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Professional Writing Tips

Elevate professionalism in the workplace by mastering writing skills. Learn to create effective emails, cover letters, and resumes using standard English. Find tips for writing success and avoid common grammatical mistakes.

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Professional Writing Tips

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  1. Professional Writing Tips Braathe Enterprises Virtual Internship Program Darcy Socha Ileana Wilburg Karen Garcia

  2. Objectives The learner(s) will be able to: Make their writing communicate to others within the workplace Understand overall quality of professional workplace writing and the use of standard English Understandthe importance of effective emails Create professional business emails and letters Identify different types of cover letters and resumes Create a cover letter and resume

  3. Professional Writing Skills Communicating effectively and professionally in the workplace speaks more about you than you think. Knowing what you want from your audience and knowledge of what you’re talking about is crucial in professional writing. This knowledge along with basic writing skills will elevate your professionalism in your workplace.

  4. Tips for writing success Everyone could use a writing refresher every now and then and It’s especially important in today’s modern technological age. In an age of smartphones, laptops, and iPads it’s important to understand when and where certain writing is appropriate and when the emoticons would be best left on your friends text.

  5. Know your Audience Before any writing is started it is important to not only know what you’re talking about, but what the reader is hoping to learn. Knowing your audience gives you a sense of direction. Also knowing your audience will help you to set your style, tone and vocabulary.

  6. Professional Writing Quality When writing in a professional atmosphere it’s important to write with clarity and conciseness, to pay close attention to the content and order of your writing, and to be persuasive for your audience.

  7. Using Standard English Regardless of who your audience is, in the workplace you should always use standard English. As a way of maintaining a high level of professionalism in your writing always check your work for grammar issues and always proof read your work. (arfeldcomm232.wordpress.com)

  8. Common Grammatical Mistakes Affect/Effect- Affect(verb) means influence. Effect (noun) means results Then/Than- Then (adverb) refers to a time. Than (conjunction) is used in a comparison Your/You’re- Your (possessive) “Is that your car?” You’re (contraction) is for you are It’s/Its- It’s (contraction) for it is. Its (possessive) “Its shape is round.” Company’s/Companies- Company’s (possessive) “The company’s president is Darcy Socha.” Companies (plural) There/Their/They’re- There (adverb) meaning in or at that place. There is possessive form of the pronoun “They” They’re (contraction) They are Less/Fewer- Less is quantity, Fewer in number

  9. Business Emails What are business emails? Electronic communications • Within a company • With clients (current/future) • With potential employers Why is it important? First impressions May be the only chance you get Emails are not private (they can be forwarded to anyone) Emails are considered legal documents (Kasomenakis, n.d.; Guest, n.d.)

  10. Setting up a business email Do not use the same email for personal & business Use domains such as yahoo.com Use your name Stay away from nicknames Allfacebook.com (Kasomenakis, n.d)

  11. Components of a business email Subject line Greeting Purpose Closing remarks Proper closing Signature- Signature tips (Englishtown, n.d.)

  12. Business Email Do’s Do proofread before you send Do respond in a timely fashion Use out of office messages when gone Keep messages “short and sweet” Spell names correctly Video: Business Writing and Grammar bodytips (Kasomenakis, n.d)

  13. Business Email Don’ts Don’t use fancy fonts or styles Don’t use caps. CAPS=YELLING Avoid “Reply All” as much as possible Don’t use emojis or text phrases like LOL Don’t use emails as chat Video: Pitfalls to Avoid in Business Emails (Kasomenakis, n.d; Lang, K., n.d.)

  14. Examples For business email examples click here (Doyle, A., n.d.)

  15. Written business letters Use company letterhead Date Sender’s Address Return Address Salutation Body Complimentary Closing Signature Courtesy Copies (if applicable) Postscript (PS Notification) (English Grammar, 2014)

  16. Business Letter Example (Graphic Standards, n.d.)

  17. Cover Letter What is a cover letter? Introduces you and your resume First document an employer sees Why is it important? Explains experience Important skills Sample of written communication skills (Purdue OWL, n.d.)

  18. Formatting & Tips Formatting items to keep in mind: • Length • Spacing • Margins and Alignments Tips: What to include Relevant professional accomplishments Unique Selling Points What not to include Why your left you last job Overused Buzzwords Jokes (Cover Letter Tips, n.d; Purdue OWL, n.d.; How To Write A Cover Letter, n.d.)

  19. Types Four types of cover letters • Application • Specific job opening • Referral • Mentions name of person • Interest • Prospecting letter • Possible job openings • Networking • Job search and assistance (Different Types of Cover Letter Examples, n.d.)

  20. Resume What is a resume? Brief document that summarizes ones education, employment history, and experiences Why is it important? Primary tool for job search First impression an employer has Shows qualification (Purue OWL, n.d.)

  21. Components Contact/Identifying Information (Name, Address, Phone Number, and Email Address) Objective and/or Summary (Optional) Education Experience/Employment Skills and Abilities (Computer, Language) Activities and Honors • Other (Community Service, Interest, Professional Affiliations) References (Indicate “Available Upon Request”)

  22. Formatting & Tips Formatting Use white space liberally No more than two fonts Use bolding and italics sparingly Use bullet points Be consistent Tips What to include Quantifiable Data Awards or Recognition Non-traditional Resume • Video Resume Key words from job description What not to include Personal Data beyond contact information Photographs • Outside U.S. require a photograph Grammar School and High School Unrelated Work Experience • (12 Surprising Things to Put on Your Resume to Get Noticed, n.d.; How To Write A Resume, n.d.; What Not to Include in Your Resume, n.d.)

