14.1 to accompany excellence in business communication, 5e, thill and bovée © 2002 prentice-hall...

14.1

To accompany Excellence in Business Communication, 5e , Thill and Bovée © 2002 Prentice-Hall

Chapter 14Writing Résumés and Application Letters

14.2


Chapter 14 Objectives

Explain why companies are encouraging employees to get varied job experience.

Delineate three things that need to be analyzed when planning a résumé.

Discuss how to choose the appropriate organization for your résumé.

14.3


Chapter 14 Objectives

List the major sections of a traditional résumé.

Adapt your résumé to an electronic format.

Define the purpose of application letters and how to apply the AIDA approach to them.

continued

14.4


Building Toward a Career

Employers are looking for people who Are able and willing to adapt to diverse

situations Thrive in an ever-changing workplace Continue to learn throughout their careers Are team players with strong work records Are versatile leaders Are sensitive to intercultural differences (and

have perhaps studied abroad) Have a sound understanding of international

affairs (and have perhaps learned another language)

14.5


Steps Toward BuildingYour Career

Keep an employment portfolio. Take interim assignments. Polish and update your skills. Learn about the services your campus

career center offers. Don’t think the process is over once an

employer hires you.

14.6


Planning Your Resume

Your résumé is A structured, written summary of your

education, employment history, and job qualifications

A form of advertising Intended to get you an interview with

prospective employers Your purpose in writing a résumé is to

create interest, not to tell readers everything about you.

14.7


Before the Resume…

Before you can create a successful résumé, you need to find out What you have to offer What you want to do

14.8


Analyze Yourself

The first step toward knowing yourself is to analyze your talents and skills: Jot down ten achievements you’re proud of,

and think about the skills they demanded. Look closely at your educational preparation,

work experience, and extracurricular activities. Take stock of your personal characteristics

(making a list of your most important qualities). Consult your college placement office for help

identifying interests, aptitudes, and personality traits.

14.9


Analyze Yourself

The second step toward knowing yourself is to discover what will make you happy and satisfied on the job: What would you like to do every day? How would you like to work? What specific compensation do you expect? Can you establish some general career goals? What size company would you prefer? What type of operation is appealing to you? What location would you like? What facilities do you envision? What sort of corporate culture are you most

comfortable with?

14.10


Knowing the Job Market

Employers hire people by Hearing about candidates from an employee

(personal contact) Sending representatives to college campuses

to interview students for job openings Accepting unsolicited résumés Recruiting candidates through employment

agencies, state employment services, temporary staffing services, and employment bureaus operated by some trade associations

Posting jobs through classified and display ads in newspapers, trade magazines, and campus publications

Advertising positions on the Internet

14.11


Resources for Employment

Opportunities Journals and PeriodicalsJournals and Periodicals

Business and Financial NewsBusiness and Financial News

Specific CompaniesSpecific Companies

Web SitesWeb Sites

Career CounselingCareer Counseling

ContactsContacts

14.12


Writing your Resume

Call attention to your best features and downplay your weaknesses—without distorting or misrepresenting the facts.

Turn negative into positive

14.13


Creating Successful Résumés

Your résumé should convey the seven qualities employers seek in a candidate:Thinks in terms of resultsGets things doneIs well roundedShows signs of progressHas standards of excellenceIs flexible and willing to try new thingsPossesses strong communication skills

14.14


Types of Resumes

Focus attention on your strongest points by adopting an organizational approach: Chronological Functional Combination

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A Chronological Résumé

A chronological résumé emphasizes your work experience, placing that section in the most prominent position (immediately after the name and address and the objective): You list your jobs sequentially in reverse

order, beginning with the most recent position and working backward toward earlier jobs.

For each listing, describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.

If you’re a recent graduate, you can vary this approach by putting your educational qualifications before your experience.

14.16


A Chronological Résumé

The chronological approach has three key advantages: Employers are familiar with it and can easily

find information. This approach highlights growth and career

progression. This approach highlights employment

continuity and stability. The chronological approach is especially

appropriate for candidates with a strong employment history who are aiming for a job that builds on their current career path.

