Slide MGT310 Slide14

Building Careers and
Writing Résumés

PITALOKA, SE.ME

Securing Employment in Today’s Job
Market

 Understanding the employer’s approach
 Organizing your approach

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Prentice Hall, 2008

Employment Search Process
1.

Build toward a career

2.

Prepare a résumé

3.

Understand the interview process

4.

Prepare for interview

5.

Take the interview

6.

Follow up and accept the offer

Chapter 18 - 3

Business Communication Today, 9e

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Employer’s Approach
to the Recruiting Process
 Look inside the company
 Networking and personal references
 Employment agency or search firm
 Unsolicited résumés
 Newspaper want ads

Chapter 18 - 4

Business Communication Today, 9e

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Organizing Your Approach
 Track business news
 Monitor financial news
 Research specific firms
 Build a network
 Seek career counseling

Chapter 18 - 5

Business Communication Today, 9e

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Three-Step Résumé Process
 Planning

 Writing
 Completing

Chapter 18 - 6

Business Communication Today, 9e

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Planning Your Résumé
 Identify audience and purpose
 Include pertinent information
 Determine the best medium
 Build on your strengths

Chapter 18 - 7

Business Communication Today, 9e

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

What Employers Seek
 Results orientation
 Workplace achievements
 Versatility
 Signs of progress
 Standards of excellence
 Flexibility
 Communication skills

Chapter 18 - 8

Business Communication Today, 9e

Areas of Concern
 Frequent job changes

 Gaps in work history
 Level of experience
 Long-term with one company
 For-cause job termination
 Criminal or arrest record

Organizing Your Résumé
 Chronological
 Functional
 Combination

Writing Your Résumé
 Respect your résumé
 Take your time
 Review good models
 Minimize frustration

Keep the Résumé Honest
 Workplace references
 Background checks

 Credit histories

Adapting to the Audience

 Consider the employer’s perspective
 Build on past accomplishments
 Stress your future potential
 Translate skills and experience
 Clarify educational achievements

Composing Your Résumé
 Name and address
 Career objective or summary
 Academic credentials
 Employment history
 Activities and achievements
 Relevant personal data

Completing Your Résumé
 Revising

 Producing
 Proofreading

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Common Résumé Problems
 Wrong length

 Amateurish

 Hard to read

 Boastful

 Wordy

 Generic

 Too slick

 Gimmicky

 Poorly reproduced

 Carelessly written

Producing Your Résumé
 Printed traditional résumé
 Printed scannable résumé
 Electronic plain-text file
 MS Word file
 HTML format
 PDF file

Printing a Traditional
Résumé
 High-quality paper
 Crisp, clear image

Printing a Scannable
Résumé
 Use sans-serif fonts
 Separate characters
 Avoid columns
 Avoid special characters
 Separate phone and email
 Use plain white paper
 Identify all pages
 Include a keyword summary

Digital Résumé Formats
 Plain-text file
 MS Word file
 HTML version
 PDF format

©

Prentice Hall, 2008

Proofreading Your Résumé
 Headings and lists
 Grammar and punctuation
 Spelling and word choice
 Paper and digital formats

Chapter 18 - 21

Business Communication Today, 9e

Distributing Your Résumé
 Postal mail
 E-mail
 Fax machine
 Online
 Personal website
 Index service or job site