The document outlines the significance of effective writing in a professional context, emphasizing the importance of clear communication through documents like resumes, CVs, and biodata. It details various formats for resumes (chronological, functional, targeted), essential elements to include, and common mistakes to avoid, as well as guidance on crafting cover letters. The content serves as a comprehensive guide for job seekers to improve their written communications and enhance their chances of securing employment.

1. Effective writing
1

2. Importance of writing skills at work
• Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your business
skills.
• Your writing tells the reader about your educational background, pride in
your work and business expertise.
• Any company with employees who can write clearly and concisely has a
competitive edge over others who are still struggling to communicate.
• The emergence of the paperless office, e-mail, the internet and web pages
only increases the power of the written word.
2

3. RESUME WRITING

4. What is a resume?
• A resume is a one or two page summary of your
skills, experience and education.
• A goal of resume writing is to be brief and concise
since, at best, the resume reader will spend a minute
or so reviewing your qualifications.
4

5. What is a CV?
• A Curriculum Vitae, commonly referred to as CV, is a
longer (two or more pages), more detailed synopsis.
• It includes a summary of your educational and
academic backgrounds as well as teaching and
research experience, publications, presentations,
awards, honors, affiliations and other details.
5

6. What is a bio-data?
• The biodata generally contains the same type of information
as a résumé (i.e. objective, work history, salary information,
educational background), but will also include physical
attributes, such has height, weight, hair/skin/eye color, and a
photo.
• What most differentiates a biodata from a regular résumé is
information about the person's family. Members of the family
(including siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, first
cousins, etc.) are each listed with their career and educational
background.
6

7. When to use a CV and a biodata?
• A CV is used primarily when applying for international,
academic, education, scientific or research positions or when
applying for fellowships or grants.
• In the South Asian community (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), a
biodata is essentially a marriage Resume. Those of marrying
age will have a biodata to exchange with prospective suitors.
The purpose is similar to that of a résumé, to eliminate some
candidates from the pool of prospective suitors before
meeting others.
7

8. When do we write a resume?
• A resume is required for:
– Technical, administrative and managerial jobs.
– Sales positions.
– Secretarial, clerical, and other office jobs.
8

9. What Will a Resume Do For Me?
• Enable you to assess your strengths, skills, abilities and
experience - thereby preparing you for the interview
process
• Act as a reminder of you to the employer/interviewer after
you're done interviewing
• Be a basis for the interviewer to justify your hiring
• The ultimate goal of a resume is to gain you an interview!
9

10. Are There Any Absolute Rules of
Resume Writing?
• No typing errors
• No errors in spelling
• No lying or pompous accompaniments
• No negative information should be included
• Include only relevant information 10

11. Will I Have More Than One Version of My
Resume?
• YES!
• Employers today want to know what you can
do for them, so it is imperative that you create
a targeted resume each time you apply for an
opportunity.
• You will also develop a 'generic' resume to use
in online databases, such as ours.
11

12. What Is Focus In a Resume and Why
Should Mine Be Sharp?
• It is imperative that you catch a prospective
employer’s attention within the first few
seconds of reading your resume.
• People today are busy and often don’t spend
more than a minute or two scanning resumes,
so you have to sell yourself quickly and
concisely.
• Remember that your objective is your "thesis 12

13. Are There Different Styles of Resumes?
• Chronological
• Functional
• Targeted
13

14. Chronological resume
• Here you have to list your job experience in date order, starting with the
most recent first.
• The sections of a chronological resume are:
Personal Details
Job Objective
Career & Related Accomplishments:
Work Experience
Education
Professional Affiliations & Interest
References
When using this
format you'll need to
highlight your job
experience. It's a
good choice when
applying for work
with traditional
organizations or
when you held a post
which had an
impressive title.
14

15. Functional resume
• Functional resumes are best used in situations where specific skills and
accomplishments gained through experience or academic qualifications
will demonstrate the candidate's competency. Your skills should be listed
in order of their importance.
• The functional resume is ideal if you're looking for a complete career
change. This resume is ideal for students who have no previous work
experience and are applying for their first job.
• Avoid the functional resume when you are applying for traditional jobs,
especially positions within government entities or private institutions.
15

