How to write an effective personal report?

In our professional work, we have to deal with various kinds of wring tasks. Among them, writing reports is an integral part in most professions. This article suggests some practical guidance on how to write three types of personal reports namely Assessment, Nomination and Recommendation.

Personal reports are generally written by higher officials about their subordinates concerning their official activities. They can mainly be categorized into three as follows.
1.Assessment reports
2.Nomination reports
3.Recommendation reports

Now we shall look at them in detail. Assessment report is a report that is written about an official’s performance at work. The main purpose of this kind of letter to evaluate an employee for confirmation of his/her appointment, for a salary increase or for a promotion from a lower rank to a higher rank. Therefore, it is necessary for a higher official to include important details of a lower official/employee. Some of the most important details can be the ones mentioned below.

a.Date of first appointment/nature of appointment
b.Period of service
c.Work output/volume of work/speed of work
d.Quality and knowledge of work
e.Attitudes to superiors/ co-workers
f.Initiatives and alternatives
g.Sense of responsibility
h.Punctuality
Examine the model report written by a Production Engineer of a company below.

Confidential report on Mr. Suppar Petcharit
Process Engineer on probation

Mr. Suppat Petcharit joined the TOT Corporation as a process engineer on 22nd January 2008. He is to complete his period of probation service on 22nd July 2008. His monthly salary is 20000/- Baht.

Mr. Suppat Petcharit appears to be quick in learning new tasks and is able to manage the work within a short period. Despite a few minor mistakes, his work has been accurate. He is a quick worker and works faster than the usual probationers. Mr. Suppat Petcharit is also keen, energetic and conscientious and applies himself steadily and attentively to his work. His relation with the staff has been pleasant and he has settled to his new work surroundings very well. He is courteous and helpful. There have been no complaints so far regarding his work from the staff. During his probationary period, he has not taken any leave.

I recommend confirmation of appointment fro Mr. Suppat Petcharit in his present capacity.

Production Engineer.

Nomination report

A nomination report is usually written for one particular occasion. Especially to say someone I suitable for award a scholarship, for participation in a seminar or for undertaking a research project. In this kind of report, the writer selects a person who is most suitable and writes the report based on his personal observation or judgment. Therefore, the report consists of facts supporting the selection of this person for a scholarship, seminar, workshop or research award.

Now read the given letter.

The Bio-Diesel Club of the Faculty Engineering of the Prince of Songkla University is pleased to inform you that a seminar on Low cost Bio-diesel Extraction will be held at the Conference room of the Engineering faculty of Prince of Songkla University from 10 –12 July, 2008.

We would like to receive two participants from your organization for this seminar and we appreciate it if you could nominate two technical engineers for this purpose. Please submit their names and other particulars to us before 10th June 2008. A detailed program is sent herewith.

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

…………………..
Prof. Yuttana Kitkrittaya
Faculty of Engineering
PSU

The Manager, Petroleum Corporation received the above letter and he directed it to the Personnel Manger and requested him to select two Engineers to send for the above seminar.
Here is the nomination report that the Personnel Manager forwarded.

Petroleum Corporation,
Hatyai.

6th May 2008.

Nomination of Mr.Abdullateef and Ms Wanlapa Sirikhan for the seminar on Bio-diesel Extraction.

With reference to your letter dated 2nd May 2008, I wish to nominate Mr.Abdullateef and Ms Wanlapa Sirikhan for participation in the above seminar.

Both Mr.Abdullateef and Ms Wanlapa Sirikhan are Mr.Abdullateef and Ms Wanlapa Sirikhan currently engaged in a research project on Bio-Diesel and therefore, they will be greatly benefited from this seminar.

I also recommend that Mr.Abdullateef and Ms Wanlapa Sirikhan be given duty leave from 10-12 July to facilitate their participation.

Thank you.

…………………
Personnel Manager

Petroleum Corporation

Finally, we are left with Recommendation Reports which basically have three categories such as letters of recommendation, reference reports and character certificates.
Letters of recommendation.

Read the following letter and note all the offices held by Sujitra Uamkong and all the qualities for which she has been recommended.

Carrefour
Hatyai Branch.

12th January 2008.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

It has been a great pleasure to write a letter of recommendation for Ms Sujitra Uamkong who has been known to me for 5 years.

Ms Sujitra Uamkong is a hardworking lady who is committed to her work and the organization. She is very popular character among customers and has in sports too. She is a good tennis player and has represented our company in many matches played among provinces.

Ms Sujitra Uamkong has fine leadership qualities with a high sense of responsibility. She is reliable and conscientious. She will be an asset to any organization that requires people who can lead a team and achieve goals.
I wish her all the success.

………………………
Manager
Carrefour

You are free to follow the format given in the above model letters but depending on your requirements, you can change the details to suit the person about whom you are going to write.
Finally remember what Francis Bacon said about writing skills. “Reading makes a full man; and conference a ready man but writing makes a perfect man”. For one’s perfection, one should take to writing.

For your comments, please contact the author at mailwita@yahoo.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbasecamp.com

Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), Advanced Certificate in English for Professionals, Writing Skills –2006.

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