Communicating in the Workplace by Matt O'Shaughnessy

Being able to effectively communicate is not only important in the workplace, but it is important in life. If you can effectively convey your ideas and thoughts to others it puts you in a great position. In the workplace, employees have to talk to a wide range of different people, including clients, supervisors, co-workers and suppliers. Therefore, it is worthwhile to think about the importance of effective communiation and to think about ways to accomplish it. Here are five tips for effective communication in the workplace.

Be Clear
Make sure you get your point across in a manner in which the person you're talking to knows exactly what is expected of them. This can save a lot of headaches later in the day when your co-worker didn't do what you wanted them to do because you didn't effectively tell them what to do.

Get to the Point
Don't beat around the bush. Not only are you wasting everybodys time but its annoying to listen to somebody who takes 15 minutes to explain something that could have been explained in 5.

Be Personal
Getting to the point ,however, does not mean communicating in a cold, unfriendly manner. Let your audience know you care about them as an individual too not just a co-worker, and that their input and opinions are highly valued.

Listen
Communicating is not a one way street. You have to be able to listen as well as communicate or else no one will ever want to talk to you because you seem close minded. You have to be able to do both.

Think Before You Speak
Don't rush into speaking, think about what you want to say, think about the best way to say it, then go ahead and say it. If you can do this you can avoid misunderstandings, and in times of hostility, you can keep yourself from saying something you might later regret.

References: Burris, Skylar. "Six Steps Towards Effective Communication at Work." 18 November 2008. April 19 2009. http://www.associatedcontent.com.

How to Take Effective Notes by Evan Grant

Taking notes isn’t always a simple task, especially when the speaker is talking really fast. It’s easy to fall behind and miss valuable information so learning how to take effective notes is a very important skill to have.

The first thing to keep in mind when you start taking notes during a lecture or a business meeting is that you aren’t supposed to write everything down. If you try writing everything the speaker is saying you will quickly find yourself playing catch-up for the entire speech.

To effectively write down the key information from any speaker you must abbreviate abbrev. abbr. Write down as little of each word as possible, while making sure it is still readable. Stay away from full sentences, use words or phrases that will trigger a memory of what was said. If you do find yourself falling behind, leave an empty space where you were writing so you can fill in the gap later.

Michael Hyatt, the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, indents his notes from the left margin a bit so he can add symbols next to his writing. These symbols are as follows:

* Place an asterisk by important information.

? Place a question mark by information that requires further clarification.

[ ] Place a box by “to do” items and put a checkmark in the box once it is finished.

( ) Place a circle by tasks that you asked others to complete and checkmark it once it is finished.

Works Cited:

Hyatt, Michael. "Working Smart: Recovering the Lost Art of Note-Taking." Michael Hyatt - President & CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. 20 Apr. 2009. http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/04/recovering_the_.html.

Trapani, Gina. "Lifehacker - Geek to Live: Take great notes - Capture tools." Lifehacker, tips and downloads for getting things done. 20 Apr. 2009. http://lifehacker.com/software/note-taking/geek-to-live-take-great-notes-167307.php.

Williams, Richard S. "HOW TO TAKE EFFECTIVE NOTES." Washington State University - Pullman, Washington. 20 Apr. 2009. http://www.wsu.edu/~sarek/notes.htm.

Picture found at: http://pro.corbis.com/images/42-17144110.jpg?size=67&uid={47C010C3-4D01-42BD-860C-D089D4CE5035}

Email Etiquette by Daniel White

Etiquette is something that should be taken very seriously when composing an email, especially if it is a superior or someone that you do not know.

Clarity is the most important component of an email. In order for an email to be understood, the message should be simple and direct getting to the point right off the bat. You can start this off by having an effective subject line as it will then give the recipient the opportunity to prioritize the email.

Another important aspect of the email to consider is that the majority of professionals see their email account as business, therefore it is important that you do not write unnecessarily long paragraphs. You do not want to be wasting the recipients time if it is only a simple question you have to ask.

