Letters and application
LETTER WRITING: PRINCIPLES, STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT STRUCTURE
Objectives:
1 Introduction
2 Nature and Functions of Letters
3 Principle of Effective LettersWriting
4 Structure of a Letter (elements)
5 Styles of Presentation
6 Summary
7 Keywords
8 Self assessment Questions
9 References/suggested Readings
OBJECTIVES
After going through this lesson you should be able to-
• Describe the nature and functions of a letter.
• Identify the principles governing effective letter writing.
• Draw format and structure of letter.
• Know forms of layout of letter.
•Explain styles of presentation.
NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF LETTERS
Correspondence is one of the chief means of keeping oneself in touch with those separated by the distance. Despite the availability of modem means of quick and convenient ways of transmitting human sound, letters are as important today as they were centuries ago. With the growth of commerce and industry their usefulness has increased.
Business communicators have identified a number of factors which one has to bear in mind in writing letters. Over the years these have
crystallized into a set of principles which can enable a person to write
successful letters. Before we discuss these principles, let us briefly look
at the basic nature and function of business letters.
Personal letters
If we think for a while, we will recall that we started ‘conversing’ with our mends and relations ‘by post’ at a very young age. And we will continue to write letters throughout our life. Such letters are called personal letters. The object of a letter of this type is to establish a personal contact or to keep alive a personal relationship. It is a means of contact between us and our reader and has a certain intimacy, even ‘privacy’ about it. A personal letter must, therefore, evoke in the reader the sensation of an actual meeting. It must be frank and intimate, lively and interesting, and should be written in an informal style. Formality has no place in personal letters we should not write to our friend or relative as though he or she were an audience we are addressing.
Reflects personality
Every letter we write bears the hallmark of our character and
personality. As we go through the following very brief correspondence
between Ram and Lakhan, we will discover how their personalities are
reflected in it.
Both letter reflect politeness simplicity and a sense of humour. Ram must have felt amused to read exactly the same words which he had “written. Mark also how politely Lakhan indicates that his name was not spelt correctly. Another thing to note is the simple manner in which both have shaken off the sense of ‘guilt’ that must have weighted upon their minds because of their behaviour that night towards each other.
EXHIBIT
Dear Professor Lakhan
I am sorry about last night, when I sat next to you and did not say a word. You must have thought I was a very rude man; I am really a very shy man.
Sincerely yours
Ram
EXHIBIT
Dear Sir Ram
I am sorry about last night, when I sat next to you and did not say a word. You must have thought I was a very rude man; I am really a very shy man.
Sincerely yours
Lakhan
P .S. And now you’ve made it worse, for you have spelt my name wrong.
Business letters
When we enter a profession, we shall have to write dozens of letters every day as part of our routine work. Many of these will be written to persons we have never met and perhaps we can never hope to meet. We will be writing letters to other firms and companies, customers, suppliers, associate organizations, government officers, credit agencies, employees, etc. Such letters are called business letters. Their aim is to achieve a definite purpose, such as selling a product, making an enquiry, seeking information or advice, mollifying the injured feelings of a customer, creating goodwill, etc.
Business letter must therefore appeal to the reader’s interest and induce in him the proper mood. To achieve this it should have the necessary built in attraction. It should open the mind of the reader to the message. There is one sure way of doing it: place yourself in the position of your correspondent and anticipate his feelings & reactions. A good letter writer, after having written a letter, asks himself, ‘How would I react to this?’; ‘What would my feelings be if I received such “a letter?’ This test enables him to look at his letter from the reader’s point of view and make the necessary changes.
“If he (the person you are replying to) is rude, be specially courteous. If he is muddle-headed, be specially lucid. If he is pig-headed, be patient. If he is helpful, be appreciative. If he convicts you of a mistake, acknowledge it freely and even with gratitude”.
Much of the ill-will generated by unimaginative letter can be eliminated The ability to adapt oneself to the reader’s point of view is the basic requirement of a good letter.
Look at the following letter written by the Maintenance Engineer of a factory campus to a senior officer whom he knew personally and with whom he had good relations.
EXHIBIT
Dear Sir,
Some of the officers residing in your line have been complaining about
insufficient supply of water, specially, the water pressure. In an on-thespot survey, it has been reported that you have installed a water tap at the ground level. This creates low water pressure in the adjacent houses. The management does not provide hydrants or additional taps, outside or
inside a house. I am directed to inform you that the unauthorized connection may please be disconnected within three days of the receipt of this letter. In case of necessity, this department will be pleased to help you in disconnecting the water connection. If this is not done within the stipulated time, the department will be forced to disconnect the line.
Looking at the present wafer scarcity, we hope, you will help us in supplying water to your neighbours as well who are greatly inconvenienced by in sufficient water supply.
Your cooperation is solicited.
Yours faithfully
The fact was that the additional water tap was installed by the Maintenance Department about 15 years ago for the convenience of a foreigner who was then occupying the house. The officer concerned had gathered this formation from his neighbours. Since the Maintenance Engineer had been on the factory campus for about 20 years, the officer got the impression that the engineer had deliberately ignored this fact.
What is the main flaw in the engineers’ letter? He did not place
himself in the position of the reader while dictating the letter. It also lacks imagination & smacks of officiousness. ‘In an on-the-spot survey it is merely a high-sounding phrase which gives the impression that a well-organized inspection of the premises was arranged for discovering the installation of the additional tap. The clause ‘ ... You have installed a water tap at the ground level’ is perhaps the most unfortunate statement. It charges the officer with having committed a social offence and presumes that he is adept in the art of plumbing. The offer of help in disconnecting the tap has thus a ring of insincerity. Then comes the final blow, a threat to disconnect if the officer himself will not do so. In view of this, the engineers’ appeal in the last but one paragraph to the social
sense of the officer and solicitation of cooperation becomes meaningless.
Letters, which handle delicate human situations such as this, should be read carefully before they are despatched. A thoughtless letter causes irretrievable harm.
Now let us consider the reply which the officer gave.
There is a lot of truth in the Chinese proverb: In the midst of joy do not promise to give a man anything, in the midst of great anger do not answer a man’s letter. Does the above reply have any traces of the officer’s anger? What about “... without proper verification you have accepted a report which is not true”? Does it not, in effect, say that the engineer is inefficient as he accepts false reports? Then the sentence “Since you have been in the employment of this factory for about 20 years, I thought you may be aware of this fact”, implies that either the
engineer has a bad memory or he is a great pre-tender, or he is illdisposed towards the writer. Obviously, Sir Gowers’ advice has not been followed in the reply letter, too. Now, we give below a reply in which an attempt has been made to keep the reader’s point of view in mind.
EXHIBIT
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter No. ..... of .....
I feel deeply pained that without proper verification you have accepted a report which is not true. The fact is that the additional water tap was installed by your department in this house 15 year ago for theconvenience of a foreigner who was occupying it then. Since you have been in the employment of this factory for about 20 years, I thought you would be aware of this fact.
Recently, we have met several times but you never mentioned the need for disconnecting this tap. I must assure you that I am equally eager that proper supply of water is available to all members of the community. In fact, at a mere suggestion (even on the telephone) I would have let your men disconnect the tap. Please feel free to send them any time you like.
With kind regards,
Yours Sincerely
EXHIBIT
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter No. ..... of .....
I am sorry you had to bother to
write to me about the additional tap in my house. A ring or a word from you would have surely got a go-ahead signal from me. Please do send your men any time you like to disconnect this tap from the main line.
Incidentally, this tap was installed by the Maintenance Department about
15 years ago for the convenience of a foreigner who was then occupying
this house.
