Chapter 12: Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters PDF

ENGL251-Communication Skills Chapter 12 - The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters Lesson Objectives: After studying this chapter, you should be able to 12.1 Prepare for employment by identifying your interests and market requirements. 12.2 Use traditional and digital job search techniq...

ENGL251-Communication Skills Chapter 12 - The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters Lesson Objectives: After studying this chapter, you should be able to 12.1 Prepare for employment by identifying your interests and market requirements. 12.2 Use traditional and digital job search techniques in the open and hidden markets. 12.3 Organize and format persuasive chronological and functional résumés. 12.4 Use social media, video, and infographic résumés as alternatives to traditional résumés. 12.5 Write a persuasive cover letter to accompany your résumé.  12.1 Preparing for Employment Understanding employment communication is crucial for success in job applications, promotions, or career changes. Customizing resumes to highlight qualifications for each job opening is essential for showcasing value to employers. Career paths are no longer linear, and continuous learning and retraining are necessary. Résumés are still important and should be available and current, whether in print or online. The employment communication process begins before writing a résumé. Investing time and effort in preparation is necessary for landing the desired job. 12.1 Preparing for Employment  12.1 Preparing for Employment 12.1a Identify Your Interests Analyze your likes and dislikes for making good employment choices Seek help from career counsellors or conduct a self-examination online Answer the following questions for guidance in choosing a satisfying field: ○ Enjoyment of working with people, data, or things ○ Importance of being your own boss ○ Consideration of salary, benefits, and job stability ○ Desired working conditions, colleagues, and job stimulation ○ Preference for a large or small company ○ Need for specific city, geographical area, or climate ○ Focus on security, travel opportunities, money, power, or prestige ○ Description of the perfect job, boss, and coworkers  12.1 Preparing for Employment 12.1b Assess Your Qualifications Assess qualifications along with interests for a strong job application ○ Employers seek assets and proof of qualifications Questions to consider: ○ Technology skills: Name specific software programs and tools ○ Other hard skills: Acquired in school, on the job, or through activities Ability to work well with people: ○ Provide proof through extracurricular activities, clubs, and jobs  12.1 Preparing for Employment 12.1b Assess Your Qualifications Leadership, self-starting, or managerial abilities: ○ Offer evidence of these qualities Language proficiency: ○ Speak, write, or understand another language Quick learning and creativity: ○ Demonstrate these characteristics Effective communication: ○ Verify talents in speech and writing  12.1 Preparing for Employment 12.1c Explore Career Opportunities Gain practical experience through summer jobs, internships, or part-time positions ○ Try out a career by working in the field or a related area ○ Look for internships or create your own via networking ○ Temporary jobs can lead to permanent positions and career development Volunteer with nonprofit organizations ○ Find service learning opportunities encouraged by colleges and universities ○ Gain valuable experience and provide fresh ideas to nonprofits ○ Nonprofits often offer free training  12.1 Preparing for Employment 12.1c Explore Career Opportunities Conduct informational interviews with professionals in your desired field ○ Use LinkedIn and Google to find leaders in organizations ○ Politely request an informational interview via email or voice mail ○ Inquire about skills, courses, rewards, benefits, working conditions, trends, and entry requirements Monitor job ads early in your education ○ Check company websites for job listings ○ Review qualifications, duties, and salary ranges  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2b Go Beyond the Big Employment Sites Savvy candidates use the Internet to search for jobs ○ Company websites are an effective way to find jobs Look for links like "Employment," "Careers," or "Work for us" on company sites Posting resumes on company sites increases the chances of obtaining an interview Job seekers find corporate websites more private than big job board sites  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2c Use LinkedIn and Other Social Networking Sites LinkedIn is the dominant platform for job searching and recruiting. 97% of staffing professionals use LinkedIn as a recruiting tool. Job seekers can search for job openings and follow companies on LinkedIn. Other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter also advertise job openings. Following organizations on social media may give you an advantage in submitting applications. Balancing information sharing and privacy protection is important when posting job-search information online.  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2d Network to Find “Hidden Market” Opportunities Build a personal network Three steps to establish your own network: Step 1: Develop a contact list including teachers, coworkers, former employers, neighbors, family members, and friends. ○ Reach out to people you haven't contacted in years. ○ Ask the campus career center for alumni connections. ○ Utilize your social networking circles.  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2d Network to Find “Hidden Market” Opportunities Build a personal network Step 2: Make contacts in person and online. ○ Call or connect with people on your contact list. ○ Request meetings to discuss job opportunities. ○ Be friendly, well-organized, and interested in their input. ○ Provide a copy of your résumé. ○ Aim for two or more referrals by asking if they know of any job openings.  