It is important to be friendly and cordial, however, it is important to stay away from jokes or witty remarks because they may not come off appropriately in an email.

As per attachments, it is important that you do not attach something to an email the first time that you contact someone (unless specifically asked to do so) because the recipient may see your email and instantly think it is junk and then delete it. You should initially write them and introduce yourself and say that you wish to send something as that way they will expect the attachment and it will not get lost. Also, do not send large files such as huge photographs unless you state that the files are large because then it is the readers choice whether or not to open the file.

Email Etiquette is something that can easily be looked over with text messaging being at such a high level in present time, therefore it is extremely important that your email is composed correctly and courteously.

The following is a youtube video which goes over a few other important aspects of email etiquette.



Work Cited
The OWL at Purdue (1995-2009). Email Etiquette. Retrieved April 19, 2009 from: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01/

Image retrieved from

Sarcasm at Work By Cedric Cummings

Sarcasm is a very dangerous tool to have in your arsenal, especially when your in a professional setting. Sarcasm can not only lighten the mood with humor and laughter, it can also hurt feelings and offend people. I searched and searched for websites with a positive view on sarcasm in the workplace and was sadly disappointed. I finally came upon a few sites and articles that did not frown upon sarcasm. They believe as do I that it is great and humorous; to an extent. Here are a few tips on using sarcasm in the workplace without ruffling feathers:

Know who your audience is: You have to be aware who is around and what kind of sense of humor they have. If you are in a room full of people that you are not familiar with, your sarcasm may come off as offensive and they may not approve of you too much.

Edit your remarks: If you are like me and can make a sarcastic remark without having a thought, we need not forget this tip. Always edit your sarcastic comments because some talk is better off left outside.

Those are a couple of tips that should keep you out of too much trouble when walking that fine line of sarcasm. Here is a video to follow up with my tips:

Work Cited: Mook, Bob. "In defense of Sarcasm at the Workplace." Bizjournals. 16 Nov. 2001. 20 Apr. 2009 .

Different Document Layouts by Jennifer Flowers

Whether we are about to write a letter, resume, poem, news article or instant message there is one important detail that needs to be made. Presentation! Its the way the document looks, the layout and style of your work. Personally when I read a written work I can tell before hand what it is I am going to read because of specifically how it looks.

Letters are easily distinguishable because they are always addressed to someone. Like starting off with Dear Mr./Mrs. Jones, etc. and ending with a Sincerely, From or some other send off.

Newspaper Articles can be found in well the newspaper, or some other journal/magazine. The styles are all similar whatever the story due to the skinny columns and small fonts. The story is typically short and to the point. Space is scarce and the quicker the story is told, the better.

Haiku's and poems are special in their own way because haiku's are very short and normally only have three lines which have a specific number of syllables in each, and match other lines in the small poem. Poems also have special rules such as how many syllables are in each line, how many phrases and verses there are and different rhythm schemes. Both of these works of writing are visionary tales, which most of the time tell a story to the reader. Pictures are often added to the haiku's and poems to help tell the story. Here are examples of both a haiku and a poem.

There are hundreds of different documents made each day. It is very important to have a good idea of what your task is and how it should be presented. If unsure, talk with coworkers or peers, find an example template and work off of that. Whatever you can do to properly present your work DO! Not only in school is your written works important, it's even MORE crucial in the workplace to produce correct documentation so good writing and good luck bloggers!

Letter Layout. Retrieved April 17 2009, from http://www.sussex.ac.uk/cdec/img/cover_letter_layout.gif

Newspaper layout. Retrieved April 17 2009, from http://iheartnicole.net/images/newspaper.jpg

The Power of List Writing(Schindler's List) by George Erkvania

“A word after a word after a word is power”-Margaret Atwood. Everyday we wake up we make a list, list of the things that is important for us.

A list helps anybody to organize and plan their everyday lives. Lists help save time because we gather our thoughts in some kind of order.

