© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 1 Technical Communication, 12th Edition John M. Lannon Laura Gurak Chapter 18 Resumes and Other Job- Search Materials

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 2 Prospecting for Jobs Assess your skills and aptitudes. Research the job market. Search online Learn to network.

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 3 Electronic Job Hunting Most U.S. employers encourage candidates to submit online resumes Electronic scanning of résumés  Searches for keywords to select interviewees

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 4 Preparing a Résumé Typical Components  Contact information  Job and career objectives  Education  Work experience  Personal data  Personal interests, awards, and skills  References Portfolio  Used in some professions to provide work samples

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 5 Organizing a Résumé Organize your résumé to highlight your qualifications in the best possible way Reverse chronological order Functional Combination

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 6 Guidelines for Résumés  Begin résumé well before your job search  Try to limit your resume to a single page  Use high quality paper in a professional color  Stick to relevant experience  Never invent credentials  Do not discuss salary  Avoid complete sentences  Use action verbs and key words  Use punctuation to clarify and emphasize  Proofread, proofread, proofread

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 7 Electronic Résumés Résumés  Attach a File  Check with the potential employer to see what formats they will accept. Scannable Résumés  A scanned version of a paper résumé that is usally uploaded to a database and searched for key words. Online Résumés  A hyperlinked resume on a personal, school, or professional society web page, often containing links to an online portfolio

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 8 Job Application Letter Include a cover letter with each résumé Give yourself a likeable image Target your letter to a specific opportunity Two types  Solicited  Unsolicited

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 9 Format of Cover Letters Solicited Introduction  State job you are applying for, where you saw it advertised, one sentence summary of yourself Body  Without simply repeating your resume, point out your best qualifications, using specific examples Conclusion  Restate interest and request interview Unsolicited Introduction  Prepare an attention- grabbing opening and address letter to a specific person. Body  Without simply repeating your resume, point out your best qualifications, using specific examples Conclusion  Restate interest and request interview

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 10 Support for the Application Dossier  Includes your official records, such as college transcript, scholarship letters Portfolios and Webfolios  Contains samples of your professional work

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 11 Employment Interviews Top applicants are asked to Interview for positions Interviews can vary in format  Face to face, telephone, video conference  One-on-one, with a committee  Alone or with a group of candidates  An hour, or several days  Pleasant chats or grueling interrogations

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 12 Mastering the Interview Careful Preparation is Key  Research the company  Plan for common interview questions  Dress appropriately  Prepare a list of well-researched questions about the job and organization

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 13 After the Interview The Follow-Up Letter  A thank you letter should be sent within a day of the interview  Be brief but personal and close with enthusiasm Letter of Acceptance  Serves as part of your contract Letter of Refusal  Should be polite, prompt, and allow for future opportunities

© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers. 14 Any Questions? For additional help reviewing this chapter, please visit the Companion Website for your text at