How to Write an Effective CV/Resume?

How to Write an Effective CV / Resume

Difference in CV and Resume:

First of all we will know about the main differences in resume and curriculum vitae.

A Resume:

It is one page summary of your skills, education and experiences. This is not in detail and in very concise manner you have to tell about yourself in a particular manners and format. 

A Curriculum Vita: (CV)

However in CV you have to explain about yourself in more detail. CV may be designed one to two pages about educational, academic backgrounds as well as any previous job experience, if any, awards, honors, publications, affiliations, and other achievements. It is more detail synopsis than a resume.

How to write and effective Curriculum Vitae (CV)/ Resume

There are some steps to write an effective Curriculum Vitae (CV)/ Resume, like:

Attach a Cover Letter:

A cover letter is a best resource to explain that why you are fit and suitable for such job. There is a separate format for designing a cover letter. This is not a detail discussion about your skills and knowledge, it just explain that you are good for a particular job.It carries a good effect on your respondent and makes your reputation batter rather than others those not enclose a cover letter.

Chose an Easily Understandable Format:

Try to design your CV/ Resume in understandable format. Because this is very important that what is you are going to discuss about you so it should be quite easy way for better understanding. This is a big mistake when you write a long paragraphing and chose very complex format of CV. Always try to choose easily understandable format. This push your reader for avoiding redundant effort on relevant finding according to your job description. 

Write down Your detail:

There should be your detail about:

• Your full name: Always write your full name in your CV.
• Mention your address in bold fond. 
• Give your phone number and email address on which you are available.
• Write your qualification in descending order that your current qualification comes first and then remaining. 
• Mention your past professional experience, like your last job
• Write about your rewards and other achievements, if any, but always write correct information.
• Any sort of computer skills should be mentioned. 
• Interest and hobbies heading also be there and this is very important portion of CV because this area shows your psychology. 
• In last, write down your references, if any. 

Usual Mistake Is Done By the People While Designing CV / Resume So, Be Careful 

There are some common mistakes are done by people when they are designing CV/ resume and it carry adverse response. Therefore you be very careful about your presentation. These mistakes are:

Cover Letter Is Missing:

Some of the people missed to attach a cover letter along with their CV.  So this is also a lacking and to enclose this letter getting impressive image in sight of your respondent. So must try to enclose a cover letter at first of CV. 

Choosing Complex format:

Sometime people chose complex and very abstract format of CV. It contains overloaded information in paragraphing form rather than a bullet form. A CV should be in very distinct manners; and easy to understand. 

 There are two sample for showing the difference. 

Not an Impressive Way

Impressive way

Grammatical Mistake:

There are some grammatical mistakes are done by people and this carry not a good effect. So avoid such flaws in CV. Be sure about the correct use of grammar and always try to focus in the 7 C’s. Properly check the spellings and follow grammatical rules also. Because just due to use of wrong grammar you may lose your job call because this carry very bad  impression over your respondent, specially when you are applying in big and renowned organizations. 

Overloaded Information:

Try to give information in very concise manner and try to avoid same word again and again. Use substitute word especially when you are writing cover letter.  Try to provide required and relevant information only. In fact when you are applying in various fields then you have to mention relevant information in CV. Like if you are applying for marketing job then just mention your marketing experience, skills and knowledge. There is no need to write down about your teaching experience and skills. This is very common mistake mostly people do that they design only one CV and sent this CV to every organization. This is not a good CV because in one CV you divulging all skills, experiences and knowledge. Therefore avoid this habit. 

Avoid Writing Fake Information:

Sometime people enclose fake information about their self and they write their fake hobbies and interest. While, this portion of CV is very much important and your respondent must read this portion, because this heading tells your psychology. If you mention wrong and fake information there this may be trace in interview when your receiver asks questions from you about your hobbies and interest. Like if a person who play table tanes / Squesh  and suppose your interviewer also fond of this game so if he ask any rule and this thing about your playing style and you are not knowing about such game rules so this thing become embarrassing and also give wrong impression that may be reaming information is also not genuine. Therefore, do not enclose fake information about yourself.

