Company

Higher Business School

COMPANY

A company is a business organization. It is an association or collection of individual real persons and/or other companies, who each provide some form of capital. This group has a common purpose or focus and an aim of gaining profits.

We should make the difference between public and private sector

Companies are also sometimes distinguished for legal and regulatory purposes between public companies and private companies. Public companies are companies whose shares can be publicly traded, often (although not always) on a regulated stock exchange. Private companies do not have publicly traded shares, and often contain restrictions on transfers of shares. In some jurisdictions, private companies have maximum numbers of shareholders.The Public Sector Public sectors organizations are budgeted and run by state. They are often called as state organizations. The primary objective of these organizations is to serve the public not to earn profit. Finances are offered freely for the uplift of society. In other words, they involve in social welfare. Organizations of public sector include educational institutes, health services, security providing organizations, national defence, financing etc.

The Private Sector

Private sector encompasses organizations with primary objective of profit earning and further divided in to two kinds:

Non-Limited Companies Non-limited companies do not involve complicated business concepts. There are few formalities found in this type of company, which can be set at the start of business. These formalities are opted by the selection of owner, like, be either a sole trader or start business with partners on partnership basis and the owner will be personally liable for all of the debts if the business fails. Non-limited companies are free of legal bounding. There is no legal requirement for non-limited companies to make any of their financial information public. Non-limited companies are commonly termed as "businesses".Limited Companies Limited companies can be either privately owned when they are referred to as Limited (often abbreviated to Ltd) or publicly owned. Some publicly owned can sell shares to members of the public on the stock exchange, unlike Ltd's that cannot do in the same way. The liability for both limited and publicly owned companies is restricted. This means that incase of failure of any company, the liability of the company's shareholders is limited to the value of the shares and not to the personal funds or assets of the business owners. Or, in the case of companies limited by guarantee in which no share capital is involved, the liability of its members is limited up to a specific level that their members wish to contribute to the assets of a company in the event of it being wound up. Please note here that for limited companies, generally used term is Company so people automatically understand the nature of company existence. All Limited companies are legally required to submit Company Accounts and Annual Returns every year. These documents are filed at an executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) called Companies House. This information is available to the public. A limited company has similar rights to a person; for example it can buy assets, own property, and it can sue or be sued independently of its directors. It can have detrimental information registered against it too.

Sole Proprietorship

In a sole proprietorship, a single person owns the entire business. The owner accepts all accountability for the actions of the business--both legal and financial. If he creates a product which results in harm or death, for example, he will be held personally accountable. Legally, the owner and the business are not distinct entities. In spite of this, the owner of a sole proprietorship may choose to do business with a different name than his own. Although there are risks due to accountability, this type of business has the advantage of being easy to start due to fewer regulatory impositions and lower initial costs than other forms of business.

Partnership

Partnerships come in various forms, including general and limited. In a general partnership, owners, called partners, share both the risks and benefits of the business--including any profits or debts which may result. Limited partnerships are a type of business in which there are "limited partners" in addition to the general partners. A limited partner only has partial ownership of the company, but also only shares limited liability for the company's actions.

General Partnership

A General Partnership is composed of 2 or more persons (usually not a married couple) who agree to contribute money, labor, or skill to a business. Each partner shares the profits, losses, and management of the business, and each partner is personally and equally liable for debts of the partnership. Formal terms of the partnership are usually contained in a written partnership agreement.

Limited Partnership

A Limited Partnership is composed of one or more general partners and one or more limited partners. The general partners manage the business and share fully in its profits and losses. Limited partners share in the profits of the business, but their losses are limited to the extent of their investment. Limited partners are usually not involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is similar to a General Partnership except that normally a partner doesnt have personal liability for the negligence of another partner. This business structure is used most by professionals, such as accountants and lawyers. Limited Liability Limited Partnership (LLLP)

A Limited Liability Limited Partnership is a Limited Partnership that chooses to become an LLLP by including a statement to that effect in its certificate of limited partnership. This type of business structure may shield general partners from liability for obligations of the LLLP. Corporation

Corporations are treated as separate entities from the owners of the business. This type of business consists of a number of shareholders, each of whom has some say in the company's actions. The more shares held by an individual, the more votes they have regarding company policies. In addition to being treated as a separate legal entity, corporations are often given the same rights as human beings in certain legal matters. For example, they enjoy some of the constitutional protections granted to humans and have legal rights such as the power to sue. Because of their legal status as a person, corporations, as opposed to shareholders, bear responsibility for all company actions.

In the United States, several different kinds of corporation exist, including S corporations, C corporations and limited liability companies. S corporations differ from C corporations in how they are taxed. In an S corporation, there are no corporate taxes. The company is taxed as if it were a sole proprietorship. There are strict requirements to forming an S corporation, including a limit of 100 shareholders or less. C corporations pay taxes at a corporate level. Limited liability companies, or LLCs, are like S corporations in that they are not taxed at the corporate level. They also have far fewer requirements regarding company administration. The downside to an LLC is that it is difficult to transfer ownership if you ever want to sell the business or resign.

Nonprofit Corporation

A Nonprofit Corporation is a legal entity and is typically run to further an ideal or goal rather than in the interests of profit. Many nonprofits serve the public interest, but some engage in private sector activities. Franchises are licensing arrangements whereby an individual or group can buy the right to trade and produce under a well known brand name in a given locality. The franchisee benefits from working for themselves while having the privilege and reputation associated with a much larger group. Coca-Cola franchises some of its bottling operations, and you will all be familiar with McDonald's. Many of the McDonald's outlets are franchised.Trust

A Trust is a legal relationship in which one person, called the trustee, holds property for the benefit of another person, called the beneficiary.

Joint Venture

A Joint Venture is formed for a limited length of time to carry out a business transaction or operation.

Tenants in Common

A Tenants in Common is allows 2 or more people to occupy the same business while retaining separate identities in regard to assets or liabilities resulting from business activities.

Municipality

A Municipality is a public corporation established as a subdivision of a state for local governmental purposes.

Association

An Association is an organized group of people who share in a common interest, activity, or purpose.

A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies or entities formed to transact some specific business, or to promote a common interest.ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Managers must make choices about how to group people together to perform their work. Five common approaches functional, divisional, matrix, team, and networkinghelp managers determine departmental groupings (grouping of positions into departments). The five structures are basic organizational structures, which are then adapted to an organization's needs. All five approaches combine varying elements of mechanistic and organic structures. For example, the organizational design trend today incorporates a minimum of bureaucratic features and displays more features of the organic design with a decentralized authority structure, fewer rules and procedures, and so on.

Functional structure

The functional structure groups positions into work units based on similar activities, skills, expertise, and resources (see Figure 1 for a functional organizational chart). Production, marketing, finance, and human resources are common groupings within a functional structure.

Figure 1

The functional structure.

As the simplest approach, a functional structure features well-defined channels of communication and authority/responsibility relationships. Not only can this structure improve productivity by minimizing duplication of personnel and equipment, but it also makes employees comfortable and simplifies training as well.

But the functional structure has many downsides that may make it inappropriate for some organizations. Here are a few examples:

The functional structure can result in narrowed perspectives because of the separateness of different department work groups. Managers may have a hard time relating to marketing, for example, which is often in an entirely different grouping. As a result, anticipating or reacting to changing consumer needs may be difficult. In addition, reduced cooperation and communication may occur.

Decisions and communication are slow to take place because of the many layers of hierarchy. Authority is more centralized.

The functional structure gives managers experience in only one fieldtheir own. Managers do not have the opportunity to see how all the firm's departments work together and understand their interrelationships and interdependence. In the long run, this specialization results in executives with narrow backgrounds and little training handling top management duties.

Divisional structure

Because managers in large companies may have difficulty keeping track of all their company's products and activities, specialized departments may develop. These departments are divided according to their organizational outputs. Examples include departments created to distinguish among production, customer service, and geographical categories. This grouping of departments is called divisional structure (see Figure 2 ). These departments allow managers to better focus their resources and results. Divisional structure also makes performance easier to monitor. As a result, this structure is flexible and responsive to change.

