WORKBOOK & READING MATERIAL

Dear Participant,

Congratulations on coming a long way in your journey of educating yourself!

You are now close to completing your basic tool kit towards becoming a contributing
member of society in whatever you choose to do, get a job, become an entrepreneur or
work with an NGO.

Yet we know that the next step is not easy and is extremely competitive. Just like a cake
needs icing to not just be complete but also look attractive, corporates are looking for
something that is more than just a qualification. So, what sets one graduating
engineer apart from the others or a graduating MBA apart from his or her classmates?
The Corporate today is looking at skills beyond essential educational qualifications and
other ‘functional or hard skills’. ‘Soft Skills’ like Teamwork, Grooming and Etiquette,
Attitude and Communication & Body-language have become the need.

While educational institutions focus primarily on ‘hard skills’, resources to learn these
critical ‘soft skills’ are limited. To help bridge this gap and to help you acquire the
proverbial icing, we are pleased to welcome you to batch of The ProSmart Program.

The ProSmart Program has been especially designed to help you make a successful
transition from student life to work life and equip you with the necessary tools needed
to succeed in the corporate world and bridge the gap between the prospective
employer’s
expectations, in simple words to help you be Job ready always!

To make the best of this opportunity to turbo charge your career go by, we urge you to
participate with complete vigor and enthusiasm, this may then be the best hours you
have ever invested in yourself.

We have used these few pages to share with you articles that we have curated that are
practical and reflect the reality. The workbook also contains worksheets, which will help
you reflect and chart your road map so that you are Job ready always!

We hope you have as much fun enjoying the benefits of The ProSmart Program as we
did in putting it together.

All the best,

Team Languafina
ProSmart Program
 The ProSmart Program - Design
Key Objectives

• Becoming Job Ready

• Building ―Brand Me‖

Program Outline
Smart Tool Kit

o SWOT Analysis
o Goal Setting

o Time Management
o Communication Skills
o Listening Skills
Executive Tool Kit o Body Language

o Business Communication
o Email Writing
o Presentation Skills

Professional Tool Kit

o Conflict Management
Career Tool Kit o Team Work
o Business Ethics
o Business Etiquette
o Group Discussion
o Resume
o Cover Letter
o Interview Skills
o Personal/Panel/Behavioural
o Interview in the Virtual World
o Mock Interviews
o Social Media and Your Career

Evaluation

o Student Evaluation
 Table of Contents

Topics Page No.

Creating Self Awareness – Who Am I?
1-3
- Pro Smart Quiz
Goal Setting 4-6
SWOT Analysis 7
Time Management:
Importance
Identify Your Time Wasters 8-13
Things To Do
Time Wasters
What is ATTITUDE?
14-15
Define Your ATTITUDE at Workplace
Communication Skills 16
How Effective are you Listening Skills?
17-18
5 Tips for Becoming a Better Listener
Dressing for Interviews
19-20
What Does the Colour of your Tie Mean?
Corporate Communication
21-22
- Emailing
Making Effective Presentations
23
10-20-30 Rule
Business Etiquette:
Social Etiquette
Office Etiquette 24-28
Gifting Etiquette
Dining Etiquette in the Workplace
What is Culture?
29-30
The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity in Business Dealings
Group Discussion 31-33

CV vs. Resume Difference

Top 10 Features You Must Include in Your Resume
34-40
What Recruiters really want to see on your CV?
Resume Writing

Interview Skills 41
My Road Map 42-43
 Who Am I?
Have you ever wondered why you feel the way you do?

Being able to recognize and understand your emotions can be the deciding factor in your
successes or failures. Surprisingly, many people are not Self-aware and their
performance and communication suffers.

We tend to see our identity through our position in society, our friends and family, the
needs and desires of our body, and the emotional and intellectual expressions of our
mind.
For example: We might say ‗I am a student studying economics, I have three sisters
and live in London‘.
We rarely take the time to contemplate the real nature of our existence; to ask the
question, "Who am I?"

You may find the Johari Window quite useful as a tool to help you discover who you are.
The Johari Window can be looked at from many angles and provides four basic forms of
the Self (the Known, Hidden, Blind, and Unknown Self).

We've created some questions that will help you to awaken your inner being. There is
no judgement and this isn‘t a race. Rediscovering yourself is a process. It will take
thinking, talking, writing, and doing. So, lets get started.

SCAN NOW!!

01
 The ProSmart Quiz
Questions Your Answer

When going to meet a client, where should you keep your

visiting cards?
When you make an introduction, present the senior person
Yes or No
to the junior person?

Women should remain seated to shake hands in business. Yes or No

If the Mobile number on your business card is incorrect,

Yes or No
draw a neat line through it and change it.
The three V‘s of communication, Visual is %, Vocal is
% and Verbal is ______%.
State any three barriers which make communication
ineffective
Sitting by resting one leg or ankle on top of the other knee
Smart/ Arrogant/ Cool
will make you look:
Mirroring is a behaviour in which one person
subconsciously emulates the gesture, speech pattern or Yes or No
attitude of another.
Arrogance/ Self
What does the steeple hand gesture convey?
Confidence/ Assertive

Foot tapping during a meeting conveys

Being Comfortable/
Buttoning coat just before starting a presentation denotes Openness/
Nervousness
Arrogance/ Loyalty/
A red patterned tie, symbolizes
Dominance

What are three ideal corporate colours for men‘s trousers?

Women can match the colour of their shoes ideally to their

?
Is it a must to wear a belt OR must we wear one only if the
trouser is loose. Tick the right statement
A. Open sandals
provided feet are
well manicured
What are the ideal shoes for women at work when wearing B. Closed shoes with
westerns? (Tick One) 1.5‖ to 2.0‖ inch
heel
C. Ballerinas

02
 The ProSmart Quiz
Questions Your Answer

A. As soon as the meal is

served to you
B. As soon as you sit
You must place your napkin on your lap (tick anyone): down in your chair
C. When you start eating
your meal

After finishing your meal you must fold your napkin

Yes or No
neatly and keep it on the left side of your plate
A. Tilt the soup bowl
towards you
To have the last bite of your soup?
B. Tilt the soup bowl
away from you
If someone asks for salt, you should also pass the
Yes or No
pepper?
A. Juice glass
There are two glasses on the right side of your dinner
B. Wine glass
plate, the glass closer to your plate is the:
C. Water glass
You must stand around 3ft. away when you are talking
to somebody because
I must make a to-do list and refresh it daily to ensure A. Complete
that I have listed all tasks: (Tick One) B. Incomplete
A. To keep my e-mail
looking uncluttered.
B. So I can send copies to
When should I use BCC field in my email? my boss without my
co-workers knowing.
C. So I can send copies to
anyone I want.

E-mails in all caps conveys?

The most important rule of making PowerPoint

A. 10
presentations is the 10/20/30 rule? According to this
B. 30
rule how many slides do you need to make for a
presentation of 20 minutes?
During a job interview, it is ok to put your files on the
Yes or No
table.
What is the ideal number of pages of a CV for a fresh
graduate?

03
 Goal Setting
So what does SMART mean?
It‘s a helpful acronym that helps make sure your goals are clear and reachable.
So, each goal should be:

Specific (simple, sensible, significant).

Measurable (meaningful, motivating).
Achievable (agreed, attainable).
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based).
Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive).

How to use SMART? Let‘s first start with each letter:

Specific
Good goals are not ambiguous. Rather, you need to have a clear, concise goal that you can
set your sights on. For example, rather than saying ―I want to have a better body‖ you could
say ―I want to lose fifteen pounds this summer‖. You can see how the latter example is much
more specific, and, therefore, is a better goal.

Measurable
Tracking the progress of your goal is an important part of keeping you motivated. It allows
you to set milestones that you can celebrate when you meet them and reevaluate when you
don‘t. It‘s a good idea, then, to always have some aspect of your goal that can be measured
and evaluated.

