UNIT:I FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.

Introduction: Conversation is a piece of talk that takes place between two or more persons with their different opinions on a specific subject or subjects. Sometimes a conversation can be quite casual exchanging pleasantries or ideas or thoughts. In other words the purpose of conversation can be a greeting and exchange of information, advice, request, order, instruction, discussion, argument etc. thus conversation are situational. They vary from situation to situation.“ A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month’s study of books”. Conversation is an affair to give and take. Good conversation requires concentration, sensitivity and skill.

FORMAL CONVERSATION:

1. It is a mixture of all the LSRW skills.2. There is no fixed rule about the number of participants.3. It takes place in organizations, companies and in formal atmosphere.4. It happens between superiors and subordinates.5. It is purpose oriented.6. It grows purposefully to achieve one goal.7. It is time bound.8. Only official and correct pieces of information are passed.9. It is rigid, inflexible and controlled.10. Messages can be conveyed through spoken or written media.11. It has well defined route and channel for passing the information.12. Clearly describes authority, power and responsibility.13. Follows definite rules and regulations.14. Formal and factual elements.15. Clear and emphatic transitions.16. Strictly formal in style.17. Formal language----- brevity, clarity, precision18. Avoid clichés --- jargon and verbosity19. Right use of adjectives and adverbs.

INFORMAL CONVERSATION

1. It is a dynamic of talking and listening.2. Usually two people participate actively in conversation.3. It takes place in all public places and uncomfortable, busy and noisy places also.4. It occurs between friends, relations, parents, colleagues etc.5. It is for mere pleasure, time pass and gossiping.6. It happens spontaneously.7. It lasts for uncertain time.8. Nothing-important information will be transacted.9. It is flexible, loose, ill defined and uncontrolled.

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10. Messages can be conveyed by mere glance, nod, smile, gesture and even mere silence.

11. There is no explicitly prescribed channel for passing the information.12. It cannot enjoy and described or explicitly specified power13. No accepted rules.14. No formal elements.15. Abrupt transitions.16. Both formal and informal in style.17. Informal and colloquial language.

BODY LANGUAGE.a. Maintain eye contact b. Make right noises.c. Use appropriate facial expressions.d. Adopt relaxed stillness.e. Adjust your listening style.f. Signs of involvement.g. Signs of unease and insecurity.

CONTROLLING YOUR LANGUAGE.1. Don’t move your head too much.2. Don’t intrude on another persons territory/.3. Break down your barriers.4. Control your mannerisms.

.Example

Opening A Bank Account:

Officer: Yes, Madam.May I help you?

Customer: I want to open an account in this bank.Officer: you can have a savings bank account that earns an interest, or a current

account that does not earn any interest.Customer: I want to have a savings account.Officer: Well. You should submit an application along with your passport size

photograph. We also need your introduction from another person who has his account with this bank.

Customer: Yes sir, I have the photographs with me. My colleague has an account in this bank. He will stand as a witness.

Officer: O.K. now please sign on this application and deposit it along with the cash, at the cash counter.

Customer: Sir, what is the minimum sum I have to deposit?Officer: It is five hundred rupees. You must remember to quote your account

number in all the transactions with the bank.Customer: Thank you, sir.Officer: You are most welcome, madam. Please collect your statement of account

at the end of every month.

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UNIT II:VOCABULARY BUILDING

INTRODUTION: A right expression shows clarity of thought. In this world to have a completive edge over the other it is necessary to express yourself more precisely and communicate effectively. As English is a worldly language a good and rich vocabulary helps to use right word at the right time.

Increasing your word power consists of two stages, which corresponds to these two aspects of understanding and knowing a word.

1. Passive stage: improving ability to recognize, interpret words, which you haven’t come across before.

2. Active stage: non-sign to your memory those words which are useful and make part of active vocabulary.

Building vocabulary is a never-ending process. Steps that help to develop active vocabulary.

1. Make an informed guess of word and interpret its meaning according to usage in the context.

2. Check your guess in dictionary and see the pronunciation.3. Finally practice new words. Make up sentences containing the word.4. Look out for opportunities to use it in conversation but a word of warning, when a

simple word satisfies the need, don’t use jargon words which make speech boring.5. To improve vocabulary one must read newspapers, novels voraciously and make

learning a fun.6. Be conscientious about looking up new words that once left you flummoxed

becomes familiar words.7. To master a word, one should know when and how to use it. This requires

knowing what fields or contents it occurs, what its overtones are, what words it keeps company with, and what things it may usually refer to only then one knows all these elements one can claim to ‘know’ the word.

8. Beware of usage restrictions when trying out synonyms in dictionaries and thesaurus. Synonyms given may have roughly looked, but the context in which they can be correctly used may be different.

9. Hitting the right register: the appropriate level of language for a particular situation is also important and we should also pick the right word that suits the occasion.

10. Grammar: learn the word in one grammatical context and read more often in different contexts to be familiar and confident.

Aspects of vocabulary building

a. Word rootsb. Synonyms and antonymsc. Prefixes and suffixesd. One-word substitutes.e. Idioms and phrasesf. Analogy.

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WORD ROOTS: a word consists of root, prefix or the like. The root is the basic part of word and shows general area of the meaning.