Later, we realize that piece of paper with list of duties on it has undeniable power on one's particular day. Power of the list writing is what makes us more punctual, more reliable and successful.

However, the one particular list that I want to talk about in this post did not make people better, or made them more organized or reliable. This list saved hundred people’s lives.

“It saved 801 men from gas chambers-it’s incredibly moving piece of history”- Library co-curator Olwen Pryke said. The document was found in Library in Sydney.
Schindler’s list consists of thirteen pages of fragile, yellow paper, in which are typed the names and nationalities of 801 Jewish people. The list of Jewish names were put together in order being described as one of the most powerful documents of the 20th century.


“Only a life lived for other is a life worthwhile” – Albert Einstein. Oscar Schindler is the man who could proudly say that his life was worthwhile.

“Schindler’s list is a story of the remarkable man, a card-carrying Nazi, who outwitted SS and Hitler to save more Jews from the gas chambers than any other during the World War ll"(http://www.auschwitz.dk/) .

The list was typed on 18 April 1945, in closing years of the War.







“Whoever saves one life.. saves the world entire”- Power of the list written by Oscar Schindler saved 801 Jews. Today there are more than 8,000 descendents of the Schindler-Jews living in Europe, Israel and US.


References: The Holocaust; Crimes, Heroes and villains website. (2008-2010) Retrieved on April 16, 2009.
From: http://www.auschwitz.dk/id2.htm

How to Overcome Writer's Block by Megan Clipse

How many times have you ever came across that feeling when you are about to start writing and all of the sudden it hits you....what am I going to say? Where do I start? And then you freeze! Today this is referred to as one of the most prevailing 'diseases' amongst writers of all ages, genders, and educational levels: Writer's Block! Although the symptoms are temporarily debilitating there are some quick and easy cures to rid yourself of this common fret. Below is a list of 'diagnoses and cures'.

Writer's Block 101

Symptom #1 You have come across a last minute paper and wish to write it without any preliminary outlining or brainstorming.

• Cure-Jot down your primary ideas and connect them with smaller thoughts. This will also help you create a working outline as it is easily convertible and will give you a starting point to the paper.
  

Symptom #2 Boring, boring, boring! The topic you have to write about has no interest to you what so ever.

• Cure-Learn to personalize the topic more towards your liking. If possible interlink it to something you enjoy and the writing will flow much easier.
  

Symptom #3 You are in a rush and deep down really do not want to spend the time to write.

• Cure-Give in to the idea that you absolutely must write this assignment either way.

Symptom #4 You are anxious to get started

• Cure-Develop rituals and success strategies to relax nerves. Examples are chewing gum, listening to music, etc.
• Focus your energy to the task at hand!
  

Symptom #5 What most college students feel at one point or another----STRESS!

• Cure- Just BREATHE! Take a moment to stop, stretch, and focus your breathing to calm yourself. Think of calming thoughts so as to not get even more worked up over the writing.

For more general tips and strategies for Writer's Block you should check out this site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/567/02/

References:

The OWL at Purdue (1995-2009). Writer's Block/Writer's Anxiety. Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/567/01/

Ehow.com (2009) How to Overcome Procrastination and Writer's Block. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from: http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2162125/Procrastination-main_Full.jpg

How to Use Parallel Sentences Effectively by Andrew Kam

Parallel sentences - a technical term in professional writing that is usually unfamiliar to the average reader. What exactly are parallel sentences anyway? We read them very often in various publications, but rarely do we take notice of such nuances in the structure of sentences. However, this tool in professional writing distinguishes between effective communication, and haphazard communication.

According to Purdue University's online Owl professional writing website definition, a "parallel sentence means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or.""

Let me give you a few examples to illustrate my point.

“The British Museum is a wonderful place to see ancient Egyptian art, you can explore African artifacts, and beautiful find textiles from around the world.”

