then it can be directly typed in the internet
browser’s address bar. Once the website is open one
can find various informant ions about the company on
the websites. Apart from this one can also visits different
forums and blogs related to company to know about
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other people’s views on that company or the views of
people who have worked there or are still working there.
Q. 3. What is the importance of going through
the job descriptions?
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Ans. Reading job descriptions carefully gives one
an idea about the kind of work he/she will have to do
after joining the company. It helps one to get the picture
of the responsibilities which will come on his/her
shoulders. If one has not read the job descriptions, then
it is quite possible that he/she will be disappointed after
joining the company and by and by will loose interest
in work which will actually make the situation worse.
Therefore, it is always advisable to read the job
description very carefully before applying for any job.
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COMPANY PROFILE/JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES / 15
Q. 4. What are job responsibilities?
Ans. Job responsibilities can be simply defined as
the various jobs and tasks which an individual is
expected to perform at his work place. When a person
joins a company, there are certain things which are
expected from him/her by the company, i.e. to say
company assumes that in order to justify the salary the
employee will perform certain tasks. All such tasks
actually come under job responsibilities. In other words,
everything that an employee is supposed to do under
the roof of his/her company is his/her job
responsibilities.
Q. 5. What are the importance of job
responsibilities?
Ans. It is important because it gives a fair idea to
the employee about what to expect from his job after
becoming a member of the company. It also decides the
designation and salary of the employee. If the employee
does not take his/her job responsibilities into
consideration before joining the company, it may lead
to some fatal consequences. Just because of this reason
an employee might lose interest in job and get bored,
and eventually destroy his/her career. It, therefore
becomes very important for an employee to understand
the job responsibilities of the post he/she is applying
for.
Q. 6. What are various reasons for not getting
job satisfaction?
Ans. There could be several reasons for a person
not being satisfied from his job. It is quite possible that
the employee did not know anything about the company
and his job responsibilities before joining the company
and thus he/she landed up in a place with entirely
different expectations from what company had to offer.
And by and by he/she lost interest in work and became
unsatisfied from his job.
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Getting Ready for the Job Market
For young people preparing to enter the job market,
it’s vital that you do everything in your power to get
yourself into the best position when its time comes to
search for a job. Every choice you make as a student
and recent graduate affects how successful you will be
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in searching for and finding the job you want. To find a
right job for you is as essential for your career as to
earn money for your living. In order to find a right job
one should be able to make a right portfolio, for it is
one of the most complex works for all the young fresher.
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Getting the job that’s right for you takes more than
sending out a few resumes and application letters. Before
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entering the workplace, you need to learn as much as
you can about your capabilities and the job marketplace.
Understanding Today’s Changing Workplace:
Anyone seeking employment must realize that the
workplace today is not the same as it was even a decade
ago. The workplace is being influenced by globalization,
advancing technology, information overload, growing
diversity, and team-based organizations. In addition, the
attitudes and expectations of both employers and
employees are being affected by forces such as ongoing
deregulation, increased activism among shareholders,
continued corporate downsizing and cost-cutting
initiatives, persistent mergers and acquisitions, growing
dependency on flexible employment techniques such
as outsourcing, and increasing entrepreneurism (people
starting their own business or buying a franchisee).
Changing Workplace—Affects Hiring
Practices: In the face of all these changes, employment
is more flexible than in the past. Today, rather than
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looking for lifelong employees, many employer hire
temporary workers and consultants on a project-by-
project basis. At the same time, rather than staying with
one employer for their entire career, growing numbers
of employees are at ease in moving from company to
company. In a recent poll, 39 per cent of workers say
they intend to hold the same job five years from now;
31 per cent say they plan to leave current work; and 29
per cent say they do not know.
The forces of change also affect where people find
work. Fewer jobs are being created by large companies.
One expert predicts that soon 80 per cent of the labour
force will be working for firms employing fewer than
200 people. Moreover, self-employment seems to be
an increasingly attractive option for many former
employees.
Adapting to the Changing Workplace: Do you
have what employers are looking for? Before you limit
your employment search to a particular industry or job,
it’s a good idea to analyze what you have to offer and
what you hope to get from your work. This advance
preparation allows you to identify employers who are
likely to want you and vice versa.
What Do You Have to Offer?
Get started by jotting down 10 achievements you
are proud of, such as learning to ski, taking a prize-
winning photo, tutoring a child, or editing your school
paper. Think carefully about what specific skills these
achievements demanded. For example, leadership skills,
speaking ability, and artistic talent may have helped you
coordinate a wining presentation to your school’s
administration. As you analyze your achievements,
you’ll begin to recognize a pattern of skills. Which of
them might be valuable to potential employers?
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Next, look at your educational preparation, work
experience, and extracurricular activities. What do your
knowledge and experience qualify you to do? What have
you learned from volunteer work or class projects that
could benefit you on the job? Have you held any offices,
won any awards or scholarships, mastered a second
language?
Take stock of your personal characteristics. Are you
aggressive, a born leader? Or would you rather follow?
Are you outgoing, articulate, great with people? Or do
you prefer working alone? Make a list of what you
believe are your four or five most important qualities.
Ask a relative or friend to rate your traits as well.
If you are having difficulty figuring out your
interests, characteristics, or capabilities, consult your
college placement office. Many campuses administer a
variety of tests to help you identify interests, aptitudes,
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and personality traits. These tests won’t reveal your
“perfect” job but they’ll help you focus on the types of
work best suited to your personality.
What Do You Want to Do?
Knowing what you can do is one thing. Knowing
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what you want to do is another. Don’t lose sight of your
own values. Discover the things that will bring you
satisfaction and happiness on the job.
What would you like to do every day: Talk to
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people in various occupations about their typical
workday. You might consult relatives, local business,
or former graduates (through your school’s alumni
relations office).
How would you like to work: Consider how much
independence you want on the job, how much variety
you like, and whether you prefer to work with products,
machines, people, ideas, figures, or some combination
thereof. Do you like physical work, mental work, or a
mix? Constant change or a predictable role?
Remuneration—you expect?: What do you hope
to earn in your first year? What kind of pay increase do
you expect each year? What’s your ultimate earnings
goal? Would you be comfortable getting paid on
commission, or do you prefer a steady paycheck? Are
you willing to settle for less money in order to do
something you really love?
Can you establish some general career goals?:
Consider where you’d like to start, where you’d like to
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GETTING READY FOR THE JOB MARKET / 17
go from there, and the ultimate position you’d like to
attain. How soon after joining the company would you
like to receive your first promotion? Your next one?
What additional training or preparation will you need
to achieve them?
What size company would you prefer? Do you
like the idea of working for a small, entrepreneurial
operation? Or would you prefer a large corporation?
What type of operation is appealing to you?
Would you prefer to work for a profit-making company
or a nonprofit organization? Are you attracted to service
business or manufacturing operations? Do you want
regular, predictable hours, or do you thrive on flexible,
varied hours? Would you enjoy a seasonally varied job
such as education (which may give you summers off)
or retailing (with its selling cycles)?
What location would you like?: Would you like
to work in a city, a suburb, a small town, an industrial
area, or an uptown setting? Do you favour a particular
part of the country? A country abroad? Do you like
working indoors or outdoors?
What facilities do you envision?: Is it important
to you to work in an attractive place, or will simple,
functional quarters suffice? Do you need a quit office
to work effectively, or can you concentrate in a noisy,
open setting? Is access to public transportation of
freeways important?
What sort of corporate culture are you most
comfortable with?: Would you be happy in formal
hierarchy with clear reporting relationship? Or do you
prefer less structure? Are you looking for a paternalistic
firm or one that fosters individualism? Do you like a
competitive environment? One that rewards teamwork?
What qualities do you want in a boss?
How Can You Make Yourself More Valuable to
Employers? While you’re figuring out what you can
offer an employer and what you want from a job, you
can take positive steps toward buildings your careers.
There is a lot you can do before you graduate from
college and while you are seeking employment. The
following suggestions will help potential employers
recognize the value of hiring you:
Keep an employment portfolio: Get a three-ring
notebook and a package of plastic sleeves that open at
the top. Collect anything that shows your ability to
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18 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
perform (classroom or work evaluations, certificates,
awards, papers you’ve written). Your portfolio is a great
resource for writing your resume, and it gives employers
tangible evidence of your professionalism.
Temporary Assignments: As you search for a
permanent job, consider temporary or freelance work.
Also gain a competitive edge by participating in an
internship program. These temporary assignments not
only help you gain valuable experience and relevant
contacts but also provide you with important references
and with items for your portfolio.
Polishing and updating your skills: Whenever
possible, join networks of professional colleagues and
friends who can help you keep up with your occupation
and industry. While waiting for responses to your
resume, take a computer course or seek out other
educational or life experiences that would be hard to
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get while working full-time.
Even after an employer hires you, continue
improving your skills to distinguish yourself from your
peers and to make yourself more valuable to current
and potential employers. Becoming a lifelong learner
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will help you reach your personal goals in the workplace.
Work hard to acquire as much technical knowledge
as you can, to build broad-based experience, and to
develop a high level of social skills.
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Learn to accept change (that way you can adapt if
your “perfect” traditional career path eludes your grasp.
Learn to see each job as an opportunity to learn
more and to expand your knowledge, experience, and
social skills.
Take on as much responsibility as you can outside
your job description (that means listening to and learning
from others, as well as being willing to actively pursue
new or better skills).
Jump into change with a positive attitude and a nose
for opportunity (if you don’t understand the changes in
your organization, don’t complain about it; find out what
is going on).
Share what you know with others (don’t hoard
knowledge in the hope of becoming indispensable).
Understand the big picture (knowing your own job
inside and out just isn’t enough any more).
Understand that what counts isn’t only who you
know but also what you know and who knows you.
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Employment in the Changing Workplace
Even armed with knowledge about today’s
workplace and what you can do to adapt to it, you still
need to learn about the process of seeking employment.
The more important you know about this process, the
more successful you’ll be in your job search. Plus, it’s
important to keep in mind that employer and job
candidates approach the process differently.
Understanding Employers’ Approach
When searching for the job you want, you can save
considerable time and effort by understanding how
employers approach the recruiting process. Generally,
employers prefer to look for candidates within their
organizations. When hiring outside the company, they
rely heavily on referrals from people they know and
trust. In fact, personal contacts appear to be the prime
source of jobs, regardless of whether a candidate has
just graduated from college or has been out of school
for several years. Companies will often pay handsome
referral bonuses to their employees for recommending
a candidate who is hired and who stays for a designated
period.
Many employers send representatives to college
campuses to interview students for job openings. These
interviews are usually coordinated by the campus
placement office, which keeps files of college records,
data sheets, and recommendation letters for all students
registered for the service. In addition, many employers
accept unsolicited resumes. Growing companies like to
maintain a steady influx of potential employees.
In tight labour markets, companies probably have
jobs for any good candidate they happen upon. Most
employers keep unsolicited resumes on file or in a
database.
Employers also recruit candidates through
employment agencies, state employment services,
temporary staffing services and the employment bureaus
operated by some trade associations. Moreover, they
post jobs through classified and display ads in
newspapers, trade magazines and campus publications.
Some CEOs are even using nontraditional recruiting
media, such as radio and television. Many companies
have begun advertising positions on the Internet.
Organizing Your Approach: Don’t worry if you
don’t have personal contacts in organizations you would
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like to work for. Your approach to the employment
process is to gather as much information as you can,
narrowing it as you go until you know precisely the
companies you want to approach. Begin by finding out
where the job opportunities are, which industries are
strong, which parts of the country are booming and
which specific job categories offer the best prospects
for the future. From there you can investigate individual
organization, doing your best to learn as much about
them as possible.
Stay Tuned with the Business and Financial
News: If you don’t already do so, subscribe to a major
newspaper (print or online editions) are scan the business
pages every day. Watch some of the television
programmes that focus on business.
Research Specific Companies: Begin your job
search by reviewing those sources, as well as
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professional and trade journals in the fields that interest
you. Once you’ve identified a promising industry and
career field, compile a list of specific organizations that
appeal to you (perhaps by consulting directories of
employers at your college library, at your career centre,
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or on the Internet). The web offers an amazing amount
of company and employment information, both general
and specific. In addition to gaining detailed information
about your prospective employers, you can use the web
to look for and respond to job openings.
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Knowledge about the Organization: Find out
whether a company maintains a website. Those that do
generally include a company profile, press release,
financial information, and information on employment
opportunities. You’ll find information about an
organization’s mission, products, annual reports, and
employee benefits. You can also email organizations
and ask for annual reports, descriptive brochures, or
newsletters.
Search for Job Openings: An increasing number
of large and small companies are posting job openings
on the Internet. You can locate company sites by
knowing the URL, using links from other sites, or using
a search engine such as AltaVista, Lycos or Google. You
can also find jobs at websites that list openings from
multiple companies.
Reply to Job Openings: You can respond directly
do job postings without going through recruiters, post
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GETTING READY FOR THE JOB MARKET / 19
tailor-made resumes (that match the qualifications
required by a particular position), send resumes quickly
and cheaply through email, and send focused cover
letters directly to the executives doing the hiring. Most
campus placement offices are retooling to help you take
advantage of web opportunities.
Keep in mind that because e-mailing resumes is so
easy, companies are getting thousands of electronic
resume a day. Thus, in some cases you may want to try
a more personal touch such a printed letter or phone
call. Moreover, most of the employers don’t even think
of the Internet when it’s time to hire. So in addition to
using the web to look for job openings, you’ll still want
to use other techniques for finding employment, such
as looking in local and major newspapers, signing up
for campus interviews, networking, and finding career
counselling.
Search Career Counselling: College placement
offices offer individual counselling, credential services,
job fairs, on-campus interviews and job listings. They
can give you advice on resume-writing software and
provide workshops in job-search techniques, resume
preparation, interview techniques, and more. You can
also find job counselling online. You might begin you
self-assessment, for example, with the Keirsey
Temperament Sorter, an online personality test at
www.advisoteam.com/userkitsinto.asp. For excellent
job-seeking pointers and counselling, visit college-and
university-run online career centres. Commercial career
range from award winning to depressing, so seek out
those advices is both useful and sensible.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
A portfolio is a collection of your best work that
you show to a perspective employer. Your portfolio
will give the employer or college a chance to see what
level of photography you are at and to get a sense of
how serious of a photographer or student you will be.
They may even take note of your “style” to see if it fits
with their programme or the job they are offering. While
in college, students will work on building up their
portfolios to help them get a job when they graduate.
Material for the portfolio will come from class
assignments, internships and most importantly, they
should come from work the student took on their own
time.
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20 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
There are two important things to consider when
preparing your portfolio: What to put in it, and how to
present it. You will find after showing your portfolio
to a few photo editors, that while some points are agreed
on between everyone, opinions can also vary greatly on
both aspects.
Your portfolio should give an idea of your level of
talent and creativity, and it should be a reflection of
your ambition and enthusiasm. Your collection of
photographs will show if you understand how to use
the camera and if you use proper exposure and the right
lens for the picture. It will show if you have a strong
sense of composition as well as your knowledge of
lighting and it will display your ability to “capture a
moment.” It will show if you understand depth of field
and when to use slow or fast shutter speeds.
An employer will look at how versatile you are as
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far as shooting different types of assignments, such as
spot news, features, picture stories and sports. They
will also look at your work to see how old your newest
photo is and see if you consistently take pictures or if
you have long periods of “low productivity.”
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Presentation is very important in a portfolio. You
should make your portfolio look as perfect as possible.
This will show the employer or school that you take
pride in your work and that you are worth the investment
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of hiring or admitting into a college.
A portfolio should not only include a cross section
of your work, but it should also include an updated
resume, 3-4 references, caption sheet (to tell about each
photograph) and if you are mailing it, a S.A.S.E. (self
addressed stamped envelope) with enough postage, so
they can return your work to you without effort.
Photographs can be presented in various ways:
(a) Slides
(b) Mounted photographic prints
(c) Digital images on a CD
(d) A web page
Photo editors are very busy people and they receive
a lot of portfolios. Here are some tips that may help
you help them to be able to view your portfolio:
Make it Effortless to View: You want to present
your work in a manor that does not take too much of
their time or in a way that is inconvenient. Some photo
editors may find it extremely inconvenient if your
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portfolio is on a website. Others may even find portfolios
on a disc a bother. Some may prefer only slides while
another may prefer them on a disc. If you are unsure,
check.
S.A.S.E.: You want to enclose a Self-Addressed
Stamped Envelope, so that all they have to do is seal
the envelope and not have to type up labels and put
postage on it. Don’t make the return envelope way to
big or too small.
Neat and Clean: Make sure your presentation is
as perfect as possible. Slides should be mounted straight.
There should not be coffee stains, dirt or fingerprints
on your work. Sloppiness is an immediate turn off for a
perspective employer. It says that you don’t care or have
any pride in your work.
Top Quality is a Must: My big turn-off is poor
slide reproduction or badly toned digital images. Photos
should not be “off colour,” meaning they should not
have a funny colour cast to them from bad lighting or
poor processing. Your images should be so perfect, that
they reflect reality and the viewer is not distracted by
inperfections of difficulty in viewing the image. If a
digital image or slide of a black and white photo is purple
or green, that is unacceptable. Make sure your photos
are not too dark or too light. The reviewer of your
portfolio should not know whether your prints are digital
images or not -- they must be picture perfect like a
beautiful colour print. Photographic prints should be
touched up to remove dust spots.
Keep it Orderly: You may want to consider putting
your work in a folder with the contact sheets and captions
on one pocket and resume, references and cover letter
in another. (I have received portfolios in loose-leaf
binders which is a good presentation, but if you are
sending slides, I have to take them out and put them
back in the binder. I prefer folders.)
Resumes at a Glance: Don’t get too fancy with
your resume. A perspective employer should be able to
see all of your credentials by just glancing at the resume
and not having to search. At the same time, keep your
cover letters brief. Too much is too time consuming.
WHICH PHOTOS DO I PUT IN OR TAKE OUT
One of the most difficult aspects of putting a
portfolio together is deciding what to put in it and what
to leave out. Everyone has a different idea of what
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should be in a portfolio. I have done many portfolio
reviews at the National Press Photographers Association
annual conferences. Here students and photographers
looking to have their work critiqued go from photo editor
to photo editor looking for advice. By the end of the
session, they always end up in a state of confusion
because every photo editor will say something different.
One will say “Take this photo out.” while another
will say “Leave it in.” One will say “You need more of
this and less of that” while another will say “You need
more of that and less of this.”
Some say 12 pieces are enough, some say you
should have at least 24. Some say every portfolio should
have sports, spot news, features, and a picture story.
Others will say only put them in if they are good.
Whatever the case maybe, there are no set rules, even
though some photo editors will say that there are.
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Q. 1. What is a portfolio?
Ans. Portfolio is simply a collection of one’s best
works which can be presented to the employer so as to
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give him an idea about your ability and qualifications.
People use portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college
or training programmes, get a higher salary, show
transferable skills, and to track personal development.
They are more in-depth than a resume, which is used to
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summarize the above in one or two pages. Portfolios
serve as proof of one’s skills, abilities, and potential in
the future. Portfolios are becoming common in high
schools, college and workforce development. Many
school programs will have students create, update and
use a career portfolio before moving on to the next level
in life.
Portfolios help with a job or acceptance into higher
education institutes. A career portfolio should be
personal and contain critical information. Items that
should be included (but are not limited to) personal
information, evaluations, sample work, and awards and
acknowledgements. Portfolios are often kept in a simple
three-ring binder or online as an Electronic portfolio
and updated often. A portfolio is used as a marketing
tool in selling oneself for personal advancement. In some
industries, employers or admission offices commonly
request a career portfolio, so it is a wise idea to have an
updated one on hand.
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GETTING READY FOR THE JOB MARKET / 21
Q. 2. What are the things which should be kept
in mind while preparing a portfolio?
Ans. When preparing a portfolio show your ability
to package and present information attractively and
concisely: Form is as important as content. It should
always be kept in mind that the way portfolio is being
made should be eye catching. This doesn’t mean the
use of designs and drawings but a proper and attractive
form or way of presenting whatever you have to present.
Be sure to include only your best work and organize
material logically. And never try to include everything
that you have done till now in your life. The viewer of
the portfolio might not be interested in everything that
you have done. He might only be interested in only those
things which he/she considers to be important for your
work.
Consider your audience. Are you applying for
graduate school or a job? Positions are often won or
lost on first impressions. Rearranging your portfolio for
an interview sends a clear signal that you are serious
about the opportunity. Keep in mind your portfolio is
your first impression and do not let this opportunity of
impressing the viewer slip from your hand.
Q. 3. How to prepare a portfolio?
Ans. A portfolio of your career is indispensable
during an interview. As you toot your own horn about
the great ad campaign you designed or the great article
you wrote for the local paper, your words will have more
weight if you can produce samples. A portfolio is the
evidence that backs up your resume and showcases your
skills.
Gather samples of your work. This could include
writing samples, photographs, published clips,
brochures, plans, reports, research papers or drawings.
Choose a wide variety of materials to demonstrate the
scope of your abilities.
Match the materials in your portfolio to your
resume. Is every skill set you are trying to demonstrate
covered? Does a particular skill need more
representation?
Add or subtract materials based on the portfolio’s
specific purpose. If you are interviewing for a
copywriting position, make sure you have several
samples of copy you have written.
Make quality photo copies any printed pieces. If
the clip or brochure is in color, make color copies. Add
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22 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
the publication name and date at the bottom of each
sheet.
Arrange your samples, resume and a handful of
business cards into a quality binder. Most portfolios are
oversized leather binders but any quality binder will
work.
Practice demonstrating your portfolio before the
actual interview. Make sure you can find each of the
samples easily as you talk through your resume and
answer questions.
Re-evaluate your portfolio for each job interview.
Gather materials over time and review past work as you
prepare for the next new endeavour.
Q. 4. What is online portfolio?
Ans. In the 21st century web technology has filtered
its way in to portfolios especially in the digital work
place job market. While traditional C.V style portfolios
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still dominate the portfolio world it is common to back
it up with a website containing personal statements,
contact details and experience.
Social portfolio web sites such as LinkedIn have
become popular, as have services from websites which
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offer to host portfolios for clients.
Resume reels and demo tapes are a type of portfolio.
They are used by many in the arts such as musicians,
actors, artists and even journalists.
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Creative professionals are also looking for an
portfolios websites for an exclusive online presence to
present their work more professionally and elegantly.
Q. 5. What are the benefits of a portfolio?
Ans. The benefits of having a portfolio make
investing the time to create it worth it. Actions do speak
louder than words.
Many times, interviewers hear every person say the
same thing–they are the best person to hire and they
want the job. Often, there is little separating most of the
applicants–so what they look for are the stars, the dream
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candidates who make it obvious they are a perfect fit
for the job.
One way interviewers used to spot a great applicant
was to see who invested the time to learn about the
company and craft a custom resume. But a lot of people
have caught on to this, and the Internet and word
processors now makes it easy to do some quick research
and create a tailored version of your master resume
before an interview.
So now, interviewers are looking beyond your basic
company knowledge and work history to focus on what
you can realistically do for them in the future. And the
best indicator of future performance is the past work
you have done.
Showing them what you can do with a portfolio
lets them see how good you really are, and eliminates
any question about you exaggerating. The confidence it
takes to let your work speak for itself, as well as being
honest about your skill level, is impressive and makes
you stand out. And the care and effort you put into
selecting and arranging the best examples of your work
is something a good hiring manager can quickly see
during an interview.
So if you are walking into a job interview empty
handed, you are missing a great opportunity to prove
you are the right candidate for the job.
But even if you never show your portfolio in an
interview, it is still a good idea to create one. Spending
the time to create a portfolio means you are very
prepared to answer any interview question about your
experience, skills or past work. Also, when you see your
body of work, your confidence goes up and that shows
in the interview. And it is a great tool for refreshing
your memory while you are in the waiting room and
keeping your spirits and confidence up while job
hunting.
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Responding to Advertisements
In order to maximize your chances of success when
responding to a job advert, one must follow some general
guidelines.
Make a list of all the requirements the advertisement
specifies.
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Next to each item, write down which of your
specific achievements address that need. If you do not
meet the most important job requirements, along with
three out of five of the other required experience factors,
you should think twice before investing the time in
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applying for the job.
Make sure that you match your most important
achievements to the job specifications–this will
maximize your chances of a response. From there on, it
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is something of a lottery, your chances being dependent
on the people who read the replies and the quality of
applications.
If you are currently employed and looking for a
change, be very wary of ‘blind adverts’–those
advertisements which do not mention the company. You
will be taking the chance that you could be applying to
your own employers–something that may get you into
hot water! It may not be worth the risk.
WRITING A CV/RESUME
While looking for employment, you’ll need to send
out messages such as resumes, application letters, job
inquiries, and follow-up letters, whenever you send out
such employment messages; you have an opportunity
to showcase your communication skills—skills valued
highly by the majority of employers. So write these
messages carefully by following the three-step writing
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process. To distinguish you from all the other people
looking for work, you need to start with a well-written
resume. In fact, your successes in finding a job will
depend on how carefully you plan, write and complete
you resume.
Your Resume
Your resume must be more than a simple list of
jobs you have held. As with other business messages,
planning a resume means analyzing your purpose and
your audience.
Analyze Your Purpose and Audience
A resume is a structured, written summary of a
person’s education, employment back ground and job
qualifications. Although many people have
misconceptions about resume, the fact is that a resume
is a form of advertising. It is intended to stimulate an
employer’s interest in you-in meeting you and learning
more about you. A successful resume inspires a
prospective employer to invite you to interview with
the company. Thus, your purpose in writing your resume
is to create interest-not to tell readers everything about
you. In fact, it may be best to only hint at some things
and leave the reader wanting more. The potential
employer will then have even more reason to contact
you.
Since you have already completed a good deal of
research of specific companies, you should know quite
a bit about the organizations you’ll be applying to. But
take some time now to learn what you can about the
individuals who may be reading your resume. If you are
applying to a Fortune 500 company, you may have to
make some educated guesses about the people in the
human resources department and what their needs might
be. But in smaller companies, you may be able to learn
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24 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
the name recruiter or manager you’ll be addressing.
Either way, try to put yourself in your audience’s position
so that you’ll be able to tailor your resume to satisfy
your audience’s needs.
Writing Your Resume
To write a successful resume, you need to convey
seven qualities that employers seek. You want to show
that you (i) think in terms of results, (ii) know how to
get things done, (iii) are well rounded (iv) show signs
of progress, (v) have personal standards of excellence,
(vi) are flexible and willing to try new things, (vii)
possess strong communication skills. As you organize
and compose you resume, think about how you can
convey those seven qualities.
Prepare Your Resume Around Your Strengths
Although you may want to include a little
information in all categories, emphasize the information
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that has a bearing on your career objective and minimize
or exclude any that is irrelevant or counterproductive.
To interest potential employers in your resume, call
attention to your best features and downplay your
weaknesses–but be sure you do so without distorting or
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misrepresenting the facts. Do you have something in
you history that might trigger an employer’s red flag?
Following are some common problems and some quick
suggestion for overcoming them:
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Frequent job changes: Group all contract and
temporary jobs under one heading if they are similar.
Gaps in work history: Mention relevant
experience and education gained during time gaps, such
as volunteer or community work. If gaps are due to
personal problems such as drug or alcohol abuse or
mental illness, offer honest but general explanations
about your absences (“I had serious health concerns and
had to take time off to full recover”).
Inexperience: Do related volunteer work. List
relevant course work and internships. Offer hiring
incentives such as “willing to work nights and
weekends.”
Overqualification: Tone down your resume,
focusing exclusively on pertinent experience and skills.
Long-term employment with one company:
Itemize each position held at the firm to show “interior
mobility” and increased responsibilities. Don’t include
obsolete skills and job titles.
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Job termination for cause: Be honest with
interviewers. Show you are a hard-working employee
and counter their concerns with proof such as
recommendations and examples of completed
projects.
Criminal record: Consider sending out a
“broadcast letter” about your skills and experience,
rather than a resume and cover letter. Prepare answers
to questions that interviewers will probably pose (‘You
may wonder whether I will be a trustworthy employee.
I’d like to offer you a list of references from previous
bosses and co-workers who will attest to my integrity. I
learned some hard lessons during that difficult time of
my life, and now I’m fully rehabilitated’).
To focus attention on your strongest points adopt
the appropriate organizational approach-make your
resume chronological, functional, or a combination of
the two. The “right” choice depends on your background
and your goals.
COVERING LETTER
(i) Addressing Job Application Letters: The style
you choose is not important, there are many different
styles of job applications and professional letters, this
comes down to personal preference. However,
somewhere on the top, whether it is on the right or left
hand side, there should be your address and the date.
Following this, on the left hand side you should address
it. Ensure you include the name of the person, his/her
title, company name, address and any position reference
number. This is probably obvious, but ensure that you
spell their name correctly, nothing worse than receiving
a letter incorrectly addressed or misspelled. It gives a
poor first impression. Remember “first impression is
the last impression”.
(ii) The Introductory Paragraph: The first
paragraph should simply state why you are writing to
them. If it is an advertised position, mention the position
title and where it was advertised with date. If you are
“cold calling” a company then you should specify that
you are applying for any current or future employment
opportunities with the organization.
An easy way to start this paragraph is with the
following statement; “Please find enclosed my CV,
which I am forwarding to you as an application for the
position of....................”
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(iii) The Main Body of Job application letters:
The main body of the letters should be two to three
paragraphs at the most. Here is where you tell them what
you have to offer and why they should read your CV.
This is a good time to read the job advertisement again.
In one paragraph (two at the most) you need to
summarise your experience and skills, at the same time,
you need to respond to the position requirements as per
the advertisement.
Analyse your career and summarise it in a few
sentences, highlight what you specialise in, or how many
years you have worked in the industry, or even the level
that you have reached. This paragraph should direct the
reader to your CV and should highlight you on some
unique points that you might have.
A good way to start this paragraph is with a
statement like–“You will see from my enclosed CV...”.
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then go ahead and tell them something about your career
which will immediately get their interest.
Drafting the application: The next part of the body
of the letter should be a brief description of your personal
skills. Again read the advertisement and respond to their
Publications
needs. If they are asking for someone with good
coordination skills, then ensure that you mention
something to that effect. If it is communication or
perhaps leadership skills they value, then tell them that
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you have these. Use adjectives like “well developed”,
“demonstrated ability”, “demonstrated accountability”,
may be with some examples.
(iv) Job Application Letters Closing Paragraph:
The closing paragraph should ask for some action from
the recipient. This is where you ask for an interview. It
should also state where and how they can reach you,
and it should thank the recipient for giving you the
opportunity to apply. You can include sentences like,
“Should you require further information.........”
Finish the letter by adding a closing remark, either
“yours sincerely”, “yours faithfully” or whatever you
feel comfortable with and obeying general letter writing
etiquette. Leave a few spaces for your signature and
then place your full name.
Before you mail the application letter, read it over
again, making sure that it is perfect. Special attention
should be placed to ensure the letter on below points:
(i) It is not too long.
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RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS / 25
(ii) There are no grammar or spelling errors.
(iii) That you have answered the job requirements.
(iv) The application letter flows and is easy to read.
You might have to type and edit the letter many
times before you are happy with it, but just remember
that the job application letter is just as important as the
CV itself. The letter should invite the recipient to read
the resume, in turn the resume should raise enough
interest for them to want to interview you.
Let’s review an example of Job Application below:
Letter of Application
3 / 26, New Friends Colony,
New Delhi,
India
Kind Attn: Ms Christina Rai
K – 107, Nizamuddin West,
Near Sarai Kale Khan,
New Delhi–110052
Dear Ms. Christina,
I am writing in response to your advertisement in
the Hindustan Times for the post of “Sales Executive”
dated 4th Feb, 2005. I am 26 years old. I have a B.Com
(Hons.) degree from Delhi University as a regular
student with diploma in Sales and Marketing from
National Institute of Sales, Delhi. I am a permanent
resident in Delhi and speak English fluently. Would
also like to specify that I have been awarded with a
couple of awards for leadership and marketing skills in
my career of 3 years with this industry.
I am very interested in working with a reputed
organization as yours and can assure you that if you
give me a chance, I will perform to your full satisfaction.
Please find enclosed my CV.
I will be grateful if you give me an opportunity for
an interview.
Yours faithfully,
Sachin Malhotra.
How to Complete a Job Application Form?
When you apply for a job you are typically asked
to complete an application for employment. You may
be asked to complete an application even if you have
already submitted a resume and cover letter. That way,
the employer has a record of your personal and
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26 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

employment history in his own format, verified and
signed by the applicant. This common form for all
candidates makes the employer’s job simpler in order
to review them quickly and thereby maintaining their
standard.
It is important for your job applications to be
complete, correct (no errors) and accurate. The
application form of the employer will usually contain
the basic information as below:
(i) Personal Information
– Name
– Address
– City, State, Zip Code / Pin Code.
– Phone Number
– Age and Sex
– Marital Status
2. Write clearly and neatly, using black or blue ink.
3. Check for spelling and grammatical errors. Proof
read your job application form before turning it
in.
4. List your most recent job first when completing
employment information.
5. List your most recent education first. Include
vocational schools and training programmes as
well as college and high school.
6. References don’t necessarily have to be
professional. If you have volunteered you can use
members of the organizations that you have
helped or if you are a student use your teachers.
In all cases, ask for permission prior to using the
person for a reference.
7. Don’t forget to sign your application.

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Apply Online via Job Sites: There are hundreds
(ii) Education
of sites where you can post your resume online. Some
– Schools/Colleges attended sites let you upload an existing resume with the click of
– Major Degree/Diploma a button. On the other sites, you can cut and paste or
– Graduation details use a resume building wizard. There are also resume

Publications
– Profession Qualification details posting services that will post your resume to the top
(iii) Employment Information sites for you.
Apply Online via Company Website: If you are
– Name, addresses, phone numbers of previous
interested in working for a particular company visit the
employers

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website. Career information is usually posted in the
– Supervisor’s name/Hierarchy “About Us” section of the site. Follow the instructions
– Dates of employment to search for and applying to jobs online.
– Salary Job Applications via E-mail: When applying for
– Reason for leaving jobs via e-mail, write your cover letter in the body of an
e-mail message. Make sure you include a signature with
(iv) Current Job Related
your e-mail address and phone number. Include the title
– Title of the Job you are applying for
of the position you are applying for in the subject line
– Hours/Days available to work of your message.
– When you can join at the new company. If the job posting asks you to send an attachment,
(v) References send your resume as an MS word document. Many
– List of three references including name, job employers do not accept attachments. In these cases,
title or relationship, addresses and phone paste your resume into your e-mail message. Use a
numbers. simple font and remove the fancy formatting. Send the
message to yourself first in order to test that the
(vi) Resume Copy
formatting works. If everything looks good, resend to
Tips for Completing Job Application
the employer.
1. Complete all requested information. Don’t leave Job Application via Newspaper Advertisements:
anything blank. When you are applying for jobs on the basis of published

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RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS / 27

newspaper advertisement, follow the instructions and (ii) Concise–relevant and necessary.
directions carefully. Your job application and CV will (iii) Complete–includes everything you need.
give you the opportunity for an interview. (iv) Consistent–don’t mix styles or fonts.
Curriculum Vitae (v) Current–up-to-date.
Curriculum Vitae, commonly referred to as CV is
Format for Curriculum Vitae
a detailed, lengthy and structured listing of education,
The format for Curriculum Vitae changes as per
publications, projects, awards and work history with
your experience. A sample of an experienced person’s
experience and references.
CV is as below:
In the United States, a curriculum vitae is used
primarily when applying for academic, education, Minakshi Mishra
scientific or the research positions. It is also applicable 243, Phase V,
when applying for fellowships or grants. When asking Gurgoan, Haryana-122012
for a job in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, Ph- 0124- 2468190, 9810212345
expect to submit a CV rather than a resume. Keep in Education
mind that overseas employers often expect to read the
MBA International Business Amity Business
type of personal information on a curriculum vitae that
School, Noida-2001
would never be included on an American resume, such

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as date of birth, nationality and place of birth. United M.A. English Delhi University,
States law on what information job applicants can be 1997-1999
asked to provide does not apply outside the country. B.A. English Delhi University,
There are several differences between a CV and 1994-1997.
resume. A curriculum vitae is a longer (two or more Employment Details

Publications
pages), more detailed synopsis of your background and 2003-till date : Senior Business Manager (Inter-
skills. A CV includes a summary of your educational national Business). Indian Inc.,
and academic backgrounds as well as teaching and New Delhi.
research experience, publications, presentations, 2002-2003 : Manager (International Business).

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awards, honours, affiliations and other details. As with
a resume, you may need different versions of a CV for
different types of positions. A resume is short and is
2001-2002
GE, New Delhi.
: Associate Merchandiser (Interna-
tional Business) Guruman Trend-
usually one page which only skims the surface. Thus, a
setters, New Delhi.
resume only paints a broader picture.
Like a resume, a curriculum vitae should include Career Skills / Knowledge
your name, contact information (full address, phone Product presentation Budget management
numbers, etc.), education, skills and experience. In Price negotiations Product testing
addition to the basics, a CV includes research and Marketing strategies New product/market
detailed experience, publications, grants and introduction
fellowships, professional associations and licenses, Leadership skills Strong accountability.
awards and other information relevant to the position Career Achievements
you are applying for. Start by making a list of all your
As Senior Business Manager for Indian Inc,
background information, then organise it into categories.
initiated and executed aggressive new product
Make sure you include dates on all the publications you
introduction for international market.
include.
Directed product development, packaging, market
An effective Curriculum Vitae should be
positioning, advertising and testing of two new
(i) Clear–well-organized and logical. product categories launched by the company.

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28 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Formulated strategies to resist and over some stiff of the audience’s needs would not be better met if a
competition from real brand. report was sent instead.
References can be provided upon request. ACCEPTING AND DECLINING JOB OFFERS
Useful Words: Here are some words that could When you receive a job offer, it’s important to take
help you to describe your work better and can be used the time to carefully evaluate the offer so you are making
specifically and approximately in talking during the an educated decision to accept, or to reject, the offer.
interview and also while writing your job application, The last thing you want to do is to make a hasty decision
covering letter or the CV. that you will regret later on.
Achieved Researched Controlled Expedited Consider the entire compensation package–salary,
benefits, perks, work environment–not just your
Allocated Supervised Coordinated Generated
paycheck. Weigh the pros and cons and take some time
Devised Investigated Presented Published
to mull over the offer. It is perfectly acceptable to ask
Administered Analysed Integrated Formulated the employer for some time to think it over.
Sponsored Created Assisted Maintained Money
Handled Scheduled Facilitated Designed Money isn’t the only consideration, but, it is an
Undertook Established Classified Organized important one. Is the offer what you expected? If not, is
it a salary you can accept without feeling insulted? Will

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Executive Summary
Speaking in public worries almost everyone, even
those who have been doing it regularly as part of their
job or leisure activities. There’s a good chance that
standing up before an audience delivering your ideas
you be able to pay your bills? If your answer is no, then
don’t accept the offer, at least right away. Make sure
that you are getting paid what you’re worth and you are
happy with the compensation. Nobody wants to be in a

Publications
with clarity, authority and the excitement is neither one
of your better skills, nor your idea of a great time.
But you are not alone! People worry about such
things as ‘making a fool of myself’, ‘drying up’ and
position where they realize that the salary isn’t enough–
after they have accepted the job offer. If the
compensation package isn’t what you expected, consider
negotiating salary with your future employer.

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‘not knowing what to do with my hands’. But the real
problem is the worry itself and not the form it takes.
Presentations are a way of communicating ideas
and information to a group. A good presentation has
(i) Content: It contains information that people
need. Unlike reports, it must account for how much
information the audience can absorb in one sitting.
(ii) Structure: It has a logical beginning, middle
and end. It must be sequenced and paced so that the
audience can understand it. Whereas reports have
appendices and footnotes, the presenter must be careful
not to loose the audience when wandering from the main
point of the presentation.
(iii) Packaging: It must be well prepared. A report
can be read again and portions skipped over, but the
audience is at the mercy of a presenter.
(iv) Human Element: A good presentation will be
remembered much more than a good report because it
has a person attached to it. But you still need to analyse
Benefits and Perks
In addition to salary, review the benefits and perks
offered. Sometimes, the benefit package can be as
important as what you get in your paycheck. If you’re
not sure about the benefits that are offered, ask for
additional information or clarification. Find out details
on health and life insurance coverage, vacation, sick
time, disability, and other benefit programs. Inquire
about how much of the benefits costs are provided by
the company, in full, and how much you are expected to
contribute. If there are a variety of options available,
request copies of the plan descriptions so you can
compare benefit packages.
Hours and Travel
Before accepting a job, be sure that you are clear
on the hours and schedule you need to work. Also,
confirm what, if any, travel is involved. If the position
requires 45 hours of work a week and you’re used to
working 35 hours, consider whether you will have

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RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS / 29

difficulty committing to the schedule. If the nature of Acceptance and Rejection Letters
the job requires that you will need to be on the road Whether you are accepting, or rejecting, a job offer,
three days a week, be sure that you can commit to that, it’s a good idea to let the company know your decision
as well. Also, consider travel time to and from work. Is in writing. In both cases, be polite, brief and to the point.
the commute going to take an extra hour or will there
be parking fees you’re not paying now?
Review the below CV of Salil Mishra:
Flexibility and Company Culture Name : Salil Mishra
Many of us, with small children or elderly parents, Date of Birth : 09-04-1976
or other personal considerations, need flexibility in our Marital Status : Unmarried
schedules. To some of us, the ability to work a schedule Father’s Name : Shri Radhey Shyam Mishra
that isn’t a typical 40 hour in the office work week, is Father’s Occupation : Loan Officer, Regional
important. It is also important to feel comfortable in the Officer, Allahabad Bank,
environment that you are going to be working in. One Gaya
candidate for a customer service job realized that there Family Background : I belong to a family of
was no way she could accept it, despite the decent salary, educated, well placed
when she was told she had to ask permission to use the Kayasthas. My two uncles
restroom. Ask if you can some spend time in the office, are officers in nationalized

Neeraj
talking to potential co-workers and supervisors, if you’re banks. My elder brother
not sure that the work environment and culture are a is a lecturer in Government
good fit. College. My two younger
Your Personal Circumstances brothers are studying. One

Publications
The bottom line in accepting a job offer, is that is in college and the
there really isn’t one. Everyone has a different set of younger one is in school.
personal circumstances. What might be the perfect job Address for : 5, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
for you could be an awful job for someone else. Take Correspondence Chennai, India.
the time to review the pros and cons. Making a list is Present Address : C/o Shri Radhey Shyam

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always helpful. Also, listen to your gut–if it’s telling
you not to take the job, there just might be something
there. Keep in mind, that if this isn’t the right job for
you, it’s not the end of the world. The next offer might
just be that perfect match.
It’s much easier to turn down an offer than it is to
leave a job that you have already started. The employer
would prefer that you decline, rather than having to start
over the hiring process a couple of weeks down the road
if you don’t work out. So, do take the time to thoroughly
evaluate the offer. Ask questions, if you have them. Take
the time you need to make an educated, informed
decision so you feel as sure as possible that you, and
the company, have made an excellent match.
What’s Important to You?
Take our quick quiz to help decide what’s most
important to you when considering a job offer:
What’s Important to You Quiz.
Mishra, Gali No-15 Khari
Baoli, Gaya, Bihar (India)
Education : B.A. English.
Work Experience
1. Sept 1999-May 2000: Salesman with M/s. Purohit
Trading Company, which is a leading showroom
in Patna for selling all electrical goods like Fridge,
Geyser, TV, etc.
2. July 2000-continuing–Sales Manager with
M/s. Venkatraman and Company. This is a
dealership company of all leading photocopier
and fax machines. I am doing very well and am
expecting a promotion soon.
Hobbies: Cricket and Singing.
Consider the above CV and answer the following
questions:
Q. 1. (a) Is the presentation good?
Ans. No, the presentation is not good.

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30 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q. 1. (b) How can it be improved? Q. 3. Make a list of the information you would
Ans. Salil Mishra’s CV could be improved as like to include in a letter of application.
below: Ans. A letter of application should have the
(i) He could delete information on family following information:
background. The employer is not interested in (i) Where did you learn about the position?
what his brothers and uncles are doing.
(ii) Which post are you applying for?
(ii) One ‘heading’ for address is enough and that
(iii) Refer to your CV in the letter– Explaning how
should be the address where you want the reply
your experience, education and skills qualify
to reach you.
you for the job.
(iii) Instead of hobbies he could use the phrase
(iv) Ask for an interview.
‘interests’.
Q. 4. Complete the below application letter using
(iv) He needs to write about his current
the correct form of the following words:
responsibilities in the present job.
(v) Work experience should start from the current interest outline employ complete
job and then the history. match learn deal ability
(vi) In terms of presentation, the headings should appreciate enclose qualify

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have been in bold and in a separate line in all
Ans. 246 Mahavir Apartments
instances.
Malviya Nagar
(vii) An e-mail address or the phone number can
be included so that the employer can reach you Bhopal - 462014
faster. 8th August, 2003

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(viii) Career skills/Achievements can be mentioned. Mr. Vishal Garg
(ix) A line for references can be included at the Manager HRD
end. Maurya Travels
Q. 1. (c) Is all the relevant information included?

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Ans. No, it misses lots of information.
Q. 1. (d) Is there anything you would like to add
or delete?
Ans. Yes.
Add–Career Skills, Career Achievements, Email
Address, Phone Numbers, Current Responsibilities and
References.
Delete–Family background, only one address is
sufficient.
Q. 2. Advise the three most significant
improvements you will make to the CV.
Ans. Though the CV needs lots of improvements
as discussed above, still if it has to be limited to three
most significant improvements then:
(i) Delete family background
(ii) Adding current responsibilities
(iii) Adding career achievements.
256 Nehru Nagar
New Delhi.
Dear Sir,
I am a post-graduate in Travel and Tourism,
interested in the post of Sales Executive in your
Marketing Division advertised in The Times of
India.
I am currently employed as a managment trainee
at Golden Tours Travels, Bhopal where I have
completed one year. Having worked in the travel
industry for a year, I believe I have learnt the basics
and I now wish to go into International market of travel
and tourism. Maurya Travels is a known name in this
field and I am sure I will find the work at Maurya both
challenging and satisfying. You are looking for an
executive who can help promote foreign travel and that
is my specific area of interest. The profile of your
company outlines many possibilities for growth which

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RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS / 31

I find most interesting. The job you are offering matches 2000-2001 Diploma in St. Teresa’s
my personal and professional interests. Marketing IInd Div.
As you will notice in my enclosed CV, I have
Managment Institute,
combined my specialisation in Travel and Tourism with
Bhopal
a diploma in Marketing, which gives me an advantage
in dealing with customers and promoting goods and 1997-2000 BBA RBT College
services and further qualifies me for consideration. I Ist Div.
have also had some experience dealing with 4. Work Experience
international business travellers in my present job. My 2002 till date – Working as Management
colleagues often appreciate my sense of humour and
Trainee with Golden Tours and
my ability. To get along with all kinds of people, I am
Travels, Bhopal.
sure my socialising skills along with my ability to
communicate effectively in English and Hindi would – Handling prospective
be extremely relevant and suitable to the needs of your customers.
organization. Conceptualized, creating and
I look forward to meeting with you and discussing distributing brochures.
my qualification in more detail. – Supervising the maintenance

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Yours faithfully, of records of customer queries.
Dhara Taneja – Attending to customer queries.
Q. 5. Fill the suitable subtitles in the Curriculum
5. Projects
Vitae that follows. They are given below in jumbled
order. Won special appreciation for project on

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International Travel Options for Middle Income Groups.
Interests Work Experience Personal Education
6. Skills
References Skills Co-curricular activities
Job objective Extra curricular activities Projects Good Organizational skills
Ans. Strong customer relations

1. Personal
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CURRICULUM VITAE Interpersonal skills
Computer proficiency.

Name : Dhara Taneja 7. Extra-curricular activities

Date of Birth : 8th September, 1980 Debates and public speaking

Nationality : Indian Member or Organizing committees for several

cultural events.
Address : 45-A Sector, Shakti Nagar,
Bhopal, 462022 8. Interests

E-mail : dhara.taneja @ hotmail.com Sports: Swimming, Badminton.

Telephone : 0755-2586456 Cultural: Member of Spic Macay–An organization

that promotes traditional art and culture.
2. Job Objective
9. References
To become a successful Senior Executive in a
large Travel and Tourism Company. (1) Ms. Anita Lal, HOD Travel and Tourism,
3. Education Excel Institute, Bhopal-462005, Tel. 0755-2488345.
2000-2002 Post Graduation Excel Institute (2) Mr. R. Andrews, Principal, St. Teresa’s
in Travel and Ist Div. Institute, T.T. Nagar, Bhopal-462005, Tel. 0755-
Tourism Bhopal 2488345.