Some common root words.

Root Meaning Examples1.ac, acr, acu keen, sharp acid, acerbic, acrid, acupuncture.2.am, amat love amateur, amicable, amorous.3.annu, enni year annual, perennial4. Bell, belli war belligerent, rebel5.cad, cas fall accident, decadent, occasion6.dict say, speak diction, addict, dictate.7.fact, fict do, makes fiction, affect, and perfect.8.grav serious gravity, aggravation9.log, logi word, reason logical, analogy epilogues10.man, mani band manual, manuscripts

Write synonyms, antonyms, prefixes, suffixes, idioms, phrases, one word substitutes, analogy exercises. One exercise from each aspect of vocabulary building

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UNIT III: GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Introduction: A group discussion (GD) is a forum for discussing a topic with common objective of finding a solution for a problem or discussing an issue.

A group discussion is a methodology used by an organization to 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 the same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves for 15-20 minutes.

Some of the personality traits the group discussion is trying to gauge may include 1. Ability to work in a team.2. Communication skills.3. Leadership skills4. Initiative5. Assertiveness6. Flexibility7. Creativity8. Ability to think on ones feet.

A group discussion tests how you function as a part of a team. As an employee, you will always be working in teams as a member or as a leader. So how you interact in a team becomes an important criterion for your selection. That is why management institutes group discussions as a component of the selection procedure. Group discussions can be topic based or case based. Topic based group discussions can be classified into three types:

1. Factual topics.2. Controversial topics.3. Abstract topics.

Factual topics: factual topics are about practical things, which an ordinary person is aware of in his day-to-day life. E.g. Tourism in India.

Controversial topics: these are the ones that are argumentative in nature. They are meant to generate controversy. The noise level in these topics is high. There may be tempers flying. E.g. Reservation should be removed.

Abstract topics: these topics are about intangible taste. These topics are not often given for discussion.

Case-based group discussion: another variation in the use of a case instead of a topic. The objective in the case study is to get you to think about the situation from various angles.

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Dos for a Group Discussion:

1. Make sure that all your points are original and backed by reasoning.2. If somebody has already made the point you have to make, you can go ahead and

support or oppose the same.3. Whatever you have to say has to be wrapped around with a logical flow.4. Your posture should be straight and upfront.5. Make use of hands and facial expressions to make your point more emphatic.6. When not speaking makes sure that you are looking at the person who is

speaking.7. While speaking you make eye-contact with each and every member of the group8. If the discussion is straying from its main idea get it back on track.

Don’ts of a Group Discussion:

1. Don’t get into argument with people.2. Don’t make use of gestures excessively.3. Don’t act patronizing with your fellow group members, it could back fire.4. Do no fidget or act restless.5. Do not stare at the floor or out of the window, you may come across as

uninterested or inattentive

GROUP DISCUSSION TIPS

• Always be the initiator and concluder of the GD rather than being a participant.

• but if you are participant always try to be the most vital participant.• if you find that the discussion as going off track then never loose an

opportunity to bring it back to stream. This is the best point to score marks.

• Try to keep latest information on the topic.• Be very polite, people may try to provoke you to get more points but try to

keep cool.• Most important don’t wait for your turn to speak when discussion is on.

Interrupt politely if you want to put forward your points.• Last but not the least keep an eye on the time given for discussion. Score

points by wrapping up the discussion if you feel that the discussion is heating but the time is going to be over.

• During conclusion, do end with the conclusion note, which shows your leadership quality.

Best scoring points are:

1. Initiation of discussion2. Always keeping/ trying to keep discussion on track.3. Conclusion on time.4. Your capability to keep your cool and listen as well as putting your points.

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LIST OF SKILLS ASSESSED IN GROUP DISCUSSION

Leadership skills:

Ability to take leadership roles and ability to lead, inspire and carry the team along to help them achieve group's objectives.Example: To be able to initiate the group discussion, or to be able to guide the group especially when the discussion begins losing relevance or try to encourage all members to participate in the discussion.

Communication skills:

The participating candidates will be assessed in terms of clarity of thought, expression and aptness of language. One key aspect is listening. It indicates a willingness to accommodate others views.

Example: To be able to use simple language and explain concepts clearly so that it is easily understood by all. You actually get negative marks for using esoteric jargons in an attempt to show-off your knowledge.

Interpersonal skills:

Is reflected in the ability of the individual to interact with other members of the group in a brief situation. Emotional maturity and balance promotes good interpersonal relationships. The person has to be more people centric and less self-centered.Example: To remain cool even when someone provokes you by with personal comment, ability to remain objective, ability to empathize, non-threatening and more of a team player.

Persuasive skills:

Ability to analyze and persuade others to see the problem from multiple perspectives without hurting the group members.Example: While appreciating someone else's point of view, you should be able to effectively communicate your view without overtly hurting the other person.

Problem solving skills:

Ability to come out with divergent and offbeat solutions and use one's own creativity.Example: While thinking of solutions, don't be afraid to think of novel solutions. This is a high- risk high-return strategy.

Conceptualizing skills:

The ability to grasp the situation, take it from the day to day mundane problem level and apply it to a macro level.

