9
Communicating forEmployment
Introduction
•Job-Hunting
•Resumés, Cover Letters, and Portfolios
•Interviews
•Follow-Up
Assessing Your Skills andValues
•What are you good at?
•What do you want to do?
•Short-term priorities and long-term goals?
•Values, interests, and marketable skills?
Assessing Your WorkPreferences and Personality
•People-oriented or task-oriented?
•Lead role or support role?
•Fast-paced, changing workplace or stable,routine tasks?
Assessing Your Work History
•Key accomplishments?
•Hard and soft skills?
•What did you like or dislike in previous jobs?
Job-Hunting
•Study the job market
•Join professional associations and network
•Identify organizations you want to work for andcontact them
•Build your professional brand through socialmedia and internships
Job-Hunting, cont’d
•Where to find job postings
oSocial media
oPersonal contacts
oElectronic job sites
oNewspapers, magazines, trade publications
Using LinkedIn to Establish anOnline Presence
•Upload a professional photo
•Describe specific skills, education andexperience
•Include visuals from projects
•Solicit endorsements and recommendations
Using Twitter to Establish anOnline Presence
•Upload professional photos
•Follow relevant people and organizations
•Tweet material related to your field
•Connect to your LinkedIn profile
Writing Persuasive Resumés
•Summarize education, work history, and skills ata glance
•Use keywords to show up in electronic searchresults
•Need to be easy to read
Resumé Writing Style
•Chronological resumé
oStandard style
oUses reverse chronological order within sections
•Functional resumé
oEmphasizes skills and areas of expertise
•Combination resumé
Resumé Writing Style, cont’d
•Put the most important sections near the top
•Keep formatting simple and consistent
•Incorporate white space
•Maximum two pages
Parts of a Standard Resumé
•Name and contact information
oLetterhead format
•Education
oDegree/diploma, field of study, achievements,institution, location, dates
•Experience
oPosition, company, location, dates, duties andachievements
Optional Parts of a StandardResumé
•Objective
oType of job you are looking for
oSkills that qualify you for that job
•Summary of Qualifications/Profile
oWho you are
oYour specific skills
Optional Parts of a StandardResumé, cont’d
•Skills and Capabilities
oComputer programs, languages, procedures,certifications, specific job skills
•Awards and Activities
oScholarships, volunteer work, leadership positions,sports teams, professional memberships
Optional Parts of a StandardResumé, cont’d
•References
oAsk permission
oList name, title, company, and contact information
oBring to the interview
Include in resumé if requested
Resumé Tips
•Tell the truth
•Update regularly
•Create different versions
oE-mail
oCompany databases
•Fine-tune for individual jobs
•Avoid gimmicks
Preparing a ScannableResumé
•Keywords section
•Plain format
•Lots of white space
Preparing an E-mail Resumé
•Put job title or reference number in the subjectline
•Use keywords
•Include a cover letter
•Keep formatting simple
oEasy to convert between computer programs
Preparing a PersuasiveCover Letter
•Identifies the position applied for
•Explains why and how your experience andeducation relates to the job requirements
•Asks for an interview (call to action)
Cover Letter Format
•One page long
•Short paragraphs
•Same font as the resumé
Cover Letter Content
•Make your writing style
opositive and self-confident
ospecific and original
oclear and economical
•Camouflage “I,” “me,” and “mine”
•Get the names right
•Include keywords
Solicited Application Letters
•Opening
oSummary + request
oShared values/interest in the company
oRequest
oName
Solicited Application Letters,cont’d
•Middle
oSummarize relevant experience
oHighlight strongest skills
oInclude examples and use action verbs
oShow what sets you apart from other candidates
Solicited Application Letters,cont’d
•Close
oSummarize relevant experience
oHighlight strongest skills
oInclude examples and use action verbs
oShow what sets you apart from other candidates
Unsolicited Application Letters
•Use an indirect approach:
oDiscuss why you want to work for the company
oShow what you can offer
oDescribe how your skills and qualifications willprovide benefits
E-mail Cover Letters
•Specific and meaningful subject line
•Short and succinct
•Simple formatting
Career Portfolios
•Use a three-ring binder or a digital format
•Include
oexamples of your work
osupporting material
Statement of career goals
Summary of projects
Professional development
Letters of recommendation
Before a Job Interview
•Research the company
•Work on body language
•Dress for the job
Before a Job Interview, cont’d
•Anticipate questions
•Think of short stories about work or school
•Prepare thoughtful, specific questions for theinterviewer
•Practise, practise, practise!
Behavioural Interview Questions
•STARS:
oOutline the situation and the task
oDescribe the actions you took
oState the positive results
oExplain how the story demonstrates your skills
At the Interview
•Be on time or a little early
•Go alone
•Bring copies of your resumé, references, worksamples, or your portfolio
•Be courteous and speak properly
At the Interview, cont’d
•Make a good first impression
oHandshake, eye contact, smile
•Concentrate
oListen carefully to questions
•Stay positive
oDon’t focus on salary and benefits
•Wait for the decision
After the Interview
•Send a thank you letter within 24 hours
oExpress enthusiasm for the position
oPersonalize the message
•Follow up if you haven’t heard a response withina reasonable time
oLet the employer know you are still interested
oJog their memory
Responding to a Job Offer
•Acknowledge you received the offer
oCan ask for time to decide
•Accept the offer in writing
oRestate the details to make sure they are correct
•Decline the offer
oThank the employer for the offer
oMaintain a good relationship