Basic Business Communication

Strategies in the Job-Search Process

©The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2007

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Steps in the Job Search Process

 Build a network of contacts

 Identify appropriate jobs
 Find your employer
 Prepare the application documents
 Continue job search activities
Building a Network of Contacts
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 Broaden your circle of friends

 Get to know your professors
 Meet business executives
 Make contacts through internships
 Work with community organizations
Identifying Appropriate Jobs

 Analyze Yourself
-Education
-Personal Qualities
-Work Experience
-Special Qualifications (languages, communications skills)
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 Analyze Outside Factors

-Where is the job you are seeking available?
-Are you willing to move?
-Does the location meet with your lifestyle needs?
Finding Your Employer

 Career Centers (School career centers)

 Network of Personal Contacts
 Classified Advertisements
 Online Sources
 Employment Agencies
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 Personal Search Agents

 Web Page Profiles
 Prospecting
Preparing the Application Documents

 The traditional resume

 The application letter
 The follow-up and close of the process
 Other job search letters
 Continued job search activities
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What is a resume?

 A resume is a personal summary of your professional history

and qualifications

 It includes information about your career goals, education,

work experience, activities, honors, and any special skills you
might have
 Three types of resume:
-Traditional Resume
-Scannable Resume -Electronic Resume
Resume Workshop
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
General Guidelines Different Styles:
 
Constructing traditional Organizational Styles
resume 
Reverse Chronological


Heading Style

 Objective Statement 
Functional Style
 Education  Skills Style
Employment Experience Imaginative Style
 References
General Guidelines

 Length
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Limit an entry-level resume to one typed page. Be as concise

as possible in stating information

 Font
Avoid fonts smaller than 10 point and larger than 12 point

 Paper
Use 8 1/2” x 11” 20 lb paper. Print your resume with a laser or
high quality ink-jet printer.
Constructing the Traditional Resume

 Find out general job information

 Find out desired qualifications and skills
 Logically arrange the facts into groups
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 Construct the headings and subheadings

 Include contact and objective information
 Present the data for best eye-appeal
 Organize for strength
 Write impersonally and consistently
 Make the form attractive
Identifying Information
 Put your name, permanent and campus addresses,
permanent and campus phone numbers, and email
address prominently at the top of your resume

 Avoid using a nickname to identify yourself

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 Consider including your URL address or fax number if

you have one

RICK NASON
1401-1094 Wellington Street
Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 2Z9 [email protected]
(902) 405-9312
Objective Statement

 1-3 sentence summary of your area of expertise and

career interest
 Write as complete sentences or as descriptive phrases
with minimal punctuation
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 Relate your existing skills directly to the job you are

seeking
 Demonstrate what you can do for the company rather
than what they can do for you.
Objective Statement
 Avoid over generalized -A position where I gain
statements: experience in working on
-A position allowing me to biological problems.
utilize my knowledge and  Make the statement as
expertise in different areas. specific as possible: -A
 Avoid statements that position which allows
focus only on what a me to apply my
company can do for you: background in
engineering and high
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performance computing to
biological problems.
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Presenting Information

Some guidelines
 List the facts under headings
 Cover work experience with details
 Cover education with details
 When appropriate, show achievements
 Use action verbs to strengthen the appeal
Some guidelines
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Presenting Information

 Avoid information on race, sex, religion, marital

status, pregnancy status, citizenship status, age etc
 Include information on activities and interests that
tell about one’s personal qualities
 Get permission for using referee’s name
 Use a separate sheet for references
 Select references that cover your background
Some guidelines
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Presenting Information

 Use accurate mailing and email addresses

 List information without use of personal pronouns
 Use the same grammatical form for all equal-level
headings
 Choose fonts carefully
 Use right paper
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Summary of Qualifications Statement

 This statement can replace or be used in addition to

the objective statement.
 Write one short paragraph or a bulleted list of
qualifications.
 Use a summary of qualifications statement to
emphasize skills you possess that aren’t obvious from
your past work experiences.
Summary of Qualifications Statement
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Summary of Qualifications
 An MBA Major in Finance with expertise in the
following areas:

-Working as Chief Administrative Officer at Grameen Phone

-Communicating with customers in project environments
-Working as Associate Consultant with BRAC
Education
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 An important section for recent graduates seeking

internships or summer jobs.

 Beginning with the highest level of educational

achievement, include information such as
university attended, degrees earned, major,
minors, grade point average, date of program
completion, and so forth.
Education

Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada

Graduation October 2007
MBA Major in Finance
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GPA: 3.98/4.3

You do not have to include your GPA on the resume, but

if it isn’t included, employers may assume that it is lower
than it really is.
Always state the grade point scale your school is using.
Relevant Courses
 List relevant courses that:
-Help you stand out from the crowd
-Have provided you with specific skills or knowledge
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 Include this information in the education section:

Spanish (4 semesters)
Computer Science
Business Writing
Ethics
 Only include courses taken in addition to your major
or minor
 Refer to the course by name rather than by number

Employment Experience
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 Include positions you have held which are related

to the job you are seeking. These might be both
paid and volunteer positions

 Be creative with this section by describing your

experiences in the most relevant way possible
Employment Experience
Hospitality Intern -Oversaw the planning, production,
(May 1999-August 1999) and prompt delivery of food
Mountain Jacks, HFx, -Assisted in training and retaining
NS new and experienced employees
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-Created a healthy  Include information such as

atmosphere in restaurant company name and location,
job title, dates, and duties
performed
 Make this section easy to read
by using spacing and bullets
 Use action phrases to
highlight the duties you have
performed
Activities and Honors
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 Include relevant activities and honors that you could

discuss with your prospective employer or that have
given you valuable experience or skills
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Specialized Skills

 Include skills that make you unique, such as computer

skills, foreign language skills, or military service

 Be specific in describing your special skills; name

computer programs you know, how long you studied a
foreign language, or your dates of military service

References
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 In general, do not include the names and addresses

of your references

 Better state that references are available upon

request
 Choose professional references rather than character
references
Reference Sheet
Dr. Anson Purdue University
Heavilon Hall, Room 226 West Lafayette, IN 47907
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(765) 494-3723  Always ask permission

before you include any
-Dr. Anson is my current information on your
academic advisor in the reference sheet
Creative Writing and
 Consider giving your
Science Fiction Program
references a copy of your
 Include the names,
resume so they will be
addresses, and phone
prepared to talk to
numbers of your
employers
references
Organizing Your Resume

Organize your resume The most common
to highlight your resume styles are:
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
unique skills and -Organizational style
strengths -Reverse
chronological
Use whatever
-Functional
combination of
organizational styles -Skills
you think best highlight -Imaginative
your individual
qualifications
Reverse Chronological Resume Style
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
Present your education This style is best if:
and work experience
 Job experiences closely
in chronological order,
parallel the positions
beginning with your
most recent  There are no periods of
experiences unemployment time
between jobs
Reverse Chronological Resume Style

Work Experience:
1997-Present U.S. Postal Service, Indianapolis. Worked as a
Station Manager, delivering mail, overseeing retail
sales, planning delivery to new routes
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1994-1997 All Right Parking, Inc., Indianapolis. Worked as a

Manager, handling customer relations, overseeing
accounts, supervising twenty-five employees
1992-1994 Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis. Worked as a
District Sales Manager recruiting and training new
e employees, managing crews of twenty-five
carriers within nine counties, designing routes
Functional Resume Style
 Organize experience by each, give specific
type of function examples
performed. Under
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 Highlight experiences  Place things in order of

that directly relate to importance rather than
the job you are seeking chronological order
 Ignore experiences that
do not relate to the job
for which you are
applying
Functional Resume Style
Experience:
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Research Assistant (May 1998-June 1999)- Purdue U. Assisted

Professor Robert Thompson in:
-updating statistical tables and charts
-answering research questions via the Internet, library, and
by establishing resources to provide the needed information

President, Sociology Club (January-May 2000)

