Business Correspondence
1.
Elements (Basic Principles)
of
Business Writing
Effective communication is the soul of any business. It is not possible to run a
business successfully without effective communication. Most of the
communication in a business organisation is done through writing. Business
letters, reports, office memoranda form the core of any business.
The
objectives of business writing are different from those of other types of
writing. The aim in all business writing is to communicate a message clearly and unambiguously rather
than to provide aesthetic pleasure. The write does not aim at impressing the
reader through a display
of his command over the language or create a thing of beauty that people would cherish for
generations. It is simply to get things done in
a manner which increases productivity and improves the quality of the products and
thus earns higher profits for the organisation. In order to make
business writing effective, we have to follow certain
rules which are known as the elements or basic principles of business
communication. Given below are the seven basic principles of business of
communication recommended by experts in business writing which are sometimes
referred to as the seven Cs of business communication.
1. Clarity – The
most important rule to be followed in business communication is clarity. The
message must be clear and it must be expressed in a language that cannot be
misunderstood.
i.
Clarity of thought – To achieve the aim of clarity, the
writer must have a clear idea of the objective
of his communication. He must also have a clear idea of what he wants to communicate. At the same time, he should also be
able to visualise clearly what response the message
would generate in the receiver. He must also have a clear idea of what
would be the most suitable medium for the kind
of message he wants to communicate and the audience to
whom he wants to communicate it.
ii.
Clarity of expression – The message should be communicate
through language which can be easily and correctly understood by the intended
receiver. The following guidelines may be followed to achieve this aim:
a.
Familiar vocabulary: One should use the most commonly used
words which the people around are familiar with and can easily understand. It
is undesirable to use strange, difficult and pompous
vocabulary just to impress the receiver with one’s command over the
language.
b.
Short and simple sentences: We should use short and simple sentences which are easy
to interpret. Complex, complicated and involved
structures should be avoided as far as possible because they can confuse the receiver. Instead of saying
We are going to launch a new model of our air
conditioner which will not only be less costly but also be more effective as
well as economical as it will consume less power and achieve higher cooling in
less time because of the new technology that we have used in making it.
We can say
We are
going to launch a new model of our air conditioner. It will cost less than the
old model. We have used new technology to make it. It will make it more
effective. It will achieve greater cooling in less time. It will consume less
power. So, it will also be economical.
c. Active rather than passive voice: Active voice conveys the message more directly than passive
voice. It is better to say ‘We will immediately look into your complaint and
find a solution’ than to say ‘Your complaint will be looked into immediately
and a solution will be found’.
d. Use one word instead of many if possible: If you can use one familiar word in
place of many words, it will make your message easier to understand. For
example, instead of saying ‘in close proximity to’, you can say ‘near’.
e. Avoid jargon:
The specialised terminology used by people belonging to a certain field of
specialisation is known as jargon. Jargon words should be avoided as far as possible
especially if the receiver of the message does not belong to the same field of
specialisation as you because it is likely to create problems in understanding
the message.
f. Use verbs instead of nouns: Verbs should be preferred to nouns as far as possible
because they give the message more directly. Instead of saying ‘We have arrived
at the decision ---------’, we can say ‘We have decided -------.’
g. Avoid ambiguity: Try to avoid language which can be interpreted in more ways than one. It
can lead to misunderstanding and confusion. If you say ‘Flying planes can be
dangerous’, It is not clear whether you mean that the planes that fly can be
dangerous or the act of flying planes can be dangerous.
h. Use concrete language: Do not use language in your correspondence. Try to be
precise and concrete. Instead of saying early or late, give the exact time and
instead of saying economical or expensive, give the exact price.
2.
Conciseness: Keep your message as brief as
possible. A compact message is more effective and easier to understand than a
long one which contains a lot of information not required at all. The reader
gets lost in the maze of words and the essential message may be lost on him. To
achieve this aim,
i.
Do not use long introductions. Come to the point straight away.
ii.
Be relevant. Do not include anything in your
communication which is not required. It makes difficult for the reader to pick
the grain from the chaff.
iii.
Use
single words in place of long and wordy
expressions.
But be
careful that conciseness is not at the cost of clarity. A laconic message which
does not make your intention clear is of no use.
3.