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Example: At the end of the discussion, you could probably summarize the findings in a few sentences that present the overall perspective. Don't be disheartened if you don't make it after your first group discussion. The best possible preparation for a group discussion is to learn from one's past mistakes.

Model Group Discussion:JOB opportunities high in India or foriegn. Why?

CANDIDATE A

• Job opportunities are high in India because now India is developed so many mnc are open their branch in India. Here they invest low price then get high profit. So they open new branches from that we have lot of job opportunities have been produced

CANDIDATE B

• Yes job opportunities are more in India, which is developing now. Many foreign companies are Opening their branches in India in the name of BPO's and CALL CENTERS.

• The main reason why these foreign companies are opting India is due to the simple fact that India has many graduates and unemployed youth who are ready to accept a job with less pay then their foreign counter parts. Due to which they will gain more profits.

CANDIDATE C

• As India is a developing country, the Job opportunities in India are more. • India has large number of graduates and postgraduates in each and every field such as

science and technology, IT sector, arts, etc.

.As the graduates and postgraduates in India are ready to expose themselves to the world of competition, they are ready to work for less pay. The main reason for that is, the people want experience and exposure to different environment where the chance of learning several things is more.

• Money matters less for people who have the capacity to prove themselves. The foreign companies in the present that's openings their branches in India because they knew that Indians are hardworking and they have the zeal to accept and work for the upliftment of their country

CANDIDATE D

• No job opportunities are not only more in India but they are also more in other countries like china, Japan etc.reason is now Chinese. Japanese they are also equally competent to u and us know why china has seen a drastic change in their development? B’s they work even harder and smarter than us. Even more people and more opportunities are there in India do u known that we are also ranking high in unemployment?

CANDIDATE E

• As meena said As far as job opportunities are considered they are more in china and Japan but they don't give a chance to foreigners as in US.

• If we consider the opportunities for Indians I think there are more opportunities in India than in US or any other country abroad as most of the mnc's are opening their branches here

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UNIT IV: INTERVIEW SKILLS

Introduction: interview is an oral communicative device used to collect information and exchange it between interviewer and interviewee. The process of an interview is a direct one, of face-to-face conversations on clearly defined mutual problems. In some occasions telephonic interviews through video-conferencing also takes place. In all these formats the main purpose is to give or take some information. The interview process may involve exchange of facts, events, and opinions. Conditions etc. sometimes-subjective data, reactions, feeling etc., sometimes their purpose is for problem solving, panel decision, goal setting, evaluation, investigation, to take corrective action etc.

The process of interview contains the following stages:

1. Opening.2. Object of interview3. Beginning of interview4. Free conversation atmosphere5. Recalling time6. Objective questions7. Encouragement8. Directness9. Note-taking10. Conclusion11. Report.

Characteristics of a job interview: there are five aspects of a job interview. They are:

1. Planning: ‘a job interview ‘ is preplanned and planned. Despite flexibility during an interview, the basic structure of most job interviews is planned for effective results.

2. Purpose: it is purposefully designed to achieve certain objectives. Organizations invest both time and money on the interviews to ensure correct selection.

3. Conversation: a job interview is a conversation between a job seeker and the member or members of a selection committee. It is basically a question and answer session.

4. Two-way interaction: it is a two-way interaction between the candidate and one interviewer (one-to-one) there may be structural and unstructured questions too.

5. Informality: although a job interview is a planned one, it is less formal than many public speech situations. The success of any job interview depends upon its informality or friendliness.

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Strategies of an interview:

1. Attentiveness: a candidate should listen to the interviewer attentively in order to understand the question and then answer them..

2. Accuracy: the candidate should be accurate in giving the answers and should not try to convince the interviewer by giving incorrect answers.

3. Brevity: the candidate should be brief and to the point.4. Focus: the candidate should be focused and specific.5. Clarity: candidate should answer directly and clearly.6. Positive attitude: the candidate’s answer should reflect positive attitude.7. Logical thinking: the ability to think logically always an asset during an

interview.

INTERVIEW STYLES

1. Direct Interview: it is called a direct planned interview. It is a face to face observational method.

2. Indirect Interview: it is not a straightforward question and answer method. Interviewee plays a role of speaking on a particular issue and the interviewer plays mainly a listening role.

3. Patterned Interview: in this interviewer questions to the interviewee are standardized in advance.

4. Stress Interview: Under the stress atmosphere, the interviewer obtains information to access the applicant’s action, response.

5. Depth Interview: the interviewer puts a number of follow up questions.6. Board Interview: an interviewee has to face more than one person in the

interview.7. Group Interview: a group of respondents or interviewees are allowed together to

interact and exchange each other.

Dos and Don’ts

a. Do keep your sentences short and to the pointb. Do ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you didn’t understand it.c. Do end your answers with positive notes.d. Do avoid unnecessary disclosures.e. Be simple and avoid jargon rate of speech.f. Don’t launch into answer without taking time to assemble thoughts.g. Don’t undersell yourself by being apologetic.h. Don’t dwell unnecessarily on failures bad luck.i. Conclude the interview by thanking the interviewer.

