©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2007

Strategies in the Job-Search Process

Chapter Nine

Basic Business Communication

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Steps in the Job Search Process

Build a network of contacts

Identify appropriate jobs

Find your employer

Prepare the application documents

Continue job search activities

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Building a Network of Contacts

Broaden your circle of friends

Get to know your professors

Meet business executives

Make contacts through internships

Work with community organizations

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Identifying Appropriate Jobs

Analyze Yourself-Education

-Personal Qualities

-Work Experience

-Special Qualifications (languages, communications skills)

Analyze Outside Factors

-Where is the job you are seeking available?

-Are you willing to move?

-Does the location meet with your lifestyle needs?

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Finding Your Employer

Career Centers (School career centers)

Network of Personal Contacts

Classified Advertisements

Online Sources

Employment Agencies

Personal Search Agents

Web Page Profiles

Prospecting

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Preparing the Application Documents

The traditional resume

The application letter

The follow-up and close of the process

Other job search letters

Continued job search activities

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What is a resume?

A resume is a personal summary of your professional history and qualifications

It includes information about your career goals, education, work experience, activities, honors, and any special skills you might have

Three types of resume:

-Traditional Resume

-Scannable Resume

-Electronic Resume

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Resume Workshop

General Guidelines

Constructing traditional resume

Heading

Objective Statement

Education

Employment Experience

References

Different Styles: Organizational Styles

Reverse Chronological Style

Functional Style

Skills Style

Imaginative Style

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General Guidelines

Length

Limit an entry-level resume to one typed page. Be as concise as possible in stating information

Font

Avoid fonts smaller than 10 point and larger than 12 point

Paper

Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper. Print your resume with a laser or high quality ink-jet printer.

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Constructing the Traditional Resume

Find out general job information

Find out desired qualifications and skills

Logically arrange the facts into groups

Construct the headings and subheadings

Include contact and objective information

Present the data for best eye-appeal

Organize for strength

Write impersonally and consistently

Make the form attractive

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Identifying Information

Put your name, permanent and campus addresses, permanent and campus phone numbers, and email address prominently at the top of your resume

Avoid using a nickname to identify yourself

Consider including your URL address or fax number if you have one

RICK NASON 1401-1094 Wellington Street

Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 2Z9md290513@dal.ca

(902) 405-9312

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Objective Statement

1-3 sentence summary of your area of expertise and career interest

Write as complete sentences or as descriptive phrases with minimal punctuation

Relate your existing skills directly to the job you are seeking

Demonstrate what you can do for the company rather than what they can do for you.

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Objective Statement

Avoid over generalized statements:

-A position allowing me to utilize my knowledge and expertise in different areas.

Avoid statements that focus only on what a company can do for you:-A position where I gain experience in working on biological problems.

Make the statement as specific as possible:

-A position which allows me to apply my background in engineering and high performance computing to biological problems.

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Presenting Information

Some guidelines

List the facts under headings

Cover work experience with details

Cover education with details

When appropriate, show achievements

Use action verbs to strengthen the appeal

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Presenting Information

Some guidelines Avoid information on race, sex, religion, marital status,

pregnancy status, citizenship status, age etc Include information on activities and interests that tell

about one’s personal qualities

Get permission for using referee’s name

Use a separate sheet for references

Select references that cover your background

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Presenting Information

Some guidelines

Use accurate mailing and email addresses

List information without use of personal pronouns

Use the same grammatical form for all equal-level headings

Choose fonts carefully

Use right paper

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Summary of Qualifications Statement

This statement can replace or be used in addition to the objective statement.

Write one short paragraph or a bulleted list of qualifications.

Use a summary of qualifications statement to emphasize skills you possess that aren’t obvious from your past work experiences.

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Summary of Qualifications Statement

Summary of Qualifications

An MBA Major in Finance with expertise in the following areas:

-Working as Chief Administrative Officer at Grameen Phone

-Communicating with customers in project environments

-Working as Associate Consultant with BRAC

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Education

An important section for recent graduates seeking internships or summer jobs.

Beginning with the highest level of educational achievement, include information such as university attended, degrees earned, major, minors, grade point average, date of program completion, and so forth.

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Education

Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, CanadaGraduation October 2007MBA Major in Finance GPA: 3.98/4.3

You do not have to include your GPA on the resume, but if it isn’t included, employers may assume that it is lower than it really is.

Always state the grade point scale your school is using.

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Relevant Courses

List relevant courses that:-Help you stand out from the crowd

-Have provided you with specific skills or knowledge Include this information in the education section:

Spanish (4 semesters)Computer ScienceBusiness WritingEthics

Only include courses taken in addition to your major or minor

Refer to the course by name rather than by number

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Employment Experience

Include positions you have held which are related to the job you are seeking. These might be both paid and volunteer positions

Be creative with this section by describing your experiences in the most relevant way possible

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Employment Experience

Hospitality Intern (May 1999-August 1999)Mountain Jacks, HFx, NS

-Oversaw the planning,

production, and prompt

delivery of food

-Assisted in training and

retaining new and

experienced employees

-Created a healthy

atmosphere in restaurant

Include information such as company name and location, job title, dates, and duties performed

Make this section easy to read by using spacing and bullets

Use action phrases to highlight the duties you have performed

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Activities and Honors

Include relevant activities and honors that you could discuss with your prospective employer or that have given you valuable experience or skills

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Specialized Skills

Include skills that make you unique, such as computer skills, foreign language skills, or military service

Be specific in describing your special skills; name computer programs you know, how long you studied a foreign language, or your dates of military service

