Questions and Answers of Essentials Of Business Communication

Even the best-rehearsed applicants sometimes forget to ask the questions they prepared, or they fail to stress their major accomplishments in job interviews. Sometimes applicants are so rattled they
Select a recent issue of Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Economist, or another business periodical approved by your instructor. Based on an analysis of
The age, gender, education level, experience, and size of the audience will affect your presentation style and message. List at least five questions you should answer to determine your organizational
Have you ever wondered why famous business types, politicians, athletes, and other celebrities can command high speaking fees? How much are they really making per appearance, and what factors may
Which effective three-step organizational plan do many speech experts recommend, and why does it work well for oral presentations despite its redundancy?
On Twitter, in the Search window on top of the page, enter the name of the businessperson whose tweets you wish to follow. Donald Trump, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, Suze Orman, Guy Kawasaki, and
What three goals should you accomplish in the introduction to your presentation?
What scares you the most about making a presentation in front of your class? Being tongue-tied? Fearing all eyes on you? Messing up? Forgetting your ideas and looking silly? Your Task. Discuss the
Name at least eight techniques that can help you gain and keep audience attention.
One of the hardest parts of preparing an oral presentation is developing the outline.Your Task. Select an oral presentation topic from the list in Activity 12.14, or suggest an original topic.
Interview one or two individuals in your professional field. How is oral communication important in this profession? Does the need for oral skills change as one advances? What suggestions can these
List high-tech and low-tech visual aids that you can use when speaking to an audience. Which two are the most popular?
What is the 6-x-6 rule, and what might prompt a presentation slide creator to break it?
Watch Don McMillan’s now famous YouTube classic “Life After Death by PowerPoint 2012.” Which specific PowerPoint ills is McMillan satirizing? Write a brief summary of the short clip for
What questions might help you critically evaluate a slideshow?
To learn from the presentation skills of the best speakers today, visit the TED channel on YouTube or the TED website. Watch one or more of the 1,600 TED Talks (motto: Ideas worth spreading)
Which delivery method is best for persuasive business presentations? Explain why.
What if you had to create a presentation for your classmates and instructor, or perhaps a potential recruiter, that describes the multiple tasks you perform at work? Could you do it in a five-minute
Most people never address large audiences and live in fear of public speaking. Why then should you hone your presentation skills?
“Can you pass the elevator test?” asks presentation whiz Garr Reynolds in a new twist on the familiar scenario. He suggests that this technique will help you sharpen your core message. In this
Using a research database, perform a search to learn how Fortune magazine determines which companies make its annual lists. Research the following lists. Then organize and present a five- to
Why do many communication consultants encourage businesspeople to move beyond bullet points? What do they recommend instead and why?
Select a report topic from the following suggestions or from the expanded list of Report Topics at www.cengagebrain.com. Prepare a five- to ten-minute oral presentation. Consider yourself an expert
How can you prevent multimedia presentation software from stealing your thunder?
Professional speakers come in two flavors. On the one hand, celebrities such as famous athletes, businesspeople, and politicians command astronomical fees. On the other hand, ordinary people who have
U.S. senator from New Jersey, Cory A. Booker, himself a popular and gifted orator, related his father’s philosophy on public speaking as follows: “My dad worked for IBM. He said, ‘Look, I
Find an intriguing business article, and verbally present it to the class with or without notes. Summarize the article and explain why you have chosen it and why you believe it's valuable. Another
The following poorly organized and written résumé needs help to remedy its misspellings, typos, and inconsistent headings.Your Task. Analyze Isabella’s sad résumé. List at least eight
The following cover letter accompanies Isabella Jimenez's résumé (Radical Rewrite 13.1). Like her résumé, the cover letter needs major revision.Data From (Radical Rewrite 13.1)The following
Do you care deeply about a particular nonprofit organization or cause? Perhaps you have donated to a cancer charity or volunteered for a local faith-based nonprofit. The Red Cross, Greenpeace, and
In an e-mail or a memo addressed to your instructor, answer the questions in the section “Beginning Your Job Search With Self-Analysis” on page 427. Draw a conclusion from your answers. What kind
The program chair for the campus business club has asked you to present a talk to the group about consumer credit. He saw a newspaper article saying that only 10 percent of Americans know their
You are a consultant and have been hired to improve the effectiveness of corporate trainers. These trainers frequently make presentations to employees on topics such as conflict management, teamwork,
