BCA1 SEM UNIT -2

 

Unit – 2

Telephone Techniques :-

1.    Answer a call within three rings. :- If your position entails always being available to callers, you should actually be available. That means staying focused and answering calls immediately.

2.    Immediately introduce yourself. :- Upon picking up the phone, you should confirm with the person whom they have called. In personal calls, it's sufficient to begin with a "Hello?" and let the caller introduce themselves first. However, you want to allow the caller to know if they've hit a wrong number, as well as whom they are speaking with.

3.    Speak clearly. :- Phone calls, while a great option for those who detest in-person interaction, do require very strong communication skills. For one, the person on the other end of the line can only judge you based on your voice, since they don't get to identify your body language and — hopefully — kind smile.

4.     Use proper language. :- A key difference between professional and personal phone calls is obvious — the language. It might be acceptable to use slang and swears when talking on the phone with your friends, but this kind of language can cause you to lose a customer for life.

5.     Be honest if you don't know the answer. :- You might need to put a customer on hold or transfer their call if the dreaded occurs — you don't know the solution. Perhaps you've tried everything you can or simply have no idea what they're talking about. Don't panic; customer support representatives are humans, too, and it's okay not to be the omniscient voice of reason.

Telephone communication skills:-

Effective telephone skills are predicated on strong communications skills. The four major means of communication are speaking, reading, writing, and listening—with listening being the most important part. Listening involves sensing, interpreting, evaluating, and responding.

·         Being ready to listen actively.

·         Keeping your emotions in check.

·         Listening for specific information.

·         Asking questions when necessary.

 

 Conference Calls : A conference call is a telephone call in which the calling party can speak to several call participants at the same time. A conference call is usually done with a telephone, although it can also be done with the help of IP telephone service providers or with similar call applications. Conference calls can be either simply audio or both audio and video.

 

A conference call can be viewed as a normal telephone call, but with more than one recipient. There are two ways in which an audio conference call can be initiated. First, the calling party could call participants and add other participants during the live audio call. Second, participants can dial into a telephone number which would connect to a specialized telephone system known as a conference bridge and conference themselves. Conference calls can also be used along with web conferences.

 

Vocabulary Building :- A vocabulary is a set of familiar words that a person knows. Usually developed with age, vocabulary is a useful and essential tool that helps children (and adults!) to communicate and expand their knowledge.

Tiers of Vocabulary

There are three 'tiers' that vocabulary can be placed into.

1. Basic Vocabulary

Basic and simple words are the first things that build up a child's vocabulary. These are tricky words, early reading words, adjectives, verbs or nouns. They typically only have a single meaning.

2. High-Frequency Vocabulary

This tier is also sometimes called multiple meaning vocabulary tier, as the words within it can have more than one meaning. These words are also important for reading comprehension, used for direct instructions and may be descriptive.

3. Low-Frequency Vocabulary

These are words that are only used for a particular topic, so they may be called topic vocabulary. A child's low-frequency vocabulary might encompass topics like the weather or geography.

vocabulary building skills?

Vocabulary building skills are what children need to develop their growing vocabulary. Teachers typically encourage children to read widely and research. That's what building a vocabulary is - seeing a new word, researching what it means, and tucking it away to use later.

Here are some ways that teachers will help children to build their vocabulary skills.

1. Synonyms

Use words other than 'said', 'nice', 'good' or 'bad' - we've all heard that, right? Using synonyms is a solid way for children to expand beyond their basic vocabulary and add more to their high-frequency vocabulary.

Looking at words they already know and finding ones that mean the same, or have similar meanings, is a simple and easy way to expand a child's vocabulary. Matching games are often a fun way for children to develop their knowledge of synonyms.

2. Root Words, Prefixes and Suffixes

Root words form the basis of many other words. Knowing lots of root words and the prefixes and suffixes that can be added to them will greatly expand a child's reading and writing vocabulary. Not only will they be able to spell them, but if they come across a new word with a familiar root word, prefix or suffix, they'll be able to estimate its meaning.