This sentence sounds jerky and out of balance, doesn’t it? That’s because the phrases are not parallel. Now read this:

“The British Museum is a wonderful place where you can find ancient Egyptian art, explore African artifacts, and discover beautiful textiles from around the world.”

Notice that each phrase has a verb and a direct object. Parallelism is necessary when a series of words, thoughts, or ideas appears in one sentence. If you encounter a sentence that just sounds wrong or clunky, look for conjunctions like and, or, but, and yet to determine whether the sentence is off balance.

Below is a video that shows you how to construct a correct parallel sentence.

References:
Fleming, Grace. "Parallel Sentences and Phrases." About.com Homework / Study Tips. .
Driscoll, Dana L. "Parallel Structure." The Owl at Purdue. Purdue University. .

How to Ask for a Promotion by Matt O'Shaughnessy

"Ask and you shall recieve." Isn't that how it works in the business world, don't we all wish. But asking for things you want certainly doesn't hurt. Too often people think of their boss as super-human, a mythical being who lives in a big office upstairs. You have to remind yourself that your boss is a human just like you are and may have been in your same postion in the past. Here are some helpful hints.

Don’t Suck Up
Baking your boss cookies or bringing him his morning coffee will most likely hurt your chances for a promotion. This may also effect you reltionship with co-workers. The best way is to just work really hard, baked goods may not get you a promotion but having that report done early will definately help.

Request a Private Meeting
At the end of the day, infront of the whole office is not the best way to ask for a promotion. Request a private meeting with your boss to discuss your position in the company. You don't have to bring up the topic of promotion right away you can simply talk about how your enjoying your job and wanted to know about advancement possibilities.

Ask nicely
When you do get your private meeting, don't waste your boss's time by beating around the bush. Explain how you are ready for more respnsibilities and are hoping for an advancement. Tell your boss how you are more than willing to undergo any training procedures that may be needed. Don't be pushy, wait untill you can gauge your boss's reaction before you start getting specific about job titles and salary.

Works Cited:
Thompson, Steve. "How To Ask For A Promotion." 22 November 2009. 13 April 2009.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/87279.

How to write an Annual Report by George Erkvania

At the end of every fiscal period businesses prepare annual report.

An annual report is reflection of company's financial performance and operations for the year.

Publicly traded companies make annual reports to tell shareholders, prospective investors and customers, how business is functioning and progressing.

There are eight steps for creating annual report in accounting:

"Step 1

Know that the 10-K annual report that public companies file with the Securities and Exchange Commission is different from the less formal - and glossier - annual report mailed to shareholders.

Step2
Break the report into five sections: financial summary; letter to shareholders; company operations and significant developments; financial statement and tables; and information about officers and directors.

Step3
Write the financial summary. This narrative generally covers revenue, net income and earnings per share data. Typically it includes three years' worth of data.

Step4
Include the letter to shareholders. Here, the chief executive officer or chairman makes a formal statement about company performance.

Step5
Compose a series of articles about operations and significant developments. You might discuss changes in production, new products, entry into new markets, mergers and acquisitions, research and development, changes in marketing and sales, and other news. Many companies include color photos.

Step6
Write the financial statement. This section consists largely of tables showing revenue, expenses and earnings data in detail. This is the heart of the report, though it usually appears at the rear of the publication.

Step7
Include summary information about officers and directors. Photos usually accompany this section.

Step8
Ask company attorneys and accountants to review the document to ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance." (http://www.ehow.com/)

I am personally majoring in the Business management and it's been a big challange for me to study an accounting. Sometimes it felt like i was studying totally new lenguage with undiscovered new terms and new symbols; however, every business major student understands that the importance of the accounting in business is vital..