Achievable
Far too many people fall into the trap of setting impossible goals for themselves. While
impossible goals may push you forward for a while, you will almost certainly end up giving up
on them at some point in the future. Instead of impossible, your goals should be challenging
yet achievable.

Before you set a goal, make sure that you can actually envision yourself achieving it.

Relevant
Not all goals are as worthwhile as others. Unless your goal is relevant to your overall plan for
your life, achieving it may not accomplish anything. In order to ensure that your goal is
beneficial, make sure that it is worth your time, make sure that achieving it will
provide positive benefits to your life, and make sure that this goal aligns to at least some
degree with the other goals you have.

Time-bound
Good goals need to have a target time attached to them. For example, rather than saying ―I
want to start reading more books‖ you could say ―I want to read twelve books in the next six
months‖. You can see how the person who set that second goal will be much more motivated
to succeed since they have a target date in mind for their goal.

04
 Goal Setting
How to Use This SMART Goals Template
Answer all of the following sections for each of your goals. Then use the fill-in-the-blank
template to write them out in sentence form. Then take immediate action and accomplish
them!

Step Meaning Description Goal Details

What do I want to
accomplish?
Why is this goal
important?
S Specific Who is involved?
Where is it located?
Which resources or limits
are involved?
How much?
How many?
M Measurable
How will I know when it is
accomplished?
How can I accomplish this
goal?

A Achievable How realistic is the goal,

based on other
constraints, such as
financial factors?
Does this seem
worthwhile?
Is this the right time?
Does this match our other
efforts/needs?
R Realistic
Am I the right person to
reach this goal?
Is it applicable in the
current socio-economic
environment?
When?
What can I do six months
from now?
T Timely
What can I do six weeks
from now?
What can I do today?

05
 Goal Setting
Fill-in-the-blank template for writing your final SMART Goal.
Directions:
Place your answers above on the blank lines to create a complete paragraph.

My goal is to [ S ] . Which will

be measured by [ M ] . I will accomplish this by

[ A1 ] _________which I know is realistic because [ A2 ]

. This effort is worthwhile because [ R ]

and it will be achieved by [ T1 ] with milestones set at

[ T2 ] _____________________.

06
 SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT analysis is a strategic planning and strategic management technique used to help a
person or organization identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to
business competition or project planning. A SWOT analysis uses a grid or a matrix to collect
the internal and external information of an organization or person. Strengths and
weaknesses are internal, while opportunities and threats are external. The information is
analysed to produce a decision, and the decision leads to strategy.

ASSINMENT
To perform a personal SWOT analysis, write down answers to the following questions.
Consider this from your own perspective, and from the point of view of the people around
you. And don't be modest or shy – be as objective as you can.

Strengths (+) Weaknesses (-)

o What are you good at? o What could you improve?
o What unique resources can you draw o Where do you have fewer resources
on? than others?
o What do others see as your o What are others likely to see as
strengths? weaknesses?

Opportunities (+) Threats (-)

o What opportunities are open to you? o What threats could harm you?
o What trends could you take o What is your competition doing?
advantage of? o What threats do your weaknesses
o How can you turn your strengths into expose you to?
opportunities?

07
 Importance of Time Management

Time management is one of those skills we were not taught in school but we have to
learn. It doesn‘t matter how smart we are if we can‘t organize information well enough to
take it in. And it doesn‘t matter how skilled we are if procrastination keeps us from
getting our work done.
Time management is about managing your day effectively so that you can achieve all
that you want to achieve. It is also about making use of time today, so that you can
obtain larger, long term goals which have a deadline sometime in the future. Being able
to manage your time well will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment, knowing that
you put your time to good use.
Having busy lives with enormous demands from so many sources means life often feels
like a juggling act. One can become overwhelmed with the amount one has to do, and
become tired, disgruntled and de-motivated.
We all know who we are -- "I wish there were more hours in a day" is one of our
favourite sayings. Yet there are some people that seem to get so much done each day
and still find time to relax and enjoy themselves. We all have the same amount of time.
As such, Good Time Management is about making the best of the time available. This
also means using ones time to help one attain both your short term and long term goals.
There are also those moments when we are so focused on an activity that all other things
are forgotten. If we manage our time well, we should be engaging in regular flow-
inducing activities. This means minimizing time wasters that do nothing to enhance our
wellbeing or give us that feel-good feeling that comes from engaging in something that
absorbs all of your attention.

08
 Managing Time
Self-Assessment Questionnaire: How I manage my time?

Answer “Yes” or “No” to the following questions:

1. Have you estimated how many hours you need to study this semester?

2. Do you tend to complete your assignments on time?

3. Have you estimated how long it takes to read one chapter in each of your textbooks?

4. Do you begin working on long-term assignments at the beginning of the semester?

5. Do you schedule time to study for exams?

6. Do you know exactly what tasks you are going to do when you sit down to study?

7. Do you make lists of things to do in your head, rather than on paper?

8. Do you participate in social activities even when you know you should be studying?

9. Do you spend a lot of time on Social Media?

10. Do you do the assignments from your favorite class first?

SCORING
Questions 1 to 6 - Give yourself 1 point for each YES answer and 0 point for each NO
answer.

Questions 7 to 10 - Give yourself 1 point for each NO answer and 0 point for each YES
answer.

Total your points.

A low score indicates a need for help with time management and a high score indicates
use of effective time management techniques.

09
 TODAY
THINGS
TO DO…

PRIORITY DATE COMPLETED

A.B.C. Tick

10

11

12 _____________________________________________________________________

The Six Principles of Time Management

1. Create a daily to do list.
2.List goals and set priorities. A, B, C…
4. Handle each piece of paper only once.
3. Do A‘s first.
5.Do it now!
6.What is the best use of my time right now?

10
 Time Wasters
There are many time wasters that will really eat into your time if you allow them to. To free
up your time you need to identify those time wasters, decide what you want to do about
them and then take action. Following are the ten most common time wasters.

Not enough time-off or time for yourself.

We all need to evaluate and re-energize ourselves in order to be effective. Many
people 'try' to do more and more thinking they're using their time better. But in
actual fact, this can often result in being less productive and not working on what's
most important.

Lack of planning, prioritizing and focus.

Without this, you'll find yourself drifting and working in a scattered and disjointed
way, and not spending time on what's most important to you. You'll end up
working on activities that aren't moving you towards your vision and if this is so,
it's not an effective way to spend your time.

Procrastination
Putting things off wastes not only your time but also your energy and thoughts. When
you procrasti- nate, much time is spent thinking and worrying about the things you
need to do. You give yourself a hard time for not doing them and therefore you're
unable to spend your time effectively, especially when crunch time arrives and what
you've been procrastinating over finally has to be done.

Interruptions
This may be the telephone, unanticipated events, anything that stops what you're doing.
Interrup- tions prevent you from being focused; they pull you away from important
things at that moment. Time is wasted when you allow different areas of your life to
overlap into each other. Focus and time are lost when you allow your work and personal
life to interrupt each other.

Being a perfectionist
When you have unrealistically high standards you'll devote more time than you should on
a task. Even after it's completed, you still make revisions in order to make it "perfect."
In other instances, being a perfectionist can throw you off since things didn't go your
way. That means you may give-up on a project that you already started working on.

Here's the thing. Perfection is an impossible goal that not only kills your productivity;
it's also detri- mental to your health. Overcoming this mentality is no-easy task. But
you can start by focusing on getting your work. For example, get the bare bones of a
project done first. You can always go back and make it "perfect" later.
You may actually notice that it's not as bad as you thought. You also need to accept
failure. It hap- pens to all of us. Instead of letting that consume you, learn from your
mistakes so that you don't repeat them.

11
Social networking sites
Social media gives opportunities to maintain bond between family and friends.
Though many college students find social networking sites helpful in meeting and
connecting with people in a more relaxed way, it can be time consuming. It has been
found that while students are searching for their class materials online, they can be
attracted to social media to kill boredom. Unfortunately, it often ends up in getting
diverted from their work and spending more time not achieving the goal of acquiring
materials needed for the next day‘s lesson.