3. Dictionary and Thesaurus Skills

Dictionaries and thesauruses are great tools to use when helping children to develop their vocabulary. Children should develop the habit of researching a new word in the dictionary whenever they come across one. This way, they can learn its definition. They should also be encouraged to write down the word and its meaning to refer back to later.

4. Reading

Never underestimate the power of reading! Reading is the best and most effective way for children to grow their vocabulary. While they read, they'll consolidate their understanding of familiar words while encountering new ones. They can use their knowledge of other words to estimate new meanings, then use their dictionary skills to learn the meanings of unfamiliar words.

5. Repetition

It's unlikely that anyone will remember a new word's spelling, pronunciation and meaning after seeing it just once. That's why it's important to repeat a new word so that it sticks. Write it down in a sentence, draw it in a fancy way, use word cards with it on to play a game, or simply write it down multiple times. These activities will help a new word to stay in a child's growing vocabulary.

Punctuation Marks

The English language has many punctuation marks, and you will usually learn to use many of them as you master the language. Still, there are some punctuation mark uses you might still not know about despite using and seeing them on a regular basis.

Here are 14 common punctuation marks in English.

1.    The Full Stop (.)

2.    The Question Mark (?)

3.    Quotation Marks/Speech Marks (” “)

4.    The Apostrophe (‘)

5.     The Comma (,)

6.    The Hyphen (-)

7.    The dash (en dash (–) em dash (—))

8.    The Exclamation Mark (!)

9.    The Colon (:)

10. The Semicolon (;)

11. Parentheses ()

12. Brackets []

13. Ellipsis (…)

14. The Slash (/)

 

Full Stop (.)

A full stop, also known as a period (.) in American English, is one of the most commonly used punctuation marks in the English language. Analysis of texts indicates that approximately half of all punctuation marks used are full stops.

The punctuation rules:

• Mostly used at the end of a declarative sentence, or a statement that is considered to be complete.
• This punctuation mark is also used following an abbreviation.
• A full stop can also show the end of a group of words that don’t form a typical sentence.

The full stop examples:

• My name’s Beth and I was 18 in July.
• Mr. White was talking with Mr. Smith.

Question Mark (?)

We use a question mark (?) after an interrogative sentence in English.

Examples:

• “Have you a pen I can borrow?” she asked.
• Where are you from?

Quotation Marks/Speech Marks (” “)

We use quotation marks (” “) for direct quotations in English.

Examples:

• “I feel I’ve really earned this, ” she said, taking up her mug of tea.
• ” I told a fib about my age, ” little Tom said.
• “It is a historic moment,” he told journalists.
• “Fine, thanks,” he replied in a cheerful manner.

Apostrophe (‘)

An apostrophe (‘) is used to show that certain letters have been omitted from a word. The punctuation symbol can also be used to show the possessive form of a noun, in addition to indicating the plural form of lowercase letters.

The apostrophe rules:

(1) Use an apostrophe in contractions

• He is = He’s
• I am = I’m
• Do not = Don’t
• They have = They’ve
• It is = It’s
• I would = I’d
• Let us = Let’s
• She has = She’s
• Who is = Who’s

 

 

 

 (2) Use an apostrophe to indicate possession

The apostrophe examples:

• He joined Charles’s army in 1642.
• Sally’s hair was blond and curly.
• We have put together an anthology of children’s poetry.
• The boy’s sister traveled by bus to meet us.

Comma (,)

A comma (,) is used to show the difference between two separate ideas or elements within a sentence. Commas have other uses as well, as they can be used to separate numbers, and write dates.

The comma rules and examples:

(1) Add a comma when two separate sentences are combined

Example: We purchased some cheese, and we purchased some fruit.

(2) Use commas between words in a series. Notice that a comma does not follow the last word in the series

Example: He was tall, dark, and handsome.

(3) Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence

Example: As the day came to an end, the firefighters put out the last spark.

