TCS Email Writing Guidelines

In this post, I would like to throw some light on some important points which I missed in my earlier post (last year). In case you have not read my earlier post, I would suggest going through that first. Here is the link http://gurudattajoglekar.blogspot.in/2014/09/two-notes-before-i-start-1.html).

In continuation to the above post,

Use of keywords:

The best job (ironically) that TCS does is to give keywords for the email. Please take care of the following points:

- Sequence/Order of keywords: Please ensure that you retain the sequence/order of keywords as given in the question

- The tense of keywords: Try your best to retain even the tense of the given keyword. e.g., ‘schedule’ is one of the given keywords. If you frame the sentence as ‘meeting was scheduled’, you end up scoring less as you have changed the tense of the keyword.

- Matching of keywords: Ensure that the keyword you use exactly match with the given keyword. Example: Given keyword ‘it was a success’ and you use it as ‘it was a great success’. The system may not be able to match the words as ‘great’ is not allowing it to do so.

Word count:

Generally, expected word count is given in the question. Pay attention to words like minimum and maximum. Mentioning some obvious points herewith. Ensure that you cross the minimum word count given in the question and do not cross maximum .

- If minimum word count is given, ensure that you cross that word count. But, don’t get over-excited and type a long email. e.g., if the question has minimum 50 words and you type an email with more than 100 words, it is considered lengthy. 

- If the maximum word count is given, ensure that you do not cross that word count. But, don’t submit the email with too fewer words than expected. E.g., If the question has a maximum word count of 100 and you type an email with only 50 words, it is considered too short.

- If a range is given, try to finish the email with word count somewhere near the average. E.g. Question with minimum 70 and maximum 100 words, 80-90 words is considered optimum.

- As a general rule of thumb, you can go with one keyword – one sentence which would do your job. Also, keep a buffer of around 10% of the given word count.

Effective timing strategy:

It is wise to use 1+7+2 strategy in the 10 minutes allotted for the email writing section.

- 1 min: Read the question carefully, think of each and every keyword and most important, understand the context of the given question. You can have a rough draft prepared in your mind, especially how to start and how to end.

- 7 min: Type and complete the email

- 2min: Check your email thoroughly for keyword usage, word count, punctuations, spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes, etc.). I have covered such points in this and my earlier post.

I am sure that if you practice this in advance, this timing strategy will prove really helpful.