English is Easy

A lot of people who are in the middle of a career change or young students just out of college in search of employment are at a loss and confused when it comes to preparing their resume. Companies are always in search of people who can make a difference to their profitability. Jobs are in plenty but the competition is also high as the number of qualified people are in excess. So the question surrounding their fear is,“Will I get a call to appear for the interview?” A few months ago one of my friends confided in me saying, “I have put in at least a dozen applications but have not been called even once.  In fact my 2 juniors have received calls even though their experience does not compare with mine.”I carefully identified his resume and identified the problem. Once you send in your application, there is no guarantee of you receiving a call when all the candidates are basically equal in skill and educational qualifications. The important factor is any resume is that it has to be picked up and seen. And how do you assure that? Getting it noticed:The resume that you write will be the ticket to your interview. The employer does not have the time to sift through thousands of applications to short list his choice. The key to your selection lies in the proper presentation of your skills and experience. Your resume has to shine, it has to impress, it has to showcase your strength,it has to shoutout about your skills,ithas to be offbeat.  Without any of these attributes, it will just remain in the pile of discarded applications. Tailor fit:Your resume should be tailored to fit the jobthat you are applying for. Just as a tailor perfects his fit as per the person so also your resume should be as per the position of the job. Analyze the job you are applying for, for the qualities, the knowledge, the temperament and the skill required to succeed. Do not lift resumes from web pages and fit it in yours. Go through different resumes only to learn and get insights. Don’t copy their methods and styles. Segments: A resume should not appear like a grocery list.  It should be well defined into different segments and each segment is important in some way or the other to judge your capability. The important segments to be taken care are: Personal details: The most important part of your resume before you come to your educational qualifications, is your contact details, like name, phone number and email address without which the interviewer will be unable to contact you, should he find your resume interesting. Educational Qualifications :This will help the employer to judge your level of competence in understanding the job as academics help in developing qualities like hardwork and discipline. It is especially important for freshers where they cannot show any work experience or achievements and hence this is the only asset that can determine their fate. Part time experience or internships should be included to stand a chance. Any added qualification or skill like computer training should be mentioned as that will be an extra advantage. Career Objective: A vital aspect of the resume to show your aspiration and motive for the job. It helps the employer to determine whether your goal is in line with their organization. Experience – Highlighting your strength: Your resume should focus on your strong points – your skills and experience as that is what will carry you through. Dramatize it in such a way as to make the employer look up and say.  “This is the man who will add value, growth and profitability. “ Your skills and experience should also show some specific results that you have achieved or helped solvecriticalsituations. Illustrate how you thought through it rather than what you did. Give the impression of being a team player rather than an independent player wanting to sail alone. As mentioned earlier your resume should not look like a grocery list but a credentials of your achievements and your successful performance. And all this will be attractive to the reader if it is on one page without grammatical or spelling mistakes. And remember every interview that you give should not dishearten or demoralize you but help you to re-evaluate and come out learning something new to face another challenge.

When we introduce ourselves we are not only telling our identity but also showing glimpses of our personality. Here are some tips for introductions. How to introduce yourself to others: Below are few ways in which Mr. Rohan Mehra can introduce himself. Informal conversations, you need to give your full name and in informal conversations, you can just give your first name. Good morning, I’m Rohan Mehra. Hello, my name is Rohan Mehra. I’m Rohan Mehra from West Bengal. What about you? I’m Rohan Mehra from Falcon Technotrade Limited. Hi, I’m Rohan your new neighbour. Hi, I’m Rohan. Glad to meet you. When we introduce ourselves we tend to do our best. But if you need to introduce another person, make sure you do better! That’s because, introductions are not just about a person’s name, it also define a person’s personality. So do your best while introducing others. Let’s see how to introduce another person: Hello, this is Mr. Tushar Sethi Please meet Mr. Tushar Sethi, my colleague. It’s my honour to introduce Mr. Tushar Sethi, our Chief Guest for today’s function. I’d like to introduce Mr. Tushar Sethi to you. He is our new Branch Manager Note – Avoid using nicknames. Introduce people using their full names. Some people like to introduce themselves. If not, then the ball is in your court. Let’s see how to introduce two people to each other: Hello Akash, please meet Shilpa. Hi Akash, I thought I’d like to introduce you to Ms. Shilpa from Logan Technologies. Hello Mr. Akash, this is our new manager, Ms Shilpa. Few other things to keep in mind while introducing people: Stick around until both strike a conversation with each other. Also hint the reason why you introduced them. While introducing people, you may mention their company name or designation. Sometimes people find it awkward sometimes to meet new people. Stay till both develop a comfort level. Avoid gossiping with your friend before the other. It’s absolutely annoying. Don’t force people to befriend each other. It takes time to develop relationships. If your friend belongs to a different religion avoid controversial topics. You May Also Like: Books to Help You Improve Your English We take introductions for granted sometimes. Little do we realize their real importance since it just takes few seconds. However, introducing ourselves and others in an appropriate way can lead to long-term relationships which is beneficial to us personally as well as professionally.