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References

In general, do not include the names and addresses of your references

Better state that references are available upon request

Choose professional references rather than character references

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Reference Sheet

Dr. AnsonHeavilon Hall, Room 226Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN 47907(765) 494-3723 -Dr. Anson is my current academic advisor in theCreative Writing andScience Fiction Program

Include the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your references

Always ask permission before you include any information on your reference sheet

Consider giving your references a copy of your resume so they will be prepared to talk to employers

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Organizing Your Resume

Organize your resume to highlight your unique skills and strengths

Use whatever combination of organizational styles you think best highlight your individual qualifications

The most commonresume styles are:

-Organizational style

-Reverse chronological

-Functional

-Skills

-Imaginative

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Reverse Chronological Resume Style

Present your education and work experience in chronological order, beginning with your most recent experiences

This style is best if:

Job experiences closely parallel the positions

There are no periods of unemployment time between jobs

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Work Experience:

1997-Present U.S. Postal Service, Indianapolis. Worked as a Station Manager, delivering mail, overseeing retail sales, planning delivery to new routes

1994-1997 All Right Parking, Inc., Indianapolis. Worked as a Manager, handling customer relations, overseeing accounts, supervising twenty-five employees

1992-1994 Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis. Worked as a District Sales Manager recruiting and training new eemployees, managing crews of twenty-five carriers within nine counties, designing routes

Reverse Chronological Resume Style

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Functional Resume Style

Organize experience by type of function performed. Under each, give specific examples

Highlight experiences that directly relate to the job you are seeking

Ignore experiences that do not relate to the job for which you are applying

Place things in order of importance rather than chronological order

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Functional Resume Style

Experience:

Research Assistant (May 1998-June 1999)- Purdue U.Assisted Professor Robert Thompson in:

-updating statistical tables and charts-answering research questions via the Internet, library, and by establishing resources to provide the needed information

President, Sociology Club (January-May 2000)-Raised over $2,000 for club expenses and scholarships-Organized 10 activities for over 200 students-Designed and maintained club website

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Skills Resume Style

Emphasize what you can do rather than where you have worked

Try to match your skills to the position for which you are applying

Ideal style for people who have gained valuable skills from a variety of unrelated experiences

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Skills Resume Style

Skills:

Communication Skills

-Counseled teens in an anti-drug initiative at Jefferson High School

-Received Employee of the Month Award for my work creating a positive environment at Wal-Mart while working as a cashier

-Presented a semester-long project on choosing a major to a group of prospective students

Training Skills

-Trained new employees in cashier procedures at Wal-Mart

-Served as assistant coach for a Scotia High School basketball team

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Imaginative Resume Style

Acts like a mini-portfolio because it demonstrates a combination of layout, graphics, text integration, and audience selection

Make sure a company is open to this type of resume before submitting it

Ideal style when a job demands creativity, such as graphic design

Appropriate to use color graphics on an imaginative resume

1-36Rick Nason7431 Davenport Drive

Dallas, TX 75226(512) 598-9693 (512) 598-0017

Objective: Administrative Assistant Position

Education: Bachelor of Science in Office AdministrationNorthern State University, 1991GPA 3.0/4.0

Special Skills:Keyboarding at 90 wpm, WordPerfect, Word,Ami Pro, Excel and 1-2-3, Paradox and Access

Relevant Courses:Business Communication Office ProceduresDocument Imaging Management

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Experience:

Secretary 1996-1998Boatner King Insurance Company, DallasPersonal secretary to Mr. Carlos Boatner, President

Data-entry Clerk 1993-1996Thatcher Manufacturing Company, Dallas

File Clerk 1992-1993J. C. Douglas Wholesale Company, Dry Creek

References:

Will gladly provide personal and professional references on request.

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Scannable Resume

Constructed to be read by a computer and retrieved when an appropriate position is being filled

Can be scanned into a database and retrieved when a position is being filled

Objective is to getting the resume reviewed in order to be re-interviewed

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Scannable Resume

Procedures for Scannable Resume

Include industry-specific key words Choose precise nouns over verb actions Present information in a form read accurately by

scanners

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Electronic Resume

Enables you to use electronic technology

Three basic formats:

-ASCII or Text File:

-Word Processor, RTF (Rich Text File) and PDF (Portable Document File)

-Multimedia HTM File

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Electronic Resume

Procedures for Electronic Resume

Use the electronic format the receiver specifies or prefers

Remove all contact information except your email address

Consider adding a last updated notation Extend the HTML format to include colors, graphics,

video, and sound as appropriate

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Writing the Cover Messages

Writing cover messages involve matching your qualifications with the job

They are as good as sales letters

Skillfully sell your abilities through them

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Procedure of Writing the Cover Messages

Study your product (you) and your prospect (the employer) and think out a strategy for presentation

Begin with words that gain attention

-begin applying for the job

-set up the presentation of your sales point

Adapt the tone and content to the job you seek

Present your qualifications, fitting them to the job

Choose words that enhance the information presented

Derive for an appropriate actions (interviews)

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Handling the Interview

Research the employer (company) to impress

Make a good appearance through dress and grooming

Anticipate questions and plan to answer

-Standard, tough, illegal, critical thinking and behavioral questions

Make a good impression by being at ease (calm, confident)

Help bring out the questions that show your qualifications

1-45Preparing your answers helps you choose a strategy

Question: What are your weaknesses?Possible Strategies: Present a weakness that’s really a hidden strength Cite a corrected weakness Recall a lesson learned Reveal a lapsed skill Use an unrelated skill Cite an objective Try humor Repeat your qualifications

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Writing Other Job Search Letters

Thank-you letter Follow-up letter Job acceptance letter Job refusal letter Job resignation letter

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Continuing Job Search Activities

Maintain your resume Read job ads/ professional journals