Business Writing

This assignment is designed to reinforce some basic principles of business writing:

· emphasize benefits for the reader

· aim for results

· meet conventional expectations

· proofread and edit carefully.

It is also intended to give you practice with independent learning: following the advice in the textbook chapters and making decisions about content, style, and format.

How to- Search the job boards or other resources for a current job posting in your career field. Use this real job posting as the basis of your work on this project. Step 1: Study the material in the Course Content Module (Module 4) and in your eReading (Chapters 4, 5 and 16 in Business Communication for Success).

Step 2: Complete work for the Discussion Threads in the Week Two Active Discussion Forum.

Step 3: Prepare an application follow up letter, a request for more time. The letter should be no more than one page in length, three-to-five paragraphs.

Scenario: Assume you have been interviewed and offered a job, but you need more time to consider accepting it because you are awaiting the results of other interviews. . . .

Step 4: Submit your work to an EWC advisor for suggestions for revision and to polish your follow up letter for grading.

Step 5: Submit your final version of the employment follow up letter as a WORD document, and post it to your Assignment Folder by the due date provided. Use the filename, LastnameWA2 (using your own last name). Here is an example: MuzikaWA2

Format

Prepare the letter as a standard business letter, using block format, 1” page margins (top-to-bottom and side-to-side) left justification, and Times New Roman 12 pt. font.

Keep in mind that a single typo or misspelling on a business letter can cause the document to be thrown out and for you to lose that job opportunity.

Tips    

1. If used in the letter, spell résumé with two accent marks over the e's. In Word, use "Insert" in the upper toolbar and "Symbol" to find the correct letter. Inserting letters with accent marks is very easy, so you don't want to demonstrate to a potential employer that you can't do a very simple operation in Word.

2. Be sure to use parallel structure in any bulleted lists you might present.

3. Proofread very carefully. Employers do reject documents with errors!

HINT:

Student Question: “In regard to the follow-up letter, I found it somewhat difficult to write a letter that is essentially telling the interviewer, ‘I really like your offer, but I am waiting for more offers.’  Is there a way to come across as still being interested in the job, so that I would not lose the job offer?” ~Mingo

Professor’s Answer: Hi, Mingo.

Your best strategy is to keep your options open, especially because you haven't gotten a genuine job offer from any other company in which you have a vested interest. That makes for a big unknown, so don't put all your eggs in one basket. . . . You could tell the company that has made you an offer that you are very interested but are waiting to hear from another company you also interviewed with, bouncing the ball into their court. Or, you could, instead, tell the company you are very interested but need more time to think over the offer and ask when they need an answer. It's a tough spot, but it happens all the time in the job search.

~Ms. V

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