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32 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q. 6. Now write out your own CV by substituting Employment Details

the information given under different heads with
information about yourself. If you have only just
completed your studies, use the first sample and
substitute the given information with your own bio-
data. In case you have more than five years of job
experience we would advise you to use the second
format.
Ans. The author is using the second format and
gives below a sample of an experienced person CV.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Ms. Rashmi Taneja
Career Achievements
C-155, Lajpat Nagar,
Delhi-21
E-mail: rashmi-taneja@ hotmail.com
Phone numbers: 11-26321122, 9810212111
2002-till date : Senior Marketing Manager
GE Capital, Gurgaon.
2000-2002 : Manager (Sales and Marketing)
Swift Motors, Delhi.
1998-2000 : Sales Executive,
Rai Electronics, Delhi.
Career Skills/ Knowledge
– Advertising – Marketing strategies
– Market positioning – Product introduction
– Budget management – Pricing strategies
– Staff supervision – Leadership.
1 As Senior Marketing Manager for GE Capital,
initiated and executed aggressive new product
introductions for national market.
2. Formulated strategies to resist and overcome stiff

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Education competition from the rival brand.
3. Earned two promotions in the high flyer category
MBA Marketing Symbiosis Institute of
in the last seven years.
Management, 1998
References can be provided upon request.
BA English Delhi University, 1996

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 www.neerajbooks.com
Interviews
A job interview is a process in which a potential
employee is evaluated by an employer for prospective
employment in their company, organization, or firm.
During this process, the employer hopes to determine
whether or not the applicant is suitable for the job.
A job interview typically precedes the hiring
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decision, and is used to evaluate the candidate. The
interview is usually preceded by the evaluation of
submitted résumés from interested candidates, then
selecting a small number of candidates for interviews.
Potential job interview opportunities also include
Publications
networking events and career fairs. The job interview
is considered one of the most useful tools for evaluating
potential employees. It also demands significant
resources from the employer, yet has been demonstrated
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to be notoriously unreliable in identifying the optimal
person for the job. An interview also allows the
candidate to assess the corporate culture and demands
of the job.
Multiple rounds of job interviews may be used
where there are many candidates or the job is particularly
challenging or desirable. Earlier rounds may involve
fewer staff from the employers and will typically be
much shorter and less in-depth. A common initial
interview form is the phone interview, a job interview
conducted over the telephone. This is especially
common when the candidates do not live near the
employer and has the advantage of keeping costs low
for both sides.
PREPARING FOR INTERVIEW
Before we go on to the preparation of interviews
let us understand the meaning, purpose and types of
interviews in details.
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33
5
Meaning and Purpose
The word ‘interview’ is derived from ‘intrevue’
meaning “sight between”. It is a meeting between two
persons with a specific purpose. It may be defined as
any purposeful interpersonal communication between
two individuals. In terms of structure and format/
interviewing is therefore a more formal form of oral
communication. However, an interview situation may
consist of one interviewee and several interviewers and
vice-versa.
An interview demands direct and dynamic
interaction. By its very nature the process involves an
assessment of one participant by another. Sometimes
one of the participants represents an organization or a
group whereas the other participates in his individual
capacity. One of the purposes of the interview is to elicit
information which is not available from the written
records or other sources.
Type of Interview
There are various types of interviews ranging from
the one conducted by a journalist for newspaper
reporting to that by a psychiatrist with a patient. The
purpose defines the types of interview. The interview
broadcast and telecast on the radio and television is
generally to seek an expert’s opinion on issues of current
interest to people or to educate the public on a matter of
general importance. Such interviews have the
resemblance of privacy, but we all know that they are
meant for public consumption. Similar is the case with
a journalistic interview, only that it is made public after
a time lag. Then there are situations where interview
takes the form of a series of probing questions with a
view to discovering the truth, for example, the kind of
interrogation that is done by the police. Another type of
interviewe termed counselling interview is conducted
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34 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
to provide guidance and psychological support to the
interviewee. It may be done by an educational
psychologist or a trained counseller, the purpose being
to bring back the mind of the interviewee to a state of
normalcy or to help him steer through a period of
emotional crisis. In large professional organizations and
educational institutions provision may exist for the
conduct of such interviews.
Here we are interested in the following two types
of interview:
(i) Employment interview, and
(ii) Data collection Interview.
The term ‘Employment Interview’ refers to the
interview of a candidate for a job in a particular
organization. It is also referred to as
Behavioural Interview.
Behavioural based interviewing is interviewing
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based on discovering how the interviewee acted in
specific employment related situations. The logic is that
how you behaved in the past will predict how you will
behave in the future i.e., past performance predicts future
performance. The main purpose of the employer is to
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judge the suitability of the applicant to the job and that
of the applicant, to find out whether the needs and
requirements of the job would suit him and also whether
the environment in the organization would be conducive
to his professional growth. Clearly, this form of verbal
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communication provides an opportunity to both the
participants for intense interaction and close observation
of each-other’s personality traits as reflected in verbal
behaviour and body language.
A prospective employer’s main aim is to judge your
sense of values, your attitude towards work. He wants
to get a feel of your respect for fair play and sense of
justice and honesty in the discharge of duties. In fact,
while conducting the interview he looks for signs of
these traits in your personality. Every employer, no
wonder, wants people who possess positive personal
qualities and are dependable.
In a behavioural interview, an employer has decided
what skills are needed in the person they hire and will
ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills.
Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask
how did you behave. The interviewer will want to know
how you handled a situation, instead of what you might
do in the future.
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The Art of Interviewing: Your resume has made
it past the slush pile in your company of choice and the
HR Manager has invited you in for an interview. Pat
yourself on the back–you’ve gotten yourself noticed and
have made it past the toughest part of the job search
process. All you have to do now is nail the interview.
Relax! This is not as hard as you think. Play your cards
right and you’ll have an offer in hand in no time.
The key to stress-free interviewing is to prepare,
but not too much. You want to do just enough research
so that you know what to expect and can speak
intelligently on the points related to your job function.
It helps to jot down a few “wow ‘em” facts about the
company that you would never know unless you did
your homework. Don’t spend so much time on the
company’s website, though, or you’ll end up sounding
like an encyclopedia in the interview.
It’s in your best interest to find out as much as you
can about the person or people interviewing you so that
you arrive at the meeting with some preliminary
information about who you’re dealing with. A Google
search might prove helpful in this regard. Determine in
advance what type of interview you’ll be having so you
aren’t caught off guard. Will the meeting be one-on-
one, or will you be sitting in front of a panel of
executives? Will you be asked to consider a real-life
business problem? Will any type of written or computer
test be required while you’re on site?
If your past experience can be demonstrated on
paper, I recommend putting together an interview
portfolio. A portfolio is a three-ring binder in which you
can include anything that highlights your business
achievements and shows your level of commitment to
previous positions. For example, I’m a marketing
communications executive, so my portfolio includes
press releases and business plans I’ve written, magazine
articles I’ve contributed to and print advertising
campaigns I’ve helped develop. A neat and professional
portfolio can be an excellent tool to refer to during an
interview. Most people don’t bother to create one, but
it speaks volumes about your ability to package yourself.
While it’s a good idea to be conversational during
an interview, be careful how much personal information
you divulge. There is never a good reason to bad-mouth
your previous employer, even if everything you say is
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justified. While he is listening to your sob story, your
prospective employer is thinking that in a year, you will
be sitting in front of another interviewer complaining
about his company. Don’t be fooled by an interviewer
that seems compassionate. Remember, the two of you
are not friends and the interviewer’s first loyalty is to
the company he’s hiring for. If you are asked why you
left a job, answer with a neutral statement like “I was
spending more time on the train than I was at work” or
“I wanted to gain experience working in a different
industry.”
Many companies have their human resources
representatives conduct interviews, but you should try
to meet, or at least speak with, the person who will be
your official manager. The reason behind this is pretty
simple. If your personalities clash or if you have
fundamental differences in the way you work, you need
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to know immediately so you can determine if you want
to pursue the opportunity further. I’m not saying that
one conversation will accurately reflect how your boss
will act on the job, or that problems won’t arise later
that were impossible to predict. However, if you hate
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the person on site, you should consider if it’s a smart
move to work for her.
For a successful interview, preparing is mandatory.
The best way to prepare for a job interview is to think
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about the job itself and prepare. It’s perfectly normal to
feel a little anxious before an interview. But good
preparation will help you perform well. Be sure to
consider any cultural differences when preparing for
interview, and base your approach on what your
audience expects.
Learn About the Organization
When planning your employment search, you
probably already researched the companies you sent
your resume to. But now that you have been invited for
an interview, you’ll want to fine-tune your research and
brush up on the facts you have collected.
Today’s companies expect serious candidates to
demonstrate an understanding of the company’s
operation, its market, and its strategic and tactical
problems. Learning about the organization and the job
enables you to show the interviewer just how you will
meet the organization’s particular needs. With a little
research, for instance, you would discover that Microsoft
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plans on investing heavily in the technical and marketing
support of software developers as well as making things
simpler for all users and system administrators. Knowing
these facts might help you pinpoint aspects of your
background (such as the ability to simplify processes)
that would appeal to Microsoft’s recruiters.
Think Ahead About Questions
Planning ahead for the interviewer’s questions will
help you handle them more confidently and intelligently.
Moreover, you will want to prepare intelligent question
of you own.
Sharpening Your Career Skills
Interview Strategies: Answering the 16 Toughest
Questions: The answers to challenging interview
questions can reveal a lot about a candidate. You can
expect to face several such questions during every
interview. If you are prepared with thoughtful answers
that are related to you specific situation, you are bound
to make a good impression. Here are 16 tough questions
and guidelines for planning answers that put your
qualities in the best light.
1. What was the toughest decision you ever had
to make? Be prepared with a good example, explaining
why the decision was difficult and how you decided.
2. Why do you want to work for this
organization? Show that you’ve done your homework,
and cite some things going on in the company that
appeals to.
3. Why should we employ you? Emphasize your
academic strengths, job skills to the employer’s needs,
and give examples of how you can learn and become
productive quickly.
4. If we hire you, what changes would you make?
No one can know what to change in a position before
settling in and learning about the job and company
operations. State that you would take a good hard look
at everything the company is doing before making
recommendations.
5. Can we offer you a career path? Reply that
you believe so, but you need to know more about the
normal progression within the organization.
6. What are your greatest strengths? Answer
sincerely by summarizing your strong points: “I can see
what must be done do it” or “I’m willing to make
decisions” or ”I work well with others.”
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7. What are your greatest weaknesses? Describe
a weakness so that it sounds like a virtue-honestly
revealing something about yourself while showing how
it works to an employer’s advantage. If you sometimes
drive yourself too hard, explain that it has helped when
you’ve had to meet deadlines.
8. What didn’t you like about previous jobs
you’ve held? State what you didn’t like and discuss
what the experience taught you. Avoid making slighting
references to former employers.
9. How do you spend your leisure time? Rather
than focusing on just one, mention a cross section of
interest-active and quite, social and solitary.
10. Are there any weaknesses in your education
or experience? Take stock of your weaknesses before
the interview, and practice discussing them in a positive
light. You’ll see they’re minor when discussed along
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with the positive qualities you have to offer.
11. Where do you want to be five years from
now? This question tests (i) whether you are merely
using this job as a stopover until something better come
along and (ii) whether you’ve given thought to you long-
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term goals. Saying that you’d like to be company
president is unrealistic, and yet few employers want
people who are content to sit still. Your answer should
reflect your long-term goals and the organization’s
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advancement opportunities.
12. What are your salary expectations? If you
are asked this at the outset, say, “Why don’t we discuss
salary after you decide whether I’m right for the job?”
If the interviewer asks this after showing real interest in
you, speak up. Do your homework, but if you need a
clue about salary levels, say, “Can you discuss the salary
range with me?”
13. What would you do if: This question tests your
resourcefulness. For example: “What would you do if
your computer broke down during an audit?” Your
answer is less important than your approach to the
problem-and a calm approach is best.
14. What type of position are you interested in?
Job titles and responsibilities vary from firm to firm.
So state your skills (“I’m good with numbers”) and the
positions that require those skills (“accounts payable”).
15. Tell something about yourself. Answer that
you’ll be happy to talk about yourself, and ask what the
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interviewer wants to know. If this point is clarified,
respond. If it isn’t, explain how your skills can contribute
to the job and the organization. This is a great change
to sell yourself.
16. Do you have any questions about the
organization or the job? Employers like candidates
who are interested in the organization. Convey your
interest and enthusiasm.
Be sure that your answers are sincere, truthful and
positive. Take a moment to compose your thoughts
before responding, so that your answers are to the point.
Planning for the Employer’s Questions
Employers usually gear their interview questions
to specific organizational needs. You can expect to be
asked about your skills, achievements and goals, as well
as about your attitude towards work and school, your
relationships with others (work supervisors, colleagues,
and fellow students), and occasionally your hobbies and
interests. Candidates might be asked to collaborate on
a decision or to develop a group presentation. Trained
observers evaluate the candidates’ performance using
predetermined criteria and then advise management on
how well each person is likely to handle the challenges
normally faced on the job.
Planning Questions of Your Own
The questions you ask in an interview are just as
important as the answers you provide. By asking
intelligent questions, you demonstrate your
understanding of the organization, and you can steer
the discussion into those areas that allow you to present
your qualifications to the best advantage. Before the
interview, prepare a list of about a dozen questions you
need answered in order to evaluate the organization and
the job.
Don’t limit your questions to those you think will
impress the interviewer, or you won’t get the information
you’ll need to make a wise decision if and when you
are offered the job.
Polish Your Interview Style
Confidence helps you walk into an interview, but
once you are there, you want to give the interviewer an
impression of poise, good manners, and good
judgement. Some job seekers hire professional coaches
and images consultants to create just the right
impression. Charging anywhere from $125 to $500 an
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hour, these professionals spend a majority of their time
teaching clients how to assess communication styles,
and to do so they use role-playing, videotaping and
audiotaping. You can use these techniques too.
You can develop an adept style by staging mock
interviews with a friend. After each practice session,
try to identify opportunities for improvement. Have your
friend critique your performance, using the list of
interview faults. You can tape-record or videotape these
mock interviews and then evaluate them yourself. The
taping process be be intimidating, but it helps you work
out any problems before you begin actual job interviews.
As you stage your mock interview, pay particular
attention to your nonverbal behaviour. In practice you
are more likely to have a successful interview if you
maintain eye contact, smile frequently, sit in an attentive
position, and use frequent hand gestures. These
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nonverbal signals convince the interviewer that you are
alert, assertive, dependable, confident, responsible, and
energetic. Some companies are owned and managed by
people from other cultures, so during your research, find
out about the company’s cultural background and
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preferences regarding non-verbal behaviour.
The sound of your voice can also have a major
impact on your success in a job interview. You can work
with a tape recorder to overcome voice problems. If
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you tend to speak too rapidly, practice speaking more
slowly. If your voice sounds too loud or too soft, practice
adjusting it. Work on eliminating speech mannerisms
such as you know, like, and, um, etc., which might make
you sound inarticulate.
Plan to Look Good
Physical appearance is important because clothing
and grooming reveal something about a candidate’s
personality and professionalism. When it comes to
clothing, the best policy is to dress conservatively. Wear
the best-quality business like clothing you can,
preferably in a dark, colour. Avoid flamboyant styles,
colours, and prints. Even in companies where
interviewers may dress casually, it’s important to show
good judgement by dressing in a professional manner.
Some candidates are asking interviewers ahead of time
they should wear. One human resources executive tells
job seekers to dress business casual because dressing
in a suit, for example, looks awkward at his company.
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Good grooming makes any style of clothing look
better. Make sure your clothes are clean and unwrinkled,
your shoes unscuffed and well shined, your hair neatly
styled and combed, your fingernails clean and your
breath fresh. If possible, check your appearance in a
mirror before entering the room for the interview.
Finally, remember that one of the best way to look good
is to smile at appropriate moments.
Be Ready When You Arrive
Plan to take a small notebook, a pen, a list of the
questions you want to ask, two copies of your resume
(protected in a folder), an outline of what you learned
about the organization, and any past correspondence
about the position. You may also want to take a small
calendar, a transcript of your college grades, a list of
references, and portfolio containing samples of your
work, performance reviews, and certificates of
achievement. In an era when many people exaggerate
their qualifications, visible proof of your abilities carries
a lot of weight.
Be sure you know when and where the interview
will be held. The worst way start any interview is to be
late. Check the route you will take, even if it means
phoning the interviewer’s secretary to ask. Find out how
much time it takes to get there; then plan to arrive early.
Allow a little extra time in case you run into a problem
on the way.
Once you arrive, relax. You may have to wait a
little while, so bring along something to read (the less
frivolous or controversial, the better). If company
literature is available, read it while you wait. In any
case, be polite to the interviewer’s assistant. If the
opportunity presents itself, ask a few questions about
the organization or express enthusiasm for the job.
Refrain from smoking before the interview (non-
smokers can smell smoke on the clothing of
interviewees), and avoid chewing gum in the waiting
room. Anything you do or say while you wait may well
get back to the interviewer, so make sure your best
qualities show from the moment you enter the premises.
That way you’ll be ready for the interview itself once
it actually begins.
INTERVIEWING FOR SUCCESS
How you handle a particular interview depends on
where you stand in the interview process. If you are
being interviewed for the first time, your main objective
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is to differentiate yourself from the many other
candidates who are also being screened. Without
resorting to gimmicks, call attention to one key aspect
of your background. Just be sure the trait you accentuate
is relevant to the job in question. In addition, you’ll
want to be prepared in case an employer expects you to
demonstrate a particular skill (perhaps problem solving)
during the screening interview.
If you progress to the initial selection interview,
broaden your sales pitch. Instead of telegraphing the
“headline,” give the interviewer the whole story. Touch
briefly on all your strengths, but explain three or four
of your best qualifications in depth. At the same time,
probe for information that will help you evaluate the
position objectively. As important as it is to get an offer,
it’s also important to learn whether the job is right for
you.
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If you are asked back for a final visit, your chances
of being offered a position are quite good. At this point,
you’ll talk to a person who has the authority to make an
offer and negotiate terms. This individual may have
already concluded that your background is right for the
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job and may be more concerned with sizing up your
personality. Both you and the employer need to find
out whether there is a good psychological fit. Be honest
about your motivations and values. If the interview goes
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well, your objective should be to clinch the deal on the
best possible terms.
Regardless of where you are in the interview
process, every interview will proceed through thee
stages: the warm-up, the question-and-answer session,
and the close.
FACE TO FACE INTERVIEWS
It’s important to remember that you won’t know
what type of interview will take place until you are sitting
in the interview room. So, prepare answers to traditional
interview questions. Then, since you don’t know exactly
what situations you will be asked about if it’s a
behavioural interview, refresh your memory and
consider some special situations you have dealt with or
projects you have worked on. You may be able to use
them to help frame responses. Review the job
description. You may be able to get a sense of what
skills will be asset from reading the job description and
position requirements.
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The best way to prepare is to think of examples
where you have successfully used the skills you’ve
acquired. Take the time to compile a list of responses to
both types of questions and to itemise your skills, values
and interests as well as your strengths and weaknesses.
Emphasize what you can do to benefit the company
rather than just what you are interested in. Also prepare
a list of questions you want to ask the interviewer.
Remember, you aren’t simply trying to get the job–you
are also interviewing the employer to assess whether
this company and the position are a good fit for you.
Gathering background information on employers
is a crucial element in successful interview preparation.
You will need to be prepared to answer the question,
“What do you know about our company?” and “Why
do you want to work here?” Knowing as much as
possible about the company’s past performance and
future plans can make your interview more interactive
and could be just the leg up you need in a competitive
job market.
“Practice makes man perfect.” So, prepare your
answers to commonly asked interview questions. During
the interview try to remain as calm as possible. Ask for
classification if you’re not sure what’s been asked and
remember that it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment
or two to frame your responses so you can be sure to
fully answer the question.
It is very important to be on time for the interview.
On time means ten to fifteen minutes early. If need be,
take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so
you know exactly where you are going. Know the
interviewee’s name and use it during the interview. If
you are not sure of the name, ask prior to the interview.
Remember to bring an extra copy of your resume and
also go through it carefully before the interview.
Give a positive first impression which could be a
warm handshake, greeting with a pleasant smile Show
enthusiasm and interest. Watch your body language and
be as natural as possible.
Listening is an art which helps as much at the
interview as in social situations. If you maintain a stony
silence when the interviewer is speaking, he may feel
uneasy. It is therefore necessary to give signals that you
are listening to him. Your response may take the form
of a nod or a smile or even sometimes whispering
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approvals, such as “hmm”, “yes”, etc. You should not
interrupt the interviewer, till he has finished, howsoever
impatient you may be to react to what he is saying.
Avoid giving uncomplimentary references to your
former employers or other associates and making
uncharitable remarks about them. End the interview with
a ‘thank you’ to the interviewer and reiterate your interest
in the position. Then follow-up with a personal Thank
you note restating your interest.
Essential Features
Body language proves to be more meaningful than
words. A candidate ’s performance according to a study
a few years ago was based 7% on words used, 38% on
voice quality and the rest 55% on non-verbal
communication.
– Sitting Pretty: As one enters the interview
room, he/she should sit down quietly.
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Controlled and deliberate movements are
needed. If you make noise, you may yourself
give a negative impact.
– Facial Expression: Direct eye contact is
desirable in a face-to-face conversation. Facial
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expressions can bring out the emotions that are
hidden inside like anger, confusion, hatred,
fear, enthusiasm etc.
– Gestures and Postures: Actions speak louder
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than the words. A deaf communicates through
hands and fingers only. In the same way,
leaning forward towards the speaker shows that
you are interested. Yawning and a shift in your
chair reveals that you are getting bored,
clenched fist pounding on the table shows that
you are angry and a glance at your watch may
show that you are lost somewhere. A good
posture means your good upbringing. Good
posture means straight, beautiful and upright.
– Legs: One should always sit with his knees
together. Parted knees give a wrong
impression. Do not shake or give jerk to your
legs. Ankles should be crossed and avoid
crossing your knees.
– Hands: Hands should be placed either on the
lap or on the arm of the chair. If hands are
relaxed, they give an aura of poise. Avoid jerky
movements also.
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– Standing: One should always stand straight
and hands should hang loosely or clasped
behind your back.
A good posture reveals one’s nature. If you are
smartly dressed up and maintain a good posture
throughout the interview, it can help you attain success.
If you are sincere, smart, modern, active, reliable and
truthful, nobody can stop you from getting a job.
Guidelines for Interviewer
Interviews are always stressful even for job seekers
who have gone on countless interviews. The best way
to reduce the stress is to be prepared. Take the time to
view the “standard” inteview questions you will most
likely be asked. It is difficult to visualise the questions
that may be asked at an interview, but given below are
some general sample questions asked during job
interviews:
Personal
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. What do you do in your spare time?
Education
1. How do you think your education has
prepared you for this position?
2. What are your favourite subjects?
3. Why did you choose your major subject?
Work History
1. Name of company, position/title and
description, date of employment.
2. What were your expectations for the job and
to what extent they were met?
3. What were your starting and final levels of
compensation?
4. Describe your responsibilities.
5. What major challenges and problems did you
face? How did you handle them?
6. Which was most/least rewarding?
7. What was the biggest accomplishment/
failure in this position?
8. What was it like working for your supervisor?
What were his strengths and shortcomings?
9. Why do you want to leave?
About You
1. Describe a typical work week.
2. How many hours do you normally work?
3. How would you describe the pace at which
you work?
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4. How do you handle stress and pressure?
5. What motivates you?
6. Who is your idol?
7. What do you find are the most difficult
decisions to make?
8. If the people who know you were asked why
you should be hired, what would they say?
9. Do you prefer to work independently or on a
team?
10. Give some examples of team work.
11. What type of work environment do you
prefer?
12. Describe a difficult work situation/project
and how you overcame it.
13. How do you evaluate success?
14. Are you analytical? Give us one example of
your analytical abilities.
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The New Job Company
1. What interests you about this job?
2. What applicable attributes/experience do you
have?
3. Why are you the best person for the job?
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4. What do you know about this company?
5. Why do you want to work for this
organization?
6. What challenges are you looking for in a
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position?
7. What can you contribute to this company?
8. Are you willing to travel?
9. Is there anything I haven’t told you about the
job or company that you would like to know?
Communication
1. How do you effectively communicate with
others?
2. How important is listening to effective com-
munications?
3. What are some of the characteristics of a
good listener?
4. Tell us about a situation where you demon-
strated good communication skills.
Leadership
1. What is your strongest leadership skill and
how will it assist you for this job?
2. Provide us with an example of your leader-
ship ability.
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The Future
1. What are you looking for in your next job?
2. What is important to you?
3. What are your goals for the next five years/
ten years?
4. Where do you see yourself after five years?
5. How do you plan to achieve those goals?
6. What are your salary requirements both
short-term and long-term?
Last Question: “What can I answer for you?” So,
here you should have some of your questions ready to
ask.
How to Answer Interview Questions?
Below is the brief outline on how to answer some
of the very common interview questions:
(i) Tell me about yourself: Your answer should
contain much more about your job skills than
your personal life. You can talk about the
growth of your career, what you learned from
previous employment or even things like how
your volunteer work helped you develop your
organisational, time management and
leadership skills.
(ii) What are your strengths? If you really enjoy
new challenges and tackle them in an organised
manner, this would be a useful strength in
almost any situation. You can talk about your
ability to find unique solutions to problems.
Be prepared with some concrete examples,
since that may be the follow-up question.
(iii) What are your weaknesses? A “good”
weakness might be that you have trouble
leaving the office behind when you go home
in the evenings. This is a very difficult question
that is not asked often, but it’s one you should
prepare for anyway. If you talk about your
temper, your tendency to gossip or the fact that
your’re lazy, you may as well pack up and go
home right then. If you mention a weakness
such as your lack of patience with people who
don’t do their share of the work, you should
also mention that you keep this impatience to
yourself and try very hard not to express it
toward others. The other option is to express
your weakness as a strength. For example, you
take too much of tensions about work.
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(iv) Do you have any questions about our
company? If you have paid attention during
the interview and if you have done your
homework, this would be a good time to ask
for more details about some aspect of the
comapny’s organizational structure or
products. It would not be a good time to ask
about your first raise. You could also ask
questions about the community, their training
programme or details about the work
enviornment.
(v) Where do you expect your career to be in
10 years? Be careful here. You do not want to
give the impression that you’re simply using
this company as stepping stone to another
career. Think of a related managerial position
within the company that would interest you.
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There is a story about a young accountant who
was asked this question by a CPA firm during
an interview. The young accountant replied that
he saw himself as the controller of a large
corporation. In other words, “ I’m just using
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your firm to teach me and then after you spend
your resources training me, I will leave to go
Guidelines for Interviewee
work for someone else.” Needless to say, he
was not offered a position with the CPA firm.
They know that 75% of the people they hire
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will leave within 10 years, but they do not want
to hire someone who comes in with that plan.
(vi) What skills do you have that would benefit
our company? If your skills are not exactly
those that the company may have requested,
you can point out the skills you have that would
be valuable to any company. Examples of these
skills are: your ability to plan and execute long-
term projects, your ability to organise
information into usable data, your ability to
research complicated issues, or your ability to
work well with a team. If your skills are not
perfect for this particular company, you can
mention how quickly you were able to adapt
and learn in other situations. Again, be
prepared with specific examples in case you
are asked to elaborate.
(vii) Why did you leave your last job? This is not
an opening to speak badly of your former
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INTERVIEWS / 41
employer. There is almost always a way of
wording the explanation so that you do not
sound like a “problem employee” and your
former employer does not sound like an
undesirable company. As unfair as it may seem,
there is almost no time when you should say
something bad about your former employer.
You can talk about the lack of potential for
upward mobility, the fact that your job
responsibilities changed to the point that it no
longer fit into your career plan, your need to
move to be closer to your aging parents, the
need to reduce travel time, your need for a more
challenging job, or anything else that does not
get into personalities or other conflicts. If you
were fired for cause, you may want to be
upfront about it, explain the circumstances and
accept responsibility for your actions. Practise
your answers to this question with someone
who has interview experience. However, don’t
lie. If you can’t say anything positive about
your former employee, better don’t say
anything. It could come back to haunt you.
1. Arrive a little early: If you arrive fifteen minutes
before the scheduled interview time, you will have
time to collect your thoughts, wipe the
perspiration from your hands, and scan the lobby/
notice board for current company information.
You will also show your interviewer that you value
his or her time.
2. Do your homework: Know the interviewer’s
name and how to pronounce it (including proper
title: Mr., Mrs., Dr., etc.). Know the company’s
major products or services, the organization of
the company, (divisions, parent company, etc.),
current business news about the company and the
company’s major customers and competitors. You
can learn most or all of this information from the
company’s website, annual report or company
literature.
3. Bring a spare copy of your resume in a
briefcase or folder: This demonstrates that you
are prepared. It also gives the interviewer
something to take notes on.
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42 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
4. Expect to spend some time developing rapport:
Personal chemistry is main ingredient in the hiring
process. Try to relax and become comfortable
with the interviewer.
5. Watch your non-verbal communication:
Maintain an open body posture and appropriate
eye contact. Seat yourself at a reasonable distance
from the other person.
6. Don’t be embarassed by nervousness:
Interviewers are human, and they often become
nervous, too. If fact, nervousness is a good sign.
It shows that you are taking the interview
seriously. Avoid nervous mannerisms such as
tapping your fingers, feet, playing with pen, etc.
7. Body language is powerful! Good eye contact,
a warm natural smile and a firm handshake can
help you overcome nervousness, develop a
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personal rapport and present a confident image.
8. Don’t play comedian or try to entertain the
interviewer: It is important to be personal, but
do not overdo it.
9. Don’t exaggerate or lie: You might be tempted
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to embellish your achievements in the interview,
but it will come back to haunt you on the job!
10. Follow the interviewer’s lead: Don’t try to take
over the interview. Stick to the main subject at
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hand, but do not dwell too long on one point. It is
better to deal with many questions rather than just
one or two in-depth questions, unless that’s where
the interviewers lead you.
11. Be prepared for personal questions, even some
inappropriate ones: Aniticipate how you will
handle personal questions without blowing your
cool. Some interviewers may not be aware of what
they can and cannot legally ask you. Be sure you
understand the question. It is okay to ask for
clarification.
12. Emphasize the Positive: Be frank and honest,
but never apologise for lack of experience or
weaknesses. You can be self-confident without
being overconfident. If you are new to the job
market, your lack of experience has one very
positive feature: You do not love to “unlearn” bad
habits or different practices learned from previous
employers. Many employers like the idea that you
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can be taught their individual company
procedures without needing to get rid of other
training first.
13. Wait for an offer to bring up salary: Let the
interviewer bring up this subject. Often salary and
benefits are not discussed at all on the first
interview. Even though everyone knows that
salary is important, you do not want to give
impression that it is the only consideration. If it
is, you can be easily lured away by a competitor
offering a slightly higher salary. The interviewer
needs to see that you are interested in the other
aspects of the job like the potential for growth,
learning or the challenge of the position.
14. Don’t be afraid to think before you speak: Use
silence and intentional pause to your advantage.
Time is occasionally needed to think and to
reflect. The interviewer will respect you for taking
questions seriously enough to give it a moment
or two of consideration before answering.
15. Emphasize what you can do for the
organization: This means emphasising your
transferable skills. However, be careful not to
reveal trade secrets from a previous employer.
Employers are concerned most with what you can
do for them. Focus on your ability to tackle new
situations, your communication skills,
interpersonal abilities, analytical thinking talents
and other skills developed while in college or in
previous position.
16. Don’t give “Prepared Answers”: If your answers
are not personalized to your situation, they will
sound forced and unnatural. You might be surprised
to learn how often interviewers hear the phrase, “I
really like working with people.” The phrase is used
so often that it has lost its meaning.
17. Never speak bad about a former employer:
If there were problems with previous experiences,
try to put your answers in the positive rather than
negative. If you slight a former employer, the
interviewer may assume that you will some day
do the same to him or her.
18. Watch your grammar and your manners:
Employers are interested in candidates who can
express themselves properly. Even if you have to
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slow down to correct yourself, do it! Use slang
expressions very sparingly. If your knowledge of
rules of etiquette is rusty, take a “refresher course”
from a knowledgeable friend.
19. Be prepared to ask questions: Almost all
interviewers will ask if you have any questions.
You should have some ready and should have at
least one that is related to the conversation you
have just completed. This demonstrates that you
are both prepared and interested. Your questions
should be related to details about the company
and should be based on the information you
learned from the homework you have done.
20. Don’t expect an immediate job offer: Offers
usually follow the interview, a few weeks later. If
you are offered the position on the spot, it is
appropriate for you to ask for one or two days to
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think about the offer before responding.
21. Be careful with the closing: Do not linger. End
quickly and courteously. Thank your interviewer
for the interview and smile.
22. Be Yourself! You do not want to get hired on the
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basis of something you are not. You want to be
hired for who you are!
Let us take a look at some of the tips essential to
face to face interviews:
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Dress for Success: Please don’t use the interview
as a fashion experiment. Dress appropriately for your
industry, leaning towards conservative. You can show
your sense of style, but consider limiting your outfit to
basics and add one great accessory or colourful piece.
Choose high quality, well fitting, clean and pressed
clothes, shoes and handbag or portfolio, and don’t stray
too far from the standard business suit. This is not the
time to bathe in cologne or perfume either, and keep
any makeup natural-looking.
Pretend To Be Organized: It’s okay if you’re not
a paragon of organization and neatness, but you should
pull yourself together and act like one for this event at
least. Have several printed copies of your resume readily
available (be sure that it’s the same version of your
resume that they’ve already seen). Have a pen handy,
as well as calling cards or business cards with your
personal information, and a notepad. Come to the
interview with references already printed up, and if
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INTERVIEWS / 43
relevant for your role, work samples that you can share.
If you must have your mobile or smartphone on you,
keep it on silent.
Rehearse: Look, interviewers are not always that
creative so you’re bound to get a few of the standard
questions along the way. “Why are you looking?”, “What
is one of your weaknesses?”, “What professional
accomplishment are you most proud of?”, “What makes
you a good insert title here?” There’s no excuse for
letting any of these stock interview questions derail you.
You should prepare your answers well and rehearse them
several times before you actually interview. If possible,
set up a video camera or laptop with a webcam and
record yourself answering basic interview questions.
You’ll be really surprised with what you see when you
play it back for yourself in terms of non-verbal
communication, filler words, body language, nervous
tics, etc…Use this feedback to make sure you are
credible, articulate and insightful in your responses to
those inquiries.
Tell A Story: Whenever possible, ground your
answers in real world experience. Provide a moderate
level of detail and frame your responses by tying things
down to what you’ve already accomplished or
experienced.
Question Authority: Ask questions–lots of them.
If you do not ask, the interviewer will guess that you’re
either not interested, not very bright, unengaged, oddly
introverted, or just not analytical enough to dig below
the surface. None of those is really a desirable
impression so be sure you come armed with questions
that demonstrate your understanding of the industry, the
role, and best practices for your field. It’s a good idea
to have some of these written out on your notepad
beforehand so you’ll be sure to ask them and have a
place to jot down answers. In addition to pre-prepared
questions, be sure to ask for more details about
information you glean on the interview. Remember,
you’re not just selling yourself, you’re buying a job! Be
sure you buy the right one for you.
Do Your Homework: Find out the names and titles
of everyone you’ll be talking to. Write them down. If
possible, research them beforehand on Linked In or
other online databases. At a minimum, you should know
what the company does, how they fare within their
industry and who their customers and competitors are.
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44 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Close It Down: When the interview is wrapping
up, show initiative by stating your level of interest and
asking point blank about any hesitations they have about
moving forward. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know
what their possible objections are, and you certainly
won’t be able to overcome them. By asking, you show
courage and gain the ability to restate your case if
necessary. Ask about the next steps and what you can
do to facilitate them too.
The goal is to be as prepared and in control as much
as possible, so you’ll be less nervous, demonstrate
greater confidence and expertise, and get the info you
need to make a decision. I’ve hired a lot of people over
the years and almost no matter what role I’m filling,
I’m seeking people who are resourceful, smart and
engaging, show initiative, and seem trustworthy and
reliable. Consider those traits to be the universal qualities
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of employ-ability. Think about how you’re coming
across in all of those areas and, most importantly, be
yourself. Just focus on showing up with the best version
of you that you can conjure up that day.
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Walk-in-Interviews
Walk-in-Interview is not a new concept and every
employment seeker is fairly versed with this mode of
recruiting apt talent. Even in the Indian context, you
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will notice that a majority of the corporations indulge
in Walk-in-Interview to take into service job seekers.
If you are a news savvy individual, you must have
glanced through an assortment of Freshers Walk-in-ads
which are a regular affair in newspapers and online
medium. No week goes by where not a single Walkins
for Freshers is conducted in India. Let us sneak a quick
look through the reasons why employers choose Walk-
in-Interview over other pertaining recruitment drives.
When a corporation needs to recruit in large
numbers, walk-in-interview proves endlessly assistive.
Contenders and applicants come in huge numbers and
in a short period of time complete the entire process
and get the results on the same day. The instant ness
and effective nature of Walk-in-Interview also is a major
motivating factor for being popular. You will reckon
that those applicants who clear the various interview
rounds are instantly handed the appointment letter and
the offer letter and this instant procedure helps both the
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employee and the employer as job confirmation is given
the same day without retaining any doubts in either’s
case.
You will also be greatly amused by the low cost
associated with such recruitment drive. The recruitment
is done simultaneously for a large number of applicants
which significantly bring down the cost of hiring per
head. You should also notice that a single advertisement
is enough to bring notice of the job seekers that
simultaneous recruitment is going to be held at more
than one location.
You should have also figured it out by now that a
majority of the Walk-in-Interview is conducted on
weekends which make it feasible even employed
personnel to come and attend the interview. Thus, a new
start up company holding a lot of potential can even
attract candidates who are currently employed in Multi-
National Companies and large Blue Chip corporations.
Although the unemployed are free on weekdays, the
working populace is not; therefore the walk in interview
is the best feasible solution out there.
The systematic process of Freshers Walkin makes
it feasible for corporations to stream line the entire
procedure and filter out applicants on the basis of
educational qualification, date of birth, years of
experience, results of written test, results of interview
and a lot more.
Walkins for freshers also goes a long way in stream
lining the date of joining the date when the training or
the job starts and all the relevant needs which make it
the most sought after medium for recruiting fitting talent.
The best place to search for pertaining freshers walkin
is of course the Worldwide Web and with a bit of innate
research on the internet, you will be surely be able to
lay your hands on precise and pertinent information on
the Walk-in-Interview announced recently.
Some Tips of Walk-in-Interviews
As is true with any interview, being informed and
keyed-in beforehand is a must! Firstly, make sure you
thoroughly research the company you are interviewing
for, by visiting its website and reading any related news
articles. All interviewers tend to ask different variations
of the question, “So why would you like to work for
us?” By doing your homework, you can be confident
and give specific answers about why you like the
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company, giving examples of its profile, culture, its
respected position in the industry and its admirable
leadership. This will give you an edge over candidates
who are less prepared and give vague, non-descript
replies.
Secondly, ensure that you are confident and well-
versed with all the details on your application form and
resume. Be prepared for questions like “Tell me about
yourself/why do you think we should hire you/what are
your strengths and weaknesses?” and use the points
mentioned in your resume to support your answers.
Ensure that you are properly dressed for the
situation. Personal grooming is very important in these
situations where you need to stand apart from the crowd.
So, dress according to the industry the company is a
part of. If in doubt, go for dark formal bottoms with a
light, crisp shirt and tie (for men). Women may choose
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to go with formal clothes or wear ethnic clothing, but
this too should be subtle and subdued. Make sure your
footwear is simple and well polished. Men should take
the time to shave and women to have their hair neatly in
place. Oh, and chipped nail polish is a sure sign of
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sloppiness to be avoided at all cost!
Arrive early, preferably an hour before the
scheduled time. Most walk-in interviews are conducted
on a first-come-first-served basis and by coming early,
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you benefit in two ways. You can get comfortable with
the office environment and impress any staff who may
be judging you, and more importantly, you can ensure
you have an early interview, when the interviewers have
a fresh mind and are more likely to remember you.
Organize your documents (resume, certificates,
mark sheets, recommendations etc.) properly and in an
easily accessible way at least a day before the interview.
Carry them in a folder and keep them with you until
you’re asked for them. Being organized is a must, so
that you can easily procure whatever document you are
asked for rather than shuffling nervously through your
stack of papers.
Be calm and poised during the interview. Greet
everyone when you enter. If there are 4-5 candidates
being interviewed at a time, don’t grab the closest chair!
Wait to be asked to be seated. Sit with your arms neatly
folded on your lap and avoid fidgeting. While answering
questions, be succinct and maintain eye contact. Convey
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INTERVIEWS / 45
your suitability for the job concisely and don’t bore the
interviewers with endless ranting.
Finally, when the interview is over, politely thank
everyone and walk out with your head held high!
Phone Interview
With mobile phones a common accessory in the
hands of all and sundry, it might not be uncommon for
you to speak over the phone for hours together. But,
chatting for hours with friends while planning out a
weekend plan is much different than attending a
‘telephonic interview’. Anxiety, uncertainty, nervousness
and fear take over an otherwise cheerful, smiling and
carefree spirit of a person who has to attend a telephonic
interview. Phone interviews or telephonic interviews are
used typically by managers and recruiters to screen out
the possible candidates for the advertised post. It is a
method recently adopted by recruiters and hiring
managers to cut down on the time and expenditure
involved in inviting all the potential candidates.
Although a telephonic interview has its set of merits
and drawbacks, it serves the purpose of speeding up a
recruitment process by culling a list of the most
deserving candidates for further processes. Though you
don’t meet the interviewer face to face, there are still
some etiquettes that a candidate is expected to follow
while attending a telephonic interview. In order to learn
the etiquettes required for a phone interview, go through
the article below.
Telephone Interview Etiquette
Once you have come to a consensus regarding the
time of the telephonic interview, your next step should
be to decide on a calm and quiet place in your house or
office, devoid of interruptions. By interruptions we
mean, television sound, microwave, printing machine
sound, etc. that can distract either you or the interviewer.
Make it a point not to speak to someone else while in
the interview because interrupting an interview call to
talk to someone is an impolite gesture.
Being nervous before attending the telephonic
interview is not uncommon. However, you should make
sure that you answer the call in a friendly and
professional way. Remember, you are being judged from
the first minute of the call and the first impression that
you give could probably be the last impression that can
decide the fate of the interview.
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46 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Both tension and apprehension during the
telephonic interview might make you speak fast. Avoid
this at all costs because while speaking quickly in a
telephonic interview you may blurt out something
incorrect or even inappropriate. Speaking quickly might
also affect your coherency and could de-motivate the
interviewer from considering you for the post.
Make it a point to smile throughout the telephonic
interview. You might be wondering how this might help
but smiling will make you sound pleasant and
enthusiastic. This will not only give out a positive image
to the interviewer and boost up your confidence but
could also make the interview go in your favour.
The suggestion might sound out of place, but your
posture during the telephonic interview does play an
important role in boosting up your confidence and
revealing your personality. Your posture will have a big
impact on your voice and therefore it is advisable to sit
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straight during the course of the call.
It is a common etiquette of any interview for the
candidate to know his/her resume thoroughly. A
telephonic interview is no exception! A lack of
knowledge about your own resume might give you an
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image of a careless and unprofessional candidate. It is
therefore advisable to be thorough with your resume so
that you are able to answer any questions or doubts
regarding it.
You ought to be attentive while attending a
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telephonic interview. Don’t be under the impression that
the interviewer cannot see you and thereby will not know
of your un-attentiveness. The degree of your
concentration will surely get revealed in the manner you
answer or respond back to the questions asked by the
interviewer. By asking the interviewer to repeat every
question does not put you in a positive light, however,
if you are unable to understand the question then do not
hesitate to ask for a clarification.
Make it a point to speak clearly and concisely while
giving a telephonic interview. In case of a telephonic
interview, it is your voice that is your selling tool in
hand. Make a conscious effort to be articulate and sound
confident and convincing. Also speak every sentence
slowly and clearly.
GROUP DISCUSSION
What is a Group Discussion?
Group Discussion, commonly referred as GD, is a
methodology used by an organization/institution to
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gauge whether a candidate has certain personality traits
and/or skills that it desires in its members. In this
methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic
or a situation, given a few minutes to think about the
same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves
for some time.
It is a discussion by a group of people. The
discussion involves an exchange of thoughts and ideas
among members of the group. Group Discussions are
largely used in the selection process for admissions into
institutes, where there is a high level of competition.
The number of participants in a group can vary from
6-15 people. Topics can be from a wide range of issues.
It could be a topic on current events, business news,
sports or anything very general. The wider your reading
interests, the better prepared you will be to face the
group discussion.
Why GD?
A group discussion tests how you function as a part
of a team. The reasons for employing a GD are:
(i) Value for Time: GD helps in forming an
opinion about a large number of candidates in
a short period of time on a common platform.
(ii) Skills Assessment: GD helps in assessing
certain skills that cannot be evaluated even in
a personal interview. These skills include team
membership, leadership skills, listening and
articulation skills, etc.
Types of Group Discussion
Group Discussion provides an opportunity for
pooling of ideas, experience and knowledge. It is used
for majority of meetings because of adaptability to
greater group participation. The limitation of GD is that
it becomes disorganised without careful planning of
material to be covered and it is not practical with not
more than twenty persons at the most.
There are various types of Group Discussions which
takes place irrespective of their limitations and
procedures to encourage student participation. These
are:
(i) Buzz Groups: It allows for total participation
by group members through small clusters of
participants, followed by discussion of the
entire group. It is used as a technique to get
participation from every individual in the
group.
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(ii) Panel Discussion: It is a discussion in a
controversial form among a selected group of
persons with a leader, in front of an audience
that joins in later. It is used as technique to
stimulate interest and thinking and to provoke
better discussion.
(iii) Symposium Discussion: A discussion in
which the topic is broken into its various
phases; each part is presented by an expert or
person well informed on that particular phase,
in a brief, concise speech. It is useful when
specific information is desired.
(iv) Debate Discussion: This type is ideal for
controversial issues where participants can take
a ‘pro’ or ‘con’ stand. Ensure that the
discussion remains objective and that each side
is given equal time. Here the objective is to
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convince the audience rather than display skill
in attacking the opponent.
(v) Experience Discussion: It is a small or large
group discussion following a report on the
main point of a book, article, movie or life
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experience. It is used to present a new point of
view or to present issues that will stimulate
thought and discussion.
(vi) Concentric Circle: A small circle of group
members form within the larger circle is
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referred as concentric circle. The inner circle
discusses a topic while the role of the outside
circle is to listen. The discussion is then
reversed. This is especially good to get more
response from a group that is slow in
participating and is a good technique to
stimulate interest and to provoke good
discussion.
(vii) Reaction Sheet: A method of reacting to ideas
in the following ways:
Ideas that you question; Ideas that are new to
you; Ideas that really “hit home”. It can be used
as a way to get the group to react.
(viii) Phillips 66: This is a spontaneous method
where six people view their opinions on a topic
for six minutes. It is used to add spices and
variety to methods of presentations.
(ix) Reverse Thinking: It is an expression of
thought by thinking in reverse. It is used to
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INTERVIEWS / 47
gain an insight into other’s feelings and to see
another point of view.
(x) Role Playing: The spontaneous acting out of
a situation or an incident by selected members
of the group. It is used as the basis of
developing clearer insights into the feelings of
people and he forces in a situation which
facilitate or block good human relations.
(xi) Picture Making is also a way of bringing out
ideas or principles on a topic by means of
simple illustrations made by group members
on the black or white board of the classroom/
conference room or on large chart paper. It is
used as a technique to simulate interest,
thinking and participation.
(xii) Brain Storming: This is an excellent way to
generate discussion topics and encourge
creative thinking. For example, have your
students brainstorm on the advantages of Free
Trade with Mexico. The quantity of ideas
produced is, initially, more important than the
quality. Once the groups have reported, work
to evaluate the responses, choose the best ones
and develop your discussion from there. It is
used to get new ideas, and release individual
potentialities in thinking up ideas.
Preparing for GD
To prepare for a group discussion, keep track of
happenings around the world. Being aware of current
affairs and issues and happenings, which affect our lives,
however remotely, shows a well-rounded personality.
Make a habit of reading newspapers and magazines,
watch interesting documentaries and profiles on
television to get a wider perspective on issues.
As an individual, your intelligence, general
knowledge and core competencies are measured through
the aptitude test. As a team player, your ability to lead
and follow, work independently and as a team, to fall
back on the fundmentals learnt at school and university
as well as a broader worldview, both the aptitude test
and GD are effectively used by employers worldwide
to shortlist well rounded candidates for their
organization.
Tips for Effective Participation in GD
(i) Be assertive but not aggressive.
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48 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
(ii) Understand the topic before attempting to
contribute.
(iii) Try and get a chance to speak. If you can’t get
a chance to speak, make your chance.
(iv) Take the initiative to begin the discussion, if
possible.
(v) Structure arguments logically-justify your
stand.
(vi) Take active part throughout the GD.
(vii) Summarize the discussion effectively.
(viii) Work continuously towards articulating your
ideas into meaningful sentences to make the
best impact.
(ix) Be clear in your speech.
(x) Use non-verbal communication to emphasise
points.
(xi) Be an attentive listener.
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(xii) Quality, not quantity matters, it’s not ‘how
much’ you say, but ‘what’ you say that’s
important.
(xiii) Buildup a good knowledge base.
(xiv) Contribute meaningfully to achieve the right
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consensus.
(xv) Be friendly and use conversational style.
(xvi) Help restore order in times of chaos.
(xvii) Try to resolve contradictions.
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(xviii) Address the group members, not the
moderator.
(xix) Thank the moderators while walking out of the
discussion hall.
(xx) Do not ask them to comment on your
performance.
How to be Successful in a Group Discussion?
The various critical success factors in a GD are:
(i) Cognitive Skills or Knowledge: The most
important aspect of your contribution to a GD
is the Quantity of Content (QOC), which is
reflected in the points you speak and
knowledge of the relevant subject you have,
the supportive examples you give and data you
generated, etc.
(ii) Comprehension of Core Idea: It is essential
to deliver a high quality content. But to do that,
you should speak on the topic and not deviate.
It is checked whether you have identified the
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crux of the problem or not and whether the
solutions you are offering is relevant to the
problem or not.
(iii) Logical Reasoning: It includes understanding
the topic, generating quality arguments,
analysis and a progressive approach to a
justifiable conclusion. This is one of the
necessary attributes to be seen in an influential
participant. Such people convey an impression
of open minded and logic driven rather than
that of an opinionated individual.
(iv) Behavioural and Personality Skills: This
includes certain attributes like rapport building,
team membership, participation, patience,
assertion, leadership, emenability and
accommodation, etc. that are assessed during
a GD.
(v) Communication Skills: You should be able
to articulate your thoughts properly and you
should also be able to understand what others
are trying to tell you.
(vi) Clarity of Thought: In whatever you are
articulating, are you following logical sequence
or is that you are presenting the points in some
bits and pieces.
(vii) Body Language and Eye Contact: These are
some tools which check your level of
confidence and whether you can work together
effectively in group or not.
Evaluators Look Or
What They Look For?
A GD is a tool to test a lot of skills that a B-school
entrant should have, in one go. An understanding of
some intricacies of what exactly goes on in the minds
of the panel members observing the discussion always
helps. So here are some tips at making CAT-scan of
their minds!
(i) Ability to generate Ideas: To be able to
contribute in whatever field you work, you
should have the ability to generate ideas. So,
if in a group discussion, you are actually
generating ideas, either on the basis of your
previous knowledge or on the basis of your
understanding of what others say, you will
always be seen as a contributor to the group
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and the ‘fringe benefits’ of that will be yours.
So, never be shy of speaking your mind.
(ii) Communication Skills: Having a great idea
is of no use if you are not able to sell it properly.
It is the basic management skill and that is
efficiently tested in a Group Discussion. While
good communication skills may not be a
sufficient condition to get through, it is pretty
much a necessary condition.
(iii) Leadership and Team Skills: In a Group
Discussion, you have to interact with a team
in which everyone is having the same goal, to
get through. So for the observers, there is ample
chance to see whether you have the ability to
take along the whole team with you or not. Your
skills in managing the thought process,
emotions and even desperations of the team
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are showcased. Whether you have the ability
to evolve and manage Group-synergies in such
an extreme situation is put to test. That in itself
becomes the test of your leadership qualities
also.
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(iv) Ability to Withstand Pressure: A 10-15
minute group discussion in which 8-10 people
have to speak is a pressure-cooker situation.
So your ability to withstand pressure is severely
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put to test. You can succumb to this pressure
either by shouting or by any other means of
showing desperation. Whether you have the
ability to remain calm or not is assessed.
In short, evaluators look for below and they are the
GD skills:
(i) Intelligence.
(ii) Depth of understanding.
(iii) Ability to think independently.
(iv) Ability to articulate thoughts.
(v) Ability to appreciate another’s point of view.
(vi) Ability to relate to other people.
(vii) Verbal as well as non-verbal effectiveness.
What does Group Discussion Assess?
These are the important and almost universally used
tests. Assessors will observe a small group of candidates.
You may be asked to chair the group, or the discussion
may be free for all. The subject for the discussion may
be practical or hypothetical, e.g. which members of a
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INTERVIEWS / 49
sinking ship’s crew should have places in the only
(small) lifeboat. Assessors will be looking
(amongst other things) for enthusiasm , persuasiveness,
active listening and participation, quality of expression,
analytical thought, determination, originality of ideas
and sensibility.
The aim of these exercises is to assess your capacity
for teamwork and leadership and your ability to get to
the heart of a problem quickly and effectively. These
exercises may feel artificial, but join in and don’t try to
change the rules. If you are in the chair, watch the time.
Make your first contribution early, and make your
interventions crisp and frequent rather than rare and
lengthy. Be ready to defend your viewpoint or to modify
it if others offer better solutions. Listen carefully and
be friendly and cooperative. Above all keep to the task.
PROCEDURE OF GROUP DISCUSSION
Now that you know what is required, there has to
be a coherent strategy to cope up with the demands.
Here are some tips towards the strategy formulation or
the procedure for group discussion:
Knowledge Matters: Obviously if you don’t know
anything about the topic you would start off with a blank
face. And that might not help. So it is better to become
an omnivorous reader now and read as much as you can
on a variety of topics. That would certainly help you in
the idea generation part.
Structure the GD and follow the Structure: One
of the cardinal sins to commit in a GD is to treat it as a
debate and shooting off one’s views at the onset. A group
discussion is not a place where you take a stand at the
start and defend it till the end. It is a forum for generating
new ideas around the topic provided.
Having said that, it becomes imperative that a
proper structure is devised under which the discussion
takes place. A typical structure of any group discussion
would look like:
(a) Understanding the topic and providing any
definitions involved in the topic. This part of
the GD would spell out what the GD would be
about.
(b) Relevance of the topic and the context in which
it has to be discussed. This part would elucidate
the reason one might discuss the topic and its
application/relevance in whatever social/
political/economic fields.
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50 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
(c) In case the topic makes a statement or promotes
an idea, the pros and cons of the idea or the
statement have to be discussed next. It is this
stage when one would put forward his views
by taking one side or the other, like in a debate.
But here also, do not be too much in favour of
only one side as no GD topic has only one good
side. The other side will have its own merits
also.
(d) The last step would be to conclude it with a
group opinion. There are a lot of variations in
this step, from one GD to another. At some
places, the group is told to arrive at a
consensus. At some other places, everyone is
provided half a minute or so to conclude in
his/her own way, and so on. The structure of a
particular GD would depend on the format
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provided by the panel.
The above structure can be utilised in modified
forms in almost any GD. So as you get the topic, jot
down the structure first and then what you would like to
say in every part. Then if you are able to take the
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initiative, suggest your structure to the group. Don’t start
giving your views while you are giving the structure.
Remember you must follow your own structure.
Methods for Encouraging Equal Participation in GD
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A common problem with group discussions is when
they are not ‘group discussions’ at all. They are
discussions happening in a group setting but in which
not all of the groups are participating. They become
more like panel discussions in front of an audience. A
few people dominate, and when quieter people are
eventually asked to contribute there may not be much
left to say on the issue. Some methods for creating more
equal opportinities to join in are:
(i) Participation Line-up: Ask the group to LINE
UP with the person who participates most at
one end, the person who participates least at
the other, with everyone else in order in
between. The group now sit in order in ‘C’
shape. When using ROUNDS (when each
person is asked to contribute in turn) the
‘quietest’ person has the first chance to
participate, and the ‘loudest’ completes the
round.
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(ii) The Conch: During the island meetings in
William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’, only the
holder of the conch shell is allowed to speak.
The ‘conch’ (any item, but ‘precious’ rather
than throwable) can be used to control group
discussion. To ensure equal opportunities for
participation, the rule is that the conch is
always passed to the left, and is quickly passed
on if the holder has nothing to say. Every few
minutes (or after every round), there is a
random swapping of seats, so that the sequence
of speakers is changed.
(iii) Matchsticks: Ask the group to try this for the
first part of the review Each person has (say,
for example) 5 safety matches. Throwing a
match into a bucket in the middle stops the
speaker immediately and allows the interrupter
to speak until another match is thrown in.
When somebody runs out of matches, decide
very quickly whether to
(a) stick rigidly to the rule;
(b) be flexible and allow the group to revise
the rules;
(c) abandon ‘matchsticks’ altogether.
(iv) Biscuits: Very similar to matchsticks, but a
more entertaining way to even up participation
in a group. Each time someone contributes to
the discussion they take a biscuit and must eat
it all before they take part again.
(v) Ball of Wool: A ball of wool which unwinds
at it is passed from speaker to speaker can
reveal interesting patterns, but can also
become so instructive that everyone drifts
off the original subject and ends up talking
about wool. An alternative is for an observer
to draw the course that the wool would have
followed.
(vi) Alternating Goldfish Bowl: Half the group
sit in an inner circle and review the activity
while the other half sit in the outer circle and
listen. When the reviewer calls, ‘swap’, seats
are changed and the new inner circle continues
with the review after providing a quick
summary of the main points made by the
previous inner circle.
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Language for Group Discussions
Here are some helpful language vocabulary that can
be used for Group Discussions:
(i) Stating an Opinion
– It seems to me........
– In my view.........
– I tend to think .......
– It’s obvious that......
– I believe................
– Clearly..................
– According to me,...................
(ii) Interrupting
– Excuse me, may I ask for a clarification on
this....
– If I may interrupt........
– Sorry to interrupt but........
(iii) Handing Interruptions
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– Sorry, please let me finish......
– If I may finish what I am saying......
– Could you please allow me to complete what
I’m saying....
(iv) Moving the discussion on
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– Can we go on to think about.....
– I think we should now move on to consider.....
– Ok, let’s move further.........
(v) Expressing Agreement
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– I totally agree.
– I agree entirely.
– I quite agree.
– I couldn’t agree more.
– Absolutely/precisely/exactly.
– I think you’re right.
(vi) Expressing the Disagreement
– I don’t agree at all.
– I totally disagree.
– I think quite differently on this.
– I don’t really think so.
– I’m afraid I can’t agree with you.
(vii) Checking Comprehension/Reformulating
– To put that another way........
– If I follow you correctly....
– So what you’re saying is.........
– Does that mean.............
– Are you saying.........
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(viii) Making a Suggestion
– I suggest that ............
– We could.........
– Perhaps we should........
– It might be worth.......
– What about..............?
– Why don’t we...........?
Assessment Criteria
The participants of Group Discussions are
evaluated by a panel of experts. Here are most of the
areas on which they would mark each participant on
their evaluation sheets. Below we are evaluating on the
basis of verbal effectiveness, non-verbal effectiveness,
appropriateness and responsiveness with each category
being divided into advanced developing and emerging
traits of a participant.
(A) VERBAL EFFECTIVENESS
Idea development, use of language, and the
organisation of ideas are effectively used to achieve a
purpose.
(i) Advanced Ideas offered are related to the
groups purpose or goals.
– Ideas expressed are concise and easy to
follow.
– Contributions to the group are supported
by facts, examples, analogies, statistics, or
personal experience, etc; new ideas are shared.
– Facts are distinguished from opinions.
– Language and word choices are vivid and
precise; unfamiliar language or concepts are
clearly explained or defined.
(ii) Developing ideas do not detract from the
group’s purpose or goals.
– Ideas expressed are usually clear though they
may not be concise.
– Contributions to the group are generally
supported by facts, examples, analogies,
statistics or personal experience, etc. but may
need more development.
– Facts are generally distinguished from
opinions.
– Language and word choices are generally
concrete, but some abstract or vague ideas may
be expressed. Jargon may be used.
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52 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
(iii) Emerging ideas are generally not relevant to
the overall group purpose or goals.
– Ideas expressed appear random,
disproportionately lengthy and are difficult to
follow.
– Contributions to the group are still in the
development process, support for ideas is still
limited or lacking.
– Opinions: may be stated as facts.
– Language and word choices are vague or
abstract. Jargon may be used.
(B) NON-VERBAL EFFECTIVENESS
The non-verbal message supports and is consistent
with the verbal message.
(i) Advanced conversation sounds natural and
fluid.
– Confidence and commitment to the topic are
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expressed through vocal tone, facial
expressions, eye contact with group members,
volume, energy, etc.
– Facial expessions and vocal tone are
consistent with and enhance the meaning of
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verbal expessions.
– Clear articulation and pronunciation are
used.
(ii) Developing conversation sounds natural.
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– Confidence may not always be evident–
Vocal tone, facial expressions, eye contact with
group members, volume and energy may be
inconsistent.
– Facial expressions and vocal tone do not
contradict verbal expressions.
– Any articulation and pronunciation
difficulties do not detract from overall
effectiveness.
(iii) Emergency conversation sounds unnatural,
hesitant, or overly forceful.
– Low levels of participation, flat vocal tone,
or an inaudible voice may indicate a lack of
confidence or limited willingness to
communicate.
– Facial expressions and vocal tone do not
cnsistently match verbal contributions.
– Articulation and or pronounciation
difficulties are distracting.
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(C) APPROPRIATENESS
Idea development, use of language, and the
organization of ideas for a specific audience, setting,
and occasion are appropriate. Communication is
respectful.
(i) Advanced respect for other group members
is reflected by:
– Language that is familiar to the group,
concrete and appropriate for the group
purpose, free of bias, and socially appropriate.
– Contributions and examples that are
interesting and relevant to the group
membership and purpose.
– Contributions and responses that are
courteous and tactful.
– Behaviours that reflect group norms such
as turn taking, etc.
– A communication style that reflects the
group norms and expectations.
(ii) Developing language used is not disrespectful
or offensive.
– For the most part, contributions are relevant
and appropriate for the group membership and
group purpose.
– Contributions and responses are not rude
or devaluing. “Put-downs” or personal
criticisms are avoided.
– At times, the developing group member may
violate group norms such as speaking too long,
interrupting, etc.
– The communication style, tone of voice,
volume, energy level may sometimes be
inconsistent with the group norms and the
expectations.
(iii) Emerging language used may suggest bias
toward group members or others.
– Contributions shared may be questionable
or inappropriate for the group; or little, if any,
connection is made between ideas expressed
and the relevance to group purpose and needs.
– Contributions may be expressed as “put-
downs” or personal criticisms toward others.
– A lack of awareness for group norms may
be demonstrated by controlling or aggressive
behaviours.
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– The communication style, contributor’s tone
of voice, and other mannerisms may alienate
him or her from other group members.
(D) RESPONSIVENESS
Communication may be modified based on verbal
and non-verbal feedback. Speakers/Listeners
demonstrate active listening behaviours.
(i) Advanced contributions often build on or link
with contributions made by other members.
– Ideas may be clarified as needed, given
group verbal or non-verbal feedback.
– Efforts are made to draw everyone into the
discussion.
– Efforts may be made to resolve conflicts.
– Active listening behaviours are
demonstrated such as asking questions of
clarification, offering evaluative comments
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about ideas, paraphrasing for understanding,
summarising the group comments, maintaining
eye contact, leaning forward, nodding in
affirmation while others are speaking, etc.
(ii) Developing Contributions often build on the
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ideas expressed by others.
– Efforts are made to clarify ideas when group
verbal or on-verbal feedback suggests is
needed.
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– Some efforts may be demonstrated to draw
selected individuals into the discussion.
– Active listening behaviours are generally
limited to maintaining eye contact, using facial
expressions to convey disagreement, interest,
etc.
(iii) Emerging Contributions do not link to ideas
of others in the group; comments may be
relevant to own interests rather than the
interests of the group.
– Little or no effort is made to clarify ideas; a
lack of responsiveness to group verbal or non-
verbal feedback is evident.
– Little or no effort is made to draw anyone
else into the conversation.
– “Listening behaviours” may be limited to
sitting unresponsively while others talk.
– Personal attacks may be made rather than
offering a critique of ideas.
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– Distracting behaviours may include
conducting side conversations, sleeping,
writing notes, etc.
Facilitating Group Discussions Guidelines
A discussion leader’s job is to help people talk
openly and listen carefully to each-other. Unfortunately,
there are no hard and fast rules about how to facilitate
group discussions, only general guidelines. What
follows is a list of general principles that should cover
most situations. The most important thing to remember
as you lead small group discussions is to be very-very
flexible.
(i) Plan, But with Flexibility: Providing the
group with an agenda and a set of goals to be
accomplished makes participants feel secure.
Accepting suggestions for changes in the
agenda and goals gives participants the sense
that their ideas count and sets the stage for
productive discussion. Remember: Your job
is not “cover” everything you had planned to
discuss, but to make sure that discussions are
thorough and interesting, taking your cues
about topics from the group.
(ii) Get Them Comfortable: Little things like
seating and lighting can make a difference. For
instance, people often feel safer if they’re
seated around a table; lighting that is too bright
can make people feel vulnerable. Ask if the
set-up is comfortable, and make changes if you
can.
(iii) Start Slowly: Give people a chance to
introduce themselves briefly and meaningfully
before getting underway. It’s important to ease
the group into the conversation.
(iv) Make it Easy: Remember, a “facilitator” is
someone who makes things easy for other
people. You don’t accomplish this by setting a
hectic pace, or by lecturing, or by letting a few
people dominate the discussion.
(v) Listen Well: Active listening is crucial for
good facilitation. It means total listening,
instead of only partially listening while
thinking about what to say next. The active
listeners thinks of himself or herself as the one
whose main job is to help others express
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themselves. Becoming an active listener takes
lots of practice and self-restraint.
(vi) Have Fun: A sense of humour is invaluable,
especially when you’re dealing with a
conversational topic, or with a participant who
won’t stop talking.
(vii) Let There Be Quiet: There’s nothing wrong
with silence. The job of the facilitator is not to
fill every instant with talk. One of the best ways
to get others to talk is by not talking.
(viii) Help With Focus: Restating points
participants have made and reminding them
of what they hope to accomplish can help keep
the group on task.
(ix) Let it Grow: Group evolve and mature mintue
by minute, comment by comment, session by
session. The facilitator’s job is to nurture this
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evolution without forcing it.
(x) Trust: Participants must trust the facilitator
and the facilitator must trust participants to
contribute positively to the conversation.
Assume that every member of your group is a
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person of goodwill, unless evidence to the
contrary is overwhelming.
(xi) Be Wary of Judgements: In group
discussions there is no “right” or “wrong”
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answer ; the main point is to get ideas on the
table for discussion.
(xii) Use their Suggestions: Don’t ask for
comments and suggestions unless you really
want them. Nobody is fooled by discussion
leaders who ask for feedback then go right
on doing what they had in mind in the first
place.
(xiii) Vary the Pace: Take breaks and vary the
format. Doing the same thing for more than
45 minutes is quite taxing for most people. But
sometimes a group will get so enthused that
they will keep going for a long time; ever break
successful momentum unless this is absolutely
unavoidable.
(xiv) Invite Participation: It’s okay to ask people
who haven’t spoken if they would like to
contribute. This can be done in a tactful,
inviting way.
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(xv) Stay Humble and Enjoy! If you’re going to
launch into a sermon, say so, then keep it brief
and be humble. Leave your ego at home. It
will be there when you return. Relax and have
a good time.
Do’s for Group Discussion
(i) Initiating: Propose Goals;–Define Problem;
–Suggest a procedure.
Example–“Shall we start by setting the
objectives of the visit?”
(ii) Information and Opinion Giving: Offer
facts; –Give an opinion.
Example–“In my understanding, the service
scope of this organisation covers education,
nursery and child care.”
(iii) Clarifying: Check for meaning;–Interpret
ideas or suggestions;–Define terms;–Clarify
issues.
Example–“Sorry, do you mean that the present
physical training for women police is
inadequate to protect their safety?”
(iv) Summarising: Pull together related ideas;
–Relate suggestions;–offer a decision or
conclusion for the group to consider.
Example–“It seems that most of us are quite
optimistic about the eventual resolution of the
Sino-US dispute.” (Also specify the reasons
to say so).
(v) Reality Testing: Make a critical analysis of
an idea; –Test an idea against some data to see
if the idea would work.
Example–“Just now Amitabh has proposed to
arrange for our visitors to join a one-day local
tour. But when we take the budget and time
constraint into consideration, there seems to
be some kind of conflict.”
(vi) Harmonising: Attempt to reconcile
disagreements;–Reduce tension;–Get people to
explore differences.
Example–“It seems that Amitabh does not
agree to Nitin’s idea. But I can see that
they are both talking about the issue of
budget control. Let’s see how their two
suggestions could be combined to achieve
our goal.”
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(vii) Consensus Testing: Check to see if a group is
nearing a decision;–Send up a trial balloon to
test a possible conclusion.
Example–“I think we are near a decision. Most
of us agree that public image and wider service
scope are the most important factors. Among
the five organisations, it seems that ABC fits
our criteria well. Should we go for it then?”
(viii) Encouraging: Be friendly;–Warm and
responsive to others; –Support and recognize
others contributions.
Example–“Lucy’s suggestion sounds great.
Why don’t we further explore how it can be
incorporated into our plan?”
(ix) Compromising: Admit error or oversight;
–Modify idea in the interest of the group.
Example–“I think I have overlooked the
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political implication of the issue. Perhaps we
can approach it in a different perspective.”
(x) Active Listening: Listen and serve as an
interested audience for other members;–Be
receptive to other’s ideas.
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Example–Think while other members are
speaking up: “What are they talking about?
How far do their views contribute to the
achievement of our group goal? Is there
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anything, I agree or disagree with them?”
Dont’s for Group Discussion
(i) Displaying aggression: Deflate other’ status;
–Attack or ridicule other’s ideas;–Always
interrupt.
Example–“I can’t imagine how a university
graduate could come up with such a ridiculous
idea.”
(ii) Blocking: Disagree and oppose beyond
reason;–Reject other’s ideas;–Thwart the
progress of the group.
Example–“I must say that I strongly disagree
to all of your suggestions. We can’t move on
unless we go back to the very beginning of
our discussion.”
(iii) Attention Seeking: Draw attention by
excessive talking or extreme ideas.
Example–“If I were to make the decision, I
would not donate the money to any one of the
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INTERVIEWS / 55
five organisations. I would rather give it to Aids
Foundation.”
(iv) Withdrawing: Act passively or indifferently;
– Daydream;–Say very little;–Stay off the
subject to avoid commitment.
Example–“Sorry, I can’t think of any opinion
right now. Does anyone else have any ideas?”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
(i) Talk too much without active listening to all
members.
(ii) Too conscious of the presence of observers and
even look at them.
(iii) Merely act as facilitator encouraging all
members to talk, but avoid expressing own
opinion.
(iv) Hesitate to disagree even with good reason.
(v) Fail to take a helicopter view towards a
problem.
(vi) Inappropriate non-verbal communication, e.g.
volume of voice, facial expression, eye contact,
postures and gestures.
(vii) Too nervous to smile.
Behavioural Traits
Behaviour is something which is as important in a
Group Discussion as what you say, as it gives a sketch
of your personality. Behave in a group discussion as
you would like to behave in a boardroom; in an assertive,
friendly and dignified manner. Some of the traits which
should be kept in mind are:
(a) Do not shout: A Group Discussion is not a
throat-cleaning exercise and your decibel level
would take you nowhere. So you must not
shout. There may be and I guess there will be
cases when the whole group starts shouting and
chaos is created. In such a case, if you start
shouting, you will be seen to be as bad as your
whole group. Whatever you say will anyway
be drowned as nobody would be able to hear
it properly. In such a scenario, try to divert the
group from the point of discussion what was
the cause of chaos and start some new sub-
topic. Or if you can, put some new ideas so
that the group jumps on it and sanity is restored.
I know all this is easier said than it is done.
But then, winning never comes easy!
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(b) Display an open mind: As said earlier, Group
Discussion is not about fighting for your stand.
Stick to your ideas if you are convinced but do
not say rubbish to others. Just a word of
appreciation for any decent idea (even if it
comes from your opposition) or just a phrase
to say that the other side, too, can be thought
about will go a long way in making you
acceptable to the whole group and much more
importantly, to the panel.
(c) Be aware of your posture and body
movement: Your posture conveys a lot of
information about your attitude. Too much laid
back posture with all your weight on your back
gives the impression of you being a non-
committed and non-involved person. On the
other hand, too much of forward bend makes
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you a shaky person. Try to look at the person
who is speaking (if that’s not you!) and try to
address the whole group while speaking. Don’t
make it a corner discussion. Your hand
movements are one thing that gets noticed
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pretty fast. Exaggerated hand movement
denotes that you are facing problem
communicating your ideas in words. So, that’s
not advisable. But if you have hand
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movements, don’t curb them too much. That
way, your normal body language would get
affected.
Remember a Group Discussion is all about
remaining normal in an abnormal scenario. And
whatever good things you do, it’s important that you
are seen doing all that by the panel members. So now,
get set and get cracking.
Advantage and Organization of Group Discussion
The term Group Discussion is used to refer to a
situation on which a small number of persons meet face-
to-face and, through free oral interaction among
themselves exchange information or attempt to reach a
decision on shared problems.
Effective communication in a small group requires
sensitivity to the dynamics of the group process. Each
participant should give a fair chance to others to speak
and express their opinion. This would ensure
crystallization of thought and bring to light different
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aspects of the topic under discussion. Emotional outburst
and display of excitement have therefore no place in
this type of discussion.
One advantage of this type of discussion is that there
is a self-imposed discipline on the discussion and greater
responsibility on participants for making it useful. If
the group finds that a particular member is reticent, it is
the duty of all others to elicit his opinion on the issue.
Since the number of participants is small, it should not
be difficult to involve every member in the discussion.
If a member tries to dominate the discussion or to go on
speaking continuously for a long time, it is the duty of
others to interrupt him politely so that others are also
able to make their contributions. To keep the discussion
on the track it may be worthwhile for a participant to
summarize the points made till that time and then to
present his viewpoint.
Group discussion is done to reach a consensus and
thereby produces an innovative, creative and high-
quality decision; elicits commitment by all members to
implement the decision; uses the resources of all
members; the future decision-making ability of the group
is enhanced; useful in making serious, important and
complex decisions to which all members are to be
committed. Though on the other hand, it has
disadvantages as well i.e. takes a great deal of time,
psychological energy and a high level of member skill.
Time pressure must be minimal and no emergency in
progress.
There are two ways of organizing a group
discussion. One, the topic is announced before hand and
the participants are expected to have done their
homework before coming to the discussion table. Two,
the topic is announced after the members have
assembled and five to ten minutes are given to them for
collecting their thoughts. In both of the cases, formality
is avoided and the rules are kept to the minimum.
Actual Group Discussions
Online Discussion groups are great venues for
learners or professionals to learn more about various
fields and to make contact with professionals in
numerous–almost–unlimited subject areas. Online group
discussions are also referred to as “Online networking
etiquette” or “Netiquette.”
Online Group Discussions are e-mail-based,
subject-specific forums. People find and subscribe to
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groups that discuss issues that are relevant to them
personally or professionally. All groups have a list
manager who controls that subscriber list, and some
groups have a moderator that controls that flow and
direction of topics within the group. Subscribers send
e-mails to the manager or moderator and then those e-
mails are distributed to the entire list of subscribers.
There is no requirement to post and most new members
are advised to wait before posting their first message. A
subscriber who simply monitors discussions without
posting is referred to as a lurker.
All discussion lists provide some basic instruction
about how to join; but the process whether automatic or
approval-based goes something like this: Interested
parties send an e-mail to the list owner/administrator
requesting to be added to the subscriber base. The list
administrator then adds you to the group and sends you
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a confirmation mailing with information about how to
post (send) messages to the list, as well as information
about unsubscribing. At the time you subscribe, you
often also receive the group’s statement of purpose or
philosophy, along with posting guidelines and
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suggestions. Be sure to keep this information.
There are numerous organizations that manage/host
multiple discussion groups or that simply categorize and
list online discussion groups. The greatest advantage of
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Group Discussion is that all the subscribers have an
interest in the subject-matter. And networking is all about
building your personal contacts, especially within your
career field, so joining one or more discussion groups
related to your career can exponentially grow your
network of contacts. Networking isn’t just a good idea
anymore; networking is an essential and long-term
component of all effective job searches. And the
development of specialized online group discussions
has made it easier for learners to meet and interact with
professionals in your field or industry. Thus, to take part
in actual group discussions, you need not to go
anywhere, but can just subscribe on the net and you are
the part of your own selected Group Discussion team.
PRESENTATION FOR RECRUITMENT
Occasionally, you may be called on to speak with
little or no notice. Thankfully, most of the time this is
rare.
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INTERVIEWS / 57
Usually, you know that you have to make a
presentation from days to months in advance. This
period is important, for it allows you to prepare and
preparation is the main key to success. The preparation
period gives you time in which to tackle the problems
most often encountered when called upon to speak, such
as anxiety and also to gather appropriate matter which
helps in preparation of your presentation.
The key to successful presentation is good
preparation. Here we will discuss a unique presentation
writing method known as ‘Why? How? Prove it!’
This method of writing presentations and speeches
was developed by Graham Jones, a leading British
public speaker and trainer in presentation skills. The
method ensures you can
– Write a presentation quickly.
– Write a presentation that makes your material
accessible to the audience.
– Write a presentation that is easy to remember.
If you use Why?How?Prove it! in your work, you
will be amazed at how quickly you can put together
great presentations that will be easy to say and easy to
remember.
1. The first step is developing a KEY MESSAGE
Your presentation must have a key message.
Leave your audience in absolutely no doubt what
you came to tell them. Don’t lead them up to your
messages–they won’t stay the course. Hit them
between the eyes with your message right upfront.
You should provide your key message within first
15 seconds of starting your talk. Research shows
that if you don’t do this you risk losing the
attention of your audience.
Writing your key message is the most time
consuming and difficult part of preparing the talk.
Indeed, if you do not spend enough time on
thinking through your key message, you may well
be wasting your time–and that of your audience–
when you come to give your presentation. Poorly
prepared key messages are frequently the problem
that lies behind badly written talks and speeches.
Your key message should contain–
– The main action or change in behaviour you
want your audience to take as a result of
listening to you.
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58 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
– Reference to the audience.
– Reference to an example that you’ll
elaborate on.
A good key message might be:
“Since you are all marketing managers, I’m
convinced that by this morning’s talk you’ll be
absolutely determined to use our new marketing
software that allows you to gain access to research
reports in a flash. In fact I’m sure you’ll be so
impressed, you’ll be wanting a copy in the next
30 minutes.
As you can see this message says:
WHO it is for–marketing managers.
WHAT they will do–use the new software.
WHY they will do–to gain access to research.
WHEN they will do it–in the next 30 minutes.
This message is also just 55 words long, which
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means you can say it in 18 seconds. Indeed, if
no-one wishes to listen to you after those opening
18 seconds they will still have understood what
you have come to tell them. The remainder of
your talk would just be the detail–but your
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message will have hit home without it.
Having said that, a good key message with a ‘call
to action’ like the example means that your
audience will be hungry for more, so they will
carry on listening. To make sure they have got
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the message, though, make sure you repeat it right
at the end of your talk. This helps ensure the late
arrivals also know what your message was.
2. The next step is answering the audience’s
inevitable question as to WHY? They should take
up your call to action.
Having provided your audience with your key
message they will inevitably be asking
themselves–
‘Why should I do that?’ or
‘Why should I think that?’ or
‘Why should that be the case?’
In any event, all the questions that follow from
an action-oriented key message are of the ‘Why?’
kind. That means if the next stage of your
presentation sets about answering these questions,
your talk is following what the audience perceives
as its route through the material. The result is that
you have them on your side immediately.
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Many presenters prepare material that is only
logical if you already know the subject or the
information that is being presented. But few
audiences will know. Hence, they become quickly
lost and have to work hard to pick their way
through the information. Research shows that
audiences that have to commit the least mental
effort are the ones most likely to accept the
material they are given. In other words, if you
follow your own logic, you are making it much
less likely that your material will be accepted or
acted upon by the audience.
If your talk follows the audience logic by
immediately answering the ‘Why’ style questions
you will be providing just what the listeners want,
mentally. As a result, you will make your material
much more likely to be accepted and acted upon.
Having constructed your key message, you simply
have to think of all the reasons why your audience
should accept what you are saying or act upon
your material. These reasons and the detail behind
them will form the first main section of your
persentation.
In the above example, the presentation may go
on to consider
– That marketing managers can’t do their job
without market research.
– That software makes accessing research easier.
– That there is no suitable programme that works
quickly enough for marketing managers.
3. The next step is showing HOW your message
can be acted upon.
So, your audience now knows what you expect
them to do and why they should do it. Now you
need to answer their next inevitable question:
How are they going to achieve what you
suggest?
In this section, you need to provide some
explanation of how your audience can take the
action you suggest or how they might go about
changing their minds on a situation.
However, this is the least important part of your
presentation. You are merely giving ideas at this
stage. Once people have bought your idea, they
understand why your key message is important,
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the “How”? They might do what you suggest but
there may be no need to know more. Hence, the
“How?” may only be a couple of sentences of
suggestions, nothing very detailed.
Having said that, ‘How’ is an important part of
the presentation as it necessarily follows the
logical set of questions being asked
subconsciously by the audience. Hence to leave
it out, disturbs the natural logic in the audiencce’s
mind and you loose support, reducing your
influence.
But don’t waste too much breathe on it. Your
audience simply needs to check that ‘How?’ has
been answered. In the given example, the ‘How?’
section might consider:
– How to obtain a copy from the sales team?
– How to download a copy from the Internet?
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4. The next step is showing that you can PROVE
IT!
So, you have told your audience what you expect
them to do, why they should do it and how they
can get on with things. But even though you may
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have got your message across, you have’t really
underlined it as yet. You need to provide evidence
for your assertions–prove what you have said is
beyond dispute. The ‘prove it’ section of your talk
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is the most important part you need to write, after
the key message. So, spend lot of time in planning
this.
You can prove your key message in several ways,
but the main evidence will come from
– Personal examples
– Case studies
– Statistics
Charts
When the information is presented in picture form
or in form of a graph, information is easily understood
and is termed as a chart. Other form of presenting
diagrams and graphs is called flow chart. Charts help in
interpretation of information, thus simplifying the
information that is given in detail.
By using graphs, one can present the information
of trends, movements and distributions in a much more
comprehensive manner.
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INTERVIEWS / 59
Different types of charts and graphs:
1. Line Graph: A graph is defined as a curved or
straight line that is vertically or horizontally drawn
across the page, with a view to connect various
points representing varying values of two related
things. It is used to show the relationship that
exists between two sets of variables or figures.
The reference points are horizontal and vertical
fixed lines are called axis and each represents one
set of variables or figures. Line graphs are useful
for showing changes that have over a period of
time taken place.
2. Bar Charts: Such charts are made up of various
vertical or horizontal bars that are drawn parallel
to each other along a particular measurement
scale. Various items or similar item at different
times, can be represented by each bar. A scale
can be a percentage scale or one of absolute
quantities. Among various uses of bar graphs, the
important one is, it is very useful to show
comparisons between the figures for different
items for same time period or between figures
for same item for different periods of time.
3. Flow Charts: One can represent quantitative
information by using maps, diagrams, charts etc.
For example–by using maps, charts etc. you can
give directions, figure out locations, show
relationships or stages of a process.
A flow chart also called a flow diagram is a (kind
of) drawing where shapes and connecting lines are used
to indicate how each action in a system is connected
with the others. It is a good way to show steps of a
process or stages of a process. They are drawn using a
particular set of symbols i.e. conventional symbols that
are used to represent various operations. A series of
steps occurring in a sequence are shown in flow-charts.
Symbols show the sequence in which the activities
will occur as they are connected by arrows.
There are different types of symbols in a flow
chart.
1. A Terminal Symbol: It is used to show the
beginning and end of a flowchart. One can write
START, STOP, END, BEGIN, within the
symbol.
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60 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
2. An Input Symbol: To trigger off a process or a
decision, an input symbol is used.
3. A Process Symbol: It is used to define the
execution or working of an event or operation.
Meaning of event/operation can be written inside
the symbol.
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4. A Decision Symbol: A decision symbol is used
to ask a specific question, the answer to the
question should be Yes/No.
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DISTRIBUTION OF TIME
Outlining Your Presentation
It is important to present an outline of your
presentation at the very beginning. This helps the
audience to understand how you have structured your
presentation. A presentation will be much clearer to the
audience if the structure is clearly signalled. The
presentation must have
1. Introduction
What – Overview of presentation (use visual
aids if necessary)
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Why? – Purpose of presentation–why subject
is important.
How? – Format you will use; what can the
audience expect to see and learn.
Who? – If more than one person, provide
introductions and indicate roles–
don’t expect audience to memorise
these.
2. Body: The following list suggests alternative
formats for presenting information; multiple
formats can be used with a single presentation.
– Rhetorical–questions and answers.
– Logical progression–indicate steps e.g. A then
B then C.
– Time series–order information from
beginning to end, earlier to later and so on.
– Compare and contrast–use same structure to
compare different events, individuals or
situations.
– Problems and solutions–don’t present
problems without working towards some
recommended actions.
– Simple to complex–use successive building
blocks to communicate complex processes or
concepts.
– Deductive reasoning–moving from general
principles or values to specific applications
or examples.
– Inductive reasoning–from specific
applications/examples to reach general
principles or conclusions.
3. Conclusion
– Review, highlight and emphasise–key points,
benefits, recommendations.
– Draw conclusions–Where are we? What does
all this mean? or What’s the next step?
Language of Presentation
The use of a variety of presentation verbs can help
you to present the outline clearly, specifically and
effectively.
Greeting : Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good Afternoon everyone.
Good Night Daddy.
Topic : I’d like to talk to you about.......
I’d like to say a few words about..
I’m here to make a presentation on...
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INTERVIEWS / 61

