2. Building Careers and Writing Résumés
Chapter 15
Building Careers and Writing Résumés
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3. Learning Objectives
List eight key steps to finding the ideal opportunity in today’s job market
Explain the process of planning your résumé, including how to choose the best résumé organization
Describe the tasks involved in writing your résumé and list the major sections of a traditional résumé
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
List eight key steps to finding the ideal opportunity in today’s job market
Explain the process of planning your résumé, including how to choose the best résumé organization
Describe the tasks involved in writing your résumé and list the major sections of a traditional résumé
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

4. Learning Objectives
Characterize the completing step for résumés, including the six most common formats in which you can produce a résumé
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, you will be able to do the following:
4. Characterize the completing step for résumés, including the six most common formats in which you can produce a résumé
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5. Securing Employment in Today’s Job Market
Get organized
Look for stepping-stone opportunities
Start now and Stick to it
As you craft your personal job search strategy, keep these two guidelines in mind:
Get organized. Your job search could last many months and involve multiple contacts with dozens of companies. You need to keep all the details straight to make sure you don’t miss opportunities or make mistakes such as losing someone’s address or forgetting an appointment.
Start now and stick to it. Even if you are a year or more away from graduation, now is not too early to get started with some of the essential research and planning tasks. If you wait until the last minute, you will miss opportunities and you won’t be as prepared as the candidates you’ll be competing against.
Look for stepping-stone opportunities. Particularly in today’s slow job market, you
might not find the opportunity you’re looking for right away. You might need to take a
job that doesn’t meet your expectations while you keep looking to get on the right track.
But view every job as an opportunity to learn workplace skills and fine-tune your sense
of how you’d like to spend your career.
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6. Finding Your Ideal Opportunity
In today’s job market consider paying attention to the following steps to help land the ideal opportunity:
Write your story: Explore possibilities, identify your passion.
Think like an employer: Consider the steps can you take to present yourself as the best candidate.
Do your research: Be creative, consider contacting current customers.
Define your potential: Explain how well your attributes and experience will translate to the challenges of a specific position.
Find opportunities: Focus your efforts on the companies you want to work for instead of going through the traditional sources.
Build your network: Go on and offline to make new business contacts.
Seek career counsel: Go to your career center, job fairs, etc.
Avoid mistakes: Polish your cover letter and résumé, make a good first impression.
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7. Writing the Story of You
Where I Have Been
Have worked several part-time jobs; only thing that really appealed to me in any of them was making improvements, making things work better
Where I Am Now
Junior; on track to graduate in 2014
Where I Want to Be
Get an advanced degree; not sure what subject area yet, though
Figure 15.1 Writing the Story of You
Writing the “story of you” is a helpful way to think through where you’ve been in your life and career so far,
where you are now, and where you would like to go from here. Remember that this is a private document
designed to help you clarify your thoughts and plans, although you probably will find ways to adapt some of
what you’ve written to various job-search documents, including your résumé.
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8. Job-Search Websites Riley Guide - www.rileyguide.com
Vast collection of links to both general and specialized job sites for every career imaginable
TweetMyJobs.com -
The largest Twitter job board, with thousands of channels segmented by geography
Internship Programs.com –
Posts listings from companies looking for interns in a wide variety of professions
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9. Applying the Three-Step Résumé Process
To distinguish yourself from all the other people looking for work, you need to start with a well-written résumé. Some job searchers are intimidated by the prospect of writing a résumé, but a résumé is really just another specialized business message. Follow the three-step writing process, and it will be easier than you think:
Planning résumés. First, analyze the situation, recognizing that the purpose of your résumé is to get an interview, not to get a job. As you gather information, research target industries to learn what they look for in new hires, learn about various jobs and what to expect, and learn about the hiring managers, if possible. In order to choose the best medium, start with a traditional, paper résumé, then develop scannable, plain text, HTML, and PDF versions, as needed. Choose a model of organization that highlights your strengths and downplays your shortcomings; use the chronological approach, unless you have a good reason not to.
Writing résumés. Adapt to your audience by planning to catch a recruiter’s eye within seconds. In order to do so, translate your education and experience into attributes that employers value. Write clearly and succinctly as you compose your message by using language that is appropriate to the companies and industries you are targeting; moreover, use a professional tone.
