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Business English
In the business world, there are standards for written English just as there are in the
classroom. If you are applying for a job, your resume and application should have
certain qualities. If you are writing a memo to the staff, it should be formatted properly.
To understand the use of written English in the business world, refer to some of our
files below.
MemosHow to Write Memos!
Excerpted from
"Quick, Take This Memo"
by Neil Chesanow
The Washington Post 9/17/87
"I love being a writer," quipped novelist Peter
Devries, "What I can't stand is the paper work."
When it comes to writing memos, most business
people would agree. Mounting evidence shows that
memos may be small, but they give big headaches
to everyone from secretaries to corporate officers.
They are hard to write quickly and clearly, are like
"War and Peace" to read, require Miss Marple to
figure out, and, if written in the wrong tone of voice,
can make the nicest people sound heartless.
In the office as well as out, your personality is often
judged by how you write. Muddled memos can cost
you dearly in career advancement. Communication
skills are a top priority for business leadership --
often more important than financial, marketing and
technical know-how. To keep getting raises and
promotions, experts like Van Skiver and Booher say
you need to literally write your own ticket. Here's
how:
What is a memo? What it's not is a school
essay. A memo is a written document that stays inside
the company; if it goes outside, it's a letter. A memo is
also short. Most experts say two pages should be tops
-- after which a memo starts to turn into a report. If
you can boil down even a two-page memo to two
paragraphs that take up only a half page and still
convey the same facts, you get an A+ in business.
Equally important, memos are written to get someone
to do or understand something--be it to spend money,
meet a deadline, constructively criticize, or say yes or
no.
Get Personal. Use words like I, you, and we. It's
a lot more human to say, "I would like you to do this."
To get action, write in the active, not the passive,
voice.
Be conversational. Write the way you talk.
"Use contractions," says Holly Church, a business
consultant who trains Fortune 500 executives. "You
probably say 'I'm happy' more often than you say 'I
am happy.'"
Don't show off. Avoid scholarly words, technical
jargon, and just plain gibberish like "as per your
request" when you simply mean "Here's what you
wanted. "Or how about this: "R & D wants your input
because temporal considerations are of primary
importance." Translation: "Our research people need
your answer today."
Avoid "smothered" words. Van Skiver
explains that these are simple root words with fancy
endings tacked on to puff them up. Favorites are
"tion," "ance," "ent," "ment," "ize" and "ility." For
example: "The continuation of our issuance of
incentives is dependent upon the prioritization by
employees of company objectives." Loosely
translated: "If you want to keep getting incentives,
meet company goals."
If you're not sure, check. "If there's an error
in the memo, it will probably be in names, dates, or
numbers," cautions Booher, and such mistakes may
cost you dearly. One of Booher's clients, an oil
company, was sued by the families of two employees
killed in an on-site accident. A specialist on the scene
said that the company was to blame, but when the
specialist described the incident on paper, he got the
date wrong. This cast doubt on his credibility
regarding everything he said he had witnessed, and
the upshot was the company settled out of court.
Don't be trite. One hackneyed expression
Booher sees regularly is, "We're sorry for any
inconvenience this may have caused you," which "just
sends people up the wall," she says.
"Nothing could be more insincere."
"Please don't hesitate to call" is another phrase that
gets no results and turns people off. A more sincere
ending is, "If you need help, I'm available. Give me a
call."
Visualize the reader. Memos are usually
written from the writer's point of view, not the
reader's. Yet the reader usually has to do something
when receiving a memo, and, not being a psychic, he
is often not sure what it is. Experts suggest you
pretend you're having a face-to-face discussion or a
telephone conversation with the memo recipient.
Make the bottom line the top line.
Memos often begin with a statement of a problem,
proceed to discuss why the problem exists, suggest a
course of action, and conclude with something wishy-
washy, like "I would like to hear from you soon." The
action you want the reader to take should be spelled
out in the first line (or at least the first paragraph).
Don't give too many whys. It's necessary to
explain why you want something done, but don't
overdo it. One expert cautions that a reader can
probably only absorb no more than six or seven
reasons at once. If you must cite more whys, put them
on a separate sheet of paper, and staple the sheets
together. This way, the basic memo message doesn't
get lost in a sea of details.
Keep paragraphs short. Limit each
paragraph to five lines or less. Put each reason in a
separate paragraph rather than bunching them up in a
forbidding 20-line block of type.
Close with a call to action. Many memos
don't close with anything, leaving the reader hanging.