With kindest regards,
Yours Sincerely,
After having discussed fundamentals, let us now turn our attention to the principles which can help you write effective business letters.
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE LETTERS WRITING
Courtesy and Consideration
Courtesy is like the oil which removes friction, it makes life smooth and helps win friends. Courtesy softens the sting of an unpleasant piece of information, creates goodwill, and produces a favourable response. We should remember that writing discourteous letters is often very costly. We may lose both friends and business. It always pays to be courteous in business. If you get a rude letter, do not get angry and try to hit back. Send a courteous reply and, in all probability, the other person will respond more favourably.
Goodwill is a great asset for an organization and courtesy in correspondence is one of the most natural and economical means of building it.
The phrases embodied in the following sentences have been found useful in tiding over a difficult situation and making correspondence pleasant:
Many thanks for your letter of 12 September, 2007.
Thank you very much for your letter of 13 August, 2007.
We are glad to note that you are now in a position to pay our bill.
We appreciate your writing to us to promptly.
We regret to inform you that we cannot meet your order immediately.
We are sorry that you did not receive the books in time.
You will he pleased to know that we have despatched the books you
ordered in your letter of 16 July, 2007.
The following phrases irritate the reader because they imply that
you consider him your inferior. Avoid using these phrases.
You state ....
You are wrong in saying ....
We find it difficult to believe ....
Your claim that ....
We must finally state....
Your complaint that ....
We cannot accede to your request ....
We are forced to refuse ....
We demand....
All business organizations advertise posts and in almost all cases the number of applicants is much larger than the number of posts.
Organizations which care for their goodwill send a polite letter of refusal
to those who applied but were not selected. If the number of applicants is
very large, some firms convey their thanks to all applicants and notify
through widely-circulated newspapers that the posts have been filled.
Read the following refusal letter. How would you feel if you got it ?
With reference to your application of 14 May for the post of Assistant
Manager: in our Sales Department, you are hereby informed that we are not able to offer this position to you. It could perhaps be redrafted as follows to reflect a courteous
attitude:
Thank you very much for your application of 14 May, 2001 for the
post of an Assistant manager in our Sales department.
We are sorry that at present we-are not able to offer you this position. But we have noted your qualifications and experience and put your application on our files. Should an opportunity arise in future, we shall be pleased to consider you again. We appreciate the interest you have shown in our organization.
Consideration for the reader’s interests, needs and desires is also
known as the ‘you-attitude’ in the business world. Merely using the
pronoun ‘you’ will, however, not do. It must be realized that one of greatest barriers to successful business communication is selfcenteredness on part of the writer. In fact, the impulse to write a letter or for that matter any piece of communication, comes to us when we have something to say. And in doing so we shall be following the old principle of I-You communication.
When a reader receives a business letter, he assesses how it affects him and his business and what action he needs to take on it. A direct personal approach which the you-attitude ensures will transmit the message quickly and evoke desired response.
This however, does not mean that the writer should completely suppress his own interests. He should instead show how their interests are common and how they can be promoted. An attempt to do so should not, however, lead to undue praise, artificial cordiality and exaggerated claims, sincerity and truthfulness.
EXHIBIT
Dear Reader
Your order for Gift Subscriptions to Reader’s Digest is most welcome. We
are delighted. A greeting-card signed just as you wanted it-is being sent to each of the friends on your list to announce your generous gift. You
can be quite sure your friends will appreciate your thoughtfulness and
will look forward to the first copy of the 12-in-one gift.
Particulars of your Gift Subscriptions with a statement of account are
enclosed here. An early settlement of the bill will mean, quite apart from
prompt and regular despatches of the magazine to your friends, an immediate and useful gift to you a handsome 2001 Pocket DiaryAlmanac.
While making payment, please be sure to return the invoice. This is needed to credit payment to your account. A reply-paid envelope is enclosed.
Your co-operation will be greatly appreciated.
Yours Sincerely
K. Haridas
For the Association Convince the most. The following letter from .the Reader’s Digest.
Association is cordial, brief & sincere, and it makes no exaggerated clams. It is an excellent specimen of an effective business letter.
In advertising and public relations it helps to be human. In letterwriting it pays even more. A common violation of the you-approach consists in writing to a person as if one was addressing a crowd and not an individual. We give below some examples to illustrate this point:
Crowd approach You approach
(i) We are pleased when we receive such suggestions from our customers.
We are grateful for the suggestions you have made.
(ii) This book will help the reader in writing good English. This book will help you in writing good English.
(iii) We feel sorry when we find that our customers are not satisfied with our merchandise.
We are sorry that you are not
satisfied with the electric kettle
you bought from us. If you glance through the pages of any newspaper or magazine, you will find that catchy advertisements reflect the attitude.
(i) You can achieve success by enrolling with us for a homestudy course.
(ii) Today you need more than an old fashioned shampoo.
(iii) The success you deserve depends upon your training.
(iv) It cools so fast that you could have ice for the asking.
(v) There’s always something special in the air when you fly with us.
Positive and Direct Statements
It is more polite to directly state the information you need or the action you require than suggest it by a negative statement:
Negative and Roundabout Positive and Direct
(i) You failed to tell us ... Please let us know...
(ii) We cannot help you unless ... We shall be pleased to help you if ...
(iii) We cannot help you with ... We should appreciate hearing from you
(iv) You have not cared pay attention
to our compliant.
Please look into our compliant.
Clarity and Precision
“For writing well in any tongue one should speak as the common people do and think as wise men do. This piece of advice given by Aristotle still holds good. A simple expression and clear thinking are the two most important virtues of effective writing. Whatever be your business or profession you should cultivate clear and plain style.
The reader should have no difficulty in understanding what you mean.
Mathew Arnold rightly advised: “Have something to say and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret of style”. When you write a letter you certainly have something to say and you certainly wish to say it clearly. Here are some suggestions that will help you in achieving clarity and precision.
(i) Follow the principle: Clear thinking and clear writing go together. Before expressing a thought on paper, roll it in your kind so that it crystallizes and is shorn of all ambiguities.
(ii) Choose short, common and concrete words. Avoid jargon and
slang. Every word you employ should help you in conveying the meaning you have in mind. The primary criterion should be its effectiveness in a given context. If two words convey
more or less the same meaning, select the one which is more common. ‘Buy’, ‘house’ and ‘free’, for example, are more common than ‘purchase’, ‘residence’ and ‘release’.
(iii) Arrange your words well. Very often you will find that, if you have chosen the right words, they can be arranged easily. Put words or phrases carrying the desired emphasis m the
beginning without, of course, breaking the rules of sentence construction.
(iv) Do not tire the reader with long and involved sentences. Split them up into several short sentences.
(v) Generally, a business letter contains only one main idea or thought or one piece of information. However, if your letter deals with a number of points, express each of them in small and distinct paragraph is. Long paragraphs will bore the reader into skimming through your letter.
Above all, remember that writing effective business letters is an acquired skill, and that acquiring it involves a lot of hard work. Practice
will give you that natural ease of expression which distinguishes effective correspondence.
STRUCTURE OF A LETTER (ELEMENTS)
To give a letter the right look, we should pay attention to its structure, layout, and form. The following elements usually constitute the
structure of a business letter.
(i) Heading
(ii) Date
(iii) Reference
(iv) Inside address
(v) Attention line
(vi) Salutation
(vii) Subject
(viii) Body
(ix) Complimentary close
(x) Signature
(xi) Enclosure
Each of these elements has a definite place and position in a letter.