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10 Killer Job Interview Questions and Answers Interview Questions and Answers

Q#1 - How long have you been looking for a job?

(Concern - is there something wrong with you that other employershave picked up?)

A#1 - "After I was laid off from my last job, I took the opportunity to take some time out to examine my career goals and where I was going with my life. I have just begun my search in the last few weeks. I have a definite goal in mind and have been selective about the positions I consider. Your company and this position are of great interest to me."

Q#2 - How did you prepare for this job interview?

(Concern - are you interested enough to do some research, or are you going to "wing it"?)

A#2 - "When I found this position posted on the internet (monster.com) I was immediately interested. I checked out the company website and mission statement, looked at the bios of company founders and executives, and was impressed. Once I had the interview appointment, I talked with friends and acquaintances in the industry. And, I'm sure I'll find out a lot more in today's meetings."

Q#3 - What is your salary expectation for this job?

(Concern - Can we afford you? Can we get you for less than budgeted?)

A#3 - "I'll need more information about the job and the responsibilities involved before we can begin to discuss salary. Can you give me an idea of the range budgeted for this position?"

Q#4 - How do you keep current and informed about your job and the industries that you have worked in?

(Concern - Once you get the job do you continue to learn and grow - stay challenged and motivated?)

A#4 - "I pride myself on my ability to stay on top of what is happening in my industry. I do a lot of reading - the business section of the newspapers and magazines. I belong to a couple of professional organisations and network with colleagues at the meetings. I take classes and seminars whenever they are of interest, or offer new information or technology."

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Q#5 - Tell me about a time when you had to plan and coordinate a project from start to finish.

(Concern - behavioural questions - seeking an example of specific past behaviour)

A#5 - " I headed up a project which involved customer service personnel and technicians. I organised a meeting to get everyone together to brainstorm and get his or her input. From this meeting I drew up a plan, taking the best of the ideas. Iorganised teams, balancing the mixture of technical and non-technical people. We had a deadline to meet, so I did periodic checks with the teams. After three weeks, we were exceeding expectations, and were able to begin implementation of the plan. It was a great team effort, and a big success. I was commended by management for my leadership, but I was most proud of the team spirit and cooperation which it took to pull it off."

Q#6 - What kinds of people do you have difficulties working with?

(Concern - ability to be flexible and work in a diverse environment?)

A#6 - "In my last three jobs I have worked with men and women from very diverse backgrounds and cultures. The only time I had difficulty was with people who were

dishonest about work issues. I worked with one woman who was taking credit for work that her team accomplished. I had an opportunity to talk with her one day and explained how she was affecting the morale. She became very upset that others saw her that way,

and said she was unaware of her behaviour or the reactions of others. Her behaviour changed after our talk. What I learnt from that experience is that sometimes what we

perceive about others is not always the case if we check it out."

Q#7 - We expect managers to work more than 8 hours a day. Do you have a problem with that?

(Concern - are you a work-aholic or a person who requires balance?)

A#7 - "I have no problem working long hours. I have worked 12 or 14 hour days. What I have found works for me is to work smarter, not necessarily longer. My goal is to get the

job done, whatever that takes, in the most efficient manner."

Q#8 - When have you been most satisfied in your career?

(Concern - what motivates you? Or de-motivates you?)

A#8 - "The job before the one I am currently at, was my most rewarding experience for me. I worked in a wonderful team environment. There was a lot of camaraderie. I worked

with a team of four people and we did some really original thinking. It is that kind of environment I want to be involved in again."

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Q#9 - Why do you want this job?

(Concern - are you using the shot-gun approach to job search or do you really know what you want?)

A#9 - "I've been very careful about the companies where I have applied. When I saw the ad for this position, I knew I found what I was looking for. What I can bring to this job is

my seven years of experience, and knowledge of the industry, plus my ability to communicate and build customer relationships. That, along with my flexibility and

organisational skills, makes me a perfect match for this position. I see some challenges ahead of me here, and that's what I thrive on. I have what you need, and you have what I

want."

Q#10 - We are ready to make an offer. Are you ready to accept today?

(Concern - we don't want you to go away and think about it and change your mind - we want you.)

A#10 - "Based on my research and the information I have gathered during the interview process, I feel I am in a position to consider an offer. I do, however, have a personal

policy that I give myself at least 24 hours to make major life decisions. I could let you know by tomorrow."

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UNIT V: EMAIL ETIQUETTE

Electronic mail, most commonly abbreviated email and e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages. E-mail systems are based on a store-and-forward model in which e-mail computer server systems accept, forward, deliver and store messages on behalf of users, who only need to connect to the e-mail infrastructure, typically an e-mail server, with a network-enabled device for the duration of message submission or retrieval. Originally, e-mail was always transmitted directly from one user's device to another's; nowadays this is rarely the case.

An electronic mail message consists of two components, the message header, and the message body, which is the email's content. The message header contains control information, including, minimally, an originator's email address and one or more recipient addresses. Usually additional information is added, such as a subject header field.

STRUCTURE OF AN E-MAIL

From : the sender of the message will type his or her e-mail address here.

To: Here you can type the e-mail address of the recipient: more than one address can be written, seperated by commas.

