Chapter-1

Functional English
Starting a Conversation:Some of the following tips in order to start a good conversation: The search for Common Ground:When starting a conversation with people whom you dont know. Try ground
subjects. Some of the ground subjects are: work, sports, music, travel, where
you live.
Keeping the Conversation going:Ask open ended questions like why, how, what etc.,
Be attentive: Learn to listen actively or with concentration.
Attitude: What can I learn from and what he is saying really?
Self- Disclosure:Talk about yourself.
Then share the experiences and tell stories.
Then express feelings and react emotionally and show the enthusiasm.
Be in a moment:Create reciprocity: Give the complaints, feed back by using names.
Refer to the Situation: Surroundings, Circumstances, people etc..,
Be light: Use the humor.

Non-Verbal Communication:Body Language practice. The SOFTEN Approach.

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S- Smile
O- Open arms
F- Forward lean
T- Touch
E- Eye contact
N- Nod
Conversation tips:Questions you could ask at work or any business related functions.
Example: Describe a typical day of the job?
How did you come up with the ideas?
Instructions:1. stay up to date on what happening in the world so that you have plenty of
things to talk about.
2. Prepare yourself before you attend the event where you will meet new
people.
3. Ask many questions as possible.
4. Listen to others,people can sense when you are not interested in what
they have to say.
5. Take note of what is going on around them.
6. Smile and look at others in the eye.
7. Keep practicing, force yourself to strike up Conversation.

Responding to a Conversation:2

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILL is an important interpersonal skill to

convey what you want to convey.
Understanding
Clarification
Self-Disclosure
Questioning
Information Giving
Reassurance
Analytical
Advice Giving
Conversation Example:Example 1
You : Excuse me. I'm looking for a book called "ABC"?
Mr.A : Ok sir. The book corner is right over there.
You : Thank you.
A : You are welcome.
Example 2
You : Excuse me. Do you know where is the book department?
Mr.A : Sure. Please follow me.
You : Thank you.
Example 3
You : Excuse me. How can I find the book called "ABC"?
Mr.A : Oh. I'm afraid it was sold out.
You : It's ok. Thank you.
Body Language:-

Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of body

posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements. Borg attests that human
communication consists of 93 percent body language and paralinguistic cues, while
only 7% of communication consists of words themselves Body language may
provide clues as to the attitude or state of mind of a person. For example, it may
indicate aggression, attentiveness, boredom, relaxed state, pleasure, amusement,
and intoxication, among many other cues.
Understanding body language:Body language signals may have a goal other than communication. Both people
would keep this in mind. Observers limit the weight they place on non-verbal cues.
Signalers clarify their signals to indicate the biological origin of their actions. One
example would be yawning,showing lack of interest,desire to change the topic.
Physical expression:
Physical expressions like waving, pointing, touching and slouching are all forms of
nonverbal communication. The study of body movement and expression is
known as kinesics. Humans move their bodies when communicating
because, it helps "ease the mental effort when communication is difficult."
Physical expressions reveal many things about the person using them. For
example, gestures can emphasize a point or relay a message, posture can
reveal boredom or great interest, and touch can convey encouragement or
caution.

One of the most basic and powerful body-language signals is when a person
crosses his or her arms across the chest. This can indicate that a person is
putting up an unconscious barrier between themselves and others. It can also
indicate that the person's arms are cold, which would be clarified by rubbing
the arms or huddling. When the overall situation is amicable, it can mean
that a person is thinking deeply about what is being discussed. But in a
serious or confrontational situation, it can mean that a person is expressing
opposition. This is especially so if the person is leaning away from the
speaker. A harsh or blank facial expression often indicates outright hostility.
Consistent eye contact can indicate that a person is thinking positively of
what the speaker is saying. It can also mean that the other person doesn't
trust the speaker enough to "take his eyes off" the speaker. Lack of eye
contact can indicate negativity. On the other hand, individuals with anxiety
4

disorders are often unable to make eye contact without discomfort. Eye
contact can also be a secondary and misleading gesture because cultural
norms about it vary widely. If a person is looking at you, but is making the
arms-across-chest signal, the eye contact could be indicative that something
is bothering the person, and that he wants to talk about it. Or if while making
direct eye contact, a person is fiddling with something, even while directly
looking at you, it could indicate the attention is elsewhere. Also, there are
three standard areas that a person will look which represent different states
of being. If the person looks from one eye to the other then to the forehead,
it is a sign that they are taking an authoritative position. If they move from
one eye to the other then to the nose, that signals that they are engaging in
what they consider to be a "level conversation" with neither party holding
superiority. The last case is from one eye to the other and then down to the
lips. This is a strong indication of romantic feelings.

Disbelief is often indicated by averted gaze, or by touching the ear or

scratching the chin. When a person is not being convinced by what someone
is saying, the attention invariably wanders, and the eyes will stare away for
an extended period.

Boredom is indicated by the head tilting to one side, or by the eyes looking
straight at the speaker but becoming slightly unfocused. A head tilt may also
indicate a sore neck or Amblyopia, and unfocused eyes may indicate ocular
problems in the listener.

Interest can be indicated through posture or extended eye contact, such as

standing and listening properly.

Deceit or the act of withholding information can sometimes be indicated by

touching the face during conversation. Excessive blinking is a well-known
indicator of someone who is lying. Recently, evidence has surfaced that the
absence of blinking can also represent lying as a more reliable factor than
excessive blinking.