Crisis management, fire fighting.

When you're running around like a headless chicken, too much time is wasted through
a lack of effectiveness. You're not focused and working on what's important. There
are too many urgent items getting in the way. Because you're in such a hurry, things
are not done well and often come back to bite you, wasting more time when you need
to redo it.

Telephone, email and Internet.

These can also be interruptions and it‘s easy to spend quite a bit of time on the telephone
or internet without any real reason or intention. Time is wasted when you don't make the
best use of the time,

Not saying 'No'.

Taking on too much puts pressure on you and prevents you from working at your best.
Not working at your best and most effective means everything takes longer and more of
your time is stolen from you. You don't value your time and you don't decide how you
want to spend it and therefore, you allow others to make that choice for you.

Lack of organisation and untidiness.

Clutter zaps your energy and not only leaves you less able to work effectively, but
wastes time as you try to sort through it. You may find yourself looking through the
same clutter time and again. Clutter can be a distraction for you and anything that
distracts doesn't allow for effective use of your time.

12
 Identify your Time Wasters
Identify only ten of your time wasters in the order of priority, 1
being highest and 10 being the lowest
Attempting too much at once

Unproductive peer demands

Unrealistic time estimates

Procrastinating

Tasks left unfinished

Unproductive Telephone Calls

Searching for documents

Lack of organisation

Waiting for answers

Interruptions

Unable to say ―no‖

Lack of priorities

Poor communication

Frequently check my Email

Personal activities

Inadequate follow up

Over involvement with details

Excessive socializing

Over communication

Social Media

13
 What is ATTITUDE?
Attitude is how you think and whether you lean towards the optimistic or pessimistic.
Attitude is a mental position relative to a way of thinking or being. The current popular
usage of Attitude implies negative mindset, a ―chip on the shoulder‖ behavior and an inner
anger towards the prevailing majority of thought.

From a personal development standpoint, Attitude is broader than the popular usage. A
Positive Attitude implies a way of thinking that is predominantly positive and optimistic.
The opposite inclination, a Negative Attitude is predominantly pessimistic. Here are some
quotes of Positive Attitude, which bring out the essence of Attitude.

―They can because they think they can. ―

- Virgil

―All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we
think we become.‖

- Buddha

―The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; the optimistic sees the opportunity in
every difficulty.‖

- L .P. Jack

―Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and
confidence.‖

- Helen Keller

14
 Define Your ATTITUDE at Work
The most important thing in a job is to define an attitude towards work. Attitude is defined
as "a way of looking at life; a way of thinking, feeling or behaving." Therefore an attitude is
not just the way we think, but the way we think, feel and do.
Defining attitude at work means deciding the values that would guide one in ones working
environment.
Given below are some values that can help us towards defining the right attitude in our
career and achieve success.

Pride
Pride connotes arrogance especially when one has too high of an opinion of oneself. In this
perspective "Pride" is taken to mean self-dignity. Pride prevents you from doing just enough
to get by. If you know everything you do at work has your name and signature on it, then
you will give it your best shot and nothing less.

Passion
Just a simple plain ‗interest‘ in any work or career you choose isn‘t enough to bring you
through the tough times and there will be tough times. It could be an unreasonable client or
an impossible timeline. However, a burning desire will pull you through these. An intense
enthusiasm for all things worth doing will pull you through the toughest times.

Belief
In order to generate that passion, it is important to believe. Only a deep belief will create
the vigor and force that gives you the fuel to charge. Know that you can achieve all that
you set out to do for yourself. You only need to start believing in yourself.

15
 Communication Skills 1
Communication skills, tops the list of fundamental skills needed to succeed in the
workplace. With the rise of social media networking and texting, communication is
becoming more casual, even in situations where more formal ways of communicating are
required. This is why one needs to under- stand the importance of effective
communication in the workplace and become more mindful while communicating.

Listen, listen, and listen. People want to know that they are being heard. Really
listen to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating your response. Ask for
clarification to avoid misunderstandings. At that moment, the person speaking to you
should be the most important person and more importantly have one conversation at a
time.

Who you are talking to matters. It is okay to use acronyms and informal
language when you are communicating with a buddy, but if you are emailing or
texting your boss, ―Hey,‖ ―TTYL‖ or any informal language, should have no place in
your message.

Body language matters. This is important for face-to-face meetings and video
conferencing. Make sure that you appear accessible, so have open body language. This
means that you should not cross your arms. And keep eye contact so that the other
person knows that you are paying attention.

Check your message before you hit send. Spell and grammar checkers
are lifesavers, but they are not foolproof. Double check what you have written, to
make sure that your words are communicating the intended message.

Be brief, yet specific. For written and verbal communication, practice being
brief yet specific enough, that you provide enough information for the other person to
understand what you are trying to say.

Write things down. Take notes while you are talking to another person or
when you are in a meeting and do not rely on your memory.

Sometimes it’s better to pick up the phone. If you find that you
have a lot to say, instead of sending an email, call the person instead. Email is
great, but sometimes it is easier to communicate what you have to say verbally.

Communicating effectively is a teachable skill, therefore following a few of the tips

outlined above, will enable you to refine up on your communication skills.

1
Adapted from https://www.right.com/wps/wcm/conect/right-us-en/home/thoughtwire/categories/case-studies

16
 How Effective are Your Listening Skills? 2
To see how effective you are in practicing good listening skills, answer the questions
below about yourself.
Remember: Be as honest with yourself as you can!

Almost Usually Seldom Never

Always
Do you let people finish what they are
saying before you begin to speak? 4 3 2 1

If the person hesitates, do you wait for them to

finish/continue speaking rather than start your 4 3 2 1
reply?

Do you hold back your judgment about

what someone is saying until they have 4 3 2 1
finished speaking?

Do you listen fully even though you think

you know what the person is about to say? 4 3 2 1

Do you listen in a non-judgmental way,

showing genuine support, even if you cannot 4 3 2 1
connect with the person that is speaking?

Do you stop what you are doing and give the

person speaking your full attention?
4 3 2 1
Do you give appropriate eye contact, head
nods and non-verbal cues to show the person 4 3 2 1
that you are listening?

Do you listen fully, so that you can support

the person speaking, or are you planning 3 1
4 2
what you will say next?

Are you curious – do you ask the person

questions to clarify their ideas better? 4 3 2 1

Do you restate/rephrase what they have

said to ensure you have heard it correctly? 4 3 2 1

SCORE

35 and above : You are an excellent listener

25-35 : You listen well but have room for improvement
Less than 25 : You need to improve your listening skills
2 Adapted from Valerie Cade, Bully Free at Work, 2013

17
 5 Tips for becoming a better Listener3
Successful entrepreneurs can profit as much from effective listening as speaking. ―We use
listening to gain understanding, to obtain information, and to learn,‖ notes business
development trainer James Nathan. Communication experts advocate learning the skill known
as ―active listening‖ — making the deliberate effort to listen to and comprehend what another
person is trying to say.
Failing to understand what‘s being said can result in costly mistakes with your customers,
vendors, and employees. Here are five tips to improve your listening skills and promote
effective communication:

1. Focus on who you are talking to. As difficult as it may be in a busy work
environment, active listening requires that you stop doing everything else and
just listen. Put down your phone or tablet. Clear your head of the distractions that keep you
from focusing on the person you‘re engaged with.

2. Don’t fake it. Bernard Ferrari, author of Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical
Business Skill of All, calls them ―bad listeners.‖ You know who they are (and sometimes
they‘re us!) — people who regard conversations ―as opportunities to broadcast their own
status or ideas, or who spend more time formulating their next response than listening to
their conversation partners.‖

3. Pay attention to body language. Active listening involves leaning in toward

the speaker, nodding at appropriate moments, and maintaining eye contact. You should
also pay close attention to the speaker‘s posture and other nonverbal ―tells,‖ such as
gestures, tone of voice, and facial expressions. These will help you clue in on their attitudes
and emotions, generating powerful insights that can help you in the course of negotiations
or when trying to uncover an employee‘s resistance to your new idea.