14.17


Functional Résumé

The functional résumé emphasizes a list of skills and accomplishments, identifying employers and academic experience in subordinate sections: You list your skills and accomplishments

in the most prominent position. You stress individual areas of

competence.

14.18


Functional Résumé

The functional approach has three advantages: Employers are able to see what you can do for

them, without having to read through every job description.

You can emphasize earlier job experience. You can de-emphasize any lack of career

progress or lengthy unemployment. The functional approach is especially appropriate

for candidates who are just entering the job market, who want to redirect their careers, or who have little continuous career-related experience.

14.19


Combination Résumé

The combination résumé includes the best features of the chronological and functional approaches, but it is not commonly used: It tends to be longer. It can be repetitious if you have to list

your accomplishments and skills both in the functional section and in the chronological job descriptions.

14.20


Writing Your Resume

To compose an impressive résumé, State your information as forcefully as possible

(avoid weak statements) Write your résumé using a simple, direct style

(use active statements that show results) Use short, crisp phrases instead of whole

sentences Focus on what your reader needs to know Absolutely avoid using the word “I” Start your phrases with impressive action

verbs

14.21


Writing Your Resume

Begin your résumé by identifying yourself and providing your contact information: Include your name, address, phone

number, and e-mail address (if you have one).

If you have contact information at school and at home, provide both.

If you have a work phone and a home phone, list both and indicate which is which.

14.22


Career Objective

Stating a career objective is optional: Some experts advise against it, saying that

your objective is obvious from your qualifications and that a stated objective labels you as being interested in only one thing.

Some experts argue for it, saying that employers will try to categorize you anyway, so you might as well give them the right label.

If you choose to state your objective, make it as specific as possible.

If you have different types of qualifications, prepare separate résumés.

If your immediate objective differs from your ultimate one, combine the two in a single statement.

14.23


Education Section

In the education section, present your academic background in depth: Use a simple heading such as

“Education,” “Professional College Training,” or “Academic Preparation.”

List the name and location of each school you attended (starting with the most recent).

Include the term of your enrollment (in months and years) for each entry.

List your major and minor fields of study for each entry.

14.24


Education Section

Include significant skills and abilities you’ve developed in your course work.

List the degrees or certificates you’ve earned at each school.

List the courses that have directly equipped you for the job you’re seeking.

Indicate any scholarships, awards, and academic honors you’ve received.

Include any off-campus training sponsored by business or government.

14.25


Education Section

List any relevant seminars or workshops you’ve attended (and any certificates you received).

Mention high school or military training only if the associated achievements are pertinent to your career goals.

If you choose to show a grade-point average, include the scale (especially if a 5-point scale is used instead of a 4-point scale).

14.26


Work Experience Section

In the work experience section, highlight the relationship between your previous responsibilities and your target field:

List your jobs in chronological order (with the current or last one first).

Include any part-time, summer, or intern positions, even if unrelated to your current career objective.

If you have worked your way through school, say so.

Include the name and location of each employer.

14.27


Work Experience Section

Briefly describe what each organization does.

State your functional title for each job. State how long you worked on each job

(from month/year to month/year). Devote the most space to the jobs that are

related to your target position. Mention any significant achievements on

the job (including facts about your skills and accomplishments).

14.28


Additional Sections

You might include a section describing other aspects of your background that pertain to your career objective: Command of another language Travel experience Skills in operating computers, specific

software, or other specialized equipment You may insert information at the bottom of your

résumé about additional materials that are available: You might want to say that work samples are

available upon request. You may say that “references are available

upon request,” but doing so isn’t necessary.

14.29


Additional Sections

In a section titled “Activities and Achievements,” you might List volunteer activities such as tutoring,

fundraising, or community service projects List career-related activities such as speaking

or writing activities List participation in athletics or creative

projects List the offices held in academic or

professional organizations Note any awards you’ve received

14.30


Personal Data

Personal data should be left off your résumé, unless including it enhances the employer’s understanding of why you would be the best candidate for the job.