-Raised over $2,000 for club expenses and scholarships
-Organized 10 activities for over 200 students
-Designed and maintained club website
Skills Resume Style
 Emphasize what you where you have
can do rather than worked
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 Try to match your valuable skills from a

skills to the position for variety of unrelated
which you are applying experiences
 Ideal style for people
who have gained
Skills Resume Style

Skills:
Communication Skills
-Counseled teens in an anti-drug initiative at Jefferson High
School
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-Received Employee of the Month Award for my work creating a

positive environment at Wal-Mart while working as a cashier
-Presented a semester-long project on choosing a major to a
group of prospective students

Training Skills
-Trained new employees in cashier procedures at Wal-Mart
-Served as assistant coach for a Scotia High School basketball
team

Imaginative Resume Style

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 Acts like a miniportfolio resume before submitting

because it demonstrates a it
combination of layout,  Ideal style when a job
graphics, text integration, demands creativity,
and such as graphic design
audience selection
 Make sure a company is  Appropriate to use
open to this type of color graphics on an
imaginative resume
Rick Nason
7431 Davenport Drive
(512) 598-9693 Dallas, TX 75226 (512) 598-0017

Objective: Administrative Assistant Position

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Education: Bachelor of Science in Office

Administration
Northern State University, 1991
GPA 3.0/4.0
Special Skills:
Keyboarding at 90 wpm, WordPerfect,
Word, Ami Pro, Excel and 1-2-3, Paradox
and Access
Relevant Courses:
Business Communication Office Procedures
Document Imaging Management
Experience:
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Secretary 1996-1998
Boatner King Insurance Company, Dallas
Personal secretary to Mr. Carlos Boatner, President
Data-entry Clerk 1993-1996
Thatcher Manufacturing Company, Dallas
File Clerk 1992-1993
J. C. Douglas Wholesale Company, Dry Creek
References:

Will gladly provide personal and professional

references on request.
Scannable Resume
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 Constructed to be read by a computer and

retrieved when an appropriate position is being
filled

 Can be scanned into a database and retrieved

when a position is being filled

 Objective is to getting the resume reviewed in

order to be re-interviewed
Scannable Resume
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Procedures for Scannable Resume

 Include industry-specific key words

 Choose precise nouns over verb actions
 Present information in a form read accurately by
scanners
Electronic Resume

 Enables you to use electronic technology  Three

basic formats:
-ASCII or Text File:
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-Word Processor, RTF (Rich Text File) and PDF

(Portable Document File)
-Multimedia HTM File
Electronic Resume

Procedures for Electronic Resume

 Use the electronic format the receiver specifies or

prefers
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 Remove all contact information except your email

address
 Consider adding a last updated notation
 Extend the HTML format to include colors,
graphics, video, and sound as appropriate
Writing the Cover Messages

 Writing cover messages involve matching your

qualifications with the job
 They are as good as sales letters
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 Skillfully sell your abilities through them

Procedure of Writing the Cover Messages

 Study your product (you) and your prospect (the

employer) and think out a strategy for presentation
 Begin with words that gain attention
-begin applying for the job
-set up the presentation of your sales point

 Adapt the tone and content to the job you seek

 Present your qualifications, fitting them to the job
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 Choose words that enhance the information presented

 Derive for an appropriate actions (interviews)
Handling the Interview

 Research the employer (company) to impress

 Make a good appearance through dress and grooming
 Anticipate questions and plan to answer
-Standard, tough, illegal, critical thinking and behavioral questions

 Make a good impression by being at ease (calm,

confident)
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 Help bring out the questions that show your

qualifications
Preparing your answers helps you choose a
strategy

Question: What are your weaknesses?

Possible Strategies:
 Present a weakness that’s really a hidden strength
 Cite a corrected weakness
 Recall a lesson learned
 Reveal a lapsed skill
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 Use an unrelated skill

 Cite an objective
 Try humor
 Repeat your qualifications
Writing Other Job Search Letters

 Thank-you letter
 Follow-up letter
 Job acceptance letter
 Job refusal letter
 Job resignation letter
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Continuing Job Search Activities

 Maintain your resume

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 Read job ads/ professional journals