4. Paraphrase and repeat back what you hear. You may think you get
what the other person is saying, until you attempt to restate their message in your own
words. When they‘ve finished speaking, paraphrase what they‘ve said to make sure you‘ve
heard the actual meaning and intent of their words. Consultant Guy Harris suggests saying
things like,‖I heard you say …. Is that correct?‖ and ―If I understand correctly, your
concern is ….‖

5. Ask clarifying questions. A customer or employee may not be as articulate as

you‘d like in voicing a complaint or request. It‘s up to you to ask open-ended questions that
help them get to the point so you can be sure to understand and respond appropriately.
Asking relevant and clarifying questions demonstrates to the listener that you‘ve been
paying attention but would like a bit more information. (Asking questions also demonstrates
your engagement in the conversation.)

Actively listening requires a greater commitment on your part (and probably isn‘t necessary for
every single encounter). But enhanced communication will help you better lead your employees
and make meaningful contact with your customers.
3 Adapted from https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/management-and-training/5-tips-for-becoming-a-better-listener/

18
 Dressing for Interviews?4
Before you say a single word to the interviewer, you have already made an impression based
on how you‘re dressed. The guidelines given here are commonly accepted as appropriate for
interviewing. How you dress at the job may have very little to do with how you dress for an
interview.

Men and Women

1. Dress in a manner that is professionally appropriate to the position for which you are
applying. In almost all cases, this means wearing a suit.
2. Men should wear a suit to interview. The ideal colours for a suit are black, navy blue or
grey. A dark-colored suit with light colored shirt is your best option.
3. Women should wear a saree, choodidaar or suit (skirt or trousers and a jacket).
4. Your formal wear should be comfortable and fit you well so that you look and act your
best.
5. Men should avoid loud colors and flashy ties.
6. Wear deodorant.
7. Your hair should be neat, clean, and conservative.
8. Men should polish their shoes and shoes should match their belt.
9. Women‘s shoes should be fairly low-heeled (1 to 2 inch). Don‘t wear shoes with an open
toe or back.
10. Men should shave the morning of the interview, even if you don‘t ordinarily shave every
day. If you have a full beard or moustache it should be trimmed and neat-looking.
11. Women‘s make-up and nail polish should be understated and flattering; shades that are
neutral to your skin tone are generally advisable. Avoid bright or unusual colors or very
long nails.
12. Women should keep your jewelry and hair accessories to a minimum, and stick to those
that are not flashy, distracting, or shiny. One ring per hand is best.
13. It‘s much better to be too dressed up than too casual. Dressing professionally shows
respect for yourself, the interviewer, and the company. You may not have to dress like
this everyday, but you are more likely to be taken seriously when you present yourself in
a professional manner and take the time to attend to details.

4 Adapted from http://careernetwork.msu.edu/jobs-internships/appearance-and-attire/dressing-for-interviews.html

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 What Does Your Tie Colour Mean?5

We all know that first impressions can be influenced by what you wear. Whether conscious
or not, people make grandiose assumptions based upon your everyday appearance.

A tie is one of the most influential tools at your disposal. That‘s why you always reach for
your lucky tie when you are about to close a deal or why the girl at happy hour playfully
touches your tie to show she‘s interested. Your tie makes a powerful statement and its
important to know what image you are projecting.

Red
It‘s called the power tie for a reason, and by wearing a red tie you are implying that you
mean business. Just like Tiger Woods wears a red shirt to convey dominance, the red tie is
a reaffirmation of strength, authority and dominance within the professional world. For a
less aggressive approach, switch out your vibrant red for a softer shade of burgundy.

Yellow/Gold
Yellow is the approachable cousin of the power tie. While still conveying authority,
intelligence and positivity, yellow is the subtle version of a red power tie. This is the perfect
tie to wear for a first interview, because it shows you are confident and not afraid of a
challenge.

Blue
Conveying trust, stability and confidence a blue tie is perfect for client facing or public
speaking. That being said, it‘s no coincidence that politicians and salesmen are frequently
seen in blue ties. The lighter blue shade is softer and appears more approachable. A darker
shade of blue represents seriousness and matter-of-factness.

Green
This color symbolizes practicality, reliability and implies being down-to-earth. Brighter shades
of green will imply that you are balanced, fresh and energetic. For a conventional look,
darker shades of green are more appropriate and will imply that you are stable and serious.

Orange
Orange is the wild card of tie colors. A bright orange tie will imply that you are enthusiastic,
open-minded and adventurous. It is the perfect tie for making a memorable first impression
and creating a sense of excitement within the workplace.

5 https://www.balanicustom.com/what-does-your-tie-color-mean/

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 Corporate Communication – Emails
From newsletters to getting in touch with different stakeholders, e-mail is an increasingly important aspect of
e-commerce. However, we often overlook the very basics, which are listed below to make email writing
effective.

The Look unless your organization specifies a font type, size & color:
• Use a white background for all professional e-mails unless you are sending a greeting card.
• Font size recommended is 10 and Font color should be black. Blue is fine as well.

Subject Line
The subject line offers a very small space in which you can make a very large impact. The subject should give
some indication of the benefit the customer stands to gain, by opening the e-mail.
A subject line should be clear and descriptive of the message content. If you are offering non-urgent informa-
tion that requires no response from the other person, prefacing the subject line with FYI: (For Your Informa-
tion) is a good practice. If you are responding to mail sent previously quote the previous message for ready
remembrance.

Salutations
Depending on the culture of the organization one can address the person with a dear and the first name.
However, to a customer it should be ‗Dear‘ and the Surname prefixed by a Mr. or Ms. (in case of women it is
proper to use "Ms." instead of "Miss" or "Mrs." unless you know the preference of the woman in question).

The Body of the e-mail

Using shorter paragraphs make it easy for the reader to read the document. Try to keep your lines under
seventy characters long. Why seventy and not, say, seventy-six? Because you should leave little room for the
indentation or quote marks your correspondents may want if they need to quote pieces of your message in
their replies.

Intonation
The most difficult thing to convey in email is emotion. People frequently get in trouble for typing exactly what
they would say out loud. Unfortunately, without the tone of voice to signal their emotion, it is easy to misinter-
pret their intent. Using capital letters will convey the message that you are shouting.

Identification
When you send an email, to particularly someone who doesn't know you, immediately answer these ques-
tions:
• How did you learn of your correspondent and what do you want from your correspondent?
• Who are you; your identity is an important clue to the context of the message.
• Why should your correspondent pay attention to you? (If you can't answer this
question, you should wonder if you should even send the email.)

Signatures
Many email programs allow you to set up a default signature to be included at the end of every message.
Many people use these signatures as an easy way to give their name and alternate ways of reaching them.

P.S
After reading the opening line of the e-mail, most customers will scan the remainder of the message. The
postscript is a convention most readers will recognize. While P.S. is not an essential element of all e-mail
communications, it can be an effective way to highlight a reminder or a particular point of interest.

21
 Emailing
You have recently joined ABS ltd. Within a month of joining you need to go on leave. Write
an email to your reporting manager requesting for leave, justifying the need for the same.

22
 Making Effective Presentations

Presenting information clearly and effectively is a key skill to get one‘s message across
and master- ing this skill is required in almost every field.

Presentation skills are the skills one needs in delivering effective and engaging
presentations to a variety of audiences and cover a variety of areas such as the
structure of your presentation, the design of your slides, the tone of your voice and
the body language you convey.

A great presentation does not just happen. It is planned, rehearsed and then delivered
with flair. You can be a good presenter if you learn the skills for presentation success.
You will be a great speaker if you learn from every presentation you deliver. Often, great
presenters start as poor speakers and then they get better.

