Author Archives: Addv1452

  1. Top mistakes that employees make when writing business e-mails

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    Effective business e-mail writing is the lifeline of any business venture.  As an employee, you can help to increase the profit margins of your organization by building a healthy rapport with your customers, partners and colleagues, and to build rewarding professional relationships; you have to communicate effectively.  In the present day, e-mail is considered to be one of the best communication tools. Apart from being cost-effective, e-mails help you to stay in touch with your clients in a more than cursory manner. Conversely, the efficacy of e-mails decreases significantly if they are not written in a proper manner. Thus companies are conducting various workshops including business writing workshops,business e-mail workshops etc. These business email workshops help their employees to improve in effective business email writing.

    Here are top mistakes that employees make while writing business e-mails.

    • Meaningless subject lines: Every person receives hundreds of e-mails each day. If you do not include a meaningful subject line, your business e-mail is bound to get lost in the crowd. Your subject line should be pertinent to your message, not just baffling ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello’.
    • Irrelevant header: Make sure that the header corresponds perfectly with the subject of your e-mail.  For instance, if you are writing to a client to remind him that he hasn’t paid the bill; your header should look something like this, ‘Request for the payment of dues’. Once the client has made the payment, the e-mail header should read like this, ‘Thanks for the payment’. 
    • Incorrect tone:  During face-to-face communication, the listener is not just listening to your voice, but he is also closely observing your facial expressions and body language. In the case of e-mail, the reader is merely reading whatever you have written. For this reason, it is essential to choose the words carefully. One wrong word can rampantly change the tone of the e-mail and annoy your potential customer. Avoid CAPITAL LETTERS or emphasizing using colors. These are considered rude.
    • Significance of salutation: Business e-mails should always begin with a salutation. A proper salutation helps to personalize the e-mails and prevents it from being marked as spam. Additionally, a salutation also denotes the beginning of the conversation. Thus, a business e-mail without a salutation is incomplete and informal.
    • Spelling and grammar mistakes: Spelling and grammatical errors in a business e-mail simply exhibit your lethargy and laxity, and are considered to be unprofessional. Before hitting the ‘send’ button, edit your e-mail carefully to weed out all types of spelling, grammatical and typographical errors.
    • Jargons, acronyms and emoticons: Slang, acronyms and emoticons should not be used in business e-mails. Jargons should also be avoided because people usually don’t have time to consult a dictionary every time they encounter an incomprehensible word.  You never know when the other side is unfamiliar with an acronym – try to avoid them.
    • Run-on-sentences: Don’t cram two or more sentences into one. Either learn how to use proper conjunction to join two sentences appropriately, or simply write them separately.
    • Too lengthy: Your prospective clients and colleagues do not have spare time. Hence, don’t make the mistake of writing lengthy e-mails. Meaningful, short and crisp messages typically produce a positive impact on the reader.
    • Absence of call to action: Call to action is a vital part of business e-mails. If you succeed in convincing the client that your product or service is the best, then a suitable call to action will help him to endorse your company with ease. 

    The economy is in a recessive mode and businesses, partnerships and customer base are reeling under excessive pressure.  A small mistake on your part can cause the whole structure to crumple. You will never be able to regain lost ground. Don’t mince words because in business, every word is invaluable.Effective business email writing will make sure that your organization doesn’t lose even a single penny.

     

    Miron Abrahamson

    Mr. Miron Abramson is the CEO of Add-Vantage, a company that provides support for business interactions with international clients and partners overseas.  Add-Vantage offers a wide range of services to businesses that come in contact with global clients and partners.

  2. Why do Italians need Business English?

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    Why Do Italians Need Business English?

    Although Italian is Italy’s official language, many Italian business people use English today on a daily basis as part of their ongoing business interactions with different organizations from all over the world. Making good conversation has become an integral part of the Italian business-making ethics–Italian business people will conduct a nice small talk about food and wine, culture and other topics as well while carrying out a business meeting.

    The necessity of well-spoken English in the business world is growing rapidly, not only in Italy but all around the world. The world of the 21st century has changed dramatically: people negotiate in English with other business associates across the globe, buying and offering goods over the internet, while transactions are made and executed in English. It is, therefore, realistic to say that linguistic boundaries amid states in our globalization era hardly exist.

    English in Italy

    Similar to many places in the world, the English language skills which the Italian education system offers are too basic and not attuned to the English-dominated competitive market of today. Many Italians feel that they are struggling with English, above all when it comes to grammar.

