Magneto Ezine 14: Writing in your underpants

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Writing in your underpants

Below:
1. Writing in your underpants
2. Survey results: Creative avoidance
3. Public writing courses

Always remember your writing represents you. How does yours make you look? Do your letters sound respectable, as if you’re in a suit, but your emails sound like you’re in shorts and t-shirt? Too much informality ain’t good (see?).

Take it too far and you’ll sound like you’re just in your undies! Examples include using computer game jargon and text-message abbreviations in job applications – see “Graduates ‘SMS’ in job l3tt3rs” (Sydney Morning Herald).

That article cites a survey showing employers care most about graduates’ communication skills, more than their analytical abilities or academic records.

One area people come unstuck in is openings and closings:

Openings: “Dear John” is good for letters; “Hi John” for emails. (But know your audience — a successful young businesswoman I know thinks strangers are rude and too familiar when they email her with “Hi X”.)
Closings: For letters, “Yours sincerely” if you know their name; “Yours faithfully” if you don’t. For emails, “Cheers” if you know them well, and something like “Kind regards” if you don’t.
Tip: How did your reader write to you? If they EMAIL you with “Dear John” and sign off with “Yours faithfully,” think twice before replying with “Hi Frank” and “Cheers”.

Like to take your writing up a notch? This article, “Writing Wrongs,” previously published in HR Monthly, is for you.

Survey results: Creative avoidance
Last month we asked for your most creative ways of avoiding writing. Full results are here [click "view"]. Highlights were plucking eyebrows, flossing teeth and vacuuming shoeboxes!

To overcome these dire afflictions, see last month’s issue on procrastination!

Have a great month,



	Procrastinator Terminator Showdown: I vs. Me Apostrophe catastrophe Make it rare to get “Well done!” Writing for sheep Get 'em committed The power of “give & take” Use “Authority” to your advantage Influence at your fingertips Do you write Old Style or New? Keep it short, sport Fat-free writing tips It's all about YOU!

BRAIN GYM: This month, whenever you write, turn up your “informality” radar. If you’re unsure if a turn of phrase is cool to use or not (yep, “cool” should be a blip on your radar!), consider changing it – better to err on the side of respect for your reader than seem unprofessional.

Yo! Wanna kick “informal” writing?
Pick up da fone! 02 9427 3127

Public writing courses

Learn more >> EARN more

Professional business writing: “Get it Write”
16 April (earlybird expires 26 March: Save $160)
See course outline.

Persuasive writing: “Write More Business”
30 April (earlybird expires 9 April: Save $160)
See course outline.

“Although I’m a hardened conference-goer and training attendee, I thought your training was fun, practical, engaging and well structured.”

Meredith Williams
Conference Producer — Professional Development LexisNexis

Prefer an in-house course?

Magneto Communications Pty Ltd

Phone/fax 1300 658 580

www.magneto.net.au
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