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  string(40) "Do people read past your first sentence?"
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	Do people read past your first sentence?
    

    
	How often do you receive emails, proposals or cover letters to a CV that is so bad, you don't even want to read past the first sentence?
    

    
	How do you know that your own emails, proposals or cover letters don't have the same effect on someone else?
    

    
	Personal Skills is one of the subjects of the MBA at USB. It only accounts for one out of 306 credits to complete your MBA, but oh boy, what an interesting journey it has been so far. The aim of the subject, among other things, is to give you guidelines on how to write better emails and cover letters, so your readers will read past the first sentence.
    

    
	From a business perspective, effective communication does have an effect on the bottom line. A study done by Watson Wyatt Worldwide - a human capital consulting firm - launched its Communication ROI Study™ in April 2003. It showed that companies with effective communication programs has a lower employee turnover, and increased stock market value, compared to organizations that don't make an effort with communications.
    

    
	In my own work environment, I have seen the impact of bad communication skills, or ineffective email writing. The result is unnecessary conflict situations, a stressful work atmosphere and an overall company culture that leaves a lot to be desired. Effective communication can have a profound effect.
    

    
	Here are a few tips from the Personal Skills course on how to write better emails, proposals and cover letters:
    

    
	- Sentences should be clear, short and simple.
    

    
	- The key message must be in the first two lines.
    

    
	- The subject line must be specific and contain part of the key message.
    

    
	- Write in the active form, instead of passive.
    

    
	- Use active verbs and strong adjectives.
    

    
	- Introduce every paragraph with a topic sentence, so readers will know what the rest of the paragraph is all about.
    

    
	- Check your grammar, syntax and spelling.
    

    
	- Remember whom you're writing for. Tone is very important.
    

    
	- Review your structure and layout. Leave enough white space for easy reading.
    

    
	- Read your work before you send.
    

    
	(Image: Flikr Creative Commons)
    
"
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  • Do people read past your first sentence?

    Posted by Celeste Vlok on Jun, 22 2014

    Do people read past your first sentence? How often do you receive emails, proposals or cover letters to a CV that is so bad, you don't even want to read past the first sentence? How do...

    0 commentsRead more …

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	To be a better leader in future, you need to start with intense reflection on your past, present and future. Life until now has been a series of lessons learnt in leadership, whether you knew it not. This was one of the key messages during orientation week for the 3year modular MBA course (group two) which started last week, on the 14th of May.
    

    
	The latest intake of 58 students, from as far as the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe, Namibia and locally, embarked on what seems like the journey of their life. With personal leadership development taking centre stage in orientation week, it was clear from day one that there is going to be a lot of poking, dissecting and questioning your own thought processes, to reflect on how study content is applicable to your own life—reframing the past and present to be better leaders for the future. "This course is going change our lives," said Mari Cairns, MBA student residing in the UK who, will be travelling to South Africa for each block week.
    

    
	It was not just the course content that made a good impression on many students. It was the fact that USB runs like a well-oiled machine. Louis Coetsee, MBA student from Pretoria, said: "The USB is really well organised." Most students will be accessing the university's online learning hub from off-site and special care was taken to make sure that everyone was set-up and ready to work from home. All the classes started on time, class notes and study material were readily available, and the three meals a day were very tasty.
    

    
	The MBA is not about the piece of paper you receive at the end of the course. It's about the journey that lies ahead and the people you will be sharing it with. The USB offers a range of additional services, such as career planning, personal profile building and coaching, which adds enormous value to being registered as a student at USB.
    

    
	Let the journey begin.  
    
"
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  • Orientation week—reflective start to the MBA journey

    Posted by Celeste Vlok on Jun, 05 2014

    To be a better leader in future, you need to start with intense reflection on your past, present and future. Life until now has been a series of lessons learnt in leadership, whether you knew it...

    3 commentsRead more …

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  string(1810) "
    
	Managing time:
    

    
	Classes, work, family, friends; how do you ensure you manage your time efficiently? 
    

    
	You are not alone
    

    
	You have access to a number of resources; your group, your class, other classes and lecturers. If you need assistance or are unsure of what to do, ask, but more importantly ask early so you can progress in the right direction.
    

    
	Prioritize
    

    
	A number of deliverables in more or less the same time? Prioritize your tasks by ranking them. Crossing of completed tasks on a task list does allow you to see how much you have managed to accomplish during the week.
    

    
	Schedules
    

    
	Not great with schedules, share your schedule of upcoming deliverables with your group to ensure you have the right information and have not potentially missed anything.
    

    
	Dealing with uncertainty
    

    
	Ask your classmates to review your work, you can provide feedback on theirs in return. This way, you will know if you are on the right track and it may help you consider something you did not consider before and may assist you in attaining a better grade.
    

    
	Attentiveness
    

    
	It is not always easy to pay attention the entire one or two hours of lectures. Interacting and asking questions assists in focusing more. Also, if you are already familiar with the material and then listen to the lecturers’ perspectives, you absorb more and have more questions.
    

    
	Most importantly, make the most of everyday opportunities and have fun!!
    

    
	“Lost time is never found again!”  Benjamin Franklin  
    
"
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  • Time

    Posted by SUDHA GANESAN on Jul, 14 2013

    Managing time: Classes, work, family, friends; how do you ensure you manage your time efficiently?  You are not alone You have access to a number of resources; your group, your...