This morning I’m going to be talking to you about/ of your presentation. This has to be told to them in the
telling you about/showing you/ reporting/ taking a look very beginning.
at........ Inviting Questions : Are there any questions?
Body : I’ll be dealing with three areas.... If there are any questions,
I’ve divided my talk into ......... I’ll be glad to try to answer
So I’ll start off by filling you in on the background them.
to/bringing you up-to-date on/giving you an overview I’ll be glad to answer any
of/making a few observations about/outlining. questions you may have.
And then I’ll go on to discuss in more depth/ Now we could have a
highlight what I see as the main/make detailed discussion on ..........
recommendations regarding.... Visual Presentation
Conclusion:I will conclude with ......... The central purpose of any presentation, written,
I will end my presentation with... oral or visual, is communication. To communicate
At the end of my presentation, I will effectively, you must state your facts in a simple, concise
invite you to ask me any questions and interesting manner.
that you may have. It is proven that the people learn more readily and
Signposting: Signposts help to guide the audience retain more information when learning is reinforced by

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through a presentation. Some common signpost phrases visualization. You can entertain, inform, excite and even
are: shock an audience by the proper integration of visual
(i) Showing : First of all let’s look at............. images into virtually any exchange of information.
Then .......... Meetings which might normally be considered dull,
Next ........... or a chore to be avoided, can be transformed into

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Lastly ........ exciting productions that grab the attention of the
These can be used in the middle of a presentation. viewers.
(i) to move on This kind of presentation maximizes the audience
(ii) to go back retention of the subject matter. The phrase “a picture is

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(iii) to summarize worth a thousand words” has existed since the New York
(iv) to expand on Post discovered the value of visuals in the news business.
(v) to recap This remains true to this day. Simple, clear, concise
(vi) to digress visual images, briskly paced and sprinkled with
(vii) to conclude attention-grabbing graphics will lend support to your
(viii) to turn to spoken words. This leaves your audience with a positive
(ix) to elaborate on attitude toward you and your product, service or
(x) to illustrate proposal.
Below is some more language input for the end of Visuals in business should be used in support of
your presentation. the spoken or written word, and not in lieu of it. A well-
Closing : Finally, to sum up............. developed concept and effective script are the essential
I’d like to sum up now........... elements of any presentation. Regardless of their form,
That concludes my presentation............ they should be the first and most important phase of its
To conclude............ development. When the concept begins to take final
Questions/Discussion form, the visuals are developed around it.
At the end of a presentation, you are required to This is not to imply that A-V design should be
invite the audience to ask any questions that they want placed near the end of the project. You must begin
to ask. If you feel comfortable you could also permit mentally planning your visuals at the beginning of the
them to ask questions whenever they want in the course design process. Hastily designed and produced visuals

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62 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
can doom a presentation (and a presenter) where well
planned and executed images add tremendous strength.
Concepts that are difficult to grasp can be communicated
quickly and easily through the intelligent use of
professionally produced visuals. This allows you the
freedom to communicate more complex subject matter
in a more efficient manner, adding support and impact
to your script.
Finally, your presentation should be entertaining.
Leave the audience feeling better and more relaxed when
they leave and that impression will carry over to both
your subject matter and yourself. There is no logical
reason that the presentation of routine sales figures and
financial reports should not be as exciting as the
unveiling of a new product or a first rate service
proposal.
Essentials of good visual presentation:
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1. Know Your Subject Matter: While this first
point may seem obvious, it is very important that
you research every nuance of your subject. Read
reports and look up information about the subject
with the specific purpose of writing a presentation
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script. When examined in this light, new ideas
and alternative ways of thinking often develop.
The ability to present a subject with confidence
directly affects your audience’s impressions and
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will help keep their attention.
This is especially important when giving a design
presentation or proposal since you are in effect
selling” your ideas to the audience. This applies
whether the audience is a potential client or your
own board of directors.
2. Know Your Audience: A small amount of
research into the makeup of your audience will
reap large benefits on presentation day.
If you were travelling about speaking on behalf
of a new construction project you would tailor
vastly different presentations to an audience of
engineers and a city council. You’d should also
have a couple of other versions for local
community activist groups. (Depending on
whether they’re for or against the project)
Before you’re-purpose’ your teamsters speech for
use at the Baptist Building Fund make the obvious
adjustments and then carefully review your
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content from the ‘philosophical’ viewpoint of your
audience.
3. Know Yourself (and your limits): We all must
push our limits and willingly bite off more than
we may be comfortable swallowing on occasion–
this is how we learn and grow. Knowing a few of
your limits, however, might avert disaster, or at
least embarrassment.
Intimately related to Know Your Audience above,
your ‘limits’ are just where you may or may not
tread, depending on the makeup of your audience
and your relationship with them.
4. Develop a Theme: All presentations, regardless
of their complexity, are designed with a single
purpose. Whether that purpose is to sell, educate,
or for pure entertainment, state that purpose to
yourself at the beginning of the development
process. Keep this purpose in mind always.
5. Prepare Your Script: The script does not
necessarily have to be a work of literary
excellence. For some, simple notes on 3 × 5 file
cards are sufficient. Other presenters and
presentations require a carefully composed,
professionally developed script. The exact form
of the script depends on the formality of the
presentation, the make up of the audience and who
will be presenting it. Any presentation script,
regardless of complexity is like any other business
correspondence. It should consist of the same four
basic parts, an opening, body, summary and
closing.
The Opening
The opening of the presentation sets the stage for
what is to follow. Participants are introduced and the
purpose of the presentation is stated. You should also
present a VERY BRIEF summary or outline of the points
to be covered. This helps keep your audience oriented
properly within the framework of your script.
Body
This is the part of the script in which the bulk of
the subject matter is presented. The body of a long
presentation should be separated into smaller, easily
assimilated modules. Each module or sub-section should
make a single point or convey one idea. These sub-
sections should each have their own simple opening,
body and summary.
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Summary
This portion should be very brief and simple. Here
is your chance to reinforce the central theme and purpose
of your presentation. Briefly emphasize the key points
and main ideas of your script in this section.
There is an old axiom that says ... “Tell them what
you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them
what you told them.” This pretty well sums it up.
Question and answer sessions often follow a final
summary and are very productive if managed properly.
You should encourage questions from the audience if
time or format permits, but be prepared to answer them.
If you do not know the correct answer to a question,
don’t try to fake it. You should refer the question to
someone who can answer it correctly or make a note to
yourself to obtain the answer later. When you do, contact
the person or persons who asked it as soon as possible.
Neeraj
This makes an excellent door opener for follow up calls.
Old Speakers Trick: If you don’t want any
questions, look the audience over and ask if there are
any questions. This puts pressure on the audience and
makes many of them choke, and therefore, not respond.
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Closing
In well structured closing, points raised during the
question and answer session (if any) are summarized
and any handout material that was not required during
the presentation is distributed. Handout material which
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emphasizes each key point or idea permits your audience
7. Prepare a Story Board: A story board does not
to review the subject and assures that your words will
remain fresh in their minds. Handout material should
not be distributed before a presentation unless it is
critical to the theme since it invariably leads to audience
distraction.
6. Select the Proper Visual Aids: With the script
developed and the audience research completed,
this decision should be simple. A five minute
presentation to a three person audience is
probably best made with handout material alone,
or even simple flip charts. Larger audiences might
be effectively reached by using a few simple
overhead transparencies. (Yes, they still have their
purpose)
The resolution, brightness and price of LCD
Computer/Video projectors means that home-
brew laptop based video projector presentations
are now the norm.
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INTERVIEWS / 63
The design workstations of the 90’s running suites
of complex four and five-figure software on five
and six-figure computers gave way to laptops with
PowerPoint and the free software that came with
your three-figure digital still/video camera.
To help justify the purchase of your projector,
keep in mind, most of these accept input from a
TV, DVD or other video source. When not serving
as a presentation tool you can have a huge-screen
TV, limited only by the size of the wall onto which
it’s projected.
Major presentations at annual meetings, trade
shows, sales conferences, and presentations to
stockholders or client proposals might still dictate
an all out effort with professionally produced
special effects, video and all manner of glitz and
expense.
Good presentation visuals, however, do not have
to be expensive. When properly planned and
produced, simple, well designed graphics add
professionalism and impact to virtually any show.
The proper use of text images, charts and graphs
as well as the correct type of chart or graph to use
in various circumstances is the subject of another
article in this series. I will, however, touch on a
few of the deadly design sins of presentation
visuals a bit later.
have to be complicated or time consuming to
prepare. Its main purpose is to give a general view
of the presentation and communicate the
important items to the technicians and artists who
are creating and assembling the images.
You can make your story board using file cards
and post–it notes, or opt for a comprehensive
colour story board, prepared by professional
designers. Changes at the story board level are
relatively inexpensive since no images have been
produced. During the story board phase you can
rehearse the script and easily rearrange, revise,
delete from and add to your presentation. When
your story board reaches final form it becomes
the finished draft for your presentation. This is
one of the most important design tools used to
produce your graphics.
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64 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
The final story board should consist of a sketch
of each individual image, in sufficient detail to
convey its approximate finished appearance. If
more detailed instructions are needed to create
an image than can be clearly conveyed on the story
board, individual layout sheets should be
prepared. These sheets should specify colours,
formats, fonts and values for graphs and charts.
If specific artwork or photographs must be used
in an image, they should be clearly indicated on
the story board or layout sheet for that image.
8. Produce the Visuals: If the previous steps have
been carefully followed, this can be the easiest
part of preparing your presentation.
With careful, timely planning, the only task
remaining is mechanical process of production.
The complete and accurate planning that you have
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done to this point assures a smooth production
cycle without the need for unnecessary last minute
changes. This is true whether you use Magic
Markers to prepare flip charts on a newsprint pad
or require a nine projector slide presentation with
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live video.
Today’s computer graphics products permit you
to make changes and alterations that could not be
accomplished using any other method of
production. While last minute changes are
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possible, avoiding them can still help cut the cost
of your presentation by eliminating revision and
rush fees.
9. Rehearse--rehearse--rehearse: Your final script
and outline or story board permit you to rehearse
your presentation even before the visuals are
completed. This assures that when your final
images are prepared and ready, you will be as
well.
If you’d like to really test your mettle, drag out
the camcorder and tape your rehearsal. Just keep
in mind, no one expects you to be Winston
Churchill.
10. Presentation Day: On the day of the presentation,
arrive and set up early. Have spare projector bulbs
and extra copies of the handout material close at
hand.
You have your visuals, you are well rehearsed,
the room is setup and the participants are all
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prepared. Speak clearly and with authority. A little
humour if tastefully added can help break the
tension of the moment. There should be no
surprises. Make certain that the audience
questions have been addressed, and of course,
thank everyone for attending.
11. Follow Up: Check back with the attendants and
participants to assure that your presentation goals
were met. A questionnaire distributed at the end
of your presentation can be a source of critical
information for follow up calls or future
presentations. Encourage the attendants to call or
write with any questions that they did not get
answered during the presentation.
Visual Aids
Visuals are also used to enhance the presentation.
Now, we will look at the phrases used for the
introduction of visuals and how they can be used
effectively.
Introducing a Visual: I’d like to show you ........
Have a look at this.......
This graph shows/repre-
sents.......
Here we can see.....
Let’s look at this .........
As you can see in this
graph/table.........
Comparisons : This graph compares X
and Y......
Let’s compare the
.............
Here you can see a
comparison
between..............
Purpose of Visual Aids
Visuals aids are used to:
(i) Both quality and number of visual aids should
enhance, not distract from message;
(ii) Display or distribute on outline to help
audience follow long or group presentations;
(iii) Use variety to increase interest;
(iv) Remember the value of pictures, graphs,
symbols and objects.
Appearance of Visual Aids
(i) Never use a transparency of a typewritten page;
(ii) Use a plain font of substantial size;
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(iii) If you use colour, don’t use more than three
colours;
(iv) Ask yourself–Can the audience quickly and
easily grasp what they see?
– Are they spending time listening and not
listening?
Visual aids are not always necessary, but they are
good to include if they help you get your point across.
The key is to make sure that they ADD to your speech.
After all, it’s just plain dumb if during a speech about
saving the trees, you whip out a picture of a tree. We all
know what trees look like. It is equally useless to present
a very complicated diagram that someone sitting in the
tenth row can barely see, let alone decipher. So keep
your visual aids very simple. Images and uncomplicated
graphs are best, but if you want to make a list of points
to go over, keep each line of the list brief, and the number
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of lines just as short. We recommend five words per
line and five lines per visual aid.
Know How to Handle Nervousness
It’s just a speech. Your life does not depend on it
(at least not in most cases). But if the thought of going
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out there and completely freezing up makes you freeze
up just thinking about it, go through some of these
relaxing exercises just prior to your performance.
Physical Preparation
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The night before, don’t eat dairy or drink milk.
Also, no soda, coffee, tea, or other caffeinated
drinks for at least an hour before the speech.
They’ll just make you even more antsy.
The morning of your speech, brush your teeth and
use mouthwash. A clean mouth is a happy mouth.
Look presentable. Dress in nice clothes, comb
your hair, do your nails, and groom yourself so
that you look as nice as possible. As the saying
goes, “dress to impress.” The nicer you look, the
more credibility you’ll have with the audience.
Go to the bathroom about a half-hour before the
speech.
Deep breathing exercises may seem cheesy, but
they really slow your heart rate, lower your blood
pressure, and reduce your adrenaline flow. So try
breathing in through your nose, holding your
breath for five seconds, and breathing out through
your mouth. Do this at least three times, but don’t
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INTERVIEWS / 65
go over six, or you may either keel over or start
to hyperventilate.
If hand gestures are a part of your presentation,
shake up your hands to get the blood going. This
exercise will make it more natural for you to move
them around during the performance.
Vocal exercises can help. Prepare your mouth by
running through your speech at full voice several
times. If you screw up, just keep remembering
that the audience won’t have a text and see where
you screw up. Just move on as if nothing
happened.
Most importantly, BE CONFIDENT! Even if
you’re not, the better you fake it, the more
comfortable the audience will be with you, and
thus, the more positive vibes they’ll throw your
way.
Electronic Media (power-point presentation)
Slide show has today become a popular way of
presenting ideas about a subject particularly of technical
nature for maxing such slideshows, PowerPoint is a very
useful windows program.
Presentation Techniques for Slide Projectors
(a) Use of blank slides to focus attention
– Focus attention on visual
– Blank to focus attention on speaker.
(b) Progressive disclosure
– Reveal one point at a time.
– Add to lists on screen.
(c) Use of dissolve unit and two slide projectors
to fade slides in and out.
(d) Link to audio track with cue tape.
Keep it simple though–a complex set of hardware
can result in confusion for speaker and audience. Make
sure your know in advance how to operate the equipment
and also when you want particular displays to appear.
Sometimes a technician will operate the equipment.
Arrange before hand, what is to happen and when and
what signals you will use. Edit your slides as carefully
as your talk–if a slide is superfluous then leave it out. It
you need to use slide twice, duplicate it. And always
check your slides for typographical errors, consistency
of fonts and layout.
Slides and Over Head Projectors (OHPs) should
contain the minimum information necessary. To do
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66 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
otherwise risks making the slide unreadable or will divert
your audience’s attention so that they spend time reading
the slide rather than listening to you.
Try to limit words per slide to a minimum of 10.
Use a reasonable size font and a typeface which will
enlarge well. Typically use a minimum 18 pt Times
Roman on OHPs, and preferably larger. A guideline is:
If you can read the OHP from a distance of 2 metres
(without projection) then it’s alright.
Use colour on your slides but avoid orange and
yellow which do not show up very well when projected.
For text only, white or yellow on blue is pleasant to
look at and easy to read. Books on presentation
techniques often have quite detailed advice on the design
of slides.
Avoid adding to OHPs with a pen during the talk-
it’s messy and the audience will be fascinated by your
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shaking hand! On this point, this is another good reason
for pointing to the screen when explaining a slide rather
than pointing to the OHP transparency.
Room lighting should be considered. Too much
light near the screen will make it difficult to see the
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detail. On the other hand, a completely darkened room
can send the audience to sleep. Try to avoid having to
keep switching lights on and off, but if you have to do
this, know where the light switches are and how to use
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them.
The three visuals commonly used for presentations
are–a pie chart, a table and a bar graph. All these visuals
are normally used to show comparisons, increase/
decrease or the precentage.
The language normally used to point towards these
visuals during the presentation are:
1. Here we can see........
2. As you can see in this bar graph.........
3. Let’s look at this table to ...............
PLANNING ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Planning oral presentations is just like planning
any other business message: It requires analyzing your
purpose and your audience, investigating necessary
information, and adapting your message to the occasion
and your audience so that you can establish a good
relationship. However, because presentations are
delivered orally under relatively public circumstances,
they require a few special communication techniques.
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For one thing, a presentation is a onetime event; your
audience cannot leaf back through printed pages to
review something you said earlier. You must make sure
that audience members will hear what you say and
remember it. To do so, you must capture their attention
immediately and keep them interested. Otherwise, you’ll
lose them, and chances are you won’t get them back. So
when you prepare your presentation, begin by defining
your purpose clearly and thinking of ways to engage
your audience.
The four basic purposes for giving a presentation
are to inform, to persuade, to motivate, and entertain.
Here are sample statements of purpose for business
presentations:
To inform the accounting department of the new
remote data-access policy.
To explain to the executive committee the
financial ramifications of Omni Group’s
takeover offer.
To persuade potential customers that our bank
offers the best commercial banking services for
their needs.
To motivate the sales force to increase product
sales by 10 percent.
The purpose of your oral presentation will govern
the content you include and the style in which you
present the content.
Most of your presentations or speeches will be
informative, requiring a straightforward statement of the
facts. If you’re involved in a marketing or sales position,
however, you’ll probably be writing a delivering quite
a few persuasive presentations and speeches using the
organizational and writing techniques.
Motivational speeches tend to be more specialized,
so many companies bring in outside professional
speakers to handle this type of presentation.
Entertainment speeches are perhaps the rarest in the
business world; they are usually limited to after-dinner
speeches and to speeches at conventions or retreats.
Regardless of your purpose, you will be more
effective if you keep your audience interested in your
message. To do so, you must understand who your
audience members are and what they need? If you’re
involved in selecting the audience or speaking to a group
of peers at work, you’ll certainly have information about
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INTERVIEWS / 67

their characteristics. But in many cases, you’ll be
speaking to a group of people you know little about, so
you’ll want to investigate their needs and characteristics
before showing up to speak. You can ask your host or
some other contact person for help with audience
analysis, and you can supplement that information with
some educated estimates of your own.
WRITING ORAL PRESENTATIONS
You may never actually write out a presentation
word for word. But that doesn’t mean that developing
its content will be any easier or quicker than preparing
a written document. Speaking intelligently about a topic
may actually involve more work and more time than
preparing a written document about the same topic.
ORGANIZING YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION
Every facet of organizing your oral presentation is
driven by what you know about your audience. For
Each of these statements puts a particular slant on
the subject, one that directly relates to the audience’s
interests. This sort of “you” attitude helps to keep your
audience’s attention and convinces people that your
points are relevant. For example, a group of new
employees will be much more responsive to your
discussion of plant safety producers if you focus on how
the procedures can save lives rather than on how the
rules conform to Occupational Safety and Health
Administration guidelines.
Put a Break on Your Scope
Excellent presentations not only focus on the
audience’s needs but also tailor the material to the time
allowed, which is often strictly regulated. You can use
your outline to estimate how much time your
presentation will take. The average speaker can deliver
about 125 to 150 words per minute (or roughly 7,500

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to 9,000 words per hour), which corresponds to between
example, if you’re organizing a sales presentation, focus
20 and 25 double-spaced, typed pages of text per hour.
on how much your product will benefit the people in
The average paragraph is about 125 to 150 words, so
your audience, not on how great the product is. If you’re
most of us can speak at a rate of about one paragraph
explaining a change in medical benefits for company
per minute.

