Rabu, 06 April 2011

Resumes, CVs and Covering Letters in English

A resume or CV is a summary of your educational qualifications and work experience. Companies usually want to see your resume when you apply for a job. A covering letter is the letter that accompanies your resume when you send it to a company. Both of the documents are vitally important in the job application process.
There are two ways to read these pages:
  1. Work through them in sequence (click on Next at the end of each page)
  2. Jump to any section you want at any time (click on the links at the top of each page)
At the end are sample resumes and covering letters, with tests to check your understanding and a summary for future reference.
"Helpful information & many thanks!"
Dr. Klaus Wetter, Germany
"Gives very clear instructions on producing powerful and effective CVs."
Terence Desborough, USA
"I like the attention that has been devoted to the use of powerful, yet simple wording."
Hetty Vonk, Canada
"A gem to find on the net! I thought I knew what there was to know about CV's, but you put me straight on a few points. A very useful tool for students of English wishing/planning to be employed by MNCs (Multi National Companies)."
Yvonne Gluyas, Australia
"I thought it was very down-to-earth and extremely simple to understand. I needed some information fast and I got it."
Michael Blunden, UK

Business Presentations & Public Speaking in English

Presentations and Public Speaking in EnglishA presentation is a formal talk to one or more people that "presents" ideas or information in a clear, structured way. People are sometimes afraid of speaking in public, but if you follow a few simple rules, giving a presentation is actually very easy. This tutorial guides you through each stage of giving a presentation in English, from the initial preparation to the conclusion and questions and answers. This tutorial is itself set out like a mini-presentation. You can follow it logically by starting at the Introduction and then clicking on the link at the foot of each page, or you can jump direct to the section you want from the list of contents on each page.

"Well Done!!!! All the basics, in an easy to use, easy to follow format! Finally, my students have some high quality, free material to use!"  John Herzig, Teacher, USA 
  1. Introduction 
  2. Preparation 
  3. Equipment 
  4. Delivery 
  5. Language
  6. The Presentation
  7.  Review 
  8. Test

Business Letters in English

Business letters are formal paper communications between, to or from businesses and usually sent through the Post Office or sometimes by courier. Business letters are sometimes called "snail-mail" (in contrast to email which is faster). This lesson concentrates on business letters but also looks at other business correspondence. It includes:
  • letter
  • memo
  • fax
  • email

Who writes Business Letters?

Most people who have an occupation have to write business letters. Some write many letters each day and others only write a few letters over the course of a career. Business people also read letters on a daily basis. Letters are written from a person/group, known as the sender to a person/group, known in business as the recipient. Here are some examples of senders and recipients:
  • business «» business
  • business «» consumer
  • job applicant «» company
  • citizen «» government official
  • employer «» employee
  • staff member «» staff member

Why write Business Letters?

There are many reasons why you may need to write business letters or other correspondence:
  • to persuade
  • to inform
  • to request
  • to express thanks
  • to remind
  • to recommend
  • to apologize
  • to congratulate
  • to reject a proposal or offer
  • to introduce a person or policy
  • to invite or welcome
  • to follow up
  • to formalize decisions
Read through the following pages to learn more about the different types of business letters, and how to write them. You will learn about formatting, planning, and writing letters, as well as how to spot your own errors. These pages are designed to help you write business letters and correspondence, but they will also help you learn to read, and therefore respond to, the letters you receive. You will also find samples that you can use and alter for your own needs.