Technical English 2 - Module 4

Technical English - 2
Module 4
EXCELLENCE REDEFINED
Communication for Employment
• Components of a Formal Letter
• Formats and types of Business Letters
• Model Letter of Application with
Resume
• Email & Blog Writing
• Reading Skills and Reading
Comprehension(Completed in Module 3)
Business Letters
• One the most ancient form of communication
• Business Letter is a formal written document through
which companies correspond with their customers,
suppliers, bankers, shareholders and others
• BL are written for various purpose , such as-
i. Informing.
ii. Congratulating
iii. Requesting
iv. Ordering
v. Enquiring
vi. Complaining
vii. Applying for job
Importance of BL
• They help organizations in strengthening their
rapport with customers, stakeholders etc.
• They serve as important repository of
information and can be filed for future
references.
• Convey information that is confidential or
complex.
• Helps communicating from distant places.
• Helps company to know the problems in their
products, services and deliveries . Also helps in
smooth functioning & Contributes in its growth.
Elements of Structure
• Letter Head: This contains the return address(Org’s name,
add, contact, email).
• Inside Address: This includes

Sender’s address(Along with
Name or Designation)
• Attention: Its added to draw the attention of a
person or dept dealing with the matter concerned.
• Salutation: Refers to the formal greetings at the
beginning. Usually starts with “Dear”.
• Main Body: Content of the letter . Skip a line
between paragraphs
• Complimentary Close: It’s a short, polite closing
ends with a comma.
• Signature Line: Skip two lines and type out the
name to be signed.
• Identification Initials: The initials of the typist
appear left-justified two spaces below the
signature block.
• Enclosure notation : It is located with
Identification initials or in place of them with the
notation enc.,encl, enclosures(3), or 3 encs.
• Copy notation : cc:Full name or initials or
designation of people who are to get the copy of
the letter.
• Postscript: it's a brief message appended to the
end of the letter(P.S)
Layouts
1. Full Block Layout: Its attractive, easy to read and very
simple to draft. It saves time, indentation is not required.
• All elements except the letterhead are aligned to the left
margin.
• It follows open punctuation except in the cases of
salutation (:) and message
Layouts
2. Semi-Block Layout: (Outdated)
• The heading, Complimentary close and signature
block are aligned vertically with the right margin .
• The rest of the elements are left aligned.
• Each paragraph begins a few spaces away from the
margin
3. Simplified Layout:
• Omits salutation.
• Omits complimentary close.
• Often includes a subject line in capital letters.
Business Letters- Elements of Style
• Don’t talk like a Machine
• Display a ‘You’ Approach
• Be courteous and considerate
• Don’t blame the reader
• Avoid being negative
• Be natural and precise
• Be simple and specific
• Carefully distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘We’
• Judiciously use the active and passive voice.
• Avoid using clichés and jargons
Types Of Business Letters
• Acknowledgement Letter
– This type of letter is written
when you want to
acknowledge someone for
their help or support when
you were in trouble.
– It showcases the gratitude
that you have for others.
– In your professional life, you
would have to write this type
of letters quite often.
Acknowledgement Letter
Letter of Recommendation
• Usually written to recommend a person for a job
position or admission in a higher degree or a
specialized study programme.
• The letter states the positive aspects of the
applicants personality, skills and how they were a
asset to the organization.
• Its also used when your
promoting a person in your
organization.
Appreciation Letter
• Its written to appreciate
someone's work in the
organization.
• Usually written by a superior to
his/her junior.
• Organization can also write
them thanking the client for
doing business with them.
• It helps in strengthening the
bond between the individuals
and the organizations.
Acceptance Letter
Apology Letter
Complaint Letter
• Usually written to inform that an error is occurred
that needs to be corrected as soon as possible.
• Maintain a poised and a calm tone.
• Inform about the problem in a clear and precise
way.
• Refer the order/invoice number to avoid ambiguity
in communication.
• Avoid being rude , angry or humiliating tone.
• Suggest a solution to help the others rectify the
problem
Adjustment Letter
• Acknowledge the complaint immediately.
• Showcase sympathy and consideration as the claims
made by customers are correct.
• It would be graceful on your part to admit your fault,
express regret and promise to rectify the error.
• Point out where the fault lies and suggest alternative
solutions.
• Do not blame others.
• Thank the customer for bringing the matter to your
knowledge.
Inquiry Letter
• Its written to enquire about a product or
service.
• State clearly and precisely what
information you require.
• Ask about the time period the supplier is
likely to take in facilitating the order.
• Seek clarification regarding the mode of
payment, discount offer if any.
• Keep your enquiry brief and to the point
• It can also be written to know the status
of the order placed.
• The content should be concise, complete
and yet brief.
Permission Letter
Rejection Letter
Invitation Letter
• Its written to invite someone to
attend an event.
• It can be either formal or personal.
• Formal invitation is written to fulfil
some organization or official
interest.
• Personal invitations can be any
social event such as birthday