Completeness: It means that your communication should be complete in all
respects. It should include all the required information.
An incomplete message can do more harm than good.
i.
It
is discourteous and can irritate the receiver
and thus lead to strained relations.
ii.
It
results in the wastage of time and energy as
well as money – your own as well as of the receiver. The receiver will have to
continue writing to you until he gets all the required information and you will
have to write back to him several times instead of just once.
iii.
Incomplete
information can lead to wrong decisions and thus
result in loss to the organisation.
iv.
If
an external party is involved, it may lead to disputes
and avoidable litigation.
To
make your information complete, make sure that you have answered the six
necessary questions – who, what, when, where, why and
how.
If you
are replying to a communication, make sure that you have given all the
information sought by the other party and answered all his questions.
4.
Correctness: Be careful that the information that
you are giving is correct and reliable in all
respects. If you are doubtful
about the information being given, verify
it before you give it. If you do not have the
required information, you had better ask for time to
get it instead of giving wrong information. Incorrect information within the
organisation can result in wrong decisions and losses to
the organisation. It also ruins your personal
credibility. Incorrect information supplied to an external party can
result in disputes and litigation. It can also hurt the reputation and credibility of your organisation.
5.
Candidness: It is also important to be candid in
your communication. Always try to be honest and sincere
in your message and the give the information
which you really believe to be correct. Never
try deliberately to conceal the facts or to distort them
even if they are unpleasant.
Any effort to befool somebody by knowingly giving wrong
information is sure to come to light sooner or later. And when the truth
becomes known, it can be unpleasant for you as
well as for your organisation. It can lead to disputes, litigation, wrong
decisions, and losses and ruin the fair image of the organisation.
6.
Courtesy:
Courtesy is another important requirement of business writing. Discourteous communication can
offend the receiver and lead to strained
relations. Being courteous involves a great many things.
i.
The
first requirement of courtesy is that you should be prompt
in answering the communications that to receive. Do not keep the other
fellow waiting for days as the information sought by him may be crucial and a delay may result in losses.
ii.
Make
liberal use of the markers of politeness like please,
kindly, pray etc. They cost nothing but the returns they bring are very
high.
iii.
If
you happen to make any error of omission or
commission, apologise as soon as you realise it
even if it is inadvertent and assure the fellow that you did not mean to do so.
iv.
If
anybody does you a favour, do not forget to
express your sense of gratitude. Thank them
liberally. They will feel elated if you do so.
v.
If
somebody else makes a mistake and then, when he
realises it, apologises, tell him that you did not mind
it at all and that there is no need for an apology. Assure him that he
need not let the matter worry him at all.
vi.
Do not use language that may hurt the self-respect of the receiver. Avoid using
humiliating words like ignorant, stupid, inconsiderate etc.
7.
Consideration: In all business writing, you must
show the receiver that you have a great regard for him
and his interests. Your correspondence should reflect the immense
importance you give him.
i.
To
do so, you should always use language which
shows that you care for his dignity and self-respect.
Never use a word which is likely to humiliate him or injure his self-respect. Never be
rude or arrogant in you correspondence with people.
ii.
To
adopt the ‘you attitude’ is another way of
showing consideration. It means not only giving preference to the pronoun ‘you’ over ‘I’ or ‘we’ and use it as much as you can
but also assuring him that you attach great value to
your relationship with him and that his interest is the uppermost in your mind.
It does not mean, of course, that you should subordinate your own interests to his. But you must
give him the feeling that your interests are common and
you are eager to promote them.
iii.
Consideration
also requires you to avoid gender bias. If you
use the traditionally male oriented language, it
may hurt the self-respect of the person you are
communicating with if the person happens to be a
female. You can avoid gender bias by using the following tips:
a. Wherever possible, try to use gender neutral terms like chairperson instead of
chairman. If that is not possible, you can use a slash and make use of both the terms, male and female. For example,
instead of using the salutation ‘sir’, you can use ‘sir/madam’.
b. Sometimes you can avoid gender bias
by using the plural pronoun instead of the
singular one. For example, you can say ‘Everyone is requested submit their
leave application in advance’.
c. At other times, it may be possible to
use the definite article ‘the’ instead of the
possessive ‘his/her’ as in ‘It will be appreciated if everyone gets the
casual leave sanctioned in advance’.
iv.
