Alan G on how to write completely!

Writing completely can be a very difficult skill, but with the right amount of practice anyone can master it!

Always remember to proof read your work and make sure it flows well, check for errors in grammar and punctuation, as well as over use of technical terms. Make sure every point you want to cover is discussed in your writing and that the reader knows what they will get out of reading your work.

I learned a great deal from this blog and I hope you all did as well!

Mika W 's Guide to a Killer Cover Letter

Recently I was flipping through a reader’s digest magazine and came across this on the magazine's at work joke section:

“My friend had been pounding the pavement in search of a job with no luck. Frustrated, she asked her dad to look at her resume. He didn’t get much further than the first line of her cover letter before spotting the problem.

“Is it too generic?” she asked.

“I doubt it,” said her father.

“Especially since it’s addressed ‘Dear Sir or Madman.’” (Melanson 41)

Humor aside a cover letter plays an important part in landing that job of a life time. Your prospective employer will see hundreds of cover letters, perhaps for just one opening. So you have to make your cover letter stand out. Think of your cover letter as a piece of advertisement that will help sell your product. Put yourself in the employer’s position, would you want to meet the person who wrote the cover letter? Would you feel that they are right for the job?

To make your cover letter stand out -

• Make a good first impression – Your cover letter will serve as a sample of your writing skills for the prospective employer.
  
• Provide space between the introduction, body and the concluding paragraphs. Use simple typeface and limit your writing to a page.
  
• List your job, education and other experiences from present to past - focus on the value you added and the skills you gained. Draw out any examples of creativity, problem solving or entrepreneurialism.
  
• Include ex-curricular activities and interests to give a rounded view. Employers are looking for people, not just a set of qualifications and work experience.
  
• Have a friend or colleague read the cover letter too. Check for spelling errors, grammar and sentence structure.
  

Remember that a good cover letter will be well presented and skillfully crafted. If you invest the time, follow the guidelines I provided and use the information in following the YouTube video you will be able to deliver an engaging cover letter.


Reference:

Melanson, Giselle. "@ work ." Reader's Digest Jan. 2009: pg 41. Print.

Bobrin, Sidney, Christopher Keller, and Christian Weisser. Technical Communication in the 21st Century. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2008.

Jenna G's - Role Instant Messaging has in Workplace

Instant messaging (IM) allows workplace writers to communicate in "real time". It is a form of synchronous communication-- communication with the sender and receiver transmitting and receiving in the same moment.
I find that instant messaging is extremely convenient, easy to use, and of course fast. Although I can not say I have any experience using an instant messaging program while in a place of work, I can say that I understand how convenient of a tool it is just through experiencing it in my personal use. Now a days, even most phones are connected to the Internet and have access to instant messaging programs. So, not that it wasn't already, but now it's even more convenient. It is a great way to share files with fellow colleagues, suppliers, and partners. Also, the service can be a lifesaver when trying to fix a technical program on a computer. The conversation and given directions can be accessed right there on the screen. And according to an article on ScienceDaily, instant messaging proves useful in reducing workplace interruptions. (#1) It talks about most colleagues finding it easier and less disruptive to IM versus picking up the phone or having a face-to-face chat. Plus, best of all, most of the providers are free of charge.
Overall, I think instant messaging is a popular growing trend in the workplace world. With technology coming out with the next most convenient device/program we can count on business communication only getting better from here on out.

Sources:

#1 Sciencedaily.org

#2 Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century (2nd Edition) Dobrin, S., Keller, C., Weisser, C. (2002)

So...Why do I need to Know How to Write Professionally..

Admit it, you guys have all thought that at least once. I'll even admit that I can be accused of saying that in the past. A lot of us don't actually think of the importance of the writing we do in our every day lives. Not realizing the impact of our writing can lead to a lot of potential losses.

Whatever our career choice is really has no impact on whether our writing should be professional or not. Whether we are writing to a potential client, our colleagues, or even in casual writing; grammar and syntax can never be over perfected. The appearance we could give off through such a simple mistake as spelling a word wrong, can never be fixed. That is why learning to write professionally will maximize every aspect of your career.

