Session 9: Session 9: CommunicatingCommunicatingfor Employmentfor Employment

Session 9: Session 9: CommunicatingCommunicatingfor Employmentfor Employment

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The Workplace Today

• Globalization• Technology• Workforce diversity• Information

overload• Workplace teams• Outsourcing

• Deregulation• Downsizing• Shareholder

activism• Mergers and

acquisitions• Corporate

downsizing• Entrepreneurialism

Effects on the Job Search

• How people look for work• Where people find work• What employers require

Adapt to the Workplace

• Determine what you have to offer• Decide what you want to do• Increase your value

What Can You Offer?• Personal achievements

• Educational preparation

• Work experience

• Extracurricular activities

• Personal characteristics

Why do you need a resume?

• A resume is a document you can use to market your background to potential employers.

• The purpose of a resume is to obtain an interview with a prospective employer. – Therefore, it is important that your

resume is organized and well-written, and highlights your education, experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Writing a Résumé

• The purpose of your résumé is NOT to get you a job. It is to get you an interview.

• It's your winning personality and discussion of your lifetime of experiences that will get you the job.

Outline for a Resume

• Heading/Contact Information

– Your name is your heading. It should be bold and in larger print than the rest of the resume.

– Contact information includes your permanent address, your permanent telephone numbers with area codes (remember to use a professional message on your voice mail), your email address, and your web address, if you have one. Remember to check your email often.

Outline for a Resume

• Objective

– Your objective should focus on your desired job title.

– Concentrate on what you can bring to an employer, not on what you hope to get out of the position. Use phrases such as “To obtain an internship in accounting or finance” or “Seeking full-time position in engineering design, research, or development.”

Outline for a Resume

• Education – Include colleges/universities where you

have obtained, or are working on getting, a degree.

– List the official name of your degree and/or certification that you have obtained, or will obtain, the month and year of your graduation, and your major and minor(s). You may also list your overall or major GPA in this section.

Outline for a Resume– Include a brief description of your

coursework, independent studies or research in this section, along with computer, language, and other skills developed through your education.

– Omit high school information unless you are a freshman or sophomore in college or unless you had a significant accomplishment related to your field.

Outline for a Resume• Experience

– You can label this section a number of things — Experience, Work Experience, Related Professional Experience, etc.

– List your job title/position, the name of the organization for which you worked, the dates of employment, the job title, and an active, descriptive summary of job duties.

Outline for a Resume• Experience

– Be sure to include important keywords or hot topics that are relevant to your field in your job descriptions. Also, be certain to mention skills used and developed.

– If you have had unpaid experiences that relate to your desired objective, be sure to include them in this section as well.

Outline for a Resume• Additional Sections

According to your background, you will want to add other sections your resume. These sections could include:

– Activities– Honors – Interests – Hobbies – Community Service – Computer/Foreign Language Skills – Professional Memberships – Volunteer Experiences

Steps in Writing a Résumé

1. Make a huge list.2. Tailor the résumé to the job.3. Make sure your résumé sounds

good without lying.4. Make it easy to read.5. Proofread your résumé.

Make a huge list.• Education: Where you went

going to school, what your GPA was, a list of classes you took, what your major or minor was.

• Employment: All jobs you've ever had, and the dates that you had them through, including all volunteer work.

Make a huge list.

• Activities: All school activities in which you participated, and leadership positions you’ve ever held

Honors: Academic, athletic, or community awards or scholarships

• Skills: Examples are any language you speak besides your native language (even if only at a conversational level), all of your computer knowledge, especially of complicated programs, and knowledge of how to operate machinery

Tailor the résumé to the job.

• Three Styles of Résumés

– Chronological– Functional– Combination

Three Styles of Résumés

• Chronological– the most traditional style – An appropriate style for individuals

who have experience in their fields and who show steady career growth

– Usually preferred by employers résumé because it's simple, easy to read, and straightforward

• Functional– focuses on skills rather than

employment history – appropriate for:

• recent college graduates with little experience;

• individuals who have changed jobs frequently; and

• individuals who have gaps in their employment history

Three Styles of Résumés

Three Styles of Résumés

• Combination – emphasizes skills

usually at the beginning portion of the resume

– provides a more complete employment history than the functional style

Chronological Sample

Functional Sample

Combination Sample

Tailor the résumé to the job

• Especially important if you are changing careers. You should highlight your skills that are pertinent to the job you want. – For instance, a librarian with strong

computer programming skills who has set up a research database might want to explore work in information systems. On his resume, his computer expertise would get lost using a chronological format. Instead, a functional résumé emphasizing his information systems skills would better present this information.

– There is nothing unusual about having two or three résumés targeted for different types of jobs.

Make sure your résumé sounds good without

lying.• NEVER lie, exaggerate, embellish,

distort, or do anything unethical on a résumé.

• To make your résumé sound good:– Write action-oriented sentences– Use details– Recognize your talents

Proofread your résumé

• Remember: Résumés with typographical errors are usually thrown into the trash.

• Put “References Available upon Request.“

• Write your name and contact information nice and big at the top.