Figure 2

The divisional structureDisney in the early 1990s.

However, divisional structure does have its drawbacks. Because managers are so specialized, they may waste time duplicating each other's activities and resources. In addition, competition among divisions may develop due to limited resources.

Matrix structure

The matrix structure combines functional specialization with the focus of divisional structure (see Figure 3 ). This structure uses permanent cross-functional teams to integrate functional expertise with a divisional focus.

Figure 3

The matrix structure.

Employees in a matrix structure belong to at least two formal groups at the same timea functional group and a product, program, or project team. They also report to two bossesone within the functional group and the other within the team.

This structure not only increases employee motivation, but it also allows technical and general management training across functional areas as well. Potential advantages include

Better cooperation and problem solving.

Increased flexibility.

Better customer service.

Better performance accountability.

Improved strategic management.

Predictably, the matrix structure also has potential disadvantages. Here are a few of this structure's drawbacks:

The two-boss system is susceptible to power struggles, as functional supervisors and team leaders vie with one another to exercise authority.

Members of the matrix may suffer task confusion when taking orders from more than one boss.

Teams may develop strong team loyalties that cause a loss of focus on larger organization goals.

Adding the team leaders, a crucial component, to a matrix structure can result in increased costs.

Team structure

Team structure organizes separate functions into a group based on one overall objective (see Figure 4 ). These cross-functional teams are composed of members from different departments who work together as needed to solve problems and explore opportunities. The intent is to break down functional barriers among departments and create a more effective relationship for solving ongoing problems.

Figure 4

The team structure.

The team structure has many potential advantages, including the following:

Intradepartmental barriers break down.

Decision-making and response times speed up.

Employees are motivated.

Levels of managers are eliminated.

Administrative costs are lowered.

The disadvantages include:

Conflicting loyalties among team members.

Time-management issues.

Increased time spent in meetings.

Managers must be aware that how well team members work together often depends on the quality of interpersonal relations, group dynamics, and their team management abilities.

Network structure

The network structure relies on other organizations to perform critical functions on a contractual basis (see Figure 5 ). In other words, managers can contract out specific work to specialists.

Figure 5

The network structure.

This approach provides flexibility and reduces overhead because the size of staff and operations can be reduced. On the other hand, the network structure may result in unpredictability of supply and lack of control because managers are relying on contractual workers to perform important work.

EMPLOYMENT Types of employment

Full-time permanent work is regular and ongoing work of between 35 to 45 hours (full-time employees are paid a weekly wage and yearly salary) which includes non-wage entitlements and benefits like paid holiday leave, sick leave and long-service leave. Over the past decade, there has been a significant decline in full-time work in Australia from 89% to approximately two-thirds of the workforce.

Part-time permanent work is regular and ongoing, involves fewer hours than full-time work and usually set days or set hours. Non-wage benefits and entitlements (sick leave, annual leave and holiday pay) are received by part-time employees on a pro-rata (proportional) basis. Sick leave is based on the hours worked over two weeks and annual leave on hours worked over four weeks. Awards and agreements (legal documents specifying minimum pay and conditions) may specify the hours of part-time work. Many people enjoy the flexibility of part-time work, especially if they have other jobs or responsibilities (like parenting or study). There has been an increase in job sharing, which is when two people agree to divide a full-time job into two part-time jobs.

Casual work is ongoing and involves irregular hours and hourly pay. Casual workers often work on an 'as needs' basis, meaning you work when you are required; if you don't work you don't get paid. There are no non-wage entitlements in casual work (no holiday pay, sick leave and annual leave), as those entitlements are factored into20 per cent of the higher hourly rate that casuals receive. Casuals usually receive hourly rates of pay based on a minimum 15% loading of normal or applicable hourly rates of pay. This is to compensate casuals for the unpredictability of their work and their lack of non-wage entitlements.

Many employees enjoy the flexibility of casual work, perhaps if it allows them to have other casual jobs. Some people find it hard to find work that is not casual, making saving difficult. Casual work can end at any time, so many people regard this type of work as having little job security. Employers must specify at beginning of your employment that you will have casual status. This is so both parties (employers and employees) understand that non-wage entitlements will not be provided.

Self-employed workers are also known as independent contractors or sub-contractors. These people work for themselves, so they control the hours and amount of work they do. Many tradespeople, for example, are self-employed or are sub-contracted by businesses like real estate agents. There are certain taxation benefits for self-employed workers to compensate for the risks of not finding work. Self-employed workers are reliant on the availability of work in their particular field.

Fixed term employment (also known as contract work) is used for single projects or to replace workers on leave. It is common for fixed term employees to not receive entitlements like paid sick leave.

Commission-based employment is pay based on reaching sales targets. A commission is usually a percentage rate of pay per item sold. A 'commission and retainer' employment includes a base pay rateplus commissions, which work like bonuses.

Apprenticeships and traineeships are fixed term employments (usually three to five years) for the purpose of employment training. Apprentices typically learn a trade, such as plumbing,and trainees typically learn non-trades occupations, such assecretarial work. Apprentices and trainees usually perform work duties on-site and learn about the job off-site as well. A specified base rate of pay is given to cover the employment period, which works like a study-based payment.

Probationary employment is a standard requirement for employees commencing full-time or part-time work. It involves an initial period of employment, usually one to six months, where employers assess whether an employee is capable of fulfilling the requirements of a job. If this is the case, employment is usually then confirmed permanent part-time or permanent full-time.

Piece work is employment where a person receives payment for a certain number of items, for examplefive boxes of fruit for a fruit picker or a measured amount of a commodity, for exampleone tonne of sand.

Voluntary work is unpaid work. Many charities (non-profit organisations) rely on voluntary workers, because their main purpose is to provide free services to the community, for example Meals on Wheels for the aged population. People work voluntarily for a number of reasons including to use free time productively, to develop skills, to help the community or to contribute to fundraising.

Many large non-government organisations (NGOs) use volunteers for fundraising and to promote global issues such as humanitarian and environmental causes. Voluntary workers generally feel a great sense of purpose in volunteering for a good cause. The situation can arise however, where voluntary workers are exploited and undervalued. Recent research suggests that new voluntary employment conditions need to be developed to stop the exploitation of volunteers.TYPES OF EMPLOYEE

Full-Time Employee

The U.S. Department of Labor notes that employers define full-time employment within their own companies. However, full-time employees typically work 40 hours per week, according to Portland Community College, and they may receive such benefits as paid or unpaid vacation and sick leave, retirement funds and health benefits. Employers may pay full-time employees by the hour or according to a set salary.

Part-Time Employee

Part-time employees generally work fewer than 40 hours per week -- or, in some cases, fewer than 35 hours, according to FindLaw. They're usually paid by the hour. Many receive no benefits. Those who do typically receive fewer or more limited benefits compared with full-time employees, unless company policies and state labor laws dictate otherwise. Where minimum wage, overtime pay, record-keeping and child labor are concerned, the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets standards for employees, requires that employers treat part-time workers the same way they treat full-timers.

Temporary Employee

Temporary workers, or temps, are employees hired to fill in for absent employees or to fill temporary staffing gaps. An employer may hire a temp directly. However, temporary employees often work for placement agencies rather than the companies for which they perform the work. Thus, if they earn benefits, it's typically the placement agency that pays for them. The agency also pays temps' salaries and withholds their taxes. According to FindLaw, companies pay temporary agencies 15 to 30 percent more than the temporary employee earns.

Leased Employee

A leased employee is one a temporary or other employment agency hires and then leases out to a company to perform a specific job duty, typically for a year or longer. The benefit to the employer is the ability to take on new workers and manage the work they perform while minimizing the company's need to devote its own administrative and human resources to additional direct hires. The company pays the leasing firm, and the leasing firm disburses payroll checks and benefit and administrative fees.