The video I posted below, will help you improve your writing and thus the way you appear, instantly. I encourage you to take a few minutes to watch it.

Mike P on Team Projects

Team projects offer students many benefits as well as challenges. Team projects can help a student learn the skills necessary to collaborate effectively in the workplace. A team project usually consists of several phases including: planning, scheduling, collaborating, and reviewing.

One of the main challenges that teams may face when working together are time management issues. It is important when working on a project to dedicate plenty of time for setting guidelines and for planning. Team members need to be sure to have each other contact information and schedules to ensure that time is used most efficiently. Frequent communication is key to producing an organized and quality project. Many times when working in groups you have the group member or members that barely contribute to the project. It is important to have frequent evaluations of each group member’s performance to fix these types of problems quickly.

If people work together on a team properly, they can sometimes produce better results than just an individual effort. Working on a team means sharing information and collaborating on ideas. This is not only helps create a better quality project, but enhances the learning experience of all members involved. Working on a team can improve on a person’s social skills and time management skills. On top of all this working as a team if organized and executed properly can be much more enjoyable and rewarding than working alone.

Here is a helpful video:


Sources:
http://www.ableweb.org/volumes/vol-22/mini.12.perry.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNG2mlkzkCI

Mika W.’s Writing a Complaint Letter for Dummies

So you have a complaint? Then you know the feeling of wanting to write a letter to someone and give them a piece of your mind? You just want to let them know to get their ducks in row, or to get their act together or to go to you-know-where, but especially in the professional writing arena its best to keep your writing genial, and not let your inner demons come out. There is no need to add fuel to the fire; rather it’s better to just kill it with kindness, and here is how:
Avoid leading with negative information – no need to attack the reader, ease into the issue at hand.

State Facts – assigning blame is not going to help, instead focus on the facts.

Be sincere and thoughtful – don’t forget that your writing is still directed towards an audience.

Keep their feelings in mind.

Keep your negative tone in check – it’s important to express your frustrations while controlling your emotions.

Apologize – If an apology is needed then don’t think twice to apologize.

Be positive – Use a positive tone as much as possible. Use words and phrases that will make your reader want to fix the problem.

Be polite – politeness will get you far.

Fix the problem – let the reader know what they can do to help fix the problem. Is there a discount that can be offered? A free trial...etc

Last, but not least check for content and sentence structure, correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, format, and mechanics; and analyze whether the message achieves its purpose. There is plenty more to complaint letter writing, so don’t forget to check out this great video!



Reference:
Bobrin, Sidney, Christopher Keller, and Christian Weisser. Technical Communication in the 21st Century. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2008.

Mike P on Using Graphics and Imaging Software in Writing

Writing can be interesting and descriptive when necessary, but when it comes to getting your information or point across to your audience, using graphics can really give your writing that extra zing. Graphics can consist of certain items such as charts, graphs, tables, pictures, animation, video or anything else that visually helps get your point across. When choosing graphics for your writing, there are a few important things to keep in mind: Does your graphic support any important objectives or points in your writing? Can your graphic be easily deciphered and connected with your writing?

These are some examples of graphics that may be used in a document:

Bar Graph:


Pie Chart:


Diagram:


Imaging software consists of tools and programs that help you create graphics for various purposes. Software such as Microsoft Paint is an easy and free program that allows you to create basic graphics which can be used to facilitate your writing. Other more advanced programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Flash, and Fireworks allow you to create and edit graphics and even animations with much more flexibility. Videos can be created using programs such as Windows Movie Maker, and for the more advanced user, Adobe Premiere Pro. Using a popular word processing software such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, these graphics can be easily brought together to create a completed document or presentation.

Example of a document with graphics:


Sources:
http://teachers.greenville.k12.sc.us/sites/ekrezdor/Blinkies%20and%20Graphics/bar%20graph.gif
http://www.jpowered.com/php-scripts/pie-chart/images/pie-chart-small.png
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/fstone/images/general/car_diagram.gif
http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/flyer_web.gif