EXHIBIT
(i) Heading
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
(ii) Date
____________________
(iii) Your Reference______________________________
Our Reference__________________________________________________
(iv) Inside address
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
(v) Attention
________________________________________________________________
(vi) Salutation
________________________________________________________________
(vii) Subject
________________________________________________________________
(viii) Body
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
_______________________________________
________________________________________
_______________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
(ix) Complimentary close
_______________________________
(x) Signature
_______________________________
(xi) Enclosure
_______________________________
MESSRS SOMESH AND SONS
Publishers and Booksellers
Telephone: 249624 A-33, Ashok Road,
Cable: SAJNA New Delhi- 110 006
If a company is registered with limited liability, ‘Limited’ must be written after its name. Its registered address is also indicated in the letterhead.
LUDIDANA FOOD PRODUCTS LIMITED
Registered Office:
115, Bhagat Singh Marg, Ludhiana- 141001
Telephone: 223115 Telegraphic Address: Foodpros
Generally, the name and address are printed on the top middle of the page and any other information is indicated in the margins. To give a balanced appearance to the letter, a maximum one-fifth of the total space should normally be used for the letterhead.
(ii) Date: Some letterheads contain a printed line indicating where the date should be typed, in others, the typist chooses the right place for it. It should be typed two spaces below the last line of the letterhead. The date, month and year should be indicated in the upper
right-hand comer as:
Both methods are acceptable. One should follow the practice in vogue in one’s firm. But if you have a choice, perhaps the first method of indicating the date if preferable; it proceeds in the logical order of day, month and year. The point to note is that the names of the month and the year are written in full and no suffix and as ‘nd’ or ‘th’ (2nd or 15th) is added to the day.
(ii) Reference: Some letterheads contain two lines to indicate references:
Telegrams: OILS Telephone: 213467
HARI OM OIL MILLS
Gokhale Market, Bombay Road
Akola- 44400 1
Your Reference:
Our Reference:
If yours is a reply letter, give the correspondent’s reference number
against the first and your reference number against the second line. Some companies prefer to indicate the reference number of correspondent in the body of letters:
Thank you for your Letter No. AB/46/P497 of August 2, 2001.
The first method is more advantageous as the number displayed at the top enables the receiving company to put your letter quickly into the proper file for action and this leads to saving of time.
The reference number of organization you are writing to should be written exactly as indicated in its letter. The small and capital letters, and the punctuation marks should be reproduced correctly. It would be
annoying to the reader to waste his time in looking for the proper file
were the reference number incorrectly reproduced.
(iv) Inside Address: The full address of the person or organization you are addressing to should be written two spaces below the date arid two spaces above the attention line, or if there is no attention line, two spaces above the salutation in the left margin. The names of persons, firms, streets, roads, etc. should be written as indicated in the source you got the address from.
These details should not abbreviated. For example, if you are writing to Sri Girdhari Lal Kadam, do not write his name as ‘Sri G.L. Kadam’ or ‘Sri Girdhari L. Kadam’ or ‘Sri G. Lal Kadam’. It is bad business manners to do so.
Special care should be taken to spell the addrese’s name correctly.
Misspelling his name may give him the impression that you have little respect for him.
Many companies have a separate despatch section. This section
reproduces on the envelope what you write as the inside address. So if you do not write the address carefully, your letter may not reach its
destination.
In the case of letters addressed to an incorporated company, opinions differ. Some persons are of the view that limited companies should be treated like firms. They argue that, after all, it is some human being who will reply on behalf of the company. Others say that it is absurd to write ‘Messrs’ before the names of companies which impersonal bodies constituted by law. If one did so, one would find oneself writing such absurdities as ‘Messrs Bharat Aluminium Limited’, ‘Messrs
Lookwell Garments Limited, etc.
In such circumstances, the best thing would be to write to the concerned officer of the company. If you do not know which officer should be addressed, write to the secretary because each company is required by
law to have one:
The Chief Accounts Officer
Bharat Airways Limited
Ashoka Marg
New Delhi-110001
The Secretary
North India Machinery Limited
Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg
Chennai-600002.
In a letter addressed to an officer by name, write ‘Sri’ (abbreviated form of Sriman) before his name. If the officer is an unmarried woman add ‘Kum.’ (abbreviated form of Kumari) and if married ‘Smt.’ (shortened form of Srimati), before her name. In the case of a married woman, Smt. is followed by her name and the husband’s surname, e.g.
Sri D.P. Dhaka
Kum. Sheila Asthana
Smt. Nirmala Rani Asthana
Add ‘Mr.’ (the shortened form of Mister) before the name of an officer, if your letter is addressed by name. In the case of a married woman write ‘Mrs.’, her Christian name, and then the husband’s surname: Mrs. Sally Howarth. Sometimes a woman may write ‘Mrs.’ and then her husband’s name: Mrs. John Howarth. If your letter is a reply letter, write the name as given below her signature. The first method is preferred in legal documents, cheques and other such important records.
If the woman is unmarried, write ‘Miss’ before her name: Miss Sally Lowe.
The latest trend which is catching on in India too, is to write Ms. or Sushri before a woman’s name, irrespective of her marital status..
(v) Attention Line: To ensure attention, sometimes a letter which is addressed to a firm or company is marked to particular officer (either by designation or name) in that organization. This is done by writing an attention line two spaces below the inside addressed and two spaces above the salutation. This line is generally underlined:
Attention: The Sales Manager
Attention: Sri A.B. Nair
(vi) Salutation: The salutation in a letter, an essential ingredient, is like greeting a person when you meet him. It is placed two spaces below the attention line or if there is no such line, two spaces below the inside address. The choice of salutation depends upon the personal relationship between the writer and the reader, and on the form of the inside address.
If you are addressing a firm, a board, a club, a society and association, an agency or a post box or newspaper box number use
‘Dear Sirs’. Remember that the attention line does not alter the salutation.
While writing to an officer by designation, write ‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear
Madam’, as the case may be.
If you write a letter to an officer by name the salutation will be
‘Dear Sir’, ‘Dear Smt.’ or ‘Dear Kum.’ followed by his or her surname. If
he or she does not write any surname; use the second part of the name
after the salutation:
Dear Sri Mazumdar
Dear Smt. Gupta
Dear Kum. Ramaswamy
Dear Sri Lal
If the correspondent is a close friend of yours, you may address him or her by first name:
My dear Hari
Dear Tribhuwan
My dear Sheihi
Dear Ismat
In government departments, letters which are addressed by name
are known as demi-official letters. (D.O.). They are written to draw the
personal attention of the concerned officer and to ensure prompt action.
Sometimes sales and circular letters are addressed as ‘Dear Customer’, ‘Dear Member’, ‘Dear Reader’, ‘Dear Subscriber’, etc.
(vii) Subject: The purpose of the subject line is to let the reader know immediately what the message is about. Like attention and reference lines, it saves time. If the letter has to be passed on to some other officer or department, it can be done quickly. The usual practice is to type this line in a double space between the salutation and the first line of the body of the letter. There are, however, some organizations which prefer to have the subject line between the attention line and the salutation. Example of both is given below:
The Jindal Steel Corporation
443, Gokhale Street
Jarimagar- 361 001
Attention: Sri P.R. Shindey
Subject: Payment of Bill No. P/843 of 14 August, 2001
Dear Sirs,
Some organizations do not write the word ‘subject’ but this has not yet caught on in India. The subject must be mentioned if it has been indicated in the letter you are replying to. If you are initiating the correspondence, it would be advisable to write it if you think that a number of letters will be exchanged on the subject.
(viii) Body: Primarily a letter is to convey a message and the main
purpose of the message is to produce a suitable response in the reader. This is done mainly through the body of the letter. It is, therefore, important to organize and arrange the material very carefully. The qualities of an effective letter have already been discussed. What is said there applies to this part of the letter.