A lot of people stammer, falter or are at a loss for words when they have to express themselves, give their opinion or take part in a discussion. It is then that they realize that they lack the knowledge of the appropriate words. In the beginning, people wanting to learn English do not pay attention to expand their word stock but prefer using simple words that they know. This is a wrong perception. Words will flow if the toolbox of words in your mind is in abundance. Words are very important for communication and putting across ideas. It is wrong to think that vocabulary is only for writers and speakers of fluent English. You don’t require high flown fancy words to get across your message or to communicate efficiently. Once there is a pool of words stored in the data processor of our brain then we can be very creative while speaking. Research shows that behind success in any endeavor vocabulary level plays a big role. Learn one new word every day –Don’t be in a hurry to pick up many at one time. One word a day will help you to retain and memorize the word. After following this for some time, your vocabulary with expand. Remember, to move ahead you need to take one step at a time. Make a habit of reading a newspaperat least for 15 minutes every day- Read each word slowly and let the sound of the word echo in your ears. Read the passage again and again till the meaning sinks in your mind. Pick any one word from the passage and memorize it. It would be worthwhile to invest in a dictionary. Use the newspaper reference to make a sentenceand then once you have memorized it try to use it in a passage. Create a passage with the word in mind. In time to come, the passage should include as many new words as possible. Use a post it with the word to be memorized and carry it along with you while traveling by bus or train and try memorizing it. And while engaged in a conversation with friends try using the words. A lot of websitesnowadays offer free word games, simple puzzles. Try solving these simple word games. At the end, expanding and bettering your vocabulary is within your grasp. Discover and strengthen your power of words with these simple tips. Speakwell Academy in its curriculum emphasizes on teaching students new words which are useful in their daily communication. To further expand their knowledge of difficult words, a Word List textbook helps in improving their knowledge.

Have you ever wondered what stops you from speaking in English? The answer is FEAR. Rohan, a college student was once asked by his classmate – Do you have the tests papers? He perfectly understood the question but wasn’t sure what to answer. The simple answer that came to his mind at that moment was – Yes, I have it. However, he preferred to answer in Hindi and replied – Haan, mere pass hai. Though Rohan knew the answer, yet he replied in Hindi because of the fear in his mind. He thought – What if I make a mistake? Or even if this answer is right, what if the person continues speaking in English and I cannot answer? What if others laugh at me? These fears stopped Rohan from even trying to speak in English. Have you too faced similar situations? Let’s see how we can overcome the fear of speaking in English with the acronym FEAR itself: Face your fear – If we want to overcome any fear, the first step is facing it with courage. Most people run away from their fear or avoid it. Though this may help us feel better temporarily the problem still remains. The better option is to accept the problem and face it courageously. Napolean Hill says that “Fears are nothing more than a state of mind.” And taking a decision to face our fears is the first step towards success. Every day take small steps – Learning English is easy but it cannot be done overnight. One needs to take small steps each and every day. You could pick up a book in English and begin reading it or switched on your TV and watch an English channel. You may even join a Spoken English class where you will be trained by professionals and get to interact with other students who want to learn English just like you. Just as we have our meals daily, we need to take small simple steps towards learning English every day. Attempt speaking – This is the most important step. Once you have spent some time reading, listening and learning English vocabulary, the next step is to start speaking. You don’t have to wait to start speaking till you become perfect. You can start by simple greetings like wishing people Good morning, Good evening, How are you? When you start speaking, choose friends or people who will encourage you even if you make mistakes. This will motivate you to try rather than give up. Repeat correct sentences – In your journey of Spoken English, you may make some mistakes. Tell people to correct your mistakes and repeat the correct sentence. When we repeat a statement, it becomes clear in our mind which will enable us to use it correctly next time. Remembering the acronym FEAR – Face your fear, every day take small steps, attempt speaking and repeating correct sentences, you can overcome your fear of speaking in English. Following these simple steps will enable you to open your account in the Spoken English Bank. Next, you need to keep on making regular deposits by learning new words and using them. With time and practice, you will become rich in your Spoken English skills.

