Job Application

Process
Communications Skills
BS 2
Iqra University
1
 New to Learn

• Job Search
• Know yourself
• Designing Resume
• Applying for Job
• Interview preparation

2
Successful Job Search

Oral Communication

3
 Identifying Your Interests and
Goals
Know answers to following questions
• What are you passionate about? Can you turn this passion into a career?
• Do you enjoy working with people, data, or things?
• Would you like to work for someone else or be your own boss?
• How important are salary, benefits, technology support, and job
stability?
• How important are working environment, colleagues, and job
stimulation?
• Would you rather work for a large or small company?
4
 Evaluating Your Qualifications
Education (qualification)
Skills (communication, leadership, team work, conflict
resolution, writing, learning etc. )

5
Recognizing Employment Trends in
Today’s Workplace
• Team work
• Permanent jobs (lifelong career)
• Innovative jobs
• Technology related job

6
 Searching for a Job Online
• Big Online Job Boards.
• Company Web sites
• FPSC website
• Social media sites
• Using traditional ways (advertisement in newspaper)

7
 Creating a Customized Résumé
Choosing a Résumé Style
1. Chronological: It lists work history job by job, starting with
the most recent position. Recruiters favor the chronological
format because it quickly reveals a candidate’s education and
experience record.
2. Functional: The functional résumé, focuses on a candidate’s
skills rather than on past employment. The functional résumé
begins with the candidate’s name, contact information, job
objective, and education.
8
 Organizing Your Information Into
Effective Résumé Categories
1. Main Heading: The first line of the main heading should
always be your name, list your contact information,
including your complete address, area code and phone
number, and e-mail address
2. Career Objective: Opinion is divided about the effect of
including a career objective on a résumé. Recruiters
think such statements indicate that a candidate has made
a commitment to a career and is sure about what he or
she wants to do. A well-written objective—customized for
9
the job opening—can add value to either a chronological
or a functional résumé.
 Organizing Your Information Into
Effective Résumé Categories (contd.)
3. Summary of Qualifications
• Education
• Work Experience or Employment History (Employer’s name,
city, and state, Dates of employment (month and year), Most
important job title, Significant duties, activities,
accomplishments, and promotions)
• Capabilities and Skills
• Awards, Honors, and Activities
10
 Organizing Your Information Into
Effective Résumé Categories (contd.)
• Personal Data: Today’s résumés omit personal data, such
as birth date, marital status, height, weight, national
origin, health, disabilities, and religious affiliation
• References: Listing references directly on a résumé takes
up valuable space. Moreover, references are not normally
instrumental in securing an interview—Therefore, you
should prepare a separate list.

11
Sample
Resume

12
Chronological Résumé: Current College
Student With Limited Experience

13
Chronological Résumé:
Current University
Student With Limited
Relevant Experience

14
 Functional Résumé:
Recent College Graduate
With Unrelated Part-
Time
Experience

15
Creating a Customized, Persuasive
Cover Letter
A cover letter should have three primary parts:
(a)an opening that captures attention, introduces the
message, and identifies the position;
(b)a body that sells the candidate and focuses on the
employer’s needs; and
(c)a closing that requests an interview and motivates
action.

16
Types of Employment Interviews
Screening Interviews. Screening interviews do just that—they screen
candidates to eliminate those who fail to meet minimum requirements.
Hiring/Placement Interviews. The most promising candidates
selected from screening interviews are invited to hiring/placement
interviews.
• One-on-One Interviews.
• Panel Interviews.
• Group Interviews.
• Sequential Interviews
• Stress Interviews.
• Online Interviews. 17
 Before the Interview
• Researching the Target Company
• Preparing and Practicing
• Rehearse Success Stories. To feel confident and be able to sell your
qualifications, prepare and practice success stories
• Practice Answers to Possible Questions. Imagine the kinds of
questions you may be asked and work out sample answers.
• Expect to Explain Problem Areas on Your Résumé. Interviewers are
certain to question you about problem areas on your résumé. If you
have little or no experience, you might emphasize your recent
training and up-to-date skills.
• Decide How to Dress.
• Gather Items to Bring. Decide what you should bring with you to the
interview, and get everything ready the night before. 18