Job-Share Employee

Job-share employees work on a flextime schedule, usually half-time, that equals the schedule of one full-time employee. Companies offer job sharing and other flextime arrangements as an employee retention tool that allows employees to keep their jobs and still manage personal responsibilities. The results often are better performance, higher attendance, increased satisfaction and lower employee turnover. Entrepreneur magazine recommends that employers meet with job-sharing employees to set clear, specific and measurable goals for the scope of the work and the specific roles the employees must fill.

Employee With Co-Employers

An employee with co-employers is an employee of a company other than the one for which she performs her work. Professional employer organizations hire employees with co-employers, conduct all human-resource functions associated with their employment, and then place them in other companies, usually as leased employees. Portland Community College estimates that about 3 million employees work for professional employer organizations and notes some confusion over whether the employee works for the PEO or the company where she's placed.

Top Management Positions Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or President -- This person will be the driving force behind the company; he or she will make things happen, put together the resources to support the company and take the product to the market place. Chief Operating Officer (COO), Vice President of Operations or General Manager -- Whether called an organizer, an inside manager or an operations person, this person is the one who will make sure company operations flow smoothly and economically. He or she is responsible for making certain that necessary work is done properly and on time. An understanding of details of the business and an enjoyment of handling details are necessary. Vice President of Marketing or Marketing Manager -- Few businesses can be successful without marketing their products to the customer. The individual in this slot must have both marketing and industry experience. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Controller -- You may wish to establish two positions or combine both roles into one. The responsibility of one role is to seek money; that is, to look for investors and deal with banks, lenders, etc. This function also could be assigned to another team member, such as the CEO or the General Manager. The responsibility in the Controller role is to manage money and watch over the assets of the company. It is not uncommon to have the same individual seek money and manage money. Vice President of Production or Production Manager -- Good production managers with specific industry knowledge and experience are sometimes difficult to find. In the beginning, you may subcontract some production.Key PersonnelIn a small business there often are few staff people with many duties. Because some people must wear several hats, it is important to clearly identify the duties and responsibilities of each of the hats. Below is a sample outline of some of the key personnel in a business. Because the focus of businesses varies greatly, the number of key personnel and organizational structure can also vary substantially. However, most businesses will have many of the key personnel listed below.

Key personnel in a value-added business and their duties include: Operations manager. This individual is the leader for the operation and has overall responsibility for the financial success of the business. The operations manager handles external relations with lenders, community leaders and vendors. Frequently, this individual also is in charge of either production or marketing for the business. This person will set in motion the vision, strategic plan and goals for the business. Quality control, safety, environmental manager. This is a key function in any industry and, in particular, one that deals in food products. In a small business, one person generally will be responsible for handling OSHA compliance, EPA compliance, monitoring air and water quality, product quality, training of employees in each of these areas and filing all necessary monthly, quarterly and yearly reports. Accountant, bookkeeper, controller. This is another key function. The individual filling this role has the responsibility for monthly income statements and balance sheets, collection of receivables, payroll and managing the cash. The key aspect here is managing the cash. Office manager. The person in this slot also may serve as human resource director, purchasing agent and traffic cop with salespeople and vendors. This employee, in general, will oversee everything not involved in production and may also handle some marketing duties. Receptionist. Sometimes called the front-line person, the receptionist handles phone calls, greets visitors, handles the mail, does the billing and performs many other tasks as required by the office manager. Foreperson, supervisor, lead person. This individual is the second-in-command in the shop and will oversee production in the absence of the owner, general manager or president. This position usually will have an overall understanding of all aspects of the business and also will handle working with new employees, including setting up training and schedules. Marketing manager. If finances permit, a marketing manager may be on staff to handle all aspects related to promoting and selling the product. The top management person often handles this duty in a small business. Purchasing manager. Duties of this position may be filled by either or both the general manager/top management person and the office manager. The supervisor or lead person often also is involved. Shipping and receiving person or manager. This may not be a full-time position in a start-up business. Someone, however, needs to be assigned the task of packaging, ordering transportation for delivery, receiving incoming material and warehousing of finished goods and stock. Several people may be involved in this, including the office manager, foreperson or accounting clerk. Professional staff. Instrumental in each company, new or existing, are the firms professional staff resources. These include an accountant (CPA), a lawyer, a computer consultant and, possibly, a local doctor or access to a medical facility. Although perhaps not outlined as full-time staff positions in your organization, these roles should be considered a part of the management team and discussed in the development of the business plan.

Human Resources (HR) - personnel department, department which manages the administrative aspects of the employees

Production Department - a department which is responsible for the actual construction and preparation of products to be sold to other businesses or individuals

Customer Service a department whose primary activity is associated with after-sale support to enhance or to maintain the value of the product or serviceLegal Department - a department which provides legal advice to other departments in the companyMarketing Department a department which is involved in promoting, selling and distributing products or services of its companyResearch and Development or R&D - a department discovering new knowledge about products, processes and services; then applying that knowledge to create new and improved products, processes and services that fill market needsPurchasing Department - a department which is responsible for sourcing and then arranging the details for the actual purchase of any items that are requiredAccounting Department - company department dealing with finance the department in a company which deals with money paid, received, borrowed, or owed. The logistics department is entrusted with the responsibilities of ensuring that the entire process of logistics is maintained and developed in accordance with the goals of the business at an economical cost. The tasks of the logistics department involve storage, distribution, warehousing, movement of goods from one place to another (internally or externally), tracking and delivery of goods. It includes a complete process of planning, managing, controlling and coordination to make sure that the goods reach the right place, at the right time, for the right cost and in a right condition.Sales Department the division of a business that is responsible for selling products or services

IT Department - The information technology department of a large company would be responsible for storing information, protecting information, processing the information, transmitting the information as necessary, and later retrieving information as necessary. Customer Care Department talk to clients, deals with complaintsDesign Department provide design service

Printing Department print materials Delivery Department deliver the final product to the customerFacilities it organizes the maintenance of the building, including office space

CUSTOMER VISIT PROGRAMM

INTRODUCING A COMPANY

1. IN WHICH KIND OF BUSINESS IT OPERATES

We are in the transport / paper business

The retail trade/the fashion trade

2. TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYEE NUMBERS

We employ just over ______ peple worldwide.

We have just under _____ employees.

We have _____ people working for us.

_____ people work for us.

3. DESCRIBING HOW A BUSINESS IS GOING

The company is doing well/badly.

Things are going well/ badly.

Profits are up/down.

COMPANY HISTORY

The company was established in .

The company was founded

It was founded by .. (name of the person) in . (year)

GUIDING PEOPLE AROUND THE OFFICES AND DEPARTMENTS

Come with me.

Come this way.

Over there you can see the .. (name of department or name of the office)

This is a place where we handle.

TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

We are by far the largest producers of

We are the third biggest in the country.

We are among the largest / smallest in the region.

We run so called

We operate in business

We specialize in ..

SOME TERMS DESCRIBING THE STATE OF A MARKET

Demand is strong.

Demand is very weak.

The market for our products is growing/ falling.

WAYS OF TALKING ABOUT THE COMPETITION

We can compete with them in terms of service/speed of delivery.

Our prices are very competitive.

We have become very uncompetitive in the market.

WAYS OF DESCRIBING REPUTATION

We have a good reputation.

We have an excellent name.

Everyone knows us.

We are well established in the market.

TALKING ABOUT PROFIT AND LOSS

It`s a very profitable business.

We are not a making much profit.

We are making a loss.

We are finally making a profit.

PRESENTATION

PRESENTATIONS

INTRODUCTION

WELCOMING THE AUDIENCE

Good morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

Hello/hi everyone.

First of all let me thank you all for coming here today.

It is a pleasure to welcome you today.

I am happy/delighted that so many of you could make it today.

It`s good to see you all here.

INTRODUCING YOURSELF

Let me introduce myself. I am . from..

For those of you who don`t know me, my name is..

Let me just start by introducing myself. My name is

GIVING YOUR POSITION, FUNCTION, COMPANY

As some of you know, I am .manager.