16. A functional resume's categories are based on:
Personal Details
Career Objective
Professional Experience
Professional Affiliations
Education
Awards
16

17. Targeted resume
• Characteristics of the targeted resume
– Targets a particular job opening.
– Emphasizes the job specific skills and knowledge.
• Format of a targeted resume:
Name and Contact information
Objective
Skills and accomplishments
Education and training
Job history
Interests
When to use the targeted resume
When you apply for a specific job
and have a clear understanding
of the responsibilities.
17

18. How to write a resume
• As you approach writing your résumé, it is
important to know that this is a marketing
piece, an advertisement, for your unique set
of skills, abilities and experience. It is a tool
that you use to gain an interview. Employers
today want to know “What can you do for
me?” …It is up to you to do the research and
discover what employers in your field seek in
a prospective employee.
18

19. How Do I Get Started?
• Get a job announcement or description for
the job, or type of job, you are seeking, if
possible.
• Make a list of all co-curricular activities you
are involved in
• Compile a list of all community activities of
which you are a part (social clubs, volunteer
work, etc.)
19

20. What Must I Have on My
Resume?
• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Objective
• Education
• Profile or Summary of
Qualifications
• Experience
• Licenses/Certifications 20

21. What Should Never Be on My Resume?
• Height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, sex,
race, health or social security number (NEVER!)
• The word "Resume" at the top!
• Any statement that begins with "I" or "My"
• Reasons for leaving previous job(s)
• Salary Information for previous positions or Salary Expectations
• Reference names
• Religion, political affiliations
21

22. Why Email addresses?
Email is a great way to communicate.
However, only include yours if you check it on
a regular basis (everyday!) Employers who use
this method will expect to hear back from you
soon. Also, be sure your email address
projects your professional image as well ~
addresses like 2hot2handle@mail.com or
braindeadat21@hottie.org would not be
appropriate! Use common sense.
22

23. Do I need an OBJECTIVE?
• YES, it tells the reader why you are sending
the resume, i.e., what position or type of
position you are seeking.
• It should be very brief, does not need to be a
complete sentence.
• An objective is like the thesis statement of
your resume. Everything you include after it
should support it!
• Ideally target your objective to include job title
desired, position level, field, industry, and/or 23

24. Sample objectives
• With proficient skills in network design and security to utilize my high
standards of productivity to ensure the outstanding management of local
area network hardware and software
• To design and install a data network infrastructure that does more than
‘meet standards’.
• To manage people, interface with customers, and work with highly
technical software or hardware applications.
• Position with computer hardware development company creating, refining,
and training about network security, where a strong background in
networks, effective communication skills, and a complete knowledge of
operating systems can be used to improve operations.
• To obtain a challenging job in the area of Digital Hardware Design and
Firmware Development that provides opportunities to use my skills and
experience.
24

25. Should I put my GPA on my resume?
• Yes, if it is 3.0 or higher
• If your overall GPA is lower than 3.0, but your
GPA within your major is 3.0 or above, you can
isolate your major GPA.
• If you list your GPA for one degree, you must
list it for all.
25

26. Licenses and Certifications –
Do I include them?
• Yes, if they are relevant to the job you are seeking. Otherwise, no.
26

27. Does Coursework Belong on my Resume?
• Typically you use this section only if you are
seeking a co-op or intern position, in which
case, you will have a section under
Education where you list your Related
Courses.
• If you took a course that is one which other
students with your major would not take
and it would be advantageous for a
particular position, list it (probably under 27

28. Summary of Qualifications / Skills Section
• This is where you showcase for the employer what you have to offer - keeping
in mind what the job entails.
• You won't put every single skill, experience, or attribute you possess here,
focus on what you can do to successfully perform the job.
• Tailor this section to reflect what the employer is seeking, different positions
will warrant that you create different qualifications sections.
• These are brief statements of your experience, training and/or personal
abilities which summarize your skills, abilities and experience.
• Qualifications are more experience-based
28