Common Résumé Problems

• Inappropriate in length

• Hard to read

• Wordy

• Too slick

• Poorly reproduced

• Amateurish

• Boastful

• Dishonest

• Gimmicky

• Carelessly written

Résumé Do’s

• Be concise.– Your résumé should be an outline

of your career and qualifications. It is a place for bulleted points— items easily read with a quick scan. You can expound upon things in your cover letter and go into detail in interviews.

Résumé Do’s

• Show results. – Quantify your on-the-job

accomplishments. Show the reader how you cut costs, increased revenue, developed products/procedures, etc. For example, “Designed the audio module for the company’s state-of-the-art virtual reality simulator” sounds more impressive than “Assisted in the production of”

– Also, where you can use figures, do so. Cut costs by how much? Increased revenue how much? Managed a department of how many?

Résumé Do’s

• Use Action Verbs– Analyzed– Budgeted– Coached– Created– Demonstrated– Earned

– Established– Improved– Managed– Negotiated– Sold– Supervised– Wrote

Résumé Do’s

•Carefully proofread and edit your résumé . – Take the time to read your résumé at

least twice and read it aloud to help catch awkward phrasing.

– A tip: After you’ve read your résumé, get away from it for a while before reading it again. Reading it over and over makes you more prone to skim over sections and overlook mistakes.

Résumé Do’s

• Make the effort and investment to produce a quality finished product. – If you do not have access to a

personal computer, don’t rely on your typewriter; make a trip to a copy center.

– Get multiple copies on high-quality paper. It’s a small investment when you consider the long-term return.

Résumé Do’s• Keep your résumé up to date.

– You might be comfortable and happy in your current situation, but you never know:•When you might learn of a more

ideal job; •When your department might be

reduced or restructured; •When your personal situation

might dictate the search for a new job (e.g., your spouse gets an attractive offer in another city)

Résumé Do’s

• It’s rare that anyone has lifetime contentment and security in a job. Always be prepared. Especially as you get promotions and new responsibilities, you should note these in your resume, and purge outdated material.

• Also, if you develop outside interests that might make you more marketable (new computer skills, published articles, a foreign language), be sure to add these.

Résumé Don’ts• Don’t be cute or fancy when it comes

to layout and presentation.

– When it comes to your résumé , however, use restraint. Save the flashy stuff for your party invitations and holiday newsletters.

– Your résumé is one of the first impressions you give an employer. You want to show that you are a viable candidate for the job. Your ability to use multiple fonts and graphics is irrelevant. For a clean, professional-looking résumé , it’s best to err on the conservative side (a good font: Times New Roman).

Résumé Don’ts

•Don’t use passive phrases. – Outlining your work history by

stating “Duties included” or “Was responsible for” takes away from what you actually accomplished. Show action in your statements with words such as “developed,” “designed,” “generated,” “sold,” and “wrote.”

Résumé Don’ts

• Don’t exaggerate. – Padding your résumé is not acceptable.

You should be able to tell from a job description whether or not you are qualified. And even if you’re not a perfect fit, it’s likely that few others are either.

– Don’t try to make up qualifications for a specific job. Employers’ want ads are often wish lists, and they don’t necessarily expect every applicant to have all the desired qualifications.

Résumé Don’ts

• Don’t overlook non-work experiences.

– Your time organizing a charity fund-raiser, presiding over a cultural organization or even participating in groups such as Toastmasters not only looks good on resumes but also gives you legitimate professional experience.

Résumé Don’ts• Don’t include frivolous

information.

– Photographs, marital status, high school information, salary requirements and even references should not be included.

• Don’t label the document “Résumé.”– It is readily apparent what you are

presenting. Some make the mistake of using “Resume” at the top near their names. It is not needed.

Types of Application Letters

• Solicited

• Unsolicited– Getting attention

– Building interest

– Increasing desire

– Motivating action

Writing the Cover Letter

• Research the industry and learn: – important business or

technological trends – significant recent transactions – hiring trends, popular terms – phrases and subject matter

Writing the Cover Letter

• For each individual employer, find out:– the nature of the company's business – its major clients or customers – its history, important recent

transactions or developments – hiring trends and employment needs

Writing the Cover Letter

• Set up the page – Use plain white or ivory paper

only. – Research and write the name,

title, and address of the person to whom you are sending the letter (instead of "Recruiting Coordinator.”)

– Send an original, signed letter, not a photocopy.

Writing the Cover Letter

• Write the letter.– Avoid irrelevant information.– Avoid jargon and clichés. – Use action verbs whenever possible. – Be brief – write a one-page letter.– Don't try to be funny.– Don't justify or explain why you are

leaving your present job. Instead, explain why you want this job.

Proposed Format

• 1st paragraph: Tell the reader who you are, why you are writing, what specific position you are seeking, and why you think the company needs your services.

• 2nd paragraph: Describe your professional skills and academic qualifications for the position you're seeking.

Proposed Format

• 3rd paragraph: Explain how you are a good fit at the company and how you will be a valuable asset in the position you want.

• 4th paragraph: Request that the company schedule an interview with you or contact you about your application.

Preparing for the Job

Interview