I am . here and I am responsible for

I am here in function as the head of

I am the manager in charge of

INTRODUCING YOUR TOPIC

What I would like to present you today is

I am here today to present

Today`s topic is

The subject/topic of my presentation is

In my presentation I would like to report on

In my talk I would tell you about

Today, I am going to talk about

I will be talking about

SAYING WHY YOUR TOPIC IS RELEVANT FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

Today`s topic is of particular interest to those of you/us who

My talk is particularly relevant to those of us who..

My topic is/will be very important for you because

By the end of this talk you will be familiar with

STATING YOUR PURPOSE

The purpose/aim of this presentation is to

Our goal is to determine how/the best way to

What I want to show you is

My objective is to

Today I would like to give you an overview of

Today I would be showing you

I would like to inform you about

During the next few hours we will be..

STRUCTURING

I have divided my presentation into three main parts.

In my presentation, I will focus on three major issues.

SEQUENCING

Point one deals with, point two, and point three

First , I will be looking at, second , and third.

I will begin/start off by Then I will move on to

Then/next/after that

I will end with

TIMING

My presentation will take about 30 minutes.

It will take about 20 minutes to cover these issues.

This won`t take more than

HANDOUTS

Does everybody have a handout/brochure/copy of the report? Please take one and pass them on.

Don`t worry about taking notes. I have put all the important statistics on a handout for you.

I will be handing out copies of the slides at the end of my talk.

I can email the Power Point presentation to anybody who wants it.

QUESTIONS

There will be time for questions after my presentation.

We will have about 10 minutes for questions in the question and answer period.

If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt me at any time.

Feel free to ask questions at any time during my talk.

EFFECTIVE OPENINGS

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

Is marketing research important for brand development?

Do we really need quality assurance?

INTERESTING FACTS

According to an article I read recently,

Did you know that?

I`d like to share an amazing fact/figure with you.

STORIES AND ANECDOTES

I remember when I attended a meeting in Paris.

At a conference inI was once asked the following question

Let me tell you what happened to me

PROBLEM TO THINK ABOUT

Suppose you wanted to how would you go about it?

Imagine you had to What would be your first step?

THE MIDDLE /MAIN PART

SAYING WHAT IS COMING

In this part of my presentation, I would like to talk about

So, let me first give you a brief overview.

INDICATING THE END OF A SECTION

This brings me to the end of my first point.

So much for point two.

That`s all I wanted to tell you about

SUMMARIZING A POINT

Before I move on, I would like recap the main points.

Let me briefly summarize the main issues.

I would like to summarize what I have said so far

MOVING TO THE NEXT POINT

This leads directly to my next point.

This brings us to the next question.

Let`s now move on / turn to

Let`s now take a look at..

GOING BACK

As I said/mentioned earlier,

Let me come back to what I said before

Let`s go back to what we were discussing earlier.

As I have already explained,

As I pointed out in the first section

REFERRING TO OTHER POINTS

I have a question in connection with / concerning

There are few problems regarding the ...

With respect/ regarding to , we need more background information.

According to survey, our customer service needs reviewing.

ADDING IDEAS

In addition to this, I`d like to say that our business is going very well.

Moreover, there are other interesting facts we should take a look at.

Apart from being too expensive, this model is too big.

TALKING ABOUT DIFFICULT ISSUES

I think we first need to identify the problem.

Of course we need to clarify a few points before we start.

We will have to deal with the problem of

How shall we cope with

The question is

If we don`t solve this problem now, we will get into serious trouble soon.

We will have to take care of this problem now.

We are currently having difficulties with

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

What conclusion can we draw from this?

So, what does this mean?

So, just how good are the results?

So, how are we going to deal with this increase?

So, where do we go from here?

Why do I say that? Because

Do we really want to miss the opportunity to?

DESCRIBING VISUALS

Introducing a visual

Let`s now look at the next slide which shows

To illustrate this, let`s have a closer look at

Te chart on the following slide shows

I have a slide here that shows

The problem is illustrated in the next bar chart.

You can see the test results in the next table.

As you can see here,

According to this graph

EXPLAINING VISUAL

First, let me quickly explain the graph.

You can see that different colors have been used to indicate

The new models are listed across the bottom.

The biggest segment indicates

The key in the bottom left-hand corner

HIGHLIGHTING INFORMATION

I`d like to stress / highlight/ emphasize the following points.

I`d like to start by drawing your attention to

Let me point out that

I think you will be surprised to see that

I`d like to focus your attention to

What`s really important here is

What I`d like to point out here is

Let`s look more closely at

DESCRIBING TRENDS

Sales increased slightly in summer.

. Fell/declined sharply.

Food prices went up significantly.

There was a sudden increase in the prices.

This was followed by a gradual decline.

There was a sharp slump in sales.

Ticket sales have started picking up.

EXPLAINING PURPOSE

We introduce this method to increase flexibility.

Our aim was to..

EXPLAINING CAUSE AND EFFECT

What`s the reason for this drastic change?

The unexpected drop was caused by

This was because of

As a consequence, sales went up significantly.

As a result

Our new strategy has led to the increase of .

CONCLUSION

Indicating the end of the talk

I`m now approaching the end of my presentation.

Well, this brings me to the end of my presentation.

That covers just about everything I wanted to say about

Ok. I think thats everything I wanted to say about

As a final point I`d like to

Finally, I`d like to highlight one key issue.

SUMMARIZING POINTS

Before I stop let me go over the key issues again.

Just to summarize the main points of my talk.

I`d like to run through my main points again..

To conclude/ in conclusion, I`d like to

To sum up, we

MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS

We`d suggest

We therefore recommend that

In my opinion, we should

Based on the figures we have, I am certain that..

INVITING QUESTIONS

Are there any questions?

We just have time for a few questions.

And now I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

EFFECTIVE CONCLUSIONS

Quoting a well known person

Asonce said..

To quote a well known person

To put it in the words of

REFERRING BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Remember what I said at the beginning of my talk?

Let me just go back to the story I told you earlier.

DEALING WITH QUESTIONS

Clarifying questions

I am afraid I didn`t catch that.

I`m sorry could you repeat your question, please?

So, if I understood you correctly, you would like to know whether

So, in other words you would like to know whether

If I could just rephrase your question. You`d like to know.

Does that answer your question?

AVOIDING GIVING AN ANSWER

If you don`t mind, could we discuss that on another occasion?

I`m afraid that`s not really what we are discussing today.

Well, actually I prefer not to discuss that today.

ADMITTING THAT YOU DON`T KNOW

Sorry, I don`t know that of the top of my head.

I`m afraid I`m not in position to answer that question at the moment.

I `m afraid I don`t know the answer to your question, but I will try to find out for you.

Sorry, that`s not my field. But I`m sure Petter Bot from sales could answer your question.

POSTPONING QUESTIONS

If you don`t mind I will come back to this point later in my presentation.

Can we get to this point a bit later?

I`d prefer to answer your questions in the course of my presentation.

Would you mind waiting until the question and answer session at the end?

Perhaps we could go over this after the presentation.

SUMMARIZING AFTER INTERRUPTIONS

Before we go on, let me briefly summarize the points we have discussed.

So, now I would like to return to what we were discussing earlier.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OFFER, TNDER and BID

BIDDING

Offer is the general term used to describe what the salesperson is willing to give and at what price.

Purchasers send out an invitation to tender (tender) when they want to receive offers from different suppliers. Salespeople file or submit tender, often in competition with other suppliers, when they make their formal written offer to supply goods or services at specific price and under specific conditions.

The standard tendering process is quite similar in most countries. They can consist of invited tenders where only a few vendors are asked to submit bids, or open tenders where a large number of companies may participate without pre-screening. Sometimes the contents of a tender can even be partly negotiated. Whether a company calls for tenders or not depends largely on the industry, the company policy, and the kind of goods or services purchasers are looking for.

Open bidding - Competitive bidding in which the bid opening is conducted at a public venue, and in the presence of all who may wish to witness the opening of the received sealed bids.