References: Business & Finance , eHow website 1999-2009. Retrieved on April12, 2009

from: http://www.ehow.com/how_16565_write-annual-report.html

Promoting a New Business Strategy By Cedric Cummings

Innovation is a way of improving an already great sytem to make more efficient cost and to gain more profit. Innovation is something that drives our economy. With that in mind, it should not deter you away from approaching your supervisor with one of these ideas. Though, if approached the wrong way, this could backfire if not done correctly. Here are a few tips on promoting this new idea:

Get your facts straight: Though you may be totally on board with your new plan, you have to prove to your management that this is the way to go. To do that, you need to know exactly how things are being run now. Learn all you can about the current status of the business before trying to change it. You have to look at it from every aspect to make sure that you are in fact improving and may not hurt the business.

Get in Touch with your Management: Do not come out of the blue with a new business strategy when your boss has no clue that you were even thinking abput it. Either send a memo, email letting them know about your proposition in moderation and set up an appointment. Be concise and clear with the memo or email so you can go into full details at the appointment.

Promote carefully: Once you are in your one on one, be sure not to down play your current business status. The system you are in now has to be working, or you wouldn't have a job. Make sure you acknowledge how things are now and explain that you are trying to innovate and build off of what they currently have. DON"T STEP ON TOES!!! Also, do not make it seem like you do not want your job anymore. DO not threaten to give your idea away to a rival company if it isn't implemented. Keep your job.

Goodwill: Even if your new strategy is turned down, you still have to work and coexist woth the same people. Simply thank them for their time and continue doing your job. When the time is roght, they may come back for your strategy or use it with a few adjustments.

Thats just a few tips to help you promote strategies to your boss. This video has tips on promoting new products:

work cited:Citrin, Jim. "How Promoting to Your Boss Promotes to you." 13 Apr. 2009 http://au.pfinance.yahoo.com/b/leadership/17/how-promoting-your-boss-promotes-you.

Writing an Outline by Jennifer Flowers

Every piece of writing starts off somewhere right? An idea, a quick jot down of facts and subjects? Well no matter what, each and every piece of written work should have started off as an outline. An outline breaks down your thesis in a very clear organized way. Outlines make it much easier to write a document because they have already organized your thoughts into a list which reminds you of the “path” to write.

Outlines are very structured. They consist of a thesis, points and sub points all marked by using roman numerals, letters and numbers.



For Example if I was writing an outline this is how I would set it up:

I. This would be my thesis statement as well as the INTRODUCTION in my paper.

II. First topic (Start of the BODY)
A. Subtopic
B. Subtopic
1. More in depth information on a subtopic
2.

III. Second Topic
A.
1.
2.
B.
C.

IV. CONCLUSION (this should just restate your thesis, not give out new information)

Until all subjects and points are covered that are needed, outlines can be as long as desired.

It is very important that when writing an outline you don't make it wordy and long. Outline topics should be only a few words, and sub points should be the same, maybe a short sentence length. All in all the point of an outline is to be sort, vague and just represent the ideas which will be explained through the paper.


Here are some rules to remember when outlining:

• Subdivide topics with a system of letters and numbers followed by a period. All subtopics should be indented a little from the last topic so that roman numerals line up, letters line up etc.
• Each heading and subheading must have at least TWO parts
• Headings for parts should not be labeled using Conclusion or Introduction
• Be consistent with your outline, place topics in the order of which you wish to write.

Follow these simple rules and tips and you have yourself a great ouline. Have fun writing your paper. And remember, always stay professional!

Resources:

Cushman, Marion. " How to Write an Outline." 1 January 2001. http://www.lavc.cc.ca.us/library/outline.htm

"How to Write an Outline." http://www.albany.edu/eas/170/outline.htm

How to Avoid Plagiarism by Evan Grant

Just recently, an author of a website that I was using to gain information from boldly accused me of plagiarizing his work. Although I was not found guilty of the accusation, I felt that providing some tips about how to avoid plagiarism would benefit all of us. Hopefully the rest of you don’t run into the same troubles as I did! :)

CITE YOUR SOURCES!

Whenever you are doing research for a paper be sure to cite every book, website, newspaper article or any other source that you want to use information from. I find the easiest way to write a bibliography is to go to www.easybib.com. If you type in the unique ISBN number in a book or the URL of the website you used, it will automatically write out a bibliography.