In the paragraph, reference, to any correspondence which has already taken place should be given and in the second the main message should be stated. The paragraphs that follow should contain further details, if necessary. In the closing paragraph you must state clearly what action you expect the reader to take, or you may end the letter indicating your expectations, wishes, or intentions.
The paragraphs are not given any headings unless the letter is very long and deals with several important points. Participial endings sound very trite and should be avoided as far as possible. If, however, you, close your letter with a phrase containing a present participle e.g., ‘Hoping to
hear from you soon’, you should add ‘I am’ as shown below:
Hoping to hear from you soon,
I am
Yours faithfully,
R. Narayanan
(ix) Complimentary close: The complimentary close is a courteous leave taking-a polite way of ending a letter. It is typed two spaces below the last line of the body of the letter. The close must agree with the salutation as shown below:
The salutation
(i) Sir, The complimentary close
Yours faithfully,
OR
Yours obediently,
OR
(ii) Dear Sirs, Yours respectfully,
Dear Sir,
Dear Madams, Yours faithfully,
Dear Madam, OR
(iii) Dear Sri Nayar, Yours truly,
Dear Smt Sobti,
Dear Kum. Loiwal,
My dear Sri Dheer, Yours sincerely,
My dear Smt. Das
My dear Kum. Nigam,
(iv) Dear Shyam,
My dear Ashutosh, Yours sincerely,
Dear Lata, OR
My dear Sheila, Yours ever,
(v) Dear Member,
Dear Customer, Yours sincerely,
Dear Reader,
Dear Suscriber,
In
(i) above obediently is used when, for example, a student writes to his teacher. Respectfully is rarely used in business correspondence.
However, it maybe used by an individual in writing to a high dignitary.
(x) Signature: The signature is the signed name of the writer. It is placed below the complimentary close. The name of the writer is generally typed four spaces below the dosing line, providing enough space for the signature:
Yours faithfully,
(S.D. Gupta)
For a partnership firm, anyone of the partners may sign either by writing in ink the name of the firm or by putting his signature below the typed name of the firm.
SHYAM LAL HARI PRASAD & CO.
Shyam Lal
The firm may, however, delegate the authority signing letters to an officer by executing a legal instrument called the Power of Attorney in his favour. Such as employee will put per pro. or pp. before the name of the firm and sign below it.
Per Pro. Shyam Lal Hari Prasad & Co.
T.R. Wagle
Routine and unimportant letters of the firm may be signed by other
officers thus:
For Shyam Lal Bari Prasad & Co.
Sohan Lal
OR
Per Pro. Shyam Lal Bari Prasad & Co.
Sohan Lal
This will show that the firm is not legally bound by ‘Sohan Lal’.
Per pro. or pp, is the abbreviated form of per procurationem, a Latin phrase meaning agency or on behalf of.
In the case of registered or incorporated companies, the company
responsibility line mayor may not be there. Important officers of a
company, such as the Managing Director, Manager, Secretary, Financial
Controller, and Chief Engineer, have the authority to sign letters on behalf of the company. This authority may be the result of the execution of the Power of Attorney in their favour or as allowed by custom. Legal authority as indicated as in the case of partnership firms by adding Per pro before the name of the company. Since the name of the company is given in the letterhead, it need before the name of the company. Since the name of the company is given in the letterhead, it need not be repeated signature. Thus an officer of a company may sign in either of the following ways and in all these cases he will be binding the company legally.
Yours faithfully, Yours faithfully,
Narain Dass on behalf of SMITH INDIA LIMITED
Managing Director Narain Dass
Managing Director
(xi) Enclosure: If there is anything attached to the letter, it must be indicated against the enclosure line which is typed two spaces below
the identification marks.
Generally, the abbreviated from Encl. is typed against which the number of enclosures is indicated:
Encl. 2
If, however, the documents attached are important they are specified:
Encls:
1. Agreement dated 1September, 2006.
2. Cheque No. P4637 of 4 September; 2006.
Forms of Layout of a Business Letter
(i) Stationery: For making a favourable initial impression it is necessary to choose good quality paper. The extra expense on this account is more than compensated by the impression it creates on the reader. White paper should be preferred as the letters stand out clearly on it and make easy reading. Some firms use tinted paper to suit their trade. If such paper is used it should be of a light shade and the ribbon of the typewriter should also be chosen to harmonies with it.
The standard size of the paper used for business letters is 8½ by 11 inches. Other sizes used are 8 × 10 inches, 5 × 10 inches, 5½ × 8½ inches and 7½ × 8½ inches.
(ii) Typing: Most business letters are typed. There are two reasons for it. Typing saves time and gives a tidy appearance to the letter. Care should, however, be taken to get the letters neatly typed. Many business organizations do not mind paying a little extra to hire the services of efficient typists: They rightly consider the extra expense a good investment – that pays rich dividends.
(iii) Margins: Margins in a letter add to its attractiveness.
Generally, a one inch margin is left on the sides and one and a half inches left on the top and the bottom in standard size letter. In letters of smaller sizes margins are suitably reduced. The letter should be set neatly within the space thus left so as to give at picture-frame appearances.
(iv) Punctuation: The modem tendency is to omit unnecessary commas and full stops and to use what is called open punctuation. In this style, no commas and full stops are used in any part of the letter except in the body in which the usual punctuation marks are used.
Another punctuation style is known as mixed. In it a comma is put after
the date, the house number (if any), the salutation, and the complimentary close and a full stop follows the last line of the inside address. The third style called closed punctuation is conventional; in it the main parts of the letter are punctuated as follows:
Date: 11 September, 2006
Inside Address: Sri S.P. Shriodhar,
Managing Director,
Triveni Steel Corporation,
43, Gokhale Marg,
New Delhi – 110 004.
Salutation: Dear Sri Shirodhar,
Complimentary close:
Yours sincerely,
(v) Envelops:
Envelopes should be chosen to suit the size of the paper on which the letter is typed. If a window envelope is used, the letter should be folded such that the inside address lies just beneath the
window. The number of folds should be as few as possible.
STYLES OF PRESENTATION
There are several styles which are used for writing business letters.
Choosing a particular style is a matter of individual taste and preference.
If your firm has already chosen a style, use that. But in case you get an
opportunity to select the style of your choice, choose one that suits you best. The styles used by business organisation include the following:
(i) The Indented Style
(ii) The Block Style
(iii) The Complete-block Style
(iv) The Semi-block Style
(v) The Hanging-indented Style
(i) Indented Style: This is perhaps the oldest form of a business letter. In it each new element is indented two to four spaces.
Generally, closed punctuation is used in this style. It requires more time
to type, but those who advocate this style say that the pleasing form it
presents more than compensates for the extra time and energy spent.
EXHIBIT
Ratan Trading Company Limited
43-A, Mathura Road, New Delhi – 001
11 September, 2003
The United Commercial Bank Limited,
133, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
New Delhi – 110 004
Dear Sir,
Please refer to your letter No. C-BC/43 of 4 September, 2003.We are grateful that you have agreed to advance a sum of Rs.20,000/- (Rupees Twenty Thousand only). The terms and conditions you mention are acceptable to us. We shall send our Accounts Officer to sign the agreement at 11 a.m. on Monday, 16 September, 2003 as you
suggest.
Yours faithfully,
A.S. Wilku
Secretary
ASB/lg
(ii) Block Style: In this style the date line, the complimentary close, and the signature are aligned with the right margin; all other parts except the letterhead are set flush left. Divisions between the parts and between the paragraphs of the body of the letter are indicated by double spacing whereas, there is single spacing within each part and paragraph.