Closed bidding - Competitive bidding in which the bid-opening is conducted at a private venue, and in the presence only of the authorized personnel of the party requestiAuction - Common name for several types of sales where the price is neither set nor arrived at by negotiation, but is discovered through the process of competitive and open bidding. The two major types of auction are (1) Forward auction in which several buyers bid for one seller's good(s) and (2) Reverse auction in which several sellers bid for one buyer's order.

ITT package

The Standard Invitation to Tender package consists of three parts:

Invitation to Tender letterThe Invitation to Tender letter details the information we expect suppliers to submit in their bid, as well as important information concerning the return of the tender and the form of contract resulting from the tender.

Terms and Conditions of ContractThe Terms and Conditions of Contract details the rights and responsibilities of the College and the Contractor during the contract, including the Colleges rights in the event of late delivery, faulty goods and failure to achieve acceptance testing

Technical SpecificationThe Technical Specification details the required functionality of the equipment, including mandatory and desirable features as well as any related services such as maintenance and training.

This guidance explains how to use the standard documentation, and offers advice on information to include in the Technical Specification.

The Invitation to Tender letter and Terms and Conditions of Contract require input as appropriate where marked in the documents by a series of blanks.

The Invitation to Tender letter should be printed on Imperial College Headed Stationary and the following sections will need input before the invitations can be issued:

Date

Reference (This will be the tender reference and it should be uniquely identifiable. We recommend using 'Tender/Department/sequential number )

Address of company invited to tender

Contact Name that the tender is addressed to

Short Equipment description (To be entered in both the Title and first paragraph of the letter)

Name and address for the return of tender, and tender reference as used above

Return Date for tenders (We recommend a minimum three week period from the date of the letter to the return. In order for the College not to be accused of unfair tendering the return date should in no case be less than two weeks)

Tender reference and date to be inserted into the Appendix to the Tender letter

In the Terms and Condition of Contract, the short equipment description will again need to be inserted into the Title and in sections 1.9 and 1.10.

The Technical Specification should be provided by the End User, and should provide as much information as possible to allow the Tenderers to put forward their best possible quotation. It should include wherever possible a list of mandatory and desirable features but must not refer to any specific Manufacturer or Model.

All the invitations to tender should be sent out on the same day. If any company contacts you with a query during the tender period, you should keep a record of the question and the answer given, and if this information is considered important for the tenderer in putting forward his bid, it should be passed on to all tenderers to ensure that they all have the same information.

The sealed bids received from the tenderers should be kept unopened in a secure office until the appointed opening date. It is recommended that the tenders are not opened until at least 24 hours after the official return date. This is to allow for the possibility that a tender has been received in time within the College but is still in the internal mail making its way to the correct office. If not all the tenders expected are received by the return date, it is worth checking to see if any are being held at Security Reception in your Building. Sometimes Tenders delivered by Couriers are signed for and left in Reception. Security will expect someone to sign that they have collected the tender from them, and may not notify you that they have received and are holding a tender.

At least two people should be present at the tender opening, and both must sign and date each tender on the page where the total bid price is given. A summary of the bids received should also be recorded at the opening, and again signed by both people present.

ORDER

1. Commerce: A confirmed request by one party to another to buy, sell, deliver, or receive goods or services under specified terms and conditions. When accepted by the receiving party, an order becomes a legally binding contract. See also purchase order.

2. Banking: An instrument (such as a check or draft) through which its maker or issuer (drawer) authorizes a bank or other financial institution to pay the stated sum to a named holder (drawee or payee). Such instruments are transferable by endorsement, and thus are negotiable instruments.

When handling orders, it is important for the salesperson and the purchaser to exchange all relevant information such as:

Specifications (for material, quality, etc)

Quantity

Contact person

Place of delivery

Delivery date

Method of payment (cash on delivery (COD), invoice, direct debit)

Other terms and conditions Paperwork needed (signed order, confirmation by fax, etc)

Much of the information above is included in a frame contract. Also called a call-off purchase agreement, this type of contract is often drawn up when a client or company needs a just in time delivery of standard products that they do not want to store themselves. An order placed under a frame contract is called a call off order.

HANDLING ORDERS

PLACING ORDERS TAKING ORDERS

We would like to order/have

We are ready to make our first order under the frame contact.

We would like to place a call-off order for

We would appreciate delivery by Friday. Can you manage it/that?I will just take/write down the details.

Let me just write this down/type in your order.

So, how many do we need exactly?

Was there anything else you would like to order today?

CHECKING AND CONFIRMING INFORMATION

Let me just check /repeat that.

Let me make sure I have got everything down right.

Yes, that`s right. Correct.

Sorry. Did you say?

PURCHASE ORDER

[DATE, ex. Wednesday, June 11, 1998]

[NAME, COMPANY AND ADDRESS, ex.

John Smith

XYZ Inc.

1234 First Street

Suite 567

Anycity, Anystate 85245]

Dear [NAME, ex. John Smith],

Please accept this purchase order for the following:

QUANTITYPRODUCT

UNIT PRICE

TOTAL

[LIST PRODUCTS AND PRICES, ex.

2

Compressor 234A

$2,300.00

$4,600.00

1

Compressor 323F

$1,200.00

$1,200.00

$5,800.00]

We require shipment by [DATE, ex. June 20, 1998] to:

[ADDRESS, ex.

BCA Industries

1223 Second Street

Tempe, AZ

85245]

Please refer to this order as purchase order #[PURCHASE NUMBER]. If this order cannot be processed as requested, please contact me at XXX-XXXX at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME, ex. Jill Jones]

PLEASE CANCEL OUR ORDER

[DATE, ex. Wednesday, June 11, 1998]

[NAME, COMPANY AND ADDRESS, ex.

John Smith

XYZ Inc.

1234 First Street

Suite 567

Anycity, Anystate 85245]

Dear [NAME, ex. John Smith],

Regrettably, I must request that our order [ORDER OR ORDER NUMBER, ex. for 50 8x5 sheets of drywall] be cancelled immediately. [BRIEFLY STATE REASON, ex. As you know, the recent trim-carpenter strike has delayed construction and we will not require the drywall until the matter is resolved.]

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME, ex. Jill Jones]

Electronic order

Types of business correspondence

Business lettersBusiness letters are the most formal method of communication following specific formats. They are addressed to a particular person or organisation. A good business letter follows the seven C's of communication. The different types of business letters used based on their context are as follows,

1. Letters of enquiry

2. Letters of claim/complaints

3. Letters of application

4. Letters of approval/dismissal

5. Letters of recommendations

6. Letters of sales.

Official letters can be handwritten or printed. Modernisation has led to the usage of new means of business correspondence such as E-mail and Fax.[3]E-mailEmail is the least formal method of business communication. It is the most widely used method of written communication usually done in a conversational style.

MemorandumMemorandum is a document used for internal communication within an organization. Memo may be drafted by management and addressed to other employees.

Basic Facts about Faxes

We like shortening longer words, and the word 'fax' is a short form as all of you probably know. Dixie has always been fascinated by the long form, facsimile which in Latin means 'make similar'. Dixie couldn't explain why, but she really likes the sound of it. Well, this form is not very widely spread anymore, so maybe that's the part of the attraction.

The fax as a piece of business correspondence is a paper document created as a result of the transmission of written or printed words, photographs, drawings or maps by electric signals. Faxing involves optical scanning, signal encoding, modulation, signal transmission, demodulation, decoding and copy making. Memos

Business memos are not that much different from the letters.Business memos are a piece of interoffice correspondence sent between employees in a company or between company subsidiaries to transmit ideas, decisions, requests or announcements. They are more private and more formal than emails but less formal than letters. They can also be compared to reports, but very short ones. Well, what does a business memo contain then? The answer is very simple:

a header and a body

Memo Header

This is one of the very distinctive features of a business memo.