Simple rule to help create that structure is mentioned below.

23
 Social Etiquette6
Man is a social animal and rightfully so he or she must follow certain social etiquettes that
are appreciated by one and all. Everyone wants to be socially accepted and hence all of us
want to engage in social conversations. But many of us either become nervous, shy or find
ourselves paralyzed in front of a large group of people. Due to this, we curl inwards and do
not make any conversations with people. In yet another scenario, there are times when
people do not realize of their inappropriate behavior in social circuit. Social etiquette tips
help us to be correct with our mannerisms, communication and our behavior in general.

Conversing with a group of people

You need to be polite, humble and sophisticated. Also, use language effectively and do not
forget saying basic polite words like thank you, please, welcome, sorry etc. wherever
necessary. When a group of people are talking, always allow others to talk and only when
they finish, make your point. In case you interrupt someone by mistake, apologize and
request him or her to complete their conversation.

Always ask relevant and appropriate questions

It is assumed that you are socially aware and hence asking questions that reveal that you
do not know about a common topic in news may not make a good impression about you.
Hence, read newspapers regularly and keep yourself aware of what is happening socially
and in the world in general. In case if there is an awkward silence that you may want to
avoid, comment on the ambience of the place, on music that may be playing or on weather
in general just to keep the conversation going.

Keep your conversations short

While you are conversing about something, remember to keep it short, as nobody is
interested in boring conversations. Always give chance to other people to talk, as they may
also want to make a point. If you have a long, in-depth conversation some people may not
be interested as they would want to meet other people in the gathering too. Remember
that social etiquette conversations are pleasant and short.

Make eye contact

While conversing with people make an eye contact with everyone. Making everyone feel
involved in a conversation is an art in itself. Your body language should also be polite and
respectful. Also, remember personal hygiene is also an important part of social etiquette.
Always carry a handkerchief with you. Smell good and present yourself well by dressing
appropriately. Table manners should also be taken care of as they too form an important
part of social etiquettes. Also remember to introduce yourself or get introduced before you
begin a conversation with a stranger. Handshakes are usually considered formal and polite
when greeting people at a social gathering.
Social etiquette is important because it creates an impression about your personality that in
turn affects the perception and treatment of other people towards you.

6 Adapted from http://www.personalitydevelopment.org/social-etiquette.html

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 Office Etiquette 7

Whether you are starting a new job or you've been working at the same job for years, it's
never too late to introspect. Proper etiquette around your coworkers and supervisors can
make all the differ- ence when it's time for promotions or special assignments.

Every office has a certain character, and it is critical to learn what it is as soon as you
start working there. However, there are certain rules that apply to almost every business,
so start with those and add to them as you get a better feel for what is expected.

Make a Good First Impression

You only have one chance to make a first impression, so make it a good one. The way
people perceive you when they first meet you will last quite a while. Remember that
changing a negative opinion is much more difficult than maintaining a good one.

Don't be Late
A lways show up for work on time. Not doing so can slow down business and create
animosity because you have held up a project or appear to be slacking. If you see a
pattern in getting to the office five minutes late, set your clock for five or ten
minutes earlier.

Be Respectful of Others
Whether you work in a private office, have a desk in a maze of cubicles, or sit in an
open office with dozens of coworkers, you should respect everyone else. If everyone
does this, you'll find that there is very little drama that adds stress to a busy workday.

Take turns speaking without interrupting. Allow each person to complete a

thought and inter- ject only when you have something constructive to say. Your co-
workers and supervisors will appre- ciate you more and consider you a team player,
making you a more valuable candidate for future promotions.

Don't get involved in office gossip about other employees or the company.
Even when you hang out with coworkers on personal time, think of something else to
discuss. You never know what will come back to you and the last thing you need to
deal with is someone thinking of you as the office gossip.

When working in close quarters, remember that not everyone loves the smell of strong
perfume and the sound of your favorite rock band. Other things you need to refrain
from doing include humming, foot tapping, long personal phone conversations and filing
your fingernails.

7 Adapted from https://www.thespruce.com/basic-office-etiquette-tips-1216791

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Keep your workspace neat and clean no one likes to work with a slob,
especially when it spills over into community space. Never leave food in the break room
overnight.
Be Friendly to New Employees.
Remember what it felt like to be the newest person at the office. Smile at the new person,
strike up a very brief conversation, and ask him or her to join your group for lunch. Offer to
answer any ques- tions and comment about how you remember what it's like to be new.

Don't Take Credit for Other People's Accomplishments or Ideas.

One of the things that can ruin your reputation in an office environment is to claim
someone else's ideas as your own. When talking about a project during lunch or after
work, make sure that if it comes up at the meeting, you give credit to the correct
person. If a supervisor mistakenly thinks it is your idea, set the record straight, no
matter how tempting it may be to let her continue thinking you are brilliant.
By the same token, never blame anyone else for your mistakes. This only makes
matters worse and will create animosity. You are better off admitting what happened
and find a way to fix it. Everyone makes mistakes, but try not to make the same one
more than once.

Dress Appropriately.
Every office has a dress code. Don't break it. If you do wear inappropriate attire, you
may find your- self in a boss-mandated seminar about how to dress for success. Or
worse, you might get passed over for a promotion or even demoted. If in doubt, err on
the conservative side until you are sure what is considered appropriate.

Think Before You Speak.

People who blurt whatever is on their minds either spend quite a bit of time regretting
and apologiz- ing or they're perceived as someone who can't be trusted. When you're
at the office, you need to filter your speech. There may be times when you're
confronted with conflict, so be prepared and keep a level head so the issue doesn't
escalate.

Be Friendly but Don't Give Away too Much Personal Information.

When you enter the office each morning, it's normal to greet your coworkers and
mention some- thing about what you did over the weekend or the previous evening.
However, this doesn't mean giving away too many personal details. The people you
work with don't need a blow-by-blow account of the argument you had with your
boyfriend. It's none of their business and leaves you too exposed for a business
environment.

If you are Sick, Stay Home.

When you have a virus that is contagious, it's rude to take it to the office. Not only will
you get less work done, you are spreading your germs that can make other people
miserable. Stay home and take care of yourself so you can get back to work and be
more productive.

26
 Gifting Etiquette 8
Have you ever wondered if it's appropriate to give a client or someone at the office a gift, and
if so, what should you give? There are some things you need to consider before you make
your decision, including your company's policy on this. Whether this is a professional thank
you gift to a client or a group gift to the boss, it's essential to maintain business etiquette at
all times.

Use Caution in Professional Gift Giving

Whether you want to celebrate a birthday or show your generosity during the holidays,
giving gifts to business connections can be very sensitive, so it is imperative to follow
proper etiquette. You need to make sure the gift is appropriate and follow the customs and
norms of your industry. They're there for a reason.
Some of the most common times to give gifts in the business world include the following:
• After the completion of a project
• To celebrate a promotion
• Wedding, birthday, or birth of a child
• To show appreciation after someone has gone above the call of duty
• To celebrate something business related such as acquiring a new
client, a promotion or a profitable year
• During the holidays

How to Choose an Appropriate Gift

Gifts chosen for a business associate or client should be creative and relevant to the
occasion. However, always avoid anything too personal that may be misinterpreted as a
bribe or something that may be insulting or embarrass the recipient.
Examples of appropriate business gifts include:
• Fruit basket
• Box of candy
• Bouquet of flowers
• Scarf or tie
• Briefcase or leather portfolio
• Book by the recipient‘s favorite author

Acknowledging Office Gifts

Always acknowledge any gift you receive as soon as possible. Handwriting a thank you note is
always more desirable than an email or text message. Don‘t rely on your memory. As you open
each gift, jot down the giver‘s name and a short description of the item.
The thank you note may be brief, but include something unique in each one, such as, ―Thank
you for the coffee mug. I‘m sure you‘ll see me using it every morning at the office,‖ or, ―I
appreciate the gift card to my favorite restaurant. They have the best fish platter in town.‖
You may hand deliver the notes or send them in the mail.