    Thus, many adult Italians may feel that they don’t have enough control over the language. The demand for English teaching is high in Italy, so much so that it attracts many English teachers from around the world who come here to make a living.

    English for the Business world

    Many Italians study English in private lessons, but is that a useful program to study English in a sufficient level to meet the business world demands of the 21st century?

    In today’s world, Business English has become an area of expertise. Business English involves much more than mundane vocabulary. The business world has its own jargon, conduct, and ethics that everyone in the business world should be familiar with. Private lessons might not be enough to meet the high requirements of today’s business world.

    Business English training seminars and workshops

    Today, employees should be able to master the English language. When so many organizations communicate with each other, fluent English is a great advantage in many circumstances, and now even more so in the Italian market as English skills have become part of the basic requirements.

    Business English workshops and seminars provide training that will teach you how to communicate in fluent English with other business people, how to present yourself in front of an audience and much more. You’ll be exposed to the cultural gaps of ethics in the global business world. These might seems as nuances, but they define the difference between failure and success.

    Get the maximum of Business English training

    Most tutors in Business English seminars come with a background in education. They can teach you the language very well, but they don’t possess the experience of a trainer who comes from the business world and is familiar with its orientation and way of conduct.

    Business English should be taught by native-speakers of English who are alsobusiness people. The best way to learn how to speak to an audience of managers and executives would be from someone who has experience in it.  Speaking fluent English by itself is great, but not enough.

    You can use personalized training sessions to meet your specific needs and prepare yourself for the real world in today’s fast-growing international market.

    If you’re an Italian who seeks success in the international market you ought to know how to speak with confidence, how to deliver a presentation in a convincing way which will make your listeners choose you over many other competitors. You can use the services of English-speaking business people to practice business presentations and present them professionally. Constructing an effective presentation is crucial for delivering a straightforward message, a message that will be carried over even after the presentation ends. It will be wise to use professional assistance to build a presentation that will suit your specific needs whether you want to sell a product, market an idea, or promote the image of your organization.

    Ms. Odelya N. is a consultant at Add-Vantage, a company that offers support for people and businesses with their global interactions.

  3. Selecting the Right English Narration Service

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    Top 5 Criteria for Busy Professionals

    In the busy rat race of the business world, there seems to be never enough time. And as the world rushes on from Web 3.0 to 4.0 we want to make sure our HR or marketing messages are more than targeted — we want them to be well received, to explain our products and services in a way that makes people want to hear more. What you want is simple. You want to grow your business, build your credibility, and keep your audience interested. It is no wonder more and more businesses are turning to English narration services to take their sales, marketing, e-learning, and HR to the next level.

    But now that you are interested in boosting your audience impact with English narration services, where do you start? Google, “English narration services”? With no extra time on your hands are you sure you want to blindly search and see how far the rabbit hole goes? No, in today’s world we need clear criteria for fast, efficient comparison. This is the face and voice of your business — you need it to be right the first time.

    Here are the top 5 criteria for selecting the right English narration service for your business:

    1) Diversity in the Talent Pool

    If your company could speak, what voice would we hear? You want to make sure that any English narration service you choose has the ability to offer you the “right” voice. This means having a wide pool of available talent to select from – ages and genders.

    2) Options, Options, Options

    Make sure the English narration service has plenty of options in both the type of work and industry its voiceover supports. The tone and feel of a consumer goods voiceover sounds very different from a medical one. As does the tone and feel of a sales presentation differ from that of a training program.

    3) Get Specific

    Many companies that offer narration in English do not specialize in the specific needs of businesses. There are plenty of service options, but you want to make sure that the firm you choose has experience specific to business, not just film, radio, and commercials.

    4) The Right Reputation

    Once you have selected a list of English narration services that meet the above criteria, you will want to confirm their reputation. Is this a company that is going to deliver on time and on budget? Find out what people are saying about this company. The company’s website is a great place to start. Look at their client list – are these businesses you know or would want to be associated with? Review previous work – most firms also offer samples of their narration services on their website. Look at their website links – does the company seem serious or are they linking with any variety of website? Do a search online for the name of that English narration service as a way to see what reputation the firm has formed across the Internet, and check with the Better Business Bureau.

    5) The Right Price

    Most English narration service firms will provide competitive pricing and a rate quote, if you have an existing script or project. Many will also send a sample of what you can expect to hear prior to any payment to ensure you are satisfied with the product. You may expect to pay more for firms that are highly reputable. You may find the relatively minor difference in price worth it to avoid any unprofessional experiences or poorly produced work.

