PURPOSIVE COM FINALS

• Email


  Usually called electronic mail, may be used similarly to text messaging or synchronous chat, or as a quicker way to receive and send information that would traditionally be written in a letter, can be delivered to a mobile device
• In business, email has largely replaced printed letters with external (outside the company) correspondence, as well as taking the place of memos for internal (within the company) communication
• Proper salutations


  • Demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in case a message is accidentally sent to the wrong recipient
• Salutations


  • Dear Ms. X (external)
  • Hi, Barry (internal)
• Subject lines


  • Should be clear, brief, and specific, helps the recipient understand the essence of the message
• Subject line example

  • ABC Sales Proposal attached
• Signature


  • Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains your name and business contact information
• Avoid abbreviations


  • An email is not a text message, and the audience may not find your wit because of ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing)
• Format cleanly


  • Include line breaks between paragraphs for ease of reading
• Review email before sending

  1. Structural edit

  2. Copy edit

  3. Proofreading
• Reply promptly


  • Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a habit of replying to emails within 24 hours, even if only to say that you will provide the requested information within 48 hours
• Avoid using all caps


  • Capital letters are used online to communicate yelling and are considered rude
• Email ahead of time


  • If you are going to attach large files (audio and visual files are often quite large) to prevent exceeding the recipient's mailbox limit or triggering the spam filter
• Give feedback or follow up


  • If you don't get a response in 24 hours, email or call. Spam filters may have intercepted your message, so your recipient may never have received it
• Memo


  Normally used for communicating policies, procedures, or related official business within an organization, often written from a one-to-all perspective, broadcasting a message to an audience, rather than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication
• Memo


  • Has a header that indicates who sent it and who the intended recipients are, date and subject lines are also present, followed by a message that contains a declaration, a discussion, and a summary
• Memo introduction


  • Uses a declarative sentence to announce the main topic
• Memo body


  • Elaborates or lists major points associated with the topic
• Memo conclusion


  • Serves as a summary
• Audience orientation in memos


  • Always consider the audience and their needs when preparing a memo, your goal should be clear and concise communication at all levels with no ambiguity
• Tone of memos


  • Professional, formal, as memos are often announcements, and the person sending the memo speaks for a part or all of the organization
• Subject emphasis in memos

  • The subject is usually declared in the subject line and should be clear and concise
• Format of memos

  • Direct, getting to the point quickly and clearly announcing the purpose
• Objectivity in memos


  • Memos are a place for just the facts and should have an objective tone without personal bias, preference, or interest on display
• Business letters


  Any written communication that begins with a salutation, ends with a signature and whose contents are professional in nature, a common form of written communication
• Full block format


  • The most common layout of a business letter, the entire letter is left justified and single-spaced except for a double space between paragraphs
• Modified block format


  • Another widely utilized format, the body of the letter and the sender's and recipient's addresses are left justified and single-spaced
• Semi-block format


  • The final, and least used, style, much like the modified block style except that each paragraph is indented instead of left justified
• Middle paragraphs of cover letter


  • Describe what you have to offer the employer, make strong connections between your qualifications and the position requirements, use several shorter paragraphs or a bulleted list rather than one large block of text
• Final paragraph of cover letter

  • Conclude by thanking the employer for considering you for the position, include information on how you will follow up if you have the contact information for the hiring manager to do so
• How to write a resume


  1. Pick the right resume format & layout

  2. Mention your personal details & contact information

  3. Use a resume summary or objective

  4. List your work experience & achievements

  5. Mention your top soft & hard skills

  6. Include additional resume sections (languages, hobbies, etc.)

  7. Tailor your information for the job ad

  8. Craft a convincing cover letter

  9. Proofread your resume and cover letter
• Heading or sender's address


  • The sender's address usually is included in the letterhead, if not using letterhead include the sender's address at the top of the letter one line above the date, do not write the sender's name or title
• Dateline


  • The date line is used to indicate the date the letter was written, if completed over multiple days use the date it was finished
• Inside address


  • The recipient's address, written one line below the date, always left justified, should be addressed to a specific individual if possible
• Salutation


  • Always formal, often begins with "Dear {Person's name}", use the same name as the inside address including the personal title, avoid "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir or Madam"
• Body of business letter


  • Leave a blank line between each paragraph, be concise, opening paragraph states the main point, following paragraphs justify the importance with background and supporting details, closing paragraph restates the purpose and may request action
• Closing/complimentary close


  • Begins at the same vertical point as the date, one line after the last body paragraph, a short and polite remark that ends the letter
• Signature


  • Demonstrates your personal stamp of approval of the letter's contents
• Enclosures


  • If you have any enclosed documents, you can indicate this by typing "Enclosures" and the name of each document, located three lines after the signature or one line after the typist initials
• Attention line


  • If the letter is going to a large company, an attention line can provide emphasis so the letter goes where it needs to go, write "Attention:" and then the name of the recipient