PC - Business Communication Skills [LESSON]
Business Communication Skills
It is important to know how to exhibit appropriate business communication skills in the workplace. In this lesson, we will explore business communication skills including oral, written, and digital communication skills. We will also learn more about producing written communications that utilize proper tone, grammar, and bias-free language.
Knowledge Point
Consider the following situation.
Alex is a high school student who is working on a group project with his classmates. Alex needs to communicate with his group to coordinate schedules and divide tasks for the project. He decides to send an email because it seems like the most efficient way to communicate with everyone at one time. The only problem is Alex is not familiar with proper business communication etiquette, which leads to unintended consequences.
Issues with Alex’s Email
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- Unclear message title | The subject line “IMPORTANT INFO” does not provide any context about the content of the email, leading the recipients to wonder what the email is about.
- Use of all caps | The use of all capital letters in the subject line and in the body of the email comes across as aggressive and demanding, giving the impression that Alex is angry or frustrated.
- Missing punctuation | The lack of proper punctuation and sentence structure makes the email sound abrupt and lacks a professional tone.
- No closing or signature | The email doesn’t include a closing statement like “Best regards” or a signature with Alex’s name, making it seem abrupt and lacking courtesy.
Unintended Consequences
After receiving the email, some group members felt uncomfortable and offended by the tone of urgency and pressure. They interpret it as Alex being angry at them for not working hard enough. This creates a tense atmosphere within the group, and some students start questioning Alex’s attitude.
Reflect on the situation described above and then consider what could be learned from this. Take a few minutes to consider what Alex could have done differently in his email to his group.
Business Communication
Business communication takes place in many different forms such as emails, reports, telephone conversations, instant messaging, and even social media. The writing style that is used in these communications differs from personal writing style. In fact, the style and tone of writing that is used can affect the response you get from recipients of your communication.
Top 10 Business Writing & Communication Skills | Practice Activity
Select each skill to learn more about writing and communication skills.
Resume and Cover Letter
One of the most important business documents is the resume. A resume is a document that highlights a job applicant’s skills, talents, education, and work experience. The purpose of the resume is to secure an interview. Resumes are always accompanied by a cover letter that introduces the applicant and communicates interest in the job opening. The cover letter is a way of informing the employer why the resume is being sent.
A resume should be personalized so it highlights your strengths and skills. Watch the video below to learn more about how to format a resume and what should be included on a resume.
Resume | Presentation
A resume should always be accompanied by a cover letter. The purpose of the cover letter is to introduce yourself to the employer and convince the employer to read your resume. Watch the video below to learn more about writing and formatting a persuasive cover letter and creating a reference page.
Cover Letter and Reference Page | Presentation
Now that you understand what makes a good resume, consider what you would include in your resume to make yourself stand out from other job applicants. Do you have a good GPA or have you taken any specialized courses? Have you participated in any extracurricular activities like sports or school clubs? Are you a member of a youth group or have you participated in community service activities? Have you received any awards, honors, or special recognitions? Do you have work experience (remember that work experience could be baby-sitting, mowing lawns, volunteer experiences, internships, etc.)?
Go online and research various resume examples and formats. Make a list of things you would like to include in your resume and formatting features you would like to include in your resume. You might also consider saving links to websites or images you might want to reference later when building your own resume.
Handouts | Resources
Below are links to documents and resources related to resumes and cover letters. Reference these documents when you are creating your resume for this class. You might also consider saving these documents for future reference.
📝Action Verbs for Resumes Links to an external site.
📝Cover Letter Example with formatting marks Links to an external site.
📝References Example Links to an external site.
📝Resume Checklist Links to an external site.
Functional Resume Example | Activity
Click each magnified glass to reveal the part of a resume.
Reflection
Appropriate business skills are needed in the workplace to produce written and oral communications that utilize proper tone, grammar, and bias-free language. Business communication can take many forms including emails, reports, telephone conversations, and instant messaging. Whether you are applying to a post-secondary school, trying to obtain an internship, or attempting to land your first job, you will eventually need a resume. A resume is a summary of an applicant’s education, skills, and work experiences. Every person who sends a resume to a potential employer should also send a cover letter. The cover letter is meant to introduce the job applicant and persuade the employer to read the enclosed resume and invite the applicant to an interview.
[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.