Some people use and understand body language differently, or not at all.
Interpreting their gestures and facial expressions (or lack thereof) in the context of
normal body language usually leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations
(especially if body language is given priority over spoken language). It should also
be stated that people from different cultures can interpret body language in
different ways.
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Viva voce Questions:

1. Give some important tips to start a good conversation.
2. What do you mean by non-verbal communication?
3. What is effective communication skill?
4. What do you understand by body language?
5. State some important body language signals.

Chapter-2
Vocabulary Building
Synonyms and Antonyms:
Synonyms are different words with identical or very similar meanings. Words that
are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is
called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn () ("with") and
onoma () ("name"). The words car and automobile are synonyms.
Some Examples:
"student" and "pupil"
"petty crime" and "misdemeanor"
"buy" and "purchase"
"sick" and "ill"
"quickly" and "speedily"
"on" and "upon"
Antonyms are words that lie in an inherently incompatible binary relationship as
in the opposite pairs male : female, long : short, up : down, and precede : follow.
For example:
short and tall
dead and alive
increase and decrease
add and subtract

Word Roots and Prefixes

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Root or Prefix

Meaning

Examples

a, an

not, without

atheist, anarchy, anonymous

apathy, aphasia, anemia,
atypical, anesthesia

ab

away, down, from, off

absent, abduction, aberrant,

abstemious, abnormal, abstract,
absorb

acro

high, tip, top

acrobat, acrophobia, acronym,

acromegaly, acropolis

do, move

action, react, transaction,

proactive, activity, activation,
deactivate

ad

to, toward

admit, addition, advertisement,

adherent, admonish, address,
adhesive, adept, adjust

alt

High

altitude, altimeter, alto,

contralto, altocumulus, exalt

act

Study of Word Origins:

English has proven accommodating to words from many languages. Scientific
terminology relies heavily on words of Latin and Greek origin. Spanish has
contributed many words, particularly in the south-western United States. Examples
include buckaroo from vaquero or "cowboy", alligator from el lagarto or "the
lizard", rodeo and savvy; states names such as Colorado and Florida. Cuddle,
eerie and greed come from Scots; albino, palaver, verandah and coconut from
Portuguese; diva, prima donna, pasta, pizza, paparazzi and umbrella from Italian;
adobe, alcohol, algebra, algorithm, apricot, assassin, caliber, cotton, hazard,
jacket, jar, julep, mosque, Muslim, orange, safari, sofa and zero from Arabic;
honcho, sushi, and tsunami from Japanese; dim sum, gung ho, kowtow, kumquat,
ketchup, and typhoon from Cantonese Chinese; behemoth, hallelujah, Satan,
jubilee, and rabbi from Hebrew; taiga, sable and sputnik from Russian; galore,
8

whiskey, phoney, trousers and Tory from Irish; brahman, guru, karma, pandit from
Sanskrit; kampong and amok from Malay;
One-word Substitutes:One word may often express the idea of a phrase. Here are
some common one word substitutes. Some examples:
Epitaph: inscription on a tombstone
Fatalist: one who believes in the philosophical doctrine of fatalism
Atheist: a person who does not believe in God or deities
Amphibian: a land animal that breeds in water
Polyandry: the custom of having more than one husband at the same time
Triennial: taking place once every three years
Usurer: somebody who loans money to other people and charges them exorbitant
or unlawful interest on it
Usurper: a person who seize something without the right to do so
Philanthropist: a person who helps others, especially those who are poor and in
trouble
Analogy:
Definition: A resemblance of relations; an agreement or likeness between things in
some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different.
Thus, learning enlightens the mind, because it is to the mind what light is to the
eye, enabling it to discover things before hidden.
In verbal analogies, the student is given one pair of related words and another word
without its pair. The student must find a words that has the same relationship to the
word as the first pair. For example: fire is to hot, as ice is to cold.
Pairs of words in verbal analogies can be related in many ways, including the
following types:
Type of Analogy

Examples
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things that go
together

bat/ball, bow/arrow, salt/pepper, bread/butter, fork/knife

opposites

big/small, stop/go, hot/cold, tall/short, wide/narrow, early/late,

graceful/clumsy, laugh/cry, dark/light, sharp/dull

synonyms

big/large, stop/halt, cold/icy, thin/slim, small/tiny, sad/unhappy,

show/reveal, hide/conceal, hint/clue

object and
classification

green/color, ants/insect, rabbit/mammal, table/furniture,

pants/clothing, 3/odd number, apple/fruit, lunch/meal,
uncle/relative, sandal/shoe, spring/season

object and group

whale/pod, kitten/litter, bird/flock, cow/herd, lion/pride,

wolf/pack

object and related plant/sprout, butterfly/caterpillar, cat/kitten, mother/baby,

object
dog/puppy
object and a
characteristic

grass/green, sponge/porous, marshmallow/soft, elephant/big,

desert/dry, gold/shiny, party/happy, skunk/smelly, ball/round

object and
location

car/garage, stove/kitchen, tub/bathroom, fire/fireplace, lion/zoo,

eraser/pencil

Idioms:
An idiom is a group of words in current usage having a meaning that is not
deducible from those of the individual words. For example, "to rain cats and dogs"
- which means "to rain very heavily" - is an idiom; and "over the moon" - which
means "extremely happy" - is another idiom. Some examples:
Get Down to Brass Tacks:
To become serious about something.
Get Over It:
To move beyond something that is bothering you.
Get Up On The Wrong Side Of The Bed:
Someone who is having a horrible day.
Get Your Walking Papers:
Get fired from a job.
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Give Him The Slip:

To get away from. To escape.
Phrasal Verbs:-Phrasal verbs are usually two-word phrases consisting of verb +
adverb or verb + preposition.Some phrasal verbs require a direct object
(someone/something), while others do not. Some phrasal verbs can be separated by
the object, while others cannot.
Most phrasal verbs consist of two words, but a few consist of three words, which
always stay together.
Verb

Meaning

Example

ask someone
out

invite on a date

Brian asked Judy out to dinner and a

movie.

ask around

ask many people the

same question

I asked around but nobody has seen

my wallet.

add up to
something

Equal

Your purchases add up to $205.32.

back something
up

Reverse

You'll have to back up your car so

that I can get out.

back someone
up

support

My wife backed me up over my

decision to quit my job.

Viva voce Questions:

1. What do you understand by the terms synonyms and antonyms?
2. Give the meaning of the following root words with examples
11

i)
Acro
ii) Actiii) A
iv) An
3. Give the definition of analogy with some examples.
4. What do you mean by an idiomatic expression?
5. Give some examples of phrasal verbs.

Chapter-3
Group Discussion
Introduction:
A GD is a methodology used by an organization to gauge whether the candidate
has certain personality traits and/or skills that it desires in its members. In this
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methodology, the group of candidates is given a topic or a situation, given a few

minutes to think about the same, and then asked to discuss it among themselves for
15-20 minutes. Infact, it helps to shortlist candidates for the final interview.
A group discussion is a leaderless group. All the candidates are competitors who
have to join the discussion without the presence and participation of the examiner.
The examiner standing away from the group evaluates he leadership level and
personality traits of the several candidates who constitute the group.
A group discussion can be categorized into three phases:
1. Initiation/Introduction
2. Body of the group discussion
3. Summarization/conclusion
Importance of G.D.s:
The group discussion tests how one can function as a part of a team. As a manager,
you will always be working in teams, as a member, or as a leader. Therefore, how
you interact in a team becomes an important criterion for ones job selection.
Companys perspective:
The G.D. id to check how one behaves, participates and contributed in a group,
howmuch important do one can give to the group objective as well as ones
own.The aspects which make up a GD are verbal communication, non-verbal
behavior, and conformation to norms, decision-making ability and cooperation.

These are four essential components of a group discussion test:

Personality manifestation
Knowledge
Communication skills
Leadership

Types of GD:

13

Dos and Donts:

DOS

Respect the contribution of other speakers

Speak plesently and with courtesy to all members of the group
Take time to organise your thought. Think of what you are going to say.
Listen well to the ideas of other speakers; you will learn something.
Acknowledge what you find interesting
Remember that a discussion is not a fight. Learn to disagree politely
Respect differing views. Those who hold them are not necessarily wrong
Language skills are important only to the effect as to how you get your
points across clearly and fluently.
Try to stick to he discussion topic. Dont introduce irrelevant information
Be aware of your body language.keep it open and friendly
Avoid gestures that appear aggressive
Speak clearly. Dont whisper

DONTS :
Dont take offence if another speaker disagrees with you. Putting forward
different points of view is an important part of any discussion
Never try to intimate or insult another speaker or ridicule the contribution of
others
14

 Dont use comments like thats stupid or youre wrong. Learn to

disagree and argue appropriately.
Avoid negative body language when speaking
Take care to use a moderate tone of voice. If you sound angry or aggressive
others will dominate the discussion
Avoid drawing too much on personal experience.
Dont interrupt or talk over another speaker. Let them finish their point
before you start. Listening to others earns you the right to be heard.
Dynamics of the group discussion:
In a GD, an idea or a perspetive which provides a scope for entirely new
dimensional discussion is always highly appreciated.
Some of the dynamics of a good GD are

Flexibility
Initialtive
Persuasiveness
Communication skills
Knowledge and ideas regarding a given subject
Capability to co-ordinate and lead
Exchange of thoughts
Addressing the group as a whole
Thorough preperations

INTERVENTIONS:
Interventions is a common feature one can come across in GDs. It is ery importat
how we intervene. The interviewer is very specific about how you carry yourself
when you need to intervene.
Some tips to keep in mind while you intervene in a GD
Never be emotional
Use appropriate vocabulary and phrases
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 Use pleasant body language

Keep in mind that you are doing it only to convey your opinion
And not to prejudicing against the other team member
Fluency and coherence:
Fluency:
Enhance your pool of vocabulary with not so tedious or ornamental words; they
must be simple and general. It is also recommended that you learn some phrasal
verbs as well as some idioms ad proverbs of this language which will add extra
boost to your fluency.Never rush with your sentences. Be at ease always. Speak
loud and clear so that your team mates can hear you dont mumble.Talk plainly,
briefly, naturally, sensibly, truthfully, purely.Keep from slang; dont put on airs and
dont use big words!
Command over the language and good grammar definitely aids you in enhancing
your performance. To enhance fluency, tone of voice and articulation, start by
reading aloud from a book or an editorial for around 15 minutes daily.Fluency as
where mind is able to express ones thoughts freely in English. Gain fluency by
expanding vocabulary.
Coherence:
Clarify the purpose, goal, or thesis of your talk.
Have the focus of your talk so clear that you can rewrite it
Know the point of your talk: whats the big picture?
Limit yourself to relatively few main ideas
Fully develop these few main points
Make rhetorical choices that maximize the communication of your purpose,
goal or thesis.
Use an organizational pattern that helps the group to follow and predict
where you are headed with your topic. Develop an outline based on your
thesis statement
Mind map : using the central point of the talk as origin in the development
of a radiant, associative pattern of ideas
Pro and con : arguing the positive and negative aspects of an issue or
problem,

16

 Problem solution: posing a problem and offering a solution

Develop an introduction that sparks the audiences curiosity and gives them
a reason to listen why is this topic important to them?
Develop a conclusion that summarizes the main points that you have
presented.
Modulation of voice:Voice modulation to improve your voice and increase your
authority in presentations.

