Chapter 11

1. The Job Search, Résumés,and Cover Letters Chapter 11

2. Evaluating Your Qualifications • What computer skills can I offer? • What other skills have I acquired in school, on the job, or through activities? How can I demonstrate these skills? • Do I work well with people? What proof can I offer? • Am I a leader, self-starter, or manager?

3. Evaluating Your Qualifications • Do I speak, write, or understand another language? • Do I learn quickly? Am I creative? How can I demonstrate these characteristics? • Do I communicate well in speech and in writing?

4. Choosing a Career Path • Visit your school career or counselling centre. • Search the Internet. • Use your library. • Take a summer job, internship, or part-time position in your field. • Interview someone in your chosen field. • Examine the classified ads. • Join professional organizations in your field.

5. Using Traditional Job Search Techniques • Study classified ads in local and national newspapers. • Check announcements in publications of professional organizations. • Contact companies in which you’re interested. • Sign up for school interviews with visiting company representatives. • Ask for advice from your instructors. • Develop your own network of contacts.

6. Using Electronic Job Search Techniques • Canada’s Job Bank • JobsEtc.ca • Charityvillage.com • Workopolis.ca • Monster.ca

7. Writing a Persuasive Résumé • Choosing a Résumé Style • Chronological • Functional • Combination

8. Chronological • Lists work history job-by-job, starting with the most recent position. • Quickly reveals experience and education. • Works well if you have experience in the field and steady career growth.

9. Functional • Focuses attention on skills rather than on past employment. • Groups skills and accomplishments in categories. • Can de-emphasize employment history. • Good for those who have changed jobs frequently, have gaps in employment, or for recent graduates.

10. Combination • Draws on features of chronological and functional. • Gives a complete job history that focuses on abilities. • Good choice for recent graduates.

11. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Main Heading • Name, address, telephone number, e-mail address • Career Objective (4 choices) • Include only for a targeted job. • Omit. • Include a general statement. • Omit on résumé, but include in cover letter.

12. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Education • Name and location of schools • Dates of attendance • Major fields of study • Degrees, diplomas, and certificates received • Give information about your studies, but don’t list all your courses

13. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Work Experience or Employment History • List recent jobs • Employer’s name, city, and province • Dates of employment, including month and year • Most important job title • Major duties, activities, accomplishments, and promotions

14. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Work Experience • Describe your experience. • Use action verbs to summarize achievements and skills. Be specific. • Prepared tax returns for individuals with incomes under $30,000. • Served 40 or more customers each day. • Worked in a team to develop 25-page manual for temporary employees..

15. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Skills and Abilities • List special skills • Describe skills learned in training • Highlight special abilities • Awards, Honours, and Activities • Include awards, scholarships, certificates etc. • List school, community and professional activities – show you are well-rounded

16. Arranging the Parts of a Résumé • Personal information • Omit birth date and marital status • Hobbies and interests may be included • References • Not necessary for résumé • If included, use parallel form • List of references available at interview

17. Sample Résumé • Jennifer Marie Jenkins • 3320 Lawrence Street • Swift Current, SK • (306) 781-5592 • Objective: Administrative position involving • Payroll • Accounting • Employee Benefits • Customer Service • SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS • • Two years’ experience in responsible administrative and accounting positions • • Disciplined self-starter; able to work without supervision • • Proficient with PCs including Word, Excel, and the Internet • [Continued on next slide.]

18. Sample Résumé • Can be counted on to follow through on every detail, until a task is successfully ..completed • B.A. degree, University of Saskatchewan, Business Administration major RELEVANT EXPERIENCE 10/04 to Apprentice, Radio Production, CQFA - 94.1, present Moose Jaw, SK • As production manager, schedule studios, recruit support staff. • Process scripts, permissions, and logs involved in weekly productions. 2002-04 Financial Manager, The Shelter House, Moose Jaw, SK. • Used computer to manage payroll and employee benefits for a staff of 26. • Completed all projects on time, despite chronically chaotic environment. [Continued on next slide.]

19. Sample Résumé • Managed agency's cash flow, involving funder reimbursements, in-kind donations, ..and fund-raising. • Processed all accounts payable and receivable, monthly, and quarterly statistical ..reports for local, state, and federal funding agencies. Oversaw petty cash. • Designed a flow chart to track success of a $25,000 fund-raising project. Spring, 2003 Publicity coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance arts troupe), Saskatoon, SK • Scheduled all media interviews and supervised volunteers. • Coordinated publicity mailings for Performance Arts Festival. 2001-03 Temp positions, Manpower Temporary Services, Winnipeg, MB • Developed customer service skills as telephone interviewer for Dorhring ..Company. [Continued on next slide.]

20. Sample Résumé • Maintained files, routed incoming telephone calls, input employee progress ..journals, prepared interoffice memos, recorded accounts payable cheques, ..keyboarded accounts payable correspondence, learned e-mail systems in various ..assignments. EDUCATION B.A. in Business Administration, University of Saskatchewan, 2001. GPA in major: 3.2 Dean's list, 2 terms

21. Making Your Résumé Computer-Friendly • Avoid unusual typefaces, underlining, and italics. • Use 10 to 14-point type. • Use smooth white paper, black ink, and quality printing. • Be sure your name is on the first line on the page. • Provide white space.

22. Making Your Résumé Computer-Friendly • Avoid double columns. • Don’t fold or staple your résumé. • Use abbreviations carefully. • Include your entire address and telephone number. • Be prepared to provide your résumé in Plain Text format.

23. Applying the Final Touches • Avoid humour. • Eliminate personal pronoun I. • Use white/off-white heavy bond paper. • Do not hire someone to write your résumé. • Try to fit your résumé on one page (two maximum). • Proofread several times.

24. The Persuasive Cover Letter • Openings for Solicited Jobs • Refer to the name of an employee in the company. • Refer to the source of your information precisely. • Refer to the job title and describe how your qualifications fit the requirements.

25. The Persuasive Cover Letter • Openings for Unsolicited Jobs • Demonstrate interest in and knowledge of the reader’s business. • Show how your special talents and background will benefit the company. • Refer to the job title and describe how your qualifications fit the requirements.

26. Writing a Persuasive Cover Letter • Building Interest in the Body • Relate your remarks to a specific position. • Choose your strongest qualifications and show how they fit the targeted job. • Discuss relevant personal qualities. • Refer the reader to your résumé.

27. Writing a Persuasive Cover Letter • Motivating Action in the Closing • Ask for an interview. • Make it easy for the reader to respond. Supply telephone number and best times to call you.

28. End