Completing résumés. After writing your first draft, revise your résumé to make sure it is clear, concise, and correct. Next, produce your résumé, giving it an attractive, professional appearance. Proofread the final product for typos, spelling errors, and other mechanical problems. Finally, distribute your résumé following the specific instructions of each employer or job search website.
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10. Analyze Your Purpose and Audience
A résumé is a structured, written summary of a person’s education, employment background, and job qualifications. Before you begin writing a résumé, make sure you understand its true function—as an advertisement intended to stimulate an employer’s interest in meeting you and learning more about you. A successful résumé persuades a prospective employer to invite you to interview with the company. Thus, your purpose in writing your résumé is to create interest—not to tell readers every little detail.
Learn as much as you can about the individuals who may be reading your résumé. Many professionals and managers are bloggers, Twitter users, and LinkedIn members, for example, so you can learn more about them online even if you’ve never met them. Any bit of information can help you craft a more effective message.
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11. Gathering Pertinent Information
Employment History
Education Background
Personal Experience
If you haven’t been building an employment portfolio thus far, you may need to do some research on yourself. Gather all the pertinent personal history you can think of, including the dates, duties, and accomplishments from any previous jobs you’ve held. Compile relevant educational experience that adds to your qualifications—formal degrees, skills certificates, academic awards, or scholarships. Also, gather any relevant information about school or volunteer activities that might be relevant to your job search, including offices you have held in any club or professional organization, presentations given, and online or print publications. You probably won’t use every piece of information you come up with, but you’ll want to have it at your fingertips before you begin composing your résumé.
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12. Organizing Your Résumé Around Strengths
The most successful résumés convey specific qualities that employers seek. They demonstrate that you think in terms of results and know how to get things done, are well-rounded, show signs of career progress and professional development, have personal standards of excellence, are flexible and willing to try new things, and communicate effectively.
Although you may want to include a little information in all categories, you will naturally want to emphasize the information that does the best job of aligning your career objectives with the needs of your target employers—and that does so without misrepresenting the facts.
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13. Typical Résumé Formats
Personal
Background
Objectives
Chronological
Combination
Functional
Work History
Educational Level
Skills and
Accomplishments
To focus attention on your strongest points, adapt the appropriate organizational approach—chronological, functional, or a combination of the two. The “right” choice depends on your background and your goals.
In a chronological résumé, the “Work Experience” section occupies the most prominent slot. This approach is the most common way to organize a résumé. It has three advantages: (1) employers are familiar with it, (2) it highlights growth and career progression, and (3) it highlights continuity and stability. This approach is especially appropriate if you have a strong employment history and are aiming for a job that builds on your current career path.
A functional résumé emphasizes skills and accomplishments, identifying employers and academic experience in subordinate sections. This pattern stresses individual areas of competence, so it is useful for people who are just entering the job market, want to redirect their careers, or have little continuous career-related experience. The functional approach also has three advantages: (1) without having to read through job descriptions, employers can see what you can do for them, (2) you can emphasize earlier job experience, and (3) you can deemphasize any lack of career progress or lengthy unemployment.
A combination résumé includes the best of the chronological and functional approaches. Nevertheless, it is not commonly used for two reasons: it tends to be longer, and it can be repetitious if you have to list your accomplishments and skills in both the functional section and the chronological job descriptions.
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14. Writing Your Résumé
As you follow the three-step process to develop your résumé, keep four points in mind. First, treat your résumé with the respect it deserves. A single mistake or oversight can cost you interview opportunities. Second, give yourself plenty of time. Don’t put off preparing your résumé until the last second and then try to write it in one sitting. Third, learn from good models. You can find sample résumés online at college websites and on job boards such as Monster and CareerBuilder. Fourth, don’t get frustrated by the conflicting advice you’ll read about résumés. Résumés are as much art as science, and there is more than one way to be successful with them. Consider the alternatives and choose the approach that makes the most sense to you, given everything you know about successful business communication.
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15. Keeping Your Résumé Honest
Résumé fraud has reached epidemic proportions, but employers are fighting back with more rigorous screening techniques. Applicants with integrity know they don’t need to stoop to lying. If you are tempted to stretch the truth, bear in mind that professional recruiters have seen every trick in the book, and frustrated employers are working aggressively to uncover the truth.