29. How Do I List Jobs Within the
Experience Section?
• Job listing should be in reverse chronological
order
• Listing must include name of company, city
and state.
• Dates of employment are required.
• There is no rule about which jobs you must 29

30. • Another approach might be to only include
the relevant positions you've had and
name the section Related Experience or
Relevant Work History or something
similar.
• Another option is to isolate the related
experience (including internships) in one
section (titled Related Experience) then
follow with the unrelated (but still
valuable) experience in a Work History
section. 30

31. Where Do I Put My Activities And Awards?
• We recommend that you put this section
after your Employment History.
• Include scholarships, honors,
organizations, and memberships.
• Community work, volunteer work, is also
appropriate to list here.
• You don't have to include everything
you've been involved with if it is 31

32. What About Hobbies and Interests?
• As a general rule, we don’t recommend that
you list hobbies or interests unless they are
(1) organized, i.e., you belong to a club or
(2) relevant to the type of position you are
seeking
32

33. Who Can I Use As a Reference and
How Do I Format the Reference Page?
• Do not send to employer unless they request it.
• Reference names don’t go on the resume itself. They are a separate
document, using the same header you did on your resume.
• List the reference names and contact information in block style.
• We recommend between 3 and 5 references.
33

34. • They should all be individuals who have
direct knowledge of your job abilities
(supervisor, etc.) or a professor who
teaches a major-related class.
• Ask the references permission before you
use them.
• Be sure to take copies of your references
to all interviews. Most employers will
request them at that time. 34

35. I Need My Resume to Distinguish Me From
Everyone Else, How Do I Do That?
• Spend some time up front to determine what
you have to offer and what you are worth to
an employer.
• DON'T use the resume wizard or template
from your word processing software or copy
the samples from this workshop! This
document needs to be uniquely you - you
don't want to look like anyone else's.
• Answer the question, "Why am I more 35

36. What Are the Design Details I Most
Need to Know and Follow?
• Use bold, italics, different font sizes, upper-
case and small capitals lettering for
emphasis and to direct the reader's eye.
• Type should be between 10 & 12 pt. We
suggest using a professional, readily-
available font such as Times New Roman,
Arial, Bookman, Trebuchet, Lucida Sans,
Garamond, Verdana or Courier. You can
use a different font for the headers of your
resume as well as your contact information
but don't use more than 2 types.
• Don’t have all the text on the left side of
36

37. What About Paper?
• Use resume paper.
• Don’t get fancy – plain white or off-white
(cream, ecru, etc.) is your best bet.
• Don’t go with any bordered or themed paper.
You want the attention on your resume
content
37

38. What About Mailing?
• Don’t fold and stuff your resume in an
envelope (even the nice ones you can buy to
match your resume paper!)
• Buy envelopes that are the same size as your
resume and slip your cover letter on top, then
your resume. Type an address label and return
address label (or stamp if you have it) and mail
flat.
38

39. Common mistakes in a resume
• Employer & University Names. - Use their official names.
• Websites - Listing inappropriate URL's such as your personal website.
• Fonts - Using small fonts to save space.
• Lying on your resume - Careful the risks are too high.
• No cover letter - Not sending a cover letter with your resume.
• Non-professional email address - Your student email address does not
give that professional image required when applying for a job.
• Resume Keywords - Not including keywords in your resume.
• Not proof-reading your resume - Proof read your resume before sending.
• Industry jargon - Do not assume that whoever reads your resume will
know all the industry jargon.
39

40. Scan-able resumes
Recruiters and Employers store resumes that have been posted by job
candidates in databases. When they look for a person , they look by
keywords. Keywords would be the essential requirements for the role this
person will occupy. The search programs matches the keywords with text
in the CV or resume together with the search criteria.
40