8 Adapted from https://www.thespruce.com/business-and-professional-gift-etiquette-1216793

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 Dining Etiquette in the Workplace 9
Not every business meeting takes place in an office or boardroom -- some may take place on
the golf course or at a restaurant. Doing business over a meal, or just dining with a client or
co-worker, can be stressful if you are unfamiliar with proper dining etiquette. Some
businesses may even test potential employees' mettle by breaking bread during an interview.

Before Eating
When you are involved in a business meal, you want to be sure to fit in with your dining
companions and be appropriately respectful of your host. That means greeting fellow diners,
waiting until the host sits down before seating yourself and standing when a senior executive
or woman enters the room or arrives at the table. Start with small talk rather than launching
straight into business. As far as ordering your meal, follow the host's lead in terms of what to
order, and never order the most expensive item on the menu.

Utensils
The safest rule is to use your forks, spoons and knives from the outside in, but if you dine at
formal restaurants on a regular basis, learn to identify which utensil is used for which dish.
Your napkin and forks are to the left of your dinner plate, and the forks follow the outside-in
pattern: Use them for salad and then the meal, and if there is a third fork there, it is for
dessert. On the right side of the plate, the large spoon is for soup, the smaller spoon is for
tea or coffee and the knife is for cutting. Your butter knife is normally on the small bread
plate -- and the plate to your left is yours. If a small spoon and fork are placed at the head of
your plate, they are for dessert. Your glasses are to your right; from the outside in, they are
for white wine, then red wine and then water. Always put your napkin on your lap when you
sit, and don‘t neatly fold it when you get up.

While Eating
When you are eating in a working environment, basic table manners are always important.
That means chewing with your mouth closed and not speaking while you are chewing, for
starters -- and no elbows on the table. Tear rolls one bite at a time, and butter them
accordingly, with butter you've placed in your own bread plate; slice entrees one bite at a
time, as well. Avoid slurping and smacking while you eat, and place your used utensils on a
plate rather than leaving them in a soup or salad bowl.

Eating at Your Desk

Sometimes, a working lunch means actually eating at your desk while you are on the job.
When that is the case, keep nearby co-workers in mind while you dine and avoid food with
strong odors since that can be disruptive to your co-workers. Don't eat in front of customers
or during a meeting unless others are doing so.

9 Adapted from https://work.chron.com/dining-etiquette-workplace-2953.html

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 What is Culture?

Many people question what is culture and what analogies can be used to describe it?

A model or analogy of culture that explains the concept best is the Kohl‘s Iceberg
Theory. The iceberg perhaps lends itself best to this as it so graphically demonstrates
the idea of having both a visible and invisible structure.

The iceberg has the visible tip. These are the areas of culture that we can see apparent in
the physi- cal sense, more often than not these are the elements that we come into
contact with first when visiting a new country or culture. Such "visible" elements
include music, dress, dance, language, food, gestures, greetings, behaviors, art and
more. In addition it can also relate to behaviors such as seeing people ignoring red traffic
lights, spitting on the floor and more.

None of these visible elements can make real sense without understanding the hidden
drivers behind them; the bottom side of the iceberg, the invisible side. The invisible
elements are the under- lying causes of what is apparent on the visible side. The
―invisible‖ elements include religious beliefs, worldviews, rules of relationships,
approach to the family, communication styles, modes of thinking, comfort with risk,
gender differences and more.

For example, why do the English queue for everything? This relates to their approach to
fairness, justice, order and rights. Many other cultures simply do not queue in this
manner, as it is not part of their cultural programming.

An awareness of these visible and invisible elements, the what and why of culture makes
one more accepting and less judgmental, leading to less cultural shock and promotes
harmony which is critical in any working environment.

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 The Importance of Cultural Sensitivity
in Business Dealings10
Companies often employ foreign workers and court foreign parties as their operations go
global and they take advantage of new markets in other countries. This makes cultural
sensitivity in business more important than ever. An ignorance of a country's cultural
norms can offend important clients, alienate employees in other countries and even lead
to a reduction of product or service sales.

One-on-One Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity can play an important role on the personal level. Companies courting
employees or executives from countries with other social norms or beliefs would do well
to respect those beliefs. A failure to do so can lead to everything from personal offense
taken to certain cultural insensitive moves (such as not taking into account a person's
cultural dietary restrictions during a business lunch) to the failure to do business entirely if
a company consistently offends the culture of a potential business partner.

Cultural Sensitivity and Products

Being sensitive to cultural considerations is also essential to selling products in other
countries. Many firms have lost money when selling their products in other countries
based on their failure to understand the culture. For instance, when debuting a film called
"Hollywood Buddha," a film studio ran into serious trouble in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and
Burma because the film lacked cultural sensitivity towards Buddhist symbols traditionally
held in reverence in these countries.

Cultural Sensitivity and Language

When businesses need to sell products or produce advertisements in foreign countries,
often these use the host country's own language. Being insensitive to the nuances of a
foreign language can create real cultural relations problems for companies. Marketing
efforts for an alcoholic beverage called "Irish Mist" ran astray in Germany because the
company behind the product failed to notice that the word "Mist" in German means
"manure."

Cultural Sensitivity and Employees

As globalization has companies frequently outsourcing work or recruiting global
professionals from a range of countries, many firms have instituted cultural sensitivity
training and expanded the range of languages into which their sales aids and brochures
are translated. A failure to appreciate cultural differences like language and traditions can
alienate foreign employees and, in the case of materials not translated into their language,
actually prevent them from doing their jobs.

10
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-cultural-sensitivity-business-dealings-20503.html

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 Group Discussion
A. Effective Group Skills

 Involving others
 Balancing your viewpoint with those of others
 Being sensitive to others
 Building consensus
 Knowing when to listen, when to speak, and how much to say
 Taking responsibility for making the group work
 Displaying confidence or expressing a lack of confidence when genuine doubt exists
 Contributing vs. Participating
 Active listening
 Taking turns
 Staying on task

B. Agenda Check List

 I quietly reflected on the purpose of the discussion before speaking.

 I gathered and looked at all the resources before speaking.
 I made sure all my speaking was directed at setting the agenda and not just the
discussion.
 I worked quickly to set the agenda.
 I looked for facts that I thought were significant to understanding the issue.
 I looked for facts that were missing.
 I determined why we were having the discussion.
 I identified what were we trying to do - the purpose of the discussion. Were we to create
something, write something, speak about something, etc.?
 I made a list of all questions to be answered.
 I put all the questions in the order that they should be discussed.
 I numbered the agenda items.
 I timed the items on the agenda to guide us through the discussion.
 I kept notes during agenda setting and discussion.

31
 Group Discussion
Group Skills – Passive, Assertive, and Aggressive
In each row, circle the one behaviour that best applies to your behaviour in group discussions.

Descriptor Behaviour 1 Behaviour 2 Behaviour 3

Speaking I prefer to listen rather I like to talk and often I try to talk about as
and than speak or find it speak more than I listen. much as I listen.
listening hard to speak.

Sensitivity I think that everyone I try to get others to talk I tend to wait for
should speak up and if by asking them someone to ask me a
you don‘t talk that is questions. question or wait for a
your choice. break in the discussion
rather than speak out.

Consensus If most people in the I don‘t like conflict or am I like my ideas and
Building group don‘t like my too shy to speak up argue to get them
ideas I realize that I when I disagree with an accepted.
should change them. idea.

Timing I speak whenever I have I know when to listen, I find it hard to speak up
an opinion on a topic when to speak, and how and get into the
and always defend my much to say. discussion and when I
opinions. do speak I say too little.

On Track I like to finish the I don‘t think it is my job I get off topic easily
discussion on time and to keep a discussion on because I enjoy the
so I often stop talking to topic and hope discussion and
finish it or remind others someone else will do it. supporting my opinions.
we are behind.