Always
use positive language in all your
communications. Even if you have to give a negative
message, make it less hurtful by using positive language. Instead of
bluntly telling an applicant for a job that he has been rejected, you can say,
“We are sorry to inform you that we are would like to do so at some future
date.” It is due to this reason that business organisations have started using
terms like ‘customer service cell’ instead of ‘complaint cell or grievances
cell’.
2.
Business Letters
Writing business letters is an
art which has to be learnt assiduously. To master this art, one has to get to
know the different components of a business letter, become familiar with the
different letter formats and the punctuation styles that go with them, the
contents of the different kinds of business letters and the kind of language to
be used in them.
A. Components
of a Business Letter
A business letter is divided into several parts which are
known as its components or the elements of its structure. These components are
given below.
1. Heading: \it contains the name, postal address,
telephone number, telegraphic address, fax number and email id of the
organisation sending the letter and is written at the top middle of the page.
Business organisations generally use printed letter heads and the heading is
already printed on it.
2. Date: It is the date of writing the letter. It is
aligned either with the right or with the left margin according to the format
being used.
3. Reference: It gives the despatch number and the date
of the letter in reply to which the present letter is being written. Sometimes,
the despatch number and date of the previous letter of the organisation writing
the letter is also given under that of the receiver’s. The former is then
called ‘your reference’ and the latter ‘our reference’. It is aligned with the
left margin.
4. Inside address: It is the address of the organisation
to whom the letter is being sent, the address which also written outside the
envelope. It is aligned with the left margin.
5. Salutation: The salutation is the wording used to
greet the person to whom the letter is being addressed. Sir/madam, Dear
Sir/Madam, Dear Mr. ------------, etc.
are the common salutations used. It is aligned with the left margin.
6. Subject: The subject tells briefly what the letter is
about and is aligned with the left margin.
7. Body: The body is the main part of the letter. It
contains the message to be communicated.
8. Complimentary close: It is the courteous leave taking
written below the body and aligned with the right or the left margin according
to the format being used.
9. Signature, name and designation: The name and
designation of the signatory is typed four spaces below the complimentary close
leaving space for the signature to be affixed. The authority writing the letter
puts his/her signature in this space.
10. Identification Mark: In most of the business
organisations, the initials or the last name of the person who typed the letter
is also given on the left side two spaces below the signature. It is preceded
by the asterisk (star). The purpose is to identify the person who typed the
letter if needed at a later date. Sometimes, there are two names separated by a
slash. The first is the name of the person who dictated the letter and the
second is the name of the typist. However, it is not a mandatory component.
11. Enclosures: If any documents are attached with the
letter, their detail is given at the end in the form of a numbered list.
12. Distribution List: If a copy of the letter is sent to
any other person/s other than the person it is addressed to, their names are
given at the end for the sake of record and for the information of the
addressee. Sometimes, the words ‘Distribution List’ are not typed. Instead, the
words ‘Carbon Copy to’ or simply ‘CC to’ are typed.
Styles of Punctuation: Three different styles of
punctuation are used depending on the format being used.
1. Open punctuation: In open punctuation, no
punctuation mark is used in any part of the letter except the body. However, normal punctuation is used in the body.
Open punctuation is used if complete
block format is used.
2. Mixed Punctuation: In punctuation, four
commas and one full stop are used in the
parts other than the body. A comma each is used after the date,
the house or shop number, the salutation
and the complimentary close and
the full stop is used at the end of the inside address.
Mixed punctuation is used if the block or the semi block format is used.
3. Close Punctuation: In close punctuation, a comma is used to separate the different items in all compponents of the letter before and after the body of the letter
and a full stop at the end of
each part. This style is used with the
indented and hanging indented formats.
Styles of Presentation or Formats:
Five
different formats are used in business letters as per the preference of the
organisation.
Complete
Block Format: In this format, all the parts of the letter except the heading
are aligned
with the left margin. It
is the easiest to follow. You do not have to waste any time or energy in
moving the cursor to the left or the right. This format is the most popular format these days. Even the first line of the paragraphs in the body
of the letter is aligned with the left margin. The different components of the letter as well as the different paragraphs in the body of the letter are separated by leaving one line space blank. Open punctuation is used with this format.
