Employment Communication
Business Communication, Chapter 16
and HOW 11, Section 13
Employment-Writing Assignments
Find an advertisement for a job or internship in which you are interested given your college major, minor (if applicable), work experiences, and career objective (i.e. check classified ads in the newspaper, USU Placement Center, CO-OP Office, Job Service, Web sites, etc.). This job or internship should be one that you could legitimately apply for within the next year, i.e., don’t apply for a job requiring a Ph.D. Use the advertisement as the basic information you have about a prospective job. Supply other relevant data you may need as you prepare your employment-related communications.
1. Prepare a résumé appropriate for the advertised job that you have chosen. Follow the guidelines for résumé preparation given in the text and outlined on class handouts.
2. Include a copy of the job advertisement when you hand in your résumé.
3. Prepare a letter of application for the advertised job. Follow the guidelines for cover letter preparation given in the text and outlined in class.
4. Assume that you have been interviewed for the position for which you applied and that you were favorably impressed by the information you learned during the interview. Prepare a letter following the interview that will increase the probability that you will be hired. Address the letter to the person who interviewed you. Assume the person is the same one to whom you addressed your letter of application. (Remember, this letter is an interview thank-you letter as well.)
Your letter of application, résumé, and interview follow up letter must be typed PERFECTLY. These assignments will be graded primarily on format, English accuracy (spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.), and organization of information.
TOP INTERNET CAREER SITES
College Job Board
http://www.collegejobboard.com
The Riley Guide
http://www.rileyguide.com
Career Journal
http://www.careerjournal.com
WetFeet.com
http://www.wetfeet.com
Monster.com
http://www.monster.com
CareerSurf.com
http://www.careersurf.com
Employment Spot
http://www.employmentspot.com
Career Resource Center
http://www.careers.org
Career Builder
http://www.careerbuilder.com
Rising Star Internships
www.rsinternships.com
Résumé Writing Guidelines
1. Design the résumé with an attractive format and appearance.
2. Keep the résumé concise—normally one to two pages.
3. Include all of the necessary data.
4. Use brief but precise action-oriented phrases rather than sentences to convey data.
5. Present data in the sequence from most important to least important and sequence items within sections from most current to least current.
6. If necessary, design the résumé so that the reader can scan it.
Résumé Checklist
Check your résumé for these items:
1. Does it have a telephone number that can be called in the day?
2. Does it include an employment objective (for targeted positions)?
3. Is your education arranged logically and in parallel form? Is it easy to read?
4. Does your work experience start with the most recent employment first? Does it use action verbs in parallel form to describe your duties, activities, and accomplishments?
5. Did you include a section that describes special skills, characteristics, and achievements?
6. Does your résumé fit on one page? (Consider omitting all street addresses, except your own. Consolidate headings. Study models.)
7. Is it free of typographical errors, misspelled words, and capitalization and punctuation irregularities?
8. