Chapter 17 Résumés and Other Employment-Related Communication

1. Chapter 17Résumés and Other Employment-Related Communication

2. Learning Objectives • Identify your personal assets as a job applicant • Search for a job systematically • Create an effective print résumé • Adapt your print résumé for scanning, emailing, or posting online • Write an effective application letter • Prepare a dossier, portfolio, or webfolio • Succeed in a job interview

3. The Job-Search Whether you are applying for your first professional job or changing careers, you need to market your skills effectively. The steps in the job-search process are: • Assessing your skills and aptitudes • Researching the job market • Writing an effective résumé • Writing effective application letters • Creating a dossier, portfolio, or Webfolio • Going to interviews and writing follow-up letters

4. Assessing Your Skills and Aptitudes Begin your job search by assessing those qualities and skills you can offer a potential employer: • Do I communicate well, and am I also a good listener? • Do I work well in groups and with people from different backgrounds? • Do I have experience or aptitude for a leadership role? • Can I solve problems and get things done? • Can I perform well under pressure?

5. Assessing Your Skills and Aptitudes (continued) • Can I work independently, with minimal supervision? • Do I have any special skills (public speaking, working with people, computer or other technical skills, aptitude with words, analytical skills, second or third languages, artistic/musical talent, mathematical aptitude)? • Do I have any hobbies that could improve my job prospects? • Would I prefer to work at a large company or a small one, or at a for-profit or a nonprofit organization? • Do I like to travel, or would I prefer working in a single location?

6. Researching the Job Market Search within a reasonable range, focusing on fields that interest you most and fit you best. • Plan your strategy: The job-search can be intimidating, so don’t just dive into the search. Proceed in a step-by-step, logical way. • Focus your search: Learn about the industry that interests you through research and joining professional groups. Identify key companies. • Explore online resources: Consult nationwide job portals, online newspaper ads, professional organization postings, and job openings at individual companies.

7. Researching the Job Market (continued) • Learn to Network: The shortest route to a good job is the human connection. Talk to career counselors, recruiters, friends, family, and acquaintances. Set up informational interviews at companies that interest you. Network online using email and social media sites like LinkedIn and other professional networking sites. Create your own professional pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus to attract employer attention.

8. Résumés • Essentially an applicant’s personal advertisement for employment, a résumé gives an employer an instant overview. • Employers are impressed by a résumé that looks good, reads easily, appears honest, and provides only the relevant information an employer needs. • Résumés that are mechanically flawed, cluttered, sketchy, hard to follow, or seemingly dishonest simply get discarded.

9. Parts of a Résumé Do not include desired salary, benefits, and time off in your résumé. Also omit your photograph, social security number, and information that is illegal for companies to request (race, age, marital status, etc.). Do include the following parts: • Contact Information. Provide your current and accurate phone number and email address. If you have a professional Web site, include the Web address.

10. Parts of a Résumé (continued) • Career Objective. Spell out the kind of job you want and tailor it to each job you apply for. Avoid vague statements. Be specific about your immediate and long-range goals: • Education. Begin with your most recent schooling and work backward. Include the name of the school, degree completed, year completed, and your major and minor. If your class rank or GPA is favorable, include it. Omit high school, unless relevant.

11. Parts of a Résumé (continued) • Work Experience. Start with your most recent job and word backward. Include employers’ names and dates of employment. Describe your exact duties for each job, indicating promotions. • Personal Data and Interests. List any awards, skills, activities, interests, and memberships that are relevant to the given position. • References. List three to five people who have agreed to be professional references and include contact information. You can also write “References available upon request” in that section and provide a separate list.

12. Organizing Your Résumé Organize your résumé to convey the strongest impression of your qualifications, skills, and experience. • A reverse chronological résumé focuses on job experience and education and is best for applicants who have a fair amount of experience. • A functional résumé focuses on skills over employment and education and is best for applicants who have limited experience or education, gaps in their work history, or frequent career changes.

13. Guidelines for Résumés Follow these guidelines when writing your résumé: • Begin your résumé well before your job search. • Tailor your résumé for each job. • Try to limit the résumé to a single page but keep it uncluttered and tasteful. • Stick to experience relevant to the job. • Use action verbs and key words. • Use bold, italic, underlining, colors, fonts, bullets, and punctuation thoughtfully, for emphasis.

14. Guidelines for Résumés (continued) • Never invent or distort credentials. • Use quality paper and envelopes. • Proofread, proofread, proofread.

15. Electronic Résumés In today’s electronic workplace, expect to submit your résumé electronically. Scannable and Emailed Résumés. Prospective employers often scan résumés, which requires special formatting, and emailed résumés must be readable on any computer. Follow these guidelines: • Use keywords in noun form (conflict management, graphic design, electrical engineering). • Consider making your scannable résumé slightly longer than your standard, hard-copy version.