Cc: (carbon copy, or copy to): here you type a list of addresses to which you want to send copies of your message.

Bcc (blilnd carbon copy): the recipients addresses, which you type here, will not be seen by other recipients. Use this if the addressee likes to keep his or her privacy.

Subject: here you type the subject of the message. Don’t leave this blank; give a specific title that will help the recipient to know what the message is about.

Attachments: these are files which go with your message. The recipient has to download them in order to read or see them.

ETIQUETTE

1. Be concise and to the point.

Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an e-mail is harder than reading printed communications and a long e-mail can be very discouraging to read.

2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions.

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An email reply must answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions – If you do not answer all the questions in the original email, you will receive further e-mails regarding the unanswered questions, which will not only waste your time and your customer’s time but also cause considerable frustration. Moreover, if you are able to pre-empt relevant questions, your customer will be grateful and impressed with your efficient and thoughtful customer service

3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation.

This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of your company, it is also important for conveying the message properly. E-mails with no full stops or commas are difficult to read and can sometimes even change the meaning of the text. And, if your program has a spell checking option, why not use it?

4. Make it personal.

Not only should the e-mail be personally addressed, it should also include personal i.e. customized content. For this reason auto replies are usually not very effective. However, templates can be used effectively in this way, see next tip.

5. Use templates for frequently used responses.

Some questions you get over and over again, such as directions to your office or how to subscribe to your newsletter. Save these texts as response templates and paste these into your message when you need them. You can save your templates in a Word document, or use pre-formatted emails.

6. Answer swiftly.

Customers send an e-mail because they wish to receive a quick response. If they did not want a quick response they would send a letter or a fax. Therefore, each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same working day.

7.Do not attach unnecessary files.

. Wherever possible try to compress attachments and only send attachments when they are productive. Moreover, you need to have a good virus scanner in place since your customers will not be very happy if you send them documents full of viruses.

8. Use proper structure & layout.

Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and lay out is very important for e-mail messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep the overview.

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9. Do not overuse the high priority option.

We all know the story of the boy who cried wolf. If you overuse the high priority option, it will lose its function when you really need it. Moreover, even if a mail has high priority, your message will come across as slightly aggressive if you flag it as 'high priority'.

10. Do not write in CAPITALS.

IF YOU WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING. This can be highly annoying and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a flame mail. Therefore, try not to send any email text in capitals.

11. Don't leave out the message thread.

When you reply to an email, you must include the original mail in your reply, in other words click 'Reply', instead of 'New Mail'..!

12. Add disclaimers to your emails.

It is important to add disclaimers to your internal and external mails, since this can help protect your company from liability.

13. Read the email before you send it.

Reading your email through the eyes of the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.

14. Do not overuse Reply to All.

Only use Reply to All if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original message.

15. Mailings > use the Bcc: field or do a mail merge.

When sending an email mailing, some people place all the email addresses in the To: field. There are two drawbacks to this practice: (1) the recipient knows that you have sent the same message to a large number of recipients, and (2) you are publicizing someone else's email address without their permission.

16. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons.

In business emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud).

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17. Be careful with formatting.

Remember that when you use formatting in your emails, the sender might not be able to view formatting, or might see different fonts than you had intended.

18. Take care with rich text and HTML messages.

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

19. Do not forward chain letters.

Do not forward chain letters. We can safely say that all of them are hoaxes. Just delete the letters as soon as you receive them.

20. Do not request delivery and read receipts.

If you want to know whether an email was received it is better to ask the recipient to let you know if it was received.

21. Do not ask to recall a message.

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

22. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission.

Do not copy a message or attachment belonging to another user without permission of the originator. If you do not ask permission first, you might be infringing on copyright law.

23. Do not use email to discuss confidential information.

Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If you don't want your email to be displayed on a bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist or racially discriminating comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke.

24. Use a meaningful subject.

Try to use a subject that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself.

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25. Use active instead of passive.

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

26. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.

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

27. Avoid long sentences.

Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters

28. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks.

By sending or even just forwarding one libelous, or offensive remark in an email, you and your company can face court cases resulting in multi-million dollar penalties.

29. Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters.

If you receive an email message warning you of a new unstoppable virus that will immediately delete everything from your computer, this is most probably a hoax. By forwarding hoaxes you use valuable bandwidth and sometimes virus hoaxes contain viruses themselves, by attaching a so-called file that will stop the dangerous virus

30. Keep your language gender neutral.

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

31. Use cc: field sparingly.

Try not to use the cc: field unless the recipient in the cc: field knows why they are receiving a copy of the message. This will depend on the situation. In general, do not include the person in the cc: field unless you have a particular reason for wanting this person to see your response. Again, make sure that this person will know why they are receiving a copy.

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Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 TipsSome professionals get scores of e-mails a day. Follow these tips in order to give your recipients the information they need in order to act on your message sooner rather than later.

• Write a meaningful subject line. • Keep the message focused and readable. • Avoid attachments. • Identify yourself clearly. • Be kind. Don’t flame. • Proofread. • Don’t assume privacy. • Distinguish between formal and informal situations. • Respond promptly. • Show respect and restraint.