Block
Format: In this format, the dateline,
and the complimentary
close along with the
signature, name and designation are aligned with the right margin and all the other parts are aligned
with the left margin. All other things are as they are in the complete block
format. Mixed
punctuation is used with
this format.
Semi
Block Format: There is only one difference between semi-block format and block format. In it, the first line of each
paragraph of the body is
indented and the other lines are aligned with
the left margin.
Indented
Format: In this format, each new element is indented two to four spaces. Close punctuation is used with this format. The first line of each paragraph in the body is also indented.
Hanging
Indented Format: This format is like the indented format except that the first line of each
paragraph is aligned with the left margin and the other lines are indented. With this format also, we use close punctuation.
Some Types of Business Letters
1. Enquiry Letters
The purpose of an enquiry letter is get some kind of information about the articles or goods which you intend to purchase. You may want to
find out whether the party you are writing to deals in the goods you want, whether they will be able to supply the quantity you want by the time or
within the time limit specified. You may also want to know the uses and benefits of the article. You can ask for the price list of certain goods or a catalogue of the
goods they deal in. You may even ask for a sample.
In short, you can ask for any kind of information about
what you want to buy. But you must clearly
describe the article about which you are seeking the information.
2. Quotation
Letters
A quotation is a promise to supply a
good / goods at the price quoted in the document and on the other terms and conditions specified in it.
A. Letter inviting quotations:
When an organisation wants to buy some
goods, it writes letters to several parties dealing
in those goods asking for quotations for the supply of those goods. An important difference between a tender and a letter inviting
quotations is that a letter inviting quotations
is sent to specific parties whereas a tender
notice is published in some newspaper/s or magazine/s. A letter asking
for quotation must contain all the details of the goods
required to be purchased along with detailed specifications like brand, size, colour, quantity required, date of supply etc.
The invitation can also set a time limit for sending
the quotation.
In addition to the price, you can also ask for some other kinds of information.
i. Whether the prices quoted include the
applicable taxes, packing, transportation and insurance
charges. (FOB or
FOR)
ii. Whether some kind of discount will be allowed. If yes, how much?
iii. Any additional discount or any other facility to be provided in case of bulk purchase.
iv. The mode of transportation.
v. The time
required to supply the
order when it is placed.
vi. The time for
which the quotation will be valid.
vii.Details of guarantee or warranty and after sales service.
viii.
The mode
of payment (whether by cheque, cash or demand
draft or by some other means)
ix. The terms of payment –
Whether full or part payment is required to be made in advance, whether the entire payment is to
be made on delivery,
whether credit for
a certain period is allowed, whether any interest will
be charged if the payment is delayed.
B. Letter giving quotations
If the party which has received an invitation for submitting
the required quotation is interested in getting the order for the required
goods, it sends back a reply quoting the minimum price and the other terms and
conditions on which they are willing to supply them. The letter should answer
all the questions mentioned above and supply any other information that has
been demanded. The following things are given in the quotation letter
i.
Thanks for the invitation for quotation
ii.
The
prices to be charged
iii.
Whether the prices quoted include the applicable taxes, packing, transportation and
insurance charges.
iv. Whether some kind of discount will be allowed. If yes, how much?
v. Any additional discount or any other facility to be provided in case of bulk
purchase.
vi. The mode of transportation.
vii.The place and
time of delivery.
viii.
The time
required to supply the order when it is placed.
ix.
The time
for which the quotation will be valid.
x. Details of guarantee or warranty and after sales service.
xi. The mode of payment (whether by cheque cash or demand draft or by some
other means)
xii. The terms of payment – Whether full or part payment is required to be made
in advance, whether the entire payment is to be made on delivery, whether
credit for a certain period is allowed, whether any interest will be charged if
the payment is delayed.
3. Order Letters
After studying and comparing the prices and other terms and
conditions given in the quotations, the organisation which wants to buy goods
decides to place an order with the vendor (seller) who offers the most
favourable prices and conditions.
To avoid any problems at a later date, an order letter must give all the details and specifications of
the goods to be purchased.
It is desirable for the buyer to repeat the terms and conditions
already agreed upon in the order letter. An order letter generally includes the
following:
i.