Most employees have become successful not only because they act smart but also because they speak smart and have the ability to make a great impression on their seniors. Remember we are not talking about shining their shoes. Being able to conduct yourself well in an office environment can lead to progress in your career. Let us understand, what exactly are we talking about? Many of us shy away when we need to speak to our bosses. Have you ever felt that you are not able to make an impression on your boss? You know what you want to say but don’t know how to say? or You are just scared of talking to your boss in English? Yes!!! Then incorporate these dynamic and impactful phrases and see the difference. “I would be happy to do that.” or “Is there anything else I can do?” or “I will handle this, be assured.” This shows your enthusiasm, positivity, and passion for work. This also shows your willingness and initiative to handle extra responsibilities. If you feel your boss is really feeling the crunch of time and overload of the work, use this phrase volunteering some of his work which you are able to handle. “Sir/ Madam, How is your day going?” Remember to give a human touch to the relation. It makes a personal connection. But, you must be careful to ensure that this term only when a cordial relationship already exists. A more formal way of putting the same thing, if it is a boss whom you are not close to or is not having a friendly relationship so far then you can just say ”How are you, Sir?” “It was my mistake. I am sorry. I will be careful next time.” Making a mistake is the part of the learning and admitting them shows that you own responsibility for your action and you don’t pass on the blame on others. It also shows the humble side of you wherein you are willing to accept a mistake and is willing to correct yourself. A Boss would trust somebody who is polite and humble. But this cannot be an excuse to repeatedly do mistakes. He or she will very soon loose the trust you developed by accepting the mistake the first time. “I wanted to talk to you about a certain issue. Can you spare some time?” This is an excellent way of giving importance to the person and hence achieving some level of good relationship with the boss. You should be careful not to go to the boss with the trivial issue. It must be something genuine. “I agree.” Don’t be a ‘Yes man’. When you genuinely agree with your boss’ opinion or ideas go ahead and say “I agree.” Everyone loves when their ideas are validated. “I feel this will help to solve the problems on hand.” Are you the one who goes to the boss with the problem? Instead, try going with the solution. Be a solutions person. Bosses appreciate the employees who bring the solutions and not the problem. Use this trick to quickly come into the limelight with your boss and get his attention. You will get noticed and if you consistently keep giving solutions to problems then you could see yourself growing faster in the organization. “We can always give it a try.” When your boss wants your involvement in trying something new, always be open to adapt that. This shows that you are flexible and ready to change. “I will get that done by—” Give specific time by which you will finish a certain task. But say this only when you are the man of your word. “I will take the lead on that.” This shows your leadership and initiative skills. Bosses like people who show initiative and are willing to take on some of the difficult tasks. “I sincerely thank you for mentoring me.” Haven’t you learned many things from your boss directly or indirectly? Don’t forget to show your gratitude towards him. Whenever you get a chance, mention it to him/ her that you are grateful for the advice and encouragements received from them. It motivates them to further give you encouragements and will create a great impression on them as well. So what are you waiting for? Try this out at your workplace and you will be amazed to see the difference. Good luck…

Corporate Social Responsibility is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives (“Triple-Bottom-Line-Approach”), while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders. In this sense it is important to draw a distinction between CSR, which can be a strategic business management concept, and charity, sponsorships or philanthropy. Even though the latter can also make a valuable contribution to poverty reduction, will directly enhance the reputation of a company and strengthen its brand, the concept of CSR clearly goes beyond that. You May Also Like: How To Express Likes and Dislikes? Promoting the uptake of CSR amongst SMEs requires approaches that fit the respective needs and capacities of these businesses, and do not adversely affect their economic viability. UNIDO based its CSR programme on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Approach, which has proven to be a successful tool for SMEs in the developing countries to assist them in meeting social and environmental standards without compromising their competitiveness. The TBL approach is used as a framework for measuring and reporting corporate performance against economic, social and environmental performance. It is an attempt to align private enterprises to the goal of sustainable global development by providing them with a more comprehensive set of working objectives than just profit alone. The perspective taken is that for an organization to be sustainable, it must be financially secure, minimize (or ideally eliminate) its negative environmental impacts and act in conformity with societal expectations. Key CSR issues : environmental management, eco-efficiency, responsible sourcing, stakeholder engagement, labor standards and working conditions, employee and community relations, social equity, gender balance, human rights, good governance, and anti-corruption measures. A properly implemented CSR concept can bring along a variety of competitive advantages, such as enhanced access to capital and markets, increased sales and profits, operational cost savings, improved productivity and quality, efficient human resource base, improved brand image and reputation, enhanced customer loyalty, better decision making and risk management processes.