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UNIT VIII; RESUME WRITING

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of a resume is to disclose one’s accomplishments and qualifications to the admissions committee. Resume should be thought of as a promotional brochure about oneself. One needs to show the committee what one has accomplished and where one’s experience lies. Strategies should be to emphasize the experience and skills that a school is looking for. Resume is also an example of communication and organizational skills.

Selecting the right format:There are several acceptable formats for a resume. Based on the amount of our work experience, we can use one of the following formats.

Chronological:This is the most common resume style for people with significant work experience. In this format, the emphasis is placed on employment experience. The applicant’s job history is presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent jobs placed at the top of the list.

Functional:In this non-linear format, our skills and achievements are emphasized. Our employment history is summarized and linked to our skills and achievements. Our skills and previous relevant experience (including educational experience) are presented at the beginning of our resume. The functional resume can be particularly effective if we have held a number of similar positions, it will us to highlight our skills rather than itemize what might be a redundant looking job history.

Combination:The combination resume is simply a functional resume with a brief employment history added. Educational qualifications are listed first, skills and accomplishments are still listed next, the employment history follows. We need to reveal where we worked, when we worked and what our job position was. emphasize our talent and show how we use them at the job.

School- specific:Some schools specify the format for the resume. In most cases, we will be asked to include all part-time and full time work experiences, research and project activities, extra curricular interests and community or civil activities.

Preparing a resume: some useful points:

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The resume (pronounced re-zyu-may), as the curriculum vitae (CV) is called in American English, is another term for a Bio-Data and it is sent with a short letter of application for a job or for admission to course of study.

It is brief account of our personal details, our education and the work experience that we have had.

Our resume must be neatly printed or typed and appealing to the eye. Under the heading ‘ academic qualifications’, we can include school, college, and

university attended, years and degrees earned, class or grade point, average obtained and details of participation co and extra-curricular activities.

Under’ work experience’ we can give details of our organizations where we worked earlier, dates and responsibilities.

If necessary, we can list any other skills that we may have and that we consider relevant to the job. For ex. We many want to mention that we helped develop software for hostel fee accounting.

Use action verbs rather than nouns to describe our experience and skills. For e.g. Instead of saying that I have some experience as a ‘counselor’ with high school students I could say besides teaching our subject I also “counsel” our high school regularly.

Avoid giving information that is not relevant to the application. Personal information such as marital status, family, and hobbies need be included

in a resume unless asked for.

Resume Writing Format

It�s easy to confuse resume format with resume style. Cut through the confusion by remembering that a resume format is a diagram. Resumes are structured into sections. The difference in resume format is where employment experience, skills, and education are placed within the resume body.

Resume sections include:

1. Your name � Goes at the top of your resume

2. Your address � Placed directly below your name. How you choose to place your name is a matter of the style.

3. Resume Objective � Tells your employer what job you are applying for or whether you are submitting your resume for any job that fits your qualifications.

4. Profile or Summary of Qualifications - Your short statement of why you feel you are an appropriate candidate for the job. This section is an optional section.

5. Employment History - A reverse chronology of your work experience. Generally, your resume needs to list the details of only your last three positions or the last ten years of your employment experience. If you have extensive work experience, you may want to follow the employment history section with a bulleted list of additional experience, like that on the sample below.

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6. Education - Unless you are still in school or a recent graduate, your resume needs to list only 1) the name of your college or trade school, your degree, and the year of graduation and/or 2) the name of your high school and the year you graduated.

7. Skills - Organize skills into the order they are most relevant to your job, or subdivide them into categories so that an employer can easily see what additional

attributes you�ll bring to the job. 8. Activities - Another optional section for either professional or community projects

in which you participated.

Basic Resume FormatsMost employers prefer you format your resume using one of three basic methods: chronological, skills, or combination. Chronological is the most common type of resume format and most often preferred by potential employers. However, unless an employer requests a particular resume format, choose your resume format based on your resume objective and the skills and employment experiences that best highlight your qualifications for the job.

Chronological: The chronological resume format lists work experience first, beginning with your last (or current) job. After tracing your work history, the chronological format continues with your education and concludes with extra skills and interests that may contribute to your ability to perform the job.

Skills Format: The skills resume begins with a list of skills that relate to the job for which you are applying. The skills resume format is exceptionally useful when 1) you are applying for a job in a different field than your work experience, 2) you have large gaps in your work experience or 3) you have little of no paid work experience.

The Combination or Functional Format: This format is useful in highlighting skills that are relevant to a particular field of work. It is best used to demonstrate improvement and achievement within a specific field of work.

Two other resume formats are:Curriculum Vitae: A very structured, detailed and lengthy resume format, the curriculum vitae is typically only used by educators and scientists with broad academic and professional credentials. Besides employment, education, and skills, the curriculum

vitae provides prospective employers with a list of the candidate�s publications, projects, and awards. For the average job search, submission of a curriculum vitae is best described as overkill.

Electronic Format: Generally, this is the pre-formatted resume you�ll find at online job sites or resume distribution centers. Although some sites allow moderate customizations, frequently you just need to fill in the blanks. Some electronic resumes are entered into job data banks, meaning your chance of obtaining an interview (the main purpose of resume submission) is slim.