parties, engagement ceremony, a
wedding party, etc.
Order Letter
• A legal document to show the transaction between the
customer and vendor
• An accurate and full description of the goods required.
• Quantities and Specifications of the goods.
• Prices or Quote agreed between the customer and
supplier.
• Details regarding delivery requirements- place, date
and mode of transport.
• Terms of payment.
• A concluding sentence urging the suppliers to send the
material urgently/well in time.
Application Letters
• Letter of Application is just like a sales letter where you market
your skills, abilities and knowledge.
• The idea is to attract the person towards you.
• Convince the reader that you are a qualified candidate for the
job.
• Make a request for an interview
• Mention the job Position your applying for.
• Include your Resume for your background details.
• State the objective of writing the letter.
• Include other details that is not mentioned in your resume.
• Give reference of people who can support your credentials
Sample
Types Of Business Letters
• Cover letters
– It’s a document of transmittal as it identifies that an item is
being sent.
– It includes receives details and the reason for the letter
– Acts as permanent record of transmission.
• Sales Letters
– Most interesting and unique in their approach
– Written to advertise and promote a product.
– Catch the Readers Attention
– Creating a desire for the product
– Carrying conviction
– Inducing Action
Resume Preparation
Cover Letter Tips
• Clearly state your interest in the job your applying.
• Speak about relevant skills to your specific job goals.
• Avoid using abbreviations or slang which are used in a day-
to-day language.
• Take special care while drafting opening and closing
paragraphs
• Give examples of how your skills match the job position
available.
• Should be impressive, informative, precise and crisp.
• Check everything twice- formatting, spelling and grammar.
• Provide contact details
• Thank the person for taking time out to read your letter.
Sample
Sample
Types of Resumes
• Functional Resume
– Highlights skills and accomplishments
• Chronological Resume
– Provides educational and work history in
chronological order.
– Currently reverse chronological order is in practice.
• Hybrid/Combination Resume
– Lists your skills and experience first and
work/employment history next.
– Its designed for job seekers who already possess
experience in the relevant field.
Types of Resumes
• Electronic/Scannable Resume
– It’s a plain text either in ASCII or HTML submitted along with job
application.
– Resumes are scanned by the Optical Character Recognition(OCR) that match
the maximum score for the relevant keywords and desired skills are printed
and the candidates are called for interviews.
Types of Resumes
• Non- Traditional Resumes
– Due to scarcity of time, such resumes are prepared keeping
the need and focus of the organization.
– The purpose is to go through the profile of the candidate to
ascertain his/her suitability for the available position.
• Types
– Video Resume : Candidates speak in front of the camera
highlighting his/her qualifications, abilities , skills and
accomplishments.
– Visual CV: Candidates create their own websites
showcasing their credentials and achievements
Email Writing
WHY.?
• Fast, Cheap and easy to operate.
• Capture the spirit of the age.
• Flexibility in tone and style
• Legal and Valid
Pitfalls.?
• Privacy is lost
• Casualness creeps in
• Ambiguity impairs communication
• Virtue is sacrificed to convenience
• Junkyard is always full
Principles for Composing Email
• Avoid being abrupt.
• Use subject line effectively
• Add a warm-up sentence
• Use proper spellings
• Use salutations and complimentary close
• Start Courteously : Always be kind, polite and
Professional wile drafting the mail.
• Avoid all the Capital Letters :It seems rude and
intimidating . DO NOT BE BLUNT.!
• Avoid Acronyms: Such as FAQ’s, TYVM, BFN, EOD,
B2B etc.
• Use emoticons and smileys sparingly.
• Take care of Punctuation marks.
• Identify Yourself Properly.
• Avoid Sexist Language.
• Read and edit your mails.
Maintain Common Etiquette
• Reply immediately.
• Avoid circulating emails to everyone.
• Avoid attaching unnecessary files.
• Answer all queries.
• Avoid sexist language.
• Be aware of email jargons.
• Keep your mail box uncluttered.
• Read and edit your mails.
Blog Writing
• Blog, also called Weblog.
• A common platform where we can put our views on any topic .
• There are a lot of free websites such as WordPress, Tumblr,
Typepad, Myspace, and Blogger which can be customized as your
own blog.
How to Compose a Blog
• Choose a Blogging Platform and create your profile.
• Choose a topic and write about it in a focused manner.
• Keep the heading of the blog catchy, effective and
arresting.
• Pay special attention to the beginning and ending of the
blog.
• Write blogs from the perspective of the reader.
• Avoid bragging about your products or services.
• Get people talking on your blog. Ask them to add their
comments.
• Keep the layout of your blog clean, fresh and uncluttered.
How to Compose a Blog
• Write in a language that is persuasive, interactive and
informative.
• Remember to use images to bring more colour and feel to
the concept your writing on.
• Don’t neglect social media if you’re a blogger.
• Include an ‘About ‘section with your photograph for
recognition.
• Try and keep your blogs updated with at least two articles
every week.
• Edit and proofread the article before you hit the ‘publish’
button.

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Technical English - 2

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