Pitch
Pace
Power
Pausing

Body language:
Gathering information of body language principles, dressing style and usage of
words can be done by noticing peers or participating on the podium level. Make it
a habit to speak publicly and take part in extempore speeches and on the stage
activities. Body language is something which people rarely talk about but
expressions speak the most.Many times we can gauge by a smile or a frown about
the words that are not expressed by the tongue
Physical appearance
Head position
Eye contact
Gesture
Stance
Facial expression
Time to process the message
Bring it all together

Relevance:
Relevance is a key point to be considered while participation in a GD. To to have a
relevant flow of thought and discussion, the following point should be kept in
mind.
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Give good prior preparation of the topic

Arrange the prepared data in a sequential flow
Dont panic
Verify with what you prepare is in relevant to the topic given

Summarization techniques:
Most GDs are left without a conclusion, and it isnt even essential that a group
reach one.
A conclusion represents a final stage where the entire group decides in favor
or against a topic, in the case of a summarization a candidate summarizes in a
nutshell what the group has discussed
While summarizing a discussion, he following points should be kept in
mind:

A person should not share his or her own view point alone
A summary should not dwell and concise
It should be brief and concise
It should incorporate all the important points spoken
It is not advisable to add anything once a GD has been summarized.

A simple framework for a summary can be, we had a healthy group discussion
and, as group, evaluated this topic from different perspectives. Some of my friends
spoke in favor of the topic and the reasons they gave were (elaborate), while some
good points against the topic were (elaborate)
In all, we had a very good discussion with everyone participating
enthusiastically.

Viva voce Questions:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Nature and importance of group discussion.

Mention the Dos and Donts of a group discussion.
What are the dynamics of a good group discussion?
What is the summarization technique of a good group discussion?
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5. Group interaction.

Chapter-4
Interview Skills
EFFECTIVE INTERVIEW SKILLS:
To meet the challenges of professional life, one has to be familiar with many skills
to grab the attention of an interviewer, out of which Interview skills are the basic
necessities to meet up the future challenges with success.
Pre-interview Planning:
One should have to be prepared in advance for an interview. Its the only way
through in which one can gain the trust of an interviewer.
An interviewer always attempt to decide that why they should select you?
What are the qualities, which you have and other do not have?
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How can you benefit their organization?

If you can show your trust, your confidence, your commitment, and appropriate
skills, then you could win a successful future.
Interview is a form of oral communication. Its one to one, or one to group
interaction, where an applicant proves themselves as a unique person to be the part
of an organization.
Remember that interview is always pre-planned and structured. Its a formal
presentation between an interviewer and an interviewee.
Only those pass it with flying colours, who are original and show their interest with
confidence and who present themselves appealing.

Types of Interview:
There are many types of interview like Information gathering interview, appraisal
interview, exit interview, hiring interview, college/ university interview, persuasive
interview, counseling interview and many more.
Hiring/Entrance Interview is one of the best known and the most widely
experienced type of interview, where an interviewer is taken by Human Resource
Manager/ Educational Expertise. To reduce your chances being rejected, here are
some basic professional skills, which will lead you towards the path of success in
your interview.
BEFORE INTERVIEW
First of all, prepare your mind in advance, that you are going to have an interview
next morning. Relax yourself and do not get nervous, tense or tired at any cost.
Before going for an interview, pre-planned few things:
1. Learn about the company, organization or educational institution and do some
research in advance.
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2. Why should you perform an advance research?

3. Simply to develop good answers and to prove yourself unique.
4. What you have to Research?
5. You can gather information about organizational structure; type of their clients/
students; departments and its branches; past and present achievements etc.
Prepare answers to typical questions. Practice your answer and never rote learn it.
Here are few of the sampling questions, which you can practice in advance.
1. What do you feel about our organization?
2. What are your weaknesses?
3. Why do you want to become a part of our organization?
4. Tell me about your self and about your hobbies.
5. Who is your role model and why?
If you are lucky to know the name of a person, who will interview you, then
memorizes his/her name properly.
Decide what to wear.
Remember to Dress simply but elegantly. Dress should be well ironed without
crease. Wear comfortable shoes. remember to wear basic hosiery.
You can even check what management wears and dress similarly without over kill.
Do not Dress casual or wear Athletic Shoes.
Prepare your file having your portfolio, educational degree copies and extra copies
of your resume.
Find proper address in advance, that where are you going in the morning.
Last but not the least;get a good night sleep.
TRADITIONAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
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Few of the traditional interview questions, which an organization might ask are
1. Tell me about yourself (in two minutes).
2. Why do you feel that you will be successful in ...?
3. Why did you decide to interview with our organization?
4. Are you willing to relocate?
5. Tell me about your scholastic record.
6. Tell me about your extra-curricular activities and interests.
7. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
8. Why should we hire you?
9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
AFTER INTERVIEW With a pleasing smile, say thanks and ask about the next
step in the process. Follow up. Call them if you do not get a call within a given
time frame and don't forget to write a thank you letter to an organization for taking
out their precious time for your interview.
Answering Strategies:Here are some of the Basic question in answering interview strategies:
1)You can never predict every question that you will encounter, so approach the
interview with an inventory of important points. Make a list of the points about
yourself that you want the interviewer to know.
2)Consider each question an opportunity to provide some of this information. Don't
assume anything. You will be evaluated on your answers, not your resume.
3)Pause a couple of seconds before you respond to each question, even if you
know exactly what you want to say. Take this time to quickly plan your answer,
this helps to avoid misunderstandings and produces much more concise answers.
22