Great Thanks to My Respected Professor,
Khalik-ur-Rehman
( to whom I took my session for improve my professional writing skills)

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MINTUTES OF THE MEETING

Minutes of the meeting

Preparing Minutes of Meeting

In a typical business, many committees and task forces operate within the company. The purpose of committees is to discuss various problems and to make recommendations to management. A standing committee is one that operates permanently year after year, although its members may change. A task force is a group of people who are appointed to solve a specific problem; when they make their recommendation on the ‘task’ assigned to them, the task force is disbanded. Each department may have several committees that meet periodically – usually once a week, every two weeks, or monthly. For example, if you are working in a sales department, there may be committees on advertising, sales conferences, commissions, product development, public relations, and so on.

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INQUERIES AND GENERAL REQUESTS

INQUERIES AND GENERAL REQUESTS

Let’s look at two very common guidelines necessary for writing general request and inquires and then examine a few examples.

Guidelines

1. Use common courtesy in your request – ask rather than demand

2. Include all the information the recipients will need in order to give you maximum help, but don’t waste the readers’ time with irrelevant details.

Letter (A)

Dear Sir

   Send me the latest catalogue of your office supplies

  

Yours sincerely

Analysis of the Letter (A)

What do you think of Letter A? Very poor, isn’t it? Why?

The letter demands rather than asks (Guideline 1)

The writer has not supplied sufficient information (Guideline 2). So you can see that such a letter cannot fulfill its purpose. Now look at the following letter and see whether this is written according to the guidelines given.

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COMMUNICATING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

Communicating through technology

Challenges to the organization Made by New Technologies

Defining Email

Email refers to messages sent over computers and includes everything from causal notes to friends to multimedia presentations sent across the world.

Electronic mail (email) lets you send a message to a person without your making direct contact or knowledge where the person is located. Subscribers to electronic mail services are called users, and as a user, you can access messages on your system from your home, office, hotel, or anywhere you happen to be.

Several basic components make up email systems, including:

            1. Users

            2. Messages

            3. Senders’ and Recipients’ Addresses

            4. Protocols

            5. Messaging Transports

            6. Gateways

            7. Value-added Networks

            8. Directory Systems

1. Users

Users are often people, but users can also be other computer application programs.

2. Message

A message is the actual information send by one user to another.

3. Addresses

Part of the email information included in a message is the addresses of both sender and receiver, which include their unique identification codes along with another identifier such as the email systems, the mailbox number, or the organization.

4. Protocol

Each email system uses a protocol that describes the structure of the message, generally with a header of TO; FROM and SUBJECT; followed by the body, which may include text, images, graphics, video and audio.

5. Message Transport

The software that moves the message from one system to another in called the transport.

6. Gateways

If the message sent from one system must get to a user on another system, it must pass through a gateway to be delivered. A gateway is an application program that translates between two protocols of different email system.

7. Valued-added Networks (VANs)

Valued-added Networks (VANs) are public telecommunication companies, such as AT&T or PTCL, that handle email services to users for a fee.

8. Directory Systems

As a user, you can access directory that contains names, addresses, and sometimes other information about each user to find the email address you need to send a message.

Using email:

With email, you can reach individuals, groups, or other computers anywhere in the world to share information, files of data, spreadsheets, videos, music and anything else that can be sorted on a computer. Email can save your time in printing, copying and distributing your message. You can use email to send and receive faxes and telexes. Email is also useful in your personal communications.

Writing conventions for email are still developing, but one character is its being informal. The traditional conventions of writing are not followed in email. Capitalization can vary from one email user to another; all punctuation and capitalization except for periods at the ends of sentences are omitted. The immediacy and perceived informality of email compose rambling messages.

Understanding how Email Works

To send an email message, you do the following:

Log on.

This means connecting to a computer, network, or email program. It requires the user’s name and a password. Choose the receivers of your message. For this step, you need to know the email addresses of your recipients. Compose the message and instruct the program to send the message.

Email offers speed, low cost, better access to other employees, portability, and convenience (not just overcoming time-zone problems but carrying a message to many receivers at a time). It’s best for communicating brief, non complex information that is time sensitive, but its effectiveness depends on user skills. Because the turn around time can be quite fast, email tends to be more conversational than traditional paper-based media. 

Email Etiquettes:

Planning

Be clear, concise, and polite when you send an email message. Plan your email like letters and memos.