• Arrive before time

 During the Interview
Sending Positive Nonverbal Messages and Acting
Professionally
• Control your body movements
• Exhibit good posture. Sit erect
• Smile enough to convey a positive attitude
• Listen attentively
• Turn off your cell phone or other electronic devices
• Don’t chew gum 19
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions
Questions to Get Acquainted
1. Tell me about yourself.
• Try practicing this formula: I have completed a ______ degree
with a major in ____. Recently I worked for ______ as a _______.
Before that I worked for _______ as a _____. My strengths are
________ (interpersonal) and _________ (technical) .
• Try rehearsing your response in 30-second segments devoted
to your education, work experience, qualifications, and skills.
20
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
2. What are your greatest strengths?
Stress your strengths that are related to the position, such
as, I am well organized, thorough, and attentive to detail .
Tell success stories and give examples that illustrate these
qualities: My supervisor says that my research is
exceptionally thorough. For example, I recently worked on a
research project in which I . …

21
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
Questions to Gauge Your Interest
1. Why are you interested in this position?
2. What do you know about our company?
Questions About Your Experience and Accomplishments
3. Who was the toughest boss you ever worked for and why?
4. What were your major achievements in college?
5. Why did you leave your last position? OR: Why are you
leaving your current position?

22
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
Questions About the Future
1. How do you think you can contribute to this company?
2. What would you most like to accomplish were you to get this position?
3. How do you keep current with what is happening in your profession?
Challenging Questions
4. What is your greatest weakness?
It is amazing how many candidates knock themselves out of the
competition by answering this question poorly. Actually, you have many
choices. You can present a strength as a weakness ( Some people complain
that I’m a workaholic or too attentive to details ). 23
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
Questions About Salary
1. What salary are you looking for?
One way to handle salary questions is to ask politely to defer the
discussion until it is clear that a job will be offered to you ( I’m sure
when the time comes, we will be able to work out a fair compensation
package. Right now, I’d rather focus on whether we have a match ).
If you continue to be pressed for an amount figure, give a salary range
with an annual amount. Be sure to do research before the interview so
that you know what similar jobs are paying in your geographic region
24
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
Situational Questions
• Situational questions differ based on the type of position for
which you are interviewing. Knowledge of the position and
the company culture will help you respond favorably to
these questions. Even if the situation sounds negative, keep
your response positive. Here are just a few examples:
• If you were aware that a coworker was falsifying data, what would
you do?
• Your supervisor has just told you that she is dissatisfied with your
work, but you think it is acceptable. How would you resolve the
conflict? 25
 Answering Typical Interview
Questions (contd.)
Behavioral Questions: Instead of traditional interview questions,
you may be asked to tell stories. The interviewer may say, Describe a
time when … or Tell me about a time when …
When answering behavioral questions, describe only educational and
work-related situations or tasks, and try to keep them as current as
possible. Here are a few examples of behavioral questions:
1. Tell me about a time when you solved a difficult problem.
2. Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to
successfully convince someone to see things your way.
26
 Closing the Interview
Asking Your Own Questions
• At some point in the interview, usually near the end, you will be asked
whether you have any questions. The worst thing you can do is say
No, which suggests that you are not interested in the position.
Instead, ask questions that will help you gain information and will
impress the interviewer with your thoughtfulness and interest in the
position.
• Here are some questions you might ask:
1. What will my duties be (if not already discussed)?
2. Tell me what it’s like working here in terms of the people, management practices,
workloads, expected performance, and rewards.
27

3. What training programs are available from this organization? What specific
training will be given for this position?
 References
• Business Communication; Strategy and Skills by Mary
Munter
• Mary Ellen Guffey, Patricia Rogin, Kathleen Rhodes - 2009
- Business communication (Book), 7th edition
• Guide to Managerial Communication Effective Business
Writing and Speaking by Mary Munter

28