If you want a response by Friday at 3 p.m., say so.
Memo SampleBy Dawn Taylor for English Works! 1997
Memo
August 7, 1997
To: U. Know Who
From: Mem O. Writer
Subjec
t:
Memo writing
I'd like for you to learn how to write
memos correctly. You should get right
to the point in any memo. Be personal
by using "I," "you," "we." Write as if you
were having a real conversation. If you
speak in contractions, write in
contractions. You'll notice a difference
in tone.
Don't use really spiffy technical lingo
that will convolute the reader's mind.
Don't tack on fancy endings to simple
words that will cause a delayance in
the conveyance of your message.
Keep paragraphs short and to the
point, but never make errors.
Close with a "call to action" requiring
the reader to do something. I ask that
you write professional and courteous
memos.
Resumesby Janel Muyesseroglu
Is there a job you are interested in and need
to send in a resume? Want to create a resume
and keep it on file?
The following information will help you create a
simple and efficient resume.
Guidelines for writing resumes:
Include your name, address and daytime phone number.
Include any relay information if needed.
Include your job objective. The objective should explain what
job you are applying for. It could also include how that
position fits into your personal career goals.
Describe your work experience, education, honors/awards and
skills.
You do not need to include every single job you have ever had.
You should focus on your education and experiences that are
related to the position for which you are applying.
However, try to avoid any large time breaks between jobs
listed on your resume. The employer may think you were
unemployed during that time. (It is fine to have large time
breaks if you were a full-time student during those breaks).
Prepare a list of references, if requested, on a separate page.
This list should include two to three names, job titles,
addresses and phone numbers of bosses, professors, etc. who
will confirm that you have good work ethic.
Write a cover letter on a separate page. The cover letter should
be personalized for each job you are applying for.
Tell the truth; do not exaggerate or tell half-truths. Show that
you are confident and well-educated.
Your resume should be typed. Your layout and word choice
should be clear and simple. Double-check your resume before
turning it in.
Avoid attempts at humor and irrelevant information. Avoid
unnecessary personal information about your age, weight,
finances, and marital status.
Do not mention salary on your resume.
Avoid using adjectives and adverbs. Use powerful or unusual
nouns and verbs instead. Don't make the resume too wordy.
Try to use as few words as possible and still make it effective.
Most resumes shouldn’t be more than one page, unless you are
someone who has several years of experience (10+ years) in
your field.
Helpful words you can use: Click on
each word to get definitions and examples from
WordNet 1.6 Vocabulary Helper.
See list from Cover Letters.
Tracy Brown
8764 Plymouth Avenue
Lodi, California 00000
Phone (123) 456-7890; Fax (123) 456-7868;
Objective
To obtain a position as a Secondary
Education teacher in English or Social
Studies.
Experience
Tutor Jan 1995- Present
Tutorial Center, Lodi University, Lodi, CA
Helped students develop effective college
level papers. Introduced strategies to help
ESL students with grammatical problems.
Created educational and training materials
for department use. Occasional
administrative assistant.
Student Teacher for 7th and 8th graders Jan-
Apr 1999
Lodi Middle School, Lodi, CA
Assisted teacher by grading papers, creating
bulletin boards, and running errands. Taught
a three-week unit about African Literature.
Attended parent-teacher conferences.
Participated in discussions at faculty
meetings. Supervised students on field trips.
Teacher Assistant for 7th and 8th graders Sep- Nov
1998
Lodi Middle School, Lodi, CA
Observed the teacher in the classroom.
Attended team meetings. Asked education-
related questions to the teacher and other
faculty. Developed positive relationships
with students.
Education
BA in Secondary Education and English May
1999
Lodi University, Lodi, CA GPA 3.7
Honors, Awards & Fraternities
Deans List, President's Scholar, Phi Kappa
Gamma Honor Society Member, President's
Club Treasurer, International Student's Club
Member
Skills & Interests
Computers: internet, MS Word, Corel Word
Perfect, MS Power Point, MS Access, Creating
Web Pages, Email
Compatible: culturally aware, easy-going,
and well traveled.
References
Available upon request.
Resume Checklist(For both co-op internships or full time jobs)
Heading:
Your name
Your address (use current address for full time job; list
home and school address for internship)
Your telephone number indicating voice or tty (provide
appropriate relay number in addition)
Your internet or email address
Objectiv
e:
Some people omit this, if they plan to include their
objective in the cover letter.