Thanks for sending the quotation
ii.
Most favourable price and T & C
iii.
Name/s of the good/s to be ordered
along with complete details of quantity, quality, colour, size, catalogue
number if any.
iv.
Per unit price
v. Discount
or bulk purchase discount
if any
vi. Details of guarantee or warranty and after sales
service
vii. Mode
of transportation and
the place and time of
delivery
viii.
Mode and terms of payment
ix. Any special instructions regarding packing etc.
4. Acknowledgement of an Order
On receiving
an order, it is the duty of the receiver to acknowledge the receipt of the letter and inform the buyer when the order will be supplied
and by what mode of
transportation. The letter contains the reference number and date of the letter placing the order
as well as the date of
receiving the letter. Then it goes on to thank the buyer for reposing faith in them and
giving them an opportunity to serve them. It also gives the information about the expected date of despatch
of the order and the mode
of sending the consignment. It ends by expressing the hope that that their
business relations will continue in the days to come and they would continue to
receive orders from them.
Even if the supplier is not in a position to supply
the order, he must write back to the buyer acknowledging the order and explaining the circumstances which
prevent him from doing so. He may even suggest an alternative or say that he would be able to supply the
order on a future date.
5.
Intimation of Despatch
When the receiver of the order
despatches the order, he has to inform the buyer
of the fact that the order has been despatched.
The letter contains information about the date of
despatch, the mode of transportation and the
approximate date by which the buyer will receive the consignment. Again
the supplier thanks the buyer for having given
him an opportunity to serve them and expresses the hope
that their business relations will continue in future also.
6. Sales Letter
A sales letter is a letter aimed at promoting the sale of a product. It tries to persuade the
addressee to buy the product mentioned in the letter. In this letter, the
writer gives the distinctive features of the product and explains how those
features will be beneficial to the prospective buyer. He may name some people
who have already benefitted by buying the product. An appeal to his good sense
will not be out of place. A comparison with other competing products may also
be drawn and it may be pointed out how the product scores over the other
similar products in the market. A sample can also be sent. Something about
guarantee of performance may also be said.
In the end,
something about the deadline, limited offers and discount allowed to early
buyers and to bulk buyers can also be added to induce the receiver to buy the
product.
7. Complaint and Claim Letter
If the goods received by the buyer
not to his satisfaction in any way, he can write a complaint letter and ask for
replacement, repair or compensation. The goods supplied may not be as per the
specifications given in the order letter, less in number or quantity, or
inferior in quality. Some of them might have been damaged during transit or may
be defective or not in proper working order. Whatever may the complaint of the
receiver, he brings it to the notification of the supplier and asks for
replacement, repair, compensation or free repair or replacement of the
defective components. Such a letter is called the complaint and claim letter.
The writer begins by the informing
and thanking the supplier for having executed his order. Then he goes on to
give the details of his complaint or grievance and the details of the remedy he
demands or expects. He ends by expressing the hope that his complaint would be
looked into and redressed at the earliest in the manner suggested by him.
8. Reply to the Complaint Letter
On receiving a complaint and claim letter, the supplier has to send a reply. He may accept
the complaint fully and agree to give him the remedy demanded by him. He may
also partly reject the complaint and the claim and partly accept it and offer
the remedy to that extent. He may even accept the complaint but offer to
compensate the buyer in some other way than the one suggested by him or suggest
an alternative remedy. He may even totally reject the complaint refuse to
entertain the claim. Whatever be his reaction, he has to communicate it to the
buyer.
He begins by regretting the inconvenience caused to the buyer. Then he proceeds to
give his response to the complaint. If his response is positive, he goes on to
say by when and how his complaint will be rectified. If the response is a
negative one, he has to give his reasons for rejecting the claim. He concludes
the letter by feeling sorry again for the inconvenience.
9.
Credit Letter
A credit letter is a request to the supplier to supply
goods on credit. The request must give the complete details of the amount of credit
expected and the period of credit. The reasons why the credit is required may
also be specified. Since the party giving the credit will be taking a risk, it
has also to be assured that their money will be safe and there will be no
default or delay in repaying the credit amount. By way of assurance, the writer also gives evidence of the financial
soundness of his business by supplying a copy of his balance sheet. He may
also give references of the parties he has been dealing with in the past and
the banks so that the party which has received the request may be able to make
inquiries, if they so desire, regarding the reliability of the requesting party
to ascertain his reliability. He letter is concluded by expressing the hope
that the request for credit will be considered favourably and the required
credit will be granted.
