I Think I Need a Binder

Great, my pages are loose, I can't find my notes, my interview is in ten minutes! Sometimes I just wish I was able to prepare before cramming everything to the last minute. To hand in something don't last minute and feel you're just handing in a pile of chicken scratch.

Why is it Important?

Chicken scratch you've been handing in? Yeah, that's not going to cut it in the business world. Professors and teachers often stress about format format FORMAT! It's something we learn throughout our life and that when presenting something professional, there's usually a set of rules. 

Now why do we have these formats? It's simple, so that everyone is on the same page and can easily compare what is well done and what is not. Think about reading a text book now if all the words are backwards it would be extremely difficult to read and understand it because the format is incorrect. 

In a business environment, your boss is expected for you to format everything according to a set of rules. This establishes:

1. Clarity and flow
2. Comparability with other documents
3. Attractiveness (who would bother reading pages full of mess?)
4. Reliability as an employee

What to do?

• Check your work frequently 
• Do it ahead of time to leave you time to edit
• Ask others to read it over (more insight)
• Ask questions

Meagan Templeton , (2012), 5 Ways to Improve Your GPA This Semester [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.hercampus.com/life/academics/5-ways-improve-your-gpa-semester [Accessed 01 March 13].

Guffey, M. E., Rhodes, K., & Rogin, P. (2011). Business Communication process and product. Toronto: south-western.