41. Action verbs
• Achieved, Allocated, Analyzed, Approved, Arranged, Balanced, Built
• Calculated, Classified, Collaborated, Collected, Computed
• Delegated, Demonstrated, Designed, Developed, Diagnosed
• Edited, Engineered, Enlisted, Established, Evaluated
• Fabricated, Facilitated, Forecasted, Formulated, Founded
• Generated, Guided, Handled
• Identified, Illustrated, Implemented, Improved, Increased
• Lectured, Led , Listened, Litigated
• Maintained, Marketed, Mediated, Moderated, Motivated, Negotiated
• Operated, Organized, Originated, Overhauled, Oversaw
• Performed, Persuaded, Pioneered, Planned, Presented
• Recommended, Recruited, Reduced, Referred, Rehabilitated
• Scheduled, Shaped, Solved, Spearheaded, Spoke
• Taught, Trained, Translated, Upgraded, Wrote
41

42. Writing the Perfect
Cover Letter
42

43. What Is a Cover Letter?
 A supplement to the resume
that includes more detailed
information about yourself
 It highlights key points in your
resume
 Expresses your interest in a
position
 A cover letter expresses your
interest in and qualifications for
a position to a prospective
employer.

44. What Should My Cover Letter Accomplish?
• Your cover letter should
introduce the main points
of your resume.
• It should also help you to
“sell” your qualifications to
the prospective employer.

45. Preliminary Research
• Find out
* General job
information
* Desired qualifications
and skills
* Key values and words
• Check with
* Placement office files
* WWW
* Trade journals,
magazines, and
newsletters
* Directories
* Professors
* Company literature
45

46. Pre-Cover Letter Business
 If you have a company or employer in mind, do some
research regarding their policies and principles
 Review websites, brochures, pamphlets and any other
pertinent materials you can find about the company
 If you can, try to speak with current employees; this will
provide you with a unique inside perspective
 Once you’ve done your research and you have a good idea of
what qualifications the company is looking for, it’s time to
separate yourself from the rest of the pack
46

47. Activity
 Before you begin writing your letter, take some time to brainstorm. Make
a list of reasons why you’re the ideal candidate
47

48. A Few Things to Keep in Mind
 Do not over use “I”. Instead, place the focus on the employer
and use the word “you”
 The point of the cover letter is to flesh out your resume’s
selling points not to repeat the same things that appear in
your resume
48

49. Header
Satish Gupta
Human Resources Director
ABC Software
224/16A, Park Street,
Kolkata 700016
Dear Mr. Gupta:
• Address your letter to a
specific person, ideally to
the person who will
interview you.
• Look for the person’s
name in company
publications, or phone
the organization and ask
for the person’s name or
for the personnel
manager.
49

50. Salutation
 If you are addressing the letter to a specific person,
start out with the formal salutation: Dear Mr. Gupta.
If you don’t know the name use: Dear Hiring Manager
 Refrain from using the old standby’s: To whom it
may concern or Dear Sir or Madam
50

51. Introductory Paragraph
Your first paragraph should:
• Get the reader’s attention, stimulate interest, and be
appropriate for the job you are seeking.
• Make your goal clear to readers.
• Preview the rest of your letter. Highlight the qualifications
you will discuss throughout the letter.
• Discuss the position you are applying for
• List your references or how you heard about the job
51

52. Solicited Application Letters
• Solicited application letters are letters written in response to
an advertised job opening.
• It is appropriate to mention where you learned of the opening
in the first paragraph.
I believe that my knowledge of
public relations and my
proven communication and
leadership skills make me a
strong candidate for the
position of Media Relations
Coordinator that was
posted by the Delta Airlines
Job Opportunities Program.
52

53. Unsolicited Application Letters
• Unsolicited application letters are written to companies that
have not posted a job opening.
• It is important to gain the reader’s attention and persuade
them that you can contribute to the company’s goals.
As a member of one of the
fastest growing publishing
houses in the world, do you
have an opening in your
acquisitions department for a
recent college graduate with a
major in English and
publishing and editing
experience?
53