4)If you don't understand a question, ask for clarification. This is expected and is
preferable to providing an unsuitable answer. If you need time to collect your
thoughts - take it. It is better to think for a few moments and make sure that your
answer is doing you justice.
5)Always expand. Never answer a question with a "yes" or "no."
6)The interview is an opportunity for you to sell yourself. Don't be afraid to 'blow
your own horn.' As long as you can back up what you are saying with examples
which demonstrate that what you are saying is true, you are not bragging.
7)Be very positive. Don't complain about anything Also, avoid negative words.
8)Don't be afraid to repeat important points. In fact, it is a good idea to do this.
Telephone Interviews:The telephone interview is the most common way to perform an initial screening
interview. This helps the interviewer and the candidate get a general sense if they
are mutually interested in pursuing discussion beyond the first interview. This type
of interviewing also saves time and money. They may be tape recorded for the
review of other interviewers. The goal, for the candidate during the phone
interview, is to arrange a face to face meeting.
Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. Compile a
list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone
interview questions. In addition, plan on being prepared for a phone conversation
about your background and skills.

Keep your resume in clear view, on the top of your desk, or tape it to the
wall near the phone, so it's at your fingertips when you need to answer
questions.
Have a short list of your accomplishments available to review.

Have a pen and paper handy for note taking.

Turn call-waiting off so your call isn't interrupted.

23

If the time isn't convenient, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest
some alternatives.

Unless you're sure your cell phone service is going to be perfect, consider
using a landline rather than your cell phone to avoid a dropped call or static
on the line.

Practice Interviewing
Talking on the phone isn't as easy as it seems. Have a friend or family member
conduct a mock interview and tape record it so you can see how you sound over
the phone. Any cassette recorder will work. You'll be able to hear your "ums" and
"uhs" and "okays" and you can practice reducing them from your conversational
speech. Also rehearse answers to those typical questions you'll be asked.
During the Phone Interview

Don't smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink.

Do keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth.

Smile. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change
the tone of your voice.

Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.

Use the person's title (Mr. or Ms. and their last name.) Only use a first name
if they ask you to.

Don't interrupt the interviewer.

Take your time - it's perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect
your thoughts.

Give short answers.

Remember your goal is to set-up a face-to-face interview. After you thank

the interviewer ask if it would be possible to meet in person.

After the Interview:

Take notes about what you were asked and how you answered.
Remember to say "thank you." Follow with a thank you note which
reiterates your interest in the job.
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Video Interviews:Videophone and Video Conferencing interviews provide the transfer of audio
and video between remote sites. More than half of the largest U.S. companies
already utilize videoconferencing. It is a convenient communication method and an
alternative to the more costly face-to-face meetings. Anyone, anywhere in the
world can perform videoconferencing with the use of a microphone, camera and
compatible software. Videoconferencing is available on the Internet. Its continual
drop in cost is making it a popular resource for businesses as well as for home use.
Viva voce Questions:
1. What are pre-interview preparation techniques?
2. What are the strategies to deal with interview questions?
3. What are the answering strategies in interview questions?
4. What are the Dos and Donts during telephonic interview?
5. What do you understand by video conferencing?

Chapter-5
Resume Writing
Definition:A resume is a document that provides an employer with a detailed statement of a
job candidate's prior work experience, education, and accomplishments. The
resume often supplies an employment objective; a summary of skills, knowledge,
and potential contributions; a summary of civic, professional, and philanthropic
volunteer work; a list of certifications; and mention of any additional, relevant
coursework.
HOW TO WRITE A RESUME
Resume is a document that speaks about You, and tells why an Employer should
choose You for a job interview. Resume is reviewed before the job interview, so it
is a reflection of yours as an ideal employee with desired qualification and
experience.
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Some people stuff their resume with too much information, while others mention
the specific information, but in an unorganized manner. So, it is very important to
know the art of writing a good resume.
What it needs to make a Good Resume:
-What Abilities You Possess, What Qualities You Have, and Your Achievements in
Professional terms.
-Your Previous Jobs, your Academic and Professional Qualification, etc in a
chronological order (based on time period).
RESUME TIPS
Below are the tips to build a quality Curriculum Vitae:
Use a Good A-4 Size paper.
Use same Paper for Cover Letter also.

Do not Fold your Resume sheets.

Use Simple font of size 12 Points.

Do not use more than two font styles in your Resume.

A Resume typically should be restricted to a page without any irrelevant

details.

Make sure you personalize your objective for each Organization, e.g. AIR
HOSTESS WITH SINGAPORE AIRLINES, MARKETING EXECUTIVE
WITH IBM CORP, etc.

A Cover letter should be personalized to specific Organization, you wish to

apply for.