(4) Use the comma to set off the words “yes” and “no”.

Example: No, thank you.

(5) Use a comma to set off a tag question from the rest of the sentence.

Example: She is your sister, isn’t she?

(6) Use a comma to indicate a direct address.

Example: Is that you, Mary?

(7) Add a comma when a participle phrase clause is used.

Example: Walking slowly, I could see the beautiful flowers.

(8) Use a comma to separate parts of the date.

Example: Tuesday, May 2, 2016, was when I graduated.

 

Hyphen (-)

A hyphen (–) is a punctuation mark with three main uses.. The hyphen can be used in compound words, to link words to prefixes, and also as a way to show word breaks.

The hyphen rules and examples:

(1) Use a hyphen to join two or more words together into a compound term. Do not separate the words with spaces.

Examples:

• My eight-year-old boy loves reading.
• I work part-time.
• Self-expression
• Self-confidence
• Self-consciousness
• Nineteenth-century history
• Old-furniture salesman
• Off-the-peg suits
• Self-paced learning exercises

(2) To link prefixes to words.

For example: These things happened before the pre-enlightenment era.

(3) To indicate word breaks

For example: Unlike what some people might think, the twentieth-century was very different from other preceding time periods. 

Dash

The dash is used to separate words into statements.

There are two kinds of dashes, the en dash, and the em dash. The en dash shows range or connections. On the other hand, the em dash is used in places where a comma could also be used. The dash can also be used to mark off words or statements that are not important to the meaning of the statement. The dash can also be used in places where a comma would be typically used.

En dash (–)

Slightly wider than a hyphen, the en dash is a symbol (–) that is used in writing or printing to indicate a range or connections.

Examples:

• 1880 –1945
• Princeton–New York trains

Em dash (—)

Twice as long as the en dash, the em dash (—) can be used in place of a comma, parenthesis, or colon to enhance readability or emphasize the conclusion of a sentence.

Example: She gave him her answer—No!

Exclamation Mark (!)

An exclamation mark is used to show emphasis. It can be used in the middle of a sentence or at the end of a sentence. When used at the end of a sentence, it also takes on the role of a full stop or a period.

We often use an exclamation mark (!) to show strong emotion or give a command.

Examples:

• Stop!
• Yeah!
• Sit down!
• What a lovely view you have here!
• That’s fantastic!
• Johnny, don’t touch that!
• Help!
• Good heavens!
• Aaarrgh!

Colon (:)

A colon (:) is a fairly common punctuation mark with a varied number of uses. It can be used to introduce a quotation, an example, a series, or even an explanation. Secondly, it can be used to separate two independent clauses. Finally, a colon can be used to show emphasis.

Examples:

• You have two choices: finish the work today or lose the contract.
• That’s because we have one goal: for you to consider your website a success.
• John has all the ingredients: minced clams, milk, potatoes, and onions. 

Semicolon (;)

A semicolon (;) is used to separate two independent clauses while still demonstrating that a close relationship exists between them. The semicolon does a better job of showing the connection between two statements than a full stop would.

Examples:

• My daughter is a teacher; my son is a doctor.
• There are eight members in the team: two from China, Japan; three from France, Spain; two from Brazil; and one from India. 
• Richard always slept with the light on; he was afraid of the dark.

Parentheses ( )

Parenthesis, ( () ) are quotation marks that show additional thoughts about a statement. In many scenarios, they can be replaced by commas without any changes to the meaning of the sentence.

We also often use parentheses to set off less important details.

Example: The two brothers (Richard and Sean) were learning how to play guitar.

Brackets [ ]

Brackets are squared off quotations ([]) that are used to show information of a technical nature. Even if this information is omitted entirely, the sentence would still make sense.

For example: Was he [the defendant] there when you arrived?

Ellipsis (…)

An ellipsis is usually represented by three dots (…), although it can also be represented by three asterisks (***). This punctuation symbol is used to show that there has been an omission of some letters or words. In many cases, ellipses are used to cut statement short to avoid unnecessary or irrelevant words that have no impact on the meaning of the statement being made.