    The field of narration and promotional videos in general (for marketing or training purposes) is an exciting one.  If you’re a decision-maker looking for such services, try to get involved in the process–enjoy it. 

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage: Global Business Communication

    Mr. Miron Abramson is a Senior Consultant and Facilitator for Add-Vantage. The company offers support for business interactions with international partners overseas, and offers a wide range of services to consult people and businesses that come in contact with global partners.

  4. Why is learning Business English so important?

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    Here is a transcript of a meeting I had with an HR manager at a startup company in Israel. Her intention was to eventually create an internal memo that will be based on the interview:

    Why is learning English, and especially learning business English, so important?

    The world is becoming smaller-we all experience it.

    You buy a GPS device in Thailand that was assembled in China. You purchase extra maps for it online, use it in Italy, and you actually live in Israel.

    You outsource your product development for an America customer to an Italian vendor, who’s actually using Indian contractors.

    Globalization is everywhere, and the language of globalization is English–business English.

    Is English really that prevalent around the world? Why learn English and not Chinese?

    Chinese is not a bad choice either, but English is still the dominant language, particularly for doing business. English is still the most widespread language in the world and is more widely spoken and written than any other language. To throw some statistics at you:

    • Three-quarters of the world’s mail, telexes and cables are in English.
    • More than half of the world’s technical and scientific periodicals are in English
    • English is the medium for 80% of the information stored in the world’s computers
    • English is the language of navigation, aviation and of Christianity
    • Five of the largest broadcasting companies in the world (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC and CBC) transmit in English, reaching millions and millions of people all over the world

    That’s amazing. Not surprising, but amazing. It gives the English language a lot of economic power.

    It’s true. In fact, the easiest way to calculate the economic influence of a language may be to add up the gross domestic products (GDP) of all the nations where it is spoken. People who count English as their mother tongue make up less than 10% of the world’s population, but possess over 30% of the world’s economic power. Therefore, in terms of the quantity of transmitted information, English is the leader by far.

    Ok, I’m convinced. So what’s the difference between learning ‘regular’ English and learning business English.

    Good question. Much of the difference lies in the fact that teaching or training business English is answering a more immediate need. I’ll give you an example: a recent client of mine, a senior executive at a governmental agency in the geophysics field, needed to prepare a presentation in English for a sales meeting in South Africa that was going to take place a week from the day he contacted us. He didn’t really have the time to sit with me for six months and study basic rules of English Grammar and other syntaxes. He had a very specific business need with a very particular deadline.

    Would you say then that you operate more like a coach that usually deals with specific ‘obstacles’ in a short time frame as opposed to a psychologist?

    Well, I’m going to be careful with generalizing what different coaches do because different coaches come from different backgrounds and different methods of coaching. That being said, it’s not a bad analogy. In general, coaching deals more with immediate needs and attempts to frame the processes in a smaller time period, while a psychologist is more likely to investigate your past and what caused the ‘obstacles’. Again, that’s a gross generalization because there are several methods for coaching and several ones for psycho-analysis. But the analogy does help to understand what I do.

    I like how you’re very careful with how you use the language. You choose each word carefully.

    Yes. We have a say in Hebrew, ‘life and death is in the hands of the tongue.’ And that’s also part of what I try to convey to my clients-that language is a powerful tool. And if you use the tool wisely, you will reap the benefits.

    Can you give me an example?

    Sure. One of my clients complained that he’s not getting the response he was looking for from his website. After a quick glance, I had a good theory why-his website contained quite a few mistakes in English. People some times don’t realize how important these little things are. Your website is your business card-it is how the world sees you and how you market yourself. If you leave even the slightest mistakes on the website, you’re taking a huge risk of turning potential clients off. Just try to remember how annoying it is for you to hear someone make a mistake in your native language. Imagine if you saw a few mistakes in a book you’re reading or the morning newspaper. I don’t know about you, but in cases where that happens to me I feel cheated–As though the person that wrote it didn’t feel I’m important enough to invest the time to make the message clear and correct. I see a lot of these mistakes on websites, brochures, and other marketing materials, and I’m certain that it turns people off. And that’s money these people are losing.

    Sounds right to me. Any other difference between ‘regular’ English and Business English.

    Sure. When we consult or train in the area of business English, we deal with issues that are more relevant to the business world: Creating effective presentations, writing an effective CV / Resume, preparing for a job interview, editing and correcting business emails, websites, marketing materials, and even preparing a marketing or training video for a company. You won’t find these things in your typical English course. We’re not preparing students to be able to order a sandwich on their next trip to New York. Well, the client will be able to do that also, but that’s not the focus. The focus is to prepare people to deal with the business world in the best possible way. The goal is to make people whose English is not their native tongue competitive, marketable, and global.