    1 commentsRead more …

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	Interview with Deputy Director, Stellenbosch University Library and Information Services
    

    
	 
    

    
	How has the USBI evolved over the years?
    

    
	USBI has been in existence for more than 10 years. Initially it was envisioned that USBI would be a one-stop service point where students could collect study material, get IT help, reproduction services, training  and find relevant information. As the years progressed the IT and reproduction services moved out because of staff expansion and changing needs. More virtual services and resources had become available over the last few years, and a new Library portal with seamless access to resources came in existence. The printed collection of USBI has not grown over the years as we have maintained a policy of zero growth to make sure that we only have the latest books and journals available.  It is also our aim to give access to information rather than collect all. I foresee that most of the printed collection will be discarded in the next few years, to free spaces up for self-study and collaboration.
    

    
	Are there resources available that you believe students are not maximizing on?
    

    
	The library provides access to more than 100 e-databases, 70 000 e-journals, 10 000 e-books, and 900 000 printed books.  We have seen a decline in the issuing of printed books, but a growth in the use of e-databases and repositories. I would love to see students reading more academic journals online such as Harvard Business Review, McKinsey Quarterly and SA Journal of Business Management.  E-databases such as Reuters, McGregors and Gartner are definitely not optimally used. During training sessions we try to excite the students about the abundance of high-quality peer–reviewed resources that are available. The library’s resources are linked to Google Scholar, so hopefully students will be pulled to our wonderful collection.
    

    
	With everything moving online, do think there is a valid concern that people may not necessarily use library facilities much in the long run?
    

    
	It is clear that factors such as the changing nature and needs of users, as well as the changing content and new forms of research will have a major impact on how academic libraries such as USBI are utilized. Although we have done much to develop the Library as a virtual space, I feel strongly that there is still a need for the library as a physical space where users can collaborate, study and do some reflection on their academic work. It is also a space where users can expect professional and knowledgeable library staff to assist them with their research queries. The staff of USBI are well known for their excellent client service approach and often go the extra mile for clients.
    

    
	You have recently been promoted to Deputy Director, would you be able to share any new plans you have for the Stellenbosch University Library branches and Information Services?
    

    
	I am fortunate to have a very committed and professional team at USBI, as well as the other branch libraries of the University, (namely the Health Sciences Library in Tygerberg, and the Engineering-, Medical-and Theology libraries in Stellenbosch). I see my role more as a facilitator than a manager, to motivate and inspire the librarians to support the University and the Library’s focus areas to ensure student success, and contribute to high-level scholarly output. Wellness of staff is also very important to me, I want to ensure that staff are healthy, enjoy their work, and lead a balanced life where they can contribute optimally to their work, and the community they serve. Looking forward, I would love to see USBI upgraded to become a showcase of a vibrant and attractive physical space where students can have a “home from home”.
    
"
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  • Deputy Director - Stellenbosch University Library branches and Information Services

    Posted by SUDHA GANESAN on May, 04 2013

    Interview with Deputy Director, Stellenbosch University Library and Information Services   How has the USBI evolved over the years? USBI has been in existence for more than 10...

    0 commentsRead more …

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  string(111) "30 minutes with Nilesh  Sonar- Full-Time exchange student from IMT - Institute of Management Technology (India)"
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	30 minutes with Nilesh  Sonar- Full-Time exchange student from IMT- Institute of Management Technology (India)
    

    
	I was curious to understand why Nilesh chose South Africa and USB in particular from the various options he had. Nilesh felt a sense of adventure as he was one of the first students from IMT to choose South Africa to pursue his electives, and he is quite happy with the decision he made. He also felt a deeper connection to South Africa, as a fellow BRICS nation.
    

    
	He chose USB for quite a few reasons. Firstly that USB was accredited and ranked amongst leading global business schools, he had also read a number of reviews about the institution online and was aware of USB’s research related work. Two other distinctive reasons he chose USB was due to the fact that it offered an internship, it was one of the few international exchange destinations that offered direct interaction with industry and lastly a family member currently residing in South Africa had recommended USB.
    

    
	Nilesh is a full time student at IMT enrolled in the MBA in Finance programme, the electives he is currently enrolled in at USB are Decision Analysis, Business Finance, Marketing Management and Personal Skills development. He currently has an internship at Capitec bank for a period of 2 months, he feels that this experience will greatly assist him in gaining a better understanding of the South African banking industry.
    

    
	I was interested in how he was experiencing the shift in studying from IMT to USB. He felt the approach USB took was a lot more practical, than the more theoretical approach he was previously exposed to. He made an example of his statistics lecture. He was used to being taught about the theory behind ANOVA and application in terms of calculations, but he felt that there was a valid focus in class more on how the theory would be used in industry, which he appreciated.
    

    
	Nilesh is looking forward to his stay in South Africa. He is very excited about a safari tour that he plans on taking at the Kruger National Park in Johannesburg soon and he is also looking forward to all the other great experiences that lie ahead.
    
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  • 30 minutes with Nilesh Sonar- Full-Time exchange student from IMT - Institute of Management Technology (India)

    Posted by SUDHA GANESAN on Mar, 25 2013

    30 minutes with Nilesh  Sonar- Full-Time exchange student from IMT- Institute of Management Technology (India) I was curious to understand why Nilesh chose South Africa and USB in...

    4 commentsRead more …