•        Decide on the purpose

•        Decide on the content

•        Write all the ideas in point form

•        Put these ideas into sequence appropriate to the purpose

Advantages and Disadvantages of Email

Advantages	Disadvantages
Email is a faster and more efficient channel than regular mail (sometimes referred to as snail mail). Most messages reach anywhere in the world within minutes of being sent.	It can be difficult to distinguish between casual and formal messages because of their similar layout
It can be sent at any convenient time	There may be a time lag if the receiver does not read his email for a few days
It can be sent to different receivers at the same time	The system is inaccessible to those who are computer illiterate or not online.
Email can be stored and sent at off-peak telephone rates	Its contents may reappear later in a variety of printed forms.
It saves paper	It lacks nonverbal communication cues to add meaning.
A message can be written and edited quickly by several people before it is sent.	It can be overused.

Elements of a Good Online Writing Style

Key element	Purpose	Strategies
Clarity	To communicate clearly	Create single-subject messages whenever possible. Open the email message with a sentence that either: connects it to previous correspondence, or identifies its purpose, or reflects an awareness of the reader’s needs. Focus on the subject and purpose. Show the reader how the content affects them. Present new ideas clearly Arrange ideas in a logical sequence

Key element	Purpose	Strategies
Readability	To make information accessible	Use about 15 to 20 words per sentence. Limit each sentence to one idea. Use complex sentences of 25 to 35 words sparingly as they require a high level of reading skill. Vary the length of sentences to add rhythm and interest to your writing. Use the active voice. Avoid slang. Remove ambiguous and unnecessary words Avoid technical terms unfamiliar to the reader.

Key element	Purpose	Strategies
Positive language	To create a positive impression	Use direct and courteous language Choose positive rather than negative words.
Punctuation	To keep the meaning clear	Start a sentence with a capital and end with a full stop. Check that the sentence is not too long. Separate ideas by using paragraphs. In general, use more full stops than commas.
Tone	To establish the communication climate	Avoid emotional responses (called ‘flaming’ in ITs). Use a courteous and tactful tone. Use an appropriate level of formality.

Faxes   

A facsimile machine scans a printed page, converts it to a signal, and transmits the signal over a telephone line to a receiving fax machine. Although faxes have been available for many years, until recently they were slow and expensive.

The oldest type of fax machine had to be connected to a machine of the same type, and the transmission took several minutes. Today’s fax machines do not require the same kind of machine at the receiving end, and they can transmit a page in less than 1 minute. The newest fax machines use digital transmission, which makes it possible to use a computer program as a receiver. These new faxes are also much faster.

The oldest type of fax machine had to be connected to a machine of the same type, and the transmission took several minutes. Today’s fax machines do not require the same kind of machine at the receiving end, and they can transmit a page in less than 1 minute. The newest fax machines use digital transmission, which makes it possible to use a computer program as a receiver. These new faxes are also much faster.

Voice Mail

Voice mail records messages on a computer disk for later retrieval by the receiver. When an incoming call is not answered, the system responds by telling the caller how to leave a message or how to reach someone else. The receiver of the call can then either listen to the machine upon returning to the office or access the message via telephone. This process eliminates the problem of telephone tag, which can be so frustrating.

Voice mail is useful because:

•        It replaces short memos and phone calls that need no response

•        It is most effective for short, unambiguous messages

•        It solves time-zone difficulties

•        It reduces a substantial amount of interoffice paperwork.

•        It is a powerful tool when you need to communicate your emotion or tone

•        It is especially useful for goodwill and other positive messages

Other Communication Technologies

Groupware

Groupware allows several people to use software at the same time to create documents, keep track of projects, route messages, and manage deadlines. Groupware enables a supervisor to manage work flow via individual computers instead of physically moving form place to place or having face-to-face meetings.

CD-ROM database 

Compact Disk – Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) has been available for several years and is becoming more popular. It is powerful tool for putting masses of information in a form that is easy to digest. Some kinds of information typically found on CD-ROMs are encyclopedias, dictionaries, telephone directories, and articles and abstracts on various subjects. A CD-ROM can store more than 100,000 pages of text. It will continue to grow. 