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2d Network to Find “Hidden Market” Opportunities Build a personal network Step 3: Follow up on referrals. ○ Contact the referred individuals. ○ Introduce yourself as a friend of the referrer. ○ Request guidance and advice, not a job directly. ○ Ask about their career path, challenges, and how someone with your skills can enter the field. ○ Send thank-you notes to those who assist you. ○ Stay in touch with promising contacts. ○ Request regular contact during your job search (every three weeks, for example).  12.2 Searching for Jobs in the Open and Hidden Markets 12.2d Network to Find “Hidden Market” Opportunities Use social media to network LinkedIn is the top social media site for job seekers. ○ Customize your LinkedIn URL to improve visibility. ○ Use keywords and quantifiable achievements in your career summary. ○ Include all experience in the Work Experience and Education fields. ○ Encourage recommendations for a more credible profile. Utilize LinkedIn to connect with employees of companies you're interested in. ○ Ask for referrals and advice from your LinkedIn network. ○ Seek assistance in reviewing and refining your resume. ○ Regularly update your status to keep connections informed.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3a Choose a Résumé Style There are two main resume styles: chronological and functional. Chronological Résumé: Most popular with recruiters Lists work history job by job, starting with the most recent position Suitable for candidates with experience and steady career growth Provides a clear overview of work experience  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3a Choose a Résumé Style There are two main resume styles: chronological and functional. Functional Résumé: Focuses on a candidate's skills rather than past employment Highlights skills and accomplishments instead of listing jobs Useful for individuals with frequent job changes or employment gaps Can de-emphasize a negative employment history  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3b Decide on Length Conventional wisdom suggests that one-page résumés are preferred by recruiters. Concise résumés help speed up recruiters' work due to their busy schedules. Résumé length should be determined by the need to effectively sell skills to recruiters and hiring managers. Individuals with more experience generally have longer résumés, while those with fewer than ten years of experience or making a major career change may have a one-page résumé.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Main heading Main heading should be uncluttered and not include the word "résumé" or "CV" Begin with your name, including middle initial for a professional look Format your name to stand out on the page List complete contact information: address, area code and phone number, email address Consider adding links to professional-looking LinkedIn page or video résumé Phone message should mention your name, be concise and professional Pick up important calls in a quiet environment for better concentration Use a professional-sounding email address, avoid personal or unprofessional addresses Use a personal email address, not your work email  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Career objective Career objectives serve as a classification tool for recruiters but must match the company's job description. A well-written objective customized for the job opening can enhance a resume. The objective should be written from the employer's perspective, focusing on how you can contribute to the organization. Avoid emphasizing lack of experience or showing poor self-confidence. The objective should be concise, limited to two or three lines, and avoid using complete sentences and the pronoun "I." If omitting the career objective, discuss objectives and goals in the cover letter. Consider incorporating objectives into a summary of qualifications.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Summary of qualifications Summary of Qualifications is a crucial section in a résumé that has replaced the objective statement. Adding a summary saves time for busy recruiters and helps them quickly identify impressive qualifications. A well-written summary makes the résumé easier to read and encourages the recruiter to continue reading.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Education Education section on chronological résumé ○ Include name and location of schools ○ Dates of attendance ○ Major fields of study ○ Certifications received (e.g., diplomas, degrees) Do not need to list high-school information once attended college Consider omitting poor GPA, focus on excelling in internships and extracurricular leadership Include relevant courses, certificates, seminars, workshops, and honors If education is incomplete, indicate expected degree completion date In functional résumé, place education section below skills summaries  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Work experience or employment history Work experience or employment history should be listed before education information Start with the most recent employment and work backwards Include only relevant jobs for the targeted position Provide employer's name, city/town, and province for each position Include dates of employment (month and year) Highlight the most important job title  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Work experience or employment history Describe significant duties, activities, accomplishments, and promotions Use specific and quantifiable examples to showcase achievements Use bullet points to make the information easier to read Customize the information to relate to the target job Highlight soft skills, such as initiative, dependability, problem solving, and teamwork Use action verbs to make statements forceful and persuasive  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Work experience or employment history  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Work experience or employment history  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Capabilities and skills Capabilities and Skills: ○ List specific skills relevant