16. Electronic Résumés (continued) • Use a simple font. • Use simple formatting. • Save your résumé in “text only” or “rich text” format. • Proofread your résumé. Online Résumés. You can also post your résumé on your own Web site or on an employment Web site. Follow these guidelines: • Add hyperlinks, if desired, for a searchable résumé. • Be sure your searchable résumé can download quickly.

17. Electronic Résumés (continued) • Include the searchable résumé’s Web address on your hard-copy or scannable résumé. • Prepare alternative delivery options. • Avoid personal information.

18. Application Letters • An application letter complements your résumé. The letter’s main purpose is to explain how your credentials fit the particular job and to convey that you are an informed, professional, and likable applicant. • Application letters may be solicited (in response to an advertised job) or unsolicited (not in response to an advertised job, but in the hopes of gaining employer interest).

19. Solicited Application Letters Structure your letter as follows: • Introduction: Name the job and where you saw it advertised. Identify yourself and your background. If you have a mutual connection with the company, name that person. • Body: Spell out your case without merely repeating your résumé. Relate your qualifications to the advertised job. • Conclusion: Restate your interest and request action (an interview for the position, a follow-up phone call to discuss the job further, etc.).

20. Unsolicited Application Letters Structure your letter as follows: • Introduction: Open forcefully by establishing a connection with a mutual acquaintance, or by making a strong statement or asking a persuasive question: • Body: Relate your qualifications to the type of job you would like to obtain at the company. • Conclusion: Restate your interest and request action (an informational interview, phone call, etc.).

21. Guidelines for Application Letters Follow these guidelines when writing solicited or unsolicited application letters: • Develop an excellent prototype letter. • Customize each letter for the specific job opening. • Use caution when adapting sample letters. • Create a dynamic tone with active voice and action verbs. • Never be vague. • Never exaggerate. Liars get busted. • Convey some enthusiasm. • Avoid flattery.

22. Guidelines for Application Letters(continued) • Be concise. • Avoid being overly informal or overly stiff. • Never settle for a first draft—or even a second or third. • Never send a photocopied letter.

23. Dossiers, Portfolios, and Webfolios You may also want to provide a dossier, portfolio, or Webfolio: • A dossier contains your credentials: college transcript, recommendation letters, and other items that offer evidence of your achievements. Your college placement office will keep the dossier on file and send copies to employers. • A portfolio or Webfolio contains your résumé, uploaded or scanned examples of your work, and anything else pertinent to your job search. You provide employers with access to this information yourself.

24. Guidelines for Dossiers, Portfolios, and Webfolios Follow these guidelines for dossiers, portfolios, and Webfolios: • Always provide an introduction or mission statement. • Collect relevant materials. • Include copies of dossier materials. • Assemble your items. • Omit irrelevant items. • Omit your street address or phone number from your Webfolio.

25. Interviews and Follow-up Letters • All of your preparation leads to the last stages of the hiring process: the interview and writing follow-up letters. • The interview’s purpose is to confirm the employer’s impressions from your application letter, résumé, references, and dossier. The key to a good interview is to be prepared. • Follow-up letters either simply thank an interviewer for interviewing you or accept or refuse a job offer.

26. Interviews • Careful preparation is the key to a productive interview. If you haven’t already done so, learn all you can about the company. • Practice answering typical questions, like “Why does this job appeal to you?” or “What are your short-term and long-term career goals?” • Always tell the truth during an interview. Facts are easy to verify and exaggerated or untrue claims are easy to spot.

27. Follow-up Letters The two types of follow-up letters are thankyouletters and job acceptance or refusalletters: • Thankyouletters: Send it within a day or two of the interview, send it in hard copy, and keep it brief. Thank the interviewer, reemphasize interest in the position, refer to some details from the interview, and close with genuine enthusiasm. • Acceptance or refusal letters: When accepting, formally state as such and thank the interviewer. When refusing, be cordial, offer an explanation, and open yourself up to future possibilities.

28. Guidelines for Interviews and Follow-up Letters When attending interviews or following-up, follow these guidelines: • Confirm the interview’s exact time and location. • Don’t show up empty-handed. • Make a positive first impression. • Don’t worry about having all the answers. Avoid abrupt yes or no answers—as well as life stories. • Don’t answer questions by merely repeating the material on your résumé. • Remember to smile often and to be friendly and attentive throughout.

29. Guidelines for Interviews and Follow-up Letters (continued) • Never criticize a previous employer. • Prepare to ask intelligent questions. • Take a hint when the interview is over. • Show some class (exhibit polite behavior). • Expect a possible telephone interview. • Follow up as soon as possible.

30. Review Questions 1. What are the six steps in the job-search process? 2. What are three questions that will help you assess your skills and aptitudes? 3. What are four ways to research the job market? 4. What is a résumé, and what are the parts of a résumé? 5. What is the difference between a reverse chronological résumé and a functional résumé?

31. Review Questions (continued) 6. Why is it important to know how to adapt your résumé so that it can be emailed, scanned, or posted online? 7. What is the purpose of an application letter and what are two types of application letters? 8. What is a dossier? 9. What is a portfolio or Webfolio? 10. What is the key to being a successful interviewee?