We often use an ellipsis to show that parts of sentences are left out.

Examples:

• To be continued…
• You’ll never believe what I saw…

Slash (/)

A slash, which is also known as a forward slash, a virgule, or even an oblique dash, has a number of uses. The slash can be used to separate lines in a song or poem when they are written in a continuous line. The slash (/) is also used in place of the word or. The slash can also be used to show two contradictory notions.

The slash punctuation rules and examples:

(1) Use slashes to separate parts of the internet (web) addresses and file names for some computer programs.

Example: http://www.example.com/

(2) Use slashes for fractions

Example: 1/3 = one-third

(3) Use a slash to separate the day, month, and year in date.

Examples:

• w/o = without
• n/a or N/A = not applicable or not available
• R/C = radio control

(4) Use a slash to show the word “per” in measurements.

Example: 80 miles/hour = 80 miles per hour

(5) Use a slash to separate lines of poetry or rhymes in regular text.

Example: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, / How I wonder what you are. / Up above the world so high, / Like a diamond in the sky.

(6) Use a slash to show alternatives in a sentence.

Example: Please press your browser’s Refresh/Reload button.

 

 

Job Applications

Many employers require all applicants for employment, regardless of the job they apply for, to complete a job application form. Depending on the employer and the job, you may be required to complete an online application, a paper application, an application at a store kiosk, or you could be asked to apply via email.

The employer may ask you to submit a job application even if you have applied for a position with a resume and cover letter. This way the employer will have consistent data on file for all applicants. Employers want to be sure they are adhering to employment laws and avoiding discrimination.

 

Purpose of a Job Application Form :-

Job application forms (also called “employment forms”) are part of the formal hiring process companies sometimes use in order to ensure that they have gathered comprehensive, accurate data from all applicants.

These forms often request certain information that is not always included on resumes and CVs, such as professional or personal references, the names of former supervisors, and/or a complete educational background. If you decide to submit your resume as a supplement to the job application form, cross-check it with your application to ensure there are no discrepancies. 

Types of Job Applications

Paper Job Applications. There are paper job application forms that you fill out if you apply in person for a position. See below for a sample job application form.

Email Job Applications. When you are using email to apply for jobs, it's important that all your communications are as professional as they would be if you were mailing a paper application. Here's advice on how to submit job applications via email.

Online Job Applications. There are thousands of sites where you can post your resume online and complete an online job application. Sometimes, you can apply online on job sites like Monster.com or Indeed.com. Other times, you can apply directly on the company’s website.

Information Required for an Employment Application

You will generally be required to provide your contact information, your work history (including companies worked for, positions held, salary, and length of employment), and your educational background.³

Some companies will also ask you to provide references with your job application. You may also be asked about your availability for work.

Personal Information

The following is a list of the information you may be asked to provide when you apply for a job.

• Name
• Address, city, state, zip code
• Phone number
• Email address
• Social security number (state laws regarding providing social security numbers vary)
• Are you eligible to work in the United States?
• If you are under age eighteen, do you have an employment certificate?
• Have you been convicted of a felony within the last five years? (information about convictions varies based on state law and may not be legal to ask in your location)

Education and Experience

• School(s) attended, degrees, graduation date
• Certifications
• Skills and qualifications
• Grade Point Average (G.P.A.)
• Extracurricular activities where you held a leadership role
• Honor societies

Employment History

• Employer
• Address, phone, email
• Supervisor
• Job title and responsibilities
• Salary
• Starting and ending dates of employment (month, day, year)
• Reason for leaving
• Permission to contact the previous employer

References 

• Name
• Job title
• Company
• Address, phone, email

 

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Group Discussion :

The Group discussion is a task, which is generally aimed at understanding and evaluating candidate’s behavior in a group. Through this method, interviewers can compare and assess a candidate’s knowledge, communication, and mental strength. It is quite obvious through the name that Group discussion involves more than one members and it happens within a group. There could be different kind of participants in the group in terms of the roles that they play. Some of them are:

 Starting point: You will notice that in the group, there will be some member who likes to initiate. One who is confident enough to start the discussion and set the tone right at the very first beginning is called the initiator. This position is a bit risky. If you are the one who is starting the discussion you have to be extra conscious. But do not think that if you have begun the discussion, you will keep your mouth shut during the whole conversation. You have to be active throughout the discussion.

