1. Chapter 15 The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters
Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e
Mary Ellen Guffey Copyright © 2008

2. The Job Search Searching Electronically Visit big job boards.
CareerBuilder, Monster, Yahoo HotJobs, etc.
Look beyond the big boards.
Corporate Web sites, professional associations, niche sites
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

3. The Job Search Searching Traditionally Check classified ads.
See announcements of professional organizations.
Contact companies directly.
Visit career center, attend career fairs, ask advice of instructors.
Develop your own network.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

4. The Job Search
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

5. The Customized Résumé Heading and Objective
List your name, address, and phone.
Include a career objective customized for a targeted job.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

6. The Customized Résumé Summary of Qualifications
Provide 3 to 8 bulleted statements.
List your most impressive qualifications: experience, skills, education, awards.
Customize the statements to fit the requirements of the targeted job.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

7. The Customized Résumé Education
Name your degree, date of graduation, and institution.
List your major and GPA.
Give information about your studies, but don’t inventory all your courses.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

8. The Customized Résumé Work Experience
List your jobs. Start with the most recent. Include employer's name and city, dates of employment (month, year), and most significant title.
Salesperson, Kmart, Dayton, Ohio. April 2007 to May Manager, Fleet Equipment, Kettering, Ohio. June 2008 to present.
Tax Preparer, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA). March 2008 to present. Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

9. The Customized Résumé Work Experience
Use action verbs to describe your experience.
Summarize your achievements and skills relevant to the targeted job.
Prepared state and federal tax returns for individuals with incomes under $25,000. Conducted interviews with over 50 individuals to elicit data regarding taxes. Determined legitimate tax deductions and recorded them accurately.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

10. The Customized Résumé Capabilities and Skills
Highlight your technical skills. Mention word processing, database, spreadsheet, and Internet proficiency.
Emphasize your nontechnical skills. Give evidence of communication, management, and interpersonal skills. Employers want more than empty assurances. Try to quantify your skills.
Organized holiday awards program for 1200 attendees and 140 awardees. Praised by top management for enthusiastic teamwork and achievement.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

11. The Customized Résumé Awards, Honors, and Activities
Show that you are well-rounded.
List awards and extracurricular activities, especially if they demonstrate leadership, teamwork, reliability, loyalty, initiative, efficiency, and self-sufficiency.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

12. The Customized Résumé Final Tips
Omit references unless specifically required.
Look for ways to condense your data.
Double-check for parallel phrasing.
Project professionalism and quality.
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13. The Customized Résumé Final Tips Avoid personal pronouns. Omit humor.
Use quality paper and a quality printer.
Have a friend or colleague critique your résumé.
Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e 8

14. The Customized Cover Letter
Opening
Address the letter to an individual by name.
For advertised jobs, name the source; include job title, date, and publication.
If someone referred you, name that person.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

15. The Customized Cover Letter
Opening
Tell how your qualifications fit the job specifications, show knowledge of the reader’s business, or describe how your special talents will be assets to the company.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

16. The Customized Cover Letter
Body
Demonstrate how your background and training fill the job requirements.
Summarize your principal assets from education, experience, and special skills.
Avoid repeating specific data from your résumé.
Refer to your résumé.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

17. The Customized Cover Letter
Closing
Ask for an interview. Consider hooking the request to a statement reviewing your strongest points.
Make it easy to respond. Tell when you can be reached (during office hours). Some recruiters prefer that you call them.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

18. End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e