Project in English

Interviews and Business Letters

Interview definition, purposes, kinds and steps in conducting an interview. Business letters definition, parts, types, and format.

Interview

- a social interaction in which the interviewer initiates and

controls the exchange to obtain quantifiable and comparable information. Purposes of Interview To obtain in-depth narrative information. To validate information that has already been acquired. Kinds of Interviews 1. Informal, conversational interview - no predetermined questions are asked, in order to remain as open and adaptable as possible to the interviewee's nature and priorities; during the interview, the interviewer "goes with the flow". 2. General interview guide approach- the guide approach is intended to ensure that the same general areas of information are collected from each interviewee; this provides more focus than the conversational approach, but still allows a degree of freedom and adaptability in getting information from the interviewee. 3. Standardized, open-ended interview - here, the same open-ended questions are asked to all interviewees (an open-ended question is where respondents are free to choose how to answer the question, i.e., they don't select "yes" or "no" or provide a numeric rating, etc.); this approach facilitates faster interviews that can be more easily analyzed and compared. 4. Closed, fixed-response interview - Where all interviewees are asked the same questions and asked to choose answers from among the same set of alternatives. This format is useful for those not practiced in interviewing. Steps in Conducting an Interview 1. Determine the objectives for the interview 2. Prepare for the interview a. Research the subject. b. Make a list of questions. c. Make a draft of the flow of the interview. 3. Carry out the interview a. Ask questions which are clear and concise. b. Encourage interviewee to talk. c. Avoid interrupting and stating own opinions. d. Take down notes. 4. Compile and Analyze results a. Check the information obtained. b. Distinguish hard facts form opinion.

Business letter- a letter written formally to address a form of business.

It is usually addressed from one business or colleague to another. Parts of a Business Letter 1. Letterhead -It bears all the necessary information about the organizations identity. 2. Date of writing 3. Inside Address-In a business or formal letter you should give the address of the recipient
after your 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.

4. Salutation 5. Body- the main part of the business letter. 6. Complimentary Closing 7. Senders signature, name, title, company

Types of Business Letters

Letter of Complaint- A letter of complaint will almost certainly result in an official response if you approach it from a businesslike perspective. Make the complaint brief, to the point and polite. Politeness pays off regardless of the extent of anger you are actually feeling while composing this type of business letter. Resume Cover Letter- A cover letter that accompanies a resume should revel in its brevity. You should take as little time and as few words as possible to accomplish one task: persuading the reader to anticipate reading your resume. Mention the title of the job for which you are applying, as well or one or two of your strongest selling points. Letter of Recommendation-A recommendation letter allows you to use a few wellchosen words to the effect of letting someone else know how highly you value a third party. Resist the temptation to go overboard; approach your recommendation in a straightforward manner that still allows you to get the point across. Letter of Resignation-An official letter of resignation is a business letter that should be fair and tactful. Be wary of burning any bridges that you may need to cross again in the future. Offer a valid reason for your resignation and avoid self-praise. Job Applicant Not Hired-In some cases you may be required to write a business letter that informs a job applicant that he was not chosen for an open position. Offer an opening note of thanks for his time, compliment him on his experience or education and explain that he was just not what the company is looking for at the present time. Declining Dinner Invitation-Declining a dinner invitation is a topic for a business letter that, if not done tactfully, may result in a social disadvantage. Extend your appreciation for the invitation and mention that you already have an engagement for that date. Do not go into detail about what the engagement is. Reception of Gift-It is very polite to return a formal business response letting someone know that you have received her gift. Extend personalized thanks to let her

know that you are exactly aware of the contents of the gift. If possible, it is a good idea to include a sentiment suggesting that you have put the gift to use. Notification of Error-When sending a business letter that lets the receiving party know that an error has been corrected, it is good business sense to include a copy of the error in question if there is paperwork evidence of it. Make the offer of additional copies of material involved in the error if necessary. Thanks for Job Recommendation-A letter of thanks for a party that helped you get a job should be professional and courteous. Above all else, avoid the temptation to go overboard in offering your thanks. Be aware that your skills also helped you land the job and it was likely not handed to you as a result of the third party. Information Request A business letter that requests information should make the request specific and perfectly understandable. It is also a good idea to state the reason for the information request. Extend advance appreciation for the expected cooperation of the recipient. Formats of Business Letters 1. Full Block Style-All the elements are aligned to the left margin and there are no indented
lines. This is a standard block-style format that is accepted by most businesses. 2. Modified block style- The return address, date, closing and signature start just to the right of the center of the page or may be flush with the right margin. All body paragraphs begin at the left margin. 3. Semi-block style- Similar to the modified block business letter style except that the first line of each paragraph is indented.

References: Internet http://www.studyenglishtoday.net/ http://www.slideshare.net/ Timothy Sexton ( eHow.com) http://www.dailywritingtips.com/how-to-format-a-usbusiness-letter/