    We need to conclude the interview. Any last advice?

    My best advice is to tell you that you should not be afraid of English just because you’re not a native speaker. Practice makes perfect. Do not be afraid to invest in yourself.

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  5. 10 Tips for a Successful Job Interview in English

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    Hello,

    I wanted to share with you a list of tips for a successful job interview in English:

    1. Don’t be afraid of the interviewer. It’s important to remember that these people are also pressured by their company to recruit the right person. The wrong person can cost a company a lot of money and wasted time in training, and since the recruiter’s performance is often based on the quality of their recruits, it’s very possible they are also afraid to hire the wrong person or eliminate a good candidate.

    2. Use the 60-40 rule. Speak about 60% of the time, and try to make the interviewer talk 40% of the time. Most people enjoy talking about themselves – so let the recruiter speak also (a list of possible questions to ask during an interview in English appears below).

    3. Research the company and possibly the interviewer (if you know who it is beforehand) before arriving to the interview. Knowledge is power.

    4. During the interview, try to find the delicate balance between professionalism and friendliness. In other words, during the conversation, look for a balance between discussing your work, and your professional experience and expertise, and a friendly discussion about issues that are not directly related to the position. It’s important to convey the message that while you’re very professional and experienced, you’re also friendly and easy to work with and it’s possible to talk to you about non-work related issues. Try to “read” the interviewer and feel your way through that balance.

    5. Always answer the recruiter’s questions in a positive and optimistic manner. It doesn’t mean that everything was wonderful at your previous jobs and your previous bosses were angels and everything was lovey-dovey. It does mean that there are ways to convey dissatisfaction from previous jobs or bosses without making them look awful. And even when you do choose to criticize a place or boss, make sure to end on a positive note-make an effort to find a redeeming quality about the place or person.

    6. Dress professionally. Shave, comb your hair, lightly apply perfume or aftershave, and dress appropriately.

    7. Stay optimistic, positive, and confident. The companies that do not appreciate such qualities in a candidate are rare.

    8. Do not apologize for past mistakes. These were your choices – accept them as such. Learn how to explain your choices in a positive manner.

    9. Avoid lying, especially about things that can be easily checked. Nonetheless, do realize that truth is subjective, and doesn’t always have to be expressed or told if not asked. Remember, an interview is not like a meeting with a therapist, where you volunteer sensitive information in the hope of growing emotionally and spirituality. An interview is more like a first date – you’re checking each other out, and you’re not going to reveal everything yet. Put your best face on and market yourself.

    10. Learn to turn the negative into positive. This is also a good tip for life in general.

    Here are a few questions you can ask during an interview in English. Some can be asked during your first interview, while others should be left for second or third interviews:

    1. Who will supervise me? What can you tell me about them?

    2. Can you expand on my duties for this position?

    3. Are there any opportunities for advancement in this company/role? (better left for later interviews)

    4. What are the parking arrangements? (for later interviews)

    5. What does the compensation package contain? (for later interviews)

    6. What are the working hours for this position? (for later interviews)

    7. What issues/areas will I have influence over in this position?

    8. What are your expectations (or “my supervisor’s expectations”) from this position?

    9. If I get the job, when am I expected to start?

    10. What is the dress code for this position? (for later interviews)

    11. What skills am I expected to already possess before starting the job, and what skills am I expected to acquire after I begin?

    12. Until when do you need an answer?

    13. What do you like / dislike about the company?

    14. May I get your business card?

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird interviews you’ve had.

    Good luck.

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  6. Job Searching Tips – Managing your Virtual Entity

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    Hello,

    I wanted to share with you a few tips that are related to the job search process.

    The use of the internet to search for a job is increasing, and as a result, various virtual networks are being added to our lives. We’re members of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, MySpace, and perhaps other social networks, that, among other things, we also use to search for jobs.

    And as our online presence increases, so does the need to manage this presence, or entity, on a regular basis.

    This “management” becomes even more critical in the job search process. Here’s an example: You sent your resume (CV) to a potential employer. In the resume, you decided not to include a certain workplace since you were employed there for a very short period of time and you were also laid off from there. You reached the conclusion that you prefer that potential employers won’t know about this irrelevant job you once had. You are then invited to an interview, and the interviewer confronts you about the fact that he saw this particular job on your LinkedIn profile (Gosh, you simply forgot to delete it from there).