Teleconferencing

It is a rapidly developing technology that will eventually change the way companies do business. Teleconferencing is the best for informational meetings, ineffective for negotiation and efficient alternative to a face-to-face meeting. It discourages the “secondary” conversations, helps a participant to focus on a topic but prevents participants from sharing valuable information.

Videotape

Videotape is often effective for getting a motivational message out to a large number of people. By communicating nonverbal cues, it can strengthen the sender’s image of sincerity and trustworthiness; however, it offers no opportunity for immediate feedback.

Computer Conferencing

Computer conferencing allows users to meet and collaborate in real time while viewing and sharing documents electronically. It offers democracy because more attention is focused on ideas than on who communicates them. But overemphasizing a message (to the neglect of the person communicating it) can threaten corporate culture, which needs a richer medium. 

Editing an Online Document

After having written the electronic message, you must edit it for certain reasons. Ask yourself the following questions.

Have I considered the receivers’?

•        Viewpoint?

•        Experience?

•        Knowledge?

•        Need?

•        Position in the company?

•        Cultural differences?

•        Technology?

Have I presented? 

•         A clear purpose statement?

•         A logical order of information?

•         An appropriate, concise and complete message?

•         A clear, readable writing style?

•         Positive language?

•         Paragraphs focused on the ideas?

•         A courteous and confident tone?

•         Carefully edited work, used spellchecker and grammar checker

Have I Met?

  

•        The reader’s need to understand the information?

•        The document’s purpose

•        The writer’s need to convey particular information?

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NON- VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Non- Verbal Communication

 What is the non-verbal part of the message?

 Nonverbal communication consists of that part of a message that is not encoded in words. The nonverbal part of the message tends to be less conscious and often reveals the sender’s feelings and preferences more spontaneously and honestly than the verbal part. If the verbal message does not match the nonverbal communication, people tend to believe the nonverbal message. The nonverbal aspects of communication are so closely intermingled with the verbal part and it is difficult to separate them. People receiving verbal and non-verbal messages combine them with the context in which the communication takes place and interpret the total message.

Four types of nonverbal messages

Non-verbal communication can be classified into four types.

1. Personal (to the individual)

2. Common to a group of people or culture

3. Universal (to humankind)

4. Unrelated to the message (random)

Personal nonverbal communication involves kinds of nonverbal behavior that are unique to one person. The meaning is also unique to the person sending the message. For example, someone may work while talking; another person may work in silence. One person may laugh due to nervousness or fear, while another may cry.

Cultural nonverbal communication, by contrast, is characteristics of, or common to a group of people. It is learned unconsciously by observing others in the social group. In Aboriginal culture, for example, eye contact is less acceptable than it is in European culture.

Universal nonverbal communication is behavior that is common to humankind. It shows happiness, sadness or deep-seated feelings – for example, a smile or tears.

Unrelated nonverbal communication, such as a sneeze, is unrelated to the verbal message. It can distract from the verbal message, but has little effect on the meaning of the verbal part of the message.

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BARRIERS IN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION /COMMUNICATION FALLOFF

People in the world are not exactly alike. Cultures or countries are not the same. These differences, however, can cause problems in conveying your meanings. Each person’s mind is different from others. As a result, message sender’s meanings and the receiver’s response are affected by many factors, such as the following:
a. Semantic barriers(Convention of meaning)
b. Physical Barrier
c. Psychological barriers
• Emotional barriers
• Perceptual barriers
d. Barriers involving values attitudes etc
i) Semantic Barrier (Convention of meaning)
A basic principle of communication is that the symbols the sender uses to communicate messages must have the same meaning in both the sender’s and receiver’s minds. You can never be sure that the message in your mind will be clearly sent to your receiver. The world is full with errors, as a result of differences in semantic (meaning) understanding. A symbol is a sign for something that exits in reality. Thus your name is really a symbol or a word which represents you. Only through common experience we learn, in a connection made between the symbol or the word attached to you and the person you are in reality .Anyone with less common experience will not easily relate the symbol (your name) with you. Besides, there are problems in convention of meaning, so you must make yourself familiar with different types of meaning.

