Transcript Communication Skills - Chapter 10

Chapter 10
Employment
communication
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PPTs t/a Communication Skills, by Bretag, Crossman and Bordia
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Learning objectives
On completion of this chapter students will
know how to:
• prepare a résumé
• write a cover letter
• prepare for an interview.
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Personal résumé
The personal résumé is also referred to as:
• a curriculum vitae (CV)
• a personal profile
• a personal information sheet
• a personal inventory
• biodata.
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Personal résumé (cont.)
• Bishop-Firth (2004, p. 39) recommends
keeping your résumé to two pages,
highlighting only relevant information.
• The aim of a résumé is not to document
your life story but to get an interview.
• Employers often only skim read résumés
when making their initial selections so
ensure that the layout and headings make
the document easy to read quickly and to
find the relevant information.
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Personal résumé (cont.)
There are five main headings to a résumé:
• Heading
• Education
• Work experience
• Extracurricular activities
• Referees
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Heading
The heading includes:
• your name
• home address
• telephone numbers
• email address.
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Heading (cont.)
• In the past, date of birth, marital and health
status were included in a résumé but in
many countries, including Australia, it is now
illegal for the employer to ask for this
information and it is therefore not needed.
• You do not need to write the words ‘Name’,
‘Address’ or even ‘Résumé’ in the heading
because the information tells the reader
what it is.
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Activity 1
• Complete Activity 1 on pp. 212–213 of your
textbook.
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Education
• Deciding whether to place ‘Education’ or
‘Work Experience’ first in the résumé
depends on what you wish to highlight.
• Do not include information about your
primary school education.
• Include a brief account of secondary and
tertiary university education, including dates,
place of study and final qualifications.
• You may wish to mention briefly any
outstanding achievements or leadership
positions.
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Activity 2
• Complete Activity 2 on pp. 213–214 of your
textbook.
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Work experience
• Include information about:
– the title of the role
– the years you held the position
– the name and location of the employer.
• Some people group employment into
different categories depending upon
experience—e.g. an engineer may work in
industry for a number of years, then take a
job lecturing in a university. In this case, it
would be appropriate to have one heading
for ‘Engineering Positions’ and another for
‘Educational Positions’.
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Work experience (cont.)
• It is quite acceptable for a recent university
graduate to include casual work experience
in a résumé.
• Most employers value some experience.
• You do not need to explain why you left a
previous position but it is a good idea to
prepare a suitable response in case you are
asked.
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Work experience (cont.)
• Use parallel construction in presenting your
responsibilities.
• ‘Parallel construction’ refers to a consistent
use of the same grammatical form after a
bullet point.
• It is better to use a verb form (e.g.
‘Managed’ or ‘Managing’) rather than the
noun form (‘Management of …’) because
the verb form is more powerful.
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Ordering of events
• There are two ways to list education or work
experience:
Chronological order – list from the earliest event
until the present.
Reverse chronological order – list from the most
recent event and work backwards in time.
• Reverse chronological order is most
common.
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Activities 3–5
• Complete Activities 3–5 on p. 214 of your
textbook.
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Power words
• Résumés need to be checked carefully to
ensure that particular words make an impact
on the reader.
• Some words are more powerful in creating a
good impression of the candidate because
they give the impression that an individual is
proactive rather than passive.
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Activity 6
• Complete Activity 6 on p. 215 of your
textbook.
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Extracurricular activities
• The ways in which you pass your time when
you are not studying or working are referred
to in a résumé as ‘extracurricular activities’
or ‘interests’.
• An employer is much more likely to be
interested in your interests if you can relate
these pastimes to the requirements of your
position.
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Extracurricular activities
(cont.)
• ‘SA Rowing Team for Senior Girls’
is much less impressive than the following:
‘As a member of the senior girls’ rowing
team I have developed the skills necessary
to work in a group dedicated to focusing on
long-term challenges and maintaining high
levels of motivation, even when training in
adverse weather conditions and at
unsociable hours. Coaching junior teams
has also assisted me in developing
leadership skills.’
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Activity 7
• Complete Activity 7 on p. 215 of your
textbook.
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Referees
• Most applications require a list of two or
three referees who will verify the information
provided in an application.