Tell the employer what kind of work you hope to do.
Tailor your information to the job you're seeking.
Educatio
n:
Placement of the education section can vary. Some
employers prefer it after the objective while others
prefer it after work experience.
College or University you attended or are currently
attending
Date of degree and majors or expected date of graduation
(if more than one degree or school, list most recent first,
next recent, and so on)
GPA if 3.0 or above
Work Experience:
List most recent job first and the least recent job last.
Start your list with the title you held, the organization's
name, and the city and state.
Include dates employed. Spell out the entire months'
names followed by the year. Or you could use the letter
abbreviation of the month followed by the year. Don't use
number abbreviations for the months.
Exampl
e: May -- September 1994
May -- Sept. 1994
Description of responsibilities and accomplishments on
the job. List the strongest, most impressive
accomplishments first within each section.
Use strong action verbs
Use past tense verbs for past jobs
Use present tense verbs for current jobs
Appearance:
Use good-quality white or off-white bond paper.
Use one inch margins on all sides.
Use even distribution of white space.
Use only one page (unless extensive work experience)
Use an easy to read font like Bookman, New York,
Palation, Times New Roman
Optional Sections:
Summary - one or two sentences that
sum up your accomplishments and skills.
Related course work.
Related skills
Computer Skills
Honors/Activities (if career related)
Guide to Revising Your Resume
(For a full time job)
Developed by the Gallaudet University Career Center
The strongest resumes match your skills with what the employer
wants. Read the job descriptions and think about where your
education, skills, and abilities match with what the employer wants.
Where to begin?
First determine your focus. Know what the employer wants. Read job
descriptions and make sure your skills match those required. What do you
most want to convey to the employer? Your work experience? Your
academic achievements? Technical expertise? After deciding your focus,
then begin revising your resume.
Old Information:
Correct any old information: address, name, phone numbers, dates of
experience, dates of graduation, etc.
Objective:
Avoid objectives that are too general. You can use the title of the position
you are applying for.
Consider using "key words" as an alternative to an objective. For example,
"Marketing or Promotion or Public Relations."
Education:
Degree and major have priority.
EXAMPLES:
Master of Arts, Rehabilitation Counseling, Gallaudet University,
Washington DC, May 1995
Bachelor of Arts/Science, Chemistry, Gallaudet University,
Washington DC, May 1994
Omit High School Information
Add cumulative GPA if over 3.0
Omit "Related Courses" section. With a BA or MA degree, employers
assume you have taken these.
Experience:
Describe your work experience (current/former jobs, internships and
volunteer positions) in ways that show you have some or all of the skills
required for the position you are seeking. Use action verbs!
Use phrases instead of sentences to reduce wordiness.
Consider including a summary section to highlight your key skills and
abilities.
Omit old work experience that does not relate to your current objective, or
establish a section called "Other Work Experience".
Activities:
Select activities that support your objective, and that show a well rounded
background.
Include membership in related professional organizations.
Add information on certifications, publications or professionally related
presentations.
Format:
Choose a format that emphasizes your skills, abilities, and experience in
the best way (collect ideas from resume books).
Your objective, education, and experience sections should complement
each other and relate to the position. Avoid large unemployment "gaps"
that are not covered by years of education.
Remember "less is more" do not cram a lot of information on one page.
Space on the page makes the resume more readable.
Keep your resume to one page unless:
you have omitted information or changed format as much as possible,
and still cannot keep to one page;
after revising, you have a half page or more of information for a second
page;
your career field accepts longer resumes. (Business areas tend to
expect one page, whereas education/social services may accept
longer.) Research your career area to be sure.
Choose no more than two fonts (typefaces) that are easy to read.
Each section should be easy to understand when read quickly.
CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK FOR GRAMMAR, SPELLING, AND
TYPING MISTAKES
Resume Sample I
Developed by the Gallaudet University Career Center
MINDY JONES
School Address
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Ave, NE, Box 108
Washington, DC 20002
DC Relay (202)855-1234
(202)567-0011 tty
Home Address
Box 300
Mt. Kisco, CA 10022
(914)661-5646 v/tty
OBJECTIVE
A research or activist position in the field of human rights
advocacy.