    This could become an uncomfortable situation that catches you unprepared.

    The importance of keeping consistency has already reached places beyond the resume, and has made the “management of our virtual entity” critical. Many employers have turned into little detectives, searching for online information about potential employees seeking employment at their firm. Here are a few tips that will assist in the management of our virtual entity:

    1. Make sure that your employment history is identical on all websites you are registered at.

    2. Make sure that the websites or social networks you belong to do not list any information online that you do not wish a potential employer to know, which includes personal information, pictures, videos, etcetera.

    3. Be diplomatic in your online interactions. You never know when one of the people you’re interacting with (e-mails, chats, forums, status updates) will become a potential employer or customer.

    4. Search for your name in Google and Yahoo, and find out what appears under it. Fix it if necessary.

    5. Be careful with sharing files or pictures. You never know where these will end up.

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird experiences you’ve had with regards to this issue.

    Good luck.

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  7. A list of shortcuts and abbreviations in American English

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    Hello,

    I wanted to share with you a short list of shortcuts and abbreviations in American English that you might encounter when communicating with Americans. Some are well-known, others are less known. Some are formal, while others less.

    You’re welcome to add some of your own that are not mentioned below.

     Rd. = Road

    St. = Street

    Sq. = Square

    S&H = Shipping and Handling

    BTW = By The Way

    LOL = Laughing Out Loud

    EOD = End Of Day (Ex.: “This report will be ready by EOD.”)

    MoM = Minutes of Meeting

    TTYL = Talk To You Later

    OOO = Out of Office

    w/o = Without

    Thx = Thanks

    FYI = For Your Information

    TBD = To Be Determined (usually about dates)

    AI = Action Item

    Wk = Week

    w/e = Weekend

    yr = Year

    appt = Appointment

    When writing formal or official letters or e-mails, it is important to avoid using words that sound fine when speaking, but are grammatically incorrect. For example:

    Till (write “until”)

    Gonna (write “going to”)

    Wanna (write “want to”)

    i (write “I”)

    shouldda (write “should’ve”)

    wouldda (write “would’ve”)

    You’re welcome to add to this list as well.

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird blunders you’ve had in English.

    Good luck.

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  8. Intercultural Humor in English

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    Hello,

    I wanted to share with you a humorous list taken from the book, Anguished English (by Richard Lederrer). It’s a list of signs found around the world that contain funny errors in English.

    I hope you’ll find it as funny as I did, and if you need an explanation on why something is funny, let me know.

    Intercultural Humor in English

    Here are some signs that were posted around the world. What were they really trying to say?

    In a Bucharest hotel lobby: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

    In a Leipzig elevator: Do not enter the lift backwards, and only when lit up.

    In a Belgrade hotel elevator: To move the cabin, push button for wishing floor. If the cabin should enter more persons, each one should press a number of wishing floor. Driving is then going alphabetically by national order.

    In a hotel in Italy (Personal ex.): The direction is not responsible for your belongings.

    In a Paris hotel elevator: Please leave your values at the front desk.

    In a hotel in Athens: Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.

    In a Japanese hotel: You are invited to take advantage of the chambermaid.

    In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastary: You are welcome to visit the cemetary where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

    On the menu of a Polish hotel: Salad a firm’s own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten up in the country people’s fashion.

    Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop: Ladies may have a fit upstairs.

    On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.

    In a Bangkok dry cleaner’s: Drop your trousers here for best results.

    In a Rhodes tailor shop: Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation.

    In an East African newspaper: A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers.

    A sign posted in Germany’s Black Forest: It is strictly forbidden on our black forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for that purpose.

    In a Zurich hotel: Because of the impropriety of entertaining guests of the opposite sex in the bedroom, it is suggested that the lobby be used for this purpose.

    In an advertisement by a Hong Kong dentist: Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists.

    In a Czechoslovakian tourist agency: Take one of our horse-driven city tours — we guarantee no miscarriages.

    In the window of a Swedish furrier: Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin.

    On the box of a clockwork toy made in Hong Kong: Guaranteed to work throughout its useful life.

    In a Swiss mountain inn: Special today — no ice cream.

    English sign in a German café: Mothers, please wash your hans before eating.

    In a Bangkok temple: It is forbidden to enter a woman even a foreigner if dressed as a man.

    In a Tokyo bar: Special cocktails for the ladies with nuts.

    On the door of a Moscow hotel room: If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.

    In a Norwegian cocktail lounge: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.

    In the office of a Roman doctor: Specialist in women and other diseases.