This style saves stenographic time inasmuch as most of the parts and all the paragraphs are aligned with the left margin and so not much time is lost in indentation.
EXHIBIT 5.9
TATA ALUMINIUM CORPORATION
303, Jahangir Road,
Ahmedabad – 380 003
10 July, 2006
Your Reference: Letter No. 43-PA of 4 July
Our Reference: POC-30U
The General Manager,
Shahi Cements Company Limited,
Sarangpura,
Ghaziabad- 201 001
Dear Sir,
I regret to inform you that out of 500 bags of cement you supplied, 25 have arrived in damaged condition. They cannot be used at all in construction work. It appears the damage was caused due to inadequate protection against rains. Our storekeeper pointed this out to truck driver immediately after unloading and he has given a signed note, accepting this position. I am enclosing this note for your information.
I shall be grateful if you kindly make necessary adjustments in the bill. If,
however, you are making supplies to someone else in this city in the near
future you may send the replacement.
Yours faithfully,
Rahul Khanna
Purchase Office
(iii) Complete-block style: All parts of the letter, except the printed letter head, are aligned with the left margin. A letter in this form saves more time because indentation is not required for any part. But some correspondents do not like it because it appears imbalanced and heavy on the left side.
EXHIBIT
ARORA ENGINEERING WORKS
5/44, Bhagat Singh Marg, Ludhiana-141 00 1
10 July, 2006
The Financial Manager,
National Development Corporation,
22, Mahatma Gandhi Road,
Mumbai – 400 055
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your letter No. TR-43/30008 of 5 July, 2006. Your cheque
No. P4387cf 4 September, 2006 is for Rs.1959.00 whereas our Bill No.KLW 10057 of 20 June, 2006 was for Rs.1995.00. It appears to be a copying mistake; the writer of the cheques has reversed the last two digits.
I am sorry to bother you for a small amount but you will appreciate that
we have to account for the goods supplied. I, therefore, hope you will not mind sending another cheque for the correct amount. I am returning
your cheque No. P4387.
Yours faithfully,
B.C. Menon
Materials Manager
BCT/lg
Encl.: I
(iv) Semi-block style: This is like the block style except that the paragraphs of the letter are indented. Those who use it say that it is easier to read paragraphs which begin with an indented line because one is used to seeing this style in print.
EXHIBIT
Pardeep and Company
Lushai Hills, Silchar- 78800
10 July, 2008
The Personal Manager
Fit Milkfood Manufacturers Limited,
Bhasker Road, New Delhi- 110003.
Dear Sir,
Please refer to your letter No. P-483/7 of 6 July, 2008.
Sri T.N. Parulkar was in our employment as an Assistant Accountant
from 10 June, 2006 to 30 June, 2007. He resigned the post as the climate of this town did not suit him.
He was sincere, hardworking and efficient and we found him loyal in all
circumstances. In fact, we are considering to promote him when he left.
We, therefore, think him suitable for the post of an Accountant for which
you are considering him.
Yours faithfully,
Pardeep and Company
P.K. Tyagi
Managing Director
(v) Hanging-Indented Style: This style is like the block style except that the first line of each paragraph is aligned with the left margin whereas, all other lines in each paragraph are indented four or five spaces. Its appearance is unusual and may perhaps catch attention quickly but this fact could be a disadvantage as well. It may distract the reader by focusing his attention on the form rather than the message of
the letter.
Since this form involves many indentations, the typing consumes a
lot more time. Therefore, this style was never popular in the world of
business.
EXHIBIT
Ranjeet Industries Limited
Bombay Road,
Gurdaspur-143521
10 July, 2004
The Purchase Officer,
Sally Exporters Limited,
20A, Feroze Shah Marg,
New Delhi – 110030
Dear Sir,
We hope by now you have gone through the catalogue of toys we sent you on 28 June, 2004. As you will have seen, there are a number of new toys
in this year’s catalogue. These are meant not only to delight but also to
instruct children by demanding the use of a high degree of intelligence
even while they play.
We specially draw your attention to the asterisked items on pages 4 and
7. These are likely to become popular in the countries to which you have
been exporting.
Kindly let us know your requirements so that we may set aside toys of you choice. On receipt of your order we shall send them to you on last year’s terms and conditions. A copy of the statement showing these enclosed for your ready reference.
Yours faithfully,
Manager (Marketing)
SUMMARY
A successful business letter is characterized by courtesy, clarity
and conciseness. Writing letters becomes a necessity for business
transactions. While writing, the reader’s interest should be kept in mind by developing ‘you-attitude’. This would ensure quick transmission of message and evoke the desired response. Let each letter have one main idea or point and this should be communicated in plain and easy-tounderstand language. Pomposity, negative attitude and curtness exude
rudeness, should be meticulously avoided.
The structure, layout and form of a business letter reflects the character of an organization. Each element of structure performs a specific function and its presentation and layout are determined by years of use. One should follow what is widely practised in the world of business. However, there is a choice in the style of presentation. The one that is most common these days is the full-block form and it is, therefore, advisable to use this style.
KEYWORDS
Attention Line is the address or mark to a perpendicular officer (by his name or designation). Salutation is the greeting to the person at the beginning, middle or end of the letter.
Courteous Close is a polity way of ending a letter.
Per pro. Or pp is the abbreviated form of per procurationem, a Latin phrase meaning agency or on behalf of.
Enclosure is the document attached with the letter.
SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
1. Describe the characteristic features of a business letter. In what respect does it differ from other types of letters?
2. What are the principles of business correspondence? Explain the significance of each by giving suitable examples.
3. Prepare a write-up on the guidelines for business letter writing to be included in the office manual of a professional organization.
4. How do business letters differ from personal letters?
5. Why do businessman attach a great deal of importance to letter writing?
6. What are the factors one should bear in mind while planning letters?
7. What elements constitute the structure of a business letter? Discuss briefly each one of them.
8. What are the different styles of presentation? Which one would you recommend for use in writing business letters and why?
9. The following sentences taken from business letters are wordy, indirect, imprecise, or discourteous. Rewrite them so as to make them effective:
(i) We acknowledge with thanks the receipt of your letter dated the 14th of July; 2001.
(ii) Your letter of 10th July, 2001 has been duly received in this office and contents noted.
(iii) We are glad to receive your communication of 20th ultimo in
connection with the setting up of a new branch of our firm at Netanagar.
(iv) We wish to make it clear to you that our firm has done all it could to repair your air-conditioner and that we shall not be able to entertain any further communication from you.
(v) It is strange that you wrote to us about the defect in the shirt you bought from us four months ago. In view of this delay on your part it would not be possible for us to accede to your request of replacing the shirt by a new one.
(vi) This is to lodge a strong protest against the rude behaviour of your secretary yesterday when I requested her that I wanted to see you in connection with the renewal of contract for the supply of bread to your office canteen.
(vii) In spite of repeated reminders you have paid no heed to our advice regarding the settlement of bills which have been outstanding for the last six months now.
(viii) If you do not respond to our communication this time also, we shall be forced to launch legal proceedings against you for the payment of dues which should have been paid four
months ago.
(ix) Subsequent to our communication of 18 June, 2001 we wish to inform you that we have commenced legal proceedings against you for the collection of dues you owe us.
(x) This is to inform you that after a careful on-the-spot survey I find no happy prospects of capturing the market here for our goods.
(xi) I am directed to advise you that arrangements for your journey from Calcutta onwards have been made and that you should not at all feel anxious about this matter.