MEMO

To: John Carson, Judith Lindsay

From: Carol McLaren

Date: Apri 15, 2007

Subject: Competitiveness Workshop Presentation

Memo Body

The body of a business memo is very similar to the body of a letter, most of the principles of letter writing can be applied in writing this part of the memo. Further in your memo provide the reader with any necessary background information including dates, briefly describe the current situation and the related problems - this is sometimes called the discussion segment of a business memo. Close your memo with a courteous ending that states your request or the action you want your reader to take. The tone you use in the body of the memo depends on who the memo is addressed to.

Some (Very General) Business Memo Types

Operational memos

Financial memos

Environmental memos

Announcements (policy change, meetings, etc.)

Request for action

Form memos

Cover memos

Directives

Response to an inquiry

Trip report

Dress code memos

SALUTATIONS

Dear Sir or Madam

To whom it may concern

Dear Mr. Mrs. Ms (MF)

Dear John (S)

Hello John (S)

Hi Mary (INF)

OPENING SENTENCE

Replying to an email

Thanks very much for your email.

This is to say thanks for your email.

Giving a reason for your writing

I am just writing to (clarify/ confirm/ inform you/ let you know/ replay to/ request/ tell you/ thank you/ update you/ follow up on)

Just a quick note to (LF)

Just a short email to (INF)

ATTACHING FILES

I am sending you/ attaching

I have attached

Please, find attached

I am sending you the price list as an attachment.

When things go wrong

I am afraid you forgot to attach the file.

I am afraid I can`t open the file. Could you send it again in . format please?

MAKING ENQUIRIES

I am interesting in receiving /finding out

I would like to receive

We would be grateful if

Can you please send me/us

Please send me/ us

Would you be able to

I`d appreciate a replay asap.

REPLAYING TO AN ENQUIRY

Thank you for your interest.

I am pleased to send you

I am sending you (in attachment)

Thanks for choosing

Please find the requested information attached.

We hope you find this satisfactory.

When there will be a delay

Your request is being processed.

We are working on your request.

INFORMING

I `d like to inform you of

Just a few comments about your last email.

I am writing to tell you/ inform you about

This is to let you know

Hope this helps. Let me/us know if you need anything else.

REQUESTING ACTION

Have youyet?

Can you send to me by Friday, please?

I need .by Friday.

Please get/ keep in touch.

REPLAYING

Thanks for your email.

So, major elements of an email header are the'From:', 'To:', 'CC:' and 'Subject:' fieldsA 'BCC' field can also be used when needed

A header of a new message looks like this:

So what do you type in each field?

The 'From:' field you don't need to fill every time. Your computer remembers it for you, and it usually doesn't even show this field when you open a new message. This field does appear when the recipient sees the message though.

'To:' - in this section you enter the name of one recipient, multiple recipients or an entire group of recipients.

'CC:' - a courtesy (or carbon) copy, include here only those recipients that really need to see the message.

Use 'BCC:' (blind courtesy or blind carbon copy) if you don't want the addressees to know you're sending a copy to some other recipients.

'Subject:' - this is the most important part of the header. The subject line should contain a key piece of information. Remember that some people and cats get hundreds of email messages a day. What compels them to open yours?

16 Things you should avoid when you write an email

1. Emotional emails. Dont send an email when you are angry. Not only will you say things you later regret, but the receiver of your little outburst will be able to keep a record of your emotionally-filled email. Too many careers have been destroyed from angry emails. In fact, I recommend you reread your email to check for sentences, phrases, and words that can be possibly interpreted another way than what you intended. A simple joke that you think is funny may be offensive to someone else simply because they misinterpreted the joke. The lack of nonverbal communication in email makes it a poor medium for communicating emotions.

2. Unnecessary information. Most people waste too much time browsing their inbox the way it is without having to read long messages. Do people a favor and keep your emails short. Provide the necessary facts. The less you say, the better. Having said that, you still need to provide all the information upfront if you can. Its frustrating and time-consuming to have to email back asking questions for information that should have been provided in the initial email.

3. HTML. You dont need to know what exactly HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is, but basically it is used to make websites look pretty. Making text bold in email uses HTML. When you copy and paste emails from websites, you may also unknowingly copy the HTML code across. The HTML in the email you send does not always look like the email someone receives. Funnily, the message sent is not the message received. Some email programs are not HTML compatible so when they receive HTML emails, weird HTML code might show and other formatting issues may occur.

Simply provide a website link if youre going to copy an entire web page. If you want to copy snippets of information, not only do you risk breaking copyright laws, but at your discretion you can copy the text across to a text file program (such as Notepad, not Microsoft Word) and then copy the text from there into your email program. Copying the text to a text file program, such as Notepad, removes HTML and prevents weird formatting issues.

4. Reply to all. Its frustrating receiving emails from group members who simply say Yes, I can come. or No. when you do not need to receive them. Stop being lazy. Please take the small amount of time to address your email to the specific people your email is intended for.

5. Forwarding to all. Im a big victim of this email mistake! When subscribing to my newsletter, I advise the person to add me to their address book or whitelist to ensure my emails reach them. Having an email list that contains tens of thousands of people, Im in many peoples address book. Often, subscribers receive an email and forward it to everyone in their address book. The result for me is a daily cleanup of forwarded emails, which often contain attachments that clog data efficiency. Chain emails are so annoying! The next time you get an email with a poem, story, or series of images you love, keep them to yourself. A story about patience that you think is lovely, and end-up forwarding to your friends may infuriate them.

6. Making peoples email addresses known. Its considered rude when you send out an email to several people making their email address visible in the To box. Unless the people know each other and are comfortable in sharing their email addresses, you need to avoid this bad mistake. You can use the Bcc (blind carbon copy) function of emails to hide recipients email addresses.

7. Removed message thread. Heres another email etiquette mistake that Im a victim of everyday: Not having the replied message in the sent message. Not having the replied message in the sent message is almost the face-to-face conversational equivalent of being bashed across the head and forgetting what was discussed in the conversation. Based on the hundreds of emails I receive everyday, Id estimate 10% of people do not ensure the message they are replying to is attached. As someone who can have discussions going on with many people at the same time, I dont always remember what was sent in an email someone has replied to.

Make it easy for people to know what you are talking about by ensuring their message you are replying to is attached. Googles email service, Gmail, is great at keeping track of past messages. Be sure to change your email settings so that messages you reply to get included in your reply.

8. Use of abbreviations. Friend to friend or family member to family member, abbreviations can be fine. Its entirely up to you. But problems arise when abbreviation usage in emails carries over into the workplace and other areas where professionalism is needed. Heres a useful video on email etiquette that I thought you might find interesting:.9. Unknown abbreviations. AFAIK 404 but Ill POAHF because I TILII. Dont know what that means? Very few people do. It means: As far as I know I have no clue, but Ill put on a happy face because I tell it like it is.

Good email etiquette involves avoiding the use of unknown abbreviations. Though you can get away with abbreviations when emailing friends for example, because it is an efficient technique after all, communication problems occur when the receiver doesnt know the abbreviation! What may seem apparent to you is not necessarily apparent to someone else. How would you like it if a friend sent you an email with ADO, YOOAD, WWMT, and other weird abbreviations? (I just made up those last few ) Youd feel annoyed at having to clarify something the person should realize in the first place.

10. Poor subject heading. Leaving the subject field empty or simply putting Re: is avoiding an important function of email communication. When someone receives an email, they usually quickly scan the subject heading of each email to see what emails need to be firstly addressed. Your goal in personal emails isnt to write the most captivating subject heading so people open your email. Write an honest and specific subject heading that reflects your email message. Instead of writing HELP!! to your telecommunications company, you could write Help Needed With Phone Wires. Sometimes, if I think a subject heading is important for personal emails, I can take up to a minute to come up with a good subject.

11. Poor sent time. Be awear of the time you send your email. This mistake is dependent on a few things. Firstly, with the worldwide connectivity and never-ending discussion available over the Internet, it doesnt matter what time you send an email to someone living in a different time zone. Secondly, some people just dont care what time you sent your email as they only care about reading what you have to say. You do however, need to be careful of the time you send emails to some people such as coworkers, managers, and clients for example. A job candidates email containing a resume sent to the human resources department at 3am will not look good as it sits in the inbox. It may possibly jeopardize the job candidates chances of working with the company. Send an email at another time if you think the recipient will judge you poorly based on the time you send it.