Do not list References, write instead that they are available on request. List
the References only if specifically asked.

Look for the Employer's needs. Portray Yourself as a Solution to their needs
in your resume.

Write Your Professional Qualifications and Knowledge first as this section

tells the Employer about your Job skills.

Then List your Academic Qualifications in chronological order, starting with

recent Qualification to Previous ones. You may write your Qualification in
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order of Relevance, if Your Educational Background is not directly related to

Your Job Skills.

Get You Resume Reviewed by a Friend. This will help you to get feedback
on the language and content of your Resume.

Check for the Spelling Errors, Grammatical Mistakes, Punctuation

Problems, Alignment etc.

Types of Resumes:A functional resume assists an applicant to underplay any employment gaps or
other unusual circumstances in their employment or educational history.
Employers are right to interpret a functional resume with some skepticism and
concern. A functional resume covers up details of an applicant's employment
history that may appropriately concern an employer. A resume may also combine
both chronological and functional experiences.
A targeted resume customizes an applicant's work experience, education, and
accomplishments to demonstrate that his or her credentials are a perfect fit for your
stated needs. While time consuming, the targeted resume is recommended by job
search experts for certain job applications. Targeted resumes are recommended
when an applicant is really interested in and well-qualified for your advertised
position

A Sample Resume:-

James Free
17017 Fuzzy Blvd, Edmond, OR 00222
c: 455-999-3333 e: JaFree@copxs.net

Energetic and motivating leader with proven ability to effectively manage both
personnel and projects. Self starter and strong independent worker. Excel at
analyzing products and procedures to generate new ideas to improve efficiency and
production quality. Highly adaptable to ever changing circumstances. Key
member in any team developing and executing strategic business plans.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Uncomfortable, Inc. , 2007- Present
Manager
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Managed daily operations of a $1 million foam insulation company.

Developed an effective marketing campaign and restructured product
pricing/discounts resulting in an 80% bid acceptance rate.

Implemented new bidding process utilizing Excel spreadsheets to formulate

more accurate bids. Allowed for the tracking of individual job costs and
provided feedback as to efficiency of crews with regards to material waste
and labor hours.

Trained and supervised work crews in more efficient product installation

techniques that have reduced material waste by 20% and labor hours by
43%.

United States Rescue Officer, 1995-2006

Manager, (2004- 2006)

Data Network Manager - Managed command and control data network

used to generate video representation of geographic area surrounding ship.
Team consisted of 38 individuals from four departments.
Production Control Officer - Coordinated the efforts of 135 personnel
utilizing 37,000 man hours, completed 520 jobs totaling over $4 million
during 13 month refurbishment period.
Assistant Command Duty Officer - Directed daily routine utilizing a duty
section of 600 personnel from 12 different departments.

Instructor Pilot, (2001-2004)

Standardization Officer - Administered, coordinated, and supervised flight

and academic training for United States flight training program.
Encompassed over 200 instructors and 600 students in five units.
Assistant Operations Officer - Coordinated and supervised four Flight
Commanders to insure pilot completion rates met quarterly and annual
goals.
Flight Commander - Managed and scheduled 11 instructor pilots and 38
flight students to complete primary and intermediate level flight training.

Instructor Pilot, (1998-2001)

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Instructor - Instructed junior pilots in all facets of large multi-engine

aircraft operations to include crew resource management, emergency
procedures, and basic flying skills.
Mission Commander - Led, planned, managed, and executed assignments
to maintain crew and aircraft at the highest levels of readiness.
Squadron Scheduler - Scheduled daily flight operations in order to meet
the individual training requirements of ten independently deployed crews
Consisting of 196 aircrew personnel.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING

MBA - Finance, Auburn University,

B.A. Business Economics - University of Costa Rica

Aviator - Advanced Flight Training, United States Flight Patrol

Integrated Project Team Course - Project Management College, United

States Flight Patrol.

AWARDS AND COMMENDATIONS

Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2)

Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Technical Report Writing

In Engineering, one of the major forms of communication is the technical report.
This is the conventional format for reporting the results of your research,
investigations, and design projects. At university, reports are read by lecturers and
tutors in order to assess your mastery of the subjects and your ability to apply your
knowledge to a practical task. In the workplace, they will be read by managers,
clients, and the construction engineers responsible for building from your designs.
The ability to produce a clear, concise, and professionally presented report is
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therefore a skill you will need to develop in order to succeed both at university and
in your future career.
While reports vary in the type of information they present (for example,
original research, the results of an investigative study, or the solution to a design
problem), all share similar features and are based on a similar structure.
Key features of reports:
Reports:
* are designed for quick and easy communication of information
* are designed for selective reading
* use sections with numbered headings and subheadings
* use figures and diagrams to convey data
Basic structure of a report :
A report usually has these components:
Title page:
This page gives:
* The title of the report
* The authors' names and ID numbers
* The course name and number, the department, and university
* The date of submission
The title of the report should indicate exactly what the report is about. The reader
should know not only the general topic, but also the aspect of the topic contained
in the report.
Summary:
The summary (sometimes referred to as the executive summary) provides a brief
overview of the substance of the report; usually no more than half a page. It is not
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an introduction to the topic. The summary should outline all the key features of
your report, including the topic, what you did and how you did it, and the main
outcomes of your work. A busy manager who might not have time to read the full
report should be able to get the gist of the whole report by reading the summary.
The summary:
* states the topic of the report
* outlines your approach to the task if applicable
* gives the most important findings of your research or investigation,
or the key aspects of your design
* states the main outcomes or conclusions.
The summary does NOT:
* provide general background information
* explain why you are doing the research, investigation or design
* refer to later diagrams or references.