When quoting or paraphrasing, it is important to cite it right afterwards. Simply write the author(s) last name and the page number it is found (if you are using a book) in parenthesis.

For example: (Grant 117)

There will be times when you start a paper and you don’t have previous knowledge of the topic. In this case it is okay to over-cite your information. Don’t worry too much about it looking cluttered because of the parenthesis everywhere. It’s better to be safe than sorry. One way to lessen the amount of parenthetical citations is to figure out which information is common knowledge in the field. You don’t have to cite where you found out that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president or that smoking causes lung disease. (Procter)



Check out this teacher's parody of "Before He Cheats"


Procter, Margaret. "How Not to Plagiarize." University of Toronto. 12 Apr. 2009 http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/plagsep.html.

"Avoiding Plagiarism." The Writing Place, Northwestern University's peer tutoring center for writers. 12 Apr. 2009 .

Lunsford, Andrea, and Robert Connors. St. Martin's Handbook. 3rd. ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995.

Applicant Request For a Reference by Daniel White

During the application process of looking for a job, it is more than likely that your potential employer will ask for a list of references for them to contact to find out more about you and to verify your resume. Therefore, it is very important that you get in contact with the person you intend on putting as your reference before hand as a matter of courtesy, and simply for permission to use their name. This is especially needed if you have not spoken to the person in a long time and it gives you a chance to reintroduce yourself to said person. It also allows the reference to prepare for possible questions the employer has about you.
When writing your reference for permission, you should include the following things:

- Before saying anything, you must state that you wish to reference him/ her and also mention how the reference will be used (Telephone call/ eMail/ Letter etc.)

- As said above, it is extremely important to reintroduce yourself to the reference and let them know your most recent qualifications so they can relay the information to the employer

- You should also let the reference know what stage of schooling you are in. Things such as your year, your degree, your school and what your career aspirations are so he/she can portray the real you to the employer.

- Let them know that if you do not hear back from your letter that you intend on using their name.

- Include a copy of your resume! It is extremely important to attach a copy because then the reference will have the same information as the employer.

Writing your reference is a very important aspect to your application as they can potentially be the pivotal point as to whether you get the job or not. A letter is deemed very professional and anything positive your reference may have to say can only help the application process.

The lady in the video below pretty much summarizes everything in my post :)



References

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing That Works: Communicating Effectively on the Job. 9th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Language in Professional Writing by Megan Clipse

Words, words, words! There are so many but how do you choose? Most of the time when writing, the words begin to flow out without much thought, or at least we hope! However it is important to carefully go back and review your writing for the language that is implied with these words. After all, the words you use do matter and should be carefully thought of to avoid confusing, distracting, or offending your audience.

Language in professional writing is the key to creating a unified and structurally sound piece of work. If you can nail down the following words of advice when writing, you will be well on your way to success!

Context and Word Choice

• In order to be precise in writing, you must use the correct word! In the words of Mark Twain, "The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between 'lightning' and 'lightning bug.'" (Oliu, Brushaw, & Alred 2007)
  
• Keep in mind the context of the word. Sometimes you must be more specific.
  

Conciseness

• Remove unnecessary words, phrases, and sentences. Wordiness or pretentious language may get the job done when trying to meet a required length but also creates confusion!
  

Bias

• To avoid offending audiences, treat everyone equal! Bias and sexist language are breeders for inequality so therfore use nonsexist language. Ex: Policeman--->police officer (Oliu, Brushaw, & Alred 2007).


• Eliminate his and hers unless you are talking about a specific person.
  
• There is no need to identify race, ethnic group, or religion of a person in most professional writing.

Plain Language

• Avoid affectation. Too showy or technical language makes for a convoluted paper. Keep it simple! Looking up synonyms in the thesaurus for all the 'plain' words to sound smarter doesn't always work as planned!