(xii) In reply to, your letter which we received recently, we are pleased to advise, that consequent upon the receipt of your cheque for Rs.5000/- we have booked you Bharat International Lines on 17 May, 2004 by Flight No. 462
leaving Delhi at 1405 hours, in accordance with your instructions.
(xiii) With regard to your request for the supply of 2 quintals of Basmati rice on the auspicious occasion of the wedding ceremony of your dear daughter we regret to say that we are
not in a position to make any commitment to oblige you.
(xiv) I have gone carefully through the report submitted by you but am sorry to say that-owing to the fact that I am busy at the time of writing, I am not in a position to initiate any action for the proper implementation of any of the valuable suggestions so kindly offered by you.
(xv) We have done a great deal of research into the reading habits of persons like you and are glad to inform you that we have devised and launched a new scheme called Read-Now-PayLater Scheme under which without taking the trouble of making immediate payment you can order books of your liking worth Rs.100/- at a time. Inform us if you are interested and we shall send you the details of the scheme without any delay.
10. Draft letters based upon the following note:
The National Furnishing Company, 23/4A, Chandni Chowk,
Delhi-110006 agree to pay half the cost of transportation on all orders, provided that John and Smith Ltd., Shahpura, Abmedabad-380009 place with them a minimum of
Rs.20,000.00 worth or orders during the year...
11. As Accounts Officer of Kolhapur Cloth Mills Ltd., Kolhapur,
write a letter to the Manager, Fancy Cloth Store Sitabuldi,
Nagpur saying that unless you receive within 15 days the
sum due to your company, the matter will be placed in the hands of your solicitors.
12. Draft a letter on behalf of Messrs Devi Prasad and Pyare Lal,
Subhash Market, Delhi-110 055, placing an order to Dairy
Products Limited, Anand-388001 for 10,000 1 kg. tins andb5,000 2 kg tins of powdered milk. Remind them that they have agreed to allow 5% discount on the price quoted in the list.
13. As Sales Officer of Ramani Private Ltd; 233-A, Dauyapur, Agra-282002 you were asked to study and report on the
possibility of expansion of the market for tinned mango juice in Himachal Pradesh. Write from Shimla a letter to your marketing Manager giving him a favourable report.
14. As Personal Manager of a large firm you wish to give a dinner
to the workers. Write to a firm of caterers asking them for the
menu and charges. Tell them the place, number of guests,etc.
15. Write a letter as Publishing Manager of P.L. Ratham Private
Limited, 579, Phule Lane, Dadar, Bombay-600014 to an author accepting his manuscript but expressing your
inability to bring out the book within six months as desired by him.
16. Given below is a badly written business letter from the Purchase Manager, Lal General Electrical Stores, Daryaganj, Delhi-110006 to the Sales Manager, A.K. Shyam & Co.,
Bapunagar, Jaipur. Rewrite this letter making necessary changes in layout, content and style in conformity with the principles of business letter writing.
The Sales Manger
A.K. Shyam & Co.
Bapunagar
Jaipur-302004
Dear Sir,
I am writing to complain that you haven’t paid any attention while sending the good to us. While we had ordered for 50 Room Heaters, you had sent 50 Geysers instead. This is simply wasting my time and is most annoying. What is the reason for these errors? Have you any problems? Are you
understaffed? Is the volume of work too much for you to manage? Or is it simply due to carelessness? Whatever the reason; if this kind of mistake occurs again, we shall stop our orders. Look into the matter carefully and do the needfulimmediately.
Yours sincerely,
Gopal Verma
Purchase Manager
17. Given below are the extracts taken from business letters.
Rewrite them so as to make them plain, direct, concise and effective.
(a) Through this letter I wish to say thank you for your interest in our organization and for the fact that you
sent us samples of brochures you have written, edited and produced. We are returning back them to you under separate cover in another mailing.
The reason why I am writing to you this. time is that we are very regretful and Sorry to say that we have had to choose another applicant whose work, background and experience more closely match our needs and requirements at this time
than does your work, background and experience.
Unfortunately, there are many more qualified applicants than there are available positions. We wish you success in your search for another job.
(b) We are offering you a 10 percent discount on any or all of your wedding needs. We would like to advise you
that we have a full and complete wedding service; you can order your personalized invitation cards. Also, we
have our own decorators for decorating wedding halls,
reception halls and also do flower decorations. Our service includes arrangements for music systems along
with amplifiers, catering, lighting etc.
(c) We have received your inquiry of March 16. Regarding this inquiry we would like to inform you at the very
outset that we are in no position to comply with your request of changing the method of premium payment
on your above numbered policy to a monthly basis, simply because the monthly premium must amount to
at least the sum of Rs.100/- per month, in as much as the company has found it impractical to issue policies with monthly premium of less than this amount.
EMPLOYMENT RELATED CORRESPONDENCE (APPLICATION LETTER, INTERVIEW LETTER,
APPOINTMENT LETTER, PROMOTION LETTER AND OTHER LETTERS)
STRUCTURE
Objectives
Introduction
Importance & function ofapplication letter
Drafting the application letter
Structure of an application letter
Preparing the resume
Interview call letter
Letter of appointment
Resignation letter
Job acceptance/consent letter
Job refusal letter
Letter informing non-selection
Summary
Keywords
Self assessment questions
References/suggested readings
OBJECTIVES
After going through this lesson you will be able to-
•Know the importance and functions of appointment letter.
•Draft an application letter.
•Know the structure of application letter.
•Prepare the resume.
•Understand interview call letter, resignation letter, job
acceptance letter, job refusal letter.
•Identify other official letters related to employees.
IMPORTANCE AND FUNCTION OF APPLICATION LETTER
An application for a job may be the first important letter you will
write when you graduate from an institute or university. That letter is a
personal letter incorporating a few features of a business letter. There is
always stiff competition for any job and a prospective employer will form
his first impression about you from your application. Since the applicant
seeks to sell his services, an application letter is a kind of sales letter and
all the guidelines useful in writing sales letter are applicable here. In fact,
if the employer finds marks of tomato sauce on the envelope or the name
of his company miss pelt, he will not hesitate to reject you outright. But if your application is neatly typed, well-framed, and mailed in a clean
envelope of proper size, the chances are that he will go through your
application. A letter of application should, therefore, have all the qualities
that are required in the sale of any tangible product.
Before applying you should analyse carefully the job requirements
and your own achievements. The job analysis will help you picture the
kind of man the organization is looking for and self-appraisal win enable
you to prepare an inventory of your personal details and achievements.
Match the two and if they agree, go ahead and put in your application.
The exercise will also enable you to decide where not to apply.
In presenting your achievements you should highlight the traits he
is looking for. Remember, that no amount of skill in presentation and
display will secure you a job if you do not possess the requisite
qualifications and experience. It is essential to be honest and sincere
about yourself and to say only what is true and can be supported by
documents. Do not make exaggerated claims; modesty serves better than
conceit.
There are two types of letters of application. In the first, all
information about qualifications, experience and personal details is given
in one letter. In the second, there are two parts. Part one is a short
covering letter, containing reference to the advertisement in response to
which you are applying and featuring your most significant qualifications
for the post. Part two consists of the resume-a sheet which lists details
about you and your qualifications. It generally includes the following:
i) Personal details: age, fitness and marital status.
ii) Educational qualifications.
iii) Specialised training, if any.
iv) Experience and achievements.
v) Special honours and distinctions, if any.
vi) Special personal qualities which make you suitable for the
job.
vii) References: Names and address of persons who can vouch
for your achievements.
It needs mention that the second type of letter of application is
more effective; the applicant gets a chance to reveal his personality and
display his most precious merchandise, without tiring the employer with
unnecessary details. It catches the attention and induces the employer to
go through the resume. Certainly you have better chances if your
application is read. This is the first step towards success.