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Resume Format Sample

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LETTER WRITING

Introduction: A letter is an important channel of communication used to send information outside an organization. As it helps to reinforce professional and business relations, it is a positive instrument of professional exchange of ideas, opinions and information. Everyday business dealing and ordinary activities of business would not be possible without letters.

In order to succeed in to-days competitive environment, we need effective letter writing skills because we may have to write different kinds of business letters, such as a letter in order to request for services or information, give information, request for action, give instruction or guidelines, express an opinion reinforce business relations, maintain good public relations, or motivate and persuade people.

Personal and business letters: a personal letter is an information letter in the form of a private dialogue, where the writer wants to say something and expects a response to the message. It may follow the norms of private conversation but it normally does not follow any set pattern of writing and the writer is free to choose any style or pattern that suits his or her mood and content. Thus personal letters are varied in their language, style, tone presentation and content.

A business letter, on the other hand is a formal written message, written in a conventional form for a specific audience to meet a specific need. It is also a form of dialogue, where the writer wants to say something and expects a response to the message. However, it is more structured as it follows a set pattern in form and style.Letter writing process: it is easier to write an effective business letter while following a systematic writing plan. Letter writing is a typical composition process that involves pre writing, writing and post writing.

Prewriting: this involves audience analysis, purpose identification, scope determination and an analysis of the action desired. The writer should bear in mind the key word APSA i.e., audience, purpose, scope and action. The purpose should begin with the writer asking him or her the following questions.

1.Who is my reader/s? (Audience analysis)2.Why am I writing? (Purpose identification)3.How much should I write? (Scope determination)4.What do I want the reader to do? (An analysis of the action desired)

Once these four questions are answered, half the work is done and the writer is ready to write.

Writing: Writing involves organizing the matter, outlining what needs to be written and writing the first draft. Several writing strategies may be used, which includes brainstorming, free writing and mind mapping.

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Post writing: Once the first draft has been written, it should be revised edited and evaluated.

Form and structure: while writing a business letter attention must be paid to, both, the parts of a business letter and to the choice of format. As a letter with a poor and loose structure cannot get the attention that it may seek, correct format and standard writing conventions should be followed while designing the letter. In order to ensure clarity of presentation, the letter should be divided into sections and subsections, each with a clear purpose and place in the body of the letter.

Format of a business letter

Sender’s address Dateline Reference (optional)Subject (optional)Salutation BodyComplementary closeSignatureEnclosures (optional)

Personal letter format

Sender’s addressDate

Salutation

Body of the letter

SubscriptionSignature

Address on the Envelope To address

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UNIT VII :READING COMPREHENSION

Introduction; reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding of a writing. As a complex process of decoding and comprehending the written message, reading could be quite challenging activity because the act of understanding is not simple process depends on purpose of reading, different reading strategies and skills in order to understand the content and language pattern of a message.

Vocabulary skills: a good vocabulary is essential for effective reading. In order to understand what we read, we need to recognize the meaning of work as well guess the meaning from word structure and infer the meaning from the content. We need to learn and practice these vocabulary skills.

1. The reader should develop appropriate sight, recognition skills and how to recall the names of words quickly.

2. Should continue his reading when he understands the matter that too without consulting the dictionary.

3. Should be able to guess the meaning of information of word from the context.

Eye reading and visual perception: visual perception is a basic requirement for reading effectiveness because we recognize a word through sight. Infact efficient reading involves reading with fast eye movements.. eye reading makes reading fast, efficient, and result oriented. We need to improve our visual perception skills and ability to identify words and phrases. Steps for improving eye reading skills:

1. Develop faster eye fixation.2. Read in word groups or thought units instead of word by word.3. Improve accurate visual perception of words and phrases.4. Avoid vocalization and sub-vocalization.5. Rapidly recognize word meaning.6. Concentrate while reading.

Prediction techniques. Prediction is a rapid reading skill. Prediction about the content of a passage are generally based on heading, sub-headings, one’s background knowledge of the subject, graphic or non-verbal context such as graphs, diagrams, charts, and so on. The techniques of prediction involve:

a. Glancing rapidly through the text, before reading any part of it in order to familiarize oneself with the subject.

b. Guessing the information that the text contains.c. Recalling the related information.d. Analyzing the aids in the text that might make reading faster and easier.

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Scanning skills: scanning refers to the ability to locate specific information or facts as quickly as possible. Scanning speed can be increased by regular practice and better comprehension. The following suggestions will help to increase proficiency at scanning.

• Know what you want to find• Do not read everything.• Use guides and aids.• Know the organization of the material to be read.• Concentrate while scanning.

Skimming skills: Skimming is a more sophisticated skill than scanning. It refers to the process of reading a text or passage in order to get a rough idea of what the text or passage is all about. Skimming involves three main skills:

1. Identifying the central idea2. Recognizing the main ideas3. Identifying the written patterns of the text or passage.

Intensive reading skills: In comparison to rapid reading skills, intensive skills are detailed reading that demands better concentration and motivation. The three rapid reading techniques of prediction, scanning and skimming prepare the reader for intensive reading.