54. Opening Paragraph Example
Dear Mr. Gupta:
As the enclosed resume attests, the customer support
position advertised in the Sacramento Bee is a perfect fit
with my qualifications. My experience working as a Help
Desk Student Assistant in the Division of Information
Technology at San Francisco State University and my vast
experience in the audio field has prepared me for the
technological and user support this job requires, making
me an ideal candidate for this position.
54

55. Goals of the Body Paragraphs
• Highlight your strongest qualifications for the position for
which you are applying.
• Demonstrate how these qualifications will benefit the
employer.
• Refer employers to your enclosed resume.
• You may provide examples of your achievements that have
benefited previous companies
• Be specific in your descriptions

56. Detailing Your Experience
• Show (don’t tell) employers your qualifications
• Include specific, credible examples of your qualifications for
the position.
• Use numbers, names of equipment you've used, or features of
a project that may apply to the job you want.
As a banking
representative at Bank
One, I provided quality
customer service while
promoting the sale of
products to customers. I
also handled upwards of
$20,000 a day and was
responsible for balancing
the bank’s ATM machine.
56

57. Using Active Language—Don’ts
• Don’t be vague in your descriptions.
• Don’t use weak verbs such as endeavored, tried, hoped,
and attempted.
• Don’t use sexist language such as chairman and manpower.
Vague: I worked as a ramp
agent at Comair.
Weak: I attempted to attract
customers.
57

58. Using Active Language—Do’s
• Use concrete words to
describe your experience.
• Use present tense to discuss
current activities and past
tense for previous job duties
or accomplishments.
• Be as specific as possible in
descriptions; list dollar
amounts and figures when
you can.
Vague: I worked as a ramp agent
for COMAIR.
Specific: As a ramp agent, I
assisted in loading baggage,
oversaw fueling the aircraft, and
stocked commissary items on
the aircraft.
Weak: I attempted to attract
customers.
Strong: I initiated a program to
attract customers to Pizza Hut,
which resulted in a 5% increase
in sales for the month of June.
58

59. Body Paragraph Example
As my resume highlights, I have offered high-
responsibility computer and software support for faculty,
staff and students. This experience, along with
constant home use of computers, has given me a
thorough background of many different forms of
software and operating systems including the Windows
and Apple families, Microsoft Office, and Dreamweaver. I
have also become very comfortable performing hardware
and software upgrades on Windows and Mac machines
and working with various types of networks including
wireless and LAN. In addition, I master new skills quickly
and complete tasks efficiently.
59

60. Concluding Your Letter
I would welcome the
opportunity to discuss
these and other
qualifications with you. If
you are interested, please
contact me at (317) 555-
0118 any morning before
11:00 a.m., or feel free to
leave a message.
• Conclude by asking for a personal
interview.
• Set up a possible time and date. Be
flexible regarding a date and time for
the interview.
• Be specific about how the interviewer
should contact you. Try using an active
ending; in other words, rather than
asking them to contact you, tell them
you will contact them in a few days
• Be genuine and thank them for their
time
60

61. Closing Paragraph Example
Please take the time to look over my resume, and feel free to contact my
references. I would love to further discuss this position in person. I will
follow up with you in a few days to answer any preliminary questions you
might have. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me at
916-424-4444.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
61

62. Double and Triple Check Before Sending
 Check for spelling errors and typos—professionalism is a must
 Don’t go over a page
 Always customize your cover letter. Don’t forget to change
your contact information
 Maintain a friendly and professional tone throughout the letter
 Don’t forget to sign your letter
62

63.  Organize your body paragraphs to emphasize your strongest
and most relevant qualifications. Only include the two or three
strongest qualifications from your resume. Make it easy for
readers to scan your letter by beginning each paragraph with a
topic sentence.
63

64. Mailing Your Letter With Your Resume
• Coordinate the design of
your letter with the design
of your resume.
• Be sure to send both to
prospective employers;
they both reveal different
kinds of information about
you.

65. Key Points to Remember
• Appeal to company values,
attitudes, goals, projects, etc.
• Elaborate on the information
in your resume.
• Provide evidence of your
qualifications.