6.3 DRAFTING THE APPLICATION LETTER
Since an application letter is a sales letter, it must be written on
the principles of the ‘you’ attitude. Remember that the letter of
application is a special covering letter; it must be something more than a
note forwarding an enclosure. It should be informative, to the point and
short. Its tone should be friendly but not familiar.
The introductory paragraph should attract the employer’s attention
besides saying whether you are applying in response to an advertisement
or at somebody’s suggestion or on your own initiative. Some of the
routine ways of beginning a letter are as follows:
•
I wish to apply for the post of Financial Manager advertised
by you in The National Herald of 4 July, 2004.
•
Please refer to your advertisement No. 40/92 in The
Hindustan Times of 12 September, 2004 for a Marketing
Manager. I wish to be considered for this post.
•
I should be grateful if you would kindly consider me for the
post of a Chemical Engineer, advertised by you in The Times
of India, dated 1 September, 2003.
But if you wish to stand out from the rest, you may write
something on the following lines:
•
My qualifications and eight years’ experience as a Sales
Representative of Steel Manufacturing Corporation, Calcutta
makes me confident that I can do the job of sales executive
advertised by you in The Hitvada of 21 August, 2003.
•
Prefessor T.R. Gulzar has asked me whether I would be
interested in the post of an executive in the Marketing
division of your company. My qualifications and experience
suit the requirements of the job and I should indeed be
happy if, after going through the application, you come to the
same conclusion. Prof. Gulzar has spoken of excellent
prospects in your company and I should be proud to be
associated with it. Here is what I have to offer.
After writing an effective opening paragraph, make an attempt to
show with evidence how you are the person he is looking for. This would
need emphasizing those aspects of your qualities and achievements
which the post requires. If the advertisement says, “Wanted an
experienced Office Manager to take independent charge of our office at
Nagpur”, the employer will be most interested in knowing whether you
have any experience of office management. If you apply in response to
this advertisement, you should highlight this aspect of your
achievements.
In the end you should try to motivate the employer to respond
favourably. Your immediate aim should be to secure an interview. If you
are able to do so, you will have won half the battle. Some ways of closing
the application are given below:
•
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
•
I hope that my qualifications will merit your consideration.
•
I trust you will favour me with an interview.
•
I would very much appreciate if an opportunity is given to me
for providing further details.
•
I would appreciate an opportunity of attending an interview.
6.4 STRUCTURE OF AN APPLICATION LETTER
The structure of the application letter consists of the following
parts:
i) Address of the applicant and the date
ii) Employer’s name and address
iii) Salutation
iv) Body
v) Complimentary close
vi) Signature
vii) Enclosures
(i) Address of the applicant and the date
These are written at the top of the letter flush with the right
margin. Two spaces are left between the address and date:
34, Bapunagar
Jaipur-302001
14 June; 2001
(ii) Employer’s name and address
The name and address of the employer is usually given two spaces
below the level of the date and aligned with the left margin. If the address
is a post box or a newspaper box number, it is written as follows:
The Advertiser GPO Box No. 342
GPO Box No. 342
or Bombay-600002
The Advertiser
or Box 412
Box 3412 The Hindustan Times
The Hindustan Times New Delhi-110001
New Delhi-110001
(iii) Salutation
In applications addressed to business organizations usually Dear
Sir or Dear Sirs is used. If however, you are applying for a government job
and addressing your application to an officer in the government, the use
of Sir is preferable.
(iv) Body
We have discussed in lesson line, the points to be borne in mind
while writing the covering letter.
(v) Complimentary Close
Yours faithfully goes with all types of salutations namely Sir, Dear
Sir and Dear Sirs. If, you wish to make your subscription more formal
and respectful, you may use Yours respectfully. Some applicants prefer to
use Yours truly instead of Yours faithfully.
(vi) Signature
It should be distinct and the name of the applicant should be typed
below it.
(vii) Enclosures
The documents you are sending with the application should be
specified. If the list is long, prepare a list of enclosures and-in the letter
write: ‘Encl. See list attached’.
PREPARING THE RESUME
The resume or the personal data sheet is an inventory of the
applicant’s personal details, educational qualifications, specialized
training, experience, references and any other relevant information. The
related details are grouped under one subheading for quick and easy
reference.
The example of an application letter intended as a guide is given in
Exhibit 6.1.
EXHIBIT 6.1
Ashok Kunj
193, Wisheswar Marg
10 June, 2004
The Personal Manager
Jiwan Aluminium Corporation
203/ A, Bharati Nagar
Chennai- 600 001.
Dear Sir,
Thirteen years of experience as Assistant Office Manager of Triveni
Earthmovers Limited, Bangalore have given me enough experience to
qualify for the post of the Office Manager you advertised in The Indian
Express of 4 June.
Since 1986 I have been assisting the Office Manager in the
supervision of all work: drafting, filling, receipt and despatch of letters,
etc. When a new section for export promotion was created in 19961 was
made its incharge and in that capacity I have been handling
independently correspondence with organisations in foreign countries.
Our office is moving to Delhi from the next financial year and my
private affairs are such that I cannot keep myself very far away from my hometown, Coimbatore and hence I am looking for a suitable position
here in a progressive organization like yours.
Details of my educational career, experience, etc. are given in the
enclosed resume.
I hope you will give me an opportunity to be interviewed and then
shall be glad to give you any further information you may wish.
Yours faithfully,
Encl.: Resume Rakesh Ranjan
RESUME
Rakesh Ranajan
Ashok Kunj
193, Wisheswar Marg
Bangalore-560014
Personal Details:
Age : 38 years, 2.months (Born on 10 June, 1966)
Excellent
Health : Excellent
Marital Status : Married; one son and a daughter, aged 5 and 3
respectively
Nationality : Indian
Education
Year Examination Division Institution
1979 All-India I Chickpet Central School
Higher Secondary Egmore, Chennai
1982 B.Com. I Madras University, Chennai
1984 M.Com. II Madras University, Chennai
1986 M.B.A. I Bombay University, Chennai
1978-79 Was Secretary of the Debating Society of my School.
1981 Won second prize at the Inter-Collegiate Debate organised by
the University.
1985 Won third prize in the All-India Essay Competition organised
by the Society of Cooperative Training, Delhi.
Experience
1986 Assistant Office Manager, Triveni Earthmovers Limited,
Bangalore in the pay scale of Rs.8000-250-10,000 EB-500-
15000. Assisted the Office Manager in supervision of 20
clerks and assistants. Handled independently
correspondence relating to enquiries and orders.
1992 Was made incharge (in the same organization) of exports
promotion section. Handled independently correspondence
with foreign organizations and governments. Was given an
allowance of Rs.500/- p.m. for extra responsibility.
References
1. Professor L.R. Nathan
Head Deptt. of Commerce
Madras University
Chennai-600001
2. Prof. T.N.Arora
Head Deptt. of Business Management
Bombay University
Mumbai-40002
3. Sri P. Krishna Swamy
Office Manager
Triveni Earthmovers Limited
Bangalore-560053
Now we present a letter (Exhibit 6.2) by a prospective employer
written to one of the references and the reply thereto (Exhibit 6.3) to give
an idea of such correspondence.
EXHIBIT 6.2
SURYA TUBES LIMITED
79, Subhash Marg,
New Delhi- 110 004
15 January, 2007
Sri T.R. Wankhede
Chief Engineer
Bharat Steel Tubes Corporation
23, Patanjali Road, Bangalore-560012.
Dear Sri Wankhede,
We are considering Sri Hari Chand Sukwani for the post of a
Mechanical Engineer. He has given your name as a reference.