References:

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, and Gerald J. Alred. Writing That Works: Communicating Effectively on the Job. 9th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Standing Out From the Multitude When Applying for a Masters Program by Andrew Kam

Amidst one of the worst economic recessions since the Great Depression, unemployment is surging to levels not seen since the 1930's and that spells bad news for budding college graduates looking to go out into the working world. However, there is always an alternative to starting work immediately after one's undergraduate degree - a Masters degree. Competition is fierce in this current economic times, with applications to masters programs all around the U.S. surging to record levels. How does one then position himself or herself when applying for a Masters program to stand out from the multitude? Here are some tips to consider:

1. Write down a list of your strengths and skills and use these as selling points when you meet new people. What is unique about you? What sets you apart from anyone else?

2. Develop a succinct message or personal statement that you can share with others that takes about 10-20 seconds to deliver.

3. Remember that every time you communicate, this is the opportunity to make an impact. Make sure that anything you put in writing, such as a letter or CV is clear, concise and easy to read. And remember to include the strengths you have identified above.

4. Make a great first impression if you are asked for an interview for the Masters program. People tend to make a first impression of you within the first few minutes of meeting you. When you meet new people, use appropriate eye contact, a firm handshake, and smile!

5. Be resourceful and apply to at least 6 programs of your choice - 2 "dream" programs you would like to get in, 2 "realistic" programs that you should get into based on the your test scores and GPA, and 2 "safety nets" where you know you will definitely get into.

References:

Williams, Karen E. "How to Market Yourself Effectively." Ezine Articles. 2008. .

Communicating Internationally Through Visuals-Daniel White and Megan Clipse

Policy and Manual Writing by Matt O'Shaughnessy

An Employee Policy Manual is a vital management tool which communicates rules and expectations to employees. A good Employee Policy Manual would address issues of employment, health and safety in the workplace as well as employee theft. Although the contents of the Employee Policy Manual will vary from business to business, all should contain the following main sections:

1. Employee Code Outline basic elements such as working hours, vacation time, salary and benefits, overtime, orientation procedures, and performance evaluations. Also, include coverage of customer handling and other issues that arise during the normal course of the workday. Include job descriptions in this section as well.

2. Employee Misconduct Include description of how employee misconduct will be addressed, including issues such as tardiness, persistent lateness, or employee theft.

3. Sexual Misconduct Even small and startup businesses are advised to include a policy item outlining behaviors that are not acceptable within the workplace. Primarily designed to protect women in the workplace, these policies also advance strong guidelines to mitigate the occurrence of sexual misconduct in the work environment.

4. Health & Safety Guidelines When employees share in the responsibility for health and safety issues, the entire business benefits. Guidelines must comply with applicable local, provincial and federal legislation.

5. Internet Policy Include mention of appropriate Internet and email usage. Be sure to specify that employees may not use company email or other Internet components to conduct illegal activities, or to access or distribute pornography or copyrighted materials, such as the popular MP3 music files. Should you ever find yourself in court defending your business because an employee has used your email system to send threatening or harassing emails, an Internet Policy will be to your benefit.



Works Cited


Campbell, June. "Tips for Writing an Employee Policy Manual." Business Writing by Nightcats
Multimedia Productions. http://www.nightcats.com/samples/manual.html.

Tips on Firing An Employee by Cedric Cummings

Firing an employee can be almost as tough as getting fired in some cases. It is sometimes a tough task to set aside our emotions and terminate someone from their job. It is a dirty job but someone has to do it. Here are a few tips on firing employees.