Likes and dislikes We all differ in many ways. Out of them all, one major area is on account of our likes and dislike. The difference exists owing to our family background, a company of friends and climatic conditions. Our likes and dislikes, however, give us an insight into our inner self. They are the sum and substance of our character, temperament and disposition. There’s a whole range of English expressions you can use to talk about how much you like or dislike something. During the course at best English speaking institute in Mumbai, many conversations discussing your likes and dislikes may come up with someone you don’t know well you may want to find out the kind of Favourite songs/albums. Favourite movies/TV-shows. The nastiest tasting piece of candy/food you have eaten. The best vacation ever vs. the worst one. The best or worst job/boss/co-worker you’ve ever had. Here are many ways to make a conversation bring impact to you and others. Talk with purpose. Before starting a conversation, be conscious of what you want to achieve. Is it to get some information? To simply kill time while travelling? To get to know a person more? Knowing your purpose beforehand allows you to direct your conversation on track and never get lost out of the way. Be genuine. Make the conversation because you want to. If you do not feel like doing it but you feel obliged because of your responsibility, make the effort to do a short talk. Being genuine is first of all what makes a conversation, meaningful. Find common interests. Discovering common likes and dislikes opens up a bond between two people. It harnesses a human touch to one’s relationship even if it is at a professional level. A topic that stirs the heart of both parties develops rapport. Allow your listener to talk. After you have spoken, give the other person a time to talk. There are some people who like to talk about themselves. If you are one of them, try to be less selfish. A conversation is not a monologue or an interview. You May Also Like: Tips to Expand Your Vocabulary Expressing likes and dislikes To talk about your likes and dislikes, you can use these expressions. Expressing likes: I like… I love… I adore… I ‘m crazy about… I’m mad about… I enjoy… I’m keen on… Expressing dislikes: I don’t like… I dislike… I hate… I abhor… I can’t bear… I can’t stand… I detest… I loathe… Things to remember about likes and dislikes: Note that” very much”& ” a lot” always come after the things you like.Examples:  “I like basketball very much/a lot. NOT” I like verymuch/a lot basketball.” Be careful when you use “I don’t mind…”Examples: “Do you mind playing football?”“No, I don’t mind.”(Although it’s in a negative form, it means that it’s ok for me. I neither love it nor hate it.) Here are more tips to survive small talk and turn it into something meaningful: If you feel anxious about making small talk, remind yourself that your nervousness is coming from you and your beliefs, not the situation. Take the spotlight off yourself by asking questions Embellish your responses Go easy on yourself.

This article of English speaking institute in Mumbai represents the expression of good feelings amongst human beings. This practice has been there from time immemorial. Often the civilized society thinks of greeting in terms of peaceful happy gesture. However, it was also displayed through the act of some rude or violent method in some places. This act of mind has undergone enormous changes since the dawn of civilization. The original body language was slowly transformed into a verbal exchange with the influence of face and body. It is very evident that this behaviour has never been uniform in the populated areas of the earth. The changes have taken place in accordance with higher thinking and better human relationship as man evolved much more as a social animal. The style and the satisfaction of greeting have a remarkable impact on human life in western, rather the European world. The continental influence on their former colonies offers a concrete proof of such behaviour. The Middle East displays a distinct departure from the others in terms of greetings. The African continent and another aboriginal in certain islands have not come up with the advance continental patterns. Similarly, the yellow race has a peculiar style of its own even after undergoing tremendous changes from the continent. But the natural, original display of love and regards by the Indians are based on their perhaps by old Vedic thoughts in human settlements and spiritual deliberations. Indian Hygienic practices have no parallel on the other parts of the world. The western world looks to be accepting the Indian manner slowly and steadily. Greetings with folded hands convey a deep message to the rest. A naturally wholehearted message of love and respect for the others through this pattern has many added advantages. This happens to be a uniform act of acceptance irrespective of gender or other social taboos. By and large, these behavior projects a happy and contented life on both sides. This style of greetings might slowly change in course of time while heading for a widely accepted behavior at global community. However, the expressions of verbal greeting and through body language have become a crucial part of mannerism of educated and cultured people in a highly commercialized world. This act of mind shown in the society draws, rapt attention of the people involved. This has become a solid base of the requirements of successful personality in elevated societies. In our country, India in general and Mumbai and other metros in particular many institutions and academies have taken up this huge challenge for training young and aspiring generations. Speakwell Academy:An  English Speaking Classes in Mumbai is a front runner in this line of training and educating the young generation in Mumbai metro. Their network has positioned in strategic areas with their 80 odd centers in Mumbai area. Their principles and practices are based on an admirable plan. The achievement so far has been remarkable. Speakwell expects to win more laurels in this field of personality development of individuals. This also forms a national goal for the skills development organization sponsored by our country’s rulers. We trust this movement comes up with flying colors all over the nation.