  23. Types Skills • Suited to students • Change in careers Chronological • Work experience related to desired employment • Do not have long periods of unemployment Functional • Most commonly used • Had internships or cooperative experiences Combination • Hybrid of Chronological and Functional (Purdue OWL, n.d.; How to Create a Professional Resume, n.d.; Simply Hired, n.d.)

  24. Curriculum Vitae What is it? • Called a CV or Vita • Overview of life’s accomplishments • Used when pursuing an academic job in the U.S. • Applying for fellowships or grants • Expected in Europe, Middle East, Africa or Asia What is included • Name and contact information • Overview of education • Academic and related employment • Research projects • Departmental and community service • Reference list Format/Example/Strategies • No standard format • Different emphases in each discipline • Most important to the specific discipline • People in the same discipline • Gapping • Parallelism (Purdue Owl, n.d.; The Difference Between a Curriculum Vitae, n.d.)

  25. Difference between a CV from a Resume What is the difference between a CV and a Resume? Length What is included What it is used for (Purdue Owl, n.d.)

  26. Templates Where to find? Books Google Docs Job Search Sites, e.g. CareerBuilder, Monster, JobSearch:About Microsoft Office

  27. Questions?

  28. References Professional Writing Tips 10 Writing Techniques: Anyone Can Write! (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from https://www.udemy.com/blog/writing-techniques/ 50 Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills | Smashing Magazine. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/28/50-free-resources-that-will-improve-your-writing-skills/ 7 Sound Techniques for Effective Writing. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-sound-techniques-for-effective-writing/ Appropriate Language. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.writeexpress.com/appropriate-language.html Purdue OWL: Workplace Writers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/681/01/ The 7 habits of highly effective writers | Articles | Home. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/The_7_habits_of_highly_effective_writers__12614.aspx What Is Effective Writing Communication. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2014, from http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/what-is-effective-writing-communication.html

  29. References Business emails and letters Doyle, A. Email message examples: A - Z list. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchemailsamples/a/email-message-examples.htm English Grammar.  Effective Business Writing: How to Write Letters and Inter-office Documents. (March 23, 2014). Retrieved June 20, 2014, from http://www.englishgrammar.org/business-letters/ Guest.  How to create a professional email signature. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/how-create-professional-email-signature-your-career-or-job-search/ How to write a perfect professional email in english | EF Englishtown. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.englishtown.com/community/channels/article.aspx?articlename=184-email Kasomenakis, V.  Business-Etiquette-124-13.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_D5CF1E9CBA19696E34B0093669610EA960570A00/filename/Business-Etiquette-124-13.pdf Lang, K.  How to write professional emails [12 Etiquette Guidelines]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/write-professional-emails/ McKay, D.R. Tips for writing professional email. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://careerplanning.about.com/od/communication/a/email_tips.htm Photo Credits: Doyle, A. (n.d.). Email Message Format Examples. Retrieved June 20, 2014, from http://jobsearch.about.com/od/sampleletters/ig/Sample-Letter-Formats/Email-Message-Format.htm Graphic Standards for Consistent Logo Use. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2014, from http://www.uwsa.edu/cert/publicat/style/ Ward, B. (Jun 29, 2011). Yahoo Mail Has Facebook’s Most Explosive Page - AllFacebook. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from http://allfacebook.com/yahoo-mail-has-facebooks-most-explosive-page_b48885 Videos: Add social media icons (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) to your email signature - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMqS3fmdGSw&feature=player_embedded#%21 Pitfalls to avoid in business emails - professional email tips - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved June 18, 2014, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwFz7wriPms Professional & B2B emails: Email body - business writing & grammar - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07HoVJUPqEs

  30. References Cover Letters and Resumes: 10 Steps: How to Write a Resume. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://susanireland.com/resume/how-to-write/ 12 Surprising Things to Put on Your Resume to Get Noticed. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3207-resume-writing-tips.html Cover Letter Tips - Get Good Cover Letter Advice | Monster. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/cover-letter-tips/jobs.aspx Different Types of Cover Letter Examples. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/types-of-cover-letters.htm How To Write A Cover Letter - Our Top 5 Cover Letter Tips That Will Get You The Interview - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Drg4x9dsFU How to Create a Professional Resume. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumes/qt/profresume.htm How To Write A Resume - Our Top 5 Resume Tips That Will Get You The Interview - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYaXN8j7rL8 Purdue OWL: Cover Letters 1: Quick Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/549/01/ Purdue OWL: Résumés 1: Introduction to Résumés. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/564/1/ Purdue OWL: Sample Resumes. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/927/1/ Purdue OWL: Writing the Curriculum Vitae. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/641/01/ Simply Hired | The 3 Main Types of Resumes - Simply Hired. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://www.simplyhired.com/blog/jobsearch/resumes/3-main-types-resumes/ Resume Components. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wa.gov/esd/guides/resume/write/write_components.htm Resume Layout Advice: Your Resume’s Look Is as Important as Its Content. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/resume-look-important-as-content/article.aspx The Difference Between a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Resume. (n.d.). Retrieved fromhttp://jobsearch.about.com/cs/curriculumvitae/f/cvresume.htmWhat Not to Include in Your Resume. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumetips/a/not-include-resume.htm

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