12. Excessive Capitalization. ITS CONSIDERED RUDE TO TYPE IN CAPITALS. Typing in capitals is the digital equivalent of yelling in someones face. Hopefully, you wouldnt yell in someones face so dont do it digitally. On the other end of the spectrum, dont type all your text in lower case. Its simple grammar.

13. No spell checking. Ive been guilty of this a few times and have been pulled-up by the grammar police for teaching communication and misspelling words (apparently Im not allowed to misspell words!). For the more formal type of email, it helps to spell check your email. Most popular email providers should provide the option of spell checking.

14. Poor use of attachments. Any email attachment over one mega byte (approximately 1000KB) is pushing email etiquette rules. Not everyone has broadband or cable, and these people do not want to spend 5 minutes downloading an unnecessary file. For large attachments, youre better off using file upload services such as Mega File Upload and 2shared. Another rule for email attachments is considering the format of your attachment. Not everyone will be able to make use of a file that has a .odt extension.

15. Requesting delivery and read receipts. For me personally, there are two people that come to mind who always use this option. Perhaps you know a few individuals who always request a delivery and read receipt? This is an unreliable and annoying way of checking to see if someone has received your email. If you need to check whether your email was received or not, ask the person in your email to reply saying that they got your message. If your message is really that important, which it rarely is over email, you should phone the person. Dont blame the recipient of your email for a problem you can control.

16. Write. Send. Edit. Thats in the wrong order if you are using good email etiquette. Obviously. We sometimes think about editing our email once weve sent it. Get this common email mistake in the right order: 1) Write, 2) Edit, and 3) Send. Wow! Submit. Done.

Interview

TYPES OF INTERVIEWS

Interviewers come in many styles, shapes, and sizes. They may be trained professionals or rank beginners. They may be pleasant and encouraging or rude and opinionated.

Likewise, there are several kinds of interviews, depending on the personality and preferences of the interviewer and the instructions from the employer. Generally, in on-campus and consortia interviews students will be involved initially with a screening interview, one from which the interviewer makes a recommendation about whether to consider a candidate further. The screening interview is usually (but not always) conducted by a friendly, encouraging individual who has been trained to follow a fairly structured line of questioning.

Telephone interviews

Be ready for a telephone interview from the moment you apply for a position. Many times a company will ask you questions the first time they contact you to begin assessing your qualifications. Keep a list with you of the positions you have applied for, the company it is with, the job description and any other pertinent information. The fact that they cannot see you is a challenge but also a benefit, use your notes.

Group interviews

Some employers will interview several candidates at the same time or you might find yourself in a social setting with the other candidates during the interview process. Keep in mind that the employer is always evaluating you. You want to be seen as a team player.

Panel

A panel is the reverse of the group interview. There are several people from the employer. You might be interviewed by 2-10 people at the same time. Be sure to make eye contact with each person. When a question is asked you want to direct 50% of your eye contact to the person that asked the question and the other 50% to the other members of the panel. Try to get everyones contact information so that you can write each of them a thank you letter.

One-On-One Interviews

This is the traditional format for interviews. Make good eye contact and try to match their style. If they are very conservative and dont smile it would not be a good idea to try humor in the interview.

On-Campus

The main challenge is that you usually only have 30 minutes with the recruiter. So be sure to use all the time to your advantage. If there are company representatives in the waiting area, take advantage of the extra face time by speaking with them. Remember, they are always evaluating you.

On-Site

When you get an interview that is at the employers place of business you need to stay on your toes. You want to be nice to everyone from the receptionist to people you pass by in the parking lot. You never know what their position is at the company. Plan your route to the location and make sure you allow for traffic. You do not want to be late to an interview! Arrive about 15 minutes early but you want to be near the employer about 1 hr before your interview so you can make sure you have everything together. Take the last 45 minutes to get some water or a bite to eat if you are hungry.

Hypothetical and Stress Interviews

Hypothetical Interviews

Employers will sometimes put you in a work situation to test your problem solving skills. You must be able to think on your feet and analyze the situation while keeping in mind the company's culture and values.

Dont concentrate so much on what your final answer is but that you show a logical thought process in developing your answer. There is sometimes no one right answer but there are definitely wrong ones.

Stress Interviews

If you feel that you are being interrogated rather than interviewed you might be in a stress or direct interview. The employer may be interested to see how you handle pressure. They will ask direct questions that will put you on the spot. The trick is to stay calm and composed while addressing their concern or answering the question.Examples:

The recruiter makes you wait 10 minutes.Why is your GPA not higher?I dont know if you have what it takes for this position. (Then silence)

PREPARING AN INTERVIEW

Know Yourself

What are my skills and abilities? What are my strengths?How do my skills and experiences relate to the position and employers needs?What contributions will I bring to the employer?Am I willing to relocate?How do my values compare to the philosophy of the organization?What points do I want to be sure to get across during the interview?How does this position fit into my career goals?If interviewing in a country other than your home country, do you understand the cultural expectations?

Prepare Yourself

Obtain a copy of the job description.Use the employer information and the employers websites to gather information (annual reports, employee handbooks, policy statements, employee newsletters) on the organization.Locate the employers home page on the Internet.Conduct informational interviews with persons in similar positions to learn about the career field and how your skills may apply.Develop a list of appropriate questions that reflect your research.Be sure to know the culture of the country where you are interviewing. U.S. employers are expecting you to articulate your future career goals and past accomplishments. They are assessing you according to American values such as self-confidence, initiative, directness, and individualism.

Practice

Review attached list of questions most asked during an interview as well as list of questions to prospective employers.Practice answering interview questions (out loud).Schedule a mock interview, through the Office of Career Services, to gain experience and feedback.Be aware of your body languagewhat is your body language under pressure?Remember to smile and be yourself!

Checklist

Confirm date, time and place of interview.Pack several copies of your resume; a list of references, including names, titles, addresses and telephone numbers; writing samples if appropriate; and letters of recommendation.Dress appropriately (conservative business attire).Be punctual. Plan to arrive early.

Research the Occupation:

Know the area in which you are interested:

Read articles written by people who are in the field.Inform yourself about future trends.Check if your interests and abilities compare to the requirements of the position.Find out the average income earned by people in the occupation.

Some methods of finding this information include:

Conduct information interviews.Reading the information in the Connection Centre (Student Life & Career Services), either through Internet or hard copy publications.Talking to friends, relatives or others.

Researching the Organization:

Before the job interview, you should research the organization. It is easier to convince an employer that you would be of benefit to the organization if you are knowledgeable about it. In addition, information obtained through research can help you decide whether you want to work for a specific organization.

General areas to research:

How old is the organization, and what is its history of development?Where are the plants, offices, or stores located?What are its products or services?If the organization sells, what are its markets? Retailers? Wholesalers?What are its new products?Is it a public or non-profit organization? What purpose does it serve? How is it funded? Whom does it serve? What functions does it perform?How does this organization rank in the industry?What is the financial status of the company? Last years sales? Growth record?Are there any plans for expansion?What is the organizational structure?How does the organization fit into the community? To what degree is it committed to solving community problems?What problems does the organization need to overcome? (By identifying the problems that the organization faces, you can match your abilities to these ends during the interview.)

One of the best ways to find company information is on the Internet. You should be able to find plenty of information to get you started by exploring the Web with a good browser and search engine. Just entering the company name in the search engine will usually result in success.

Here are five things that most employers want to know about you.

1. They want to know if you are qualified for the position.What are your greatest strengths?Do you have experience in this field?What do you believe you bring to this job?Why should I hire you?

2. They want to know what motivates you.What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?Where do you see yourself five years from now?What is more important to you, the money or the job?What did you like most about your last job?

3. They want to know about the negatives.Why did you leave your previous job?What did you like least about your last supervisor?What is your greatest weakness?What did you like least about your last job?Why have you been unemployed so long?

