Transcript Your Résumé

Chapter 14
Finding and Obtaining
Employment
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Gather Textual Information
 Begin Now
 Use resources from the library, Internet, or
school's placement center
 Get a sense of the jobs available in your field,
and the requirements they entail
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Interview Experts
 Begin Now
 Be clear that you're looking for information, not
a job interview
 Prepare by developing questions to ask
 Be conversational, and remember that this is a
way to cultivate relationships
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Interact with Professionals
 Begin Now
 Browse online networking sites like LinkedIn,
MySpace and Facebook
 Join professional organizations
 Attend conferences and meetings, which often
welcome new members
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Apply for Training or
Volunteer Programs
 Begin Now
 Gain valuable experience related to your field
 Set yourself apart from other candidates
applying for the same job
 Make sure you volunteer for the right ethical
reasons
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Begin a Working Résumé
or Personal Data File
 Begin Now
 To keep track of employment-related names,
dates, experiences, and qualifications
 To see gaps in your training or experience
 To have information available for those who
might recommend you
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Request References
 One Year before Graduation
 In two forms: letters of recommendation and verbal
references
 From professors, supervisors, or other community
and business leaders
 In person, not via email or over the phone
 By providing a recommendation request letter
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Compile a Dossier or
Portfolio
 One Year before Graduation
 Dossiers contain the basic credentials and materials
needed for job searches
 Dossier services can maintain the dossier for you,
eliminating the danger of losing documents
 Portfolios contain documents and visuals that
represent your best work
 Design the portfolio to suit the job being applied for
 Offer to send it, or bring it to an interview
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Begin Your Job Search
 Six Months Before Your Graduation
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By applying directly to employers
By contacting your personal network
By searching online
By searching newspapers and journal listings
By searching professional journals and catalogs
By using your college’s placement service
By using a professional placement service
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Your ability to communicate
effectively in job related
documents might determine
whether you get interviewed
for a job.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Recommendation
Request Letters
 Are written to each person solicited to write a
recommendation
 Should begin with the specific request
 Should specify whether the recommendation is
for a specific job or for a broad job search
 Should include as many pertinent details in your
request as possible
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Recommendation
Request Letters
 Should mention if the letter is needed by a certain
time
 Should provide pertinent contact information such
as your phone number and email address
 Should propose to meet with the recommender to
discuss this recommendation
 Should thank the individual for considering your
request, but should not assume they will write the
letter
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Letters of Inquiry
 Are sent to organizations that do not currently have
jobs available in your field
 Give companies a chance to learn about potential
employees and future prospects
 Should request an informal interview with someone
who is both highly-ranked and knowledgeable
 Should mention the writer’s qualifications
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Letters of Inquiry
 Should suggest why you contacted the organization
 Should include a résumé
 Should provide pertinent contact information
 Should propose to meet with them at their
convenience
 Should thank the individual for considering your
request for an interview
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Your Résumé
 Contains key information about your experience and
training
 Is the main tool for getting a job interview
 Can be a “chronological résumé” to highlight
experience
 Emphasizing degrees, job titles, and dates
 Can be a “skills résumé”
 Emphasizing experience and skills
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Résumés May Contain
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Contact Information
Career Objective
Education
Experience
Honors and Awards
Activities
References
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Information
 Includes the author’s full name followed by that
person’s address directly below it
 Includes your complete phone number with the
area code
 Includes your professional email address and
homepage
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Career Objectives
 Might be included for those beginning a career
or switching to a new one
 Informs readers about your 5-10 year goals
 Should be kept short and realistic
 Should be specifically written for the job for
which you are applying
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Education
 Should be listed first if your degree specifically
applies to the job you are seeking
 Lists the degree you received, the date you
graduated (or will graduate), the complete name
of the school, and the city and state in which the
school is located
 Lists all schools from which you have earned
degrees in higher education
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Experience
 Lists any employment since high school:
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part-time jobs
summer employment
military training or experience
work study, internship, or volunteer positions
 Includes:
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the job title (in bold text)
the name of the employer
the city and state in which the employer is located
the dates you worked for them
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Honors and Awards
 Emphasizes accomplishments in school, work,
and service
 Can include:
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Scholarships and Fellowships
Academic or service awards
Nominations for awards
Publications
Academic honor societies
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Activities
 Lets employers know what activities you have
participated in on a regular basis
 Include activities that showcase skills and ability
to work with others, like:
 Membership in professional organizations
 Volunteer work
 Activities that highlight special skills, abilities, or
responsibility, such as school band or scout leader
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
References
 May be included in the résumé, included on a
separate page, or made “available upon request”
 Are listed on your résumé, usually including
three references and their contact information
 Includes the referees’ full names and titles
 Includes their full mailing addresses, work
phone numbers, and email addresses
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Design Elements
 Should make the information clear, accessible, and easy
to locate
 Should arrange elements to emphasize strengths
 Should fit the overall “image” of the company to which
you’re applying
 Should be consistent throughout
 Should make use of white space, bullets, indentations,
italics, and bold type for clarity
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Online Résumés
 Online résumés give a “high-tech” impression of
you and your information.