1. Utilize the Company Support: Before an employee is terminated, your supervisor and human resource offices should be consulted. It should be a company decision and not your own. Get the support of the company so there is no perception of a personal attack.
2. Game Plan: You should schedule a meeting with this employee and get in and get out. Explain to them why it has not been working and that they have been terminated. The meeting should last from 5 to 15 minutes and then you should be on your way.
3. Expect the Unexpected: Not everyone has the ability to accept their termination and leave the situation. You have to be prepared for tension and aggressiveness. If necessary have security close for backup if things get out of hand. If the employee breaks down and cries, DO NOT FALL FOR IT. This is not a debate, so the decision is final. It is a done deal. Do not apologize, you are making the best move for the company. You can show remorse but do not apologize or pass the blame onto others. Take full responsibility.
4. Be Professional: Control yourself even if the employee isn't. Maintain a positive attitude and try to prevent any bitterness
5. Move on: After reflecting on what happened, learn from that experience and move on. Do not dwell on the fact that you just took someones job away. You did your job and that is what counts.

work cited.

Terminating Employees. 6 Apr. 2009 .

Love letters by George Erkvania

To Adele Foucher (1821)






"My dearest, When two souls, which have sought each other for, however long in the throng, have finally found each other ...a union, fiery and pure as they themselves are... begins on earth and continues forever in heaven. This union is love, true love,... a religion, which deifies the loved one, whose life comes from devotion and passion, and for which the greatest sacrifices are the sweetest delights. This is the love which you inspire in me... Your soul is made to love with the purity and passion of angels; but perhaps it can only love another angel, in which case I must tremble with apprehension."


Yours forever,
Victor Hugo



The famouse love story of Great Franch man Victor hugo was published after his death when the yellow packet of time-stained letters were found. Today, those letters are called, "masterpieces of Franch literature."













Ever since the advent of internet and phone texting, the writing of love letters became as rare as dinosaurs. How many of you have ever written and shared your feeling trough the love letters? I am sure not too many people have tried to share their feelings thought honesty and passion that called love letter.




One might not be able to write a poetic love letter like Hugo, Beethoven, Volter, but just knowing and using them as an examples can inspire anybody.



Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), one of history's most famous and mysterious composers died at the age of 57 with one great secret. Upon his death, a love letter was found among his possessions. It was written to an unknown woman who Beethoven simply called his *Immortal Beloved.*


July 6, 1806

"My angel, my all, my very self -- only a few words today and at that with your pencil -- not till tomorrow will my lodgings be definitely determined upon -- what a useless waste of time. Why this deep sorrow where necessity speaks -- can our love endure except through sacrifices -- except through not demanding everything -- can you change it that you are not wholly mine, I not wholly thine? Oh, God! look out into the beauties of nature and comfort yourself with that which must be -- love demands everything and that very justly -- that it is with me so far as you are concerned, and you with me. If we were wholly united you would feel the pain of it as little as I! "

Your faithful, Ludwig

Great example of true love letters are written after the amazing love story of Emma and Joseph Smith:

Reference: Famouse love letters of famouse people website.(2004) Retrieved on April 5,2009

from: http://www.dindragoste.ro/love/love-letters.php

Tips About Technical Writing by Evan Grant

Technical writing is used in many different ways to help an individual solve a problem. Different forms of technical writing include proposals, manuals, web pages, lab reports and many other professional documents. Technical comes from the Greek word techne, which means skill.

First, establish what kind of documents you plan to create. Some examples include: product descriptions, installation guides, configuration guides, maintenance procedures, online help, error messages, notifications, tooltips. When you are writing tooltips, notifications, or error messages, be clear, concise, and grammatically correct, keeping the format consistent. Finally, decide whether the document will be provided on paper, CD or integrated with the software.

While writing your document, make a list of glossary terms. Research these terms to create your definitions. When your draft is complete, use the spell check and review your work from cover to cover. Send your document to a subject matter expert to review the accuracy of your work. Once your document is in its final stages, ask a friend who has limited knowledge of the subject to review it, ensuring that it is understandable to the average person.

"The Technical Writing Process." Technical Writing Tips for Technical Writers and Managers of Writers. 04 Apr. 2009 http://www.docsymmetry.com/technical-writing-process.html.

"Technical Writing: What is It?" Dennis G. Jerz. 04 Apr. 2009 http://jerz.setonhill.edu/resources/FAQ/TW.htm.