To develop intensive reading skills, thorough reading practice is required. It also demands that an appropriate reading method be used. Moreover the reader should develop his/her critical reading and inferential skills as his/her ability to receive and interpret graphic information.Intensive reading skills include:

1. Distinguishing between facts and opinions.2. Drawing inferences and conclusions.

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UNIT-VIII: TECHNICAL REPORT

Introduction:A report is a formal communication written for a specific purpose; it includes a description of procedures, collection and analysis of data, their significance. The conclusions drawn from them and recommendations or suggestions if required.

A technical report is a written statement of facts of a situations, project, process or test. They are investigative in nature for they are written after studying or surveying a subject area, a situation, the working of industry, an organization, a department etc.

Technical reports are very important since important decisions are made based on the reports received on specific subjects.

Kinds of Reports? 1. Progress Reports: Ongoing projects or activities.2. Evaluation Reports: Analysis and assessment of the subjects.3. Feasibility Reports: About the future of the projects, in other words, implementability

of the policies or projects.

Sections of technical report: Cover page Acknowledgements Contents Introduction Methodology Description Conclusions Recommendations Appendices References

Cover page:To : Name of the person to whom the report is addressed or sent.From : Name of the person, who prepares the report.Title : A brief statement of the subject of the report.Date : Date of the submission of the Report.Place : Place where the report is made.

Acknowledgments: Thanking the persons who either helped or supported in preparing the report.

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Introduction:Contents: It’s an index page. Answers to the questions, such as

Who instructed to prepare the report? What was asked to investigate?

When was to submit the report? What are the other instructions to prepare the report?

Methodology: It includes surveys, interviews, methods of data collection, procedures for investigation, criteria for survey, etc.

Description: It is the main part of the report. It is often divided in to convenient sections or paragraphs. Data is presented in an organized form; discussions, analysis and results will follow.

Conclusion: It includes the significance and meaning of the report that has been prepared.

Recommendations: It includes comments, suggestions, remedial measures, advantages, disadvantages, requirements, cost implications solutions, etc. based on results and finding of the report.

Appendices: Details of the supporting material or data, kept separate from the main body of the report.

References: A list of reference books, journals, magazines, previous reports, documents or any other sources of information is made at the end of the report.

A specimen Report: You are a sales supervisor of hair oil manufactures. The manager asked you to carry out a survey and send a report detailing the sales of the product, the reaction of the customers, the reasons for the low scales in the market.Cover page:

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Acknowledgements:ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I express my sincere thanks to Ritesh who has encouraged me to undertake this survey. I also feel grate full to all the colleagues and my friends without whose cooperation and support this report would not have become a reality

Contents:

No Contents Page1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.

AcknowledgementIntroductionMethodologyDescriptionConclusionRecommendationsAppendicesReferences

2345-678910

Example:

Introduction: The present report has been prepared following the instructions received from the Manager, Care Hair Oil Manufactures Pvt.Ltd., Hyderabad, on 20 February, 2006. As per the given instructions, a detailed survey has been carried out in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad over a period of ten days. The reaction of the consumers and the reasons for the low sales have been analyzed and presented in detail in the present report for the perusal of the manager.

Methodology:1. A team of sales executives has been formed for visiting houses in the colonies;

with the help of questionnaire, the reaction of the consumers recorded by a video on each day in a randomly selected colony of the twin cities.

2. From big shopping centers to petty retail provision stores, all the shopkeepers have been enquired and their views have been recorded.

3. Now, a separate list of consumers’ likes and dislikes complaints and complements, and suggestions and recommendations about the product has been prepared.

4. Obvious reasons for the low sales of the product from the shopkeepers has been prepared.

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Description:On the basis of the reactions of the consumers and views of the shopkeepers, it is understood that the product ‘Care Hair Oil’ needs to be improved in its quality besides the prices should be decreased in order to promote the product.

Out of one thousand, eight hundred and fifty housewives were reluctant to use Care Hair Oil on two grounds. First, the oil is stickly and fragrant less. Second, its price is unaffordable. They also have complained that the product is not arresting the hair fall nor is supporting the healthy hair growth. They suggested that the product should be available in all affordable quantities from 10 ml to 250 ml like other popular hair oil brands.The shopkeepers have strongly felt for widespread publicity and attractive prize winning schemes to promote the sales of the product. They even have asked for promotional commissions or rewards to be given to them.

Conclusion: All the consumers seek increase of the quality and decrease of the prices of the product. And all the shopkeepers advise to publicize the product on a large scale and to introduce a prize-winning scheme for promoting the sale of the product.

Recommendations:

1. The quality of the product can be increased by reducing the stickiness and adding fragrance.2. The product can be promoted by widespread publicity.3. The attention of the consumers can be drawn by introducing prize winning

schemes, such as lucky draws, ‘buy two and get one free’ etc.4. The Product can be made consumer-friendly by packing in small quantities –

packing in 10 ml sachets.

Appendices:

1. Papers related to methodology- questionnaires, prints of e-mails written Suggestions, remarks etc.

2. A copy of quality report prepared by the laboratory.3. A VCD recorded during the interaction with the consumers.

References:

1. The previous report prepared on the consumers’ reaction.2. The News paper reports on the oil products available in the market.

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