EDUCATION
BA, Government, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC
Expected May 1995, GPA: 4.0
Related Courses: Political Theory, Constitutional Law, Saloshin
Law Seminar
Awards and Activities
Dean's List, Merit Award, Student Body Government
Representative
EXPERIENCE
Office Clerk
Foreign Language Department, Gallaudet University,
Washington, DC
Typed correspondence and reports using word processing;
xeroxed and filed; worked part time while taking a full course
load and maintained a 4.0 GPA average.
September 1993 - February 1994
Assistant Manager
Division of Relay Services, American Telephone and
Telegraph, White Plains, NY
Planned and staffed public relations exhibits; prepared and
distributed advertising and promotional materials; trained
relay operators and division managers about relay services;
used dBase III+ software to create statistical reports for
management.
June - August 1993
Campaign Volunteer
Congressman Antonio Palucci's 1989 Campaign Committee,
Worcester, VT
Canvassed high school voters; distributed campaign literature;
encouraged peers to vote; reported findings to city's
campaign director; represented candidate's views on election
debate panel.
May 1991 - November 1992
SKILLS
Writing, Research, Public Speaking/Presentations, IBM PCs,
dBase III+, WordPerfect 5.0
Resume Sample II
Developed by the Gallaudet University Career Center
MINDY JONES
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Ave, NE, Box 108
Washington, DC 20002
Box 300
Mt. Kisco, CA 10022
DC Relay (202)855-1234
(202)567-0011 tty
(914)661-5646 v/tty
Objectiv
eA research or activist position in the field of human rights
advocacy.
Experie
nce
Office Clerk September 1993 - February 1994
Foreign Language Department, Gallaudet
University,
Washington, DC
Typed correspondence and reports using word
processing; xeroxed and filed; worked part time
while taking a full course load and maintained a 4.0
GPA average.
Assistant Manager June - August 1993
Division of Relay Services, American Telephone and
Telegraph,
White Plains, NY
Planned and staffed public relations exhibits;
prepared and distributed advertising and
promotional materials; trained relay operators and
division managers about relay services; used dBase
III+ software to create statistical reports for
management.
Campaign Volunteer May 1991 - November 1992
Congressman Antonio Palucci's 1989 Campaign
Committee,
Worcester, VT
Canvassed high school voters; distributed campaign
literature; encouraged peers to vote; reported
findings to city's campaign director; represented
candidate's views on election debate panel.
Educati
on BA, Government Expected May 1995
Gallaudet University, Washington, DC
Related Courses Political Theory, Constitutional Law,
Saloshin Law Seminar
GPA: 4.0
Awards and Activities
Dean's List, Merit Award, Student Body Government
Representative
Skills
Writing, Research, Public Speaking/Presentations, IBM PCs,
dBase III+, WordPerfect 5.0
by Dan Murphy Introduction
A common form of inter- or intradepartmental communication
in business and academia is the memorandum (pl.
memorandums or memoranda), usually called a memo.
Memos are written by everyone from junior executives and
engineers to CEOs. Hence, it is essential to master this basic
communication form.
Memo Format Although memos are ordinarily formal, there has recently
been a trend toward a more personal style. Careful writers are
able to achieve this style without sacrificing clarity, grace, or
precision. Unlike letters, which include inside addresses,
salutations, and complimentary closings, memos have just
two sections: the heading and the body. To simplify the
communication process, many firms and organizations use
memo pads with predesigned formats. If you need to
construct a memo without such a memo pad, use the vertical
format shown below:
Date: June 6, 1991
To: David Dunlop
From: Shawn Jackson
Subject: Language Requirement
Some people also use what is known as the horizontal format,
where the "To" and "From" fields are flush with the left margin,
while the "Date" and "Subject" fields are aligned with the right
margin.
Date: Write the full name of the month or use its standard
abbreviation (i.e., don't use numerals).
To: If company policy and your relationship with the
addressee allow, you may omit courtesy (Mrs., Ms., Mr.) or
professional (Dr., Dean, etc.) titles. Generally, however,
address people of higher rank by title. For most format
situations, use the addressee's full name; for informal
situations, first names or even nicknames may be appropriate.
If the addressee's name alone is not sufficient to ensure that
the memo will reach its destination, put an identifying tag,
such as a job or department title, directly after the addressee's
name (for example, To: John Hutchins, Payroll Office). If the
memo is directed to several people, list their names
alphabetically or in descending order of their position in the
institutional hierarchy. If numerous names are required, you
may use "To: See Below" and then place the addressees'
names at the end of the message. If the group is too large to
list all of its members individually, follow "To:" with an
identifying classification, such as "Faculty and Staff" or
"Process Engineers."