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employees, address the concerns your audience is likely
Say you want to make three basic points. In a
to have, such as cost and quality of care. You should
10-minute presentation, you could take about 2 minutes
organize an oral message just as you would a written
to explain each point, using roughly two paragraphs for
message, by focusing on your audience as you define
each. If you developed a minute each to the introduction
your main idea, limit your scope, choose your approach,

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and the conclusion, you would have 2 minutes left to
prepare your outline, and decide on the most effective
interact with the audience. If you had an hour, however,
style for your presentation.
you could spend the first 5 minutes introducing the
Define the Main Idea
presentation, establishing rapport with the audience,
What is the one message you want audience
providing background information, and giving an
members to walk away with? What do you want them
overview of your topic. In the next 30-40 minutes, you
to do after listening to you? Look for a one-sentence
could explain each of the three points, spending about
generalization that links your subject and purpose to
10-13 minutes on each (the equivalent of 5 or 6
your audience’s frame of reference, much as an
typewritten pages). Your conclusion might take another
advertising slogan points out how a product can benefit
3 to 5 minutes. The remaining 10-20 minutes would
consumers. Here are some examples:
then be available for responding to questions and
Convince audience that reorganizing the data-
comments from the audience.
processing department will improve customer service
Which is better, the 10-minutes speech or the hour-
and reduce employee turnover.
long presentation? If your speech doesn’t have to fit
Convince audience that we should build a new plant
into a specified time slot, the answer depends on your
in Texas to eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks and
subject, your audience’s attitude and knowledge, and
improve production quality.
the relationship you have with your audience. For a
Address audience’s concerns regarding a new
simple, easily accepted message, 10 minutes may be
employee health-care plan by showing how the plan will
enough. On the other hand, if your subject is complex
reduce costs and improve the quality of care.

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68 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
or your audience is skeptical, you’ll probably need more
time. Don’t squeeze a complex presentation into a period
that is too brief, and don’t spend any more time than
necessary on a simple talk.
Decide Your Approach
With a well-defined main idea to guide you and a
clear idea about the scope of your presentation, you can
begin to arrange your message. If you have 10 minutes
or less to deliver your message, organize your
presentation much as you would a letter or a brief memo:
Use the direct approach if the subject involves routine
information or good news, and use the indirect approach
if the subject involves bad news or persuasion. Plan your
introduction to arouse interest and to give a preview of
what’s to come. For the body of the presentation, be
prepared to explain the who, what, when, where, why,
and how of your subject. In the final paragraph or two,
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review the points you’ve made and close with a
statement that will help your audience remember the
subject of your talk.
Longer presentations are organized like reports. If
the purpose is to entertain, motivate, or inform, use direct
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order and a structure imposed naturally by the subject:
importance, sequence, chronology, spatial orientation,
geography, or category. If your purpose is to analyze,
persuade, or collaborate, organize your material around
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conclusion and recommendations or around a logical
argument. Use direct order if the audience is receptive
and indirect if you expect resistance.
You may have to adjust your organization in
response to feedback from your audience, especially if
your purpose is to collaborate. You can plan ahead by
thinking of several organizational possibilities (based
on “what if” assumptions about your audience’s
reactions). If someone says something that undercuts
your planned approach, you can switch smoothly to
another one.
Regardless of the length of your presentation, bear
in mind that simplicity of organization is especially
valuable in oral communication. If listeners lose the
thread of your comments, they’ll have a hard time
catching up and following the reminder of your message.
They can’t review a paragraph or flip pages back and
forth as they can when reading. So look for the most
obvious and natural way to organize your ideas, using a
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direct order of presentation whenever possible. Explain
at the beginning how you’ve organized your material,
and try to limit the number of main points to three or
four-even when the speech or presentation is rather long.
To keep the audience’s attention, be sure to include
only the most useful, interesting, and relevant supporting
evidence. Leanne Anderson advises that you ask yourself
whether this evidence is related to your core message.
If it isn’t, take it out. In addition, at the end of each
section, reorient the audience by summarizing the point
you’ve just made and explaining how it fits into your
overall framework.
Be Well Prepared with Your Outline
A carefully prepared outline can be more than just
the starting point for composing a speech or
presentation–it will help you stay on task. You can use
your outline to make sure your message accomplishes
its purpose to help you keep your presentation both
audience-centered and within the allotted time. If you
plan to deliver your presentation from notes rather than
from a written text, your outline can also become your
final “script”.
When your outline will serve as your speaking
notes, the headings should be complete sentences or
lengthy phrases, rather than one or two word topic
headings. In addition, you can include notes that indicate
where visual aids will be used. You might also want to
write out the transitional sentences you’ll use to connect
main points. Or you may even want to note down notes
about using a certain tone or body language.
Cues such as pause here, speak slowly, and give
extra emphasis can be helpful when it comes to
practicing and delivering your presentation.
What Should be Your Right Style?
Another important element in your preparation is
style. Will you present a formal presentation in an
impressive setting, with professionally produced visual
aids? Or will you lead a casual, roll-up-your-sleeves
working session? Choose your style to fit the occasion.
Your audience’s size, your subject, your purpose, your
budget, and the time available for preparation all
influence your style.
If you’re speaking to a relatively small group, you
can use a casual style that encourages audience
participation. A small conference room, with your
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audience seated around a table, may be appropriate. Use
simple visual aids, and invite your audience to interject
comments. Deliver your remarks in a conversational
tone, using notes to jog your memory if necessary.
If you’re addressing a large audience and the event
is an important one, you’ll want to establish a more
formal atmosphere. A formal style is well suited to
announcements about mergers or acquisitions, new
products, financial results, and other business
milestones. During formal presentations, speakers are
often located on a stage or platform, standing behind a
lectern and using a microphone so that their remarks
can be heard throughout the room. These presentations
are often accompanied by slides and other visual aids
showcasing major products, technological
breakthroughs, and other information that the speakers
want audience members to remember.
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Keep in mind that whether you’re delivering a
formal or an informal presentation, you should always
choose your words carefully. If you try to impress your
audience with obscure or unfamiliar vocabulary, your
message will be lost. Make sure you can define all the
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words you use. And keep things simple. If you repeatedly
stumble over a word as you rehearse, use a different
one.
Enhansing Your Oral Presentation
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Developing a major presentation is much like
writing a formal report, with one important difference:
You need to adjust your technique to a oral
communication channel, which presents both
opportunities and challenges. The major opportunity lies
in the interaction that is possible between you and your
audience. When you speak before a group, you can
receive information as well as transmit it, which means
you can adjust both your content and your delivery as
you go along to clarify information or to be more
compelling. Instead of simple expressing your ideas,
you can draw ideas from your audience and then reach
a mutually acceptable conclusion. Another opportunity
is your ability to use nonverbal cues to reinforce your
message. Audiences will receive much richer stimuli
during a speech than they can while reading a written
report.
The major challenge of using an oral
communication channel is being able to control what
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INTERVIEWS / 69
happens. As you develop each part of your presentation,
think about how your will deliver the information. The
more you expect to interact with your audience, the less
control you’ll have. Moreover, because listeners cannot
refer back and forth to what has been or will be said,
you must work harder to help them stay on track.
Halfway through your presentation, a comment from
someone in the audience might force you to shift topics.
If you can anticipate such shifts, you’ll have a change
to prepare for them as you develop each part of your
oral presentation: the introduction, body, and close.
Introduction
A good introduction arouses the audience’s interest
in your topic, establishes your credibility, and prepares
the audience for what will follow. That’s a lot to pack in
the first few minutes of your presentation. So, of the
total time you allocate to writing your oral presentation,
plan on spending a disproportionate amount on
developing your introduction.
Getting Audience Interested: Some subjects are
naturally more interesting than others. If you will be
discussing a matter of profound significance that will
personally affect the members of your audience, chances
are they’ll listen regardless of how you begin. All you
really have to do is announce your topic (“Today I’ll be
explaining the reorganization of our company”).
Other subjects call for more imagination. How do
you get people to listen if you’re explaining your pension
programmeme to group of new clerical employees, none
of whom will be full participants for another five years
and most of whom will probably leave the company
within two? The best approach to dealing with an
uninterested audience is to appeal to human nature and
encourage people to take the subject personally. Show
them how they’ll be affected as individuals. For
example, you might begin addressing the new clerical
employees like this:
If somebody offered to give you $200,000 in
exchange for $5 week, would you be interested? That’s
the amount you can expect to collect during your
retirement years if you choose to contribute to the
voluntary pension plan. During the next two weeks, you
will have to decide whether you want to participate.
Although retirement is many years away for most of
you, it is an important financial decision. During the
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70 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
next 20 minutes, I hope to give you the information you
need to make that decision intelligently.
Another way to arouse the audience’s interest is to
draw out ideas and encourage comments from the
audience throughout your presentation. Of course, this
technique works better with a small group of co-workers
than it does when you’re addressing a large audience–
particularly if the members to a large audience are hostile
or unknown to you. During a presentation to a large
group or one that covers controversial material,
responding to questions and comments can interrupt the
flow of information, weaken your argument, and reduce
your control of the situation. In such situations, it’s best
to ask people to hold their question until after you have
concluded your remarks. Just be sure to allow ample
time for audience questions at the end of your
presentation.
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Get Attention--Five Ways
Use humour: Even though the subject of most
business presentations is serious, including a light
comment now and then can perk up the audience. Just
be sure the humour is relevant to the presentation and
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not offensive to the audience.
Tell a story: Slice of life stories are naturally
interesting and can be compelling. Be sure your story
illustrates an important point.
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Pass Around a Sample: Psychologists say that you
can get people to remember your points by appealing
to their senses. The best way to do so is to pass around
a sample. If your company is in the textile business, let
the audience handle some of your fabrics. If you sell
chocolates, give every a taste.
Ask a question: Asking questions will get the
audience actively involved in your presentation and, at
the same time, will give you information about them
and their needs.
State a startling statistic: People love details. If
you can interject an interesting statistic, you can often
wake up your audience.
Building Your Credibility: One of the chief
drawbacks of overblown openings is that they damage
a speaker’s credibility, is probably even more important
than arousing interest. A speaker with credibility is more
persuasive than one with low credibility. Use your
introduction to establish your credentials and quickly;
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people will decide with a few minutes whether you’re
worth listening to.
You want your audience to like you as a person
and to respect your opinion. But to establish this sort of
credibility, you need to lay the groundwork while you’re
developing your speech. If you’re speaking to a familiar,
open-minded audience, establishing your credibility is
relatively easy. The difficulty comes when you try to
earn the confidence of strangers, especially those
predisposed to be skeptical or antagonistic.
One way to build credibility is to let someone else
introduce you. That person can present your credentials
so that you won’t appear boastful. However, make sure
that the person introducing you doesn’t exaggerate your
qualifications some members of the audience are likely
to bristle if you’re billed as being the world’s greatest
authority on your subject.
If you’re introducing yourself, plan to keep your
comments simple. At the same time, don’t be afraid to
mention your accomplishments. Your listeners will be
curious about your qualifications, so tell them briefly
who you are and why you’re there. Generally, you need
mention only a few aspects of your background; your
position in an organization, your profession, and the
name of your company. You might plan to say something
like this:
I’m Karen Whitney, a market research analyst with
Information Resources Corporation. For the past five
years, I’ve specialized in studying high-technology
markets. Your director of engineering, John LaBarre,
has asked me to talk to you about recent trends in
computer aided design so that you’ll have a better idea
of how to direct your research efforts.
This speaker establishes credibility by trying her
credentials to the purpose of her presentation. By
mentioning her company’s name, her specialization and
position, and the name of the audience’s boss, she lets
her listeners know immediately that she is qualified to
tell them something they need to know. She connects
her background to their concerns.
Previewing Your Presentation: In addition to
arousing audience interest and building your credibility,
a good introduction gives your audience a preview of
what’s ahead, helping them understand the structure and
content of your message. A reader can get an idea of the
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structure and content of a report by looking at the table
of contents and scanning the headings. In an oral
presentation, however, the speaker provides that
framework with a preview. Without cues from the
speaker, the audience may be unable to figure out how
the main points of the message fit together.
Your preview should summarize the main idea of
your presentation, identify the supporting points, and
indicate the order in which you’ll develop those points.
Tell your listeners in so many words, “This is the subject,
and these are the points I will cover.” Once you’ve
established the framework, you can be confident that
the audience will understand how the individual facts
and figures are related to your main idea as you move
into the body of your presentation.
Audience’s Attention: To communicate your
points effectively, you must do more than connect your
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ideas with clear transitions—you also have to hold your
audience’s attention. Here are a few helpful tips for
engaging an audience:
Relate your subject to your audience’s needs:
People are interested in things that affect them
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personally. Plan to present every point in light of your
audience’s needs and values.
Understand before hand your audience’s
questions: Try to anticipate as many questions as you
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can, and address these questions in the body of your
presentation. You’ll also want to prepare and reserve
additional material to use during the question and answer
period should the audience ask for greater detail.
Use clear, vivid language: People become bored
quickly when they don’t understand the speaker. If your
presentation will involve abstract ideas, plan to show
how those abstractions connect with everyday life. Use
familiar words, short sentences, and concrete examples.
Explain the relationship between your subject and
familiar ideas: Plan to show how your subject is related
to ideas that audience members already understand, so
that you give people a way to categorize and remember
you points.
Close: The close of a speech or presentation is
almost as important as the beginning, because audience
attention peaks at this point. Plan to devote about 10
per cent of your total time to the ending. When
developing your conclusion, begin by telling listeners
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INTERVIEWS / 71
that you’re about to finish, so that they’ll make one final
effort to listen intently. Don’t be afraid to sound obvious.
Consider saying something such as “In conclusion“ or
“To sum it all up.” You want people to know that this is
the home stretch.
Repeating Your Main Points: Once you have
decided how to announce your close, plan on repeating
your main idea. Be sure to emphasize what you want
your audience to do or think, and state the key motivating
factor. Finally, reinforce your theme by repeating the
three or four main supporting points. A few sentences
are generally enough to refresh people’s memories. One
speaker ended a presentation on the company’s
executive compensation programmeme by repeating his
four specific recommendations and then concluding with
a memorable statement that would motivate his audience
to take action:
We can all be proud of the way our company has
grown. If we want to continue that growth, however,
we will have to adjust our executive compensation
programme to reflect competitive practices. If we don’t,
our best people will look for opportunities elsewhere.
In summary, our survey has shown that we need to
do four things to improve executive compensation:
Increase the overall level of compensation.
Install a cash bonus programme.
Offer a variety of stock based incentives.
Improve our health insurance and pension
benefits.
By making these improvements, we can help our
company cross the threshold of growth into the major
leagues.
Describing the Next Steps: Some presentations
require the audience to reach a decision or agree to take
specific action. In such cases the close provides a clear
wrap-up. If the audience agrees on an issue covered in
the presentation, plan to review the consensus in a
sentence or two. If they don’t agree, make the lack of
consensus clear by saying something like “We seem to
have some fundamental disagreement on this question.”
Then you’ll be ready to suggest a method of resolving
the differences.
If you expect any action to occur as a result of your
speech, you must explain who is responsible for doing
what. Our effective technique is to list the action items,
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72 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
with an estimated completion date and the name of the
person responsible. You can present this list in a visual
aid and ask each person on the list to agree to accomplish
his or her assigned task by the target date. This public
commitment to action is the best insurance that
something will happen.
If the required action is likely to be difficult, make
sue that everyone understands the problems involved.
You don’t want people to leave the presentation thinking
their tasks will be easy, only to discover later that the
jobs are quite demanding. You’ll want everyone to have
a realistic attitude and to be prepared to handle whatever
arises. So when planning your presentation, use the close
to alert people to potential difficulties or pitfalls.
Closing on Strong Note: Make sure that your final
remarks are encouraging and memorable. After
summarizing the key points of your presentation,
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conclude with a quote, a call to action, or some
encouraging words. For instance, you might stress the
benefits of action or express confidence in the listeners’
ability to accomplish the work ahead. An alternative is
to end with a question or a statement that will leave
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your audience thinking.
At the completion of your presentation, your
audience should feel satisfied. The close is not the place
to introduce new ideas or to alter the mood of the
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presentation. Even if parts of your presentation are
downbeat, you want to close on a positive note. Avoid
using a staged finale–keep it natural. As with everything
else in your oral presentation, plan your closing remarks
carefully. You don’t want to wind up on stage with
nothing to say but “Well, I guess that’s it.”
FINISHING ORAL PRESENTATIONS
To complete your oral presentation, you will need
to evaluate the content of your message and edit your
remarks for clarity and conciseness as you would for
any business message. You may also need to develop
visual aids for you presentation and coordinate them
with your delivery. Besides these tasks, four additional
areas require your special attention: mastering the art
of delivery, preparing to speak, overcoming anxiety, and
handling questions responsively.
Mastering the Art of Delivery: Once you have
planned, written, and developed visuals for your
presentation, you are ready to begin practicing your
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delivery. You have a variety of delivery methods to
choose from, some of which are easier to handle than
others:
Memorizing: Unless you are a trained actor, avoid
memorizing your speech, especially a long one. You
are likely to forget your lines, and your speech will sound
stilted. Besides, you’ll often need to address audience
questions during your speech, so you must be flexible
enough to adjust your speech as you go. However,
memorizing a quotation, an opening paragraph, or a few
concluding remarks can bolster your confidence and
strengthen your delivery.
Reading: If you are delivering a technical or
complex presentation, you may want to read it. Policy
statements by government officials are sometimes read
because the wording may be critical. If you choose to
read your speech, practice enough so that you can still
maintain eye contact with your audience. Triple-spaced
copy, wide margins, and large type will help. You might
even want to include stage cues, such as pause, raise
hands, lower voice.
Speaking from Notes: Making a presentation with
the help of an outline, note cards, or visual aid is
probably the most effective and easiest delivery mode.
This approach gives you something to refer to and still
allows for eye contact and interaction with the audience.
If your listeners look puzzled, you can expand on a point
or rephrase it. (Generally, note cards are preferable to
sheets of paper, because nervousness is easier to see in
shaking sheets of paper.)
Extempore Speaking: You might have to give an
impromptu, or unrehearsed, speech if you’re called on
to speak unexpectedly or if you’ve agreed to speak but
neglected to prepare your remarks. Avoid speaking
unprepared unless you have spoken countless time on
the same topic or are an extremely good public speaker.
When you are asked to speak “off the cuff”, take a
moment to think through what you’ll say. Then avoid
the temptation to ramble.
Regardless of which delivery mode you use, be sure
that you are thoroughly familiar with you subject.
Knowing what you are talking about is the best way to
build your self-confidence.
Practice indeed makes perfect, especially if you
haven’t had much experience with public speaking. If
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you rehearse in front of mirror, try to visualize the room
filled with listeners. Put your talk on tape to check the
sound of your voice, as well as your timing, phrasing,
and emphasis. If possible, rehearse on videotape to see
yourself as your audience will.
Preparing to Speak
In addition to knowing your material and practicing
your delivery, you can build confidence in other ways.
First, know that your location is ready and that you will
have everything you’ll need. Second, make sure you’re
prepared to address audiences from other cultures.
Whenever you can, check the location for your
presentation in advance. Check the seating arrangements
to make sure they are appropriate for your needs. If you
want audience members to sit at tables, be sure tables
are available. Check the room for any outlets you’ll need
for a projector or microphone. Locate light switches
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and dimmers. If you need a flip-chart easel or a
chalkboard, be sure it is on hand. Check for chalk, an
eraser, a pointer, extension cords, and any other small
but crucial item you might need.
If you are addressing an audience that does not
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speak your language, consider using an interpreter.
Working with an interpreter does constrain your
presentation some what you must speak slowly enough
for the interpreter to keep up with you but not so slowly
that the rest of your audience loses interest. Send your
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interpreter a copy of your speech and any visual aids as
far as in advance as possible.
Any time you deliver an oral presentation to people
from other cultures, you may need to adapt the content
of your presentation. It is also important to take into
account any cultural differences, mannerisms, and other
customs. Your interpreter will be able to suggest
appropriate changes for a specific audience or particular
occasion.
Controlling Anxiety
If you are nervous about facing an audience and
experience stage fright, you are not alone. Even speakers
with years of experience feel some anxiety about getting
up in front of an audience. Although you might not able
to make your nervous feeling disappear, you can learn
to cope with your anxiety.
Feeling More Confident
Nervousness shows that you care about your
audience, your topic, and the occasion. If your palms
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INTERVIEWS / 73
get wet or your mouth goes dry, don’t think of nerves,
think of excitement. Such stimulation can give you the
extra energy you need to make your presentation sparkle.
Here are some ways to harness your nervous energy to
become a more confident speaker:
Prepare more material than necessary:
Combined with a genuine interest in your topic, extra
knowledge will reduce your anxiety.
Rehearse: The more familiar you are with your
material, the less panic you’ll feel.
Think positively: See yourself as polished and
professional, and your audience will too.
Visualize your success: Use the few minutes before
you actually begin speaking to tell yourself you are on
and you are ready.
Take a few deep breaths: Before you begin to
speak, remember that your audience is silently wishing
you success.
Be ready: Have your first sentence memorized and
on the tip of your tongue.
Be comfortable: If your throat is dry, drink some
water.
Don’t panic: If you feel that you are losing your
audience during your speech, try to pull them back by
involving them in the action; ask for their opinions or
pause for questions.
Keep going: Things usually get better as you go.
Appearing More Confident: As you deliver your
presentation, try to be aware of the nonverbal signals
you are transmitting. Regardless of how you feel inside,
your effectiveness greatly depends on how you look and
sound.
Well-delivered presentations start with your first
minute at the podium, so don’t rush. As you approach
the speaker’s lectern, walk slowly, breathe deeply, and
stand up straight. Face your audience, adjust the
microphone, count to three slowly, then survey the room.
When you find a friendly face, make eye contact and
smile. Count to three again, and then begin your
presentation. If you are nervous, this slow, controlled
beginning will help you establish rapport and appear
more confident.
Once your presentation is under way, be particularly
careful to maintain eye contact with your audience. Pick
out several people positioned around the room, and shift
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74 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
your gaze from one to another. Looking directly at your
listeners will make you appear sincere, confident, and
trustworthy. It also helps you get an idea of the
impression you are creating.
Your posture is also important in projecting more
confidence. Stand tall, with your weight on both feet
and your shoulders back. Avoid gripping the lectern. In
fact, you might step out from behind the lectern to help
your audience feel more comfortable with you and to
express your own comfort and confidence in what you
are saying. Use your hands to emphasize your remarks
with appropriate gestures. Meanwhile, vary your facial
expressions to make the message more dynamic.
Finally, think about the sound of your voice. Studies
indicate that people who speak with lower vocal tones
at a slightly faster than average rate are perceived as
being more credible. Speak in normal, conversational
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tone but with enough volume for everyone to hear you.
Try to sound poised and confident, varying your pitch
and speaking rate to add emphasis. Don’t ramble. Use
silence instead of meaningless filler words such as, you
know, okay, and like. Silence adds dramatic punch and
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gives the audience time to think about the message.
Remember, speak clearly and crisply, articulating all
the syllables, and sound enthusiastic about what you
are saying.
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Handling Questions Maturely
The question and answer period is one of the most
important parts of an oral presentation. Questions give
you a chance to obtain important information, to
emphasize your main idea and supporting points, and
to build enthusiasm for your point of view. Without
questions, you might just as well write a report. If you
don’t expect to interact with the audience, you are
wasting the chief advantage of an oral format. In addition
to giving you valuable feedback, this period gives you
a chance to emphasize points you made earlier, work in
material that didn’t fit into the formal presentation, and
identify and try to overcome audience resistance.
Many speakers do well delivering their oral
presentation only to falter during the question-and-
answer period. But since you’ve already spent time
anticipating these questions, you are ready with answers.
Some experts recommend that you hold back some
dramatic statistics as ammunition for the question-and-
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answer session. If your message is unpopular, you should
also be prepared for hostile questions. Treat them as
legitimate requests for information. Maintaining your
professionalism will improve your credibility.
Focus on the Questioner
When someone poses a question, focus your
attention on that individual. Pay attention to body
language and facial expression to help determine what
the person really means. Not your head to acknowledge
the question; then repeat it aloud to confirm your
understanding and to ensure that the entire audience has
heard it. If the question is vague or confusing, ask for
clarification; then give a simple, direct answer. If you
are asked to choose between two alternatives, don’t feel
you must do so. Offer your own choice instead, if that
makes more sense.
Respond Properly
Be sure to answer the question you are asked. Don’t
sidestep it, ignore it, or laugh it off. Furthermore, don’t
say more than you need to if you want to have enough
time to cover all the questions. If giving an adequate
answer would take too long, simply say, “I’m sorry, we
don’t have time to get into that issue right now, but if
you’ll see me after the presentation, I’ll be happy to
discuss it with you.” If you don’t know the answer, don’t
pretend that you do. Instead, say something like “I don’t
have those figures. I’ll get them for you as quickly as
possible” remember, you don’t have to answer every
question that is asked.
Maintain Control
Try to maintain control during the question-and-
answer session by establishing some ground rules up
front. Announce a time limit or question limit per person
before you begin. Establishing limits will protect you
from getting into a heated exchange with one member
of the audience and from allowing one or two people to
monopolize the question period. Give as many audience
members as possible a chance to participate by calling
on people from different parts of the room. If the same
person keeps angling for attention, restate the question
limit or say something like “Several other people have
questions; I’ll get back to you if time permits.”
If audience members try to turn a question into an
opportunity to mount their own soapboxes, it’s up to
you to stay in control. You might ask people to identify
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themselves before they ask questions. People are more
likely to behave themselves when everyone present
knows their name. you might admit that you and the
questioner have differing opinions and, before calling
on someone else, offer to get back to the questioner
once you have done more research. Or you might simply
respond with a brief answer, avoiding a lengthy debate
or additional questions. Finally, you might thank the
person for the comments and then remind everyone that
you were looking for specific questions.
Survive the Hot Seat
If a question ever puts you on the hot seat,
remember to be honest, but keep your cool. Look the
person in the eye, answer the question as well as you
can and try not to show your feelings. Don’t get into an
argument. Questioners who challenge your ideas, logic,
or facts may be trying to push you into overreacting.
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Defuse hostility by paraphrasing the question and asking
the questioner to confirm that you have understood it
correctly. Break long, complicated questions into parts
that you can answer simply. State your response honestly,
accurately and factually; then move on to the next
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question. Avoid postures or gestures that might seem
antagonistic. Maintain a businesslike tone of voice and
a pleasant expression. Don’t indulge in put-downs-they
may backfire and make the audience more sympathetic
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to the questioner.
Motivate Questions
In case your audience is too timid or hostile to ask
questions, you might plant some of your own. If a friend
or the meeting organizer gets the ball rolling, other
people in the audience will probably join in. You might
ask a question yourself: “Would you like to know more
about.” If someone in the audience answers, act as if
the question came from that person in the first place.
When all else fails, say something like “I know from
experience that most questions are asked after the
question period. So I’ll be around afterward to talk.”
Conclude Your Presentation
When the time allotted for your presentation is up,
call a halt to the question-and-answer session, even if
more people want to talk. Prepare the audience for the
end by saying. “Our time is almost up. Let’s have one
more question.” After you have made your reply,
summarize the main idea of the presentation and thank
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INTERVIEWS / 75
people for their attention. Conclude the way you opened:
by looking around the room and making eye contact.
Then gather your notes and leave the podium, shoulders
straight, head up.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS–VISUAL AIDS
The ability to create and deliver an effective
presentation is a vital skill in today’s workplace.
Audience will also expect you to use visual aids in your
oral presentations. Visual aids can improve the quality
and impact of your oral presentation by creating interest,
illustrating points that are difficult to explain in words
alone, adding variety and increasing the audience’s
ability to absorb and remember information. Studies of
behavioural research have shown that visual aids can
improve learning by up to 400 percent because humans
can process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.
As a speaker, you’ll find that visual aids can help
you remember the details of the message (no small feat
in a lengthy presentation) and improve your professional
image: Speakers who use presentation visuals generally
appear better prepared and more knowledgeable than
speakers who do not use visuals aids.
Today’s speakers can select from a variety of visual
aids to enhance oral presentations. Among the most
popular types of visual aids are overhead transparencies,
electronic presentations, chalkboards and whiteboards,
flip charts, and 35-millimetre slides;
Overhead transparencies: Overhead trans-
parencies have been the standard visual aid for decades.
An overhead transparency is a piece of clear plastic with
writing or some other image on it. Transparencies are
shown by placing them on an overhead projector that
projects the image or writing on a screen. Transparencies
can be created using word processing, page layout, or
electronic slide presentation software and can even be
prepared by hand. Because their content and design
elements are similar to electronic slides, we sometimes
refer to transparencies as slides for purpose of this
chapter.
Electronic Presentations: The availability of
affordable software and new technology has made
electronic presentations the visual aid of choice in most
business situations. And electronic presentation or slide
show consists of a series of electronic slides composed
using popular computer software such as Microsoft
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76 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
PowerPoint, Lotus Freelance Graphics, or Corel Draw.
The software allows you to incorporate photos, sound,
video, graphics, animation, and other movement into
the slides, enabling you to capture and engage your
audience like no other visual aid. With special projection
equipment, a personal computer can be turned into a
large-screen “intelligent chalkboard” that allows you to
create and modify your electronic slides as the
presentation unfolds. For live presentations, an
increasing number of businesses now use LCD (liquid
crystal display) projectors or display panels. These
products grab the images from your computer screen
and display them on the same projection screens used
for viewing overhead transparencies.
Chalkboard and Whiteboards: Chalkboards and
whiteboards are effective tools for recording points
made during small-group brainstorming sessions.
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Because these visual aids are produced on the spot, they
offer flexibility. However, they are too informal for some
situations.
Flip Charts: Large sheets of paper attached at the
top like a tablet can be propped on an easel so that you
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can flip the pages as you speak, with each chart
illustrating or clarifying a point. You might have a few
lines from your outline on one, a graph or diagram on
another, and so on. By using felt-tip markets of various
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colours, you can also record ideas generated during a
discussion.
35-millimetre slides: The content of 35-millimetre
slides may be text, graphics, or pictures. If you are trying
to create a polished, professional atmosphere, you might
find this approach worthwhile, particularly if you’ll be
addressing a crowd and don’t mind speaking in a
darkened room. If you choose this visual aid, remember,
you will need to coordinate your slides with your speech
and appoint someone to operate the projector.
Other Visual Aids: In technical or scientific
presentations, a sample of product or material allows
the audience to experience your subject directly. Models
built to scale are convenient representations of an object.
Audiotapes are often used to supplement a slide show
or to present a precisely worded and timed message.
Filmstrips and movies can capture the audience’s
attention with colour and movement. Television and
videotapes are good for showing demonstrations,
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interviews, and other events. In addition, filmstrips,
movies, television, and videotapes can be used as stand-
alone vehicles (independent of a speaker) to
communicate with dispersed audiences at various times.
The two most popular types of visual aids are
overhead transparencies and electronic presentations the
focus of this chapter. Even though these two visual aids
differ in the features they offer and in the way they are
delivered, both consist of a collection of slides that must
be well written and well designed to be effective. Once
the slides are created, they are either printed on clear
plastic sheets for overhead transparencies or stored
electronically and further embellished with multimedia
effects for electronic presentations.
ORAL PRESENTATIONS–EFFECTIVE SLIDES
Just as Kevan Allbee suggests, effective slides are
the result of careful planning. Overhead transparencies
and electronic slides are no different from the text of
your presentation; that is, they send a message to your
audience. Thus, you need to analyze both your purpose
in creating the slides and the audience who will be
viewing them. Because slides tend to condense
information, your attention to purpose is crucial. Be sure
you know exactly what it is you want each slide to say.
And just as important, be aware of your audience’s
needs. What do audience members need to understand
from each slide? How will your design affect audience
members? What cultural preferences should you
consider?
Once you have completely analyzed each slide,
make sure you have all the information you need to
include visually. Gather the details carefully, and
document your sources fairly and thoroughly. If you are
presenting a chart to illustrate a point in your
presentation, you want to guarantee that it is not only
accurate but complete.
Finally, to adapt your message to your audience
and establish a good relationship, be careful to choose
the correct form of slide for your presentation. Both
overhead transparencies and electronic slides have
advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Overhead Transparencies
Many business people prefer to use overhead
transparencies in oral presentations, for a number of
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reasons. They are inexpensive, easy to create, and simple
to use. You can prepare high-quality overheads using a
computer and a high-resolution colour inkjet or laser
printer. Moreover, they require little extra equipment
to show: Most conference room or classrooms have
overhead projectors and a table large enough to stack
transparencies. And, because transparency images can
be projected in full daylight, speakers can maintain eye
contact with the audience. They can also use special
markers to write on transparencies as they present
information.
In spite of these advantages, transparencies have a
number of drawbacks. First, because they are in a
permanent printed format, they must be replaced if their
content changes. You cannot erase or change a word,
colour, or graph on a transparency as you would on an
electronic slide. Second, each time you add or remove
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an overhead from the sequence, you must manually
renumber the batch. Third, transparencies are fragile:
They chip, flake, scratch and tear easily. You can protect
transparencies with cardboard or plastic frames or with
transparent sleeves, but these protectors are costly and
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are bulky to store or transport. Fourth, overhead
projectors can be noisy and a challenge to talk over.
Finally, transparencies must be aligned carefully on the
overhead projector (one at a time). This requirement
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limits the presenter’s ability to more freely about the
room.
Advantages and Disadvantages
of Electronic Presentations
The biggest advantage of electronic presentations
is their computerized format, which makes real-time
manipulation of data easy to perform. You can change a
graphic, add a bulleted phrase, and even alter the
sequence of your slides with a simple click of the mouse.
You can add animation, video clips, sound, hypertext,
and other multimedia effects to slide-turning them into
dazzling professional presentations. You can even
preprogramme and automate the release of text and
graphical elements. Furthermore, electronic
presentations are easy to store, transport, and customize
for different audiences.
Electronic presentations are not without
disadvantages, however. First, electronic slides require
more expensive display equipment than overhead
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INTERVIEWS / 77
transparencies–especially if you are presenting to large
audiences. This equipment can be complicated to use
and may not be available in all situations. Second, most
people spend too much time focusing on the technical
components of an electronic presentation–they pay more
attention to the animation and special effects of their
slide shows than they do to the content of their message.
Third, inexperienced presenters tend to pack too many
special effects in their electronic slides, creating a visual
fest of pictures and graphics that dazzle the audience
but blur the key message. People may walk away saying,
“I really liked the graphics and motion. I wonder what
software programme the speaker used,” but have no idea
of the points the speaker was trying to make.
CREATING EFFECTIVE SLIDES
FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS
As Kevan Allbee knows, people place a higher
priority on the design of their slides than they do on the
written content. As a result, they work on their slides in
reverse order: they select a background design and create
special effects (if developing an electronic presentation)
before writing the content of their slides. Design is an
important element indeed, but as Allbee points out, it is
secondary to a well-organized, well-developed,
audience-centred message. Once you’ve planed what a
slide is going to say, organize the content as you would
for any written message. Then write and polish the
written content before focusing on the slide’s design
elements.
When creating slides, keep in mind that simplicity
is the key to effectiveness. Slides that are too complex
or poorly written will confuse the audience. People can’t
read and listen at the same time, so your slides must be
simple enough for the audience to understand within a
moment or two. Therefore, your primary focus when
creating text graphic slides is to keep content and graphic
simple and readable, select design elements that enhance
your message without overshadowing it, be consistent
in your design selections, are use special effects
selectively.
Writing Readable Content
Text visuals help the audience follow the flow of
ideas. They are simplified outlines of your presentation
and are used to summarize and preview your message
or to signal major shifts in thought. One of the biggest
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78 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
mistakes you can make when writing text visuals is to
overload them with too much information. People do
so for two reasons: (i) They believe that every word or
concept they wish to convey should be illustrated by a
slide, and (ii) They use their slides as speaker’s notes-
focusing on their own needs instead of the needs of their
audience.
Text slides are not intended to display your entire
script or highlight each point you make. They are not
your notes. Effective text slides supplement your
words. They highlight key points of your message,
illustrate concepts, and help create interest in your oral
message, but they are not the presentation itself. Slides
with too much text, long sentences, or wordy bullets
are difficult to read from a distance and difficult to
understand. They confuse and distract the audience,
and they diminish your credibility as a speaker. If you
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overload your slides with content, members of the
audience will assume that you are afraid to look at
them and interact with them.
When writing content for text slides, keep your
message short and simple.
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Using the Web to Produce Better Presentations
Looking for some PowerPoint tutorials? Need
expert advice on mastering the software’s advanced
features? Searching for the perfect photo, sound bite,
or video clip to enhance your presentation? One good
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place to begin your journey for such information is the
web. Follow these links to a wealth of online resources
and transform your electronic presentations from
ordinary slide shows to extraordinary events.
The Best PowerPoint Tutorials
Microsoft:www.microsoft.com/education/?ID=
PptTutorialIndianaUniversityPurdueUniversty,Indianaplis:
w w w. i u p u i . e d u / ~ w e b t r a i n / t u t o r i a l s /
powerpoint2000_basics.html
University of Maryland: www.education.umd.edu/
blt/tcp/resetpp.html
University of Alberta: www.quasar.ualberta.ca/
edit202/tutorial/PowerPoint/PowerPoint
To locate a complete list of tutorials one the web,
go to www.queryserver.com, enter the term “PowerPoint
Tutorial,” and press “search.”
Articles: For more than 150 how-to articles on
PowerPoint, with more being added every day, go to
www.computertim.com
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Newsgroup and Forum: The PowerPoint
newsgroup can be found at Microsoft.public.powerpoint.
A PowerPoint forum is at www.zdnet.com/community.
Developing a Clear Structure for Oral
Presentations: Poorly structured oral presentations are
like books without chapters-they can leave the audience
wondering where they are and where they are headed.
Three types of structural slides can help you keep the
audience on track. Used properly, they tell the audience
what you are talking about, why, are in what order:
A cover slide is your opportunity to make a good
first impression on the audience.
Introduction slide, define the topic of the
presentation, clarify the topic, and inform the audience
why you are speaking on this topic in addition to what
expectations, if any, you may have for the audience.
Are you going to ask them to make a decision? Take
some action? Or are you simply explaining a new
company policy?
A blueprint slide serves as your agenda chart and
provides a road map of your presentation, telling the
audience where you are going and where you’ve been.
Used in the beginning of presentation, it lists three or
four major points your presentation will cover. Used
later in the presentation, moving blueprint slides serve
as a signpost; they signal to the audience that you are
moving from one major part of the presentation to
another. Moving blueprint slides can also be used at the
end of the presentation to summarize and review the
presentation’s key points.
Practicing Your Delivery
The most common mistake people make when
delivering a presentation is reading their slides. When
speakers read bulleted points to the audience word for
word, they lose contact with the audience and lose voice
inflection. As a result, the listeners become bored and
eventually stop paying attention. Moreover, people who
read slides insult the audience’s intelligence. Audiences
expect speakers to add valuable information that is not
included on slides. To do so, however, speakers must
know enough about the subject of their presentation to
elaborate on each bullet point. They must do their
research and practice.
When practicing your presentation, run through it
about five times using your electronic slides or overhead
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INTERVIEWS / 79

transparencies. Your credibility is dramatically enhanced choices identify the suitable action word to complete
when you move seamlessly through your presentation. the given sentences.
Practicing helps keep you on track, helps you maintain 1. While at work I .................. new challenges.
a conversational tone with your audience, and boost your (a) encourage (b) maintain
confidence and composure. (c) enjoy (d) optimize.C
As you practice, try not to be so dependent on your 2. I .................. several important company function
slides that you are unable to function without them. and events.
Some people are quite capable of delivering a perfect (a) created (b) controlled
presentation without notes. But for those who require (c) developed (d) organized
notes, electronic software gives you an added advantage. 3. In the general office the secretaries ..................
Speaker’s notes are a helpful tool included with most all word processing and typing.
popular electronic presentation software packages. You (a) handle (b) expedite
can display these notes along with a scaled-down version (c) assist (d) organize
of your slide on a computer screen so that only you can 4. I can .................. with difficult customers without
see the notes. Speaker’s notes are not intended to be losing my patience.
read word for word. Instead, use them to list important (a) deal (b) handle
facts or to remind yourself of supporting comments you (c) look after (d) cope

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should make as you present the slide. For instance, you 5. As Manager HRD, I .................. a 10% reduction
might input such notes as “Don’t forget to explain the in absenteeism by creating healthier employees through
impact of last year’s bad weather on sales.” providing a gym in the company premises.
Practicing in front of a mirror is always a good idea, (a) gained (b) achieved
especially if your primary concern is the mechanics of (c) made (d) optimized

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the presentation. But if you are concerned about the 6. I .................. advanced technologies in
content of your presentation and the effectiveness of teleconferencing to facilitate better communication
your slides, nothing beats practicing front of people who across distances.
are willing to stop you when they don’t understand your (a) generated (b) created

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message or when they need you to clarify a point on (c) implemented (d) started
your slide. 7. I .................. a central role in the company’s
As you practice, keep in mind that using overhead turnaround to profitability by helping to cut down on
transparencies and electronic slides effectively during production costs.
oral presentations requires three extra steps: First, you (a) acquired (b) assumed
must learn how to use the software to create your slides (c) enjoyed (d) managed
or transparencies and you must learn how to operate 8. I .................. tens of thousands of Rupees by
the technology to deliver your visuals. You must also cutting down on wasteful expenditure.
know how to fix minor technological glitches, since you (a) generated (b) produced
will likely encounter some during a presentation. (c) devised (d) optimized
Second, you must introduce your visuals and practice 9. I .................. powerful company resistance to
coordinating your visuals with your talk so that the result break into the international market where we now have
is as seamless as a professionally staged production. our biggest buyers.
Third, you must limit the number of slides so that you (a) opposed (b) managed
can deliver your presentation in the allotted time frame. (c) controlled (d) overcame
10. I .................. agressive new product
Q. 1. Action verbs can help you to describe your introductions in keeping with the demands of the
participation in work experience. Out of the given changing market.

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80 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
(a) started (b) initiated
(c) assessed (d) produced
Ans.
1. (a) enjoy
2. (b) organized
3. (a) handle
4. (a) deal
5. (b) achieved
6. (c) implemented
7. (b) assumed
8. (a) generated
9. (d) overcame
10. (b) initiated
Q. 2. Review the below script carefully.
Types of Job Interviews–By Randall S. Hansen,
Ph.D.
The two styles of interviewing used by several
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companies today are the traditional job interview and
the behavioural interview. The traditional job interview
uses broad based questions such as, “Why do you want
to work for this company”, and tell me about your
strengths and weaknesses”. The interviewees’ success
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or failure is more after than not based on the ability of
the job & seeker to communicate with confidence than
on the faithfulness or content of their answers.
Employers are looking for answers to three questions:
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Does the job-seeker have the skills and abilities to
perform the job-does the job-seeker possess the
enthusiasm and work ethic that the employer expects,
and will the job-seeker be a team player and fit into the
organization.
The behavioural job interview is based on the theory
that past performance of the job-seeker is the best
indicator of future behaviour, and uses questions that
probe specific past behaviours, such as “tell me about a
time where you confronted an unexpected problem and
how did you resolve it”, tell me about an experience
when you failed to achieve a goal”, and “give me a
specific example of a time when you managed a difficult
colleague successfully”, job-seekers need to prepare for
these interviews by recalling scenarios that fit the various
types of behavioural interviewing questions. Job-seekers
should expect interviewers to have several follow-up
questions and probe for details that explore all aspects
of a given situation or experience. Recent college
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graduates with little work exprience should focus on
class projects and group situations that might lend
themselves to these types of questions. Your hobbies
and any volunteer work you might have done also should
provide examples you could use.
Job-seekers should frame their answers based on a
four part outline:
1. Describe the situation or experience truthfully.
2. Discuss the actions you took.
3. Relate the outcomes of the actions.
4. Specify what you learned from it so that you could
use the experience in the future.
Home Page: http://www.quintcareers.com
E-mail : randall@quintcareers.com
Copyright©Quintessential Careers. All Rights
Reserved.
Now state which of these summaries best
describes the script on job interviews?
1. The traditional interview examines the
qualifications, experience and skills of the
candidates. On the other hand, the behavioural
interview, assesses their psychology and attitude.
2. The major difference between the two kinds of
interview is that in the traditional interview
applicants are aksed general questions whereas
in the behavioural interview, they are asked
personal questions.
3. While the traditional interview assesses the skills
and abilities of candidates through general
questions, the behavioural interview focuses on
questions related to specific situations in which
the applicants actually made use of these skills to
achieve something or to solve a problem.
Ans. Summary Point 3.
Q. 3. Pick up a job advertisement relating to
your field of study/interest. Imagine that you have
been called by the advertiser for a job interview.
Make a list of at least three questions you could ask
at the interview.
Ans. The questions which could be asked at the
interview by the applicant are given below:
(i) Could you tell me what my job responsibilities
are likely to be?
(ii) What kind of hierarchy system you have in
your organization?
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(iii) What are the basis of performance appraisal
and how it helps the individual to reach next
level?
Q. 4. Asking for Reference
Write a letter to a professor asking him/her if
you can mention him/her as a referee in your CV
and whether he/she will be willing to provide a
reference for you when needed. Include the following
points:
– A reminder of who you are (professors teach
hundreds of students and should be able to
place you).
– Request for permission to name him/her a
referee.
– Inform them about where you are applying–
it could be an Institute of Higher Education
or a business Organization.
Neeraj
Ans. 4th Feb, 2005
Initiatives India (P) ltd.
C-49, Lajpat Nagar
Part-I
New Delhi-110022.
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Dear Madam/Ms. Anuradha Sharma,
I would like you to recall that I was a student of
yours while doing my MBA in International Business
from Initiatives India. You have also been my project
guide in my final year of MBA. Hope you have been
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able to recall me and therefore need a favour from you.
I wish to name you as a referee in my Curriculum
Vitae and would like to request for your permission in
doing so.
I have now completed my Ph.D and I am applying
as a guest faculty at Amity Business School.
I look forward to your positive response to my
request.
Yours Sincerely,
Nittin Chhabra
Q. 5. Replying to Letter of Appointment
Below is an appointment letter from a company
where you appeared for a job interview. Write a
reply.
Maurya Travels
256 Nehru Nagar
New Delhi-110019
Tel. 91-11-26018563
E-mail: maurya.travels@sancharnet.in
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INTERVIEWS / 81
8th September, 2003
Dear Ms. Dhara Taneja ,
Thank you for attending the interview on 3rd
September, 2003. I am pleased to offer you the post of
Sales Executive in our Marketing Division at a starting
salary of Rs. 15000 per month. You will be required to
join duty on 1st October, 2003.
As discussed with you, the office hours are from
9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. You will be
entitled to 2 weeks of annual paid holiday.
Please confirm acceptance of this appointment in
writing and that you can take up this duty from
1st October, 2003.
Yours truly
Jaswinder Singh
G.M., HRD.
Ans. Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter dated 8th September,
2003, offering me the job of a Marketing Executive at
Maurya Travels. I am delighted to accept this position.
I will report for duty on 1st October at 9:30 A.M.
I really look forward to work in your company.
Yours truly
Dhara Taneja
Q. 6. Write a short conversation that may take
place at an interview for the post of a Personal
Assistant.
Ans. Interview for the post of a Personal Assistant.
Shivani: Good morning, sir.
Manager: Good morning. Have a seat please.
Shivani: Thank you, sir.
Manager: Ms Shivani, tell me some qualities of a
personal assistant.
Shivani: She should be able to understand about
the need of the employer. She should be able to keep/
maintain all the records properly and must be able to
take dictation properly. She must know typing.
Knowledge of computer is also an addition. She should
be able to keep the matters of office confidential and
must be loyal.
Member: Good, why do you want to leave the
present job.
Shivani: For betterment.
Member: How many days you need to join?
Shivani: At least one week.
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82 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Member: OK, Thank you. We’ll let you know.
Shivani: Thank you sir. Have a nice day.
Q. 7. Write a short conversation that may take
place at an interview for the job of a medical
representative.
Ans. Anuj: May I come in.
Chairman: Yes, come in.
Anuj: Good morning sir.
Chairman: Good morning sit down, please.
Anuj: Thank you, sir,
Chairman: In the present age of competition in
the pharmaceutical business, how can you prove to be
an asset to us?
Anuj: I will try my best to convince the customer
about the superiority of the product. We can have some
schemes on it also initially. By using my previous
contacts and making more contacts with doctors and
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chemists, I can convince them about the quality of the
product. Besides this, in the beginning we can have low
price.
Chairman: Good. You have to come from next
Monday.
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Q. 8. It is possible that the Interview Board
already has Mrs. Imam’s bio-data and work
experience in front of them. Yet they ask her
questions on these. Why is it so?
Ans. They want to know about the correctness of
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the bio-data as well as about her expression ability.
Q. 9. The members of the Interview Board
generally like to find out a candidate’s views on life.
How do they do it here?
Ans. By asking about the fiction she is reading.
They also ask the questions of Hardy’s pessimism.
Q. 10. Sometimes members of the Interview
Board put questions in a such way as to hurt the
self-respect of a candidate. This is not unususal if
the member concerned happens to be a bad tempered
person. It is also possible that the board wishes to
see how you react to such a question. It is therefore,
wise to respond by giving a balanced and logical
answer. That is what Mrs. Imam does when she is
asked ‘Do you mean to say you find teaching in the
lower classes beneath your dignity?’
Now here is a provoking statement made at an
interview. Give an answer that shows calm and tact
on the part of the candidate.
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As an air-hostess you have to tolerate some rude
remarks by passengers, your being too sensitive is
not going to help here.
Ans. I realize that it is very important not to get
disturbed or annoyed by the rude comments of
passengers. They might be tired or nervous. But if
someone is doing it intentionally, then in a well
mannered way, I would warn him also.
Q. 11. Write a conversation that may take place
at an inteview for the post of a manager in a firm.
Some of the tasks that the manager has to perform
are:
Improving the efficiency of the staff, increasing
production, introducing innovations, liaison between the
staff and the proprietors of the firm. The members of
the board have to assess the candidiate’s ability to
achieve these objectives.
Ans. Chairman: How would you increase the staff
efficiency?
Mr. Brijesh: I would advice increase in salary,
bonus promotion and motivation from time-to-time.
Chairman: Do you appreciate automation for the
production increase?
Mr. Brijesh: Definitely, it will help in production
but the staff displaced by automation must be appointed.
Chariman: In the position of strike, whose side
will you take, ‘Staff’s or Management.’
Mr. Brijesh: I’ll take decision according to the
situation. I’ll favour the fair person.
Q. 12. Fill in the blanks with below given
sentences:
Ans. The 21st century has witnessed an increased
focus and dependence on technology. Consequently, we
spend a lot of time in front of our computers.
E. If we’re not careful, we may lose the ability
to communicate effectively face-to-face. Regardless
of the use of information technology, major decisions
and sales are made on the basis of interpersonal
communication.
B. Hence the importance of interpersonal
communicative skills cannot be overstated.
In the world of sales, it’s often said that people don’t
just buy products; they buy concepts sold to them
through the ideas and feelings of their salesperson.
A. Plain and simple, people like to do business
with people they like. Some of the most important
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interpersonal communication skills necessary to
communicate effectively face-to-face include speaking
and listening, establishing rapport and understanding
and accommodating differences when communicating
across personality, gender and cultural lines.
C. These precisely are the skills required for
Group Discussion.
A Group Discussion is a test of the interpersonal
communication skills of a candidate.
D. It is often used as a tool for evaluating the
effectiveness of a person in a group activity. It
assesses the capacity of a person to interact
constructively as member of a group and to make a
meaningful contribution to the discussion. You can do
so only if you have a good knowlege base, the ability to
structure your arguments logically and the skill to
communicate your ideas effectively.
Neeraj
Q. 13. Which one out of the two given types of
discussions would require more preparation time
and why?
(a) A topic is given to the group by the GD
Coordinator and the participants are asked
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to discuss it for a duration of 15-20 minutes.
Sometimes the participants are asked to
decide a topic by themselves. They are then
given 3-5 minutes to think about the topic
before the GD actually starts.
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(b) A printed case study is given to the group
and the candidates are given time to read
the case before they actually begin the
discussion. In this method of group
discussion, the following procedure is
recommended:
–Enumerate the facts of the case.
–Define symptoms.
–Identify problem.
–Suggest solution/solutions.
Ans. A printed case study if given to the group for
group discussion, will take longer preparation time. Here
the candidates have to go through the step-by-step
method wherein after reading and understanding the
case, they have to enumerate the facts of the case; define
symptoms; indentify problem; suggest solution or
solutions. Thus, a printed case study require more
preparation time for the students in order to begin their
discussion.
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INTERVIEWS / 83
Q. 14. State some don’t for group discussion.
Ans. (i) Do not be aggressive.
(ii) Do not allow high performers to overshadow
low performers.
(iii) Do not allow the group to drift away from the
main topic.
(iv) Do not be veebose and wordy.
(v) Do not ask moderators to comment on your
performance.
Q. 15. Elaborate upon the following tips by
explaining them in your own words.
(i) Be assertive but not aggressive
(ii) Ensure you get enough airtime
(iii) Build up a good knowledge base
Ans.(i) Be assertive but not aggressive: State your
ideas and views clearly and emphatically
without allowing others to dominate you or
prevent you from asserting yourself. Be an
active, vocal participant and not a mere listener.
But at the same time do not go overboard and
become condescending or contemptuous. Nor
should you prevent others from stating their
viewpoint. That would be aggressiveness.
(ii) Ensure you get enough airtime: It is for you
to make sure that you take the opportunity to
present your viewpoints and arguments and
speak for enough time to make a creative and
meaningful contribution to the discussion.
Thus, you must take initiative and this will
ensure you get enough airtime. The airtime is
the amount of time you speak during a group
discussion.
(iii) Buildup a good knowledge base: The most
important aspect of your contribution to a GD
is the Quality of Content (QOC), which is
reflected in the points you speak and
knowledge of the relevant subject you have,
the supportive examples you give and date you
generated, etc. Building up a wide knowledge
base means increasing your knowledge and
general awareness so that you are well
equipped with information and viewpoints.
This can be done by reading newspapers,
magazines and books. Listening to or watching
programmes on current affairs, social welfare,
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84 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
economics, commerce, environment, etc. can
be extremely useful.
Q. 16. Review the below script carefully where
a speaker tells about how to be successful in a group
discussion.
Script
In order to succeed at any unstructured group
discussion, you must define what your objective in the
group is. A good definition of your objective is to be
seen to have contributed meaningfully in an attempt to
achieve the right consensus. The key words in this
definition are ‘seen’, ‘meaningfully’ and ‘attempt’.
Let us understand what each of these imply in terms
of action points:
The first implication is that merely making a
meaningful contribution in an attempt to achieve
consensus is not enough. You have to be seen by the
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evaluator to have made a meaningful contribution in an
attempt to build the right consensus. In other words,
you must ensure that you are heard by the group. If the
group hears you so will the evaluator. You must get at
least some airtime. If you are not a very assertive person
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you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those
15 minutes.
The second important thing is that making just any
sort of contribution is not enough. Your contribution
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has to be meaningful. A meaningful contribution
suggests that you have a good knowledge base, are able
to structure arguments logically and are a good
communicator. These are qualities that are desired by
all evaluators.
One way of deciding what sort of contribution is
meaningful at what point if time is to follow two simple
rules.
First, in times of chaos, a person who restores order
to the group is appreciated. Your level of participation
in a fish market kind of scenario can be low, but your
degree of influence must never be low. In other words,
you must make positive contributions every time you
speak, and not merely speak for the sake of speaking.
The second rule is applicable when the group is
floundering. In this situation a person who provides a
fresh direction to the group is given credit.
The third implication is that you must be clearly
seen to be attempting to build a consensus. Nobody
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expects a group of ten people, all with different points
of view on a controversial subject to actually achieve a
consensus. But did you make the attempt to build a
consensus? The reason why an attempt to build a
consensus is important is because in most work
situations you will have to work with people in a team,
accept joint responsibilities and take decisions as a
group. You must demonstrate the fact that you are
capable and inclined to work as part of a team. What
are the ways that you can try to build consensus?
Firstly, you don’t just talk. You also listen. You must
realise that other people also may have valid points to
make. You should not only try to persuade other people
to your point of view, but also come across as a person
who has an open mind and appreciates the valid points
of others.
You must try and resolve contradictions and
arguments of others in the group. You must synthesize
arguments and try to achieve a unified position in the
group. Try and summarize the discussion at the end. In
the summary do not merely restate your point of veiw;
also accommodate dissenting viewpoints. If the group
did not reach a consensus, say so in your summary. You
must carry people with you.
One last point. You must not agree with another
participant in the group merely for the sake of achieving
consensus. If you disagree, say so. You are not there to
attempt to build just any consensus. You have to attempt
to build the right consensus.
Now, on the basis of the above script, state
whether the following statements are true or false:
1. You must contribute towards reading a
consensus.
2. In order to be heard you must speak for atleast
15 minutes.
3. You can make a meaningful contribution even
if you do not know much about the topic being
discussed.
4. A fish market scenario is one where each one
tries to talk at the same time and emphasize
his/her point of view.
5. If you fail to contribute towards reaching a
consensus it means you are not very good at
home-work.
6. A good listener agrees with what about say.
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INTERVIEWS / 85

