Chapter 16

Chapter 16Chapter 16

Employment Employment CommunicationCommunication

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 5e

Copyright © 2006

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The Employment The Employment SearchSearch

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Writing a Persuasive Writing a Persuasive RésuméRésumé

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• 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.

PreparationPreparation

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• List your name, land address, e-mail address, and telephone number.

• Include a career objective for a targeted job.

Heading and ObjectiveHeading and Objective

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• 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.

EducationEducation

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List of Past JobsList 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. 4/04 to 5/05.

Manager, Fleet Equipment, Kettering, Ohio. 6/05 to present.

Tax Return Preparer, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA). March, 2005, to present. Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio.

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Summary of Summary of Achievements and Achievements and

SkillsSkills• 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.

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Evidence of Evidence of Nontechnical SkillsNontechnical 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.

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Special Skills, Special Skills, Achievements, AwardsAchievements, 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.

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Other Résumé TipsOther 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.

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Other Résumé TipsOther Résumé Tips• Have a good proofreader critique

your résumé.

• Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!

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What Recruiters What Recruiters Consider Most Consider Most

ImportantImportant

• “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:

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ImportantImportant

• “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.”


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ImportantImportant

• “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.”


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What Turns Recruiters What Turns Recruiters OffOff

• “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:

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• “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.”


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• “A photo. I have to remove them because managers must be color and gender blind.”

• “Not sending the résumé to the right place.”


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Poor RésuméPoor Résumé “Before” Version“Before” Version

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RÉSUMÉ OFJENNIE JENKINS

3320 Lafayette Street, #12San Leandro, CA 94561(415) 781-5592

OBJECTIVE: An entry-level position where my proven communication, accounting, and administrative skills could be utilized in a path leading to advancement into management eventually.

DEGREE from San Francisco State University. Broadcast Communication Arts. Bachelor of Arts. 3.2 major.

EXPERIENCE

Apprentice KPFA - 94.1 in Berkeley, CA. Duties included scheduling studios. Also recruited staff. Some paperwork. Often given responsibility to act as production manager. 10/05 to present.

RÉSUMÉ OFJENNIE JENKINS

3320 Lafayette Street, #12San Leandro, CA 94561(415) 781-5592

OBJECTIVE: An entry-level position where my proven communication, accounting, and administrative skills could be utilized in a path leading to advancement into management eventually.

DEGREE from San Francisco State University. Broadcast Communication Arts. Bachelor of Arts. 3.2 major.

EXPERIENCE

Apprentice KPFA - 94.1 in Berkeley, CA. Duties included scheduling studios. Also recruited staff. Some paperwork. Often given responsibility to act as production manager. 10/05 to present.

Poor Résumé: “Before” Version

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Pacifica House Position for financial manager. Duties included payroll and benefits for employees of shelter. Was responsible for books, also for cash transactions. Took care of some donations. Expected to help raise funds. I prepared all payroll reports. Also petty cash. Chaotic environment, under funded.

Spring, 2005 Worked for one spring with Renaissance Rainbow, which is a performance arts troupe operating out of San Francisco. My duties included scheduling interviews with print and broadcast journalists. Was responsible for volunteers and publicity.

Other temporary positions Manpower, Inc. San Francisco. Worked at many different places as temp. 2001-2003. Dorhring Company. File clerk, receptionist, general duties. Other places. Good Earth Restaurant - server – 2000-2001.

Pacifica House Position for financial manager. Duties included payroll and benefits for employees of shelter. Was responsible for books, also for cash transactions. Took care of some donations. Expected to help raise funds. I prepared all payroll reports. Also petty cash. Chaotic environment, under funded.

Spring, 2005 Worked for one spring with Renaissance Rainbow, which is a performance arts troupe operating out of San Francisco. My duties included scheduling interviews with print and broadcast journalists. Was responsible for volunteers and publicity.

Other temporary positions Manpower, Inc. San Francisco. Worked at many different places as temp. 2001-2003. Dorhring Company. File clerk, receptionist, general duties. Other places. Good Earth Restaurant - server – 2000-2001.


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Personal Self-starter, can finish jobs without supervision. Marital status: single Birth: 6/15/82 Health: Excellent Hobbies: Knitting, singing, like to read First Baptist Gospel Choir Awards: Spirit Award, Oak High School Dean’s List, college, 2 semesters

Personal Self-starter, can finish jobs without supervision. Marital status: single Birth: 6/15/82 Health: Excellent Hobbies: Knitting, singing, like to read First Baptist Gospel Choir Awards: Spirit Award, Oak High School Dean’s List, college, 2 semesters


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Improved RésuméImproved Résumé “After” Version“After” Version

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Jennifer Marie Jenkens3320 Lafayette Street, #12San Leandro, CA 94561(415) 781-5592

Objective: Administrative position involving • Payroll • Accounting • Employee Benefits • Customer Service