Your Task. Prepare four worksheets that inventory your qualifications in these areas: employment; education; capabilities and skills; and awards, honors, and activities. Use active verbs when
LinkedIn is the acknowledged No. 1 site for job seekers and recruiters. It's free and easy to join. Even if you are not in the job market yet, becoming familiar with LinkedIn can open your eyes to
Twitter résumés are a new twist on job hunting. While most job seekers struggle to contain their credentials on one page, others are tweeting their credentials in 140 characters or fewer! Here is
Take a minute to conduct a Google search on your name. What comes up? Are you proud of what you see? If you want to change that information-and especially if you are in the job market-think about
What turns off hiring managers who browse candidates' social media sites? A Harris Interactive/CareerBuilder study shows employers' pet peeves about applicants' social media presence. The research
The latest rage in résumés is infographics. However, are they appropriate for every field?Your Task. Using your favorite browser, locate 10 to 15 infographic résumés. Select your favorite top
Group interviews are not for the fainthearted, and opinions on the practice are mixed. "Cattle-call" interviews can be stressful, shocking, even demeaning, some participants feel. One interviewee for
Blogs and social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming important tools in the job-search process. By accessing blogs, company Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds, job seekers can locate
You may be familiar with LinkedIn, the social network devoted to all things career. Perhaps you have a profile on LinkedIn. However, did you know that Glassdoor is another superb source of job-search
Warren Buffett, the billionnaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, is a welcome speaker about career success. In a live stream video chat with a career advice site, Buffett gave advice often heard
Digital marketing strategist, angel investor, and best-selling author Jay Baer published an e-book, The Best of Twitter 20 that presents 22 Twitter interviews (twitterviews) he conducted with social
You can best showcase your talents if you are ready with your own success stories that illustrate how you have developed the skills or traits required for your targeted position.Your Task. Prepare
What do Macy's, PetSmart, Radio Shack, Walmart, and Burger King have in common? They use preemployment testing to identify applicants who will fit into the organization. Unlike classical aptitude
How can you help your references provide the best possible recommendation?
Before embarking on your job hunt, you may want to know what employers might find if they searched your personal life in cyberspace, specifically on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so forth.
As you prepare for your interview by learning about the company and the industry, don't forget a key component of interview success: creating a favorable first impression by wearing appropriate
Situational interview questions can vary widely from position to position. You should know enough about a position to understand some of the typical situations you would encounter regularly.Use your
Online multiple-choice questionnaires are a hot trend in recruiting, experts say. Employers may ask not only how applicants would handle tricky situations, but also how happy they are or how much
Practice makes perfect in interviewing. The more often you rehearse responses to typical interview questions, the closer you are to getting the job.Your Task. Select three questions from each of
A recruiter is checking the online presence of an outstanding candidate and discovers from her social media posts that she is 18 weeks pregnant—and happily so. The position involves a big project
Although some questions are considered inappropriate and potentially illegal by the government, many interviewers ask them anyway-whether intentionally or unknowingly. Being prepared is
When it is your turn to ask questions during the interview process, be ready.Your Task. Decide on three to five questions that you would like to ask during an interview. Write these questions out and
One of the best ways to understand interview dynamics and to develop confidence is to role-play the parts of interviewer and candidate in a mock interview.Your Task. Choose a partner for this
The adage Practice makes perfect is especially true for interviewing. The more you confront your fears in mock or real interviews, the calmer and more confident you will be when your dream job is on
Although they are less likely for entry-level candidates, interviews over business meals are a popular means to size up the social skills of a job seeker, especially in second and subsequent
You have just completed an exciting employment interview, and you want the interviewer to remember you.Your Task. Write a follow-up thank-you letter to Ronald T. Ranson, Human Resources Development,
A month has passed since you sent your résumé and cover letter in response to a job advertisement. You are still interested in the position and would like to find out whether you still have a
After an excellent interview with Electronic Data Sources (or a company of your choice), you are disappointed to learn that someone else was hired. However, you really want to work for EDS.Your Task.
