Chapter 16 Employment Communication : Chapter 16 Employment Communication Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 4e
Copyright © 2003
The Employment Search : The Employment Search
Writing a Persuasive Résumé : Writing a Persuasive Résumé
Preparation : Research the job market.
Use newspapers, the Web, and other resources to learn about jobs, qualifications, and employers.
Analyze your strengths.
What will sell you for the job you want?
Study other résumés as models.
Experiment with formatting. Preparation
Heading and Objective : List your name, land address, e-mail address, and telephone number.
Include a career objective for a targeted job. Heading and Objective
Education : Name your degree, date of graduation, and institution.
List your major and GPA.
Give information about your studies, but don’t inventory all your courses. Education
List of Past Jobs : List of Past Jobs Start with the most recent jobs. Include employer’s name and city, dates of employment (month, year), and most significant title.
Salesperson, Kmart, Dayton, Ohio. 4/01 to 5/02.
Manager, Fleet Equipment, Kettering, Ohio. 6/02 to present.
Tax Return Preparer, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA). March, 2002, to present. Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio.
Summary of Achievements and Skills : Summary of Achievements and Skills Use action verbs to summarize achievements and skills relevant to your targeted job.
Prepared state and federal tax returns for individuals with incomes under $25,000.
Conducted interviews with over 50 individuals to elicit data regarding taxes.
Determined legitimate tax deductions and recorded them accurately.
Evidence of Nontechnical Skills : Evidence of Nontechnical Skills Give evidence of communication, management, and interpersonal skills. (Employers want more than empty assurances. Try to quantify your skills.)
Organized holiday awards program for 1200 attendees and 140 awardees.
Praised by top management for enthusiastic teamwork and achievement.
Special Skills, Achievements, Awards : Special Skills, Achievements, Awards Highlight computer skills.
All employers seek employees proficient in word processing, spreadsheet, and Internet use.
Show that you are well-rounded.
List awards and extracurricular activities, especially if they demonstrate leadership, teamwork, reliability, loyalty, initiative, efficiency, and self-sufficiency.
Other Résumé Tips : Other Résumé Tips Omit references (unless specifically required).
Look for ways to condense your data.
Double-check for parallel phrasing.
Project professionalism and quality.
Avoid personal pronouns. Omit humor. Use 24-pound paper and a quality printer.
Other Résumé Tips : Other Résumé Tips Have a good proofreader critique your résumé.
Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!
What Recruiters Consider Most Important : What Recruiters Consider Most Important “The objective. Plus dates when things happened and accomplishments.”
“Information about skills that apply to the job; less about job history and past duties.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed the importance of these résumé components and characteristics:
What Recruiters Consider Most Important : What Recruiters Consider Most Important “Valid information in an easy-to-read, attractive style.”
“The candidate’s address and phone number. Lots of people put them only in the cover letter.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed the importance of these résumé components and characteristics:
What Recruiters Consider Most Important : What Recruiters Consider Most Important “Realizing that the employer is looking for ‘red flags’ and making sure there aren’t any. If you have an employment gap, include a clear statement explaining it.”
“Meeting the qualifications for the job.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed the importance of these résumé components and characteristics:
What Turns Recruiters Off : What Turns Recruiters Off “Personal data. That’s a major ‘red flag.’ Also typos, inconsistent punctuation, and huge paragraphs that look like job descriptions.”
“Odd-sized résumés from services saying ‘Presenting the candidacy of . . . .’ I don’t even read them anymore. They’re a major rip-off.”
“Résumés that show no research; not looking at the employer’s needs.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed these résumé components and characteristics:
What Turns Recruiters Off : What Turns Recruiters Off “Omissions in terms of dates. And misspellings!”
Long cover letters and résumés over two pages.”
“Excess cosmetics, substituting form for content. A résumé should look nice but not go overboard.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed these résumé components and characteristics:
What Turns Recruiters Off : What Turns Recruiters Off “A photo. I have to remove them because managers must be color and gender blind.”
“Not sending the résumé to the right place.” A focus group of expert recruiters individually stressed these résumé components and characteristics:
Poor Résumé “Before” Version : Poor Résumé “Before” Version
Slide20 : Poor Résumé: “Before” Version
Slide21 : Poor Résumé: “Before” Version
Slide22 : Poor Résumé: “Before” Version
Improved Résumé “After” Version : Improved Résumé “After” Version
Slide24 : Improved Résumé: “After” Version
Slide25 : Improved Résumé: “After” Version
Slide26 : Improved Résumé: “After” Version
Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé : Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé Emphasize keywords.
Include words (usually nouns) that specifically describe the position you want and the skills required.
Avoid unusual typefaces, italics, and underlining.
Applicant-tracking software has trouble reading anything fancy.
Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé : Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé Use a familiar font and 10- to 14-point type.
Software programs may misread uncommon type fonts or any letters that touch.
Use smooth white paper, black ink, and quality printing.
Be sure your name is alone on the first line on the page.
Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé : Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé Provide plenty of white space.
Avoid double columns.
Don’t fold or staple your résumé.
Use abbreviations carefully.
Minimize unfamiliar abbreviations.
Maximize well-known abbreviations in your field.
Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé : Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé Include all your addresses and telephone numbers.
Be prepared to send your résumé in ASCII.
Conversion to ASCII removes special formatting.
Conversion to ASCII makes your résumé immediately readable by all computer programs.
Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application : Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application
Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application : Opening
Address the letter to an individual by name.
For advertised jobs, name the source; include job title, date, and publication.
If someone referred you, name that person.
Tell how your qualifications fit the job specifications, show knowledge of the reader’s business, or describe how your special talents will be assets to the company. Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application
Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application : Body
Demonstrate how your background and training fit the job requirements.
Summarize your principal assets from education, experience, and special skills.
Avoid repeating specific data from your résumé.
Refer to your résumé. Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application
Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application : Closing
Ask for an interview. Consider hooking the request to a statement reviewing your strongest points.
Make it easy to respond. Tell when you can be reached (during office hours). Some recruiters prefer that you call them. Writing a Persuasive Letter of Application
Employment Interviewing : Employment Interviewing
Employment Interviewing : Before the Interview
Investigate the organization.
Learn about the position.
Plan to sell yourself.
Prepare answers to possible questions.
Prepare success stories.
Dress appropriately.
Arrive early. Employment Interviewing
Employment Interviewing : During the Interview
Establish the relationship.
Act confident but be natural.
Don’t criticize.
Stay focused on your strengths.
Find out about the job early in the interview.
Prepare for salary questions. Employment Interviewing
Employment Interviewing : During the Interview
Be ready for inappropriate questions.
Ask your own questions.
Conclude positively. Employment Interviewing
Employment Interviewing : Make notes on the interview.
Write a thank-you letter. Employment Interviewing
Slide40 : End