Table of contents:
The contents page sets out the sections and subsections of the report and their
corresponding page numbers. It should clearly show the structural relationship
between the sections and subsections. A reader looking for specific information
should be able to locate the appropriate section easily from the table of contents.
The conventions for section and page numbering are as follows:
* Number the sections by the decimal point numbering system
* Number all the preliminary pages in lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii,
iii, iv, ...). You don't have to place the number i on the title page. Just count it
and put ii on the second page of your report. Preliminary pages are any which
come before the introduction, including the summary and, where applicable,
acknowledgements.
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* Number all the remaining pages of your report with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3,
4, ...). Thus the report proper begins on page 1 with your introduction, which is
usually Section 1.
* Provide a title in your table of contents to describe the contents of each
appendix (Note: one appendix, two or more appendices). Don't just call them
Appendix 1 or Appendix 2.
Introduction:
The introduction provides the background information needed for the rest of your
report to be understood. It is usually half to three-quarters of a page in length. The
purpose of the introduction is to set the context for your report, provide sufficient
background information for the reader to be able to follow the information
presented, and inform the reader about how that information will be presented.
The introduction includes:
* the background to the topic of your report to set your work in its broad context
* a clear statement of the purpose of the report, usually to present the results of
your research, investigation, or design
* a clear statement of the aims of the project
* technical background necessary to understand the report; e.g. theory or
assumptions
* a brief outline of the structure of the report if appropriate (this would not be
necessary in a short report)
Body of the report:
This is main part of the report, where you present your work. The introduction and
conclusions act as a frame for the body only: therefore all the details of your work
(including a summarised version of material in the appendices) must be included
here in the appropriate section. You will need to put some thought into the
ordering of the sections; the presentation of information should flow logically so
that the reader can follow the development of your project. It is also essential that
you choose concise but informative headings and subheadings so that the reader
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knows exactly what type of information to expect in each section.The body of the
report:
* presents the information from your research, both real world and theoretical,
or your design
* organizes information logically under appropriate headings
* conveys information in the most effective way for communication:
o uses figures and tables
o can use bulleted or numbered lists
o can use formatting to break up large slabs of text
Conclusions:The conclusions section provides an effective ending to your report.
The content should relate directly to the aims of the project as stated in the
introduction, and sum up the essential features of your work.
This section:
* states whether you have achieved your aims
* gives a brief summary of the key findings or information in your report
* highlights the major outcomes of your investigation and their significance.
Referencing:The two parts to referencing are:
* Citations in the text of the report
* A list of references in the final section
A citation shows that information comes from another source. The reference list
gives the details of these sources. You need to use in-text citations and provide
details in the references section when:
* you incorporate information from other sources; e.g.:
o factual material
o graphs and tables of data
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o pictures and diagrams

* you quote word-for-word from another work (when you do this the page
number must be given in the in-text citation)
In Engineering, the most common referencing style is the author-date (Harvard)
system. However, in Electrical Engineering the IEEE system is used. Full details of
these referencing styles are available from LLS Online Resources or through the
Library Online Tutorials
Appendices:
These contain material that is too detailed to include in the main report, such as
raw data or detailed drawings. The conventions for appendices are as follows:
* each appendix must be given a number (or letter) and title;
* each appendix must be referred to by number (or letter) at the relevant point in
the text.

Viva voce Questions:

1. What do you mean by a resume?
2. How to write a resume?
3. Give some tips to build a quality resume.
4. Give some differences between a functional and a targeted resume.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

State some key features of a good technical report.

What is the basic structure of a report?
Types of reports.
Body of a report.
Report writing strategies.

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Chapter-6
Reading Comprehension
Ask yourself this question: Do I read every word in your own language when I am
reading a schedule, summary, or other outlining document?
The answer is most definitely: No! Reading in English is like reading in your
native language. This means that it is not always necessary to read and understand
each and every word in English. Remember that reading skills in your native
language and English are basically the same.
The overview of the four types of reading skills used in every language are as
follows:
Skimming - used to understand the "gist" or main idea
Scanning - used to find a particular piece of information
Extensive reading - used for pleasure and general understanding
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Intensive reading - accurate reading for detailed understanding

Skimming
Skimming is used to quickly gather the most important information, or 'gist'. Run
your eyes over the text, noting important information. Use skimming to quickly get
up to speed on a current business situation. It's not essential to understand each
word when skimming.
Examples of Skimming:

The Newspaper (quickly to get the general news of the day)

Magazines (quickly to discover which articles you would like to read in
more detail)

Business and Travel Brochures (quickly to get informed)

Scanning
Scanning is used to find a particular piece of information. Run your eyes over the
text looking for the specific piece of information you need. Use scanning on
schedules, meeting plans, etc. in order to find the specific details you require. If
you see words or phrases that you don't understand, don't worry when scanning.
Examples of Scanning

The "What's on TV" section of your newspaper.