10.
Reply to the Request for Credit
Grant of Credit
I.
After
making due inquiries and satisfying themselves about the reliability of the
party asking for credit, the party which has received the request may write
back to communicate their willingness to grant the request for credit. They
begin by thanking the requesting party for the request for credit. Them they go
on to say that they have made due inquiries and are satisfied that the requesting
party is reliable and their money will be safe in their hands. So they are
willing to grant the request for credit. They conclude by expressing the hope
that their trust will be justified and that the borrowing party will repay the
amount as promised. In the end, they express the hope that their business
relations will not only continue but grow in future. Sometimes, the request may
be granted partially i.e. they may agree to give credit but for a smaller amount
than requested for.
II.
Refusal of Credit
If,
however, they are not satisfied regarding the reliability of the requesting
party, the write back regretting their inability to grant the requested credit.
In case they do so, they have to explain the reason/s for refusing the request.
However, they may add that if the requesting party is able to satisfy them in
future of their credibility and reliability, they may reconsider their
decision.
A
request for credit may be refused for other reasons than the non-reliability of
the requesting party. One such reason can be the policy of the organisation not
to sell on credit at all. It can also be the lack of funds available with them.
Whatever be the reason, they must give the reason for refusing to grant the
request.
11.
Collection Letters
A collection letter
is a letter asking a party to whom some goods have been supplied on credit to
make the payment.
A collection
letter may be written before the due date for payment to remind the party that
the date for payment is approaching and they should not forget to make the
payment on the due date.
Sometimes, the
borrowing party does not make the payment on time. In that case, they have to
be reminded that the date for payment has already passed and the payment is
overdue. A request is made to them to make the payment by a certain date or
within a stipulated period. It may also be added that if the payment is not
made within that extended period, the borrowing party will be liable to pay
interest at a given rate if the credit is interest free. If interest is already
being charged, a higher rate of interest may be demanded from the date when the
payment was due.
Sometimes, the lending party may give several reminders and still may not receive the payment. Finally, a
stage comes when their patience is exhausted and they can no longer wait. In
that case, they have to give an ultimatum (a last warning) that if the payment
is not made by a given date, they will have no option but to take recourse to
legal proceedings to get back thei r money and the borrowing party will have, then,
to pay back the money with interest and also bear the costs of litigation.
12.
Auction Notice
If an organisation wants to sell
something by public auction, it gives a notice in the press inviting the
intending buyers to make the bids on the given date, time and place.
An auction notice must contain the
following information:
I.
The
complete details of the goods to be auctioned including their name condition
and quantity.
II.
The
date, time and place of auction.
III.
The
place at which and the dates and timings during which the goods can be examined
by the intending bidders.
IV.
That
the goods will be sold on ‘as and where is basis’ and that the successful
bidder will have to remove them at his own cost.
V.
The
amount of earnest money and the mode of its payment whether in cash or by
crossed demand draft or cheque. It may also be made clear that the earnest
money paid by the successful bidder will be adjusted against the payment and
that of the unsuccessful ones will be refunded after the conclusion of the
auction. If the earnest money is to be paid by DD or cheque, it must also be
mentioned in whose name the DD or the cheque is to be made.
13.
Tender and Tender
Notice
A tender notice is not sent to
specific parties like an invitation for quotations. It is published in the
public media like a newspaper or magazine etc. It invites offers for the bulk
supply of goods or for some kind of services like the performance of some kind
of work or execution of a project.
A tender is an offer to supply goods
or services like executing a project or performing a job at the rate or price
given and on the terms and conditions specified in the tender document. It
becomes legally binding only after it is accepted. The tenderer is free to
withdraw his offer before its acceptance
A tender is submitted in response to
such a tender notice published in a newspaper, magazine etc. It must contain
the following information.
i.