7. In the end you must summarise only your own 2. Restore order.
point of view. 3. Take decisions.
8. You must feel free to express your 4. Resolve contradictions.
disagreement if you do not see eye to eye with 5. Synthesise arguments.
another participant. 6. Accommodate dissenting viewpoints.
Ans. (1) True, (2) False, (3) False, (4) True, 7. Maintain eye contact.
(5) True, (6) False, (7) False, (8) True. 8. Summarize the discussion.
Q. 17. Read the text and use the right form of 9. Provide a fresh discussion.
10. Convey ideas convincingly.
the word at the end of each line to form a word that
11. Accept responsibility.
fits in the numbered space in the same line.
12. Define your objective.
The (1) .................. way of antagonising other in
Q. 19. Complete the paragraph with the words
the GD as well as the examiner (sure) is to appoint
from the box:
yourself as a de facto (2) .................. of the group. Do
therefore otherwise or
not try to (chair) impose a system wherby everyone gets who and if
a chance to speak in turn. A GD is meant to be a free (3) In most GD’s the opening speaker is the person (1)
.................. discussion. Let it proceed naturally. Do not .................. is likely to get the maximum uninterrrupted
(flow) ever try to take a vote on the topic. A vote is no airtime. The reason is simple. At the start most other

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substitute for discussion. Do not address only one or
two persons when (4) .................. Maintain eye contact
(speak) with as many members of the group as possible.
This will involve others in what you are saying and
increase your (5) .................. of carrying them with you
participants in the GD are still trying to understand the
basic issues in the topic, (2) .................. are too nervous
to speak, (3) .................. are waiting for someone else
to start. (4) .................. the evaluators get the best chance
to observe the opening speaker. Now this is a double

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(chance). Do this even if you are (6) .................. a edged sword. (5) .................. the opening speaker talks
specific point raised by one person (answer): sense, naturally he will get credit because he opened
Ans. (1) surest and took the group in the right direction. (6) ..................
(2) chairperson on the other hand, the first speaker does’t make too much

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(3) flowing sense, he will attract the undivided attention of the
(4) speaking evaluators to his shortcomings. He will be marked as a
(5) chances person (7) .................. speaks without thinking merely
for the sake of speaking. He will be seen as someone
(6) answering
who leads the group in the wrong direction (8)
Q. 18. Combine the words in the two coloums to
.................. does not make a positive contribution to
make word collocations:
the group. So remember, speaking first is a high-risk
1. Build eye contact
high-return strategy. It can make (9) .................. mark
2. Restore arguments
your GD performance depending how you handle it.
3. Take ideas convincingly Speak first only (10) .................. you have something
4. Resolve contradictions sensible to say. (11) .................. keep quiet and let
5. Synthesise dissenting viewpoints someone else start.
6. Accommodate responsibility Ans.
7. Maintain a consensus 1. who 7. If
8. Summarise order 2. and 8. who
9. Provide decisions 3. or 9. and
10. Convey a fresh direction 4. and 10. if
11. Accept your objective 5. Therefore 11. Otherwise
12. Define the discussion. 6. If
Ans. 1. Build a consensus.

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86

Communicating Across Cultures 6

Communicating across cultures begins with the
basic understanding that one size does not fit all. Simply
because you practice certain cultural habits or patterns
does not mean the rest of the world does. “When in
Rome, do as the Romans do” makes perfect sense in
Why don’t we discuss religion and politics in casual
conversation? Culture provides a framework for
acceptable behaviour.
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Non-verbal communication varies widely between

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Rome, Romania or Rio de Janeiro.
cultures, even between subcultures, and the differences
David A. Ricks, in his book Blunders in
strongly affect communication in the workplace.
International Business, writes: “Cultural differences are
Whether you are trying to communicate with your new
the most significant and troublesome variables ... The
Asian American assistant, the Swedish managers who
failure of managers to fully comprehend these disparities
recently bought out your company, the African

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has led to most international business blunders.” Failing
American college student who won a summer
to recognize and adapt to these differences can mean
internship with your firm, or representatives from the
the difference between a done deal and a faceless failure.
French company you hope will buy your firm’s new
Robert L. Stevenson, in his book Global
designs, your efforts will depend as much on physical

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Communication in the Twenty-First Century, says
“language, more than anything else, is the heart of
culture.” Assumptions about culture affect the way
people communicate with each other.
Culture usually refers to the diverse ways in
which p eople think, act or behave–towards
themselves, with their families and with people in
their own society. Culture includes customs related
to religious, social, political and family values.
Various cultures have divergent values for time
allocation and use, for family values and
conversation, and for “personal space.”
These differences need to be recognized, valued
and appreciated before any real communication can take
place.
The main criterion for understanding other cultures
is simply to know your own. Very often, we don’t know
what our own culture is, so it’s difficult to understand
someone else’s. Why do we shake hands when we meet?
cues as on verbal ones. Most people are not usually
aware of their own non-verbal behaviour, so they have
trouble understanding the body language of people
from other cultures.
The list of differences is endless:
In Thailand it’s rude to place your arm over
the back of a chair in which another person is
sitting.
Finnish female students are horrified by Arab
girls who want to walk hand-in-hand with them.
Canadian listeners nod to signal agreement.
Japanese listeners nod to indicate only that they
have understood.
British listeners stare at the speaker, blinking
their eyes to indicate understanding.
People in the United States are taught that it’s
impolite to stare.

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Saudis accept foreigners in Western business
attire but are offended by tight-fitting clothing
and by short sleeves.
Spaniards indicate a receptive friendly
handshake by clasping the other person’s
forearm to form a double handshake.
Canadians consider touching any part of the
arm above the hand intrusive, except in
intimate relationships.
It may take years to adjust your non-verbal
communication to other cultures, but you can choose
from many options to help you prepare. Books and
seminars on cultural differences are readily available,
as are motion pictures showing a wide range of cultures.
You can always rent video of films and TV shows from
other countries. Examining the illustrations in news and
business magazines can give you an idea of expected
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business dress and personal space. Finally, remaining
flexible and interacting with people from other cultures
who are visiting or living in your country will go a long
way toward lowering the barriers presented by non-
verbal communication.
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UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE
OF COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES
Like Sheraton Hotel Hawaii, more and more
companies are facing the challenges of communicating
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across cultures. Intercultural communication is the
process of sending and receiving message between
people whose cultural background leads them to
interpret verbal and non-verbal sings differently. Two
trends contributing to the rapidly increasing importance
of intercultural communication in the workplace are
market globalization and the multicultural workforce.
The Global Marketplace
Market Globalization is the increasing tendency of
the world to act as one market. Technological advances
in travel and telecommunication are the driving force
behind market globalization. For instance, new
communication technologies allow teams from all over
the world to work on projects and share information
without leaving their desks. At the same time, advanced
technologies allow manufactures to produce their goods
in foreign locations that offer an abundant supply of
low-cost labour.
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 87
In the global marketplace, natural boundaries and
national borders have disappeared, for the most part,
as more and more domestic markets open to worldwide
competition and as business look for new growth
opportunities for their goods and services. Even firms
that one thought they were too tiny to expand into a
neighbouring city have discovered that they can tap
the sales potential of overseas markets with the help
of fax machines, overnight delivery services, e-mail,
and the Internet. Look at Trek Bicycle of Waterloo,
Wisconsin. This small farming town seems an unlikely
place for the headquarters of an international bicycle
business, yet Trek Bicycle sells more than half a million
bikes annually in more than 70 countries. Over 40 per
cent of the company’s sales come from international
business.
The Multicultural Workforce
The U.S. workforce is partly composed of
immigrants (new arrivals from Europe, Canada, Latin
America, India, Africa and Asia) and people from
various ethnic backgrounds (such as African Americans,
Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans), all of whom
bring their own language and culture to the workplace.
As a result, today’s workforce is increasingly made up
of people who differ in race, gender, age, culture, family
structure, religion and educational background. Such
cultural diversity is the second trend contributing to the
importance of intercultural communication. It affects
how business messages are conceived, planned, send,
received and interpreted in the workplace.
It is estimated that by 2010, minorities will account
for 50 per cent of the U.S. populations. Hispanics will
make up about 24 per cent; African Americans, 14 per
cent; Asian Americans, 8 per cent; and Native
Americans, 1 per cent. Moreover, immigrants will
account for half of all new U.S. workers. Managing this
changing mix of ages, faces, values, and views is
becoming increasingly difficult. A diverse workforce
brings with it a wide range of skills, traditions,
backgrounds, experiences, outlooks, and attitudes
toward work that can affect employee behaviour on the
job. Supervisors must be able to communicate with and
motivate these diverse employees while fostering
cooperation and harmony among them.
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The experiences of Rafael Rodriguez, a stock clerk
supervisor at a Target store in Pasadena, California,
typifies the diversity challenges today’s employees face.
Rodriguez is Hispanic, his manager is African American,
and the employees that Rodriguez supervises have
cultural backgrounds that are as diverse as the
communities served by the nearly 700 target retails
outlets across the United States. Rodriguez finds the
basic language barriers often prevent employees from
understanding each other, but the potential for problems
goes beyond differences in language. In one case, a
recently immigrated employee was inadvertently making
some female coworkers uncomfortable by asking
personal questions about hairstyles and nose piercing.
His questions were innocent, but because of his cultural
background, he couldn’t see the invisible boundary that
his colleagues had built around their personal lives.
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Experiences like these are just one of the reasons that
Target, Sheraton Hotels Hawaii, Allstate Insurance,
Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York, and many other
companies offer their employees classes that help them
understand and accept cultural differences.
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Like Target’s Rafael Rodriguez and Sheraton’s
Tamanai and Kandea, you will be exchanging
business messages with co-workers, customers,
suppliers, investors, and competitors who come from
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culturally diverse backgrounds. To be successful, you
must be sensitive to cultural differences as you
communicate with people around the world and
within your organization. Glance at the job ads in
newspapers and you will find that employment
opportunities are everywhere if you have good
intercultural communication skills. In fact, you will
be left behind if you do not develop these skills.
However, to do so, you must first understand some
basics about culture.
ENHANCING INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY
Culture is a shared system of symbols, beliefs,
attitudes, values, expectations, and norms for behaviour.
You belong to several cultures. The most obvious is the
culture you share with all the people who live in your
own country. In addition, you belong to other cultural
groups, including an ethnic group, probably a religious
group, and perhaps a profession that has its own special
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language and customs. All members of a culture have
similar assumptions about how people should think,
behave, and communicate, and they all tend to act on
those assumptions in much the same way. Cultures differ
widely from group to group and may vary in a number
of ways, including their rate of change, degree of
complexity and tolerance toward outsiders. These
differences can affect the level of trust and open
communication what you can achieve with people of
other cultures.
People learn culture directly and indirectly from
other members of their group. As you grow up in a
culture, you are taught who you are and how best to
function in that culture by the group’s members.
Sometimes you are explicitly told which behaviours are
acceptable, while at other times you learn by observing
which values work best in a particular group. This
multiple learning format ensures that culture is passed
on from person to person and from generation to
generation.
Distinct group that exist within a major culture are
referred to as subcultures. For example, Indonesia is
home to a wide variety of ethnic and religious
subcultures, whereas Japan is much more homogeneous,
having only a few subcultures. Groups that might be
considered subcultures in the United States are Mexican
American, Mormons, wrestling fans, Russian
immigrants, disabled individuals and Harvard graduates.
You can improve your ability to communicate effectively
across cultures by recognizing cultural differences and
then overcoming your own ethnocentrism the tendency
to judge all other groups according to your own group’s
standards, behaviours, and customs. When making such
comparisons, people too often decide that their group
is superior.
Understanding Cultural Differences
When you write to or speak with someone from
another culture, you encode your message using the
assumptions of your own culture. However, members
of your audience decode your message according to the
assumptions of their culture, so your meaning may
misunderstood. The greater the difference between
cultures, the chance of misunderstanding. Consider these
cultural mishaps:
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When Hewlett-Packard (HP) brought its U.S.
engineers together with its French engineers to design
software, cultural differences got in the way. The U.S.
engineers send long, detailed e-mails to their
counterparts in France. But the engineers in France
viewed the lengthy messages as patronizing and replied
with quick, concise e-mails. That response made U.S.
engineers believe that French engineers were
withholding information. The process spiraled out of
control unit HP hired a consulting firm to provide
cultural training so that both sides could learn to work
through their differences.
When Japanese auto manufacture Mazda opened a
plant in the United States, officials passed out company
baseball caps and told U.S. employees that they could
wear the caps at work, along with their mandatory
company uniform. The employees assumed that the caps
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were a voluntary accessory, and many decided not to
wear them. Japanese managers were upset, regarding
the decision as a sign of disrespect and believing that
employees who really cared about the company would
want to wear the cap. However, the U.S. employees
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resented being told what they should want to do.
Exhibitors at a trade show could not understand
why Chinese visitors were not stopping by their booth.
The exhibitors were wearing green hats and giving them
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away as promotional items. They soon discovered that
for many Chinese people, green hats are associated with
infidelity; the Chinese expression “He wears a green
hat” indicates that a man's wife has been cheating on
him. As soon as the exhibitors discarded the green hats,
the Chinese attendees began visiting the booth.
Problems such as these arise when we assume,
wrongly, that other people’s attitudes and lives are like
our. As a graduate of one intercultural training
programme said, “I used to think it was enough to treat
people the way I wanted to be treated. But I realized
you have to treat people the way they want be treated.
You can improve intercultural sensitivity by recognizing
and accommodating four main types of cultural
differences; contextual, ethical, social, and non-verbal.
One of the way people assign meaning to a message
is according to cultural context, the pattern of physical
cues, environmental stimuli, and implicit understanding
that convey meaning between two members of the same
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 89
culture. However, from culture to culture, people
convey contextual meaning differently. In fact, correct
social behaviour and effective communication can be
defined by how much a cultural depends on contextual
cues.
In a high context culture such as South Korea or
Taiwan, people rely less on verbal communication and
more on the context of non-verbal actions and
environmental setting to convey meaning. A Chinese
speaker expects the receiver to discover the essence of
a message and uses indirectness and metaphor to provide
a web of meaning. In high-context cultures, the rules of
everyday life are rarely explicit; instead, as individual
grow up, they learn how to recognize situational cues
(such as gestures and tone of voice) and how to respond
as expected.
In a low context culture such as the United States
or Germany, people rely more on verbal communication
and less on circumstances and cues to convey meaning.
An English speaker feels responsible for transmitting
the meaning of the message and often places sentences
in chronological sequence to establish a cause-and-effect
pattern. In a low context culture, rules and expectations
are usually spelled out through explicit statements such
as “Please wait until I’m finished” or “You are welcome
to browse.” Contextual differences are apparent in the
way cultures approach situations such as decision-
making, problem solving, and negotiating.
Decision-Making Practices
In lower-context cultures, business people try to
reach decisions as quickly and efficiently as possible.
They are concerned with reaching an agreement on the
main points, leaving the details to be worked out later
by others. However, this approach would backfire in
higher context cultures such as Greece, because three
executives assume that anyone who ignores the details
is being evasive and untrustworthy. Spending time on
each little point is considered a mark of good faith.
Trouble-shooting Techniques
Cultures differ in their tolerance for open
disagreement. Low context U.S. businesspeople
typically enjoy confrontation and debate, but high
context Japanese executives such tactics. To avoid the
unpleasant feelings that might result from open conflict,
Japanese companies may use a go-between or third
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90 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
party. Chinese business people also try to prevent public
conflict, making concessions slowly and staying away
from proposal counterproposal methods. If you try to
get members of a Chinese team to back down from their
position, you will cause them to lose face very likely
ruining the relationship.
Negotiating Styles
Canadian, German and U.S. negotiators tend to take
a relatively impersonal view of negotiations. Members
of these low context cultures see their goals in economic
terms and usually presume the other party is trustworthy,
at least at the outset. In contrast, high-context Japanese
negotiators prefer a more sociable negotiating
atmosphere that is conducive to forging personal ties as
the basis for trust. To high context negotiators, achieving
immediate economic gains is secondary to establishing
and maintaining a long-term relationship.
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Legal and Ethical Differences
Cultural context also influences legal and ethical
behaviour. For example, because low context cultures
value the written word, they consider written agreements
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binding. But high context cultures put less emphasis on
the written word and consider personal pledges more
important than contracts. They also have tendency to
view law with flexibility, whereas low context cultures
would adhere to the law strictly.
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As you conduct business around the world, you'll
find that legal systems differ from culture to culture. In
the United Kingdom and the United States, someone is
presumed innocent until proved guilty, a principle rooted
in English common law. However, in Mexico and
Turkey, someone is presumed guilty until proved
innocent, a principle rooted in the Napoleonic code.
These distinctions can be particularly important if your
firm must communicate about a legal dispute in another
country.
Making ethical choices can be difficult, even within
your own culture. When communicating across cultures,
ethics can be even more complicated. What does it mean
for a business to do the right thing in Thailand? In
Africa? In Norway? What happens when a certain
behaviour is unethical in the United States but an
accepted practice in another culture? For example, in
the United States, bribing officials is illegal, but Kenyans
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consider paying such bribes a part of life. To get
something done right, they say kitu kidogo. In China
businesses pay builu, in Russia they pay vzyatka, in the
Middle East it’s baksheesh, and in Mexico it’s una
mordida (“a small bite”). The United States has lobbied
other nations for 20 years to outlaw bribery, and at last
the industrialized nations have signed a treaty that makes
pay offs to foreign officials a criminal offense. Of course,
bribery won’t and just because a treaty has been signed,
but supporters are optimistic that countries will ratify
the treaty, pass the legislation, and enforce the new laws
stringently. Making ethical choices across cultures can
seem incredibly complicated, but doing so actually
differs little from the way you choose the most ethical
path in your own culture.
When communicating across cultures, keep your
messages ethical by applying four basic principles:
Actively seek mutual ground: To allow the
clearest possible exchange of information, both parties
must be flexible and avoid insisting that an interaction
take place strictly in terms of one culture or another.
Send and receive message without judgement:
To allow information to flow freely, both parties
recognize that values vary from culture to culture and
they must trust each other.
Messages that are honest: To ensure that the
information is trust, both parties must see things as they
are not as they would like them to be. Both parties must
be fully aware of their personal and cultural biases.
Respect for cultural differences: To protect the
basic human rights of both parties, each must understand
and acknowledge the other’s needs and preserve each
other’s dignity by communicating without deception.
Social Differences
Social behaviour is another distinguishing factor
among, cultures. In any culture, rule of social etiquette
may be formal or informal. Formal rules are the
specifically taught do’s and don’ts of how to behave in
common social situations, such as table manners at
meals. When formal rules are violated, members of a
culture can explain why they feel upset. In contrast,
informal social rules are more difficult to identify and
are usually learned by watching how people behave and
then imitating that behaviour. Informal rules govern how
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males and females are supposed to behave, when it is
appropriate to use a person’s first name, and so on. When
informal rules are violated, members of a culture are
likely to feel uncomfortable, although they may not be
able to say exactly why. Such informal rules are apparent
in the way members value wealth, recognize status,
define manners, and think about time.
Materialism
Although the United States is home to millions of
people having different religions and values, the major
social influence is the Puritan work ethic. The
predominant U.S. view is that money solves many
problems, that material comfort (earned by individual
effort) is a sign of superiority, and that people who work
hard are better than those who don’t. By and large,
people in the United States assume that people from
other cultures also dislike poverty and value hard work.
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However, many societies condemn materialism and
some prize a more carefree lifestyle.
Role and Status
Culture dictates the roles people play, including who
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communicates with whom, what they communicate, and
in what way. For example, in many countries women
still don’t play a prominent role in business, so female
executives who visit these countries may find that they
are not taken seriously as business people. When they
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are in modern western Europe, women can usually
behave as they would in the United States, but they
should be more cautious in Latin American and eastern
Europe countries, and they should be extremely cautious
in the Middle East and East Asia.
Culture also dictates how people show respect and
signify rank. For example, people in the United States
show respect by addressing top managers as “Mr.
Roberts” or “Ms. Gutierrez.” However, people in China
address businesspeople according to their official titles,
such as “President” or ”Manager.” In addition, a U.S.
executive’s rank may be reflected by a large corner
office, deep carpets, an expensive desk and handsome
accessories. But the highest-ranking executives in
France sit in the middle of an open area, surrounded by
lower-level employees. And in the Middle East, fine
possessions are reserved for the home, while business
is conducted in cramped and modest quarters.
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Manners
What is polite in one culture may be considered
rude in another. For instance, asking an employee “How
was your weekend?’ is a common way of making small
talk in the United States, but the question sounds
intrusive to people in cultures where business and private
lives are seen as totally separate. In Arab countries it’s
impolite to take gifts to a man’s wife, but it’s acceptable
to take gifts to his children. In Germany giving a woman
a red rose is considered a romantic invitation-
inappropriate if you are trying to establish a business
relationship with her. In India, if you are invited to visit
someone’s home “any time,” you should make an
unexpected visit without waiting for a definite invitation.
Failure to take the “any time” invitation literally would
be an insult, sign that you don’t care to develop the
friendship.
Concepts of Time
Conducting business entails schedules, deadlines,
and appointments, but these matters are regarded
differently from culture to culture. German and U.E.
executives see time as a way to plan the business day
efficiently, focusing on only one task during each
scheduled period and viewing time as limited. However,
executives from Latin America and Asia see time as
more flexible. Meeting a deadline is less important than
building a business relationship. So the workday isn’t
expected to follow a rigid, preset schedule.
Winning Ethnocentrism
When communicating across cultures, your
effectiveness depends on maintaining an open mind.
Unfortunately, many people lapse into ethnocentrism.
They lose sight of the possibility that their words and
actions can be misunderstood, and they forget that they
are likely to misinterpret the actions of others.
When you first begin to investigate the culture of
another group, you may attempt to understand the
common tendencies of that group’s members by
stereotyping-predicting individual’s behaviour or
character on the basis of their membership in a particular
group or class. For example, Japanese visitors often
stereotype Americans as people who walk fast, are
wasteful in utilizing space, speak directly, ask too many
questions in the classroom and don’t respect professors,
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92 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
are disrespectful of age and status, lack discipline and
are extravagant.
Although stereotyping may be useful in the
beginning, your next step is to move beyond the
stereotypes to relationships with real people.
Unfortunately, when ethnocentric people stereotype,
they tend to do so on the basis of limited, general,
or inaccurate evidence. They frequently develop
biased attitudes toward the group, and they fail to
move beyond that initial step. So instead of talking
with Abdul Karhum, unique human being, hagglers,
so Abdul Karhum’s personal qualities cannot alter
such preconceptions. His every action is forced to
fit the preconceived image, even if that image is
wrong.
To overcome ethnocentrism, follow a few simple
suggestions:
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Acknowledge distinctions: Don’t ignore the
differences between another person’s culture and your
own.
Avoid assumptions: Don’t assume that others will
act the same way you do, that they will operate from the
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same assumptions, or that they will use language and
symbols the same way you do.
Avo i d judg eme nts: When p eo ple act
differently, don’t conclude that they are in error, that
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their way is invalid, or that their customs are inferior
to your own.
At Sheraton Hotels Hawaiii, Tamanai and Kaneda
work hard to move employees away from ethnocentrism
and toward understanding and tolerance. Too often, both
parties in an intercultural exchange are guilty of
ethnocentrism and prejudice. Little wonder, then, that
misunderstandings arise when communicating across
cultures.
IMPROVING COMMUNICATION
ACROSS CULTURES
Once you can recognize cultural elements and
overcome ethnocentrism, you are ready to focus directly
on your intercultural communication skills. To
communicate more effectively with people from other
cultures, you need to study other cultures, overcome
language barriers, and develop effective intercultural
communication skills, both written and oral.
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Try to Study Other Cultures
Learning all you can about a particular culture is a
good way to figure out how to send and receive
intercultural message effectively. Read books and
articles about these cultures and talk to people who have
done business with members of the cultures. Concentrate
on learning something about each culture’s history,
religion, politics, values, and customs. Find out about a
country’s subcultures, especially its business subculture,
and any special rules or protocol. Studying culture is
especially important if you interact with people from a
variety of cultures of subcultures, like Sheraton’s
Tamanai and Koneda.
“In dealing with American business people”, says
Y.A., chief operating officer of Korean Airline, “I’m
amazed at how naïve most are about other cultures and
the way that others do business.” Something as simple
as handshake differs from culture to culture. For
example, in Spain a proper handshake must last five to
seven strokes, and pulling away too soon may be
interpreted as rejection. However, in France the
preferred handshake is only a single stroke. In Arab
countries, you’ll insult your hosts if you turn down food,
drink, or hospitality of any kind. But don’t accept too
quickly, either. A polite refusal (such as “I don’t want to
put you to any trouble”) is expected before you finally
accept.
Don’t expect to ever understand another culture
completely. No matter how much you study German
culture, for example, you'll never be a German of share
experiences of having grown up in Germany. The trick
is to learn useful general information while remaining
aware of and open to variations and individual
differences. You can communicate more effectively if
you follow these tips from successful intercultural
businesspeople.
Assume differences until similarity is proved:
Don’t assume that others are more similar to you than
they actually are.
Take responsibility for communication. Don’t
assume it’s the other person’s job to communicate with
you.
Overcome Language Barriers
By choosing specific words to communicate, you
signal that you are a member of a particular culture or
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subculture and that you know the code. The nature of
your code your language and vocabulary imposes its
own barriers on your message. For example, the
language of a lawyer differs from that of an accountant
or a doctor, and the difference in their vocabularies
affects their ability to recognize and express ideas.
Barriers also exist because words can be interpreted
in more than one way. In fact, it’s often said that the
United States and the United Kingdom are two
countries divided by a common language. The barriers
become greater still when you are communicating
across cultures. To someone from France, for example,
the word catastrophe can be used in casual
exaggeration to describe a relatively small problem.
But in Germany, the word is often taken literally as an
earth-shaking event. You must be able to communicate
effectively both with people who speak English as a
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second language and with people who don't speak your
language at all.
Breaking Through Foreign Language Barriers:
To compete globally, many European businesses are
making English their official language. Look through
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the listings for professional and managerial jobs in
French newspapers and recruitment websites and you’ll
find that those that don’t require anglais courant are few
and far between. Moreover, as more and more European
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companies become entwined with each other politically
and economically, they rely on English as their common
tongue. The European Commission, with 11 official
languages, recently switched to English as its official
working language.
Some multinational companies ask all their
employees to use English when writing to employees
in other countries, regardless of where they located.
Nissan employees, for example, use English for
internal memos to colleagues around the world, even
though the corporation is based in Japan. But requiring
employees to use a specific language when they are
on the job may be considered discriminatory and can
create tension.
Consider Air France’s decision to do what was
once unthinkable-make its pilots speak English to the
control towers. Rather than having bilingual airwaves
that frequently confuse and infuriate pilots from other
countries, France put aside linguistic pride for safety
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 93
considerations and decided to adopt English as the
official communication language of the tower (as is
commonplace in many European airports). But the
government had underestimated the pilots’ resistance
and rescinded the order after only 15 days. Some pilots
were shocked by the symbolism of being asked to speak
English in their own country. Others didn’t have
sufficient English-speaking skills yet. Still others saw
the move as conflicting with the nation’s drive over the
last decade to protect the French language and French
industries.
Even though English is widely spoken in the global
business marketplace, the language of business is the
language of the customer. And increasingly, that
language may not be English. So U.S. companies are
realizing that they can no longer get by speaking only
English, even in their own country. When
communicating with people who don’t speak your
language at all, you have three options: You can learn
their language, use an intermediary or a translator, or
teach them your language. However, you choose to
overcome language barriers, remember that effective
communication requires a major commitment–even on
the web.
Learn a Foreign Language
If you are planning to live in another country or do
business there repeatedly, you might want to learn the
language. The same holds true if you'll be working
closely with a subculture that has its own language, such
as Vietnamese Americans. Even if you are doing
business in you own language, you show respect by
making the effort to learn the sub-culture’s language, or
at least to learn a few words. One problem is that
language courses may take more time and more money
that you can afford.
Communicating with a Global Audience on the Web
With growing global access to the World Wide
Web, some U.S, corporate sites are already reporting
that foreign visitors account for as much as 30 per
cent of their traffic and 10 percent of their commerce.
Nevertheless, reaching an international audience on
the web involves more than simply offering
translations of the English language. Successful
global sites address the needs of international
customers in five ways:
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94 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
1. Consider the reader’s viewpoint: Assume your
audience is unfamiliar with common U.S. phrases
and references. To avoid confusion, provide both
U.S. units and metric equivalents for weights,
measures, sizes, and temperatures. Also, use
universal terms for times, dates, and geographical
names. For example, consider expressing time in
military format (“16:00” for 4 P.M.). Because
European read “10/04/2002” as April 10, 2002,
be sure you spell out the month and year. And
offer complete location descriptions, such as
“Kansas City, Mo, USA.”
2. Take cultural differences into account: Since
humour is rooted in cultural norms, a touch of
U.S. humour may not be so funny to Asian or
European readers. Don't risk offending or
slighting your audience with cultural stereotypes
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or expressions. Avoid idioms and references that
are not universally recognized, such as “putting
all your eggs in one basket” or “jumping out of
the frying pan into the fire.”
3. Keep the message clear: Use simple words and
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write in the active voice. Avoid complicated
sentence structure to achieve a simple
abbreviations and acronyms.
4. Break through language barriers with
graphics: Clarify written concepts with graphics.
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However, even though most graphical icons are
internationally recognized, some images are more
widely accepted than others. In some countries,
for example, a mailbox doesn’t necessarily
convey the idea of sending mail. So an envelope
might be a more appropriate symbol to reinforce
the message “Contact us”. Keep in mind that the
colours you select for your graphics are equally
as important. Red works well in China, where it
conveys good fortune. But it’s the colour of depth
in Turkey.
5. Consult local experts: Work with local experts
and webmasters to develop native-language
keywords that will direct international customers
to your site. Also seek the advice of local experts
about customary phrases and references. Even
terms as simple as homepage differ from country
to country. Spanish readers refer to the “first
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page,” or pagina inicial, whereas the French term
is “welcome page,” or page d’accuei.
Cover Applications
1. Visit the World of Sony Music Entertainment at
www.sonymusic.com/world and examine Sony’s
sites for Argentine, France and Germany. How
does Sony “localize” each country’s site?
2. Compare Sony Music’s international sites to
IBM’s global webpages at www.ibm.com. How
does Sony’s approach differ from IBM’s? Do both
corporations successfully address the needs of
global audience? Write a two-paragraph summary
that compares the international sites of both
companies.
Develop Effective Intercultural Communication
Skills
Once you understand what sort of cultural
differences you’ll be facing and once you discover which
language barriers must be overcome, you must decide
whether using written or oral channels would be best.
Then you must adapt your style and approach to make
the right impression.
Improve Your Writing Skills
Letter writers in other countries use various
techniques to organize their thoughts. If you are aware
of some of these practices, you’ll be able to concentrate
on the message without passing judgement on the
writers. Letters from Japanese business people, for
example, are slow to come to the point. They typically
begin with a remark about the season or weather, which
is followed by an inquiry about your health or
congratulations on your success. A note of thanks for
your patronage might come next. After these
preliminaries, the main idea is introduced.
When sending written communication to
businesspeople from another culture, familiarize
yourself with their written communication preferences
and adapt your approach, style, and tone to meet their
expectations. To help you prepare effective written
communications for multicultural audiences, follow
these recommendations:
Use Simple English
Use short, precise words that say exactly what you
mean: for example. Use climb instead of walk up,
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maintain instead of keep up, and return instead of bring
back.
Be Clear
Rely on specific terms and concrete examples to
explain your points.
Address International Correspondence Properly
Cite numbers carefully: Use figure (27) instead
of spelling them out (twenty seven).
Avoid slang and idioms: Avoid using slang,
idioms, jargon, and buzzwords, abbreviations, acronyms
(such as CAD/CAM), and unfamiliar product names
may also lead to confusion.
Be brief: Construct sentences that are shorter and
simpler than those you might use when writing to
someone fluent in your own language.
Use short paragraph: Each paragraph should
stick to one topic and be no more than eight to ten
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lines long.
Use transitional elements: Help readers follow
your train of thought by using transitional words and
phrases. Precede related points with expression such as
in addition and first, second, third.
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1. Define culture and subculture, and explain
how culture is learned: Culture is a shared
system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values,
expectations, and norms for behaviour. A
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subculture is a distinct group existing within a
major culture, such as Russian immigrants or
disabled individuals existing within the United
States. Culture is learned by listening to other
members’ advice and observing their behaviours.
These direct and indirect methods of learning
ensure that culture is passed from person and from
generation to generation.
2. Explain the importance of recognizing cultural
differences, and list four categories of cultural
differences: People from different cultures
encode and decode messages differently,
increasing the chances of misunderstanding. By
recognizing cultural differences, we don’t
automatically assume that everyone’s thoughts
and actions are just like ours. The four categories
of cultural differences are contextual differences
(the degree to which culture relies on verbal or
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 95
nonverbal actions to convey meaning), legal and
ethical differences (the degree to which laws and
ethics are regarded and obeyed), social
differences (how members value wealth,
recognize statue, define manners, and think about
time), and non-verbal differences (differing
attitudes toward personal space and body
language).
3. Define ethnocentrism and stereotyping; then
give three suggestions for overcoming these
limiting mind-sets: Ethnocentrism is the
tendency to judge all other groups according to
one’s own standards, behaviours and customs.
Stereotyping is predicting individuals’ behaviour
or character on the basis of their membership in a
particular group of class. To overcome
ethnocentrism, follow three suggestions:
(1) acknowledge distinctions, (2) avoid
assumptions, and (3) avoid judgements.
4. Discuss four ways to improve communication
with people who speak English as a second
language; then discuss three ways to improve
communication with people who don’t speak
your language at all: When communicating with
people who speak English as a second language,
clarify your meaning in three ways. First, since
language never translates word for word, avoid
using slang and idioms. Choose words that will
convey only the most specific denotative meaning.
Second, listen carefully and pay close attention
to local accents and pronunciation. Third, don’t
assume that people from different cultures use
their voice the same way you do. Beware of vocal
variations cross cultures. Fourth, respect
preferences for communication styles (direct or
indirect) and formalities. When communicating
with someone who doesn’t speak your language
at all, you have three choices. First, you can learn
a foreign language or a least show respect by
learning a few words. Second, you can use
intermediary or a translator to analyze a message,
understand its cultural context and convey its
meaning in another language. Back translation
helps ensure accuracy and avoid embarrassing
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96 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
mistakes. Third, you can teach others your
language. Many companies offer language
training programmes to employees who speak
little or no English.
COMMUNICATION ACROSS CULTURE
DURING BUSINESS TRAVEL AND EVENTS
When your business goes global you will need to
interact with partners and customers from different
countries and with different cultural backgrounds. And
to effectively communicate with them you need to
acquaint yourself with the art of cross cultural
communication.
With most businesses spreading their wings far and
wide into foreign territories, the need to understand how
thinking, behaviour and communication changes as we
travel across the borders, has gained significant
importance. Getting to terms with the cultural
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differences and establishing trust with the global
customers and partners are the two strong determinants
of how well your business fares in the global arena. With
cultures changing radically every thousand miles, there’s
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certainly no shortcut to understanding every culture and
its communication patterns. So, what is the secret to
learning business communication across cultures?
Gearing Up for Different Cultures
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Look for Similarities Not Differences: Whenever
we approach people from a different culture we’re more
mindful of the differences between us, and that’s the
biggest deterrent in cross cultural communication.
Instead, try looking for similarities and you’ll be able
to discover common grounds to communicate. In
business, the reason for communication is collaboration
for mutual benefit, and for that, finding similarity is far
more important than grouping differences.
Stereotyping Doesn't Work: The idea of dealing
with people from a different culture makes us feel
vulnerable and insecure, and that's when we begin
stereotyping people on the basis of what we’ve heard,
read or experienced. Approaching someone with
preconceived notions and generalizations builds up
negative inferences that hurdle the communication
process.
Get a First Hand Experience: Forget what you
read about the people from a particular culture in some
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ten year old publication, because cultures are
continuously changing and evolving. The best way to
understand people and their culture is to get some first
hand experience. Watch some of their latest movies or
TV programs that can give you a glimpse of what their
culture is like. You can even use social networking
platforms to get to know more about their culture and
their communication patterns.
Getting Past the Road Blocks
Watch your Pace: When you're dealing with
people from non English speaking countries, you need
to speak slowly and clearly. Pause after each sentence,
pronounce the words correctly, use simpler words and
avoid the use of idioms, slangs, jargon and abbreviations.
Keep the dressy stuff out and use these simple techniques
to make your communication easier to understand.
Clarify and Cross Question: For business
communication across cultures to be successful, you
should frequently ask your listeners about whether or
not they have understood your point. However, don’t
keep on repeatedly asking them ‘have you understood
this?’ as this can leave them somewhat uncomfortable,
instead try cross questioning to see how well they’ve
understood your point. Rephrasing and repeating the
important points also helps.
Be Specific yet Detailed: Keep the communication
within the specified boundaries, and spell out all the
expectations, details and requirements clearly. Keep a
limited number of points to be informed or discussed
per session, and focus more on detailing them out for
increased comprehensibility. If you’re using some
specific terminology, you must explain it before you
begin with the communication except in the case of
written communication where such detailing goes below
the actual communication.
Use Multiple Mediums: Whenever possible, you
must use more than one medium to communicate the
same message. If you’re giving a presentation use visual
aids and handout notes, to improve the overall
understandability. For a telephonic conversation you can
follow it up with an email or vice versa. The idea is to
ensure the receiver comprehends the message fully, one
way or the other.
Learning the art of business communication is
important to gain a competitive edge when you foray
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into international markets. Besides watching for the
points put up here, you must also consider specific
cultural differences and the communication protocols
of communities or countries you’re dealing with.
Q. 1. What is the relation between culture and
communication?
Ans. All social units develop a culture. Even in two-
person relationships, a culture develops over time. In
friendship and romantic relationships, for example,
partners develop their own history, shared experiences,
language patterns, rituals, habits, and customs that give
that relationship a special character–a character that
differentiates it in various ways from other relationships.
Examples might include special dates, places, songs, or
events that come to have a unique and important
symbolic meaning for two individuals.
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Thus, any social unit–whether a relationship, group,
organization, or society–develops a culture over time.
While the defining characteristics–or combination of
characteristics–of each culture are unique, all cultures
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share certain common functions. Three such functions
that are particularly important from a communication
perspective are: (1) linking individuals to one another,
(2) providing the basis for a common identity, and
(3) creating a context for interaction and negotiation
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among members.
The relationship between communication and
culture is a very complex and intimate one. First, cultures
are created through communication; that is,
communication is the means of human interaction
through which cultural characteristics–whether customs,
roles, rules, rituals, laws, or other patterns–are created
and shared. It is not so much that individuals set out to
create a culture when they interact in relationships,
groups, organizations, or societies, but rather that
cultures are a natural by-product of social interaction.
In a sense, cultures are the “residue” of social
communication. Without communication and
communication media, it would be impossible to
preserve and pass along cultural characteristics from
one place and time to another. One can say, therefore,
that culture is created, shaped, transmitted and learned
through communication. The reverse is also the case;
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 97
that is, communication practices are largely created,
shaped, and transmitted by culture.
To understand the implications of this
communication-culture relationship, it is necessary to
think in terms of ongoing communication processes
rather than a single communication event. For example,
when a three-person group first meets, the members
bring with them individual thought and behavioural
patterns from previous communication experiences and
from other cultures of which they are, or have been, a
part. As individuals start to engage in communication
with the other members of this new group, they begin
to create a set of shared experiences and ways of talking
about them. If the group continues to interact, a set of
distinguishing history, patterns, customs and rituals will
evolve. Some of these cultural characteristics would be
quite obvious and tangible, such that a new person
joining the group would encounter ongoing cultural
“rules” to which they would learn to conform through
communication. New members would in turn influence
the group culture in small, and sometimes large, ways
as they become a part of it. In a reciprocal fashion, this
reshaped culture shapes the communication practices
of current and future group members. This is true with
any culture; communication shapes culture, and culture
shapes communication.
All institutions within society facilitate
communication, and in that way, they all contribute to
the creation, spread, and evolution of culture. However,
communication media such as television, film, radio,
newspapers, compact discs, magazines, computers and
the Internet play a particularly important role. Because
media extend human capacities for creating, duplicating,
transmitting, and storing messages, they also extend and
amplify culture-building activities. By means of such
communication technology, messages are transmitted
across time and space, stored, and later retrieved and
used. Television programs, films, websites, video games,
and compact discs are created through human activity-
and therefore reflect and further extend the cultural
perspectives of their creators. They come to take on a
life of their own, quite distinct and separate from their
creators, as they are transmitted and shared around the
increasingly global community.
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98 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Q. 2. Why cross-cultural communication is
important of business?
Ans. Cross-cultural communication in business
plays a vital role in successfully establishing the product
or service in a different area of the globe. When the
communication is effective, the product or service is
appropriately tailored to the cultural norms and
expectations resulting in the use or purchase of the
product. Ineffective communication cross culturally can
offend, confuse or send a misunderstood message which
could lead to broken relations with investors or
employees.
Q. 3. What are the cultural barriers to effective
communication?
Ans. Effective communication with people of
different cultures is especially challenging. Cultures
provide people with ways of thinking--ways of seeing,
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hearing, and interpreting the world. Thus the same words
can mean different things to people from different
cultures, even when they talk the “same” language.
When the languages are different, and translation has
to be used to communicate, the potential for
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misunderstandings increases.
Stella Ting-Toomey describes three ways in which
culture interferes with effective cross-cultural
understanding. First is what she calls “cognitive
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constraints.” These are the frames of reference or world
views that provide a backdrop that all new information
is compared to or inserted into.
Second are “behaviour constraints.” Each culture
has its own rules about proper behavior which affect
verbal and nonverbal communication. Whether one
looks the other person in the eye-or not; whether one
says what one means overtly or talks around the issue;
how close the people stand to each other when they are
talking--all of these and many more are rules of
politeness which differ from culture to culture.
Ting-Toomey’s third factor is “emotional
constraints.” Different cultures regulate the display of
emotion differently. Some cultures get very emotional
when they are debating an issue. They yell, they cry,
they exhibit their anger, fear, frustration, and other
feelings openly. Other cultures try to keep their emotions
hidden, exhibiting or sharing only the “rational” or
factual aspects of the situation.
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All of these differences tend to lead to
communication problems. If the people involved are
not aware of the potential for such problems, they are
even more likely to fall victim to them, although it takes
more than awareness to overcome these problems and
communicate effectively across cultures.
Q. 4. Define Cross-cultural Communication.
Ans. Cross-cultural communication is defined by
Gotland University as “a process of exchanging,
negotiating, and mediating one’s cultural differences
through language, non-verbal gestures, and space
relationships.” Business communication is the exchange
of messages related to companies through symbols,
action and verbal words.
Q. 5. Comment on the language as a barrier to
cross cultural communication.
Ans. Among the most often cited barriers to
conflict-free cross-cultural business communication is
the use of different languages. It is difficult to
underestimate the importance that an understanding of
linguistic differences plays in international business
communication. Given this reality, business consultants
counsel clients to take the necessary steps to enlist the
services of a good translator. Language failures between
cultures typically fall into three categories: (1) gross
translation problems; (2) subtle distinctions from
language to language; and (3) culturally-based variations
among speakers of the same language.
Gross translation errors, though frequent, may be
less likely to cause conflict between parties than other
language difficulties for two reasons. Indeed, the
nonsensical nature of many gross translation errors often
raise warning flags that are hard to miss. The parties
can then backtrack and revisit the communication area
that prompted the error. Even if they are easily detected
in most cases, however, gross translation errors waste
time and wear on the patience of the parties involved.
Additionally, for some, such errors imply a form of
disrespect for the party into whose language the message
is translated.
The subtle shadings that are often crucial to
business negotiations are also weakened when the
parties do not share a similar control of the same
language. Indeed, misunderstandings may arise because
of dialectical differences within the same language.
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When other parties with full control over the language
with whom the non-native speaker communicates
assume that knowledge of this distinction exists, conflict
deriving from misunderstanding is likely.
Attitudes toward accents and dialects also create
barriers in international business communication. The
view that a particular accent suggests loyalty or
familiarity to a nation or region is widespread in many
languages. The use of Parisian French in Quebec, of
Mexican Spanish in Spain, or subcontinental Indian
English in the United States are all noticeable, and
may suggest a lack of familiarity, even if the user is
fluent. More importantly, regional ties or tensions in
such nations as Italy, France, or Germany among
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COMMUNICATING ACROSS CULTURES / 99
others can be suggested by the dialect a native speaker
uses.
Finally, national prejudices and class distinctions
are often reinforced thorough sociolinguistics–the social
patterning of language. For example, due to regional
prejudice and racism certain accents in the United States
associated with urban areas, rural regions, or minorities
may reinforce negative stereo-types in areas like
business ability, education level, or intelligence.
Similarly, some cultures use sociolinguistics to
differentiate one economic class from another. Thus, in
England, distinct accents are associated with the
aristocracy and the middle and lower classes. These
distinctions are often unknown by foreigners.
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100
BUSINESS WRITING
Features of Written and Oral Communication
Both oral and written communication carry a deep
impact on the people you work with and the situations
under which you work. Communication is multi-faceted.
It includes non-verbal communication, body language,
listening, inflection and written communication.
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Without quality skills in each of these categories you
are putting yourself and your career at risk. It is not
justified to give importance to any one of these forms.
So, let us now discuss the features which are integral to
both the oral and written forms of the communication.
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FEATURES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
Oral communication describes any type of inter-
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action that makes use of spoken words, and it is a vital,
integral part of the modern business world. The ability
to communicate effectively through speaking as well as
in writing is highly valued, and demanded in business.
According to Effective Business Communications
knowing the content of the functional areas of business
is important, but to give life to those ideas–in meetings
or in solo presentations–demands an effective oral
presentation. The types of oral communication
commonly used within an organization include staff
meetings, personal discussions, presentations, telephone
discourse and informal conversation. Oral
communication with those outside of the organization
might take the form of face-to-face meetings, telephone
calls, speeches, tele-conferences, or video-conferences.
Conversation management skills are essential for
small business owners and managers, who often shoulder
much of the burden in such areas as client/customer
presentations, employee interviews, and conducting
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7
meetings. For oral communication to be effective, it
should be clear, relevant, tactful in phraseology and tone,
concise, and informative. Presentations or conversations
that bear these hallmarks can be an invaluable tool in
ensuring business health and growth. Unclear,
inaccurate, or inconsiderate business communication,
on the other hand, can waste valuable time, alienate
employees or customers and destroy goodwill toward
management or the overall business.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE ORAL
COMMUNICATION
Speaking in public worries almost everyone, even
those who have been doing it regularly as part of their
job or leisure activities. There’s a good chance that
standing up before an audience delivering your ideas
with clarity, authority and the excitement is neither one
of your better skills nor your idea of a great time.
But you are not alone! People worry about such
things as ‘making a fool of myself’, ‘drying up’ and
‘not knowing what to do with my hands’. But the real
problem is the worry itself and not the form it takes.
Presentations are a way of communicating ideas
and information to a group. A good presentation has:
(i) Content: It contains information that people
need. Unlike reports, it must account for how
much information the audience can absorb in
one sitting.
(ii) Structure: It has a logical beginning, middle
and end. It must be sequenced and paced so
that the audience can understand it. Whereas,
reports have appendices and footnotes, the
presenter must be careful not to lose the
audience when wandering from the main point
of the presentation.
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FEATURES OF WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION / 101
(iii) Packaging: It must be well prepared. A report
can be read again and portions skipped over,
but the audience is at the mercy of a presenter.
(iv) Human Element: A good presentation will be
remembered much more than a good report
because it has a person attached to it. But you
still need to analyse of the audience’s needs
would not be better met if a report was sent
instead.
Media of Oral Communication
Various Tools of Presentation
The Voice: The voice is probably the most valuable
tool of the presenter. It carries most of the content that
the audience takes away. One of the oddities of speech
is that we can easily tell others what is wrong with their
voice, e.g. too fast, too high, too soft, etc. but we have
trouble listening to and changing our own voices.
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There are four main terms used for defining vocal
qualities:
(i) Volume: How loud the sound is? The goal is
to be heard without shouting. Good speakers
lower their voice to draw the audience in, and
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raise it to make a point.
(ii) Tone: The characteristics of a sound. An
airplane has a different sound than leaves being
rustled by the wind. A voice that carries fear
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can frighten the audience, while a voice that
carries laughter can get the audience to smile.
(iii) Pitch: How high or low a note is? Pee Wee
Human has a high voice, Barbara Walters has
a moderate voice, while James Earl Jones has
a low voice.
(iv) Pace: This is how long a sound lasts. Talking
too fast causes the words and syllables to be
short, while talking slowly lengthens them.
Varying the pace helps to maintain the
audience’s interest.
(v) Colour: Both projection and tone variance can
be practiced by the line, “This new policy is
going to be exciting” and saying it first with
surprise, then with irony, then with grief and
finally with anger. The key is to overact.
Remember Shakespeare’s words–“All the
world’s a stage”–presentations are the opening
night on Broadway!
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There are two good methods for improving your
voice:
(i) Listen to it! Practise listening to your voice
while at home, driving, walking, etc. Then,
when you are at work or with company,
monitor your voice to see if you are using it
how you want to.
(ii) To really listen to your voice, cup your right
hand around your right ear and gently pull the
ear forward. Next, cup your left hand around
your mouth and direct the sound straight into
your ear. This helps you to really hear your
voice as others hear it, and it might be
completely different from the voice you
thought it was!
The Body: Your body communicates different
impressions to the audience. People not only listen to
you, they also watch you. Displaying a good posture
tells your audience that you know what you are doing
and you care deeply about it. Also, a good posture helps
you to speaks more clearly and effective.
Throughout your presentation, display
(i) Eye Contact: This helps to regulate the flow
of communication. It signals interest in others
and increases the speaker’s credibility.
Speakers who make eye contact open the flow
of communication and convey interest,
concern, warmth and credibility.
(ii) Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue
that transmits happiness, friendliness, warmth
and liking. So, if you smile frequently you will
be perceived as more likeable, friendly, warm
and approachable. Smiling is often contagious
and others will react favourably. They will be
more comfortable around you and will want
to listen to you more.
(iii) Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking,
you may be perceived as boring and stiff. A
lively speaking style captures attention, makes
the material more interesting and facilitates
understanding.
(iv) Posture and Body Orientation: You
communicate numerous messages by the way
you talk and move. Standing erect and leaning
forward communicates that you are
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102 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
approachable, receptive and friendly.
Interpersonal closeness results when you and
your audience face each-other. Speaking with
your back turned or looking at the floor or
ceiling should be avoided as it communicates
disinterest.
(v) Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a
comfortable distance for interaction with
others. You should look for signals of
discomfort caused by invading other’s space.
Some of these are: rocking, leg swinging,
tapping and gaze aversion. Typically, in large
rooms, space invasion is not a problem. In most
instances there is too much distance. To
counteract this, move around the room to
increase interaction with your audience.
Increasing the proximity enables you to make
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better eye contact and increases the
opportunities for others to speak.
(vi) Vary Your Voice: One of the major criticisms
of speakers is that they speak in a monotonous
voice. Listeners perceive this type of speaker
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as boring and dull. People report that they learn
less and lose interest more quickly when
listening to those who have not learned to
modulate their voices.
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Advantages of Oral Communication
Oral communication enjoys certain merits as below:
(i) It is the least time-consuming, is more direct,
simple and the least expensive.
(ii) It is more communicative, effective and aids
in avoiding delays, red-tape and formalities.
(iii) It generates a friendly and cooperative spirit.
(iv) It provides an immediate feedback, as
questions can be put and answers obtained
about the information transmitted.
(v) Since every information cannot be put into
writing, most of it is conveyed by means of
oral instructions, mutual discussions and
telephonic conversations.
Disadvantages of Oral Communication
However, oral communication also has certain
demerits. These are:
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(i) Lengthy, distant and important information
cannot be effectively conveyed verbally.
(ii) Verbal talks may often be distorted if there is
some cause of indiffference between the
receiver and the sender.
(iii) It is inadequate where permanency and
uniformity of form are required.
(iv) Due to various communication gaps, as a result
of status and other physical or personal barriers
communication is incomplete.
(v) Spontaneous responses may not be carefully
thought out.
(vi) The spoken words can be more easily
misunderstood than the written words.
(vii) It presupposes expertise in the art of effective
speaking.
STYLES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
(i) Conversation for establishing social contact,
performing various functions such as
introducing oneself and others, giving
instructions, reporting, conversations, giving
company’s profile, describing persons, places
or the proceses, developing relationships,
getting people to do things, offering help,
seeking help, apologising, elaborating,
negotiating, etc.
(ii) Participating in discussions,
(iii) Taking part and conducting meetings and
interviews,
(iv) Lecturing,
(v) Demonstrating company’s products,
(vi) Describing work, business operation,
consulting and reporting to superiors, asking
for and giving advice, talking about problems
at work, etc.
FEATURES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Communication through words may be in writing
or oral. Written communication entails transmission of
message in black and white. It mainly consists of
diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc. Reports, policies, rules,
orders, instructions, agreements, etc. have to be
conveyed in written form for proper functioning of the
organization.
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FEATURES OF WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION / 103
Written communication guarantees that everyone
concerned has the same information. It provides a long-
lasting record of communication for future. Written
instructions are essential when the action called for is
crucial and complex. To be effectual, written
communication should be understandable, brief, truthful
and comprehensive. According to Robert Anderson,
“Communication is an interchange of thoughts, opinions,
or information, through speech, writing or signs”.
Written Communication means communication by
means of written symbols (either printed or handwritten).
There are several types of written communication
in business like e-mail message, memos, proposals,
reports, letters, bulletins, minutes, orders, quotations,
contracts, forms, enquires, etc.
Poorly written message creates confusion and
misunderstanding. Thus, understanding the purpose, the
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audience, the message and the channel is essential.
OBJECTIVES OF WRITTEN
COMMUNICATION
A written communication is always put into writing
and generally used where the audience is at a distance
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or when a permanency of record is required or where
its preservation is essential in case it is needed as an
evidence in case of dispute. It is generally in the form
of instructions, orders, rules and regulations, policies,
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procedures, posters, memos, reports, information
bulletins; in the form of items in magazines, newspapers,
circulars, house journals; or in the form of pictorial
message, hand-outs; or it is written down in employee’s
hand books, training and job manuals; or when a
grievance procedure is laid down; or when a
preformance appraisal is affected; or it may be put upon
notice boards, display stands; or it may be in the form
of suggestion schemes and personal letters written to
employees.
MEDIA OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
We learn to write by writing and not by reading
about writing. Written communication media takes on
many different forms.
It includes:
1. General correspondence
2. Reports of different types
3. Project proposals
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4. Procedures
5. Record-keeping
6. Operating instructions
7. Spreadsheet data
8. Announcements
9. Documentation, and
10. Presentations.
While the technical community is often viewed as
having poor writing skills. It is also found accountants
and financial people to be lacking in writing skills. We
can add to that list just about every profession at every
level. Professional staff members frequently labour over
even simple project reports. Unfortunately with the
elimination of many secretarial positions, professionals
no longer have anyone to correct their grammar or
rewrite documents. There are no simple answers to
resolving this issue. There are plenty of opportunities
for learning how to write clearly and concisely but over
my years of experience I have not found very many
employees taking up the challenge.
The use of e-mail has only exacerbated the
problem. we need not dwell on this issue, but e-mail is
a major source of mis-communication. In the early days
of telegraphy and telex, every word was counted
because we paid by the word. Unfortunately, the cost
per word for e-mail is insignificant, so it’s easier to
use more words than to develop concise statements.
This does not suggest a case against e-mail, but since
it is our major mode of communication we need to
recognize the need to write with a medium of
correctness. The intent is not to go back to
diagramming sentences but to learn just a few
fundamentals of good written communication.
GRAPHIC AND PICTORIAL
COMMUNICATION
Graphics and pictures must be presented clearly
just like any other form of communication. A
presentation graphic that cannot be read from the back
row of the room provides little if any benefit. Also, too
many professionals in all disciplines assume that their
audience is as well versed in their topic as they are. So
graphics and pictures provide a means for
communicating, but they must be explained when used
outside the immediate group of professionals.
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104 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
As a manager you will most likely be involved in
making presentations above your managerial level, so
make sure that you are communicating to your audience
and not to yourself.
Merits and Demerits of Written
Communication: The merits of written communication
are:
(i) It serves as evidence of what has occurred or
what was stated.
(ii) It provides a permanent record for future use.
(iii) It reduces the chances for misinterpretation,
misrepresentation and distortion of
information.
(iv) It is reliable when transmitting lengthy
information on finance, production or other
important data.
(v) It provides an opportunity to the subordinates
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to put up their grievances in writing and get
them supported by facts.
However, a written communication suffers from
certain disadvantages. These are:
(i) It is generally an expensive and a time-
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consuming process.
(ii) Even though such communication has been
transmitted, it is not certain whether the
receiver has understood it.
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(iii) Written material not only gets out of date, but
may also be leaked out before time.
(iv) It sometimes leads to excessive formality and
rigidity in personnel relations.
An oral communication generally takes place when
the audience is largely illiterate and there are problems
of language. Such communication is direct between the
supervisor and the worker, and is often known as face-
to-face (or one-to-one) communication. It takes the form
of talks, a public address, verbal discussions, telephonic
talk, tele-communcations and other artificial media, such
as audio-visual aids (slides, movies, tape records, films,
broadcasts, loudspeakers, whistles, bells or call bells)
speeches and orders, holding of conferences and
meetings, lectures, social get-togethers, training
sessions, public address systems, museums, exhibitions,
counselling, etc.
MAKING A CHOICE
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Oral communication is the mode of choice in most
workplaces today; the paper memo is dead, replaced by
voice mail, informal conversation, and sometimes E-
mail or fax-mail. But two writing tasks still loom before
the entry level worker: Writing reports and filling out
forms. For example, many companies these days are
seeking certification in a variety of world class standard
programmes, like ISO or QS 9000, an automotive
quality certification. These certifications require
extensive documentation. Workers have to fill out
reports that ask them to describe exactly what they do
and how they do it.
The service industries also fill out countless reports,
such as service orders, patient care reports, and lab
reports. Some entry-level employees, like administrative
assistants, may be responsible for compiling or even
composing some parts of a formal report. The smaller
the company, the more likely that an administrative
assistant may be asked to do such tasks. Some companies
also like to “grow their own” managers by extending
such responsibilities to entry-level personnel,
encouraging them to accept the challenge.
More often, the manager or executive will write
the formal reports on finances and planning. We
have to remember that when our students are in our
classes, they are not just learning the skills they need
for their first job. They are gaining skills for a career.
A clear, concise technical writing style will always
be an asset.
We can see that employees still need written
communication skills. Yet interpersonal oral
communication skills are the ones most prized by
employers in the new informal workplace atmosphere.
Some employers, like Raychem, even test technicians
in their ability to follow oral directions. Employees
who work with the public or closely with teams need
skills in empathy and feedback techniques, especially
in fields such as customer service, criminal justice,
medical, and legal. Critical thinking and the ability to
function as part of a problem-solving group are also
skills that employers look for. At IBM, for instance,
the team members have to sell their ideas to
management to receive funding. At Buehler Products,
engineers, technicians, and even hourly employees
make formal presentations to high-level executives.
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FEATURES OF WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION / 105
Today’s worker must remain cool under pressure,
adaptable to new technology and to a fast pace.
Many employers talk about the importance of
“fitting in”; in fact, Dr. David Day, a Penn State
psychologist, is quoted by Psychology Today as saying
that there are practical implications for fitting in: “If
there are mismatches, productivity suffers.” If a team
must deliver solutions, the members must be able to
function effectively, relying on interpersonal
communication skills to get the job done. Some
companies even test employees to see if they will fit in
and work within policies. Capital City Club uses the
Interact Series to test applicants. Many companies use
personality tests with managers and supervisors. The
Cary Police Department, for example, uses the Myers-
Briggs with supervisors. McLaurin Parking uses the
Reid test to check for leniency tendencies.
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Simple conversational skills are also important in
the workplace. Some employers mention telephone
etiquette as an important skill. The same annoyances
we suffer from poor voice mail messages are cited by
employers, who hate to waste time tracking down a
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telephone number to return a message.
The ability to interview to get important information
is also a necessary skill. Service people must interview
clients to write a work order. Legal secretaries who work
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for small firms often must interview witnesses. Police
officers gather details of crime, medical office personnel
collect information on insurance, and incorrect
information may lead to trouble or even litigation later
on.
Entry-level employees are likely to deliver at least
some formal presentations. The most typical is leading
tours. Often this task of leading around groups of Cub
Scouts or teachers falls to those lower on the roster,
although executives will lead tours for visiting
dignitaries. Even large group presentations are required
of some entry-level people. Rookie police officers are
assigned DARE and Community Watch presentations.
They will also have to testify in court. A legal secretary
may have to ask for a continuance in a courtroom if an
attorney is detained across town. An administrative
assistant is likely to serve as a greeter and introduce
speakers at formal functions.
We also must remember that workers join civic and
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professional organizations, like CEI, where they are
asked more often to participate in formal presentations.
And once again, we must remember that we are not just
preparing our students for their first job. We need to
give them the oral presentation skills they need to rise
to management, where they will make formal
presentations on finance, for instance, or regularly
conduct meetings.
Oral presentation skills lead to promotions. At
Buehler Products, those willing to present proposals or
recommend strategies are those who are positioned for
advancement. The HR there tells of a junior engineer
he hired. In five years, that worker had risen to
production engineering manager. How? He floated to
the top because he demonstrated effective
communication skills, he stayed cool under pressure,
and he delivered strong presentations. He earned an extra
$25,000 a year because of his communication skills. At
a local bank, managers noticed that a particular teller
was exceptionally good at explaining policies to
customers, who often requested her. She was promoted
to trainer and a position that provided an extra $10,000
a year and her own office upstairs. Communication skills
are also essential for promotion.
In Company Communication: Notice, notes,
messages, memos, emails, etc.
In internal business communication the importance
of notes, messages, and notices and cannot be ignored.
They are very helpful in communication inside the
company. With the growing importance of electronic
communication e-mails have become one of the most
important aspect of communication inside a company.
There are times when physical address is not possible
in corporate environment. Such situation may arise quite
often. In such cases messages play an important role.
They can be left on the desk of the person to whom it
has to be conveyed. In business meeting notes play an
important role. After the meeting is adjourned, it is not
possible to remember everything said in the meeting,
therefore, it is always advisable to take notes. It also
helps in segregating your work and thus helps in
managing the work load. Sometimes because of work
pressure people might forget things, in such cases notes
are very helpful. When a message has to be conveyed
to more than one person or a group of people notice is
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106 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
always a best option. Once a notice is put on the board,
it's in the reach of every one working in the company.
Emails
Emails has been a very essential communication
tool in this age of technology, and with the growing
number of businesses doing transactions online, the
email is indeed a great tool in managing your business.
Even for personal use or organizational use, it has
become a part of our everyday lives–from
communicating with friends to closing a deal, to
applying for a new job or for almost any other
transaction we do online. In fact, most services on the
internet, even social networking sites, would ask you
your email address before you could use their services.
Indeed, the importance of email is everywhere.
To understand more about the importance of email,
particularly in your business, here are specific things
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that you can do with your email and some of its
advantages.
– Free communication. In any business,
communication is an essential factor in any
transaction, planning or organizing and emails
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are free for you to use to communicate with your
employees, your clients, as well as your
potential customers.
– Emails also have a wide reach. Telephones and
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mobile phones sometimes require you to have
international sim cards to reach to other parts
of the world, not to mention that it can also be
very costly.
– Aside from its convenience in sending
communication, the importance of email
especially in businesses is to keep a record of
the transactions of the businesses. Keeping an
archive of your mails can be very useful in
re-checking past information and transaction.
It can also serve as repository of files, purchase
orders, contracts, requests and other files that
are attached in emails, as they can all be
recovered later.
– For businesses who advertise online, one useful
way of getting potential customers is by email,
and in fact, getting an email is one important
thing you need to have to introduce your product
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online and in availing into some online services
and tools. A business website or an online store
should have contact information like email to
build credibility and trust for your clients and
customers. It is also a good tool to deal with
customer queries and feedback.
– Monitoring and managing your business even
if you are not on the business site is also another
importance of electronic mails. With portable
gadgets able to send and receive emails, you
can actually manage your business even if you
are traveling or in another place.
– Emails are also great storage of your client’s
addresses, potential customers, friends,
employees and people you use to work together
with. This database of contact information can
also be conveniently retrieved anytime in your
address book.
– You can also make use of an auto-responder to
be able to get in touch with your clients, your
potential customers, your contacts even without
being always checking on your mails. This can
help you manage your customers in a fast and
convenient manner.
Aside from these main uses of email, you can also
manage your tasks with the calendars and scheduled
tasks. Indeed, email has been indispensable in managing
your business and because of the importance of email
in managing your business, it is also important to be
able to troubleshoot common email problems that may
arise.
Memos
Style of writing a memo is different from writing
reports, letters etc. Organizations that are commercially
based have their memo forms that are printed so that
communication between various departments can take
place.
If there is no printed memo form in an organization,
then while writing a memo organization should include
the following points:
– Date
– Subject
– Name and designation of the sender
– Receiver’s name and designation
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FEATURES OF WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION / 107
– Reference
Details in memos may vary from one organisation
to another but such a format (of a memo) is very
conventional.
In case if sender and receiver both know each other,
then department names or even job titles can be omitted.
But for future evidence or record, it is good to write
appropriate titles. There are various ways in which
memos can be arranged.
Style
The language of memo should be more impersonal
and rules of good writing should be adopted while
writing a memo. Writing an outline is good before
writing a memo.
Remember some points while writing a memo
– Organize a lengthy memo into different
sections and sub-sections and give each a
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heading or a sub-heading.
– Subject should be shown as heading and a
memo should deal with only one subject at a
time.
– If there is more than one point to write in a
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memo, it is good to write points into a list. One
can organise a short memo into a single
paragraph or a series of short paragraphs.
Difference Between Letters and Memos
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– Memos are written to colleagues who are from
the same organization, but letter is written to
people to represent other organizations.
– Letters may have only one reader to read it,
but memos have many readers who read it. It
could be read by a large number of people from
various levels in an organization. Memos
should be written in a way that all readers with
different ability, proficiency and intelligence
levels should understand the language.
Remember to use a simple and clear language
while writing memos.
NEED FOR WRITING MEMOS
People may sometimes think about the need for
writing memos and increasing the paper work. Instead
meetings can take place or even natural talk over issues
can be done.
As we know that memos solve our purpose, so it is
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worth to write and file memos.
We need memos because of the following
reasons–
– Memos can help you keep track of jobs that
you have assigned to others or those you must
do. So, they prove to be an aid to memory.
– One can write memos with a purpose to give a
formal warning to a staff member.
– Memos at the same time can deliver
information regarding a policy decision or
explanation of a procedure to a large number
of people.
– Memos even help to clarify decisions made or
instructions given orally the first time. For
example, Memos can be used to report or
record what took place when a telephone
conversation was going on.
– When a memo is written by a junior person to
his senior, the tone of a memo is more formal.
It’s because of the position of the person who
is writing the memo and being a senior person,
he should be respected. So, the tone
automatically becomes formal.
– Whenever a subordinate informs his senior
about any situation through memo, he includes
all kinds of information.
ADVANTAGES OF MEMOS
– It saves a lot of time: Meetings are not required
if memos are written and people continue to
work without facing any problem.
– Information can be given to a larger section of
people.
– Developing writing skills: It is a good way
to develop writing skills as if one wants to
write a memo, he should take care of his
language and writing, thus improving writing
skills.
Q. 1. Suppose your organization is holding a
series of talks on ‘New Strategies in Marketing’. Send
a memo to your sales force asking them to attend,
giving them the titles of the talks, the venue and the
dates and the timings.
Ans.
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108 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
MEMORANDUM
22nd Jan. 2008
To: Sales Staff
From: General Manager
In the interest of sales staff, there will be a series
of three talks on the topic ‘New Strategies in
Marketing’ on 30 and 31st Jan 2008, at 2.00 p.m. in
the conference room. The entire sales force has to
attend these meetings.
The topic of the talks are:
1. Monday, 30 Jan, 2008: How to achieve sales
target in competitive market.
2. Tuesday, 31 Jan, 2008: Importance of Product
Display and how to deal a consumer/Your
relation with consumer.
(Ajay Vij)
Q. 2. Suppose you have been asked to write a
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memorandum to Ramesh Chandra, the head of your
engineering department, asking for an extension of
the deadline originally set for the completion of your
engineering group’s project. Your reasons for asking
for the extension are that some of the materials
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needed for the project were delivered 15 days late,
and one of the draftsmen in your group missed two
weeks of work because of illness.
Ans.
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Kenzle Engineering Works
Internal Communication
Date: 12 Jan 2008
To: Ramesh Chandra
From: Anmol Vij
Sub: Delay in Completion of Current Project
I apologise to bring to your notice that the
Project assigned to us is likely to be delayed by one
week due to unavoidable circumstances.
The main reasons for the delay are:
(i) 15 days late delivery of glass shells.
(ii) Illness of the senior draftsman.
Seeing the circumstances, I request you to allow
extension upto one week for project completion. We
shall definitely complete it by 25 Jan, 2008.
Thanks
Anmol Vij
(Project leader)
Q. 3. Write a memo reminding the members of
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the staff to switch off the fans and lights when not
required. We have already given you the second
paragraph of the memo. Write out the first
paragraph. Take care to arrange your memo in the
proper format.
Ans.
9 Jan, 2008
Ref. No: 157/SOPS/28
To: All Staff Members
All the staff members are required to switch off
the fans and lights before leaving their rooms.
As you are already well aware, the power
situation in Delhi is not satisfactory. This results in
periodical load-shedding. In sush a situation, we
must take greater care to co-operate with the
authorities and avoid wastage of power.
(M.M. Bose)
Manager
Q. 4. In the memo given below, the sentences
have been jumbled up. Write them in the correct
order and arrange them in paragraph.
MEMORANDUM
To: Mr. P.N. Beri (Sales Officer)
From: Mr. P.S. Patel (Regional Manager)
Date 14 July, 1988
1. As a special case we are not marking you absent
this time, provided you submit the application
for leave immediately.
2. It has been brought to my attention that you were
absent from duty on 4th and 11th July.
3. You are well aware of the rule that if application
for leave is not submitted on the day of resuming
duty, you are liable to be marked absent and
your salary for the period of absence can be
deducted.
4. I have also been informed that till date you have
not submitted the application for leave for those
days.
5. In future please see that you observe the rules
in this matter.
MEMORANDUM
Ans. Date: 14 Jan, 2008
To: Mr. P. N. Beri
From: Mr. P.S. Patel (Regional Manager)
It has been brought to my attention that you were
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FEATURES OF WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION / 109
absent from duty on 4th and 11th Jan. I have also been
informed that till date you have not submitted the
application for leave for those days.
You are well aware of the rule that if application
for leave is not submitted on the day of resuming duty,
you are liable to be marked absent and your salary for
the period of absence can be deducted.
As a special case we are not marking you absent
this time, provided you submit the application for leave
immediately.
In future, please see that you observe the rules in
this matter.
P.S. Patel
Regional Manager
Q. 5. What is the importance of email in
company communication?
Ans. In the world of business people are actually
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getting short of time and they hardly have time for
communicating with their colleagues, seniors or juniors.
In such cases emails are really helpful. Though notes
and messages can also work sometimes but they cannot
be completely relied upon. Emails are one thing which
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are totally reliable and are actually very fast. You do
not need someone to carry your message but just open
your pc send the message and the receiver will get the
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mail as soon as you are done sending. Emails are fast,
reliable, easily accessible, and quite convenient.
Q. 6. What is the importance of note taking?
Ans. To many individuals, note taking often seems
like nothing more than a boring, monotonous task, but
an individual that is able to take notes effectively will
often find that his or her knowledge of the particular
subject that he or she is studying and his or her exam
scores will benefit from the notes that the individual
takes. This is because note taking not only helps the
individual remember the material, but it also helps the
individual identify key details of the material quickly
without having to reread long passages or entire
chapters. For example, an individual that is attempting
to answer a question on a worksheet may not have to
reread the entire chapter to find the answer to the
question he or she is trying to answer if he or she can
find the answer in his or her notes. Finding the answer
in the individual’s notes allows the individual to save a
large amount of time that he or she would have wasted
if he or she had to reread the entire chapter to find the
answer. In a business environment this makes a person
more efficient and increases his/her productivity.
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110
External Communication
External business communication is just as
important to the life and vitality of a business as internal
communication. External business communication
places focus on the relationships and various audiences
that are outside of the company. External communi-
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cation’s main expression is through public relations,
media relations, marketing management and advertising,
according to BNET. Successful businesses utilize
effective internal and external business communication
to accomplish the company’s goals and mission.
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External business communication is defined by
BNET as, “the exchange of information and messages
between an organization and other organizations,
groups, or individuals outside its formal structure.”
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External business communication is intended to
organize cooperation between the business and other
groups and create a positive corporate image, according
to BNET. External business communication helps
organize events, deals and happenings with suppliers
and other businesses to ensure products and service are
delivered on time. It also provides clarity for business
deals, meeting times and agreements. Maintaining a
favourable image of the company is an important aspect
of external business communication. This is
accomplished through marketing, advertising and public
relations.
Before we go on to the types of letter let us
understand the concept in detail.
LETTER
A letter should serve the purpose for which it is
written. If a businessman writes a letter to the supplier
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8
for purchase of goods, the letter should contain all the
relevant information relating to the product, mode of
payment, packaging, transportation of goods etc, clearly
and specifically. Otherwise, there will be confusion that
may cause delay in getting the goods. Again the quality
of paper used in the letter, its size, colour etc. also need
special attention, because it creates a positive impression
in the mind of the receiver. We may classify the qualities
of a good business letter as:
(a) Inner Qualities; and
(b) Outer Qualities
(a) Inner Qualities: The inner qualities of a good
business letters refers to the quality of
language, its presentation, etc. These facilitate
quick processing of the request and that leads
to prompt action. Let us discuss the various
inner qualities of a good business letter.
(i) Simplicity: Simple and easy language
should be used for writing business
letters. Difficult words should be strictly
avoided, as one cannot expect the reader
to refer to the dictionary every time while
reading the letter.
(ii) Clarity: The language should be clear, so
that the receiver will understand the
message immediately, easily and
correctly. Ambiguous language creates
confusion. The letter will serve the
purpose if the receiver understands it in
the same manner in which it is intended
by the sender.
(iii) Accuracy: The statements written in the
letter should be accurate to the best of
the sender ’s knowledge. Accuracy
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demands that there are no errors in the
usage of language–in grammar, spellings,
punctuations etc. An accurate letter is
always appreciated.
(iv) Completeness: A complete letter is one
that provides all necessary information to
the users. For example, while sending an
order we should mention the desirable
features of the goods, i.e. their quality,
shape, colour, design, quantity, date of
delivery, mode of transportation, etc.
(v) Relevance: The letter should contain only
essential information. Irrelevant
information should not be mentioned
while sending any business correspondence.
(vi) Courtesy: Courtesy wins the heart of the
reader. In business letters, courtesy can
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be shown/expressed by using words like
please, thank you, etc.
(vii) Neatness: A neat letter is always
impressive. A letter either handwritten or
typed, should be neat and attractive in
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appearance. Overwriting and cuttings
should be avoided.
(b) Outer Qualities: The outer qualities of a good
business letter refers to the appearance of the
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letter. It includes the quality of paper used,
colour of the paper, size of the paper, etc. Good
quality paper gives a favourable impression in
the mind of the reader. It also helps in
documenting the letters properly. Let us discuss
the various outer qualities of a good business
letter.
(i) Quality of paper: The paper used should
be in accordance with the economic status
of the firm. Now-a-days the cost of the
paper is very high. Therefore, good paper
should be used for original copy and
ordinary paper may be used for duplicate
copy.
(ii) Colour of the paper: It is better to use
different colours for different types of
letters, so that the receiver will identify
the letters quickly and prompt action can
be taken.
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 111
(iii) Size of the paper: Standard size paper
(A4) should be used while writing
business letters. The size of the paper
should be in accordance with the
envelopes available in the market.
(iv) Folding of letter: The letter should be
folded properly and uniformly. Care
should be taken to give minimum folds
to the letter so that it will fit the size of
the envelope. If window envelope is used
then folding should be done in such a way
that the address of the receiver is clearly
visible through the transparent part of the
envelope.
(v) Envelope: The size and quality of the
envelope needs special attention. The size
of the letter should fit the size of the
envelope. The business firms use different
types of envelopes i.e. ordinary envelope,
window envelope, laminated envelope
etc. In window envelope, there is no need
to write the address of the receiver
separately on the envelope. It is clearly
visible through the transparent part on the
face of the envelope, which may be called
as window. In laminated envelope, a thin
plastic sheet or cloth is pasted on the inner
side that gives extra protection to letters
from being damaged during transit.
Office Memorandum: Communication can be of
various kinds. For the purpose of internal
communication of any kind, we use a memo. A memo
could be in the form of a short report, longer letter-like
communication or a very brief note.
The purpose behind making a memo is to distribute
all kinds of information, to keep members informed
about the new policies of the organization, to request
others to take care of work items, to report regarding a
situation, to ask questions, etc.
Memos usually deal with a number of subjects like
the announcement made regarding important structural
changes taking place in a company. Memos are used by
various organizations for short reports and those reports
in which one officer informs the other by supplying data
so that the other one can take the decision.
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112 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Organizations even put memos on the notice board
so that it is visible to everyone.
They are distributed to various concerned
departments through internal mail.
Persuasive Letters
Need to write a persuasion letter
Must know letter-writing tips
Expert help everystep of the way
Appropriate phrases and sentences
Words writers agree work the best
How to write a persuasion letter: Objections will
produce questions in people’s minds. Consider and
answer those questions in your persuasion letter before
they even arise!
An effective persuasion letter answers the following
important questions:
What is the name or description of the product,
Neeraj
business service, or political issue that you are
trying to persuade your readers to accept?
What negative points could your readers find
in your proposal? Can you agree there is a
downside, but persuade them it is minimal in
Publications
face of the many benefits they will gain?
What specific action should the readers take if
they accept what you are persuading them to
do? When and how should they do it? Is there a
www.neerajbooks.com
deadline?
What details, specifications, features, or
limitations of your proposed product, business
service, or political issue would your readers
immediately question? Provide that information
in your persuasion letter.
What are your credentials or past successes and
accomplishments? What facts can you produce
to persuade your readers that you yourself are
knowledgeable, trustworthy, and reliable?
What statistics, testimonials, documented
evidence, or other evidence do you have to
persuade your readers that what you are
promoting is essential and invaluable, and
promises to be of worth to them?
Persuasion Letter Tips: Selling something? Offer
an incentive in your persuasion letter, such as:
A time-limited discount
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An after-purchase rebate
A no-strings-attached free gift
A generous product guarantee
Get the right words for your letters in three easy
steps:
Choose from a variety of prewritten persuasion
letters that cover many common situations.
Copy your letter directly into Microsoft Word
or your favorite word processor.
Or let our software guide you step-by-step
through the writing process, suggesting sample
phrases and sentences for each writing step. In
minutes, you can write an effective persuasion
letter.
Print your persuasion letter and send it!
Sales Letters: Create a short, powerful headline.
Centre it on the page. Use large type, bold, or colour
something to set it apart from the body of the letter.
Experiment also with a font that is different from the
one used in the text. But remember these rules of design:
no more than two fonts, and do not mix two serif fonts
or two sans serif fonts. Try a combination of one serif
font, such as Times New Roman, and one sans serif
font, such as Arial.
Start the body of the letter with a polite but personal
tone.
Example: “Dear ...” Use the potential customer’s
name. Talk to him or her as a friend.
Ask a question that lists the greatest benefits of your
offer. How will your product or service make your
reader’s life better? Why is your product or offer better
than your competitor’s?
Example: “How would you like to receive (first
benefit) and (second benefit)? Read on! This might be
the most important letter you ever receive.”
Tip: DO NOT ask a question that can be answered
with “yes” or “no.” You should control both the question
and the answer!
Answer the question in one or two sentences. Explain
why your product or service is essential or special.
Achieving a better quality of life is a universal theme.
Examples: “Here’s why ...” “Here’s how ...”
Address doubts before your potential customer has
a chance to think of them:
 www.neerajbooks.com
Examples:
“Sound too good to be true? I thought so when
I first learned about ...”
“I know this sounds outrageous. I’d be skeptical
too.”
“Do these results sound unbelievable? I thought
so too, but then ...”
Give a convincing answer
Examples: “But the more I learned about . . . , the
more I knew that I should give it a try. Here’s why you
should too ...”
List three good reasons that demonstrate how your
product will make the reader’s life better, make him feel
more secure, or motivate him to action. Keep the reasons
short and powerful. Use statements that suggest positive
results, facts and figures.
Examples
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“Four out of five doctors recommend ...”
“Research shows that no other company can
... like we can.”
“Four out of five customers agree that ...”
Keep your vocabulary simple, short and to the
Publications
point.
Now describe the special features and benefits of
your product or service. A feature is something that
makes your product or service extraordinary, essential
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or valuable. A feature describes what your product or
service is or what it has. The benefit of the feature is
what the feature will do for the reader. Bullet points are
good to use here-they draw the eye to this important
section. Benefits sell while features often do not. Many
sales letters list benefits only. Others list both features
and benefits. Writers often make the mistake of listing
features only.
Example: You may ask how we can possibly do
all this. Here’s how ...”
“No one can match this offer.”
“Do not buy this product elsewhere unless it has
these features: One ... Two ... Three
“Sure, others will try to sell you a product of lesser
quality, but can they offer you: One ... Two ... Three
Cost-to-value ratio is enormous. Boldly state that
your product or service has a real value of at least ten
times the price. These value statements need to be clear
and crisp, with not too many details. Perhaps your
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 113
product can save valuable time, or make a huge
difference in lifestyle, or replace another higher-priced
product, etc.
Examples: “You’ll get over ten times your money’s
worth in value! Guaranteed!” “Extraordinary savings!”
(Or quality, add-on products, longevity, warranty, etc.)
Price and urgency Make a stipulation, and then
repeat the offer:
If this letter is to create a lead, tell your prospect
what he/she must do to contact you by a certain deadline.
Be sure to make it easy to respond by including your
business name, phone number, web site, etc. Ask the
customer for all of the information you need, such as
first and last names, phone number, address, etc. Make
an optional request for the customer’s email address so
that you can send future offers by email as well.
Premiums Bundling a free bonus (a premium) for
acting by the deadline is an excellent motivator. Be sure
to give the bonus value-as much or more than the
purchase price is a good idea. If you don’t have an idea
for a premium, you can search the web for e-books or
informational reports for which you can purchase reprint
rights-an excellent and inexpensive idea that has a high
value margin.
Date
The date line is used to indicate the date the letter
was written. However, if your letter is completed over a
number of days, use the date on which it was finished in
the date line. When writing to companies within the
country, use the Indian date format. For example: 11
July, 2008) Depending which format you are using for
your letter, either left justify the date or centre it
horizontally.
Sender’s Address
Including the address of the sender is optional. If
you choose to include it, place the address one line below
the date. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is
included in the letter’s closing.
Inside Address
The inside address is the recipient’s address. It is
always best to write to a specific individual at the firm
to which you are writing.
Salutation
Use the same name as the inside address, including
the personal title. If you know the person and typically
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114 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