A train / airplane schedule

A conference guide

Extensive reading
Extensive reading is used to obtain a general understanding of a subject and
includes reading longer texts for pleasure, as well as business books. Use extensive
reading skills to improve your general knowledge of business procedures. Do not
worry if you understand each word.
Examples of Extensive Reading
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The latest marketing strategy book

A novel you read before going to bed

Magazine articles that interest you

Intensive reading
Intensive reading is used on shorter texts in order to extract specific information. It
includes very close accurate reading for detail. Use intensive reading skills to grasp
the details of a specific situation. In this case, it is important that you understand
each word, number or fact.
Examples of Intensive Reading

A bookkeeping report
An insurance claim

A contract

Now that you've reviewed the four reading skills, take this reading skills quiz to
help you improve reading skills through understanding of these basic reading
types.
Guessing Meanings from Context:
The use of contextual clues can be one of the best ways to improve students'
reading skills. Unfortunately, students often insist on understanding each word
when reading. Realizing that a text can be understood in a general sense by
using contextual clues can go a long way towards helping students cope with
increasingly difficult texts. At the same time, the use of contextual clues can
also provide a means by which students can rapidly increase their existing
vocabulary base.
Reading Clues :
Deduction - What does the sentence concern? Which words does the unknown
word seem to relate to?
Part of Speech - Which part of speech is the unknown word? Is it a verb, noun,
preposition, adjective, time expression or something else?
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Chunking - What do the words around the unknown word(s) mean? How could
the unknown word(s) relate to those words? - This is basically deduction on a more
local level.
Vocabulary Activation - When quickly skimming through the text, what does the
text seem to concern? Does the layout (design) of the text give any clues? Does the
publication or type of book give any clues to what the text might be about? Which
words can you think of that belong to this vocabulary category? Make logical
guesses about the meaning of the unknown words in the following paragraph.
Inferring Meaning:Finding the main idea of a paragraph along with making aninference or
understanding vocab words in context is one of the reading skills you'll need to
master before taking the reading comprehension section on any standardized test.
The main idea of a paragraph is the point the author is trying to make, minus all the
details. It's the answer you give to a co-worker when he or she asks you what you
did on Friday night. You'd probably say something like this:"I saw that new action
movie."
In essence, you are giving your friend the main idea of the event. Sometimes, the
main idea of a paragraph is very clear, but other times, such as when you're taking
a standardized test like the TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT, ACT, PSAT or grad school tests,
the main idea is murky and the answer choices are vague.
1. Summarize the Passage
After you've read the passage given to you, summarize what you've just read in
your head or on a scrap of paperYou'd probably come up with a one-sentence
explanation.Chances are good that you've found the main idea if you can
summarize the whole passage down to one sentence. Just be sure your one
sentence is broad enough to cover every detail in the text.
2. Look for Repetition of Ideas
If you read through a paragraph and you have no idea how to summarize it because
there is so much information, start looking for repeated words, phrases, ideas or
similar ideas.
3. When the Main Idea is Stated
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Sometimes, the author of a paragraph (often new writers) will write the main idea
directly in the text usually in the first few sentences. In that case, the main idea is
easy to find: just look for the sentence that summarizes the whole paragraph.
4. When the Main Idea is Implied:
This is a little trickier. If the author doesn't write down the main idea of the text, it's
up to you to infer what the main idea is. It seems to me that the author is giving us
different situations (having an interview, hanging out with friends, speaking
publicly) and then telling us to speak differently in each setting (use slang with
friends, be respectful and quiet in an interview, etc.).

Summary
Finding the main idea can be challenging, but if you use the tools above and
practice, you'll be well on your way to the score you want on the verbal or reading
sections of those standardized tests.
Goals of Critical Reading
Textbooks on critical reading commonly ask students to accomplish certain goals:
to recognize an authors purpose
to understand tone and persuasive elements

to recognize bias

Notice that none of these goals actually refers to something on the page. Each
requires inferences from evidence within the text:
recognizing purpose involves inferring a basis for choices of content and
language
recognizing tone and persuasive elements involves classifying the nature of
language choices

recognizing bias involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice of

content and language

Critical reading is not simply close and careful reading. To read critically, one must
actively recognize and analyze evidence upon the page.
Viva voce Questions:
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1. What do you understand by the term skimming?

2. What do you mean by scanning ? Give some examples.
3. Give some examples of extensive reading.
4. How intensive reading skills are helpful?
5. How do you infer the meaning from a passage?
6. State some goals of critical reading.

Chapter-7
PRESENTATION SKILLS
Giving presentation is an important activity in academic and professional carriers.
A presentation could be understood by selecting a topic, organizing information, preparing
visuals and finally presenting it to the audience.
TYPES OF PRESENTATIONS: 1. Oral presentation 2. Written presentation
HOW TO GIVE A PRESENTATION:

Select a topic of your choice

Collect necessary information about topic
Prepare relevant visuals
Practice for presentation
Give the presentation confidently

STEPS IN GIVING A PRESENTATION

Greet the audience
Introduce yourself
Speak
Conclusion
Ask for clarification
Thank the audience
Invite the next person
TIPS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION
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DOS

Take the charge early.

Aim of the audience
Make the presentation existing
Do something different
Make your audience do something different
Always have a hard copy

Select the topic of your choice

Put-on formal dress
Use correct body language
Speak clearly, could be audible.
Use the visual intelligibly/sensibly

DONT S
Do not add too much of statistics of body
Dont be in a haste to finish your part.
Dont shout
Dont get irritated with questions of the audience
KEYWORDS

Research/Prepare
Rehearse/Practice
Reproduce/Present.

Viva voce Questions:

1. What is presentation?
2. What are the dos of presentation?
3. What are the donts of presentation?

*****

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