© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 1

Searching for Searching for Employment and Employment and

Preparing Employment Preparing Employment MessagesMessages

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 2

The Changing WorkplaceThe Changing Workplace

• How often people look for work

• Where people find work

• They type of people who find work

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 3

Adapting to the Adapting to the WorkplaceWorkplace

• What you want

• What you can offer

• Your workplace value

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 4

What Can You Offer?What Can You Offer?

• Personal achievements

• Educational preparation

• Work experience

• Extracurricular activities

• Personal characteristics

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 5

What Do You Want to What Do You Want to Do?Do?

• Type of occupation

• Nature of the job

• Specific

compensation

• Career goals

• Size of company

• Type of operation

• Location

• Facilities

• Corporate culture

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 6

Increasing Your ValueIncreasing Your Value

• Employment portfolio

• Interim assignments

• Workplace skills

• Life-long learning

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 7

The Employment SearchThe Employment Search

• Build toward a career

• Prepare a résumé

• Understand the interview process

• Prepare for interview

• Take the interview

• Follow up and accept the offer

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 8

Organizing Your Organizing Your ApproachApproach

• Monitor business news

• Research specific companies

• Look for job openings

• Respond to job openings

• Build a network

• Seek career counseling

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 9

Three-Step Résumé Three-Step Résumé ProcessProcess

• Planning

• Writing

• Completing

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 10

Planning Your RésuméPlanning Your Résumé

• Analyze purpose

• Analyze audience

• Gather information

• Adapt the document

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 11

Writing Your RésuméWriting Your Résumé

• Know what employers seek

• Build on your strengths

• Write to impress

• Avoid résumé deception

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 12

What Employers SeekWhat Employers Seek

• Results orientation

• Workplace achievements

• Versatility

• Signs of progress

• Standards of excellence

• Flexibility

• Communication skills

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 13

Organizing Your ROrganizing Your Résuméésumé

• Chronological

• Functional

• Combination

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 14

Write to ImpressWrite to Impress

• Use a direct style

• Write short, crisp prose

• Focus on your audience

• Use action verbs

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 15

RRésumé Elementsésumé Elements

• Name and address

• Career objective or summary

• Academic credentials

• Employment history

• Activities and achievements

• Relevant personal data

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 16

Avoid Résumé DeceptionAvoid Résumé Deception

• Overstating educational creditsOverstating educational credits

• Inflating grade-point averageInflating grade-point average

• Hiding gaps in work recordHiding gaps in work record

• Covering periods of unemploymentCovering periods of unemployment

• Omitting embarrassing jobsOmitting embarrassing jobs

• Exaggerating expertise or experienceExaggerating expertise or experience

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 17

Completing Your RCompleting Your Résuméésumé

• Revision

• Formatting

• Proofreading

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 18

Common Résumé Common Résumé ProblemsProblems

• Inappropriate length

• Hard to read

• Wordiness

• Too slick

• Poorly reproduced

• Amateurish

• Boastful

• Dishonest

• Gimmicky

• Carelessly written

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 19

Producing Your RProducing Your Résuméésumé

• Printed traditional résumé

• Printed scannable résumé

• Electronic plain-text file

• MS Word file

• Online résumé

• Electronic PDF file

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 20

Printing Paper RPrinting Paper Résumésésumés

• Clean typeface

• High-grade paper

• Wide margins

• Laser printed

• Appropriate length

• Professional design

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 21

PrintingPrintingScannable Scannable RRésumésésumés

• Plain text format

• San serif font

• Overall length

• Key word summary

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 22

Digital RDigital Résumé Formatsésumé Formats

• Plain-text file

• MS Word file

• Webpage version

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 23

Proofread Your Proofread Your RRésuméésumé

• Headings and lists

• Grammar and punctuation

• Spelling and word choice

• Paper and digital formats

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 24

Distributing Distributing RRésumésésumés

• Postal mail

• E-mail or online

• Fax machine

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 25

On-line On-line RRésumésésumés

• Personal Websites

– Personal information

– References

• Index services

– Employment information

– ASCII version

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 26

Writing Application Writing Application LettersLetters

• Be clear and specific

• Include salary information

• Keep e-mail short

• Aim for high quality

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 27

Types of Application Types of Application LettersLetters

• Solicited

• Unsolicited

– Getting attention

– Building interest

– Increasing desire

– Motivating action

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 28

Cultural ConsiderationsCultural Considerations

• The right style and approach

• Proper tone and format

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 29

Other Employment Other Employment MessagesMessages

• Job-inquiry letters

• Application follow-ups

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Essentials Chapter 13 - 30

Reviewing Key PointsReviewing Key Points

• Adapting to the workplace

• Searching for employment

• Preparing effective résumés

• Preparing employment messages