address him/her by the first name, it is acceptable to Dear Sir

use only the first name in the salutation (For example:
Dear Ranjan). In all other cases, however, use the
personal title and full name followed by a colon. Leave
one line blank after the salutation.
If you don’t know a reader’s gender, use a nonsexist
salutation, such as “To Whom it May Concern.”
Body
For block and modified block formats, single space
and left justify each paragraph within the body of the
letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When
writing a business letter, be careful to remember that
conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph,
consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the
main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying
the importance of the main point. In the next few
paragraphs, continue justification with background
Or
Dear Sirs
Body of the Letter
Begin the body or main part of the letter on the
next line below, with a capital letter.
(a) I shall be obliged if you kindly....
(b) I shall be glad if you send me....
(c) May I draw your kind attention to....
(d) Would you be kind enough to send me the
following article.....
Official Letters, Letters of Application:
(a) I beg to submit----.
(b) I beg to state----.
(c) I have the honour to report--------.
(d) I have the honour to bring to your kind notice-
-----.

Neeraj
information and supporting details.
Closing
The closing begins at the same horizontal point as
your date and one line after the last body paragraph.
Capitalise the first word only (For example: Thank you)
(e) Being given to understand that you require a
few clerks in your office------.
(f) With reference to your advertisement in the
Hindustan Times of January 2, 20 - - ------.
Closing of the Letter:

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(a) Thanking you,
and leave four lines between the closing and the sender’s (b) Thanking you in anticipation,
name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a Applications for jobs, complaints–
comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is Yours faithfully
no punctuation after the closing.

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Signature:
Enclosures Yours faithfully
If you have enclosed any documents along with the The Outside Address:
letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by Mr. G.L. Varma
typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an Delhi Vidyut Board
option, you may list the name of each document you Lawrence Road, New Delhi-110035
are including in the envelope.
MEANING AND IMPORTANCE
Typist Initials
Typist initials are used to indicate the person who OF A BUSINESS LETTER
typed the letter. If you typed the letter yourself, omit Introduce
the typist initials. “Letters should be easy and natural and convey to
Layout the person to whom we send just what we should say if
(1) The Heading: Write your own address at the we were with him.”
left hand top corner of the page and put the –Lord Chesterfield
date below it. “In a man’s letter, his soul lies naked.”
32/31, West Patel Nagar –Dr. Johnson
New Delhi-110008 STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT
January 3, 20--. OF A GOOD BUSINESS LETTER
(2) The Salutation or Greeting: Date:The date line is used to indicate the date the
Business Letters letter was written. However, if your letter is completed

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 www.neerajbooks.com
over a number of days, use the date on which it was
finished in the date line. When writing to companies
within the country, use the Indian date format. Write
out the day, month and year five cms. from the top of
the page. Depending which format you are using for
your letter, either left justify the date or centre it
horizontally.
Sender’s Address
Including the address of the sender is optional. If
you choose to include it, place the address one line below
the date. Do not write the sender’s name or title, as it is
included in the letter’s closing. Include only the street
address, city and pin code. Another option is to include
the sender’s address directly after the closing signature.
Inside Address
The inside address is the recipient’s address. It is
always best to write to a specific individual at the firm
Neeraj
to which you are writing. If you do not have the person’s
name, do some research by calling the company or
speaking with employees from the company. Include a
personal title such as Ms., Mrs., Mr. or Dr. Follow a
Publications
woman’s preference in being addressed as Miss, Mrs.
or Ms. If you are unsure of a woman’s preference in
being addressed, use Ms. If there is a possibility that
the person to whom you are writing is a Dr. or has some
other title, use that title. Usually, people will not mind
www.neerajbooks.com
being addressed by a higher title than they actually
possess. For international addresses, type the name of
the country in all-capital letters on the last line. The
inside address begins one line below the sender’s
address or 2.5 cm below the date. It should be left
justified, no matter which format you are using.
Salutation
Use the same name as the inside address, including
the personal title. If you know the person and typically
address him/her by the first name, it is acceptable to
use only the first name in the salutation (for example:
Dear Ranjan). In all other cases, however, use the
personal title and full name followed by a colon. Leave
one line blank after the salutation.
If you don’t know a reader’s gender, use a nonsexist
salutation, such as “To Whom it May Concern.” It is
also acceptable to use the full name in a salutation if
you cannot determine gender. For example, you might
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 115
write Dear Kiran Sharma Harmon: if you were unsure
of Kiran’s gender.
Body
For block and modified block formats, single space
and left justify each paragraph within the body of the
letter. Leave a blank line between each paragraph. When
writing a business letter, be careful to remember that
conciseness is very important. In the first paragraph,
consider a friendly opening and then a statement of the
main point. The next paragraph should begin justifying
the importance of the main point. In the next few
paragraphs, continue justification with background
information and supporting details. The closing
paragraph should restate the purpose of the letter and,
in some cases, request some type of action.
Closing
The closing begins at the same horizontal point as
your date and one line after the last body paragraph.
Capitalize the first word only (For example: Thank you)
and leave four lines between the closing and the sender’s
name for a signature. If a colon follows the salutation, a
comma should follow the closing; otherwise, there is
no punctuation after the closing.
Enclosures
If you have enclosed any documents along with the
letter, such as a resume, you indicate this simply by
typing Enclosures one line below the closing. As an
option, you may list the name of each document you
are including in the envelope. For instance, if you have
included many documents and need to ensure that the
recipient is aware of each document, it may be a good
idea to list the names.
FORMS OF LAYOUT
The following elements will constitute the formal
outlay.
Letterhead
Name and address
Date
Reference
Salutation
Subject matter
Communication
Signature
 www.neerajbooks.com
116 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Enclosures
Letterhead
This will include your company’s name, address,
telephone number, fax number and email address.
Include your web address if available. Other information
may be required depending on the legal status of your
business formation. Contact your legal adviser for exact
details.
Name and Address
Always include the recipient’s name, address and
postal code. Add job title, if appropriate. Double check
that you have the correct spelling of the recipient’s name.
Date
Always date your letters. Never abbreviate January
to Jan. 31 etc.
Reference
Neeraj
These are optional. They are a good idea if you
have a large volume of correspondence. These days
modern word processors make this an easy task to
complete and maintain.
Salutations
Publications
The type of salutation depends on your relationship
with the recipient. Always try to personalise the letter,
thus, avoiding Dear Sir/Madam situation.
Subject Matter
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Again this is optional, but its inclusion can help
the recipient in dealing successfully with the aims of
your letter. Normally, the subject sentence is preceded
by the word.
Communication
This will contain a number of paragraphs, each
paragraph dealing with one point and one point only.
Signature
The signature should be clear and legible, showing
you are interested in the letter and consequently the
recipient. Your signature should also be followed
underneath by a typed version of your name and your
job title.
Enclosures
If you include other material in the letter, put
‘Enclosure’, ‘Enc’, or ‘Encs’ as appropriate, two lines
below the last entry.
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ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
OF A GOOD BUSINESS LETTER
Now-a-days business operations are not restricted
to any locality, state or nation. Today production takes
place in one area but consumption takes place
everywhere. Since the businessmen as well as customers
live in far off places they don’t have sufficient time to
contact each other personally. Thus, there arises the need
for writing letters. In the past the situation was not so.
Business letters were not essential in olden days. But
now the importance of letters has increased because of
vast expansion of business, increase in demand as well
as supply of goods. Let us learn about the importance
of business letters.
Business letters should be clear and concise. They
should be easy to understand, acceptable, and written
with goodwill. Furthermore, business letters must be
highly balanced, unbiased and possess proper aesthetic
attractiveness. The letter must be clear, with short
paragraphs, composed of simple sentences, with a
friendly tone. A good business letter is written with a
tone that reflects accuracy, ambition, confidence,
courtesy, calmness and honesty. Specifically, a letter
must reflect a positive attitude, courtesy and friendliness,
sincerity and helpfulness, and intelligent judgment.
The major feature of a business letter is that it
transfers a business message from one organization to
the other. Secondly, the general information enclosed
in a business letter includes date of writing; return
address, recipients address, salutation/greeting,
message, closing and signature. Moreover, a business
letter is free from grammatical mistakes, layman
language and informal content.
Good Business Writing Tip #1: Be as brief and
concise as possible. Resist the urge to impress your
readers by using jargon or “big” words-this will all be
lost in the decoding of the message you are trying to
send. Use plain English and avoid slang and
abbreviations. Always keep your audience in mind. The
trick to good, brief business writing is to avoid long
sentences. This will also make it easier for your audience
to pay attention and correctly interpret your message.
Good Business Writing Tip #2: Organization is
key. Establish the main point of your business writing
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 117

and state that in the introduction. Then, hit all of your April 26, 2008
main points and make sure to back them up with M/s Sky Lark Book Shop
evidence. In your conclusion, be sure to sign off with a Main Bazar,
request for feedback and action. Most of your business Prayag (U.P.)
writing will be requesting action on the part of your Dear Sir,
audience, unless it’s a simple thank-you letter. Use lots We are glad to enclose our latest price list,
of nouns and verbs to create stronger language, and use according to your letter dated April, 23, 2008.
a conversational tone while avoiding humor and As you will find from the enclosed price list, our
intimacy. prices are very low. We are sure they will appeal to you.
Good Business Writing Tip #3: Let your business We have published fresh stock just few days back.
writing sit for a day or two before returning to it with The new stock is superior to anything we have been
fresh eyes. Carefully proofread and edit your writing publishing.
quickly, but be as thorough as possible. Let a colleague Yours faithfully,
look at it as well-it will be easier for them to spot Trinity Publishers
grammatical and spelling errors because their eyes have Encl. 1. Dealer Price List
never seen it before. If there are many errors in this 2. Retail Price List
article, it will decrease your credibility. Orders and their Fulfilment

Neeraj
TYPES OF LETTERS Order for Supply of Books
Book Land
Letter of Enquiry
Delhi
Letter Requesting a Price List.
26 May, 2008
Indian Publishers,

Publications
Sky Lark Book Shop,
Delhi.
Main Bazar,
Sub.: Supply of Books.
Prayag (U.P.)
Dear Sir,
As per our discussions, we now confirm our order

www.neerajbooks.com
April 23, 2008
for:
M/s. Trinity Publishers
1. English Books for class–I & II
Nai Sarak,
2. Maths Books for class–I & II
Delhi 110006
A complete copy of our order No. A621/92 is
Sir,
enclosed. We accept your discount terms of 25% on the
We shall be pleased to receive a copy of your latest
list price, and we note your guarantee to deliver the order
price list of school books different classes. We have
not later than 10 June, 2008.
to execute a larger order which includes these books
Yours faithfully,
and we hope to purchase a fair quantity for different
S.K. Yadav
classes from you, provided your prices and discount
Manager
suit us.
Encl. Copy of the order.
Yours faithfully,
Sky Lark Trade References and Status Enquiry
1. Letter asking for Names of References.
Reply to the Enquiry Letter
Trinity Publishers Kundan Singh & Sons
Nai Sarak, Delhi
Delhi 110006 10th June, 2008

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118 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

M/s. Shopper’s Point Dear Sir,

M.G. Road, We have your enquiry dated 23rd June and are glad
Mumbai. to inform you that the firm in question enjoys full respect
Dear Sir, and confidence in the local market. We have been doing
We thank you for your order of 8th June and it is business with this firm for many years. So far as we
having our attention. know, they are financially quite sound. They have been
It is our invariable practice, when opening new a valued customer of ours and we feel no hesitation in
accounts, to ask for a couple of trade references. As we giving them credit for an amount beyond the sum you
have not had the pleasure of doing business with you mentioned.
previously, we shall much appreciate your sending us, Yours faithfully,
as soon as convenient, the names of two firms of standing Sales Manager
in your town. 4. Unfavourable Reply to Status Enquiry.
Yours faithfully, Bhagwan Das & Co.
Kundan Singh M.G. Road
2. Independent Inquiry Concerning the Status Mumbai.
of a Firm. 20th Aug, 2008
Rajesh Kumar

Neeraj
Kanchan & Company Ashok Kumar
Ashok Vihar Delhi.
Delhi Dear Sir,
23rd June, 2008 We have your letter dated 23rd June. We regret
Bhagwan Das & Co. however, that we are unable to give you the assurance

Publications
M.G. Road you seek in regard to the firm in question. Its dealing
Mumbai. with some companies has not been satisfactory and so
Dear Sir, far as our information goes, its present financial position
We are expecting to conclude important business is not very sound.