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS• Two years’ experience in responsible administrative and accounting positions• Disciplined self-starter; able to work without supervision• Proficient with PCs including Word, Excel, and the Internet• Can be counted on to follow through on every detail, until a task is completed• B.A. degree, San Francisco State University

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE10/05 to Apprentice, Radio Production, KPFA - 94.1, Berkeley, CApresent • As production manager, schedule studios, recruit support staff

• Process scripts, permissions, and logs involved in weekly productions

Jennifer Marie Jenkens3320 Lafayette Street, #12San Leandro, CA 94561(415) 781-5592

Objective: Administrative position involving • Payroll • Accounting • Employee Benefits • Customer Service

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS• Two years’ experience in responsible administrative and accounting positions• Disciplined self-starter; able to work without supervision• Proficient with PCs including Word, Excel, and the Internet• Can be counted on to follow through on every detail, until a task is completed• B.A. degree, San Francisco State University

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE10/05 to Apprentice, Radio Production, KPFA - 94.1, Berkeley, CApresent • As production manager, schedule studios, recruit support staff

• Process scripts, permissions, and logs involved in weekly productions

Improved Résumé: “After” Version

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2004 to Financial Manager, The Pacifica House (shelter), San Francisco, CA2005 • Used computer to manage payroll and employee benefits for a staff of 26

• Completed all projects on time, despite chronically chaotic environment• Managed agency’s cash flow, involving funder reimbursements, in-kind donations, and fund-raising• Processed all accounts payable and receivable, monthly, and quarterly statistical reports for local, state, and federal funding agencies. Oversaw petty cash• Designed a flow sheet to track success of a $25,000 fund-raising project

Spring Publicity coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance arts troupe),2003 San Francisco, CA

• Scheduled all media interviews, supervised volunteers• Coordinated publicity mailings for African-American Performance Arts Festival

2004 to Financial Manager, The Pacifica House (shelter), San Francisco, CA2005 • Used computer to manage payroll and employee benefits for a staff of 26

• Completed all projects on time, despite chronically chaotic environment• Managed agency’s cash flow, involving funder reimbursements, in-kind donations, and fund-raising• Processed all accounts payable and receivable, monthly, and quarterly statistical reports for local, state, and federal funding agencies. Oversaw petty cash• Designed a flow sheet to track success of a $25,000 fund-raising project

Spring Publicity coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance arts troupe),2003 San Francisco, CA

• Scheduled all media interviews, supervised volunteers• Coordinated publicity mailings for African-American Performance Arts Festival


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2001 to Temp positions, Manpower Temporary Services, San Francisco, CA2003 • Developed customer service skills as telephone interviewer for Dohring

Company• Maintained files, routed incoming telephone calls, input employee progress journals, prepared interoffice memos, recorded accounts payable checks, keyboarded accounts payable correspondence, learned e-mail systems in various assignments

EDUCATIONB.A. in Broadcast Communication, San Francisco State University, 2004GPA in major: 3.2Dean’s list, 2 semesters

2001 to Temp positions, Manpower Temporary Services, San Francisco, CA2003 • Developed customer service skills as telephone interviewer for Dohring

Company• Maintained files, routed incoming telephone calls, input employee progress journals, prepared interoffice memos, recorded accounts payable checks, keyboarded accounts payable correspondence, learned e-mail systems in various assignments

EDUCATIONB.A. in Broadcast Communication, San Francisco State University, 2004GPA in major: 3.2Dean’s list, 2 semesters


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Preparing a Computer-Preparing a Computer-Friendly RésuméFriendly 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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Preparing an Inline Preparing an Inline RésuméRésumé

An inline résumé is embedded within an e-mail message.• Consider reformatting with 4-inch lines.• Move all text to the left.

(no centered lines, no tabs)

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Preparing an Inline Preparing an Inline RésuméRésumé

• Consider using keyboard characters(such as === or ~~~) to separate topics.

• Save the file in plain text (.txt) or rich text format (.rtf).

• Send it to yourself to check its appearance.

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Writing a Persuasive Writing a Persuasive Cover LetterCover Letter

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• 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.


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• 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.


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• 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.


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• Be sure to send a cover letter if you e-mail your resume.

• Move your return address from the top to just below your name.

• Include your e-mail address and phone numbers.

• Remove tabs, bullets, underlining, and italics.

Sending Your Cover Sending Your Cover Letter by E-mailLetter by E-mail

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Employment Employment InterviewingInterviewing

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• 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.


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• 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.


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• During the Interview* Use the STAR method to answer behavioral questions,such as, “Tell me about a timewhen you….”

S – What was the situation?

T – What was the task?

A – What action was taken?

R – What was the result?


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• During the Interview• Be ready for inappropriate questions.

• Ask your own questions.

• Conclude positively.


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• After the interview• Make notes on the interview.

• Write a thank-you letter.


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EndEnd

Chapter 16

Technology

Transcript of Chapter 16