66. Email Etiquettes
66

67. What is Netiquette?
• Netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online
67

68. Why netiquette?
• We all interact with the printed word as though it has a personality
and that personality makes positive and negative impressions upon
us.
• Without immediate feedback your document can easily be
misinterpreted by your reader, so it is crucial that you follow the basic
rules of etiquette to construct an appropriate tone.
68

69. Netiquette rules
• Be concise and to the point
• Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions
• Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation
• Make it personal
• Use templates for frequently used responses
• Answer swiftly
• Do not attach unnecessary files
• Use proper structure & layout
• Do not overuse the high priority option
• Do not write in CAPITALS
69

70. • Add disclaimers to your emails
• Read the email before you send it
• Do not overuse Reply to All
• Use the bcc: field or do a mail merge
• Take care with abbreviations and emoticons
• Be careful with formatting
• Take care with rich text and HTML messages
• Do not forward chain letters
• Do not request delivery and read receipts
70

71. • Do not ask to recall a message.
• Do not copy a message or attachment without permission
• Do not use email to discuss confidential information
• Use a meaningful subject
• Use active instead of passive
• Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT
• Avoid long sentences
• Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory,
offensive, racist or obscene remarks.
• Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters.
• Keep your language gender neutral
• Don't reply to spam
• Use cc: field sparingly
71

72. General Format
• Write a salutation for
each new subject email.
• Try to keep the email
brief (one screen length).
• Return emails within the
same time you would a
phone call.
• Check for punctuation,
spelling, and grammatical
errors
• Use caps when
appropriate.
• Format your email for
plain text rather than
HTML.
• Use a font that has a
professional or neutral
look.
72

73. Character Spacing
• Try to keep your line length at 80 characters or less.
• If your message is likely to be forwarded, keep it to 60 characters or
less.
• Set your email preferences to automatically wrap outgoing plain text
messages.
73

74. Lists and Bullets
When you are writing
directions or want to
emphasize important
points, number your
directions or bullet your
main points.
For example,
1) Place the paper in
drawer A.
2) Click the green “start”
button.
Another example,
• Improve customer
satisfaction.
• Empower employees.
74

75. Tone
• Write in a positive tone
“When you complete the
report.” instead of “If you
complete the report.”
• Avoid negative words that
begin with “un, non, ex” or
that end with “less”
(useless, non-existent, ex-
employee, undecided).
• Use smiles , winks ;),
and other graphical
symbols only when
appropriate.
• Use contractions to add a
friendly tone.
(don’t, won’t, can’t).
75

76. Addresses
• Avoid sending emails to
more than four addresses
at once.
• Instead, create a mailing
list so that readers do not
have to scroll too much
before getting to the actual
message.
To: maillist4@cs.com

77. Attachments
• When you are sending an
attachment tell your
respondent what the name
of the file is, what program
it is saved in, and the
version of the program.
• “This file is in MSWord
2000 under the name
“LabFile.”

78. Flaming in emails
• Flaming is a virtual term
for venting or sending
inflammatory messages
in email.
• Avoid flaming because it
tends to create a great
deal of conflict that
spirals out of control.
• Flame fights are the
equivalent of food fights
and tend to affect
observers in a very
negative way.
• What you say cannot be
taken back; it is in black
and white.
78

79. Keep flaming under control
• Before you send an email
message, ask yourself,
“would I say this to this
person’s face?”
• Calm down before
responding to a message
that offends you. Once
you send the message it
is gone.
•
Read your message twice
before you send it and
assume that you may be
misinterpreted when
proofreading.
79

80. When you need to flame
• There are times when you
may need to blow off
some steam.
• Remember your audience
and your situation before
sending the email.
Here’s a way to flame:
Flame On
Your message
Flame Off
80

81. Responding to a flame
• Empathize with the
sender’s frustration and
tell them they are right if
that is true
• If you feel you are right,
thank them for bringing
the matter to your
attention
• Explain what led to the
problem in question
• Avoid getting bogged
down by details and
minor arguments
• If you are aware that the
situation is in the process
of being resolved let the
reader know at the top of
the response
• Apologize if necessary
81

82. When Email Won’t Work
• There are times when you need
to take your discussion out of
the virtual world and make a
phone call.
• If things become very heated, a
lot of misunderstanding occurs,
or when you are delivering very
delicate news then the best way
is still face-to face.