4. They want to know if you are a good fit.What kind of people do you find it hard to work with?Tell me about a time when you worked as a member of a team.In what kind of environment are you most comfortable?Do you prefer to work alone or with others?

5. They want to know if you want their job with their company.What are you looking for in a position?Who else are you interviewing with?Why are you interested in this position?What do you know about the company?Interview Questions to Ask

Asking questions indicates to the employer that your job search has been well thought out. Your interest in the organization resulted in thorough research and preparation.

The following are samples of questions prepared to start you thinking about questions you can ask in an interview. Do not memorize these samples but do sit down, study them and figure out how they translate into suitable questions for the organization you are interviewing. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer, such as:

* What do you think are the three key skills/strengths vital to this position?

* What characteristics do the achievers in this company seem to share?

* Is there a lot of team project work?

* What would I be expected to accomplish in the first six months on the job? in the first year?

* What are some of the departments ongoing and anticipated special projects?

* Identify a typical career path in your organization for someone with my qualifications.

* How is an employee evaluated and promoted?

* What is the retention rate of individuals in the position for which I am interviewing?

* Tell me about your initial, as well as future training programs.

* What are the challenging facets of this job?

* What industry trends will occur in this company?

* Describe the work environment.

* What are the companys strengths and weaknesses?

* Who are your clients? May I talk with one?

* Who are your competitors?

* What kinds of computers and programs do you use? Will I have my own computer?

* How would you describe your companys personality and management style?

* Is it company policy to promote within?

* Tell me the work history of your top management.

* What are your expectations for new hires?

* What is the overall structure of the department where this position is located?

* What qualities are you looking for in your new hires?

* Is this a new position or a replacement? What happened to the person who held it previously? Is there someone already employed by the firm who thinks they should have this position?

* What is the next step in the hiring process for this position?

* Do not ask about salary and benefits.

* Will I work independently or with others?

* Who directly supervises this position? What is his or her background? What's he or she like? May I talk to other people who report to this person?

* Are there any recent or anticipated changes in the structure of the organization (mergers, cutbacks)?

* If I want to further my education, does the organization offer tuition benefits?

* Can I provide you with any other information to help you in the decision making process?

* Will I have a written employment agreement?

* Does your company require that I sign a non-compete agreement?

* How many women and minorities hold management positions in your company?

* Where do the other employees live? How far away are these communities? Can you describe them? What is the commute like?

* How many other candidates are you considering for this position? What can you tell me about them?

* How soon can I expect to hear from you?

DRESSING FOR THE INTERVIEW

Wear clothing that indicates you are ready to go to work today.

Men and Women

All clothes should be neatly pressed.Conservative two-piece business suite (solid dark blue or gray is best)Conservative long-sleeved shirt/blouse (white is best, pastel is next best)Clean, polished, conservative shoesClean and well-groomed hairstyleClean, trimmed fingernailsMinimal cologne or perfumeEmpty pockets no noisy coinsNo gum, candy or cigarettes

Men

Necktie should be silk with a conservative patternDark shoes (black lace-ups are best); clean and polishedDark socks (black is best)Short hair always fairs best in interviewsNo beards mustaches are acceptable (keep neat and trimmed)No earringsNo heavy cologne

Women

Always wear a suit with a jacket; or a sheath dress with a jacketDo not wear extremely high-heeled or platform shoesDo not wear open-toe shoes or mules (they are more casual)Conservative hosiery at or near skin color (and no runs!)If you wear nail polish (not required), use clear or a conservative colorOne set of earrings onlyConservative makeupNo heavy perfumeNo heavy cologne

25 things to avoid in an Interview

1. Poor personal appearance

2. Lack of interest and enthusiasm; passive and indifferent

3. Over-emphasis on money

4. Criticism of past employer

5. Poor eye contact with interviewer

6. Late to interview

7. Failure to express appreciation for interviewers time

8. Asks no questions about the job

9. Unwillingness to relocate

10. Indefinite answer to question

11. Overbearing, aggressive, conceited with know-it-all complex

12. Inability to express self clearly; poor voice, poor diction, poor grammar

13. Lack of planning for career, no purpose or goals

14. Lack of confidence and poise, nervous, ill at ease

15. Failure to participate in activities

16. Expects too much too soon

17. Makes excuses, evasive, hedges on unfavourable factors on record

18. Lack of tact

19. Lack of courtesy, ill-mannered

20. Lack of vitality

21. Lack of maturity

22. Sloppy application form

23. No interest in company or industry

24. Cynical

25. Intolerant, strong prejudices

TYPES OF QUESTIONS

Open-ended Questions

Used by interviewers when they expect more than a yes or no answer. Some typical open questions are: "What can you tell me about yourself?", "Why are you interested in the posted position?" or "What are your most remarkable skills?".

The best way to answer these questions is by doing the right research before going to the interview (check your own resume and the organization website) and by making a list of possible open-ended questions so you can rehearsal your answers before the interview.

Closed-ended Questions

Used by interviewers when they need to know a specific piece of information (years of experience, technical knowledge, etc.). These questions require a brief and solid answer.

The best way to deal with these questions is by reviewing and making sure you don't have any doubts about your background and CV details. If the question requires a yes/no answer then always try to add a brief piece of valuable information to the answer. For example: "Are you experienced teaching children?" "Yes. I have 4 years of experience and I think they have been really rewarding".

Hypothetical Questions

Used by interviewers to assess your problem-solving skills and to make sure you do have enough experience in the field to be able to face day-to-day problems. Of course, reply speed is also assessed.

The best way to face these questions is by having all the required information so you do not give plain, meaningless answers. The best way to gather info is by asking follow-up questions before answering.

Leading Questions

These questions are assumptive ("So, you have a lot of experience in the Customer Service Area, dont you?). The idea of leading questions is to get a specific response from the interviewee ("yes, as you can see in my CV, I worked as a receptionist for 7 years and").

The only way to answer these questions is by not being caught off your guard. That is: Listen carefully and process questions before you answer them. The interviewer may be asking a leading question with a negative emphasis ("it must have been really difficult to get along with your boss as a salesman"). Always go for positive answers.

Multi-Barreled Questions

They check your reasoning skills. These questions are linked in such way that suddenly what seems to be one question are actually two or three questions about the same topic.

First of all, remember that they are checking your reasoning skills so do not give an answer unless you truly understand the questions. Do not fear to ask the interviewer to either repeat or rephrase his/her question.

Behavioral Questions

Used by interviewers to check the behavior of candidates. This type of question states that the best way to know what a candidate will do is by knowing what he/she did in a similar situation in the past.

It is important to be completely honest when asked a question about a past experience, interviewers will ask for more and more details and it would be impossible to keep a lie going on. The best way to prepare yourself for these questions is by doing all possible research: What the company wants and what skills are required for the position. Get an Informational Interview to get and insight of the posted position.

The STAR Approach for Answering a Question

S: Situation describe the situation

T: Task or problem what dilemma or problem did you face?

A: Action what action did you take?

R: Result what was the result of your action?

GENERAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

General Questions Questions start the minute the interview does, and to show that you are an exceptional candidate, you need to be prepared to answer not only the typical questions, but also the unexpected. You can expect questions regarding your qualifications, your academic preparation, career interests, experience, and ones that assess your personality.

1. Tell me about yourself

The most often asked question in interviews. You need to have a short statement prepared in your mind. Be careful that it does not sound rehearsed. Limit it to work-related items unless instructed otherwise. Talk about things you have done and jobs you have held that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Start with the item farthest back and work up to the present.

2. Why did you leave your last job?

Stay positive regardless of the circumstances. Never refer to a major problem with management and never speak ill of supervisors, co-workers or the organization. If you do, you will be the one looking bad. Keep smiling and talk about leaving for a positive reason such as an opportunity, a chance to do something special or other forward-looking reasons.

3. What experience do you have in this field?

Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.

4. Do you consider yourself successful?

You should always answer ye