1. Professional Communication
The Art of Effective Self-Presentation and
Management of Personal Goals
Hello! I’m very pleased to share this information on professional communication. You will learn a bit about the goals of professional communication and some tips on how to be successful in a professional context

2. A Definition What is Professional Communication?
Professional Communication is explicitly goal oriented
You have a learning, leadership or career goal in mind and have requests or need to seek advice from a specific individual or group of individuals that will help you to make progress toward that goal
You need to accomplish a task that is related to a role you have in a work, community or educational setting and can only accomplish that task by seeking the input or support of a specific individual or group of individuals
You believe that effective communication with peers or colleagues will strengthen your network and help you achieve/advance your career or educational goals
First off, what do I mean by professional communication – it is goal directed communication. In other words, you have a specific outcome you want to achieve. Perhaps you need to ask a favor, for support, for guidance, to help you achieve a specific goal, such as a position, an experience, or a skill

3. Examples
You approach a faculty member about a research project that you would like to join
You request a letter of recommendation from a faculty member for an internship in which you are really interested
You seek the advice of a senior in the Honors College who has been successful in securing several impressive internships and fellowships
You invite the Director of a nonprofit organization whose work you admire for coffee to talk about ways that you might get involved in the organization
You the Executive Vice President of Student Affairs about an idea for a new student organization on campus
You were invited for an interview for a leadership position in a community organization and would like to follow up with a thank you note
You receive an invitation from the Dean of the Honors College to attend a networking event with an organization whose work aligns with your interests
Here are some examples, but you can probably think of many more. Depending on your long-term goals, there are a number of experiences you might want to pursue. Maybe you want to do research, or an internship, or study abroad. All of those experiences will require the support of a faculty or staff member for you to successfully navigate the details. Maybe down the road, you see a job opportunity that fits your interests and your skills. In any case, you will need to communicate with a professional about the opportunity and we want you to know how to do that.

4. Professional Communication = Effective Communication
Professional Communication IS Effective Communication because
You pay attention to specific elements that might affect how your message is perceived or decoded
You understand that you need to deliver a message in a way that it will be heard and respected
What are the critical elements?
Who is your audience? (make sure that you know the person’s title – Dr. XX, Professor XX, Dean XX, Mr/Mrs/Ms XX)
What is the specific message that you need to communicate?
What is the goal of your communication? What action do you want the person to whom you have communicated to take? What impression do you want them to have?
What is the context for your request (e.g., how well do you know the person, is your request controversial)
Obviously, you want to be effective. If you seek a certain position or opportunity and you ask someone for support in doing that, you want them to respond positively. For that to happen, you need to be clear and respectful in the way you ask for support. Sometimes that means understanding your audience. If you are talking to faculty, should you address them as Dr. So and So, Professor So and So – what is the protocol? If you aren’t sure, Professor So and So always works for faculty. Otherwise, Mr. and Ms. Would be the proper salutation. Err on the side of being too formal, especially in the early stages of communication. If someone invites you to use their first name, then it’s fine to do that. But you should never assume.

5. General Guidelines
People respond better to positive and respectful communication than they do to demanding and entitled communication. If your goal is to motivate someone to respond to you, use the former
Using a more formal structure in your communication establishes a professional tone that will lead to more professional engagement
When communicating with faculty, titles are important - faculty members who have PhDs or other doctoral degrees, should be referred to as “Dr. Jones” or “Professor Smith”. Not all faculty have doctoral degrees, so Professor Smith will work in all cases if you are not sure.
Outside of a higher education setting, you should also be aware of a person’s title and level of authority. If you are not sure, spend a little time doing background research to ensure that you address a person appropriately
Never refer to a person by his or her first name in a professional setting unless you are invited to do so
Remember – your goal is to have a successful communication. Even if you are frustrated – for example, if you have asked several people for information but have not gotten an answer, keep a positive attitude. That 10th person that you ask does not know that you have a reason to be frustrated.

6. Form of your Communication: Email
If the context is professional (e.g., ing a professor, administrator, supervisor, co-worker), you should avoid casual formatting and language
Make sure there is a salutation: “Dear Professor Smith”
Use full sentences, pay attention to grammar and punctuation
Don’t use casual language (e.g. “Hey Dr. Smith”) or emojis . Minimize (or eliminate use of exclamation points!)
Use respectful language that signifies the nature of your relationship with the person
Be polite and express gratitude for their time
Sometimes, it’s easy to lapse into “texting mode” with communication. In this case, you might use quick, cryptic phrases. However, in professional communication, you should not do that. You should keep a more formal structure. Always thank someone for taking the time to consider your request.