Conflict I like to win an argument Before I give up my I can never think fast
Resolution and don‘t give up easily. point of view I try to find enough to find facts to
good facts to support it. support my opinions and
prefer to listen.

Reflection I tend to go very quiet I always defend my I like it when someone

when someone ideas when someone challenges my viewpoint
challenges my idea. challenges me. and consider carefully
what the person is
saying.

Leadership I sometimes take over I express my ideas and I should express my

the group because I opinion confidently ideas more often in the
have good ideas. without trying to group.
dominate the group.

32
 Group Discussion
Types of Speaking Skills

 Questioning peers about what they have said

 Involving a peer in the discussion
 Responding to a question
 Asking a question to the group about the discussion

Discussion Skills

 Summarizing discussion to date to keep everyone aware of what is being discussed

 Challenging discussion that is not productive
 Challenging, in a positive way, the group members‘ behaviour that is not facilitating
discussion
 Staying on topic and ensuring that the item being discussed is related to the agenda,
not starting a new issue until the current issue is resolved
 Initiating a new topic or moving to a new agenda item
 Keeping discussion to agenda items
 Keeping track of time
 Trying to get a compromise
 Connecting ideas together

33
 CV vs. Resume Difference11
CV:
A CV (Curriculum Vitae, which means course of life in Latin) is an in-depth document that
can be laid out over two or more pages and it contains a high level of detail about your
achievements, a great deal more than just a career biography. The CV covers your education
as well as any other accomplishments like publications, awards, honors etc.
The document tends to be organised chronologically and should make it easy to get an
overview of an individual‘s full working career. A CV is static and doesn‘t change for different
positions; the difference would be in the cover letter.

Resume:
A resume, or résumé, is a concise document typically not longer than one page as the
intended the reader will not dwell on your document for very long. The goal of a resume is to
make an individual stand out from the competition.
The job seeker should adapt the resume to every position they apply for. It is in the
applicant‘s interest to change the resume from one job application to another and to tailor it
to the needs of the specific post. A resume doesn‘t have to be ordered chronologically,
doesn‘t have to cover your whole career like and is a highly customizable document.

Differences:
Three major differences between CVs and resumes are the length, the purpose and the
layout. A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages, a
CV is more detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages. The resume will be tailored to
each position whereas the CV will stay put and any changes will be in the cover letter.
A CV has a clear chronological order listing the whole career of the individual whereas a
resume‘s information can be shuffled around to best suit the applicant. I would say the main
difference between a resume and a CV is that a CV is intended to be a full record of your
career history and a resume is a brief, targeted list of skills and achievements.

11 https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/cv-vs-resume-difference-and-when-use-which/

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Top 10 Features You Must Include in Your
Resume
 Communication skills: Communication skills are hugely important for anyone
dealing with people on a daily basis. Speaking to IT guys can be drastically different
to speaking with HR. Your ability to communicate is the number one factor for your
career progression so you need to show initiative here. Example: ―I joined
Toastmasters 2 years ago and I am currently working towards my advanced speaker
certifica- tion‖.

 Openness: This means openness to new ideas, new processes, new people and
so on. As corporations are ever changing entities, your ability to change with it is
crucial. You will have to demonstrate how you adapted in the past and how you can
do it again. Example: ―I tested the new email system quickly learned how to use it,
then helped to roll it out across the business and taught it to others across the
company‖

 Creativity: This is your ability to engage in non-linear thinking or thinking out of

the box to use a nice cliché. An employer needs people that not only point out what
is wrong in a process for instance, but can also come up with a better way of doing
things. Example: ―I spotted an opportunity and developed a new order process and
reduced lead times by 20% across my department‖.

 Cultural Experience: Denotes what experiences you have had with people
from other countries and cultures. You will want to include any language you speak,
any time you have spent in a foreign country, any connec- tions you have abroad etc.
This can come in handy when a company needs to deal with and even negotiate
with international partners. Example: ―I lived in Germany for 2 years and speak
fluent business German‖.

 Positivity: Everyone wants a force of positivity in his or her team. It‘s difficult to
include this on a resume but you can do your best by using positive language and
dropping hints of what a happy camper you are in the office. Example: ―Working with
this team was a fantastic experience, I still keep in touch with all of the great
members and I am glad they have all got promoted and wish them all the best‖.

 Commitment: This is your chance to show how you get involved in the
corporate culture and really try to live and breathe what your company is all about.
Example: ―I have carefully studied the company‘s vision statement and refer to it
almost daily when I need guidance on daily and longer term tasks‖.

 Enthusiasm: This is all about what lengths you go to in order to further your
career. Extra-curricular activities can benefit your potential new employer. Example:
―I joined the local chapter of the Chamber of Com- merce Networking Group in order
to build up my network of industry peers‖.

35
 Integrity: You would think it should hopefully go without saying that you have
the integrity required for customers and co-workers to trust and work successfully
with you. In order to reiterate this point you could write of others‘ experiences of
you have been. Example: ―When my manager needed someone trustworthy to
look after the new office, she picked me out of eight internal candidates‖.

 Team spirit: We can assume that you are a team player; everyone that works in
an office is required to be or they would get the axe sooner than a Frenchman can
spell esprit de corps. Team spirit is more than simply playing, it‘s actually taking
the initiative and activating a group of people and creating closer bonds. Example:
―I organized a paintball day out for junior staffers and the top executives, in order
to create a sense of belonging for the newbies‖.

 Community service: Everyone claims to have a big heart but only a few can
actually quantify what their charitable accom- plishments are. This is about you
making a difference and being able to tell the world how you did it. Example, ―I
organized a muffin bake off in my team and we raised over $2,000 for the local
home- less shelter‖.

36
What Recruiters Really Want to See on
Your CV12
Indiana Logan, a Senior Recruitment Consultant at the Graduate Recruitment Bureau, shares
some advice and insider knowledge for graduates looking to get into the world of Recruitment.

As a senior recruitment consultant, what are the first things you

look for in an applicant when recruiting?
As a graduate recruiter you can receive a huge volume of applications for just one role and so
you need to have a clear list of essential skills or experience that are a prerequisite for the
role. The first thing I do is briefly scan to see which of these they tick. If they tick most of the
boxes then I will usually call them as soon as possible or read further into their CV. Things I
look for in their CV are minimum educational requirements, relevant experience, a desire to do
the job I am advertising and the ability to work in that location.
From an applicant‘s perspective, they can identify this list from the job ad. A great way to
make these obvious to someone scanning your CV is to put it at the top so it‘s the first thing
they read. For example, ―Having just graduated from a UK top 10 University with a 2.1 in
Economics I am now looking to work for a large multinational corporation within the finance
sector in London. My previous internships within this sector have given me a passion for this
as a long term career.‖ Something like this tells me they match what I am looking for before I
even read the CV and I am then just looking to the CV details to back this up. Specific and
matching information is much better than the usual ―I am a confident, motivated, punctual…‖
which is something your interviewer will be the judge of!

What are major CV mistakes you notice when you’re looking for
potential candidates?
Clearly stating at the top of the CV they want to work in another sector or job than the one
they have applied for is a common mistake. This tells me immediately the role I am recruiting
for is their plan b, or c and in this job market that is an immediate turn off. I want candidates
who are going to commit to the client and be a long term and beneficial employee and that
won‘t happen if they have somewhere else they really want to be.
Also, presentation of CVs is very important. If a CV looks bad the implication is that the
candidate is bad and they are either too commercially unaware to know how important a CV is
or too apathetic about their job search. Some examples of ‗bad presentation‘ include shabby
formatting which makes it hard to read and follow. Consistent formatting with bold headlines,
clear dates and headlines such as achievements, awards, education and duties really helps to
find the information I am looking for quickly and efficiently.