Your boss has paid your tuition for this course. As you complete the course, he or she asks you for a letter about your experience in the course.Your Task. Write a letter to a boss in a real or
Venture capitalist and angel investor Guy Kawasaki believes that persuasive PowerPoint presentations should be no more than 10 slides long, last 20 minutes at most, and contain 30-point fonts or
Search online for a speech by a significant businessperson or well-known political figure. Consider watching the following iconic political speeches, thought to be among the best in the 20th century:
The following claim letter lodges a strong, almost insulting complaint, but the writer does little to persuade the receiver to meet his demands. Can you administer a radical rewrite that might make
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Indirect Strategy Strategy A request from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals asking people to
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy An announcement that must convince employees to stop smoking, start exercising, and opt
The following e-mail message suffers from many writing faults, including poor tone and poor persuasive strategy. It originated with a manager and is addressed to her boss.Your Task. List at least
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy.Direct strategy or indirect strategy An e-mail message to employees asking them to come to the Operations Office to
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy A message to your accountant asking her to reconsider her fee, which you think is
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy A request for information about how to green up your office
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Indirect Strategy Strategy A letter to a grocery store requesting permission to display posters advertising a
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy A request for a refund by a buyer who purchased the wrong software but failed to
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Indirect Strategy Strategy A request for correction of a routine billing error on your company credit card
For each of the following situations, check the appropriate writing strategy. Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy A letter to the local school board from a nearby convenience store owner expressing
If you are working on a lengthy formal or informal report for either this chapter or in the upcoming Chapter 10, you may want to keep your instructor informed of your progress and record any
Is incivility common in the workplace? What might be its costs?
You have seen that many definitions for professionalism exist. Recently, an opportunity to practice your research skills has arisen when your boss was invited to make a presentation to a group of
Define the five traits and skills listed in the chapter that demonstrate professionalism.
What soft skills do employers request when they list job openings in your field?Your Task. Individually or in teams, check the listings at an online job board such as Monster, College Recruiter,
When hiring future workers, employers look for hard skills, which are those we learn, such as mastery of software applications or accountancy procedures, as well as soft skills. Soft skills are
Explain the advantages of face-to-face conversation over other communication channels.
Consider this statement from a young respondent in a recent survey of ethical decision making among young public relations professionals:At this point in my life, a job is a job, and in terms of
Why is voice an important communication tool, and how can businesspeople use it effectively?
Acting out the roles of telephone caller and receiver is an effective technique for improving skills. To give you such practice, your instructor will divide the class into pairs.Your Task. For each
Recording your voice gives you a chance to learn how your voice sounds to others and provides an opportunity for you to improve its effectiveness. Don’t be surprised if you fail to recognize your
List at least five tips for receiving telephone calls professionally.
No one likes to give it or receive it, but sometimes criticism is unavoidable, even desirable at times. Constructive criticism in the workplace is necessary when team members need feedback and
What are some of the reasons for the popularity of workplace teams? List at least five.
Name the four phases of team development as identified by psychologist B. A. Tuckman, and explain what happens in each stage.
To present a professional image, smart businesspeople carefully prepare their outgoing voice mail greetings and announcements. After all, they represent their companies and want to be perceived as
Voice mail messages can be very effective communication tools as long as they are professional and make responding to them easy.Your Task. If your instructor allows, call his or her office number
"Conflict can be good because you get the devil's advocate position," says Mary Osswald, senior manager at Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, Hawaii. "Conflict usually comes because someone doesn't want
Why is it particularly important to develop and maintain a professional, businesslike reputation in the knowledge-based economy of the digital era?
Although conflict is a normal part of every workplace, if unresolved, it can create hard feelings and reduce productivity.Your Task. Analyze the following scenarios. In teams, discuss each scenario
Think of typical workplace situations and how you might communicate in each. When would you seek an in-person conversation, pick up the phone, call a virtual meeting, or send an e-mail, IM, or text?
Try to recall situations in which you were criticized or dished out criticism yourself. Was the criticism constructive? Why or why not? How did you feel either as a giver or receiver of criticism?
As you have learned, facilitating a productive meeting requires skills that may be critical to your career success.Your Task. Individually or as a team, describe how you would deal with the following
"Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything," observed the late economist John Kenneth Galbraith. This sentiment was echoed by Stanford professor Thomas Sowell who declared:
Marina Elliot works at the headquarters for a large HMO that contracts with physician groups in various locations across the nation. Her position requires her to impose organizational objectives and

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