UNIT-4 [ Lesson-2: Letters Conveying Bad News, Sympathy, and Refusing Appointments to Jobs ]
After reading this lesson you will be able to:
- follow the guidelines in choosing language for writing letters conveying sympathy
- write letters refusing offers to appointments for jobs
- apply the sample letters as perfect models for writing various letters.
Letters Conveying Bad News, Sympathy, and Refusing Appointments to Jobs
Letter of Sympathy
As a professional person you will have to convey sympathies to your company’s customers, and associates in situation involving death, sickness, accidents, serious loss, or other mishaps. This kind of information requires special attention in its construction because it will work as counselling to give comfort to your readers. So, identify the event and express your sympathy directly.
In case of a death, show your deep concern about the good qualities of the deceased, and how these will be cherished by you. Next, offer any help that the readers might need anytime. Below is a letter conveying sympathy by a company chief who extends his deep desire to help too. He is writing on behalf of the company reflecting formal remarks and expressions.
Central message: Empathise yourself with the reader, try to feel his situation as you would yours.
ACTIVITY-1
Write a letter conveying sympathy to your colleague’s mother whose son died of a heart attack.
Refusing offers to job application letter (Regret letter)
Although it falls under the group of bad news letter decisions about appointments should never be stated indirectly, as it may cause misunderstanding between the writer, and the reader. Also, you should be honest and sincere in explaining the reasons behind your decision.
Emphasise the positive attitude i.e., what you can do, or are doing, and avoid negative statements such as;”We cannot employ anymore,’
‘We are unable to appoint you,’ also a statement like, ‘we are sorry,’ while you are giving your decision as a ‘No’ to an application letter for jobs. Below is a sample letter written by the Director of a company expressing refusal to the application letter of an applicant
A sample letter writing ‘no’ to an application letter for job.
Resignation
Resignation letters are always written on official basis and are simple in nature stating the facts. Below is a sample of a resignation letter.
When you sympathise with a person you in fact place yourself into that person’s position. And that’s how you adjust your message (of condolence and refusal to offers) into that person’s level of understanding and receptive abilities.
ACTIVITY-2
These questions are designed to help you assess how far you have understood and can apply the learning you have accomplished by answering (in written form) the following questions:
I. Write a stereo-typed letter of regret to a candidate who has applied for the post advertised in the daily news on behalf of your company. (Answer: The sample letter No. 1)
II. You have been employed for five years by your present company as a Private Secretary in a post which you have enjoyed and where you have been given training facilities but now you wish to resign. Write your formal letter of resignation to your employer (In your letter give reasons for your resignation).
III. Write a formal letter expressing sympathy to the wife of your subordinate officer who recently died of a road accident. Write on behalf of your company.