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16. Adapting Your Résumé to Your Audience
Your résumé needs to make a positive impression in a matter of seconds, so be sure to adopt a “you” attitude and think about your résumé from the employer’s perspective.
No matter which format you choose or what information you include, the single most important concept to keep in mind as you write is to translate your past accomplishments into perceived future potential. In other words, employers are certainly interested in what you have done in the past, but they are more interested in what you can do for them in the future.
Keep in mind that you may need to “translate” your skills and experiences into the terminology of the hiring organization. Moreover, educational achievements in other countries might not align with the standard U.S. definitions of high schools, community colleges, technical and trade schools, and universities.
Regardless of your background, it is up to you to combine your experiences into a straightforward message that communicates what you can do for your potential employer.
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17. Composing Your Résumé
The first thing an employer needs to know is who you are and where you can be reached: your name, address, phone number, address and the URL of your personal webpage, e-portfolio or social media resume.
The brief introductory statement that follows your contact information can take one of three forms. A career objective identifies either a specific job you want or a general career you want to pursue. A qualifications summary offers a brief overview of your key qualifications. A career summary offers a brief recap of your career, with the goal of presenting increasing levels of responsibility and performance.
If you are still in school, education is probably your strongest selling point. Present your educational background in depth, choosing facts that support your “theme.” The education section also includes off-campus training sponsored by business or government. Education is usually given less emphasis after you have worked in your chosen field for a year or more. Whether you list your GPA depends on the job you want and the quality of your grades.
The work experience section focuses on your overall theme. When describing your work experience, highlight the relationship between your previous responsibilities and your target field. List your jobs in reverse chronological order, with the current or last one first.
Describe volunteer activities that demonstrate your abilities. List projects that required leadership, organization, teamwork, and cooperation.
Experts advise you to leave personal interests off your résumé—unless including them enhances the employer’s understanding of why you would be the best candidate for the job. Also prepare a list of references (in the same format as your résumé), as you will be asked for them at some point.
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18. Compose Your Resume Around Strong Verbs and Nouns
Planned
Assumed
Managed
Explored
Initiated
Achieved
Created
Saved
Reduced
Assisted
Trained
Operated
Raised
Improved
Set Up
Targeted
Your résumé needs to make a positive impression in a matter of seconds, so be sure to adopt a “you” attitude and think about your résumé from the employer’s perspective.
No matter which format you choose or what information you include, the single most important concept to keep in mind as you write is to translate your past accomplishments into perceived future potential. In other words, employers are certainly interested in what you have done in the past, but they are more interested in what you can do for them in the future.
Keep in mind that you may need to “translate” your skills and experiences into the terminology of the hiring organization. Moreover, educational achievements in other countries might not align with the standard U.S. definitions of high schools, community colleges, technical and trade schools, and universities.
Regardless of your background, it is up to you to combine your experiences into a straightforward message that communicates what you can do for your potential employer.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

19. Completing Your Résumé
Revising
Producing
Proofreading
The last step in the three-step writing process is no less important than the first two. As with any other business message, you will need to revise your résumé, produce it in an appropriate form, and proofread it for any errors before distributing it to your target employers.
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20. Revising Your Résumé
Ask professional recruiters to list the most common mistakes they see on résumés, and you will hear the same things over and over again. Keep your résumé out of the recycling bin by avoiding these flaws:
It is too long or too wordy, verbose rather than concise, relevant, and to the point.
It is too short or sketchy, not giving enough information for a proper evaluation of the applicant.
It is difficult to read, lacking white space and devices such as indentations and boldfacing to make the reader’s job easier.
It is amateurish, indicating the applicant has little understanding of the world of business.
It is poorly produced, being difficult to read or on cheap paper.
It contains spelling and grammar errors, showing that the candidate lacks communication skills.
The boastful tone makes the reader doubt the applicant’s self evaluation.
The gimmicky design departs widely from accepted standards.
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21. Producing Your Résumé Design Elements Keep It Simple Avoid Excess
Printed
Traditional
Scannable
Résumé
Plain-Text
File
PDF File
MS Word
Online
Good design is a must, and it is not difficult to achieve. Good designs feature simplicity, order, effective use of white space, and clear typefaces. Make subheadings easy to find and easy to read, placing them either above each section or in the left margin. Use lists to itemize your most important qualifications. Color is not necessary by any means, but if you add color, make it subtle and sophisticated, such as a thin horizontal line under your name and address. The most common way to get into trouble with résumé design is going overboard.