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THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION & MISCOMMUNICATION

The Process of Communication & Miscommunication

Communication is a process of sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages. Communication is considered effective when it achieves the desired reaction or response from the receiver. Communication is a two way process of exchanging ideas or information. The process of communication has six components: sender/encoder, message, medium, receiver/decoder, and feedbacks.

Context

Every message, whether oral or written, begins with context. Context is a broad field that includes country, culture, organization, and external and internal stimuli. Internal stimuli have effect on how you translate ideas into a message. Your attitudes, opinions, emotions, past experiences, likes and dislikes, education, job status and confidence in your communication skills, all influences the way you communicate your ideas ,especially important is your ability to analyze your receiver’s culture, viewpoint ,needs ,skills,status,metal ability, experience and expectation. You must consider all these aspects of context in order to communicate a message effectively.  

Sender / Encoder

While sending a message, you are the “encoder”, the writer or speaker, depending on whether your message is written or oral, you choose symbols—words, graphic, pictures—that express your message so that the receiver(s) will understand and react as you desire. You decide which symbols best convey your message and which message channel will be the most effective among the oral and written media (letter, memo, telephone, etc)

Message

The message is the main idea that you wish to communicate; it is of both verbal (written or spoken) symbols and nonverbal (unspoken) symbols. First decide exactly what your message is. Also consider the receiver of your message. You must also consider your context and your receiver’s as well. How your receiver will interpret your message and how it may affect your relationship.

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Communication

COMMUNICATION

Why we study business communication?

You may say that communication is important; you spend a lot of time doing it and you’re pretty good at communicating. After all you talk to people, write notes, read books, get along with other people, and make you informed already. Why should you study communication?

The apparent simplicity of communication is deceptive. Just because we all communicate every day does not make us good communicators. Just because some aspects of effective communication are based on common sense; it does not mean common sense alone is enough. Skilled communicators draw on an extensive and complex body of knowledge, including semantics (the study of word choice), linguistics (the study of language), rhetoric (the study of writing and speaking effectively), psychology, sociology, graphic design, and even computer science. You will explore and apply the scholarship and research from all of these fields in your study of communication.

“Why then,” you may well ask finally, “study business communication specifically? Communication is communication: I’ve taken plenty of English courses and communicated in every one of my other courses.”

Good communication does, in fact, cross disciplines; correct grammar and audible speaking, for example, are as necessary in a geography class as they are in a business communication class. There are, however, at least five ways in which what you will learn in this class differs from what you have learned, or will learn, in your other classes. First, the subject matter is different: here you will get a chance to practice communicating with concepts and techniques from areas such as accounting, finance, and marketing. Secondly the forms are also different: you will, for example, practice writing memos, letters and business reports – not just term papers, exams and essays. Thirdly, in this class you will have a chance to practice your oral presentation skills, which – according to various studies – you will probably be using extensively in the business world. Fourthly, you may learn a slightly different style; in general, business communication is more objective, systematic, and concise than creative or personal communication. Finally, perhaps the most important difference is that, you will learn to persuade people to accomplish your desired results.

What is communication?

I have been discussing how important communication will be for your success in business. What you might be asked, what does the term communication mean? It is certainly hard to define because it has come to mean practically anything.

Definition of Communication

The word communication means the act or process of giving or exchanging of information, signals or messages as by talk, gestures or writing. Technically speaking, in the act of communication, we make opinions, feelings, information, etc known or understood by others through speech, writing or bodily movement.

Why do we communicate?

The purpose of any given communication may be:

a) to initiate some action;

b) to impart information, ideas, attitudes, beliefs or feelings; 

c)   to establish, acknowledge or maintain links or relations with other people.

Initiating Action

Initiating action may be achieved by two basic categories of communication.

a) Expressing needs and requirements.

 This can range from a baby’s cry – or even the bleep of an alarm clock – to an adult’s more precious expression of needs and wants. In a business organization, it would include briefings, instructions and procedure manuals. This will only be effective where the other person is willing to satisfy the needs.

b) Persuading and motivating others

It means to carry out the desired course of action” in other words, giving them a reason (other than one’s own want or need) to perform that action. Persuasion of this kind is likely to be a major element in marketing and sales: a sales reply cannot simply ask a customer to buy the product because she, the sale rep, needs success. She must show that there are benefits to the consumer, which will make the purchase worthwhile.

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