chapter 15 preparing job application materials. “people who cannot write and communicate clearly...

Chapter 15

Preparing Job Application Materials

“People who cannot write and communicate clearly will not be hired, and if already working, are unlikely to last long enough to be considered for promotion.”

(From a survey of 120 major U.S. corporations) College Entrance, 2004 2Chapter 15. Preparing Job-Application Materials

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Plan the job search. Decide how to look for a position. Learn as much as you can about

the organizations to which you will apply.

Draft the résumé and application letter.

Revise, edit, and proofread the résumé and letter.

Prepare for job interviews. Write appropriate follow-up

letters.

Process for Preparing Job-Application Materials

Chapter 15. Preparing Job-Application Materials

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Do a self-inventory. Strengths & weaknesses Likes & dislikes Types of organizations Geographic preferences

Learn about the employers. Job fairs Research

Prepare your materials. Create a portfolio of your best work

Planning the Job Search Three Main Tasks


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Placement office Published job advertisement Organization's web site Job board on the Internet Professional placement bureau Unsolicited letter to an

organization Personal/professional connections

Ways to Find a Job


6Chapter 15. Preparing Job-Application Materials

Who has access to your résumé? How will you know if an employer

requests your résumé? Can your current employer see

your résumé? Can you update your résumé at no

cost?

Questions to Ask Before Posting to a Job Board


You know yourself better than anyone else does.

Employment officers know the style of the local agencies.

If you write your own résumé, you will be more likely to adapt it to different situations.

Reasons to Write Your Own Résumé

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Résumés communicate in two ways:

Through appearance Through content

Résumés


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Characteristics of a professional resume Generous margins: At least 1” all

sides Clear type: Use a good quality

printer. Balanced page appearance Clear organization: Adequate white

space

An Attractive RésuméMake a good first impression!


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The résumé must provide clear, specific information, without generalizations or self-congratulation.

The résumé must be completely free of errors.

The résumé must be honest. With <10 years experience, keep

it to one page.

Content of the Résumé


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Chronological Time is the organizing pattern for

each section Most common for recent grads

Skill or functional Includes a separate section to

highlight particular skills

Common Résumé Styles


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1. Identifying information2. Objectives or a summary of

qualifications3. Education4. Employment history5. Interests and activities (optional)6. References

Elements of a Chronological Résumé


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State only the goals or duties explicitly mentioned, or clearly implied, in the job advertisement.

Focus on the reader’s needs, not on your goals.

Be specific. Examples:

Entry-level position as network technician

Summer internship in automotive manufacturing

Drafting a Statement of Objectives


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The degree The institution The location of the institution The date of graduation Information about other schools

you attended

Information in the Education Section


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List your grade-point average. Compile a list of courses. Describe a special

accomplishment. List honors and awards you

received.

Guidelines for Elaborating on Your Education


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Skills used on the job Equipment operated or

supervised Money you were responsible for Documents written or produced Personnel supervised Client interaction Emphasize results!

Details of Your Employment History


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Include only if relative to position Participation in community-

service organizations Hobbies related to your career Sports, especially those that

might be socially useful in your professional career

University-sanctioned activities

Interests and Activities


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Decide how you want to present the references.

Choose your references carefully. Give the potential reference an

opportunity to decline gracefully.

Providing References


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Use only if appropriate: Computer skills Military experience Language ability Willingness to relocate

Other Elements of a Résumé


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1. Identifying information2. Objective or summary of

qualifications3. Skills4. Education5. Employment history6. Interests and activities (optional)7. References

Elements of a Functional/Skills Résumé


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Formatted résumé attached to an e-mail message

“Plain text” or ASCII résumé (.txt file)

Scannable résumé—one that will be scanned into an organization's database or copied and distributed

Web-based résumé

Forms of Electronic Résumés


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Print focuses on verbs; electronic focuses on nouns.

Include “Keywords” & use industry specific jargon.

Use ASCII text only. Letters, numbers, basic punctuation Avoid boldface, italic, underlining, special

characters Nothing more complex than bullets. Left align the information. Send yourself a test version of the

résumé.

Guidelines for Preparing Plain Text Résumé


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Use a good-quality laser printer. Use white paper. Do not fold the résumé. Use a simple sans-serif typeface. Use a single-column format. Use wide margins. Use the space bar instead of the

tab key.

Guidelines for Preparing a Scannable Résumé


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Elements of business letter: Inside address, salutation, etc.

Introductory paragraph Education paragraph Employment paragraph Concluding paragraph Paragraph order depends on

individual

Elements of a the Job Application Letter


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Selectivity. Select two or three points of greatest interest to the potential employer.

Development. Develop them into paragraphs emphasizing results.

Keys to a Good Job-Application Letter


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Identifies your source of information

Identifies the position you are interested in

States that you wish to be considered for the position

Forecasts the rest of the letter

Introductory Paragraph of a Job-Application Letter


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Begin with a topic sentence and develop a single idea.

Focus on the aspect of your that education most directly fits the job requirements.

Education Paragraph


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Topic sentence – develop single idea.

Don’t just tell it – provide evidence.

Focus on Broad background Specific skill

Employment Paragraph


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Three main elements:1. A reference to your résumé2. A polite but confident request for

an interview3. Your phone number and e-mail

address

Concluding Paragraph



Study job interviews. Study the organization to which

you applied. Think about what you can offer

the organization. Study lists of common interview

questions. Compile a list of questions you

wish to ask. Rehearse the interview.

Guidelines for Preparing for a Job Interview


When should you arrive for the interview? What should you wear? How do interviewers interpret your body

language? What questions are you likely to be asked? How long should your answers be? How do you know when the interviewer

wishes to end the interview? How can you get the interviewer’s contact

information to write a follow-up letter?

Questions to Consider Before a Job Interview

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Letter of appreciation after an interview

Letter accepting a job offer Letter of rejection in response to

a job offer Letter acknowledging a rejection

Follow-Up Letters


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Résumé Letters of recommendation Transcripts and professional

certifications Reports, papers, Web sites, slides

of oral presentations, and other documents the applicant has written or created as a student or an employee

Typical Items in an Electronic Portfolio



Analyze your audience and purpose.

Gather your materials. Organize your materials. Write introductory statements for

each major item and for the whole portfolio.

Prepare the materials for electronic display.

Review and revise the portfolio draft.

Assemble the portfolio.

Guidelines for Creating an Electronic Portfolio

chapter 15 preparing job application materials. “people who cannot write and communicate clearly...

Documents

job chapter

rsum slide

job search

job board slide

job interviews

application letter

job fairs research

attractive rsum