• Referees need to know the applicant well
and be familiar with their qualifications and
abilities.
• An applicant should consider carefully who
can be trusted to represent them in a
positive and informed manner.
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Referees (cont.)
• Sometimes companies may telephone
referees believing that they are more likely
to be open about strengths and
weaknesses. A referee who has been
approached in good time as a courtesy is
more likely to be positive and efficient in
carrying out their role, especially if they
know in advance the requirements of the
position and have been reminded how an
applicant is able to fulfil them.
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Activity 8
• Complete Activity 8 on pp. 216–217 of your
textbook.
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Personal profile
• A ‘personal profile’ or ‘personal statement’
placed right after the heading in the résumé
highlights your key strengths and
qualifications.
• As one of the first statements in a résumé, it
can influence an employer’s impressions in
powerful ways.
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Personal profile (cont.)
• A personal profile can be written in the first
person (using ‘I’).
Example
– I am a highly motivated, well-qualified accounting
graduate with a strong interest in international
finance.
• The personal profile can also be written in
the third person.
Example
– A highly motivated, well-qualified accounting
graduate with a strong interest in international
finance.
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Personal profile (cont.)
• Finally, a personal statement can be written
in the form of an employment objective:
Example
– To acquire a challenging position in the finance
industry, with an opportunity for career
advancement.
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Activities 9 and 10
• Complete Activities 9 and 10 on pp. 217–
218 of your textbook.
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Personal integrity
• Although it can sometimes be tempting to
exaggerate personal achievement, it is likely
to be found out at some point.
• Regaining the respect and trust of
colleagues and supervisors is likely to prove
very difficult.
• Personal integrity is a valuable asset to a
prospective employer and one way to begin
demonstrating integrity is through the
application process.
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Providing evidence
• Provide evidence to support claims (e.g.
state that you have a certificate in Microsoft
Office Skills rather than simply indicating
that you are ‘excellent in Microsoft Office
Skills’).
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Activities 11 and 12
• Complete Activities 11 and 12 on pp. 218–
219 of your textbook.
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Sending résumés via the
Internet
• Keep emailed résumés short with only a
brief summary of key points.
• Embed your résumé into the message as
some recruiters are less likely to open
attachments from unknown sources.
• Design the résumé so that the first
information on the screen is sufficiently
attractive for the reader to want to scroll
down further.
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Sending résumés via the
Internet (cont.)
• Do not send a résumé over the Internet to
multiple companies unless you have been
invited to do so as this is known as
‘spamming’ and is not likely to provide a
positive impression of you.
• Remember that sending your personal
details via email is always a potential
security risk.
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A constantly evolving
document
• Add important information to your résumé as
you progress in your working and personal
life to save time when you next apply for a
new job.
• This will also provide opportunities for you to
reflect on the direction you are taking in your
career.
• Each job application will require a slightly
different response depending on the
requirements of the position, so do not send
out the same résumé for a variety of
positions.
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Activity 13
• Complete Activity 13 on pp. 220–222 of your
textbook.
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Cover letter
• The purpose of a cover letter is to:
– introduce an applicant
– provide some key information about how an
applicant is able to meet an employer’s
requirements
– draw the recruiter’s attention to the résumé.
• A résumé is usually accompanied by a cover
letter.
• In some cases an application form is also
required.
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Cover letter (cont.)
• The cover letter provides the employer with
a first impression of an individual and
therefore needs to ‘stand out’.
• Use your résumé as a basis for writing the
cover letter.
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Activities 14 and 15
• Complete Activities 14 and 15 on pp. 223–
225 of your textbook.
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Preparing for an interview
• An interview:
– allows an employer to explore an applicant’s
qualifications in more detail
– provides interviewees with an opportunity to
decide whether the organisation is one where
they are likely to be happy and to ‘fit in’.
• Preparing for an interview will improve your
performance on the day.
• Anticipate questions and plan truthful and
impressive answers.
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Activities 16 and 17
• Complete Activities 16 and 17 on pp. 226–
227 of your textbook.
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Different kinds of
interviews
• ‘One-to-one’ interviews
• Interviews where the individual applicant
faces a panel.
• Group interviews to assess how individuals
interact with others and demonstrate
effective interpersonal skills.