7. Form of your Communication: Email
If the context is professional (e.g., ing a professor, administrator, supervisor, co-worker), you need to be very clear about the intent of the
Are you simply writing to inform or update the person? If so, state that fact at the beginning of the and indicate that no response is necessary. After that is established, you can write a paragraph with the information you want to communicate
Do you have specific action that you are requesting (e.g., you want to set up a meeting, you need the person’s help with a specific task)? If so, be very clear about your request. In other words, do not send a general question that require a long response. That type of communication should be done in person.
If you simply want to update someone on a project that you have spoken with them about previously, let them know that at the beginning so that they understand a response is not necessary. Some professionals can receive several hundred s a day so it would be impossible for them to answer all of them. For someone who is that busy, it’s a relief to know that an does not require a response. If you need a response, consider that if the person you are ing receives a high number of s each day, they may have difficulty responding quickly. In that case, you may consider a phone call or an in-person meeting. Your urgency is not necessarily their urgency.

8. Form of your Communication: Email
If the context is professional (e.g., ing a professor, administrator, supervisor, co-worker), pay attention to the tone of your communication
If you are asking for specific action, use a conciliatory tone that signals your understanding that you are adding work to the person’s schedule that he or she had not anticipated
If you need advice, support, or the intervention of the person, avoid a demanding or entitled tone
Be cognizant of communication systems that might be in place. For example, most supervisors have administrative assistants who do their scheduling. If you know that to be true, copy that person on the
If your requires follow up, make sure you take responsibility for that rather than imposing it on the person to whom you are making the request
If someone sends you an that requires follow up, do so immediately. Do not delay!
The tone of your will make a tremendous difference in the likelihood and helpfulness of a response. It’s just human nature to respond positively when someone treats you with respect and negatively when they convey a sense of entitlement. Consider that many professionals may actually have support staff who can facilitate a response. If that’s case, copying that person on our can be helpful

9. Examples of Ineffective Emails
Hey TFB! I plan to drop by at 1pm to ask some questions about Honors Immersed. Just wanted to let you know 
Did not use formal salutation or proper title
Presumptuous - Assumes that TFB is available at 1pm and has time to talk with you. Also presumes that is OK to use a casual name to address her
Uses an emoji and casual sentence structure
Dr. Smith, I couldn’t come to class this morning. What should I do to make it up?
Puts the burden on Dr. Smith to solve your problem. Did you check the syllabus regarding the attendance policy?
This is an issue that requires you to schedule an in-person meeting
Ms. Jones, I think it’s unfair that you did not give me the chance to explain why I left class early.
Tone is confrontational
Not clear what action you want Ms. Jones to take
These are just a few examples of s that would not be effective

10. Example of an Effective Email
Dear Dr. Smith, I am excited to share that I am applying for a summer fellowship to study abroad in Cambodia. I have appreciated your support of my professional goals and would like to ask if you would be able to write a letter of recommendation for the fellowship. If so, I will plan to come to your office hours this week to give you more information about the fellowship and to share details about the application process and deadlines. Kind regards, Trisha
And here’s an example of an effective

11. Form of your Communication: Formal Letter or Memo
If your communication is a documentation of a situation or facts that need to be “in the record,” you might consider a formal letter or memo
A letter or memo can be delivered in person, by mail, or as an attachment
A letter or memo should include proper formatting – see example
A letter or memo should be carefully constructed, free of errors, and characterized by sophisticated grammatical structure
A letter or memo should be printed on quality paper and, if appropriate, on letterhead (paper with a logo or watermark)
A letter or memo should be copied “cc:” to all relevant individuals
Sometimes, you need a more formal style of communication. On the next couple slides you will see some examples

12. Format for a Formal Letter
Trisha Folds-Bennett, PhD 10 Green Way College of Charleston Charleston, SC Dear Dr. Folds-Bennett, Thank you for your interest in my candidacy for the internship position at the College of Charleston. I enjoyed the time with your staff and learning more about the functions of the Honors College. I believe that my skills and experience align well with the internship and am hopeful that I will advance to the final round of interviews. I look forward to hearing from you regarding next steps. Please let me know if you need more information from me about my interest and relevant experience. Sincerely, Brooke Permenter, PhD Cc: Dr. Fran Welch, Chair, Search Committee Mr. Jerry Crotty, Chair, Honors College Advisory Board
Note the format of the address. Note that the person has copied individuals who are relevant to the conversation