We would be very grateful if you could kindly inform us about the
quality of Sri Sukhwani’s work in your company. Your views about his
ability to work with others, his technical competence and his relative
standing among persons with similar training and experience would be of
interest to us.
Any other information which you think might be helpful in
assessing his suitability for the post will also be welcomed.
It is proposed to call candidates for interview in the third week of
February, 2007. We would very much appreciate your sending this
information before that date.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
O. Vaikuntam
Managing Director
EXHIBIT 6.3
BHARAT STEEL TUBES CORPORATION
23, Patanjali Road,
Bangalore-560012
20 January, 2007
Sri P. Vaikuntam
Managing Director
Surya Tubes Limited
79, Subhash Marg
New Delhi- 110 004
Dear Sri Vaikuntam,
Please refer to your letter of 10 January, 2007
Sri Hari Chand Sukhwani worked with us from 17 May, 2006 to 16
December, 2006 as a Junior Engineer (Mechanical): He supervised the
work of 6 technicians and 40 workers.
We found Sir Sukhwani sincere, hardworking and competent. He
was able to command the respect and confidence of his juniors and make
them work to their fullest capacity. His relations with his colleagues were
cordial. But he possesses a streak of defiance towards his superior
officers. Sometimes he would just overlook their instructions and act
according to his own judgement. This attitude could, however, be the
result of initiative and courage which he possesses. We would rate him as
second among ten other junior engineers with similar training,
experience, and qualifications, who were then working with us.
On the whole, we think Sri Sukhwani will be able to make a mark
in an organization which offers him opportunities for professional growth.
We were sorry to lose him but he told us that his private affairs did not
permit him to stay so far away from his hometown any longer.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
T.R. Kapoor
Chief Engineer
CALL LETTER
Your application would be carefully examined and your name
would be shortlisted (i) if your qualifications and experience are found
suitable for the post you have applied for arid (ii) if the reports nom the
references are favourable. You may then be called for an interview. Some
organisations may require you to participate in a group discussion also.
If you perform well and have an edge over other candidates, you may be
offered the job. Here, we, are giving one sample each of an interview call
letter and appointment letter, in the Exhibits 6.4 and 6.5 respectively.
EXHIBIT 6.4
Reference L PP-A/169
7 July, 2007
Jiwan Aluminium Corporation
203-A, Bharati Nagar
Chennai- 601 001
Sri V.L. Narasingham
Kutty Kunj
13, Wisheshwar Marg
Bangalore-560014
Dear Sri Narsingham,
Please refer to your application dated 11 May, 2007 for the post of
the Office Manager.
You would be glad to know that you name has been shortlisted for
interview and group discussion which we are organising on 25 July,
2007. Please report at 10 a.m. on that day to our secretary. The
Personnel Department is located on the second floor of the building. On
arrival, contact the Receptionist who would guide you how to reach this
Department.
Please bring testimonials and. certificates in original. These will be
returned to you after perusal.
You would be paid II class sleeper class fare for journey to and
from Chennai to attend the interview. A T.A. form is sent herewith. Please
fill it in and hand over to our secretary immediately on arrival.
Best wishes,
Yours sincerely
Arpit Mohan
Assistant Personnel Manager
LETTER OF APPOINTMENT
A letter of appointment is essentially a direct approach, good news
letter. The good news is given in the very beginning of the letter.
Reference may be made to the candidate’s interview or written
examination and group discussion followed by personal interview or the
C.V. on the basis of which an offer may be made. It is an informationgiving letter covering the following points:
•
Congratulations to the candidate appointed/the employer’s
pleasure in making the offer.
•
The date and time of joining.
•
The nature of duties.
•
Service conditions including duty hours, salary, allowances,
perquisites etc. The name/designation of the person to whom
he is supposed to report for duty and is going to be answerable.
•
Requesting the appointee to convey his acceptance of the
offer.
EXHIBIT 6.5
Jiwan Aluminium Corporation
203/A, Bharati Nagar
Chennai- 601 001
Reference: PP-A/207
12 December, 2006
Sri V.L. Narasingham
Kutty Kunj
93, Wisheshwar Marg
Bangalore-560014
Dear Sri Narsingham
Please refer to your application dated 11 May, 2006 for the post of
the Office Manager.
Nature of appointment
You will be on probation for six months and confirmed after the
expiry of this period if your performance is satisfactory.
Place of posting
Initially you will posted at the headquarters but the company may
transfer you in the same capacity to any of its branch offices which at
present are located in Calicut, Nagpur and Ahmedabad.
Allowances
You will be entitled to dearness allowance, house rent allowance,
travelling allowance and daily allowance according to the company rules.
Other benefits
You will also be reimbursed 100% medical expenses which you
may incur on your illness or that of your spouse and children provided
you are treated by an authorized medical attendant at his consulting
room or on his advice at one of the company approved hospitals.
Transport
At present the company transports its employees from certain fixed
points in the city to the office and back. You would be entitled to avail of
this facility. However, this facility may be withdrawn any time without
assigning any reasons. If you come to office in your own car, you would
be entitled to a car allowance at Rs.800/- per month, which, may be
revised at company’s discretion.
If this offer is acceptable, please convey your consent latest by 27
December, 2001 and report for duty by 12 January, 2002. If we do not
hear anything from you or you fail to join duty within the specified
period, we would assume that you are not interested in the job.
Consequently, this offer would automatically stand cancelled.
Best wishes,
Yours sincerely
Rachit Mohan
Chief Personnel Manager
6.8 RESIGNATION LETTER
You would sometimes quit an organisation to join another. You
may occasionally do so because of personal reasons such as to unsuitability of climate, inability to look after property, need for being
near to close relatives, etc. But very often the job is changed because of
other reasons such as getting a higher position, being by passed for an
expected promotion, better pay package, better prospects for professional
growth, etc.
For quitting an organisation you would have to write a resignation
letter. There is no rule to say what such a letter should contain. You
could just write one sentence and be done with it: “I resign from my post
of Sale’s Manager and request you to relieve me after three months notice
period expiring on 26 February, 2007”. Usually, however, a resignation
letter contains three main points: statement of resignation and request
for being relieved, reasons for resignation, and expression of thanks for
courtesies extended during the tenure of service with the organization.
An example of resignation letter is given in Exhibits 6.6.
EXHIBITS 6.6
23, SDA Flats
Ramapuram
Indraprasth Extension
Saleempur-522007
30 November, 2006
The General Manager
Jindal Steel Works
Pindla Industrial Area
Vijaynagar
Saleempur-522009
Sir,
As you are aware, ever since I joined the company I have not been
keeping good health. I had to take leave on medical grounds thrice during
he short period of one ear’s service. The doctors have now advised me a
change of place as the climate of this area does not suit me.
I, therefore, submit herewith my resignation letter with the request
that I be relieved immediately.
However, if this is not convenient, I may be relieved after one
month’s notice period expiring on 30 December, 2006.
I enjoyed working in this organization and I regret that I have to
leave it. The experience here has been rewarding in many ways. I thank
you and the colleagues for all the guidance, help and cooperation in the
discharge of my duties.
Yours faithfully,
Rajesh Kumar
(Senior Mechanical Engineer)
JOB ACCEPTANCE/CONSENT LETTER
A job acceptance or consent letter is a favourable response, direct
approach letter. It should, therefore, be a brief letter covering the
following points:
• Thanks to the appointing authority.
• Agreeing to abide by the conditions of service.
• If necessary, mention the date and time of joining.
Some organizations take the candidate’s acceptance on a copy of
the appointment letter itself as in the letter reproduced above.
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