to the recruiters' needs ○ Include abilities with internet, mobile apps, software, office equipment, and communication technology tools Highlight language proficiency and sign language skills ○ Describe proficiencies acquired through training and experience Emphasize exceptional aptitudes, such as: ○ Working well under stress ○ Quick learning of computer programs ○ Interacting effectively with customers ○ Provide evidence and details to support assertions  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Capabilities and skills For recent graduates, use this section to showcase potential Functional Résumé: ○ Focus on skills rather than other sections ○ Group skills into categories (e.g., Accounting/Finance, Management/Leadership, Communication/Teamwork, Computer/Technology) ○ Include bulleted list of achievements and experiences demonstrating each skill ○ Use specific quantifiable amounts whenever possible Place skills categories at the beginning of the résumé for emphasis  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Awards, honours, and activities Awards, honours, and activities ○ Highlight three or more awards or honours under a separate heading ○ If fewer than three, include them under Activities, Education, or Work Experience Examples of awards and activities to include: ○ Awards and honours ○ Scholarships (financial and other) ○ Fellowships ○ Dean's list recognition ○ Sports or team affiliations ○ Other notable achievements or involvements  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings Personal data Résumés do not include personal data like birthdate, marital status, or national origin ○ This information is not relevant to occupational qualifications ○ Recruiters are legally prohibited from asking for such information Some job seekers may include hobbies or interests to catch the recruiter's attention ○ Hobbies like skiing or photography can serve as conversation starters Indicating willingness to travel or relocate can be beneficial ○ Many companies are interested in candidates who are open to these options  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings References Recruiters prefer a list of references to discuss your qualifications in an interview. ○ Prepare a separate list of individuals willing to be contacted.. ○ Ask professors, employers, colleagues, or professional contacts. ○ Give them the option to refuse being a reference. ○ No reference is better than a negative one. Exclude personal references like friends, family, or neighbors. Avoid adding "References available upon request" statement on your résumé.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3c Organize Your Information Under Headings For Chronological Resume, check figure 12.8, page 287 For Functional Resume, check figure 12.9, page 288 For Sample Reference List, check figure 12.7, page 286 For Combination Resume, check figure 12.10, page 290  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3d Online Résumé Reading Patterns Résumés should be designed with online reading patterns in mind Eye-tracking research shows that people read online text in an F-shaped pattern ○ Read horizontally from the top of the page ○ Concentrate on the top third ○ Focus on the left side as they read downward Arrange the most important information in the top section of the résumé Place additional significant information at the beginning of each group down the left side  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3e Polish Your Résumé and Keep It Honest Résumé improvement tips: ○ Consolidate headings for a clean and professional look. ○ Use graphic highlighting techniques like capitalization, underlining, indenting, and bulleting for improved readability. ○ Experiment with headings and styles for an easy-to-read message. ○ Eliminate wordiness by rewriting sentences more concisely.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3e Polish Your Résumé and Keep It Honest Importance of honest self-promotion in résumés: ○ Showcase strengths and minimize weaknesses. ○ Avoid deceptive half-truths and lies. ○ Distorting facts is unethical and lying may be illegal. ○ Consequences of dishonesty can destroy a career.  12.3 Creating Persuasive Résumés 12.3f Proofread Your Résumé Proofread your résumé multiple times for spelling, grammar, mechanics, content, and format. ○ Have a knowledgeable friend or relative proofread it as well. One typo, misspelled word, or grammatical error could eliminate you from consideration in the competitive job market. Avoid hiring someone to write your résumé. ○ You know yourself better than anyone else. ○ Generic résumés are less effective than customized ones. ○ One-time résumés targeted at a single job are not useful if you don't get that job. Be prepared to write and revise your résumé multiple times as you pursue different job opportunities.  12.4 Increasing Your Chances With Digital Tools 12.4a Get Your Résumé Selected: Maximize Keyword Hits Include specific keywords or keyword phrases related to the job advertisement or description. Focus on nouns, especially job titles, technical skills, and certifications. Use variations of the job title to cover different possibilities. Emphasize the skills section with relevant nouns describing qualifications. Avoid grouping nouns in a keyword summary to prevent manipulation perception by recruiters.  