Effective Writing for Results

While writing to a friend, colleague, client, or a business partner, the content must be clear, concise, persuasive, accurate, and confident. Read on to know some tips for making the letter / memo / presentation worthwhile.

1. Avoid being verbose: Choose shorter words and sentences. For e.g. “I wanted to bring to your notice that the meeting has been cancelled”. [10 words] This sentence could be rephrased as “Please note the meeting has been cancelled”. [7 words]
2. Use objective subject lines: The subject of the memo / letter / e-mail should be objective and should reflect the content of the message. For e.g. “Tips on Effective Writing for Business” conveys to the reader that the message content will be related to information on effective writing.
3. Decide your audience: It is advisable to write to one set of audience as writing to different professionals would require choosing correct verbiage which is understood by different professionals in the same way. Also, do not use words which are very technical and can be understood only by a specific audience.
4. Request for action: Never leave the reader guessing “what next?” He or she should know what is expected out of him / her. Close your mail / letter with the action you are expecting the reader to take.
5. Share companywide messages with a strategy: Do not overload employees with a lot of text heavy mails. Divide the message. For e.g. If a company has set up a videoconference room, the Corporate communication Team should sent out the first message announcing the launch, the second message on how to use the equipment, and the third message on how to block the conference room for client meetings and calls.
6. Logically format a document: Ensure that the content in the message is linked to the subject and to the content below and above it. There should be a logical connection in various paragraphs included in the document.
7. Be Persuasive: Address one reader rather than many as it increases the focus and also creates accountability of the reader.
8. Engage the audience: Talk to the audience. For e.g. Rather than saying, “There will be two ways for calculating the cost.” The sender of the message could say, “Financial Analysts can choose one of two procedures to calculate the cost.”
9. Check before you send: Always proofread the mail / memo / document that is to be sent. Remember the first draft is not always the final draft. Do not only check for content, but also, check for formatting, subject lines, audience, and attachments.
10. Execute with confidence: Do not be fearful while sending the communication. If a reminder needs to be sent, it should be sent. Do not try to send it to a group; rather send it to those who haven’t sent the reports so far. For e.g. In case you are following up on a report you asked for, address the audience as “Thank You X, Y, Z for sending the reports. We are still awaiting reports from A, B, and C. Request you to send them latest by 4:00 PM today.”

Writing effectively to get a Job / Potential Client

In today’s competitive world, a good writing must engage a reader. Whether it is a proposal or a resume, the reader must feel involved in the write-up.

Read on to get tips on how to write better while applying for a job or for a business....

1. Start with something interesting: In today’s market scenario where several resumes are lying at the desk, why does a particular resume gets picked than the others in the lot? Thinking... It is because the resume has a cover letter / introductory note that make it saleable. A summary of a candidate’s profile is always better than a simply stated one line objective which merely talks about a candidate’s aspiration and does not tell about his / her profile summary.
2. Add a personal touch: While writing to potential clients for business, ensure that the content is customized as per the client’s profile and requirement. This helps creating a special bond with the reader.
3. Give examples and not just adjectives: A candidate must mention a relevant example to demonstrate or justify the adjectives included in the resume. For instance, if he / she talks about his strength in area of team management, he / she should mention an example on how well a team was handled. Avoid giving micro level details, however, mention about achievements / recognitions.
4. Leverage numbers: A candidate must back-up achievements / adjectives stated with numbers. Same goes for the corporate looking for business. Numbers form a strong base for generating commitment. A percentage movement showing improvement in performance or scores always catches attention of the readers.
5. Avoid jargons: If a candidate is applying in a completely different industry than the one he has worked before in, he should avoid / not use jargons which are not relevant to the new industry. Jargons tend to confuse people and there is a possibility of the message being lost. In case a jargon is to be used, the expanded form should also be mentioned. For instance a jargon EMS should be written in a statement as "Employee Measurement System [EMS]".
6. Do not misrepresent data: Write with integrity. Whether it is numbers or years of experience or sales volume - all facts stated should be true.
7. Communication Skills: Ensure that the document is error free - no spelling or grammatical mistake. Always proof read the document / proposal or get it read by a friend / colleague.
8. Follow-up: Most of the times a candidate submit a resume or a proposal to a prospective client and does not follow-up. Remember, there are several other resumes and proposals which are lying at the desk. A candidate needs to ensure that a prompt follow-up [read "not too much"] should be done.

Connect two Windows 7 computers to share files

Do you have to share files between two Windows 7operating system computers at your home or office? This is can be easily done by establishing a LAN connection between two computers and share files, folders, data without need of the internet. For such connection, you will need a crossover cable and of course two Windows 7 PCs that should be connected.

I. Enable Sharing on Windows 7 PC

First, you need to enable Sharing and Discovery of both the PCs with Windows 7 operating system.

1. Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center.

2.  Under the section ‘Sharing and Discovery, enable the option Network discovery, File Sharing, Public folder sharing and others if needed.