• Stress interviews designed to see how
applicants cope with stress.
– Respond in a calm and assertive way and
rephrase inflammatory questions so that they can
be framed more neutrally.
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Activity 18
• Complete Activity 18 on p. 228 of your
textbook.
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Video conference
interviews
• Try to phone the interviewer before the
video conference to develop a rapport.
• Arrive in good time to become accustomed
to the equipment.
• Speak clearly at a normal speed.
• Avoid slouching.
• Avoid looking down when being videoed.
• Try to look lively and alert (Bovée & Thill
2005, p. 561).
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Interview stages
• Stage 1 usually involves building rapport
and reducing nervousness. Appear friendly
but professional.
• Stage 2 involves making opening
statements. The interviewer provides some
general information about the organisation
and the advertised position.
• According to some commentators,
interviewers make 50 per cent of their
decision within the first 60 seconds (Bovée
& Thill 2005, p. 571).
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Interview stages
• Stage 3 is the main part of the interview. It
involves either ‘open’ or ‘closed’ questions.
– Open questions invite applicants to respond at length.
– Open questions often begin with ‘Why’, ‘How’, ‘Please
describe …’ or requests such as ‘Tell me about
yourself’.
– Avoid rambling.
– A closed question is usually used to verify information
and is answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
– Some closed questions are actually open (e.g. ‘So
you tend to prefer working in groups?’).
– The main part of the interview usually lasts between
10 and 25 minutes.
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Closure of an interview
• Closure is indicated when you are asked if
you have any questions or when you are
told when the outcome of the interview will
be communicated.
• An applicant who is able to end on a
positive yet assertive note is likely to make
a good impression (e.g. ‘This job really
seems to require all the kinds of things I
enjoy working on’).
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Closure of an interview
(cont.)
• It is inadvisable to raise the question of
salary but, if you are asked, be prepared to
discuss the issue.
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Activities 19–21
• Complete Activities 19, 20 and 21 on
pp. 229–230 of your textbook.
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Careful editing of the
résumé
• Edit carefully to create a favourable
impression.
• An application is seen as a reflection of you
as a person.
• Employers’ number one pet hate is poor
spelling (Eggert 1997, p. 71).
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A final word
• Practise to diffuse nervousness.
• Prepare answers ‘out loud’.
• Review any achievements that are likely to
be of interest to the employer.
• Visualise a successful performance.
• You do not have to pretend to be someone
you are not, but as Kitty Locker (2006,
p. 555) advises, ‘Be your best self at the
interview’.
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Summary
• Keep your résumé to two pages with
headings that make the document easy to
read quickly.
• Use reverse chronological order (starting
with the most recent activity first).
• Use powerful and positive words and provide
specific evidence of any strengths or skills.
• When writing about interests, ensure their
relevance to the employer is emphasised.
• Write personal profiles carefully because
they provide a first impression.
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Summary (cont.)
• Only use referees that you trust and who
know you well.
• Research up-to-date ideas on writing an
effective application.
• Edit your résumé and cover letter carefully.
• Be prepared for interviews that explore your
qualifications and experience more deeply.
• Prepare by anticipating questions and
planning answers.
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Summary (cont.)
• Take into account the different kinds of
interviews possible in your preparations.
• Research an organisation thoroughly prior to
making an application or attending an
interview. It will provide you with valuable
information and impress your interviewer.
• Remember: you don’t have to pretend to be
someone you aren’t but you should be your
best self at the interview.
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References
• Bishop-Firth, R. 2004, The ultimate CV for
managers and professionals, How To
Books, Oxford.
• Bovée, C. & Thill, J. 2005, Business
communication today, International Edition,
Pearson Prentice Hall, Sydney.
• Eggert, M. 1997, Creating a successful
résumé, Simon & Schuster, Sydney.
• Locker, K. 2006, Business and
administrative communication, McGraw-Hill
Irwin, Sydney.
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References (cont.)
• Satterwhite, M. & Olson-Sutton, J. 2003,
Business communication at work, McGrawHill Glencoe, New York.
• Windschuttle, K. & Elliott, E. 1999, Writing,
researching, communicating:
communication skills for the information age,
3rd edn, McGraw-Hill, Sydney.
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