Is the Indirect Approach a Waste of Time?

Sometimes you are placed in situations which may be best described as "awkward," "iffy," or just plain "precarious." When writing is involved these situations become that much more complex. The reason this is is because when you are writing the aspects of body language and vocal tone are lost. Thus, you must rely solely on your writing presentation to get across your message.

Much of the time being direct and to the point in your writing is the best course of action. In these awkward situations the indirect approach may be better. What are these iffy situations? Perhaps you are writing to inform a customer they will not be approved for a credit card, or that their refund request is being rejected. These situations may not always deal with delivering bad news. Sometimes you just don't want to come off arrogant. Through explaining your reasoning for the main purpose of the letter, it helps soften the blow; and in many cases the indirect approach can help educate the reader.

I would argue that both methods, direct and indirect, are still very relevant today. In fact, many businesspeople combine the methods to get just the right tone for their letter. "They [businesspeople] reveal their conclusions and recommendations as they go along, rather than putting them first or last." Whether you use the indirect or direct approach depends entirely on the situation at hand. Each is useful in its own right.

Source: Direct Approach vs. Indirect Approach

Should Writing Skills Still Be Taught? Yay or Nay?

"Poorly written job applications are a figurative kiss of death, and corporations spend several billion dollars annually improving writing among employees." This statement began a report by the National Commission on Writing that addressed the continued, if not growing, importance of writing education today. A lot of people think that in today's technological age-where the speed, frequency, and mediums of communication have exploded-the skill of writing to communicate is outdated. This is far from the truth.

The National Commission on Writing, which is a part of the College Board organization, cited a report by the National Commission on Writing for America's Families, Schools, and Colleges. The report, Writing: A Ticket to Work . . . Or a Ticket Out, A Survey of Business Leaders, surveyed many professionals in the business world to find out what importance writing had in the workplace. Writing is important from even before people get a job. Many business professionals stated that poorly written resumes and cover letters were tossed, with no thought of offering an interview. Companies also spend a significant amount of time and money to educate employees and improve their writing skills.

Obviously writing skills are extremely important. The main reason these skills are so important is that a majority of business depends on clear communication. The inability to effectively communicate is a serious detriment to business.

Source:

The National Commission on Writing - Press Release

What is proper attire for a business interview?

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress. Take 30 minutes to sit on a college campus and you will see a wide array of styles and outfits. Some are conservative, some are just outlandish. The clothes you wear and the way you present yourself are often the first messages you send out. No wonder the way you dress is so important in a job interview.

An article on monster.com addresses the importance of dress in an interview. Amy Glass, a trainer and coach at Brody Communications Ltd. of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, is interviewed in the article. She relates a job interview to selling a product. "In an interview situation, you're marketing yourself as a product," explained Ms. Glass, "so you want and need to have the best image possible." So what is appropriate to wear for an interview? In the article Ms. Glass states that for traditional positions (such as an accountant, or financial analyst) conservative dress is best. A conservative suit with shirt and tie works best for men, while a conservative pant suit is good for women. The main key is to not underdress. It is always better to err on the side of overdressing because it shows you have respect for the position and company.

For the entire article please follow this link: Monster.com - What to Wear to an Interview