 Each should incorporate:
 An email link
 Keywords so it is friendly for search engines
 Internal links to allow readers to easily navigate from
one part of the résumé
 A downloadable, print-based versions of your résumé
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Online Résumés
 Design elements to consider:
 A front page containing links to various sections of
your résumé
 A few simple and professional graphics or perhaps a
photo of yourself
 A short quote about you from one of your referees
 Do not include:
 Your mailing address & phone number
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Scannable Résumés
 Facilitate scanning directly into a database of
potential and current employees
 Are categorized according to specialization,
geographic region, keywords, and other
classifications
 Should use a standard typeface that will not
jumble together when scanned
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Scannable Résumés
 Avoid underlining, italics, or boldface text
 Use specific keywords and terms common in
your profession
 Avoid indented text or columns
 Use a ragged right margin (left-justification)
 Delete any graphics
 List each phone number on a separate line
 Save as plain text or ASCII
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Curriculum Vitae
 A particular type of résumé that outlines your
credentials for an academic position, graduate
school application, fellowship, or grant
 CVs include:
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Educational institutions attended
Degrees received
Positions held
Presentations delivered
Publications authored
Professional affiliations
Languages spoken
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Transnational Résumés
 Some audiences may expect much more detail,
including personal details.
 Details like education and job experiences may
not translate exactly.
 Consult with experts to know what is required
for particular audiences.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Ethics and Résumés
 How you represent yourself in your résumé is
not only a matter of rhetorical choice, but of
ethical choice as well.
 Exaggerating or fabricating résumé information
is a serious ethical and professional breach.
 It is in your own best interest to represent your
experience and training accurately.
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Cover Letters
 Provide interesting and useful details about the
writer
 Emphasize the most important qualities that
make you attractive to the employer
 Highlight qualifications and experiences that set
you apart from other candidates
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Cover Letters Contain
 An introductory paragraph that identifies the
particular job for which you are applying
 Body paragraphs that provide further details
about your qualifications for the position
 A concluding paragraph that refers to the
résumé and any other documents included in the
application
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Preparing for Interviews
 Be sure you can be easily contacted
 Gather information about the company and the
interviewers
 Anticipate questions you will be asked and write
out specific answers
 Practice with a mock interview
 Gather documents that might help
 Take care of grooming and clothing in advance
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
When Participating
in Interviews
 Portray yourself as a confident, energetic, and
intelligent person in everything you do
 Enter with a confident smile, make eye contact,
and repeat everyone’s names as you say hello
 Try to interact with the interviewers rather than
simply answering the questions
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
When Participating
in Interviews
 Beginning of Interview
 Expect casual questions and answer them without
being flippant or too casual
 Middle of Interview
 Answer questions in ways that highlight your
strengths
 Be specific with your responses, but not effusive
 Remain calm and cool, even if asked questions that
seem unfair, confusing, or unanswerable
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
When Participating
in Interviews
 Conclusion of Interview
 Ask two or three questions that demonstrate your
abilities and your genuine interest in working for the
company
 Thank them for considering you for the position
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Follow-Up Letters
 Should be sent to the individual who led the
interview within 24 hours
 Reinforce positives from the interview
 Make you appear highly interested in the job and
motivated to get it
 Encourage the interviewer to remember you
when making the hiring decision
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Negotiating and
Accepting Job Offers
Focus on the positive
Ask for 24 hours to decide
Be patient if the negotiations take some time
Be firm but flexible on salary or benefits
Call other companies that might be interested
Look at the big picture when deciding between
two offers
 Don’t haggle over minor details
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Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Job Acceptance Letters
 State your acceptance in the first sentence
 Express your appreciation and enthusiasm
 Briefly describe the terms of your employment
 Limit to one page
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.
Job Rejection Letters
 Be brief and clear, declining the offer in the first
paragraph
 Provide one or two sentences explaining why you
are declining the offer, if appropriate
 Avoid saying anything negative
 Conclude by thanking the employer for the offer
Dobrin / Weisser / Keller: Technical Communication in the Twenty-First Century.
© 2010 Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 07458. All Rights Reserved.