From: Place your own name on this line, and do not use a
courtesy title. If you believe that the reader may not know you,
then use a job title or department name to identify yourself. If
you choose to sign the memo to personalize it or to indicate
authorization, write your initials above, below, or to the right of
your typewritten name. Practices vary considerably in this
respect, so it's best to follow local preferences. A memo is
always official even if it isn't signed.
Subject: "Re:" (Latin for thing, affair, or concern) is
occasionally used in place of "Subject:", but many of today's
businesspeople regard "Re" as obsolete. The statement of
subject should be concise yet accurate, since it often
determines where or how the memo will be filed.
Memo Content Two words characterize a well-written memo: informative and
concise. Make your memo informative by observing the same
principles that govern any writing process, the most important
of which are preparation and organization.
Preparation: Determine the exact objective; you should be
able to state this objective in a single sentence. Know your
reader(s), and determine whether or not you need to cover
fundamental issues or define technical terms.
Organization: Keep things under control. Present your
material coherently, and decide on the pattern of organization
that best suits your purpose. The two most common patterns
of organization for business and technical memos are
deduction (decreasing order of importance) and induction
(increasing order of importance).
Deduction: Deduction, presenting ideas in decreasing order of
importance, generally assumes that the reader is well
acquainted with the topic under discussion. In writing a
deductive memo, present your most salient point first (but
don't simply repeat the "Subject" statement). This strategy
spares readers needless loss of time wading through data
they may already know. Place supporting facts in subsequent
sentences for readers who may be unfamiliar with the subject.
Place the background data last. Those who want or need to
read this information to understand the message will take the
time to do so; others may scan it or bypass it entirely. Most
business memos use this pattern of organization.
Induction: Induction, presenting ideas in increasing order of
importance, draws upon a different set of assumptions than
does deduction. The reasons to use induction vary, but they
may include the following: you have to announce bad news or
your reader(s) may not understand the main idea without
significant prior preparation. In such cases, organize your
thoughts by leading up to the most forceful idea, and present
that idea at the end of the memo. Keep in mind that such
memos often take longer to write.
Memo Style
If writing a memo turns out to be more difficult than you
anticipated, you may find that a quick outline will help you
organize your thoughts. In composing such an outline, focus
your attention on the main ideas rather than on introductions
or transitions. Strive to be plain, direct, and concise while
using a comfortable, natural style. Because memos are
generally brief, the outline need only provide structure and
proportion; nevertheless, it should not leave gaps in logic or
omit important details. The outline can take the form of brief
phrases listed sequentially, thereby giving order to the body
and establishing relationships between the ideas. If
necessary, you can develop your outline into a rough draft by
expanding your notes into paragraphs. Write quickly, and
pretend you are speaking to someone across the table.
In its final form, the memorandum should be clear and
informative. Generally, your tone will be neutral or positive,
but you may occasionally have to issue complaints or
reprimands in memo form. Use caution in negative situations,
and be aware of the effect of your correspondence. If you are
spiteful, blunt, condescending, or too coldly formal, you'll wind
up alienating people. Ostentatious language, excessively
technical jargon, or complicated syntax will make you sound
pompous. Hence, try to be cordial, straightforward, and lucid,
avoiding chit-chat, but striving toward a relaxed and
conversational style. If you project an image of consideration,
you stand a much greater chance of being viewed as
knowledgeable and competent in carrying out your
professional responsibilites.
References
Baker, Sheridan. The Practical Stylist. 6th ed. New York:
Harper and Row, 1986.
Bowman, Joel P., and Bernadine P. Branchaw. Business
Report Writing. Chicago: Dryden Press, 1984.
Brusaw, Charles T., Gerald J. Alfred, and Walter E. Oliu. The
Business Writer's Handbook. New York: St. Martin's Press,
Inc., 1976.
Houp, Kenneth, and Thomas E. Pearsall. Reporting Technical
Information. 4th ed. Encino, California: Glencoe Publishing
Co., Inc., 1980.
Mills, Gordon H., and John A. Walter. Technical Writing. 4th
ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1978.
Stratton, Charles R. Technical Writing: Process and Product.
New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1984.
Turner, Maxine. Technical Writing: A Practical Approach.
Reston, Virginia: Reston Publishing Co., Inc., 1984.
Turner, Rufus P. Technical Report Writing. 2nd ed. San
Francisco: Rinehart Press, 1971.