Exclude: Political or religious organizations Any protected class data Salary information Reasons for leaving jobs Names of previous supervisors Your social security number

14.31


Completing Your Resume

As with any other business message, you need to complete your résumé by Revising it Producing it Proofreading it

14.32


Common Résumé Problems

Too short Too slick

Too long Too amateurish

Misspellings Poorly reproduced

Grammatical errors Boastful

Hard to read Dishonest

Wordy Gimmicky

Too short Too slick

Too long Too amateurish

Misspellings Poorly reproduced

Grammatical errors Boastful

Hard to read Dishonest

Wordy Gimmicky

14.33


Resume “To-Dos”

When producing your traditional, printed résumé,

Use a clean typeface on a high-grade letter-size bond paper

Use an envelope that matches the paper Leave ample margins all around Make sure that all corrections are

unnoticeable Avoid italic typefaces

14.34


Resume “To-Dos”

Use a quality laser printer Try to keep your résumé to one page Break up text with headings that call attention to

various aspects of your background Set off key points by underlining, capitalizing, or

reversing indentation into the left margin Use lists to itemize your most important

qualifications Leave plenty of white space (even if you run onto

a second page)

14.35


Creating a Scannable Résumé

Prepare résumés in plain text or ASCII.

Eliminate complicated formatting such as boldfacing, underlining, multiple fonts, italics, or other formatting features.

Provide key words so employers can readily detect specific skills, experience, or education requirements.

Balance traditional language with current jargon.

14.36


Provide employers with your URL Use keywords as hyperlinks Don’t use photos Leave out names of references Include a link to an ASCII file of your

résumé, so employers can download it

Creating an Online Résumé

14.37


Other Types of Employment Messages

In addition to your résumé, you’ll need to Write application letters Write job-inquiry letters Fill out application forms Write follow-up messages

14.38


Application or Cover Letters

The purpose of your cover letter is to get the reader interested enough to read your résumé: Learn something about the organization you’re

applying to Focus on your audience so that you can show

you’ve done your homework Address your letter with the name, title, and

department of the person you’re writing to A solicited application letter is in response to an

announced job opening. An unsolicited application letter is sent to an

organization that has not announced an opening.

14.39


Cover Letters

Present your strongest selling points (in terms of their potential benefit to the organization)

Be careful not to repeat facts presented in your résumé (interpret them)

Spell out a few of your key qualifications Back up your assertions with some

convincing evidence of your performance Discuss each requirement specified in any

advertisement

14.40


Cover Letters

Demonstrate a few significant job-related qualities (diligence, willingness to work hard, ability to learn quickly, skill at handling responsibility, aptitude for getting along with people)

Mention salary requirements (only if the organization has asked you to state them)

Refer the reader to your résumé by citing a specific fact or general point covered there

Ask readers for a specific action (for an interview)

Try to sound natural and appreciative

14.41


Cover Letters

Offer to come to the employer’s office at a convenient time

Make a reply easy by clearly stating contact information and the best time to reach you

Mention that you will follow up with a phone call in a few days

Refer again to your strongest selling point Refer to your date of availability

14.42


Application Forms

Application forms are data sheets that simplify the comparison of applicants’ qualifications

When completing application forms, you should Have your résumé with you Never leave anything blank; if you have

nothing to fill in, write “Not applicable” Use a pen and print legibly Do not distort information or lie Follow up after a reasonable time

14.43


What is the purpose of maintaining an employment portfolio?

What is a résumé, and why is it important to adopt a "you" attitude when preparing one?

In what ways can job-seekers use the Internet during their career and employment search?

How does a chronological résumé differ from a functional résumé, and when is each appropriate?

What elements are commonly included in a résumé?

Test Your Knowledge

Let’s Discuss

14.44


What are some of the most common problems with résumés?

Why is it important to provide a key word summary in a scannable or electronic résumé?

What advantages do résumés sent by e-mail have over résumés sent by fax or by mail?

How does a solicited application letter differ from an unsolicited letter?

How does the AIDA approach apply to an application letter?

continued

Test Your Knowledge

Let’s Discuss

14.1 to accompany excellence in business communication, 5e, thill and bovée © 2002 prentice-hall...

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