Clear Facts: Few members of the group will be data driven. They provide precise data and facts and support their statement with statistics. They provide all the data in a logical manner and make their point stronger with facts. But it is also true that with only data you cannot win a discussion. You have to believe in those figures and put your mind enough to interpret it well. And yes...all your facts should be clear and truthful.

Controller: Some members in the group like to control the discussion. They think whatever they are saying should be approved by others as well which may or may not be the case. Others in the group can very well disagree to the point you are putting forth.

Moderate Referee: This category of the people acts as a coordinator. They ensure that each member gets sufficient time and chance to speak. When an argument gets heated up, they try to keep them calm and bring to a normal discussion by helping others putting across their words. This person is generally a good listener but might not be taken very favorably by others lest he should take all the leadership.

Born Leaders: They are born to lead. They do not have to put in much effort to lead a team. Their voice, their calm head, their gestures say it all. They do not fall in the trap of arguing rather support their points by strong logic, facts, and adequate examples. They have the ability to manage the flow of discussion and give it a right direction. Towards the end, a leader summarizes the entire discussion and squeeze out the conclusion.

Provocative: This person considers himself All in All. They give orders to others in the group and want everyone to act according to them. Sometimes they are annoying and provoke others with a high pitch or irritating voice. They eat up time of others by saying something which is not so relevant to the topic. They are poor listener and cannot comprehend what other’s points are.

Fault Finder: There are some group members who intentionally find fault in everything that the other person is saying. They have objection on anything and everything about other’s pint of view. They criticize almost every other point.

Followers: This is just contrary to the above-mentioned category – fault finder or criticizer. This category of people generally agree and support other’s point. They show their agreement by nodding their head or with some other gesture which normally means that they cannot agree more to the point. This kind of people generally do not score well as they do not show their own significant points and logics and merely depend on other’s views

Question Mark: This kind of people, always question others. He/she sometimes irritate other group members by questioning even for a simple understood fact. Rather than putting their own opinions, they tend to interrogate and raise a question in other’s points.

Stopwatch: These kinds of people are quite interesting to observe. During the discussion, they just do not get swayed by the flow of topic, rather keep a check on every other aspect, such as how much time has passed, how much time is still left, who all have had the chance to give their opinions and who have not, etc. They are keen to maintain the order and dignity. But it is better for these category people to come up with their own impactful views.

Aggressive: These members easily get annoyed and get antagonistic at times. They care less about other’s points, sentiments, feelings, and values. They attack verbally in their counterparts and harsh in their tone.

Audience/Viewer: They do not have their own substantial views and opinions. They hardly speak up and hardly make any difference. They just see and listen what others are speaking and never put their own views forward.

Indecisive: This category of people are unlikely to get selected as they are very much indecisive and having a fickle mind. They sometimes contradict their own words and statements. They are unable to express their ideas in an organized manner. They also get too emotional during the conversation and unnecessarily divert the topic from the main point. They agree or disagree with anyone and everyone.

Capturer: This kind of people record every point what others are saying. They take down notes and facts, details, etc. They can be referred later on when someone in the group has forgotten any point.

The Settler: They can be referred as Harmonizer and can find a mid-way of any problem. They avoid extremes and contribute in releasing tension within the group when an argument heats up.

Gist Maker: This defines the position as someone who summarized the entire discussion and draws some valid conclusion through the topic of group discussion.

Blockhead: This kind of group members does not take any initiative to present their views. They are lacing innovative or rather any ideas, opinions and logical views. They do not contribute any positively to the group.

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