12.4 Increasing Your Chances With Digital Tools 12.4c Translate Into Pictures: The Infographic Résumé Infographic résumés are a hot trend in business. They use colorful charts, graphics, and timelines to illustrate work history and experience Infographic résumés are 650% more likely to be remembered days later Companies offer infographic apps like Vizualize.me and Kinzaa.com for creating professional-looking infographics Infographic résumés help candidates set themselves apart, but may not be appropriate for all jobs Traditional résumés are preferred in fields like accounting and financial services Traditional résumés make comparison, evaluation, and selection easier for employers  12.4 Increasing Your Chances With Digital Tools 12.4d Submitting Your Résumé Different ways employers may ask for résumé submission: Word document: ○ Attach résumé as a Word document to an email ○ Or upload Word file directly onto the recruiter's site PDF document: ○ Preferred by many hiring managers for safety ○ PDF résumé looks like the original and cannot be easily altered Company database: ○ Some organizations use online forms for résumé submission ○ Enables rapid searching and data integration ○ May require pasting résumé into the form  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters The cover letter introduces the résumé and personalizes the applicant. ○ It is a sales letter that highlights the applicant's strengths and competes with other candidates. ○ Techniques from sales letters can be applied to create an effective cover letter. Opinions vary on the length of cover letters. ○ Some prefer short letters with no more than four paragraphs, focusing on the résumé. ○ Others prefer longer letters to gather more information about the candidate's qualifications and personality.  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters A well-structured cover letter should consist of three main parts: ○ Attention-grabbing opening. ○ Body that explains why the applicant is the right candidate for the role, building interest and reducing resistance. ○ Motivating closing that encourages action.  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5a Gain Attention in the Opening Gain reader's interest by addressing them by name ○ Call the organization for correct spelling and complete address ○ Personal touch distinguishes your letter and shows serious interest Open your cover letter based on the type of position ○ Solicited position: Use a direct approach ○ Unsolicited position: Use an indirect approach Use imaginative openings instead of generic statements ○ Avoid "I would like to apply for..." ○ Use "I'm pleased to submit my application for the X position" ○ Highlight significant related experience  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5a Gain Attention in the Opening Openings for solicited jobs Techniques for opening a letter of application for solicited jobs: Refer to an employee in the company who recommended the position ○ Example: Mitchell Sims from Customer Service Department informed me about DataTech's search for an experienced customer service representative. Mention the precise source of information, including the position advertised and publication details ○ Example: Responding to Workopolis' listing for a junior accountant (competition 15-003) in the City of Richmond.  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5a Gain Attention in the Opening Openings for solicited jobs Connect the job title with your qualifications and skills ○ Example: Is an honours graduate in recreation studies with experience in organizing social activities suitable for the position of activity director? Highlight specialized training or relevant education ○ Example: Confident in meeting the qualifications described in your advertisement for an accountant trainee due to specialized accounting training at Simon Fraser University.  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5a Gain Attention in the Opening Openings for unsolicited jobs Techniques to use for persuasive openings: Demonstrate interest and knowledge of the reader's business Show how your special talents and background will benefit the company ○ Example: Well-trained Business Intelligence graduate seeking to become a professional underwriter for the new IT team in the Canadian Automobile Association's group insurance division  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5b Build Interest in the Body Build interest and reduce resistance in the cover letter Relate the letter to a specific position, addressing stated requirements Emphasize reader benefits and how your skills can meet the employer's needs Highlight your strongest qualifications that fit the targeted job Provide examples like winning a drafting contest or transcribing experience Discuss relevant personal traits sought by employers Refer the reader to the attached résumé for more information Mention, for example, graduation in June with a bachelor's degree in business administration  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5c Motivate Action in the Closing After presenting your case, conclude with a spur to action Avoid directly asking for the job ○ Instead, indirectly request an interview Suggest reader benefits or review strongest points Be sincere and appreciative Make it easy for the reader to agree ○ Provide phone number, email address, and best times to call Some HR managers prefer you to take the initiative to call them  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5c Motivate Action in the Closing Possible endings: "I hope my qualifications and résumé demonstrate my genuine desire to work for you. Please call me at (416) 488-2291 to arrange an interview." "To add an experienced strategic communications practitioner to your team, please call me at (604) 492-1433 to arrange an interview." "Next week, after reviewing my résumé, I will call you to discuss the possibility of arranging an interview."  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5e Send Your Cover Letter by Email Many applicants make the mistake of not including cover letters when submitting résumés electronically. ○ An electronic application should have two separate files: a cover letter file and a résumé file. Not including a cover letter leaves the receiver wondering and raises questions about the application. Recruiters want to see an introduction and evidence of writing skills. Some candidates skip the cover letter or provide one-line email cover notes, which is not sufficient. To increase chances of landing the job, it is important to prepare a professional cover letter.  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5e Send Your Cover Letter by Email  12.5 Persuasive Cover Letters 12.5a Gain Attention in the Opening For Solicited Cover Letter, check figure 12.12, page 295 For Unsolicited Cover Letter, check figure 12.13, page 296