Complete
details of the goods to be purchased or the work to be done.
ii. The date by which the goods have to
be supplied or the work has to be completed.
iii. The estimated cost of the work to be
done or the goods to be supplied.
iv. Demurrage if any for delay in
supplying the goods or completing the work.
v. The earnest money to be sent with the
tender and the mode of paying it.
vi. The name and address of the authority
to which the tender has to be submitted.
vii. The date and time by which the tender
must reach the authority.
viii.
The
date, time and place of opening the tenders.
The
tenderers have to abide by the conditions given in the notice. In their tender
offers, they can also specify any terms and conditions on which they are
willing to supply the goods or execute the work mentioned in the notice.
Job Application Letter and Resume Writing
Importance of a job
application Letter: A
job application letter is a very important document. It can help you land a coveted job which may give a flying start to your career
or accelerate your progress along the corporate
ladder by catapulting you into a much higher position than the present one.
The purpose of a job
application letter is to sell your services.
Just as a salesman has to present an article that he is trying to sell in such
a way as convinces him that he cannot get a better product in the market and highlights all the qualities of the article that the customer wants the article to have, similarly the
applicant for a job has to convince the employer that he cannot get a better man for the job by highlighting
his qualifications, experience and achievements.
While drafting a job application letter, you have to analyse the job in order to understand what kind of qualifications, skills, qualities and experience are
required to discharge the duties that the job involves. Then, you have to convince the would be employer
that you possess all those qualifications, qualities, skills and the kind of
experience that are needed to successfully discharge the duties and functions
which you will be entrusted with.
So, in your job application letter, you briefly highlight those of your qualifications,
skills, personal qualities which are directly related
to the performance of the duties and functions which you may be required
to perform in the job that you are applying for. You can also draw attention to any spectacular
achievements that you might have made in a similar position earlier. But
it is not necessary to give the complete details of
your qualifications and experience. These details are given in the resume or curriculum
vitae which is enclosed with the application letter.
However, you should not try to deceive
the prospective employer by claiming to possess those qualities and
skills which you do not have. You must be perfectly
honest in making whatever claims you make. Any
lies that you may tell are sure to be discovered
sooner rather than later. And then you will find yourself in a soup.
A job application letter comprises the following parts:
1.
The
applicants name and address, telephone number etc.
2.
Date
(Two spaces below the name and address)
3.
Name
and address of the employer (Two spaces below the dateline)
4.
Salutation
(One space below the address)
5.
Body
of the letter( One space below the salutation)
6.
Complimentary
close (One space below the body)
7.
Signature
and name (The name should be written clearly or typed below the signature)
8. List of enclosures – Names of all the
documents attached with the application are given here.
Resume, Curriculum Vitae and Bio-data
Resume, curriculum vitae and bio-data are documents which are
used by the applicant for a job to bring to the notice of the prospective
employer the qualifications, work experience and personality traits which he
possesses and which make him a suitable candidate for the job applied for.
Sometimes, these three are taken to be different names for
the same document which can be used interchangeably. But they are actually
three different documents which have the same basic purpose. The difference
relate to the details to be included in them and the situations in which they
are to be used.
Resume: The resume is used by a person who is
already in job and is applying for a higher position in the same field of
specialisation. It is the briefest of the three. In it, the applicant gives the
details of the qualifications, skills and experience which are directly related
to the job he/she is applying for. Any other details which are not relevant to
the job in question are not included. These qualifications and experience are
also given in the reverse order beginning with the latest and then going back
to the earlier ones. The purpose is to highlight those qualifications and that
kind of experience which will enable the applicant to perform the duties and
functions that he/she may be asked to perform in his/her new job in an
efficient manner.
Curriculum Vitae: It is a document used by fresh
candidates applying for their first job or by those candidates who are trying
to switch the field of work i.e. they are applying for a job which is different
from the one they are doing and involves the performance of different duties
and functions from the ones that they are performing in their present job. It
is slightly longer than the resume and includes the details of all the
qualifications, skills and experience which the candidate possesses. But the
personal details are generally not included.
Bio-data: This is the most exhaustive of the
three. It carries all the details of qualifications, skills, experience and
personality traits possessed by the applicant. In addition to these, it also
includes the personal details of the applicant like his/her religion, nationality,
marital status, hobbies etc. which are not included in the other two. It is
used by people applying for a government job or for a job in a multinational
organisation or a foreign organisation.
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