83. INTEROFFICE MEMO
83

84. Memos
• Memorandum is the Latin word for
“something to be remembered”
• Memos are brief in-house correspondence
sent up and down the corporate ladder
• They can be on paper or sent through e-mail
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85. Memo Protocol and Company Politics
• Regardless of where you work, your employer
will expect your memos to be timely,
professional, and tactful
• Most companies have their own memo
protocol
– Accepted ways in which in-house communications
are formatted, organized, written, and routed
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86. Functions of Memos
Announcing a company policy or plan
Changing a policy or procedure
Offering information (FYI)
Setting an agenda
Making a request
Explaining a procedure or giving instructions
Clarifying or summarizing an issue
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87. Functions of Memos
Alerting readers to a problem or a deadline
Confirming the outcome of a conversation
Calling a meeting
Reminding readers about a meeting, policy, or
procedure
Circulating minutes of a meeting
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88. 4–88
Functions of Memos
Providing documentation
Providing suggestions or recommendations
Documenting, for your own protection, what
you did or did not do
Summarizing a long report or proposal
Congratulating a co-worker
Resigning your post

89. Memo Format
• Some companies use a standard form while
others have their memo printed on their
letterheads
• The memo may be on a half sheet or a full
sheet
• Basically, the memo consists of two parts
– The identifying information at the top
– The message itself
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90. Sample Memorandum (Memo)
6X
TO: All Students
FROM: Your Teacher
DATE: December 1, 200-
SUBJECT: MEMORANDUMS
Memorandums, commonly called “Memos” for short are used in many businesspeople to
communicate with others in the same office. This form of communication is called Interoffice
Memos. Businesspeople also send memos to people outside the office who work closely with
them.
Memos are usually brief and focus on a limited topic. They are often fairly informal in tone.
Words such as TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: in a memo are called Headings or Guide
Words. A colon follows each heading and they are usually keyed in Double Spaced Lines (DS).
Be sure set your margins as follows: Top margin – two (2) inches and all other margins – one
(1) inch.
Thank you.
yt (Reference Initials of the FROM person. Key in lower case)
Headings or Guide Words
Key in ALL CAPS, a COLON after each one
then tab once or twice. DS between Headings.
TM: 2 inches
BM, LM, RM – 1 inch
SS within paragraphs
DS between paragraphs.
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91. • The identifying information includes the
following lines
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Memo Format
If your memo is going to more than one reader,
make sure you list them in the order of their
status in your company
Write your name (and job title, if necessary for the
reader.) You may write your initials after your
typed name to verify the memo comes from you
Give the full calendar date
This serves as the title line of your memo.
Summarize your message/purpose precisely
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92. Memo Style and Tone
• The style and tone of your memo will be
controlled by the audience within your
company or agency
– Casual tone
• When writing to a co-worker whom you know well
– Formal tone
• When writing to a manager
Remember that your employer and co-workers deserve the same
clear and concise writing
that your customers do
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93. Strategies for Organizing a Memo
1. Introduction
– Tell readers clearly about what prompted you to write
– Explain briefly any background information needed
– Be specific
2. Discussion
– State what is important, who will be affected, what caused it
– Indicate why changes are necessary
– Give precise dates, times, locations, and costs
3. Conclusion
– Request a reply by a specific date
– Provide a list of recommendations
– Ask readers to call if they have questions
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94. 4–94
Organizational Markers
• Headings
– Organize your work and make information easy for
readers to follow
• Numbered or bulleted lists
– Help readers see comparisons and contrasts readily and
thereby comprehend your ideas more quickly
• Underlining or boldfacing
– Emphasizes key points. Do not overuse this technique;
draw attention only to main points and those that
contain summaries or draw conclusions
Heading
Bulleted
List
Underlining

95. 95