It is very crucial once you decide to take the franchisee and start as an entrepreneur, How to select a right partner?  Such a decision needs a lot of guts and ability to take decisions. The first important question that you must ask yourself is, “Do I want to start my own business or should I start something with a reputed brand by taking their franchisee?” As with any new business venture, you need to carefully consider whether you have the right skills and attitude to run a successful franchise. Analyzing your own temperament can also help you decide which type of franchise would be right for you. Assess yourself Some of the successful franchisee business demands you to work hard, probably for long hours. Do you have the necessary stamina? Running your own business can be quite stressful. Think, how you would react to such pressures. Are you up for it? You may be starting up in business because you want to be yourown boss. If so, would you be happy with the restrictions imposed by a franchise arrangement? Some of the Franchisee businesses require heavy investments? You have to assess your investment capacity and choose accordingly. You should havesufficient working capital to support till it starts breaking even. The most important thing Choose a franchise business that you’ll enjoy Buying a franchise that you will enjoy is the most important factor of all. Most businesses – all types of business, not just franchises – succeed when the owner truly enjoys the products and/or services that the business provides. Research the best franchises There are thousands of different business franchises, and there will be more than one and perhaps many in your chosen business area. Once you have made the decision to buy a franchise business it is difficult to turn back. You can do a survey by meeting existing franchisees. Visit the area where you wish to start the business and do a market research. Check with the competition and get some data from social media. Check the background of the management. Check their values and track record. You must meet with the management or senior level staff and understand their commitment towards the business and their expectation from the franchisee and what support they will provide. You must not take a decision base entirely on the opinion of existing franchisee’s positive or negative opinion. It has to be completely based on your own judgment. Find a franchise that offers the support you need in the area you are weak. Assess the franchise opportunity To assess whether a franchise represents a sound business opportunity, you’ll need to consider: What is the business all about and how it operates – Can you use a recognized brand nameand trademarks? Will you benefit from any advertising or promotion by “franchisor”? Which is the location of the franchise? – check whether the location has enough potential of business. You usually have exclusive rights in your territory. The franchisor won’t sell any other franchises in the same region, though there will be competition from other businesses. What support is provided by franchisor The franchisor generally provides support in the form of training, help setting up the business, a manual telling you how to run the business and ongoing advice. Is it a successfulconcept? the number of franchise opportunity for classes and how financially successful they are. You can check how successful other franchises are before committing yourself. The strength of competitionfrom other brands How long the franchisor– has been in business and how financially secure it is. How long has the company has been offering the franchise? What are the levels of initial and ongoing costs? How much trainingand support you will get in setting up and running the business Look for a good business profit model Successful businesses – not just franchises – are always based on a sound and healthy business and profit model. You must check the ROI. Evaluate the financial business proposal and get them to explain it. Do you study and make a set of queries that they need to answer. Understand the financials What is the level of investment and what do you get for it – is it good value? Or is it all smoke and mirrors? How long will it take you to recover your investment – in other words, what is the payback period – how quickly will the franchisee realistically and reliably get into profit? This is a crucial indicator and one which you must understand and be assured that it is acceptable and achievable before you buy any franchise. What are the running costs of the franchise? – Some will be fixed overheads, (such as rent of the premises, franchise fixed royalty fees, staff salaries  advertising, printed materials, training, etc  ) some will be variable ‘cost of sales’ dependent on your sales levels and volumes (such as materials ); Get a clear idea of what these costs are. Be able to see and understand them over a year, broken down month by month. What working capital will you need? – This is the amount of money required for the business running costs, including your own salary(ies), before the business begins to make a profit necessary to fund itself and your wages. What borrowing or loan arrangements are required, and can you afford the repayments, given the working capital requirements of the new business, and the rate of expected business and profit growth? Do I have other priorities in my life? In just about every franchise agreement I’ve seen, there is a clause requiring you to devote substantially all of your working time to the operation of your franchising business for English speaking. Retailing and restaurant franchises, especially, involve grueling hours on evenings, weekends and holidays. If you are thinking about doing a little bit of consulting on the side, pursuing a cherished hobby or spending more time with your family, your hopes may be frustrated. Once you have decided to take franchisee of a particular brand then you have to surrender to the brand completely and follow them, implement all that they