13. Format for a Memo
To: President Andrew T. Hsu College of Charleston From: Trisha Folds-Bennett, PhD Dean, Honors College Date: September 8, 2019 Re: Completion of Honors College Annual Action Plan I write to inform you that, as of September 5, 2019, the Honors College Advisory Board, in consultation with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members affiliated with the Honors College, has completed our annual action plan. For the upcoming year, our primary focus will be a feasibility for a new facility for the Honors College. We will also focus on the creation of an Alumni Engagement Plan that we will share with our colleagues in Alumni Affairs and Institutional Advancement. Thank you for your continued support of the Honors College. We look forward to working with you on these exciting projects. Cc: Dr. Fran Welch, Provost Mr. Chris Tobin, Executive President, Institutional Advancement Mr. Jerry Crotty, Chair, Honors College Advisory Board
This is similar to the letter, but in the form of a memo

14. Form of your Communication: Handwritten Note
If you have been hosted to a meal, reception, or other social engagement by someone in a professional role, you might consider a handwritten note. Also, if the person has done a specific favor for you (e.g., has written a letter of recommendation, has introduced you to someone who might facilitate a career goal), you might consider a handwritten note
In all cases, you should thank a person who has done a personal favor for you
Handwritten thank you notes should still use formal language and formatting (no smiley faces, minimal !)
Handwritten notes should be on plain stationary (without flowers, other graphics). It is OK if the stationary has a simple monogram or border
Use your neatest cursive handwriting – no printing and no messiness!
Handwritten notes are often effective in professional settings, but you need to think before you use them. If you have been invited to an event like a dinner or reception, a handwritten note is a nice gesture. Pay careful attention to the stationary you use and make sure you write in cursive and that your handwriting is neat

15. Form of your Communication: In-Person
If you need support, advice, or intervention (e.g., you have a problem that needs to be solved, you need advice on how to navigate a complicated situation, you need to share information that is confidential, you need to ask a specific favor – for a letter of recommendation, for a seat in a class, for permission to miss a required event), your best means of communication will be in person
Understand that a person in a professional role, has a busy work day so just dropping in is not the best approach. Dropping in during office hours is OK
Scheduling an appointment is the best approach
Make sure you are fully prepared with all the necessary information when you arrive at your meeting
In person is a great way of communicating about more complex ideas. You should develop habits of scheduling meetings and preparing well for in-person communication

16. Social Media
Recognize that although social media is a casual form of communication, it is often used in professional settings
Often, companies or organizations that are interviewing candidates will check social media accounts to make sure the candidate is a good fit for the job
If you do not want your social media account to affect your professional goals, carefully set privacy settings so only your friends and family are privy to what you post
If you do not want your social media account to affect your professional goals, pay careful attention to what you post, making sure that it reflects the type of person you would be in a professional setting
You probably already know this – but you really have to pay attention to your social media. It can come back to haunt if you post less than flattering content

17. Know Thyself: Self Awareness Facilitates Effective Communication
Reflect on your core competencies and values so that are able to articulate your goals more clearly – use your Clifton Strengths results as a tool in this reflection
Give some thought to how you want to present yourself – consider your goals and the impression you want to convey
Remember that body language matters as much as your words. In any professional context (including class), consider the message you send through your actions, your posture, your eye contact and facial expression, etc
Develop the habit of reflecting on the way you communicate with others and what style of communication is most effective in yielding the results that you want to achieve
In a professional setting, having a keen sense of who you are and how you want to present yourself is important. Use your time in BGS to begin to polish your self presentation. Think about your words and your actions – that can start in class. If you slouch, fall asleep, rustle around to pack up before the class ends, check your text messages/ s repeatedly, etc. those behaviors send the message that you are not very serious about whatever it is you are doing.

18. Practice Makes Perfect
Seek roles on campus and in the community that require professional communication
Honors Engaged is structured in such a way that professional communication is essential. Use the strategies that we recommend in this presentation when you are communicating with your peer liaison and with the staff in the organization with whom you are working
Apply for positions as Peer Facilitator, Honors Engaged Liaison, Honors College Office Intern when they are posted
Take leadership roles in organizations on campus
Participate in leadership development programs through the Higdon Leadership Center
Use every opportunity to put into practice the basic principles of effective communication that have been conveyed in this presentation
You have many opportunities on campus to practice your professional communication – use them!

19. Practice NOW makes Perfect
Becoming an Honors Student Ambassador is a leadership role in which current students will interact with prospective students and their families. This interaction will take place through various activities such as:
Individual meetings with prospective students,
Honors Information Sessions,
Recruitment Events,
Honors College Interview Weekend,
And much more!
Honors Student Ambassadors have the unique opportunity of sharing their “What made CofC Honors
the right choice for you?” and “What do you like most about CofC Honors?” stories with prospective students.
If you are interested in becoming an Honors Student Ambassador, please send an indicating your interest to
Being an Honors Ambassador is a great way to get started!