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with the firm mentioned in the card enclosed. But as Yours faithfully,
these people are quite unknown to us, we ask for your Sales Manager
favour of kindly giving us detailed information Complaints and the Adjustments
concerning their financial capacity and business 1. Complaint Regarding Missing Items.
reputation. In particular, we shall be glad to learn
Book Land
whether you can recommend them for a credit to the
Delhi
extent of Rs. 25,000/-.
31 May, 2008
Yours faithfully,
Indian Publishers,
Rajesh Kumar
Delhi.
3. Favourable Reply to Status Enquiry.
Sub.: Books Order–Missing Books.
Dear Sir,
Bhagwan Das & Co.
Please refer to our order No. A 424.
Mumbai.
All the books were delivered to us and were
inspected by our supervisor. The following books were
20th Aug, 2007
missing:
Kanchan & Co.
1. Three Books of English Class–I
Ashok Vihar
2. One Book of Maths class–II
Delhi.

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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 119

We will be pleased to receive these books as soon Encl. I Statement of Account.

as possible. 2. Letter of Collection.
Yours faithfully,
K. Dhingra Rajesh Traders
Manager New Delhi
2. Regret for Missing Books. Jan.15, 2008
M/s. Amit & Company
Indian Publishers New Delhi.
Delhi Re: Overdue Account–Reminder.
12 June, 2008 Sir,
Our Ref : We wish to remind you to our earlier letter dated
Your Ref: January 1, 2008 asking for settlement of Account. We
Book Land have neither received any reply to this letter nor cheque
Delhi of Rs. 17000/-.
Sub.: Books Order–Missing Books. In the circumstances, we presume that the earlier
Dear Sir, letter did not reach you and we now enclose a duplicate
We very much regret that your order No. A 272/98 statement of account to which we ask you to give

Neeraj
was incomplete when it was delivered. I have immediate attention.
investigated this matter personally. Yours faithfully,
When the books were delivered to us from the
Rajesh Traders
printer, all the books you referred to were missing.
Encl. I Duplicate Statement of Account.
Unfortunately, we did not have enough quantity of books
3. Letter of Collection: Warning of Legal

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to supply all you needed. I hope you will agree that the
Action.
Store Supervisor did his best to meet your requirements.
Yours faithfully,
Rajesh Traders
J. M. Garge
New Delhi
Sales Manager

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March 5, 2008
Collection Letters M/s. Amit & Company
1. Letter of Collection or Mild Reminder. New Delhi.
Sir,
Rajesh Traders We are surprised that you have paid no attention to
New Delhi
our two reminders regarding the payment of Rs. 17000/
Jan.1, 2008
– which is outstanding against you since Jan. 2008.
M/s. Amit & Company
This is the first incident when you have given us a
New Delhi.
chance to declare you a defaulter. We have had good
Re: Overdue Account
business relations over the past years. We are afraid that
Sir,
your further delay in settling your account would spoil
We wish to draw your attention to our Statement of
your reputation.
Account No. B 1516 dt. March 15, 2007 for Rs. 17000/
We wish to request you to settle your account
-. This sum has not been received. This might have been
immediately, otherwise we will be forced to place the
due to an oversight or forgetfulness. Please get it checked
matter in the hands of our lawyers for legal action against
from your records.
We are enclosing another copy of Statement of you.
Account for your reference. We look forward to your early remittance.
Yours faithfully, Yours faithfully,
Rajesh Traders Rajesh Traders

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120 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Circular Letters AGENCY CORRESPONDENCE

1. Circular Announcing the Establishment of a
Branch
VASUDEVA MOTORS LTD.
Delhi
June 10, 2008
Re.: Opening of New Branch
Sir,
As the volume of our trade in Haryana is constantly
increasing, we have opened a new branch at Karnal,
which has been placed under the management of our
assistant manager, Mr. C.L. Jain. The branch would
begin to function from August 1, 2008.
The new branch would supply you the product
range and serving as ourselves and at the same
prices.
We thank you for your support and hope you would
Many companies give agencies to businessmen in
different areas for expanding their business. An agency
is given when a branch cannot profitably be opened or
when the resources are not sufficient for opening a
branch. The agencies of some big firms like Maruti,
Tata Indicom, Bajaj Auto, Reliance Infocom and
Raymonds are quite profitable.
When a merchant comes to know that an agency
can be obtained, he applies for it. Such a letter of
application should be to the point and should state the
following: whether the agency applied for is sole agency
or ordinary agency; its scope, area of work; the financial
status of the applicant; the minimum amount for which
business can be guaranteed; term for which credit is
required; and the rate of commission demanded.
The addressee, if inclined to accept the offer, first

Neeraj
makes an enquiry regarding the financial position of
continue it.
the applicant from the references. On receiving
Yours faithfully,
satisfactory reply, he sends formal agreement for the
Sales Manager
approval and signature of the applicant. In case the reply
Vasudeva Motors of the referee is unfavourable, polite letter of refusal is

Publications
2. Circular Announcing the Shifting of Office. sent to the applicant.
Letters Offering/Granting Agency
VASUDEVA MOTORS LTD. The important guidelines while writing letters about
Delhi offering or granting an agency are as under:

www.neerajbooks.com
July 10, 2008
Re.: Shifting Office
Dear Sir,
The steady growth of our business has necessitated
our shifting to a new office. The existing office of our
Branch was unable to cope efficiently with the increased
requirements of our valued customers.
In order to ensure better services to our customers,
we shall be shifting to new premises at Model Town,
Delhi with effect from August 1, 2008. The new office
is spacious and more centrally located.
We hope to receive from you all communications
in our new office from August 1, 2008 onwards.
We thank you for your past patronage and solicit
its continuance.
Yours faithfully,
Sales Manager
Vasudeva Motors
(i) Focus on the market which can be developed
and the scope of agency business.
(ii) Induce in to the agent to take up the agency.
(iii) Terms and conditions of agency.
(iv) What would be the targets for the agent.
Applying for Agency
While making an application for an agency, the
following points must be included:
(i) Market scope: The application should clearly
state the market, where he can push up a
product.
(ii) Experience: His experience and his ability to
push up sales with guarantee.
(iii) Terms and Conditions: The way in which he
intends to deal with the principal and the
commission he expects must be mentioned in
clear terms.
(iv) Reference: It is good to give reference of
tradesmen or bankers so as to enable the

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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 121

principal to enquire of the agent’s standing and We are pleased to acknowledge the receipt of your
status. letter of June 16, 2008, offering to act as our Sole Agent
(v) Conclusion: The applicant should express the for Uttar Pradesh and are glad to inform that we have
hope that granting of the agency will be decided to provide you sole agency for your state.
mutually beneficial to both the parties. We enclose our Agreement form duly filled in. All
1. Application for Agency or Distributionship the Terms & Conditions regarding commission, credit
BIHARI LAL & SONS and minimum sales are laid down therein. If the terms
Ram Bagh of the agreement are approved, you may please send
Kanpur one copy of the form to us after putting down your
June 16, 2008 signature and seal on it.
M/s Kundan Ram & Sons, On hearing from you, we would advise our U.P.
M.P. Road, customers to have direct dealings with you and would
Mumbai. send all the literature we have turned out for
Sir, advertisement purposes with your name printed therein.
We have learnt from your advertisement in the We shall await your reply.
Times of India dt. June 14, 2008 that you are looking Yours faithfully,
for a selling agency in Uttar Pradesh. We, therefore, Kundan Ram & Sons

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offer our services to act as your sole agent for this state. 3. Letter Refusing to Grant an Agency
Our firm was established in 2000 and we deal in D.K. Machines
sewing machine and their parts of all the important New Delhi
foreign makes. We are the premier suppliers of these March 6, 2008
goods to all the important sellers in this state and we M/s. Cransham & Sons

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are sure that we will succeed in introducing your goods Ludhiana
in U.P. We hope to give you an annual business of 20 Dear Sir,
lakh rupees. Thank you very much for your interest in selling
Our terms are 10% commission and refund of our our products at Ludhiana and your offer to act as our

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disbursements and payments three months hence. sole selling agent for the entire state. However, we regret
We are pleased to provide you with the following that it will not be possible for us to establish further
references: The Machine House, Chandni Chowk, Delhi agencies in the state at this point. We are keeping your
and Creural Machines, Mumbai. name on our records and shall get in touch with you if
It shall be our endeavour to safeguard your interest we decide to have more agencies in Punjab.
to the best of our ability. Thank you once again for your offer.
Thanking you, Yours faithfully,
Yours faithfully, for D.K. Machines
For Kundan Ram & Sons 4. Cancellation of Agency
Partner KUNDAN RAM & SONS
Encl. A Copy of Terms and Conditions. M.P. Road
2. Letter for Offer or Granting of Agency Mumbai
KUNDAN RAM & SONS October 11, 2008
M.P. Road, M/s. Bihari Lal & Sons,
Mumbai Kanpur.
June 24, 2008 Sir,
M/s Bihari Lal & Sons, At the time of appointing your selling agent of our
Kanpur. goods for U.P., we were given an understanding that
Dear Sir, you would be able to give us sales of about 20 lakh

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122 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
rupees. But our records show that during the past year,
your purchases from us have not exceeded Rs. 3 lakh.
It means that you are not able to push up the sales of
our products.
Under these circumstances, we have no option but
to cancel your agency with immediate effect. We hope
that you will understand our difficulties.
Yours faithfully,
Kundan Ram & Sons
Job application letter, also known as a cover letter,
should be sent or uploaded with your resume when
applying for jobs. The job application letters you send
explain to the employer why you are qualified for the
position and why you should be selected for an interview.
Writing a job application letters can seems like a
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challenging task. However, if you take it one step at a
time, you’ll soon be an expert at writing application
letters to send with your resume.
The parts of a business letter include the date,
sender’s address, recipient’s address, salutation, body,
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closing, signature line and any enclosures. Every part is
strategically placed on a business letter with strict
guidelines and different layouts. Knowing how to write
a proper business letter is crucial for success in many
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aspects of the business world including, but not limited
to, applying for jobs, managing a workforce and
communicating with buyers and suppliers.
Characteristics
The date line of the letter shows when the letter
was finished. Write out the month completely, followed
by the day and the year, 2 inches from the top of the
page. The sender’s address is optional, but can fit in the
letter in two places, if included. The address can go one
line below the date; no need to exclude the sender’s
name or add the address just below the signature line.
The recipient’s address, also called the inside address,
should begin one line below the sender’s address with a
personal title included. For the salutation, use the full
name of the recipient followed by a colon. The closing,
such as “Thank you,” needs only the first word
capitalized, followed by a comma. Add four lines for a
signature between the closing and the sender’s name.
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Function
The body of the letter should be concise; the
paragraphs should simply state the main point of the
letter, explain the importance, give details and
background information about the topic and request
action from the recipient.
Types
There are three different business letter formats:
block format, modified block format and semi-block
format.
A block format is the most commonly used; the
paragraphs are left justified and single spaced,
except for between paragraphs, which is double
spaced.
The modified block layout is the same as the
block, but the date and signature are started in
the center of the page.
The semi-block format is the least used. Each
paragraph is indented; the date and signature
are centered on the page.
Lets view an example of job application below:
Letter for Application
Mr. Gautam Sharma
XYZ Company
87 Lawrence Road
New Delhi 110035
Date
Dear Mr. Sharma,
I am writing to apply for the programmer position
advertised in the Times Union. As requested, I am
enclosing a completed job application, my certification,
my resume and three references. The opportunity
presented in this listing is very interesting, and I believe
that my strong technical experience and education will
make me a very competitive candidate for this position.
The key strengths that I possess for success in this
position include:
I have successfully designed, developed, and
supported live use applications
I strive for continued excellence
I provide exceptional contributions to customer
service for all customers
With a BS degree in Computer Programming, I have
a full understanding of the full life cycle of a software
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 123

development project. I also have experience in learning
and excelling at new technologies as needed.
Please see my resume for additional information
on my experience. Thank you for your time and
consideration. I look forward to speaking with you about
this employment opportunity.
Sincerely,
Rahul Gupta
Job Application Form
It’s important for your job applications to be
complete, correct (no errors) and accurate. Here is the
information you will need to complete an application
for employment and tips and suggestions for writing
applications that make a great impression.
Regardless of whether you complete an online job
application or apply in-person, make sure you have all
information you need ready before you apply for a job.
Resume (if you have one)
Tips for Completing Job Applications:
Complete all requested information. Don’t leave
anything blank. If you don’t know the details, bring the
application home and return it when it’s completed.
Write clearly and neatly, using black or blue ink.
Check for spelling and grammatical errors.
Proofread your job application form before turning it
in.
List your most recent job first when completing
employment information. List your most recent
education first. Include vocational schools and training
programs as well as college and high school.
References don’t necessarily have to be
professional. If you have volunteered you can use
members of the organizations that you have helped
or if you are a student use your teachers. In all cases,

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Job Application Form Details: ask for permission prior to using the person for a
Personal Information: reference.
Name How to Apply Jobs Online?
Address Before you start applying for jobs online it’s
City, State, Zip Code important to prepare to complete online job applications

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Phone Number and to gather all the information you’ll need to apply.
Eligibility to Work in US In order to apply for a job online and to complete
Felony convictions online job applications, you’ll need an email address to
If under age, working paper certificate use for job searching, Internet access, an up-to-date

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Education: resume, a cover letter for some jobs, your employment
Schools/Colleges Attended history, and your availability to work if you’re applying
Major for a part-time job. In addition, as part of the job
Degree/Diploma application process, you may need to take an online
Graduation Dates(s) employment test and provide employment references.
Position Applied For Information: Here’s advice and tips on how to apply for a job online.
Title of the job you are applying for Before you start looking for jobs and completing
Hours/days available to work online job applications, you’ll need an updated version
When you can start work of your resume ready to upload. You may also need a
Employment Information: cover letter to apply for some jobs. Make sure your
Names, addresses, phone numbers of previous resume includes your current contact information and
employers work history. Save your resume as yournameresume.doc,
Supervisor’s name rather than with a generic file name like “resume” so
Dates of employment the hiring manager will connect you with the resume
Salary when they review it.
Reason for Leaving Have a basic cover letter ready that you can
References customize for each job you apply to. Some websites let
List of three references - names, job title or you upload an existing resume from Microsoft Word
relationship, addresses, phone numbers on your computer with the click of a button. On other

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124 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
websites, you may need to copy and paste from your
resume into an online profile or use a resume builder
that is incorporated into the job application system.
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum vitae, also known as a CV, includes a
summary of your educational and academic
backgrounds as well as teaching and research
experience, publications, presentations, awards,
honors, affiliations and other details. In Europe, the
Middle East, Africa, or Asia, employers expect to
receive curriculum vitae.
When should job seekers use curriculum vitae,
commonly referred to as CV, rather than a resume? In
the United States, curriculum vitae are used primarily
when applying for academic, education, scientific or
research positions. It is also applicable when applying
for fellowships or grants.
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When asking for a job in Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, or Asia, expect to submit a CV rather than a
resume. Keep in mind that overseas employers often
expect to read the type of personal information on a
curriculum vitae that would never be included on an
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American resume, such as date of birth, nationality and
place of birth. United States law on what information
job applicants can be asked to provide does not apply
outside the country.
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There are several differences between a curriculum
vitae and a resume. A curriculum vitae is a longer (up to
two or more pages), more detailed synopsis of your
background and skills. A CV includes a summary of
your educational and academic backgrounds as well as
teaching and research experience, publications,
presentations, awards, honours, affiliations and other
details. As with a resume, you may need different
versions of a CV for different types of positions.
Like a resume, a curriculum vitae should include
your name, contact information, education, skills and
experience. In addition to the basics, a CV includes
research and teaching experience, publications, grants
and fellowships, professional associations and licenses,
awards and other information relevant to the position
you are applying for. Start by making a list of all your
background information, then organize it into categories.
Make sure you include dates on all the publications you
include.
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Interviews
An interview is a professional meeting in which a
series of questions are asked to determine eligibility and
discover information. Interviews are used when hiring
employees. When you are conducting an interview you
will need to ask various questions, such as why do you
believe you should work for this company? Also, ask
them what qualities they have along with their
background. When you interview you look for many
and very specific qualities. The qualities are things that
fit the description of the available job. When you
interview, you pick the best candidate from the other
applications. When a candidate comes in, you ask
personal questions. That are based on the job and not
based on the job to find out what find of ‘people person’
they are. You ask them how they would befit the
company and themselves and also use your management
based judgment.
Types of Interview
There are many different types of interviews. Once
you are selected for an interview, you may experience
one or more of the situations described below. When
you schedule an interview, try to get as much information
as possible about whom you will be meeting. Note that
it is rare to have only one interview prior to a job offer.
Most employers will bring back a candidate a number
of times to be sure a potential employee will fit into the
company culture.
Traditional Face-to-Face Interview
Most interviews are face-to-face. The most
traditional is a one-on-one conversation.
Your focus should be on the person asking
questions. Maintain eye contact, listen and
respond once a question has been asked.
Your goal is to establish rapport with the
interviewer and show them that your
qualifications will benefit their organization.
Panel/Committee Interview
In this situation, there is more than one
interviewer. Typically, three to ten members
of a panel may conduct this part of the selection
process. This is your chance to put your group
management and group presentation skills on
display.
As quickly as possible, try to ‘read’ the various
personality types of each interviewer and adjust
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to them. Find a way to connect with each
interviewer.
Remember to take your time in responding to
questions. Maintain primary eye contact with
the panel member who asked the question, but
also seek eye contact with other members of
the panel as you give your response.
Behavioural Interview
The basic premise behind this type of interview
is that your past behaviour is the best predictor
of your future actions. These types of questions
may be asked in any interview format-
telephone, panel or one-on-one.
If the employer asks behaviour-oriented
questions, they are no longer asking
hypothetical questions but are now asking
questions that must be answered based on facts.
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With a behavioural question, the interviewer
is looking for results, not just an activity list.
They are listening for names, dates, places, the
outcome and especially what your role was in
achieving that outcome.
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This type of question generally starts with the
words “Give me an example when...” or “Tell
me about a time when…”
Case Interview
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In some interviews you may be asked to
demonstrate your problem-solving skills. The
interviewer will outline a situation or provide
you with a case study and ask you to formulate
a plan that deals with the problem.
You do not have to come up with the ultimate
solution. The interviewers are looking for how
you apply your knowledge and skills to a real-
life situation. Speak and reason aloud so
interviewers have a full understanding of your
thought process. Before answering a case
interview question, be prepared to ask the
employer numerous questions for clarity and
informational purposes. Most employers will
provide responses that could result in
additional inquiries.
The more you are able to analyze and dissect
the case study, the more you will likely impress
your interviewer.
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 125
This is the only interview for which it is
acceptable, even encouraged, to bring a pad
of paper and pencil. Most interviewers will
allow you to take notes and jot down thoughts
as you work through the case.
Telephone Interview
Many organizations will conduct interviews by
telephone to narrow a field of candidates.
Telephone interviews may also be used as a
preliminary interview for candidates who live
far away from the job site.
It is important to treat this interview as you
would a face-to-face connection. Arrange for
a quiet space and time to schedule the
conversation. Clear a work surface to minimize
distractions.
Focus on the conversation. Listen to the
questions carefully before you answer. Since
your voice is key, convey energy with inflection
in your voice.
Have a copy of your resume nearby as a
reference.
Avoid using a phone with call waiting. You do
not want to be interrupted during an interview.
Try to use a landline phone or a cell phone
that is not prone to dropping calls.
Group Interview
A group interview is usually designed to
uncover the leadership potential of prospective
managers and employees who will be dealing
with customers.
The front-runner candidates are gathered
together in an informal, discussion type
interview. A subject is introduced and the
interviewer will start off the discussion.
The goal of the group interview is to see how
you interact with others and how you use your
knowledge and reasoning to influence others.
Tips and Strategies for Successful Interviewing
It’s important to remember that you won’t know
what type of interview will take place until you are sitting
in the interview room. So, prepare answers to traditional
interview questions. Then, since you don’t know exactly
what situations you will be asked about if it’s a
behavioural interview, refresh your memory and
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126 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
consider some special situations you have dealt with or
projects you have worked on. You may be able to use
them to help frame responses. Review the job
description. You may be able to get a sense of what
skills will be asset from reading the job description and
position requirements.
The best way to prepare is to think of examples
where you have successfully used the skills you’ve
acquired. Take the time to compile a list of responses
to both type of questions and to itemise your skills,
values and interests as well as your strengths and
weaknesses. Emphasise what you can do to benefit
the company rather than just what you are interested
in. Also prepare a list of questions you want to ask the
interviewer. Remember, you aren’t simply trying to get
the job–you are also interviewing the employer to
assess whether this company and the position are a
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good fit for you.
Gathering background information on employers
is a crucial element in successful interview preparation.
You need to be prepared to answer the question, “What
do you know about our company?” and “Why do you
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want to work here?” Knowing as much as possible about
the company’s past performance and future plans can
make your interview more interactive and could be just
the leg up you need in a competitive job market. Before
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the interview, review the company’s website and don’t
be afraid to contact your prospective employer to request
details on the position you are looking for or to ask for
company literature.
“Practice makes a man perfect.” So, prepare your
answers to commonly asked interview questions. During
the interview, try to remain as calm as possible. Ask for
clarification if you’re not sure what’s been asked and
remember that it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment
or two to frame your responses so you can be sure to
fully answer the question.
It is very important to be on time for the interview.
On time means 10 to 15 minutes early. If need be, take
some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you
know exactly where you are going. Know the
interviewee’s name and use it during the interview. If
you are not sure of the name, ask prior to the interview.
Remember to bring an extra copy of your resume and
also go through it carefully before the interview.
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Ask questions, since the interview is as much an
opportunity for you to learn about the organisation.
Watch your non-verbal clues, such as eye contact,
posture, gestures etc. Give a positive first impression
which could be a warm handshake, greeting with a
pleasant smile, show enthusiasm and interest. Watch
your body language and be as natural as possible.
Listening is an art which helps as much at the
interview as in social situations. If you maintain a stony
silence when the interviewer is speaking, he may feel
uneasy. It is, therefore, necessary to give signals that
you are listening to him. Your response may take the
form of a nod or a smile or even sometimes whispering
approvals, such as “hmm”, “yes” etc. You should not
interrupt the interviewer, till he has finished, howsoever,
impatient you may be to react to what he is saying.
Avoid giving uncomplimentary references of your
former employers or other associates and making
uncharitable remarks about them. End the interview with
a ‘thank you’ to the interviewer and reiterate your interest
in the position. Then, follow-up with a personal Thank
you note restating your interest. It’s important to keep
in mind that there are no right or wrong answers. The
interviewer is simply trying to understand how you
behaved in a given situation.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
The most important step in the life of an individual
is a job interview. It is your first step in landing your
dream job and therefore you should equip yourself fully
for the interview.
A job interview can consist of different rounds and
therefore preparation is a must. You will do well to do a
bit of search about the organization and arm yourself
with the data.
The interview could be both subject oriented as well
as a general HR one. It will be of a great help if you can
prepare some questions that are likely to come up in the
interview and practice them with a friend and this will
give you enough confidence to face the interview and
also come out on top.
Examples of Interview Questions
1. Tell me about yourself: The most often asked
question in interviews. You need to have a short
statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does
not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items
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unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have
done and jobs you have held that relate to the position
you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back
and work up to the present.
2. Why did you leave your last job?: Stay positive
regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major
problem with management and never speak ill of
supervisors, co- workers or the organization. If you do,
you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk
about leaving for a positive reason such as an
opportunity, a chance to do something special or other
forward-looking reasons.
3. What experience do you have in this field?:
Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are
applying for. If you do not have specific experience,
get as close as you can.
4. Do you consider yourself successful?: You
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should always answer yes and briefly explain why. A
good explanation is that you have set goals and you
have met some and are on track to achieve the others.
5. What do co-workers say about you?: Be
prepared with a quote or two from co-workers. Either a
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specific statement or a paraphrase will work. Jill Clark,
a co-worker at Smith Company, always said I was the
hardest workers she had ever known. It is as powerful
as Jill having said it at the interview herself.
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6. What do you know about this organization?:
This question is one reason to do some research on the
organization before the interview. Find out where they
have been and where they are going. What are the current
issues and who are the major players?
7. What have you done to improve your
knowledge in the last year?: Try to include
improvement activities that relate to the job. A wide
variety of activities can be mentioned as positive self-
improvement. Have some good ones handy to
mention.
8. Are you applying for other jobs?: Be honest
but do not spend a lot of time in this area. Keep the
focus on this job and what you can do for this
organization. Anything else is a distraction.
9. Why do you want to work for this
organization?: This may take some thought and
certainly, should be based on the research you have done
on the organization. Sincerity is extremely important
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 127
here and will easily be sensed. Relate it to your long-
term career goals.
10. Do you know anyone who works for us?: Be
aware of the policy on relatives working for the
organization. This can affect your answer even though
they asked about friends not relatives. Be careful to
mention a friend only if they are well thought of.
11. What kind of salary do you need?: A nasty
little game that you will probably lose if you answer
first. So, do not answer it. Instead, say something like,
that’s a tough question. Can you tell me the range for
this position? In most cases, the interviewer, taken off
guard, will tell you. If not, say that it can depend on the
details of the job. Then give a wide range.
12. Are you a team player?: You are, of course, a
team player. Be sure to have examples ready. Specifics
that show you often perform for the good of the team
rather than for yourself are good evidence of your team
attitude. Do not brag, just say it in a matter-of-fact tone.
This is a key point.
Interview Tips
Phone Interviewing Tips: An increasing number
of organizations are choosing to use the phone
interviewing method to screen candidates before calling
them for the actual interview. The main thought behind
conducting a phone interview is to allow the company
to verify the basic details of the applicant while also
scrutinizing his/her basic English speaking skills,
enthusiasm for the job and also do a check on the details
you have mentioned in your resume. Usually the
company will conduct a single phone interview but such
norms may or may not be followed by very company,
so you can expect a second call if they would like to
confirm further details regarding your education, work
experience, etc.
When you are submitting your resume along with
the job application do not forget to mention what time
of the day you will be available as the company will
call you at such a time. Be prepared for the interview
and always have a copy of your resume with you in
case you need it.
Exit Interview: Exit interviews are interviews
conducted by a company when an employee is leaving
the company. The primary reason for conducting or
taking such an interview is to know why the employee
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128 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
is resigning or leaving his job at the company. The exit
interview is conducted by either the HR manager or
someone who is responsible for recruitment in the
company. During the interview the employee’s boss or
immediate senior is not invited thus allowing the person
to be open and candid regarding his/her decision to leave
the company. There is also a form that accompanies the
interview where in the reasons for the employees
departure from the company, overall experience and
feedback is noted.
Who is the interviewer?: The interviewer is a
person who is responsible for conducting an interview.
The interviewer can be an outsider appointed by the
company or a person from the HR or recruitment
department of the company. While some interviewers
may have a set questionnaire for a technical interview,
group interview etc, but most interviewers believe in
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group discussion interviews or one on one interview.
The first interview is always a written interview followed
by other interviews.
Interviewers have the uncanny nack of being good
observers, they precisely monitor your behaviour, your
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interaction abilities, how confidently you participate and
answer during a group interview.
The questions that you can expect–tell me
something about yourself, what do you remember the
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most about your college campus and why do you want
to join this company etc.
Technical Job Interview Tips: Technical job
interviews are not classified as being amongst the easier
of the job interviews conducted. These interviews are
conducted for only those who are technically qualified
in a particular field say like computer language
programming or engineering. The interviewer will have
a certain agenda for each candidate usually based on
his/her field of expertise. A technical interview can be
very tough if you are not sound in the field, the
interviewer can grind you extensively till the time they
know for sure whether or not you are completely
qualified for the position you seek.
On your part you would well to do some research
regarding the latest developments in your sector and
the latest tools and applications being employed. If you
have been out of job for sometime then do brush up and
polish your skills wherever needed.
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Creating the first impression: A lot has always
been said about the ‘First Impression.’ And the fact is
that your first impression during the interview can make
a world of difference to your job prospects. First and
foremost is dressing up appropriately for the interview.
Do not dress up loudly, do not wear a jeans and funky
accessories just to prove you are in sync with fashion,
neither should to dress up in such a way to suggest you
have no dressing sense.
Dress up smartly and your body language should
reflect confidence and not a nervous persona. Every
candidate has interview jitters but those who are able to
display confidence along with the correct attitude are
always able to create the right first impression.
Thereafter the interviewer is looking forward to
interviewing you and knowing about the skills, the
abilities and a lot more that you may have to offer to the
company.
Letter of Appointment
The following guidelines would be helpful in
issuing a letter of appointment:
1. A job description should be developed.
2. The contracting officer for the area determines
if the requirements for a Letter of Appointment
are met. Equity, Diversity, Immigration
Services and Human Resources may be
consulted in making this determination.
3. It is not necessary to advertise or publicly
recruit for the position. Individuals may be
identified by the hiring department using letters
of appointment.
4. The rate of pay may be an hourly or monthly
rate, or a total amount for a short-term
project. The period of employment should
be the inclusive dates of employment. The
schedule should specify the exact dates of
service, and when appropriate, the number
of hours/days per week or the total hours/
days of service.
5. The Letter of Appointment specifies if the
individual will be compensated on a bi-weekly
or monthly basis:
(a) Bi-weekly: If the individual is to be paid
an hourly rate of pay, hours are turned
into payroll on time sheets.
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(b) Monthly: If the individual is to be paid a
pre-determined amount per month for
the completion of a project, a payroll
authorisation must be processed for
payroll either on a monthly basis or
reflecting the terms of the duration of
the appointment.
6. Once the Letter of Appointment is completed
and signed by appointee, initiator and
contracting officer, the copies should be
distributed as follows:
(a) Human Resource–Original (For review
and notification of appropriate
departments i.e. payroll.)
(b) Appointee
(c) Contracting officer
(d) Initiator
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7. Appointee will be identified with an object code.
8. Appointers will be given an orientation in
Human Resource to place them on the payroll
and explain benefits and conditions of
employment.
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Sample: Letter of Appointment
Date: 4th Feb, 2008
To,
Mahesh Chatterjee
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B-1/68, Chittaranjan Park
New Delhi-55
Dear Mahesh,
Thank you for attending the interview on
22nd Jan, 2008. I am pleased to offer you the position
of Senior Marketing Manager at Ludhiana starting on
1st March, 2008. I propose that the terms of employment
will be those in the attached draft of individual
employment agreement.
Please note that you are entitled to discuss this offer
and to seek advice on the attached proposed agreement
with your family, a union, your lawyer or someone else
you trust. If you want some information on your
employment rights, you can contact me to discuss any
issue.
As discussed with you, the office hours are from
9:30 A.M. to 6:00 P.M., Monday to Friday. You will be
entiled to 2 weeks of annual paid holiday.
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 129
If you are happy with the proposed terms and wish
to accept this letter of employment, please sign the
duplicate copy of this letter and return it to me by 15th
Feb, 2005. In the event if I have not heard from you by
that date, this offer will be automatically withdrawn on
that date.
I look forward to working with you.
Yours Sincerely,
Paromita Roy
Maurya Sheraton
D-131, Sector-55
Saket, Delhi-49
-------------------
I, Mahesh Chatterjee, confirm that I have read the
terms of employment set out in this letter and in the
attached individual employment agreement, that I fully
understand them and their implications and that I now
accept the offer of employment.
Signed By-: -------------- Date: ---------------
FAXES AND EMAILS
Sometimes documents can be attached to e-mail
with a message or vice-versa. Its not just e-mail that is
involved in electronic communication, it also involves
faxes and telephones. Some computers are programmed
through a network with instant messengers. You can have
a written conversation using these. These are not reliable
as the messages may be lost in cyberspace and not
delivered.
E-mail can be classified as internal as well as
external because mail can be sent anywhere as long as
it is to a specified address of another staff member, for
example, too far to reach within the building. Once e-
mail has been sent, it should be received straight away.
This is a convenient way of sending long messages or
documents. One bad disadvantage of using e-mail is
that you can receive viruses and maybe send them
accidentally. This would give the firm a bad reputation.
Another problem is that you need a computer or a device
that is able to send and receive e-mail; this might lead
to a large amount of money being spent on machines.
E-mails could be used to dispatch frequent orders
to staff as well as their partner companies. The e-mail
service could also be used as a newsletter to their
customers. E-mails can also be received seconds after
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130 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
being sent. Most e-mail networks have user names and
passwords so that the information sent to you is private
and classified. To send e-mails, all you have to do is
write the e-mail address, and include the text, diagram,
application, etc. and then send. It is that easy to use
e-mail. E-mail is quite reliable but there are some cases
when servers break down where the e-mail cannot be
sent, and therefore cannot be received. Another problem
is manual error when typing email addresses.
Fax is a way of sending forms and documents all
over the world via telephone lines. Documents come in
clear but can sometimes take their time. Fax can
authorize documents with a signature. The sender and
receiver must both have fax machines. Fax machines
are relatively cheap, as there are different ways of
communication emerging. Fax machines are quite
expensive depending on quality.
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The human brain starts working the moment you
are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in
public. A person under the influence of his feelings,
projects the real self, acting naturally and spontaneously.
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A speaker who is interested will usually be
interesting.
–Dale Carnegie
A good speech is a combination of What you say
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and HOW you say it. Remember, most audiences are
not hostile to you. Rather they want you to succeed.
Public speaking can be learned by most people.
One way to open up communication is to use the names
of people in the audience. Make your audience see what
you saw, hear what you heard and feel what you felt.
Audiences are not interested in excuses or apologies.
Just deliver your speech.
“A good speaker is one whose spirit enters the
soul of the pupil.”
–Sonia Sarnoff
“The heart of a fool is in his mouth but the mouth
of a wise man is in his heart.”
–Benjamin Franklin
“The ability to conquer nervousness and speak with
self-confidence is not difficult to acquire. It is not a gift
bestowed by providence on only a few rarely endowed
individuals. Everyone can develop his own capacity if
he has sufficient desire to do so.”
–Dale Carnegie
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Face-To-Face Conversation and Telephone
Conversation
Selling face-to-face is different from selling on the
telephone. The main role of a telesales person is to
generate sales either from incoming calls or by outbound
calling. In some, the objective is to make appointments
and in others, it is to make appointments for the direct
sales force.
Face-to-face
1. Eye contact is possible.
2. Partner is visible.
3. Facial expressions or gestures are used to make
communication more effective and easily
understandable.
4. Greeting is done by shaking hands.
5. Messages exchanged cannot be distorted.
6. Other person’s reactions, behaviours, emotions
and feelings are visible.
7. Speak casually.
8. Mostly long conversations.
Telephone
1. Eye contact is not possible.
2. Partner is not visible.
3. Facial expressions or gestures carry no
meaning as they are not visible to the partner.
4. Greeting is not done by shaking hands, but is
by oral words.
5. Message exchanged can be distorted.
6. Only voice reactions, behaviour, emotions and
feelings can be experienced/felt and are not
visible.
7. Speak a little loudly since the other person may
not hear.
8. Try to be brief.
One form of conversation is interaction between
two persons on the telephone. In this form, the advantage
of using body language and eye contact is lost. But it is
one of the commonest and fastest ways of contacting
persons. It is simple, handy, and beneficial in the long
run.
Q. 1. Explain in detail various parts of a business
letter.
Ans. Following are the parts of the business letter:
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The Heading (The Retern Address) or
Letterhead: Companies usually use printed paper where
heading or letterhead is specially designed at the top of
the sheet. It bears all the necessary information about
the organisation’s identity.
Date of writing: The month should be fully
spelled out and the year written with all four digits
October 12, 2005. The date is aligned with the return
address. The number of the date is pronounced as
an ordinal figure, though the endings st, nd, rd, th,
are often omitted in writing. The article before the
number of the day is pronounced but not written. In
the body of the letter, however, the article is written
when the name of the month is not mentioned with
the day.
The Inside Address: In a business or formal letter
you should give the address of the recipient after your
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own address. Include the recipient’s name, company,
address and postal code. Add job title if appropriate.
Separate the recipient’s name and title with a comma.
Double check that you have the correct spelling of the
recipient ‘s name. The Inside Address is always on the
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left margin. If an 8 1/2" × 11" paper is folded in thirds
to fit in a standard 9" business envelope, the inside
address can appear through the window in the
envelope.
The Greeting: Also called the salutation. The type
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of salutation depends on your relationship with the
recipient. It normally begins with the word “Dear” and
always includes the person’s last name. Use every
resource possible to address your letter to an actual
person. If you do not know the name or the sex of of
your reciever address it to Dear Madam/Sir (or Dear
Sales Manager or Dear Human Resources Director). As
a general rule the greeting in a business letter ends in a
colon (US style). It is also acceptable to use a comma
(UK style).
The Subject Line (optional): Its inclusion can help
the recipient in dealing successfully with the aims of
your letter. Normally the subject sentence is preceded
with the word Subject: or Re: Subject line may be
emphasized by underlining, using bold font, or all captial
letters. It is usually placed one line below the greeting
but alternatively can be located directly after the “inside
address,” before the “greeting”.
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 131
The Body Paragraphs: The body is where you
explain why you’re writing. It’s the main part of the
business letter. Make sure the receiver knows who you
are and why you are writing but try to avoid starting
with “I”. Use a new paragraph when you wish to
introduce a new idea or element into your letter.
Depending on the letter style you choose, paragraphs
may be indented. Regardless of format, skip a line
between paragraphs.
The Complimentary Close: This short, polite
closing ends always with a comma. It is either at the
left margin or its left edge is in the center, depending
on the Business Letter Style that you use. It begins at
the same column the heading does. The traditional rule
of etiquette in Britain is that a formal letter starting
“Dear Sir or Madam” must end “Yours faithfully”,
while a letter starting “Dear “ must end “Yours
sincerely”.
Signature and Writer’s identification: The
signature is the last part of the letter. You should sign
your first and last names. The signature line may include
a second line for a title, if appropriate. The signature
should start directly above the first letter of the signature
line in the space between the close and the signature
line. Use blue or black ink.
Initials, Enclosures, Copies: Initials are to be
included if someone other than the writer types the letter.
If you include other material in the letter, put
‘Enclosure’, ‘Enc.’, or ‘ Encs. ‘, as appropriate, two
lines below the last entry. cc means a copy or copies are
sent to someone else.
Q. 2. What elements constitute the formal outlay
of a business letter? Explain with the help of a typical
example.
Ans. Elements for Writing Formal Letters in
English. In English there are a number of conventions
that should be used when writing a formal or business
letter. Furthermore, you try to write as simply and as
clearly as possible, and not to make the letter longer
than necessary. Remember not to use informal language
like contractions.
Addresses: 1. Your Address: The return address
should be written in the top right-hand corner of the
letter.
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132 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
2. The Address of the person you are writing to:
The inside address should be written on the left, starting
below your address.
Date: Different people put the date on different
sides of the page. You can write this on the right or the
left on the line after the address you are writing to. Write
the month as a word.
Salutation or Greeting:
1. Dear Sir or Madam,
If you do not know the name of the person you are
writing to, use this. It is always advisable to try to find
out a name.
2. Dear Mr Jenkins,
If you know the name, use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss
or Ms, Dr, etc.) and the surname only. If you are writing
to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss,
you can use Ms, which is for married and single women.
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Ending a letter:
1. Yours faithfully
If you do not know the name of the person, end the
letter this way.
2. Yours sincerely
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If you know the name of the person, end the letter
this way.
3. Your signature
Sign your name, then print it underneath the
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signature. If you think the person you are writing to
might not know whether you are male of female, put
you title in brackets after your name.
Q. 3. State and discuss the essential quality of a
good business letter.
Ans. Letter writing occupies at least one-third of
all office work and good writing is the most effective
advertisement of your capability. Any skills you can
acquire or improve in this area do double duty. They
help you work more quickly and effectively while
advancing your career.
Besides the skills you need for your own writing,
you need to learn techniques of letter writing to handle
your boss’s correspondence. Most successful business
people have already mastered the mechanics of
language, but many in authoritative positions lack such
skills. They rely on their administrative assistants to see
that their letters are satisfactory.
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Any letter that comes from your keyboard–whether
composed by you or your employer–must have a
businesslike appearance that does not distract from the
message it has to convey. The letter must be neat and
symmetrical, and with no typographical, grammatical,
or spelling errors. Its language and appearance should
also be within the conventions of the commercial world.
That is the reason each company selects its own style
for presentation to its public.
Generally, if you can’t fit it all onto one side of a
standard business sheet of paper, start again. Whether
writing a letter of complaint, introduction, or proposition
–you must keep it brief. If your letter can’t be read and
understood in less than 20 seconds it has limited chances
of success. It used to be 30–this time limit gets shorter
every year. Think about the purpose of your letter. It
will rarely be to resolve something completely. It will
more often be to establish a step along the way. So
concentrate just on that step.
Q. 4. Write short notes on:
(a) Envelope
(b) Enclosures to a letter
(c) Letterhead
(d) Salutation
Ans. (a) Envelope: An envelope is a common
packaging item, usually made of thin flat material. It is
designed to contain a flat object, such as a letter or card.
Traditional envelopes are made from sheets of paper
cut to one of three shapes: a rhombus, a short-arm cross,
or a kite. These shapes allow for the creation of the
envelope structure by folding the sheet sides around a
central rectangular area. In this manner, a rectangle-
faced enclosure is formed with an arrangement of four
flaps on the reverse side.
(b) Enclosures to a letter: If letter contains other
document other than the letter itself your letter will
include the word “Enclosure.” If there is more than one
you would type, “Enclosures (#)” with the # being the
number of other documents enclosed, not including the
letter itself.
(c) Letterhead: A letterhead is the heading at the
top of a sheet of letter paper (stationery). That heading
usually consists of a name and an address, and a logo or
corporate design, and sometimes a background pattern.
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The term “letterhead” is often used to refer to the
whole sheet imprinted with such a heading. In some
regions, there have been various legal constraints on
the items included in a letterhead: for example in
England and Wales, a letterhead may include the
names of all directors or none, but not a selection
from those names.
(d) Salutation: A salutation is a greeting used in a
letter or other written communication, such as an email.
Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common
form of salutation in a letter is Dear followed by the
recipient’s given name or title. For each style of
salutation there is an accompanying style of
complimentary close, known as valediction.
Q. 5. Make a list of the information you would
like to include in a letter of application.
Ans. A letter of application should have the
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following information:
(i) Where did you learn about the position?
(ii) Which post are you applying for?
(iii) Refer to your CV in the letter– Explaining how
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your experience, education and skills qualify
you for the job.
(iv) Ask for an interview.
Q. 6. Write a short note on external
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communication.
Ans. Without proper external communication,
you will not be able to coordinate complex jobs
involving a number of work centres and divisions. You
must develop good lines and methods of communication
external to the shop. Running systems tests may involve
several work centers aboard ship and, in some cases,
other ships or activities. Unless you can effectively
communicate your requirements to each work centre,
you will be unable to successfully complete the systems
tests. Much of your external communication is in the
form of correspondence. The correspondence will be
of little value unless you have an effective way of
keeping track of the information and ensuring that it
gets to the ultimate users. You should develop
controls to ensure that information gets to and from
the people who will benefit the most from it.
Q. 7. What is the difference between external
and internal communication?
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EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION / 133
Ans. Internal communication involves the
communication that exists within a company and can
take many forms. Key to the success of an organization
is communication from within. In order to effectively
engage in two-way symmetrical communication, (the
goal of public relations practitioners), communication
is essential internally.
External communication covers how a provider
interacts with those outside their own organization. This
may be with the public, employers, community
organizations, local authorities, job centers, careers
offices, funding bodies, specialist agencies and other
training providers.
Q. 8. What are the advantages of electronic
communication?
Ans. The benefits of electronic communication is
that people across the world can share televised pictures,
conversations, graphics, circuits and interactive
softwares. The interaction between people residing in
different geographical locations have increased and have
become promiscuous. The conversations are more visual
and textual. This is helpful mainly for hearing impaired
people. With electronic communication, the recipient
receives the message within a few seconds of the sender
sending it. The recipient can read the message anytime,
anywhere according to his convenience.
The speed of conversation has increased and this
has resulted in faster processing of important matters
related to business, finance, trade, etc. For example,
you can instantly access the information present in your
computer. As there are no restrictions about time and
place, people can sit at home and do their office work
if the required resources are available. This work
arrangement is termed as telecommunicating. The
communicated messages can be stored permanently
or temporarily on disks or tapes for years or can even
be printed and stored in files. The process of learning
has become simple and efficient as the information
can be archived and retrieved according to the
requirement. Since the communication does not take
place via hard copies, money spent for paper, printing
and postal deliveries is saved. After the mail is
delivered to the receiver, it is placed safely in the hard
disk of the receiver’s computer. After the receiver
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134 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
retrieves the mail, it is his responsibility to keep it
safely.
Q. 9. What are the disadvantages of electronic
communication?
Ans. The main issue with electronic communication
is security. Your computer can be hacked and affected
with computer virus. This can have an adverse effect
on the computer system and the network. The volume
of transmitted data is large and the transmission is fast.
Hence, it becomes difficult for employers and managers
to absorb, process and understand it and provide proper
feedbacks to their employees. The speed with which
the messages are transmitted often changes the structure
of the messages, which at times can be misinterpreted.
Electronic data can be duplicated identically without
any proof of duplication. These messages can also be
modified. At times, people can intentionally send
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malicious programs like viruses, worms and Trojans
through emails, which is difficult to detect.
Another disadvantage of electronic communication
is email privacy issues. An email is sent in the form of
data packets via computer network. These data packets
have to pass through a number of routers (a computer
device used for forwarding packets in the computer
network) and computers before it reaches its destination.
So, there are chances of an individual tampering the
emails before it reaches its recipient. While the data
packets are transferred from one computer system to
another, they can be lost when one router transfers it to
another. If the router is bombarded with more number
of data packets than its carrying capacity, the receiver
can experience a delay in receiving it. The ‘from
message header’ of a message can be modified, which
hampers the authenticity.
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Writing Reports
The purpose of a business report is to communicate
information to assist in the business decision-making
process. Some reports might propose solutions for
business problems or might present relevant information
to assist in the problem solving process. A business plan
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is a kind of report which serves to communicate the
business model, business management model and the
commercial objectives of a business.
In general, when writing a business report the
following steps have to be followed: Preparing to write
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the business report, Determining the scope of the report,
Understanding the target audience, research to collect
supporting information, and formatting and organizing
the report.
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Before going on to the types of the report let us
study the meaning and importance of the report.
REPORT
Meaning and Definition
A report is a major form of professional
communication. It is used extensively by government,
business and industry as well as in professions, such as
science, engineering, medicine, etc. It facilitates
decision-making and acts as an instrument for nurturing
the health of an organisation and promoting its growth.
A report is also used for the study of existing procedures
and practices as well as for launching new projects and
assessing the progress of on-going projects. It is always
written to meet a demand or to fulfil a requirement. By
its very nature therefore a report has to convey
information and idea accurately and efficiently.
Usefulness, clarity and economy are its primary
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135
9
qualities. A report is not written to express a feeling, to
convey an atmosphere or to amuse as some other forms
of communication do. A professional writes a report not
because he has an impulse to write but because the
situation demands it. Among many qualities that a
professional should possess, the ability for effective
communication is one.
A professional report is a formal communication
written for a specific purpose, conveying authentic
information to a well defined audience in a completely
impartial and objective manner, and containing
recommendations, if required.
Types of Report
There are different types of report. But what is
actually meant by the term report. A report contains
information that is factual and objective and the person
who has collected it, presents it in a systematic manner.
One type of report is a business report. It is a presentation
of facts in a orderly manner about a specific or certain
business activity. It contain facts regarding an activity
and also the writer’s interpretation of the information.
There are further two types of business reports–
Formal Reports and Informal Reports.
Reports that are based on projects and need large
amount of money and quite a lot of months are called
formal reports. Such reports are not written in few pages
but may require hundreds of pages. Topics on which
such reports are written are – for example launch of a
new product, end-of-year development review etc.
Reports that are written briefly in about say few
pages or few paragraphs are called informal reports.
Such reports are written as memoranda if one has to
distribute them within the firm itself or as letters if one
has to send them outside the company. Examples of
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136 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
informal reports are progress report, accident report,
tour report etc.
Such reports (both formal and informal) may
provide information or may be analytic. The role of
analytic report is to describe a situation mainly but it
also contains the conclusions and recommendations
given by the writer and analysis of the situation.
Writers of such reports have greater responsibility
because these reports prove to be a base for important
decisions. Reasons for loss incurred on a contract,
suggestions for improving the product sales etc. are
examples of analytic reports.
The work of an informational report is to present a
situation without mentioning or giving the
recommendations or evaluation. Its only work is to pass
on the information i.e. such reports can give a detailed
information of activities or conditions and would not
provide solutions to the problems. Such reports are good
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and valuable for the reason that they provide facts but
later, they may be used by the management for the
purpose of decision making. Salesman’s expense sheet,
a foreman’s report on production, a tour report given
by a sales representative etc. are examples of
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informational reports.
Academic Report
The usual practice of an academic report is that
you group similar points together in one paragraph or
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one section. This lets you build and present your
arguments in a coherent way so that your arguments
provide the overall structure of the whole piece of work.
Your style of writing should be emotionally neutral,
i.e. you should state each point objectively (explaining
the facts without adding your thoughts or feelings,
although your academic comments are acceptable).
Academic reports often include an acknowledge-
ments section on the page following the title. This is a
list of people you wish to thank for the help they gave
you in preparing the report.
Writing an academic report or paper involves
reading about, thinking about, making a case about and
finally writing about a scholarly topic. Generally
speaking, the idea is to get your readers to see the topic
in a new light. Your academic report differs from other
types of reports you have done (perhaps ones written
for high school assignments) in that it presents both
researched facts and your own assessment.
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Writing Process
Step 1
Research your topic. Find out the answers to the
“who, what, when, where, why and how” questions about
your topic. Summarize what you know about the topic,
and evaluate what you don’t know so that you can focus
any further research. Create a bibliography to cite your
sources and avoid plagiarism.
Read primary sources as well as supplementary
information. Consider historical or popular opinions
about the topic. Think about the main points of each
article and note commonalities. Narrow your topic so
you can prepare to write an intelligent paper.
Step 2
Define your structure and connect your ideas into
a coherent line of reasoning. Develop an outline based
on your main idea (the thesis statement). Organizing
your ideas this way can help you see the relationships
between the ideas.
Each heading in your outline should be in the same
structure. For example, if your first heading starts with
an action verb, all other headings should start with action
verbs. Sub-headings should supply supporting details
to the heading. Re-organize your outline until it reflects
a logical flow of ideas.
Step 3
Write your paper. Academic reports typically
contain five parts: a title page, introductory paragraph
including your thesis statement, background
information, details about your ideas and a conclusion.
Present arguments for or against a particular view.
Write your supporting paragraphs to tell a story,
provide an observation, describe a process, define the
meaning, classify ideas, compare and contrast ideas,
make analogies or explain why something occurred.
Provide evidence, state assumptions and add your
opinion as appropriate so that your paper is coherent
and understandable. Ensure there are sufficient
concluding statements as well as transitions to
subsequent paragraphs in your paper. Minimize the use
of personal pronouns such as “I” in your academic
report.
Features of a Good Business Report
Qualities that a good business report must have are
as follows:
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– One should organize the report in such a way
that the information can be conveniently
displayed for the reader. One can easily read a
report, if the report is divided under headings
and sub-headings. If the reports are long
enough, one can make a contents table so that
the reader can read it easily. Text materials can
be shortened by using tables, graphs, diagrams
etc. and a lot of time of the reader can be saved.
– Remember to write a good report objectively.
As writer is deeply involved with the subject,
it becomes difficult for him to write in such a
way. He should properly select the words while
writing a report. One should not use
superlatives and other such expressions.
– A good report should be concise and clear.
Words should be simple and paragraphs and
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sentences should be logically written. Writing
a report with lots of words, irrelevant ideas
and too much detail, is not useful for both, the
reader and the writer.
– Remember that the information in a business
Publications
report should be reliable, trustworthy and
accurate.
Format of Report
Business report is not an example of creative writing
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which a reader should go through word by word.
Business reports are mainly about statistics and specific
information. Moreover, people who read such reports
are busy personnel of high rank. They do not have time
to go through each and every word. They look for
particular information and if an organization follows a
specific business report format, such personnel know
exactly which part of the report to look, for specific
information. This saves them a lot of time. Secondly,
following a standard business format also allows one to
organize his report effectively and logically. This is
especially useful in case, the report has a lot of data.
Also, one won’t forget to cover information on particular
area, if one refers to a sample business report. Hence,
knowing how to write a business report is very important
in the business world.
STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
Let us examine the elements that constitute the
structure of informational and interpretative reports. We
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WRITING REPORTS / 137
may define an element as a physical homogeneous part,
easily distinguished by its heading, content or format.
The sequence in which these elements appear in a report
are more or less standardised by the prevailing practices
in the professional world. The usual sequence is:
(i) Cover: To cover the manuscript against
damage, a report is usually bound in a cover.
A neat and attractive cover gives a report, a
professional look. It should contain only
essential information, namely, the report
number and its classification if any, name of
the organisation, title of the report, name of
the author and the date. The cover is an
optional element for a report which has only a
few pages.
(ii) Title Page: It is the right hand page of the
report. In addition to all the information in the
cover, it contains the following: project or job
number if any, the name and designation of
the primary recipient, approvals and
distribution list, if necessary. Occasionally, one
is required to get the report checked and
approved by a senior officer before submission
and to specify the names of the officers to
whom it is to be circulated. These are indicated
in the title page under ‘approvals’ and the
‘distribution list’. The items should be
artistically arranged on the page for balance
and symmetry.
(iii) Acknowledgements: It is necessary to
acknowledge any help, assistance or guidance
from different persons or organizations. In
doing so, you should be sincere and courteous
and have a variety in your expressions. A few
commonly used expressions are:
– We thank .............
– We are grateful ............
– We are indebted ...........
– We are deeply indebted .............
– We must express our gratitude ..........
– We owe a great deal .............
– We are deeply grateful ..............
– We acknowledge our indebtedness ...........
– We are highly obliged to ..............
– Thanks are due .................
– We are particularly grateful ...........
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138 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
– We should like to thank ...........
– We wish to record our appreciation .............
– We must acknowledge our obligation .........
– We wish to express our appreciation to
Mr. Gupta for reading the first draft of the
report.
If there is a preface, acknowledgements may
not appear as a separate element but this
information may be included in the preface
itself. If you have the slightest doubt whether
a person would feel embarrassed if his name
is mentioned in the acknowledgements, you
should secure his permission.
(iv) Table of Contents: The main function of the
Table of Contents is to help the reader locate
specific material in your report. The primary
consideration for deciding how detailed it
should be, is your perception of the reader’s
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needs. The table is patterned after the final
outline of the report. Without it the reader
would not be able to get an overall picture of
what your report contains.
Generally, sub-headings beyond the third-
Publications
order are not included in the Table. Number
each topic and sub-topic and write the page
number on which it appears. The numbering
of the elements up to abstract/summary is done
in small Roman numerals and that from
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introduction onwards in Hindu numerals.
Another point you should keep in mind is the
phrasing and grouping of the topics and sub-
topics. Ensure that they have parallel
grammatical construction. Topics and sub-
topics of equal rank should be assigned the
same level in the table.
(v) Abstract or Summary: In almost all reports
there is a condensation termed as abstract or
summary. Very often these labels are used
interchangeably. Discriminating professionals,
however, do make a distinction in terms of their
contents, function and length.
An abstract is a clear, concise condensation of
the purpose and the most important results of
the project. It states what the report is all about,
what has been accomplished and the
significance of the achievement.
A summary, on the other hand, is the entire
report in a nutshell. It has a beginning, stating
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why the project was carried out and why the
report was written; a middle, highlighting the
most important features of the report and an
end, giving conclusions and recommendations.
An abstract is more relevant in the context of
a communication by one specialist to another.
That is why every technical paper or research
paper contains an abstract. The journals which
publish such papers require an abstract from
every contributor. A report is not necessarily
meant to be read by another specialist; hence
abstract loses its importance in the context of
reports written in professional organisations.
It should, however, continue to remain a
compulsory element in a specialist to specialist
communication situation.
(vi) Introduction: The introduction prepares the
reader for the content of the report and is a
good starting point for one who is not familiar
with the subject. In writing an introduction, you
should, therefore, particularly keep in mind the
three basic questions governing all good
professional writing–for whom, for what and
why. In specific terms an introduction:
– states the subject and the purpose of the
project (investigation, survey etc.);
– specifies the authorization;
– gives the background, historical or
technical as the case may be;
– describes the basic procedure or methods
followed for the collection of data and their
sources;
– defines scope pointing out the limitations
or qualifications of the project; and
– indicates the value or importance of the
project.
An introduction also sometimes contains a
description of the plan of presentation or
development and explanation of specialized
terms and symbols used if their number is
small. Sometimes a report is written in
pursuance of a resolution of an organizational
unit or in response to formal executive order.
In such cases, what a report should contain is
clearly defined in what is known as ‘Terms of
Reference’. And then the terms form the basis
for writing the introduction.
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(vii) Discussion or Description: Except in very
short reports, discussion or description itself
does not appear as a heading of any section.
In long reports, however, there are a number
of sections incorporating material under
several apt headings and sub-headings.
The function of this element is to discuss or describe
the main business of the report. It naturally, therefore,
contains the data in an organised form, often in tables.
The analysis of the data which are arranged in a logical
order yields results and admits of certain inferences.
Report should include three or four parts: The
purpose and subject of the report should be stated in
the introduction. One may use this part to briefly make
any conclusions. Any background information if
necessary for the reader to follow may be included.
In this part, the writer must write the subject clearly
in an organised manner. For example, damage to
Neeraj
property and life, results of the survey etc.
While writing conclusion of the report, summary
of the findings and their importance should be included.
In this part, writer can include his suggestions based
on facts of the situation. This part is the most important
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one of the report and depending on its presentation, one
can adopt or reject it. Statements to be written should
always be of positive nature. Some reports do not require
recommendations but generally this and conclusion part
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proves to be the most important part of a report. For
example, planning an incentive scheme for increasing
productivity, hiring skilled labour so that the project
can be completed in time, increasing salaries of staff
members etc.
Essential requirement of good report writing: The
essentials of good report writing include the following:
1. Preparation: Preparation of a report involves
many activities. Depending on the type of report,
some may require a letter of transmittal from the
writer to the recipient, showing the basic
requirements the writer would need. The letter
also gives the recipient a basic idea of what to
expect in the report. The preparation stage
includes selecting an attractive report title,
determining topics to be covered and listing points
of the topics. Still under preparation, the writer
has to acknowledge all those who offered
assistance during the process. The acknowledg-
ments should look as sincere as possible. After
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WRITING REPORTS / 139
acknowledgments, the writer creates a summary
abstract, which communicates the reports scope.
An executive summary closely follows the
summary abstract, showing purpose of the report,
background of the report and sources of
information.
2. Introduction: The introduction stage communi-
cates the main objectives of the report. It covers a
wide area including the background information,
literature review, scope of study and research
methodology used. The introduction phase should
be very short and concise. It should however, set
the stage for a clearer and logical flow of the report.
As a writer, you should make sure that you
understand the main objectives of the report before
embarking on writing it in the first place. This will
assist in ensuring that you do not go out of topic or
experience writer's block, a situation where a writer
suddenly runs out of ideas.
3. Writing the Body: The body is one of the most
important parts of the whole report since it holds
almost all facts and relevant information, as
regards to the problem. All information should
be made available in a straightforward way
without beating about the bush. Although it is a
report, it is advisable to use active voice as
compared to passive voice since the former is
clearer, more direct and has a natural tone. It is
wiser to use section headings when writing the
body, as a report writer since doing this maintains
the logical flow of the report and it is much easier
for the readers to follow and understand. You may
further bold all your titles and subtitles and format
your text to ensure that the information provided
is clear. The transition from one section to the
other should be smooth, ensuring that the reader
does not get lost.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion indicates the end
report writing. It should be a summary of the
whole report, covering all aspects of the document
and any underlying themes. Before writing the
conclusion, it is advisable that you first make a
draft of the whole document and then note the
main points that you will sum up. There should
be no inclusion of any new information, in the
conclusion. The conclusion of the report also
involves listing the recommendations of the
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140 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
research. After studying the whole report and
understanding the underlying problem, you are
able to make recommendations on the possible
solutions.
Some reports may include a list of references. A
list of references shows the main sources of information
for the writer. The list facilitates easier verification of
the information. Just in case you might need to edit the
report, it would be easier to find the information you
are looking for if you follow the list of references. The
appendices are not included in report writing.
Q. 1. Given below is part of a report. Would you
place it under the category ‘informal’ or ‘analytic’?
PURE STEEL UTENSILS LTD.
Patha Bhavana
Neeraj
Santiniketan, 731235
To : Mr. P.P. Reddy (Regional Manager)
From: R.C. Gupta (Marketing Executive)
Date : November 30, 1988
Subject: Cause for the decline in the turnover of
Publications
pure steel utensils
As per the instructions in your letter of 30th October,
I undertook a careful study of the general
market conditions regarding the sales of our
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steel utensils. I have the following observation
to make:
1. There is a general depression in the trade, and
this has affected not only our business but also
the business of many other companies.
2. Our products face a tough competition in the
market. Several rival companies have come up
with more attractive and modern designs, more
suitable to the ‘living-style’ of middle class
families today.
3. Our publicity policy is outdated. We need to
gear-up in this area, in order to capture new
markets.
Ans. Analytic.
Q. 2. Imagine you are the regional manager of
an organisation. There has been an accident in the
godown of your office. Prepare a report in the form
of a memo using the following points:
Back wall of the godown collapsed due to
heavy rains–one of the loaders caught under
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the debris: died on the spot. Two other workers
injured. The injured rushed to Jawaharlal
Memorial Hospital.
Dependents of the dead, as well as the injured
‘workers, given immediate assistance from
Employees’ Benevolent Fund.
Claim sent to Insurance Company.
Architect called to inspect site—said beams
were considerably decayed–temporary
structure built.
Advised re-building of godown.
Ans.
MEMORANDUM
Date: 19 Jan 2008
To: Mr. R.S. Gahlot (General Manager)
From: Mr. Vijay (Regional Manager)
Sub: Godown Collapsed at Mumbai Office
Due to heavy rains, the back wall of the godown
at the Mumbai office collapsed on 5th Jan, 2008 at
6.00 p.m. I immediately rushed to the office on
getting information. At the time of the accident, the
workers were loading goods, as order was being
despatched. Unfortunately, four workers were close
to the wall when it collapsed. The others immediately
took them to Jawaharlal Memorial Hospital, which
is one kilometre away from godown. One of the
loaders, named Bahadur, died on the way whereas
two have got seriously injured. They are still under
treatment and are out of danger. The company has
given a compensation of Rs. 50,000 from the
Employees’ ‘Benevolent Fund, to the family of the
dead worker as well as has offered the job to the son
(19 years) of the dead worker.
The other loaders, Rohtas and Rakesh, have
been given an amount of Rs. 10,000 each beside the
hospital charges. We had called our regular architect
to inspect the site. He said that the beams were
decayed and there is the need of reconstruction of
godown, otherwise it may fall anytime. The total
cost of renovation is estimated to be Rs.4 lakhs. For
the time being, temporary scaffoldings have been
put up for the support of the structure.
We would like your advice in the light of this
report.
(Vijay)
C.C. Mr. Walia (Branch Manager–Mumbai)
Mr. Prem Kumar (Chief Accountant)
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Q. 3. Imagine that you are Sanitation Inspector
at the Municipal Office. You have been asked to
conduct a surprise check on 3 hospitals in your city.
Write a report to your immediate supervisor using
the following points.
Give the names of the hospital you visited
Maintenance: Exterior and interior of buildings
shabby–posters and painted slogans on walls–
cobwebs broken and grimy window-panes—floors-
unwapt toilets- dirty.
Other points: Areas around two of the hospitals
unhygienic garbage dumps next to them.
You do not have to make any recommendations.
You should merely report what you have seen.
Ans.
MEMORANDUM
To: Rajan Dhar (Executive Officer)
Neeraj
From: Rakesh Saini (Inspector)
Date: 10 January 2008
Subject: Surprise Visit to Hospital
As per your instructions, I made a surprise visit
to various hospitals on 9th Jan, 08.
Publications
The hospitals I visited were:
Batra Hospital
Ganga Ram Hospital
Moolchand Hospital
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I got very much disappointed to see the
unhygienic and shabby condition of these hospitals.
The exterior condition of these hospitals is
miserable. All kinds of slogans are painted on them
and also the walls are filled with posters. Two of
them i.e. Batra Hospital and Ganga Ram Hospital
are situated in very unhygienic conditions and are
surrounded by garbage dumps. As a result
surrounding area has become feeding place for flies
and mosquitoes and as a result of this, mosquitoes
and flies can be seen in the hospital. Even inside
hospital, there were cobwebs hanging from the walls.
Floors were very dirty and it seemed that it was not
swept for several months. Many window-panes were
broken and which were not broken, they were full
of dust. The toilets were also filthy. In short, they
were in miserable condition and urgent steps are
needed for their improvement.
Rakesh Saini
(Inspector)
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WRITING REPORTS / 141
Q. 8. Explain how to write a good academic
report?
Ans. General Guidelines
These are some general things you should know
before you start writing an academic report.
Purpose of a report: Writing to be read
A key thing to keep in mind right through your
report writing process is that a report is written to be
read, by someone else. This is the central goal of report-
writing. A report which is written for the sake of being
written has very little value.
Before you start writing your report, you need to
have in mind the intended audience. In the narrowest of
possibilities, your report is meant for reading by
yourselves, and by your advisor/instructor, and perhaps
by your evaluation committee. This has value, but only
short-term.
Overall approach: top-down
Take a top-down approach to writing the report
(also applies to problem solving in general). This can
proceed in roughly three stages of continual refinement
of details.
First write the section-level outline,
Then the subsection-level outline, and
Then a paragraph-level outline. The paragraph-
level outline would more-or-less be like a presentation
with bulleted points. It incorporates the flow of ideas.
Structure of a report
The following should roughly be the structure of a
report. Note that these are just guidelines, not rules. You
have to use your intelligence in working out the details
of your specific writing.
Title and Abstract: These are the most-read parts
of a report. This is how you attract attention to your
writing. The title should reflect what you have done and
should bring out any eye-catching factor of your work,
for good impact.
The abstract should be short, generally within about
2 paragraphs. The abstract should contain the essence
of the report, based on which the reader decides whether
to go ahead with reading the report or not. It can contain
the following in varying amounts of detail as is
appropriate: main motivation, main design point,
essential difference from previous work, methodology
and some eye-catching results if any.
Introduction: Most reports start with an
introduction section. This section should answer the
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142 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
following questions.After title/abstract introduction and
conclusions are the two mainly read parts of a report.
What is the setting of the problem? This is, in
other words, the background. In some cases, this
may be implicit, and in some cases, merged with
the motivation below.
What exactly is the problem you are trying to
solve? This is the problem statement.
Why is the problem important to solve? This is
the motivation. In some cases, it may be implicit
in the background, or the problem statement
itself.
Is the problem still unsolved? The constitutes
the statement of past/related work crisply.
How have you solved the problem? Here you
state the essence of your approach. This is of
course expanded upon later, but it must be stated
Neeraj
explicitly here.
What are the conditions under which your
solution is applicable? This is a statement of
assumptions.
What are the main results? You have to present
Publications
the main summary of the results here.
Background: This is expanded upon into a separate
section if there is sufficient background which the
general reader must understand before knowing the
details of your work. It is usual to state that “the reader
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who knows this background can skip this section” while
writing this section.
Technical sections: The main body of the report
may be divided into multiple sections as the case may
be. You may have different sections which delve into
different aspects of the problem. The organization of
the report here is problem specific. You may also have
a separate section for statement of design methodology,
or experimental methodology, or proving some lemmas
in a theoretical paper.
The technical section is the most work-specific, and
hence is the least described here. However, it makes
sense to mention the following main points:
Outlines/flow: For sections which may be huge,
with many subsections, it is appropriate to have a rough
outline of the section at the beginning of that section.
Use of figures: The cliche “a picture is worth a
thousand words” is appropriate here. Spend time
thinking about pictures. Wherever necessary, explain
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all aspects of a figure (ideally, this should be easy), and
do not leave the reader wondering as to what the
connection between the figure and the text is.
Terminology: Define each term/symbol before you
use it, or right after its first use. Stick to a common
terminology throughout the report.
Results: This is part of the set of technical sections,
and is usually a separate section for experimental/design
papers. You have to answer the following questions in
this section:
What aspects of your system or algorithm are
you trying to evaluate? That is, what are the
questions you will seek to answer through the
evaluations?
Why are you trying to evaluate the above
aspects?
What are the cases of comparison? If you have
proposed an algorithm or a design, what do you
compare it with?
What are the performance metrics? Why?
What are the parameters under study?
What is the experimental setup? Explain the
choice of every parameter value (range)
carefully.
What are the results?
Finally, why do the results look the way they do?
Future work: This section in some cases is
combined along with the “conclusions” section.
Here you state aspects of the problem you have
not considered and possibilities for further
extensions.
Conclusions: Readers usually read the title,
abstract, introduction, and conclusions. In that
sense, this section is quite important. You have
to crisply state the main take-away points from
your work. How has the reader become smarter,
or how has the world become a better place
because of your work?
Refinement
No report is perfect, and definitely not on the first
version. Well written reports are those which have gone
through multiple rounds of refinement. This refinement
may be through self-reading and critical analysis, or
more effectively through peer-feedback (or feedback
from advisor/instructor).
Feedback: Evaluating someone else’s report
Evaluation of a report you yourself have written can
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WRITING REPORTS / 143