At the moment, what factors are employers looking for in their

potential employees?
They are looking for graduates with a clear focus on their job search. People who know what
sector they want to start a career in and can prove their commitment with a good CV and
experience portfolio to back it up are attractive to employers. They are also looking for people
with a relevant degree, appropriate work experience from the 2nd year of University or
Postgraduate study and someone with a clear, long-term commitment to that role. If you don‘t
really know what you want to do for a specific job then identify groups of jobs and focus on
those such as sales, analytical, charity etc. But don‘t expect a good job to be sold to you even
if you are a good candidate because there will be someone else in the queue who can
demonstrate a burning desire to do that role and who the company knows will commit and
work hard.
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 What are the industry secrets to really getting yourself noticed
and known?
Call first! Every graduate recruiter gets hundreds of applications for each role they are in
charge of. So before you apply, try and call the person who is advertising and introduce
yourself. If you make yourself known to them they are more likely to take you forward.
Even if you can‘t get through they will still get a couple of messages from you and hear
your name so they are more likely to flag your application out of interest. If you can‘t get
through then ask for their direct email and send the CV to them so it doesn‘t get lost in the
system. Follow it up within 2 days for feedback
You can also drop them a LinkedIn request after you have spoken to them. LinkedIn should
be on every graduate‘s guide of how to get a job. State clearly in your LinkedIn headline
who you are and what you want, for example ―Edinburgh Economics Graduate with
Analytical Banking Internship looking for a Graduate Investment Banking Analytical Scheme
in London‖. Then add an online CV so employers can really get to know you. I can‘t stress
enough how important a great LinkedIn profile is. Start linking in with everyone relevant in
that industry and hiring managers; don‘t be shy to request to add them and explain why in
the email. Then start being proactive on the site; join relevant groups and ―Like‖ updates to
get noticed.

How do you guarantee your CV will make an impression and get

you through to the next stage?
Many large recruiters use algorithms to search CVs for content before a human sees them,
so mirroring the language they used to advertise the position will make sure your CV gets
put forward for review. For example, if they are looking for high achievers then use this
exact phrase and pack the buzzwords in so you tick all their boxes. The more relevant
words to the job description you have in your CV the more likely your CV will get through.
Even for jobs with small or mid sized employers make sure you use relevant words on your
CV as much as possible. This looks great when someone scans your CV as they instantly
see all the great qualities they are looking for. Make the language relevant to the role, for
example, if it‘s a sales position use strong sales focused words like: drive, targets, ambition,
entrepreneur etc.

What are the last, best pieces of advice you can offer as an
expert?
Be different and think long term.
Use LinkedIn –it is your best friend in a job. Look at experienced people who are doing the
job that you want at the moment. See what types of things they have done and achieved
and set about gaining similar qualities.
Another thing is if you get declined from interviews; ask the hiring managers what you
would need to do in the next year in order for them to want to interview you for the next
intake. If you know what you need to do in order to get into those roles, you can then
spend the next 2 years getting that experience and then reapply for those roles, hopefully
with a much better chance of getting it since you‘ve tailored yourself to their needs.
Graduates with a year‘s experience in something relevant, even in another sector will
usually trump raw graduates even for a graduate role because they have the experience to
back them up.

12 Adapted from https://theundercoverrecruiter.com/recruiters-cv/

38
 Resume Writing
Resume Writing Worksheet
The following worksheet will help you construct various sections of your resume. Think about the
following areas and make notes for each section as appropriate. This will help you develop a
professional resume with relevant and necessary content. If a category does not have enough
space, please feel free to use scrap paper.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
This is the identifying information that appears at the top of the resume. You may include an alternate
address to indicate where an employer may contact you if you currently reside in more than one location.
Name ____________________________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________________________
Phone ____________________________________________________________
Email _____________________________________________________________
(Make sure your email address is one that you check daily and that it is appropriately named.)

OBJECTIVE (Optional)
What type of position are you seeking? Include an objective if you have a clear direction (career goal,
industry).
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

EDUCATION
List all colleges and universities from which you have earned or will earn a degree. Do not abbreviate. Start
with your most recent.
School _______________________________________ City, State _____________________
Degree _______________________GPA _______ Graduation Date (Month/Year) __________
Major(s)_____________________________________________________________________
Emphasis____________________________________________________________________
Minor(s) ________________________________Semester Honors________________________

RESEARCH, CLASS PROJECTS

Note research or class projects which are related to your field of interest if appropriate.
____________________________________________________________________________

CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSURES

Examples include CPR/First Aid, Microsoft, Teaching.

Name of Certificate/License _____________________________ Date Rec‘d/Expires________

Organization granting certification/licensure ________________________________________

39
 Resume Writing
EXPERIENCE – Work, Internships and/or Related
List your experience in the same manner, with most recent information first. When noting your
responsibilities and accomplishments use concise statements describing your role and use action verbs to
describe your skills, activities and accomplishments. Quantify when possible.
Position/Title ______________________________________________________________
Dates _____________________________to________________________________________
Employer/Company ___________________________________________________________
City, State __________________________________________________________________
Responsibilities & Accomplishments ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

HONORS & AWARDS

Include name of honor/award, date received & name of organization giving award.
_____________________________________________________________________________

SKILLS
This section can help you demonstrate proficiency in areas not otherwise outlined in your academics or
experience sections. Focus on skills most relevant to your desired position/career field. Skills might include:
• Languages (note level of fluency)
• Computer skills – list programs and languages you are able to use
• Other field specific areas, such as techniques, instrumentation
_______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
List name of organization and dates of membership. Note if you are a student member of a professional
association/organization.
_____________________________________________________________________________

INVOLVEMENT – Campus, Community, Volunteer

Highlight activities that demonstrate involvement in organizations, leadership roles and note length of
membership.
_____________________________________________________________________________

REFERENCES NOTE: References are not included on your resume. Create a separate references
page, listing at least three (3) individuals who can attest to your work ethic, academic performance, skills
and abilities. Ask these individuals to serve as references prior to including on your reference page. The
information you will include for each reference is:
Name ____________________________________ Title ______________________________
Organization ______________________________ Address ____________________________
Phone _______________________________ Email (Optional) __________________________

40
 INTERVIEW SKILLS
Activity -1
Assuming all participants to be a fresher candidate, each one of them will be asked following
questions:

General Interview Question

Example:

1. Tell us about yourself.

2. What makes you interested in our company?
3. Why do you want this position?
4. What makes you stand out?
5. What motivates you?
6. What are you passionate about?
7. What are your long-term plans?
8. Why should we hire you?

Activity 2
Logical Interview questions
Example:

1.Why are manhole cover always round, instead of square?

2. In the Delhi Metro system there are two escalators for going up but
only one for going down to the subway. Why is that?
3. At 3:15, how many degrees were there between the two hands of a clock? (J.P. Morgan
interview question).
​
Activity -3
Role Play
Group of students are the customer support staff of a retail company. Trainer plays the role of
a customer unsatisfied with a product they bought from the store that did not meet their
needs. Group will need to assess the whole situation, discuss potential ways of handling it with
your teammates and satisfy the unhappy customer.

Activity -4
Behavioural Interview Questions

1. Give me an example of a time you faced a conflict while working on a team. How did you
handle that?
2. Tell me about a time you were under a lot of pressure. What was going on, and how did you
get through it?
3. Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle
that?
4. Tell me about a successful presentation you gave and why you think it was a hit.
5. Describe a time when you saw some problem and took the initiative to correct it rather than
waiting for someone else to do it.

Different interview format like Personal, Mock, Panel interview will be used to provide practice to
students with questions from General, Logical or Behavioural category.

41
 My Road Map
Smart Tool Kit
Communication Skills

Listening Skills

Attitude – Makes all the Difference

Executive Tool Kit

Business Communication

42
 My Road Map

Professional Tool Kit

Social Etiquette

Office Etiquette

Career Tool Kit

Group Discussion

Resume Building

Interview Skills

43
SCAN
NOW!!