Author Archives: George Dovel

Teachable Moments with Infographic Résumés

Infographic résumés are getting a lot of buzz these days. We cover them in all three of our business communication textbooks and provide a variety of examples via our Real-Time Updates and Business Communication Headline News services. In certain situations, a well-designed infographic résumé used at the right point in the job application process can be […]

Starting the New Term: A Great Time for Students to Hone Their Networking Skills

We’re pleased to be joining you for another year of sharing business communication tips and techniques. With many students looking ahead to the job-search process, this is a great time to discuss professional networking. Networking is a multi-purpose learning tool because it combines so many important business communication skills, from conducting research and adopting the […]

Today’s Workplace: In Desperate Need of Better Communication

A recent survey took the emotional pulse of the American workforce, and the results are not encouraging. In fact, downright dismal would not be an overstatement. According to Gallup's 2013 State of the American Workplace Report, 70 percent of U.S. employees consider themselves either "not engaged" (52 percent) or "actively disengaged" (18 percent). Gallup says […]

Business Etiquette Simplified: Just Stop Being So Annoying

To students and professionals alike, the rules of business etiquette can seem both complicated and fussy. Unfortunately, important issues that hurt relationships and hobble careers can get lost in worries over making sure one's cravat is properly starched or whether one is using all seven dinner forks in the proper order. With tongue planted only […]

Hall of Fame: Consultant-Speaker Gregg Fraley Builds Credibility Online (with PowerPoint Slide for Classroom Use)

Gregg Fraley is a highly regarded expert in the field of creativity and business innovation, but because his services are intangible, potential clients can’t “test drive” those services before making a purchase decision. His website shows the care he takes to build credibility as part of his communication efforts. Bovee and Thill blog – Hall […]

Hall of Fame: Creative Commons’s Effective Use of Plain Language (with PowerPoint Slide for Classroom Use)

The ability to explain complex topics in clear terms is one of the most important skills a business communicator can have. This example from the Creative Commons website, explaining three levels of content licensing, demonstrates the power of plain language. Bovee and Thill blog – Hall of Fame – Creative Commons website

A Few Flickers of Hope in Employment-Related Communication

The sluggish job market isn't going to reignite overnight, but we have recently noticed a few positive communication developments that could eventually help more qualified candidates land the jobs they want. 1. The growing realization that auto-screening applicants is not automatically a good idea When companies complain they can't find qualified applicants for unfilled openings […]

Hall of Shame and Fame: Apple Statements Regarding Apple Maps (with PowerPoint Slide for Classroom Use)

Within minutes of its release as part of an operating system upgrade on Apple mobile devices, the Apple Maps feature began to generate howls of protest. Compared to the Google mapping feature it replaced, Apple Maps had numerous problems, from egregious errors to missing functionality. Users accustomed to finding just about anything through the Google […]