Depending on the companies you apply to, you might want to produce your résumé in as many as six forms (all are explained in the following sections):
Printed traditional résumé
Printed scannable résumé
Electronic plain text file
Microsoft Word file
Online résumé, also called a multimedia résumé or social media résumé
PDF file
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22. Producing Your Résumé Photos Power Point Videos
As you produce your résumé in various formats, you will encounter the question of whether to include a photograph of yourself on or with your résumé. For print or electronic documents you will be submitting to employers or job websites, the safest advice is to avoid photos. The reason is that seeing visual cues of the age, ethnicity, and gender of candidates early in the selection process exposes employers to complaints of discriminatory hiring
practices.
However, photographs are acceptable and expected for social media résumés and other online formats where you are not actively submitting a résumé to an employer. In addition to the six main formats, some applicants create PowerPoint presentations, videos, or infographics to supplement a conventional résumé. Two key advantages of a PowerPoint supplement are flexibility and multimedia capabilities. For instance, you can present a menu of choices on the opening screen and allow viewers to click through to sections of interest. (Note that most of the things you can accomplish with Power-
Point can be done with an online résumé, which is probably more convenient for most readers.) A video résumé can be a compelling supplement as well, but be aware that some employment law experts advise employers not to view videos, at least not until after candidates have been evaluated solely on their credentials.
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23. Infographic Résumé Figure 15.6 Infographic Résumé
A well-designed infographic can be an intriguing part of a job-search package. In most cases, however, an
infographic should complement a conventional résumé, not try to replace it.
Source: Copyright © 2010 by Bjorn Austraat. Used by permission.
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24. Social Media Résumé Figure 15.7 Social Media Résumé
Gozaik is one of several services that allow you to create and post a social media résumé.
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25. Proofreading Your Résumé
Strive for
Perfection
Attend to
the Details
Review Personal Data
Spelling and Word Choice
Grammar and Punctuation
Headings and Lists
Employers view your résumé as a concrete example of your attention to quality and detail. Your résumé doesn’t need to be good or pretty good—it needs to be perfect. Although it may not seem fair, just one or two errors in a job application package are enough to doom a candidate’s chances.
Your résumé is one of the most important documents you’ll ever write, so don’t rush or cut corners when it comes to proofreading. Check all headings and lists for clarity and parallelism and be sure that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct. Double-check all dates, phone numbers, addresses, and other essential data. Ask at least three other people to read it, too. As the creator of the material, you could stare at a mistake for weeks and not see it.
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26. Distributing Your Résumé
How you distribute your résumé depends on the number of employers you target and their preferences for receiving résumés. Employers usually list their requirements on the career pages of their websites, so verify this information and follow it carefully. Beyond that, here are some general distribution tips:
Mailing printed résumés. Take some care with the packaging. Spend a few extra cents to mail these documents in a flat 9 by 12 envelope, or better yet, use a Priority Mail flat-rate envelope, which gives you a sturdy cardboard mailer and faster delivery for just a few more dollars.
ing your résumé. Some employers want applicants to include the text of their résumés in the body of an message; others prefer an attached Microsoft Word file. If you have a reference number or a job ad number, include it in the subject line of your message.
Submitting your résumé to an employer’s website. Many employers, including most large companies, now prefer or require applicants to submit their résumés online. In some instances, you will be asked to upload a complete file. In others, you will need to copy and paste sections of your résumé into individual boxes in an online application form.
Posting your résumé on job websites. You can post your résumé (or create one online, on some sites) on general-purpose job websites such as Monster ( home.monster.com and and CareerBuilder (www .careerbuilder.com), on more specialized websites such as Jobster ( or Jobfox ( or with staffing services such as Volt ( .com).
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27. Summary of Objectives
This concludes the PowerPoint presentation on Chapter 15, “Building Careers and Writing Résumés.” During this presentation, we have accomplished the following learning objectives:
Listed eight key steps to finding the ideal opportunity in today’s job market
Explained the process of planning your résumé, including how to choose the best résumé organization
Described the tasks involved in writing your résumé,́ and listed the major sections of a traditional résumé
Characterized the completing step for résumés, including the six most common formats in which you can produce a résumé
For more information about these topics, refer to Chapter 15 in Excellence In Business Communication.
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