II. Name Computer & create Workgroup

1. Go to Start and right click on “Computer”. Click Properties.

2. In the System properties window click ”Change settings“ link at middle right.

3. At “Computer description” Give each computer a description (should not be same).

4. Click on “change” to change name of the computer and create a workgroup.

5. In the name option give it the same name you gave it for its description and in the workgroup section type in “New network” (Note: Names of the computers should NOT be the same, but Workgroup name should be exactly the same on both PCs)

6. Once you change these, you will be asked to restart the computer, so simply click OK at the prompt to restart.

 

III. Assign IP address to PCs

1. Open control panel, Go to Network And Internet >Network And Sharing Center

2. Open HomeGroup & click Advance Sharing Setting. In Home to work select: Turn on Network Discovery > Turn on file and printer sharing > Turn on public folder sharing > Enable file sharing for device > Allow windows to manage

3. In Public select >Turn on Network Discovery >Turn on file and printer sharing >Turn on public folder sharing >Enable file sharing for device >Turn off password protected sharing

4. After computers are rebooted we have to setup IP addresses to each PC. When Network and Sharing Center is opened, open Local Area Connection properties.

5. Scroll down to “Internet Protocol Version 4(TCP/IPv4)”, click it and click properties button.  Then click on “Use the following IP address” and at “IP Address” type in an IP address e.g 177.152.32.1.

6. Now both PCs must have different IP addresses, (make the second PC’s IP address 177.152.32.2). After you set the IP addresses just press the tab button (and get a number in the subnet mask as 255.255.255.0), press OK.

Connect both PCs using cross over cable and plug to each computer’s network card RJ45 port. Now will be able to see the computers listed in “Network and Sharing Center“. You are all set to share files!

General Knowledge Quiz Questions & Answers: 3

No.	General Knowledge Question	Answer
1.	Which strait separates the North and South islands of New Zealand?	Cook Strait
2.	In which city is the Doge’s Palace?	Venice
3.	Who plays Johnny Depp’s uncle in the 1993 flm Arizona Dream?	Jim Carrey
4.	Which New Zealand golfer won the 2000 Australian Masters in Melbourne?	Michael Campbell
5.	Which continent has the larger land mass: Africa or North America?	Africa
6.	Aston, Aston, Rizzo, Stevenson, Gilvear: which 1980s group?	Gene Loves Jezebel
7.	What name is given to the art of preparing, stuffng and mounting the skins of animals to make lifelike models?	Taxidermy
8.	Which artist was appointed court painter to Charles IV of Spain in 1786?	Goya
9.	The name of which Roman god means ‘shining father' in Latin?	Jupiter
10.	What is the name of the dog in Punch and Judy shows?	Toby
11.	What was the name of the Addams Family butler?	Lurch
12.	Who directed the 1995 flm Heat, which starred Al Pacino?	Michael Mann
13.	Which theoretical temperature corresponds to minus 273.15 degrees on the Celsius scale?	Absolute zero
14.	Which seven-a-side ball game is played in a swimming pool?	Water polo
15.	Which Roman Catholic organization takes its name from the Latin for ‘God's work’?	Opus Dei
16.	Bamboozled is a flm by which controversial US director?	Spike Lee
17.	Which word meaning ‘rebirth’ describes the period in European history which began in the 14th century?	Renaissance
18.	Who starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair?	Rene Russo
19.	Of which French overseas region in South America is Cayenne the capital?	French Guiana
20.	In which year did David Koresh and the Branch Davidians Christian cult hold a siege in Waco, Texas?	1993
21.	Who wrote Bleak House?	Charles Dickens
22.	Which actor’s real name was Marion Michael Morrison?	John Wayne
23.	What would a costermonger sell?	Fruits & Vegetables
24.	Which actress played the title role in the flm adaptation of Bridget Jones’s Diary?	Renee Zellweger
25.	‘George’ is an informal name for which feature of an aircraft?	Automatic Pilot
26.	Who wrote The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner?	Alan Sillitoe
27.	How is Sarah Michelle Gellar better known to millions?	Buffy
28.	Ganymede is a satellite of which planet?	Jupiter
29.	What nationality was the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart?	Austrian
30.	For which element is Co the chemical symbol?	Cobalt
31.	The German port of Hamburg lies near the mouth of which major European river?	Elbe
32.	In Arctic regions, what kind of features are sastrugi?	Wind-formed patterns in ice and snow
33.	In the Americas, what is a mesa?	Flat-topped mountain
34.	Which city was the frst in the world to have a population of more than one million?	London (circa 1811)
35.	The Taj Mahal is located near to which Indian city?	5 Agra
36.	St Michael’s Mount lies off the coast of which English county?	Cornwall
37.	To where would you have to travel in order to stand by the Marsh of Decay?	Moon
38.	What is the English name for the Bayern region of Germany?	Bavaria
39.	In Lord of the Rings, what was the name of Gandalf’s white horse?	Shadowfax
40.	Which famous Nazi-hunter died in Vienna in 2005, aged 96?	Simon Wiesenthal
41.	The 1956 film 'Reach for the Sky' is based on whose life story?	Douglas Bader
42.	Who voiced Stinky Pete in the flm 'Toy Story 2'?	Kelsey Grammer
43.	How many times did Bobby Jones win the US Amateur Championship in golf?	Five
44.	In which sport is the 'Conn Smythe Trophy' awarded?	Ice hockey
45.	Which female singer recorded the 2001 album Read My Lips?	Sophie Ellis Bextor
46.	Which singer recorded the 2000 album 'Holy Wood' (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)?	Marilyn Manson
47.	Which was the frst element to be created artifcially?	Technetium
48.	In which European capital city is the Institut Pasteur based?	Paris
49.	Which condition does the acronym AIDS stand for?	Acquired Immune Defciency Syndrome
50.	In computing, what does ISDN stand for?	Integrated Services Digital Network