JOBTALKS Communications Employment Communications Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph.D Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies and used with the permission of the author.

JOBTALKS Communications Employment Communications Career Search Strategies Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph.D.

Employment Communications Cover Letters Resumes Applications Interview Appreciation Expense Statements Accepting Invitations Thanking for Interest Offer Acknowledgement Stall for Time Offer Acceptance Letters and Telephone Confirmations

Be thorough in your planning Don't get bogged down in "busy-work" tasks It is appropriate to use but follow professional correspondence etiquette

Letter Style City, State, Zip Phone Date Employer's Name Employer's Title Firm Name Address City, State, Zip Dear Mr., Ms., Last Name: Introductory Paragraph Body Paragraph(s) Close (Thank you, action expected) Sincerely yours, Applicant's Name Encl: Resume, expense statement, & other attachments Your address Inside address Salutation Body Close Enclosures is acceptable

Dear Employer: Thank you for your telephone call on (date) inviting me to (employer) for further interviews. After our first interview I was more impressed with your opportunity in (occupation) and anxiously awaited a positive interest from you. As requested, I am suggesting the date of _______ for the visit to your facilities. If this is compatible with your schedule, please advise so I can make travel plans. Please reserve a hotel room nearby as it will be necessary for me to arrive the evening before to meet your 9:00 a.m. appointment time. I assume that you will be handling the appropriate expenses. Your interest is very much appreciated and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Charley Brown Encl: Job Application c: Network Assistants Interview Date Confirmation Appreciation and interest Confirm last contact date Recall circumstances Suggest/confirm dates Travel arrangements Polite close Enclosure

Appreciation Last contact date Level of interest Receipts Prorating expenses Decision date Polite close Attachments Dear Employer: Thank you for arranging a most pleasant and productive day of interviews on ____________. All of the people with whom I spoke provided a wealth of information on the opportunity in (occupation) at _____________ which should prove helpful to me in my decision making process. I am very excited about the possibility of a job offer because the position is exactly what I have been seeking. As requested, my travel receipts are attached. Since I also visited with another firm the next day, I have prorated the airfare. The hotel bill was billed to you directly. Your expense statement is attached. Several people asked about my writing ability so I am also enclosing some samples. I hope to make an employment decision by _____________. I appreciate all of the consideration that you have provided. Sincerely, Encl: Receipts Academic Transcript c: Business Placement Interview Thank You

INTERVIEW TRIP EXPENSE REPORT Name _____________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ City, State, Zip _____________________________________ Telephone _________________________________________ Date of Visit ________________________________________ Transportation From Home to Airport____________________ Airline Fare (Receipt Attached)____________________ From Airport to Home____________________ Taxi/Limousine Fares____________________ _________________ ____________________ _________________ ____________________ Lodging Hotel ( ) (Receipt Attached)____________________ Hotel Tips ____________________ _________________ ____________________ Meals Meals Prior to Interview____________________ Meals En route home ____________________ _________________ ____________________ TOTAL EXPENSES INCURRED____________________ Signature _________________________ Date _________ Expense Report Identification Transportation Lodging Meals Signature

Dear Employer: I would like to thank you and other members of your organization for spending time informing me about __________. My visit on ________ was both educational and enjoyable. Recently I received an offer from an organization for a position which seems to be most appropriate for my background and education. I plan to accept that opportunity. Please remove my name for possible employment consideration at the present time. Perhaps there is time to extend an offer from another graduate from my university. Your time and interest in me is much appreciated, which makes this decision difficult for me. I would hope that if my new plans do not materialize as expected, we could possibly resume our employment discussions. I wish you much success in your recruitment efforts this year. Sincerely, Terminating Discussions Appreciation Last contact date Other opportunity Remove from consideration Difficult decision Leave door open

Dear Candidate: We were very impressed with your credentials when you visited us on _________. As a result, we are pleased to offer you a position of ______. Your initial duties and responsibilities will be identical to those in the attached job description and would begin after the two month development program here. You will then be assigned to one of our 50 locations based upon an evaluation of your interests and our needs. Your starting salary will be _______ with your first review being in six months and annually thereafter. Our benefit handbook is enclosed. We do not pay moving expenses. This offer is contingent upon your completion of your academic program and passing a routine medical examination at our facilities. Please call me if you have any questions. This offer is open until _________ but we hope that you will accept sooner. Sincerely, Offer Letter Last contact date Extending offer Duties/location Salary and benefits Reviews Contingencies Questions Closure

Dear Employer: Thank you for your letter of __________ offering me a position as ____________ in your __________________ department at a salary of $_________. I was really impressed with you and was hoping for this result. I am nearing mid-terms here and still actively interviewing, which is putting me behind in my studies. I understand your need for a decision by ____________. I want to give this offer as much consideration as I can in light of the other opportunities that I have. If for some reason I cannot make a decision by that date I will call you. This is precisely the type of opportunity I have been seeking. Your confidence in my abilities is much appreciated. I will contact you shortly. Sincerely, Acknowledging Offer Repeat offer details Acknowledge deadline Make room for delay Reaffirm interest

Dear Employer: Thank you for permitting me some extra time to make an employment decision on the offer you extended to me on ___________ which I acknowledged on ____________. After interviewing several employers and attempting to match my background and interests with different assignments, I have concluded that the opportunity which you have offered in the chance I am seeking. I am delighted to accept your offer. In compliance with your request, I have taken a physical examination, the results of which will be sent to you by the physician you recommended. As agreed, I will report to your office on _________ for initial orientation. I plan to be in the area apartment searching on __________, so any information you could send me before then would be helpful. I will stop by at that time to clear any last-minute details. Thank you for being patient and so cooperative. I eagerly look forward to my association with you. Sincerely, Accepting Offer Appreciation Recall detail Accept Contingencies Report date Housing Anxious

Reneging is Not Acceptable; It is Unethical Ù Offer letter and acceptance letter form a bond of commitment Ù Cannot be taken lightly Ù If you renege, that employer can damage your job search efforts Ù If employer reneges, it would affect their ability to recruit

Dear Employer: Thank you for the time you have given me to evaluate your offer for a _____ position. I especially appreciate your helpfulness and the consideration given me by messrs. __________ and ___________. I have been fortunate in having more than one job offer to consider. The decision of which offer to accept is one of the most difficult decisions in my life and has taken me many hours of contemplation. After much deliberation with family, friends, faculty, and placement office staff, I have decided to accept an offer from another firm. Their opportunity seems to match my interests and abilities at this point in my career. I hope that I can keep the door open for possible later discussions with you in two or three years if plans do not materialize as expected. I appreciate the professional manner in which you handled our discussions and I have heard other students expressing the same attitude. Thank you for all of the help in my career decision. Sincerely, Declining Offer Acknowledge offer Personalize Difficult decision Declining offer Keep doors open Appreciation Professionalism

Acceptance Letters Moral Contract Honest-Trustworthy-Considerate Long-Term Ethical Considerations Can't Ethically Continue Other Employment Discussions Next step is to manage your career; career planning is a continuous life cycle.

If you would like to learn more, Career Planning Strategies textbook will supply additional information on this topic.