give benefits, but it usually is limited. Even in a group (vi) Memos can be given to habitual late comers
project, it is not good enough to have one person write and if needed salary can be deducted even.
the report and the other person read it. This is because Q. 10. As you already know, even before you
all the group members usually know what the project is start your research on a topic, it is important to
about, and hence cannot critique the paper from outside. define your topic, i.e. write your statement of
It is best to take feedback from your peer (and of purpose. Study the following table and the example
course return favours!). The feedback procedure is quite given below.
simple. The one reading has to critically, and Ans.
methodically see if each of the aspects mentioned above Purpose
Subject
in the “structure of the report” are covered. It may even
help to have a check-list, although with experience this 1. PCs available in the 1. Recommend a brand
becomes unnecessary. market. which may be ordered
Q. 9. State in the form of points the kind of for the regional offices.
information or data you will gather and the sources 2. Study the problem of 2. Recommend suitable
of information, if you are assigned to write a report waste of company’s measures to prevent
on the following: stationery. this waste.
(a) Employee retirement plants. 3. Training course for 3. Recommend new
personnel. methods of training.

Neeraj
Ans. (i) By checking the rules of the government
about retirement. 4. Late attendance by 4. Recommend steps to
(ii) To check up with 4 to 5 companies that have a staff generally. motivate the staff and
retirement plan. suggest punishment
(iii) To check the financial position of your 5. Use of company’s for persistent defaulters.
cars for personal use 5. Recommend a suitable

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organisation from the Finance and Accounts
Manager. by executives. scheme.
(b) The Advertising Manager wants to find out
Examples:
the possibility of starting a hire purchase scheme to
1. The purpose of this report is to investigate the
attract more buyers for the sale of washing machines.

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various types of PCs available in the market,
Ans. (i) By finding out the potential buyers.
in order to recommend the most suitable type
(ii) By gathering information about the dealers
for the company’s regional offices.
who sell washing machines.
2. The purpose of this report is to investigate the
(iii) By finding out other companies that have such
problem of wastage of company’s stationery
a scheme.
and to recommend the measures to prevent this
(iv) By preparing two sets of questionnaries one
wastage.
for the dealers and the other for the potential
3. The purpose of this report is to know about
buyers with the aim to know their views.
the better option i.e. better training course
(c) The Personnel Manager wants you to prepare
containing new methodology for sales
a report to find out how late arrival at office and
personnel.
high rate of absenteeism can be curbed.
4. The purpose of this report is to investigate
Ans. (i) By getting the names of habitual late
about the problem of late-coming of staff and
comers.
to recommend some methods to motivate the
(ii) Irregular persons (often absent).
staff as well as to suggest some punishment
(iii) Late-comers as well as often remain absent.
for the persistent defaulters.
(iv) To bring them in camera (to talk personally)
5. The purpose of this report is to recommend a
and know about their problems.
suitable scheme for the personal use of the
(v) If number is more, things can be adjusted in
company’s cars by executives.
case of common problem.

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144 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Q. 11. Write a summary from the following
notes?
Terms of Reference: Report on results of market
research survey into consumer demand for fibre board
from agro waste—instead of wood—for the use of
furniture industry.
Concentrate on two areas—Delhi and Mumbai.
Recommend site and size of new fibre-board plant.
Findings: Define the availability of wood and
plywood. Consumption of alternative materials on the
rise. Resistance to fibre-board can be overcome–
especialy in Delhi—If quality is good and it offers
resistance to fire, moisture and termites. Price should
be competitive vis-a-vis plywood/wood.
Conclusions: Uncertain market in Delhi–needs
promotion. Good potential in Bombay with competitive
price vis-a-vis wood.
Recommendations: Build factory near industrial
Neeraj
centre in western India. Good scope for export too.
Ans. This report intends to review the consumer
demand for fibre board purchased from agro wastes
instead of wood which is used for furniture industry.
We have concentrated on two areas i.e. delhi and
Publications
Mumbai. We found that there was a decline in the
availability of wood and plywood and there was a high
demand of the alternative materials. Whatever resistance
there could be to any alternative e.g. fibre board, could
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overcome on the basis of good quality of the product. It
also offers resistance to fire, moisture and even termites.
Price should not be neglected i.e. it should be in
competition to others. As compared to Mumbai, in Delhi
the resistance to fibre board was much more. I came to
know through survey that the consumer’s resistance to
fibre board can easily be overcome if the product is
promoted in a proper manner. Although the prices are
competitive, still the response in Mumbai is very much
encouraging. I suggest that we should concentrate on
the western region until Delhi and Northern India are
more receptive to fibre board. A factory can be built
near an industrial site to overcome the problem of non-
availability of accessory materials. We can also think
upon the lines of exporting fibre boards despite our
main concentration/attention on the local market.
Q. 12. Rewrite the following extract from a
report under 3 headings:
1. Findings 2. Conclusions 3. Recommendations
The Area Manager has reported distribution
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difficulties in Northern India caused by labour problems
and breakdown of trucks. These have resulted in
complaints about delay in delivery of goods. On the
other hand, there have been no complaints about
deliveries in south India where warehouses are
overstocked and overmanned.
Another problem that has been reported is the
difficulty in obtaining prompt payment for the goods
delivered. This has in some cases resulted in debts which
cannot be recovered.
It is obvious that the differences between the north
and the south were not taken into account at the time of
planning the distribution network in north and south
India. The bad debt problem has been aggravated due
to depressed economy and labour unrest. This is
particularly true in the case of small dealers.
I therefore, recommend that there should be a
scheme of warehousing more goods in north India. There
should also be a penalty clause included in the contracts
to minimise the risk of bad debts.
Ans. 1. Findings: The Area Manager has reported
distribution difficulties in northern India caused by
labour problems and breakdown of trucks. These have
resulted in complaints about delay in delivery of goods.
On the other hand, there have been no complaints about
deliveries in south India where warehouses are
overstocked and overmanned. Another problem that has
been reported is the difficulty in obtaining prompt
payment for the goods delivered. This has in some cases
resulted in debts which can’t be recovered.
2. Conclusions: It is obvious that the difference
between the north and the south were not taken into account
at the time of planning the distribution network in north
and south India. The bad debt problem has been
aggravated due to depressed economy and labour unrest.
This is particularly true in the case of small dealers.
3. Recommendations: I, therefore, recommend
that there should be a scheme of warehousing more
goods in north India. There should also be a penalty
clause included in the contracts to minimise the risk of
bad debts.
Q. 14. The management of the company which
has manufacturing units in Kolkata and Mumbai,
has asked you to submit a report on the problems
faced by the unit in Kolkata resulting in poor
performance compared to the unit in Mumbai. Using
the points below complete this part of the report.
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Findings: Kolkata strikes and work stoppages—
production 28% below target–working conditions bad–
salaries lower compared to other local companies–
discontentment.
Mumbai: no strikes or work stoppages.
10% above target in Mumbai.
Recommendations: For Kolkata–improve working
conditions–increase benefits and salaries to staff.
Short-term measure–reduce production target for
Kolkata unit at par with Mumbai.
Ans. Findings: After a deep study/investigation, I
have come to know that Kolkata is caught by strikes
and work stoppages. As a result of these strikes and
work stoppages the production rate has come down by
28% below the target whereas, in Mumbai the
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WRITING REPORTS / 145
production is 10% above the target as there are no strikes
or work stoppages. Moreover, working conditions in
Kolkata are too bad. Whatever salaries we pay to our
staff are lesser than of what local companies pay to their
staff members. Less salaries have resulted in
discontentment among the staff.
RecommendationsAccording to me
(i) In Kolkata, special stress on working
conditions should be given. There must be
an improvement in the staff’s salary.
(ii) For some time, seeing the conditions, we must
reduce the target for Kolkata. It will help to
motivate the employees in the achievement
of their targets.
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146
Writing Proposals
A business proposal is a written offer from a seller
to a prospective buyer. Business proposals are often a
key step in the complex sales process–i.e. whenever a
buyer considers more than price in a purchase.
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There are three distinct categories of business
proposals: formally solicited, informally solicited and
unsolicited.
Solicited proposals are written in response to
published requirements, contained in a Request for
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Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request
for Information (RFI) or an Invitation For Bid (IFB).
RFPs provide detailed specifications of what the
customer wants to buy and sometimes include directions
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for preparing the proposal, as well as evaluation criteria
the customer will use to evaluate offers. Customers issue
RFPs when their needs cannot be met with generally
available products or services. RFIs are issues to qualify
the vendors who are interested in providing service/
products for specific requirements. Based on the
response to RFI, detailed RFP is issued to qualified
vendors who the organization believes can provide
desired services. Proposals in response to RFPs are
seldom less than 10 pages and sometimes reach 1,000's
of pages, without cost data.
BASIC FEATURES
While writing a business proposal one must keep
following five points in mind:
Solutions: After you have written a lead paragraph
on the company's needs and problems, follow up with a
solid presentation of how your business can provide
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10
solutions. The key here is to promise solutions you can
deliver.
Benefits: All winning business proposals, clearly
outline for the company the benefits to be gained from
doing business with you. If your small business can offer
complete confidentiality and meet tight deadlines state
it in your benefits section.
Credibility: This is often the overlooked portion
of a business proposal but all winning proposals glow
with credibility. If you have worked with clients in the
same field or have an award-winning business, then
third-party endorsements will build credibility.
Samples: A business proposal with samples and
evidence of your ability to deliver is vital to gaining the
winning bid. A small sample of your work can show
your ability to do the job.
Targetted: A winning business proposal is all about
communication. Speak in a language spoken by your
intended audience. If the proposal evaluators are from
an engineering background or financial department use
the appropriate jargon.
Ultimately, the best business proposal is none.
When your company is well-positioned and unique in
the marketplace then it is only you who can meet the
needs of the company requesting the bids. If a retail
craft chain is looking for a web design firm and your
company specializes in web creation for the crafts
industry you might be able to circumvent the proposal
process.
In the end, you may not win all bids, but will win
business that best matches your company to the
prospective business. A win-win for all parties
involved.
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Elements of Business Proposals
Business proposals are sometimes lumped in the
same category as competitive bids. But other analysts
point out that proposals-and especially unsolicited
proposals, whether aimed at convincing a publisher to
publish your new book idea or convincing an investor
to take a look at a potential new business site-are
essentially designed to pique the interest of the
prospective client. For this reason, such proposals often
do not get into the nuts and bolts of compensation, time
frame, and other matters. Competitive bids, on the other
hand, provide detailed information on all aspects of the
proposed business arrangement.
Standard elements of basic business proposals
include the following (although, depending on the
degree of formality of the proposal, not all parts are
always necessary):
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Cover Letter
This should provide an over-view of your proposal
as well as an introduction, if necessary, in which you
include a brief synopsis of your company’s background
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and qualifications.
Title Page
This part typically includes your name and the name
of your company, the name of the person or company to
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whom the proposal is submitted, and the date of
submission. “Some titles are one line long, occasionally
two,” commented Herta A. Murphy and Herbert W.
Hildebrandt in Effective Business Communications.
“Some even include a colon-followed by words to clarify
the thought. Clarity and comprehensiveness are dual
criteria for a good proposal title.”
Table of Contents
While usually not necessary for shorter proposals,
these are sometimes used for big, formal proposals (such
as request for proposals).
Executive Summary
This is the portion of the proposal where you make
your case for a business arrangement. “This is the most
important part of your proposal,” said Sant. “It’s the
section that will be read by every decision-maker. Make
sure it’s easy to read. Avoid technical jargon and
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WRITING PROPOSALS / 147
technical details. Focus on organizational issues and
benefits, and keep it short.”
Body/Procedures Section
This is the section in which you place technical
details and explanations, as well as information on
price, implementation schedules, logistical and support
issues, documentation, and training. Legal experts note
that if the proposal is accepted, it can become a legally
binding document. For this reason, and because of the
length of time that is usually necessary to produce this
section, writers of unsolicited proposals may wish to
hold off on preparing this section unless the targeted
person or company expresses interest in the basic
proposal.
TIPS FOR WRITING A BUSINESS PROPOSAL
Business in the nineties means fierce competition,
aggressive marketing and strategic alliances. The
extent to which a business succeeds or fails often
depends upon that business’s ability to be awarded
contracts or to attract other businesses into joint
ventures or strategic alliances. To accomplish either
one usually requires two key items: good ideas and
the ability to present those good ideas in a superbly
developed business proposal.
Business proposals are developed for one of two
possible reasons.
1. A business entity has called for tenders or has
invited you to submit a RFP (Request for
Proposal). In this case, your goal is to be “short
listed,” meaning that you will be one of the three
or four bidders who is awarded an interview. Your
proposal must stand among possibly dozens of
submissions.
2. You have an idea, concept or project that you want
to propose to someone with the goal of gaining
support, funding or an alliance. In this case, there
is no competitive bidding process. However, your
proposal must make a favourable impression and
must explain all aspects of your proposed concept
clearly and quickly. A document that is vaguely
written, difficult to understand or that presents
more questions than answers will likely be
discarded promptly.
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148 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
The following eleven tips are guidelines that should
be kept in mind while developing a business proposal
for a client of my writing service:
1. Clarity: Before you begin to write the proposal,
summarize the concept in 2-3 sentences, then
show it to a lay person and check for
understanding. If they don’t grasp the basic idea,
rewrite until they do. Until you can do this, you
are not ready to start writing the proposal. How
many times have you received a document that
you had to read over and over before you
comprehended the meaning? When this happens,
it may be because your comprehension skills are
under developed, but it’s more likely that the
writer substituted clarity of thought and good
document structure with sloppy thinking, wordy,
rambling explanations, vague descriptions and
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heavy reliance on buzzwords and jargon. It’s
worth saying once again: If you can’t summarize
it in 2-3 sentences, you are not ready to start
writing.
2. Strive to communicate, not to impress: If you
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have a good idea and you communicate that idea
clearly and effectively, the recipients will be
impressed. If you try to baffle them with your
brilliance, you’ll lose ground.
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3. Error Free: Your proposal will be competing
with proposals prepared by professional writers,
graphic designers and desktop publishers. You
may not have those resources at your disposal,
but you can be fastidious about checking for
typing, spelling and grammatical errors. Spell
checkers can only go so far; the rest is up to you.
Ask someone else to check your document for
errors before you submit it, or wait a few days
before rereading it. If you have worked on a
document intensely, you will “learn” to interpret
errors as being correct. It takes a fresh eye to spot
the typos.
4. Print and Bind: Print your document on
good quality, heavy-bond paper, using either
a laser printer or a good-quality bubble jet.
Take it to an office service for backing and
binding. For less than $10, you can produce
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a nicely done, professionally presented
package.
5. Layout: When laying out your document, format
it so the body of the text appears in the right two-
thirds of the page. The one-third of the page to
the left contains titles and white space. The white
space to the left allows the reader to make notes.
This sounds like a trivial matter, but it elicits
positive reactions from recipients.
6. Visual Elements: Include visual elements
sporadically throughout your document. Logos,
clip art, graphs, charts, tables and other elements
greatly enhance the visual appeal of your
document and make it easier for many people to
read and comprehend. Pages of pure text are tiring
to the eye and a challenge to the attention span.
Additionally, many people are visually oriented,
meaning the preferred method of learning is
through imagery and not text.
7. Title Page: Begin with a Title Page that includes
images (graphics, pictures, etc.), the name of the
proposal recipient, the name of the project, your
company name and address, the date and your
copyright symbol.
8. Be Politically Correct: Whether you support
political correctness or whether you don’t, the
issue here is to avoid offending the people who
will receive your proposal document. Avoid any
language that can be construed as offensive to
any group of people–including women, men,
persons with disabilities, persons belonging to
visible minorities, senior citizens and so on. If
you’re not certain of correct terminology, consult
with someone knowledgeable before submitting
your proposal.
9. Write for Global Audiences: Emerging
technologies, immigration policies and
agreements like NAFTA have produced a global
marketplace. Documents nowadays should be
written with the understanding that they may be
evaluated by persons living in other countries or
by persons for whom English is a second
language. Even if you are submitting your
proposal to a local business, they may well have
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joint ventures with international companies, and
these companies may be asked to peruse your
document. Unless your proposal is local to a
specific geographic area, avoid references that
would not be understood by persons living in
other areas (or explain these references if you
must use them). Also, avoid the use of slang or
expressions from pop culture. When persons
from other cultures study the English language,
they are taught to speak formal, correct English.
They are often unfamiliar with the use of slang
terms.
10. Jargon Free: Every industry has its own
particular “language”–words, terms and
expressions that are common to that industry but
foreign to people from other industries. Avoid the
use of jargon, or if you must use it, explain it. For
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example, expressions like “branding,” “turnkey
solution,” “E-commerce” are not necessarily
understood by everyone who is doing business.
Also remember that your proposal may go to a
committee that is comprised of people from
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various walks of life. Make sure they understand
what you are talking about.
11. Technology: What was just said about jargon
goes double for technology. If your proposed
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project involves the use of technologies, be
very careful with your explanation. The
persons reading the document may have little
or no technological background. Therefore, in
the bo dy of the pr op osal , it’s us uall y
recomme nded that you exp l ain your
technology in terms of what it will do–i.e. “A
data base that members can use to search for
information about your products.” There is a
place for detailed information about the
technology that you are proposing–and that
spot is the appendix. In many cases, a non-
technically-oriented business will engage a
technology consultant to review your proposed
technology. This person can use the detailed
explanations that you include in the appendix
while other readers will be able understand
the proposal itself.
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WRITING PROPOSALS / 149
TYPES OF BUSINESS PROPOSALS
Business proposals can be broadly classified as:
(a) Solicited Proposals
(b) Unsolicited Proposals
A Solicited Proposal refers to the one when the
customer asks for a proposal. They are usually sent to
customers who issue a “Request for Proposal” or RFP,
Request for Quotation (RFQ), or an Invitation for Bids
(IFB).
“Request for Proposal” (RFP) provides you with a
description of what the customer wants. They might ask
for an evaluation criterion to make a selection. You can
also give suggestion to a potential customer who might
ask you to submit a proposal so that he can consider
your suggestion. This counts as a solicited proposal as
a customer is expecting it. Customers issue RFQs when
they want to buy large amounts of a commodity. The
price is not the only issue. For example, when
availability or delivering or service are considerations.
RFQs can be very detailed. Therefore, proposals written
to RFQs can be lengthy. IFBs are issued by the customers
when they are buying some service, such as construction.
The requirements are detailed. However, the primary
consideration is price. For example, a customer provides
architectural blueprints for contractors to bid on. These
proposals are lengthy. The cost-estimating data and
detailed schedules are also mentioned. An unsolicited
proposal is marketing brochures. They are always
generic.
Business proposals do not directly refer to customer
needs or specific requirements. Vendors often use them
to introduce a product or service to a prospective
customer. They are often used as “leave-behinds” at the
end of initial meetings with customers or “give-always”
at trade shows or other public meetings. They are not
designed to close a sale but to introduce the possibility
of a sale. It contains a description of a seller’s products,
services or capabilities. It has a buyer’s specifications
or needs and how they will be met. The cost of the
offering and schedule for delivery of the products or
services are mentioned. A proof of prior experience i.e.
testimonials from previous customers or project
descriptions of previous projects are also specified to
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150 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
convince the customer about the products and services
of the seller.
Q. 1. Define Business Proposals.
Ans. A business proposal is an application in a
business-related context. It is a partnership or joint
venture of some sort. It is different from a business plan
which is designed to raise money for starting up an
enterprise. In a business proposal the aim is to earn
money from all business transactions. Here, you answer
your customer’s queries and persuade them to select
you. It should be more about the customer than you as a
company.
Q. 2. What are the key points kept in mind while
writing a proposal?
Ans. Following are the key points:
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Deliverable: Apart from the lead paragraph
describing the company’s needs and problems, one
should have strong back-up presentation describing the
deliverables your business can promise. This is the first
key to win a business proposal.
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Trustworthiness: A business proposal will only
glow if it has trustworthiness. One of the most forgotten
element of a business proposal is credibility. If a
proposal displays trustworthiness, then its percentage
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of acceptance are likely to go up.
Benefits: All winning business proposals have a
strong benefit statement. If your small business is able
to put a credible and strong benefit statement with
complete confidentiality and promises to meet tight
deadlines, it will definitely steal the show.
Proof: A business proposal with proofs and samples
of one’s ability to deliver is vital to gaining the winning
bid. One can mention about the previous projects
handled and exhibit a small sample of their work which
can evidence the ability to do the job.
Clarity: Communication is one of the most
important keys to winning business proposals. The
proposal should speak in a language which the targeted
audience can understand. For example, if one is framing
a business proposal going to be evaluated by finance
personnel, then one should use correct financial jargon
in it.
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Q. 3. What are the two types of business
proposal?
Ans. A business proposal is an unsolicited or
solicited bid for business. Basically there are two types
of business proposals–solicited and unsolicited.
Solicited Proposal: It is a kind of business proposal
in which an open bid is placed on the market by a
corporation or government body which is seeking a
business to fulfil a project or complete a task. All
companies interested compete for the same and the best
bid wins the project.
Unsolicited Proposal: Unlike solicited business
proposal, unsolicited proposal is used if one wants to
do business with a big company or enter into a joint
venture. Here one needs a well-written business proposal
which can win the hearts and minds of the target
audience.
Q. 4. Write a short note on a successful business
proposal.
Ans. Writing a successful proposal requires both
salesmanship and fundamental communication skills.
“Basically, proposals–like other reports–should be
factual, objective, logical, well written,” said Murphy
and Hildebrandt. “They should also be persuasive. All
proposals should present facts honestly to justify the
requested expenditure to be paid by the reader’s
organization to the writer’s firm or to an individual for
solving a problem or altering a procedure.” In addition,
many business communication experts counsel their
clients to arrange their proposal in such a way as to
emphasize persuasive arguments at the beginning and
the conclusion of the proposal, which often are the most
remembered sections of any presentation.
Ultimately, however, it is commonly believed that
the likelihood of garnering new business via business
proposals, whether solicited or not, lies with anticipating
the priorities of the targeted firm or individual. As
Colette Nassutti observed in Outlook, an essential
ingredient of successful proposals is the proposal
writer’s ability to understand the prospective client’s
circumstances, requirements, and business objectives.
Sant agreed, pointing out that “a focus on cost is
advantageous if your client is experiencing a period of
decline,” while “advanced, automated solutions will
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appeal to growing companies.” Proposals aimed at
companies that are well-known for attention to quality,
advertising image, or quick product development can
be structured accordingly as well.
Q. 5. What are the advantages of business
proposals?
Ans. When you start a business, one essential
document is your business proposal or business plan.
This document outlines everything you want to do with
the business. Putting one together takes careful planning
and time, but the multiple advantages these documents
have are well worth the effort. Business proposals
contain both a mission statement and a purpose
statement. The mission statement explains what you
want your company to achieve. The purpose statement
explains why you have written the business plan, such
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WRITING PROPOSALS / 151
as obtaining funding or serving as a guide for business
operations. All the other parts of your business plan
support these two statements. Thus, when you write a
business plan, you clarify for yourself the direction you
want to take with the company. If you aren’t sure what
you want from the company, you likely are not ready to
pursue the business venture. A business proposal
provides a detailed explanation of the goals you have,
how you will conduct business and what expenses and
profit you can expect; it’s a road map for your company
that, in theory, anyone should be able to follow if the
proposal is written well enough. Other employees can
refer to the business proposal and determine whether
they are staying true to your intent, even if you are not
physically overseeing operations on the company site
on a daily basis.
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152
The Process of Writing
The writing process is both a key concept in the
teaching of writing and an important research concept
in the field of composition studies.
Research on the writing process (sometimes called
the composing process) focuses on how writers draft,
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revise, and edit texts. Composing process research was
pioneered by scholars such as Janet Emig in “The
Composing Processes of Twelfth Graders” (1971),
Sondra Perl in “The Composing Processes of Unskilled
College Writers (1979), and Linda Flower and John R.
Publications
Hayes in “A Cognitive Process Theory of Writing”.
Editing and revising are one of the most important parts
of this complex process.
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Editing Skills–Correction of Errors
Editing is the stage in the writing process where
the writer makes changes in the text to correct errors
(spelling, grammar, or mechanics) and fine-tune his or
her style. Having revised the draft for content, the
writer’s task is now to make changes that will improve
the actual communication with the reader. Depending
on the genre, the writer may choose to adhere to the
conventions of Standard English. These conventions are
still being developed and the rulings on controversial
issues may vary depending on the source. A source like
Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, first published in
1918, is a well-established authority on stylistic
conventions. A more recent handbook for students is
Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference. An electronic
resource is the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL),
where writers may search a specific issue to find an
explanation of grammatical and mechanical
conventions.
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11
Proofread for–
Spelling
Subject/verb agreement
Verb tense consistency
Point of view consistency
Mechanical errors
Word choice
Word usage (there, their or they’re).
Improving Editing Skills
Following points are very important for one’s
improvement of editing skills:
Develop a mastery of the language. A correct
understanding of the rules of punctuation, grammar and
style, along with the ability to distinguish nuances of
word meaning, are the cornerstones of good editing
skills.
Know the purpose of the work you’re editing.
Understanding the goal of the article or the nature of
the story will enable you to determine what things are
wrong and to focus your editing skills on correcting
them.
Familiarize yourself with the necessary style. Each
type of writing has different standards and expectations
that the piece must conform to.
For example, news articles and press releases are
written in an “inverted triangle” format, with the most
important information at the beginning and
progressively less important detail following.
Advertising copy needs to effectively state the benefits
of the product or service to the prospective buyer.
Have the confidence to spot and fix errors. Good
editing skills go beyond the mechanics to having the
judgement to recognize mistakes and having the courage
to fix them. In essence, you treat what you’re editing as
your own work, whether you wrote it or someone else
did.
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If the piece you’re editing is your own writing, this
also means being able to look at your work
dispassionately and objectively.
Give yourself time to do the job right. Rushing to
edit your own work after you finish it will cause you to
miss errors that become apparent only after a second
reading at a later time. You need time to adjust your
mindset; it may be a few minutes, or it may be longer.
The Process of Editing
1. Read it through once for comprehension. Reserve
your editing skills for the most glaring errors here,
and make notes about changes to make later,
based on your understanding of the work.
2. Reread each sentence individually, making
corrections as needed. Once you have a sense of
the work, make the following edits:
(a) Make sure the sentence says what you want
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it to say, using the right words, and ensure
that the sentence is in the right place in the
paragraph.
(b) Eliminate redundancy by deleting duplicate
or unnecessary words, sentences and
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paragraphs as necessary.
(c) Check relevant facts.
(d) Correct misspellings, bad grammar,
incorrect punctuation and superfluous
emphasis.
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3. Review the work again by paragraph or section.
Each paragraph should be devoted to one idea
within the work; that idea should be expressed
effectively after you have applied your editing
skills to the sentences in it.
4. Run an electronic spell check. Use the spell check
to catch errors you may have missed, but
acknowledge its limits. An electronic spell check
can catch misspelled words, but it can’t catch
correctly spelled words used incorrectly.
ELIMINATING SUPERFLUITIES
This part of the process of writing is actually an
extension of the process of editing. While editing one
should look for the superfluities in the writing, if any.
Or if there are too many then one should exercise it as
an individual process. It can be very useful as it can
help in finding out exaggeration of ideas and feelings
in the writing. Especially in business writing one should
be very careful regarding such things. Every word must
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THE PROCESS OF WRITING / 153
be chosen with great care or the meaning and impact on
the reader will change. Such thing may have fatal effect
in business. Since business is all about presenting
yourself in an attractive and agreeable way, such a
mistake may cause a bad impact on the client. There it
is always suggested that one should always be very
patient in this process of editing. Every sentence, word
and grammatical error should be given proper time and
then decision should be made accordingly.
SUMMARIZING
Summarizing is how we take larger selections of
text and reduce them to their bare essentials: the gist,
the key ideas, the main points that are worth noting and
remembering. Webster’s calls a summary the “general
idea in brief form”; it’s the distillation, condensation,
or reduction of a larger work into its primary notions.
When we summarize we actually strip away the extra
verbiage and extraneous examples. We focus on the heart
of the matter. We try to find the key words and phrases
that, when uttered later, still manage to capture the gist
of what we’ve read. We are trying to capture the main
ideas and the crucial details necessary for supporting
them.
HOW TO SUMMARIZE
Follow the following points:
1. Read the article.
2. Re-read the article. Underline important ideas.
Circle key terms. Find the main point of the
article. Divide the article into sections or stages
of thought, and label each section or stage of
thought in the margins. Note the main idea of each
paragraph if the article is short.
3. Write brief summaries of each stage of thought
or if appropriate each paragraph. Use a separate
piece of paper for this step. This should be a brief
outline of the article.
4. Write the main point of the article. Use your own
words. This should be a sentence that expresses
the central idea of the article as you have
determined it the from steps above.
5. Write your rough draft of the summary. Combine
the information from the first four steps into
paragraphs.
Note: Include all the important ideas:
(a) Use the author’s key words.
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154 / NEERAJ : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
(b) Follow the original organization where
possible.
(c) Include any important data.
(d) Include any important conclusions.
6. Edit your version. Be concise. Eliminate needless
words and repetitions.
(Avoid using “the author says...,” “the author
argues...,” etc.)
7. Compare your version to the original.
(a) Do not use quotations, but if you use them
be sure to quote correctly.
Indicate quotations with quotation marks. Cite each
quotation correctly (give the page number).
(a) Do not plagiarize. Cite any paraphrases by
citing the page number the information
appears on. Avoid paraphrasing whenever
possible.
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In the summary, you should include only the
information your readers need.
1. State the main point first.
2. Use a lower level of technicality than the authors
of the original article use. Do not write a summary
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your readers cannot understand.
3. Make the summary clear and understandable to
someone who has not read the original article.
Your summary should stand on its own.
4. Write a summary rather than a table of contents.
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Wrong: This article covers point X. Then the
article covers point Y.
Right: Glacial advances have been rapid as shown
by x, y, and z.
5. Add no new data and none of your own ideas.
6. Use a simple organization:
(a) main point
(b) main results: give the main results
(c) conclusions/recommendations.
7. Unless the examples in the article are essential,
do not include the examples in your summary. If
you include them, remember to explain them.
Q. 1. What do you understand by editing?
Ans. Editing is the process of selecting and
preparing written used to convey information through
the processes of correction, condensation, organization,
and other modifications in various media, performed
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with an intention of producing a correct, consistent,
accurate, and complete output. Editing activity is as old
as human communication. Its earliest record is visual,
dated to 20,000 years ago. However, signaling using
sounds has been suggested by anthropologists to
significantly predate painting as a form of
communication, using agreed-on sound forms. Writing
dates to only about 9,000 years ago. All these forms of
communication, to be mutually intelligible to the author
and the recipient, had to comply to some culturally
agreed-upon standard. The need to assure this
compliance created experts in the use of these forms of
communication with the social authority to correct
others, i.e. to edit.
Modern transmission of communications began
with the invention of maritime signal flags in the mid-
17th century by the Duke of York. A ship’s message
had to be approved by the Officer of the watch who was
in a sense the first modern telecommunications editor.
In a sense, the editing process originates with the
idea for the work itself and continues in the relationship
between the author and the editor. Editing is, therefore,
also a practice that includes creative skills, human
relations, and a precise set of methods.
Q. 2. What is the importance of editing?
Ans. Editing is one of the absolute factors that will
influence your peice of writing shine. The degree to
which you personally edit your thoughts and writing,
combined with the degree to which you invest in
professional editing will ultimately play a large role in
developing reader comfort. A great edit will not ensure
your writing to be good, but it will definitely eliminate
one of the largest potential detractors that might prevent
your writing from being good. Moreover, almost every
piece of writing has some mistakes and therefore it is
important to eliminate those mistakes before declaring
it complete.
Q. 3. Write a note on the process of editing.
Ans. Editing is both an art (having a perceptive
“ear” for content) and craft (knowing “the rules” of
style). The two main levels of editing are content editing
and copy (line) editing. Content editing is macro editing;
copy editing is micro editing. Content editing focuses
on voice (point of view), organization, pacing, flow,
consistency of ideas and terms, plus troubleshooting for
offensive ideas, corniness, etc. Copy editing (or line
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editing) focuses on error finding: grammar, sentence/
passage structures, punctuation, spelling, etc.
Often the same editor is used for both content and
copy editing. In fact, both steps can be done
simultaneously. However, it is always a good idea to
later use a separate proofreader. The more eyes on the
manuscript the better.
Q. 4. What is eliminating superfluities?
Ans. Eliminating superfluities is a process where
in a person eliminates the excess of anything in his/her
writing or for that matter someone else writing. Here
choice of words and sentence structure are given more
emphasis.
Q. 5. What do you mean by summarizing?
Ans. Basically summarizing is breaking down the
article or a long passage of reading into its bare
essentials. When given a task to summarize an article
Neeraj
or a report, one should always keep in mind that the
result should only contain the important elements and
points of the article or report and not the details which
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THE PROCESS OF WRITING / 155
add in the content. Summarizing is an interesting
process. Sometimes the understanding of the summary
and the original article is exactly the same, though it
depends on how well the summarization has been done.
Q. 6. Write a note on the process of summarizing.
Ans. Study the article. Examine the title, any
headings, illustrations, or any information about the
author that may help you focus on your reading.
Read the entire article carefully. Identify the main
idea, major subordinate ideas, and their relationship to
each other.
The easiest way to summarize is to follow a well-
known and trusted method. This method is called T.M.D.
Topic–It is what the passage is about.
Main Idea–So the topic is the what then the main
idea is the why important. The main idea is always
written as a fact. It is never a question.
Supporting Details–The supporting details are the
rest of the most relevant facts left in a passage or article.
They should answer the rest of the ‘W’ questions.