    In an Acapulco hotel: The manager has personally passed all the water served here.

     

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird signs in English you’ve encountered.

    Good luck.

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  9. Tips for Writing a Winning Resume in English (CV in English)

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    Hello,

    I wanted to list a few tips on how to write a winning resume in English

    (also known as a CV. I will refer to it as a resume in this article):

    1. Try to make the resume fit into one page, especially if you’re under 35.

    2. Try to avoid “holes” in employment periods on the resume or short employment assignments. Make an attempt to convey the message that you can stay in one organization for a few years.

    3. Write your ‘assets’ on the top. For example, if you have more education under your belt than work experience, you should list that first. On the other hand, if you have more years of work experience than education, list that first.

    4. If you’ve worked for well-known and respected companies, make sure it’s emphasized in the resume (make the font of the company larger and perhaps even in bold).

    5. Don’t overload the resume with information. A resume has to look neat and organized. It’s better to have a neat resume with a little less information, than a resume overloaded because you decided to list everything you’ve ever done.

    6. Be consistent throughout the resume. For example, if you used bullets under the education section, you should also use bullets for the other sections. Stay consistent with font types, sizes, alignment, etcetera.

    7. Try to avoid listing information that is not so relevant for the position you’re applying for. For example, don’t add “Diving License” if the position does not require one.

    8. When writing for American eyes, avoid listing personal information, such as age, sex, or family status.

    One final tip is to try the “five-minute rule” with a friend:

    1. Enlist a friend to help you, and ask them to come over.

    2. Tell them you’re going to show them your resume for a few seconds and ask them what they remember from the resume.

    3. Show the resume to your friend for only five seconds, and then take it away from them.

    4. Ask them what they remember from the resume.

    If the friend remembers the things that you wish the recruiter to remember about you when reviewing your resume, you’ve succeeded. If the friend doesn’t remember the important points, then perhaps you should make a few changes in the resume. What’s the point of this exercise? The point is that recruiters have very little time for reviewing the resumes of potential candidates. It is, therefore, crucial to catch their attention within a few seconds in order to make them want to read more.

    A resume is a marketing document and should be seen as such. One should write a resume that is clean, concise, and emphasizes the points that are most important for you to convey to a potential recruiter.

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird resume stories you’ve had.

    Good luck.

     

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.

  10. Tips for Creating an Effective Presentation in English

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    Hello,

    Sometimes customers come to me, complaining that they feel stuck in the planning stages of a presentation. In other words, they do not know where to begin.

    A tip that I recommend is to try thinking backwards. Try asking yourself, “What would I want the participants of my presentation to take with them at the end of my presentation?” Write down all the things you wish to happen. For example, after my presentation:

    I would like the participants to remember the price of my top three products
    I would like the participants to enter my website during the week
    I would like the participants to remember four advantages of my product
    This list will assist you in creating the presentation in a more accurate way.

    Recently, I conducted a workshop for sales representatives of a large and well-known retail chain that sells computers and computer accessories. When I sat down with the manager in order to plan the workshop, he wasn’t sure about the content he wanted to convey. The moment I presented the issue ‘backwards’, things became clearer:

    “What would you want your sales reps to know how to do by the end of the workshop?” I asked him.

    “Ah, that’s easy,” he answered, “I want them to be familiar with several selling techniques in order to sell more successfully.”

    The moment he phrased it that way, things came into place: we knew that the workshop has to contain specific hands-on tools and techniques that will improve the effectiveness of the salespeople. Once we knew what the final target is, it became easier to build the workshop ‘backwards.’

    One last comment:

    People tend to see presentations as something that is related only to the business world. However, it’s important to remember that a presentation is a delivery of information in a way that conveys the message in the manner that will be best understood. What am I trying to say? I’m trying to say that trying to convince my wife to join me for a Hamlet performance next Friday is also a type of presentation. And, if I want to convince her to come with me, especially if she’s not a big fan of Shakespeare, then I need to spend a few minutes thinking about how to present it properly and convincingly. We present all the time, and to everyone. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” said Shakespeare (As You Like It, Act II), and if the famous Bard said so, then perhaps we should listen.

    I would love to hear about interesting or weird presentations you’ve had.

    Good luck.

    Mr. Miron Abramson

    Add-Vantage

    Miron Abramson is the founder and senior consultant of Add-Vantage, a company that supports people and organizations with their business interactions with international partners overseas. You can visit them on the web at http://addvantage.co.il, or contact Mr. Abramson at miron@addvantage.co.il.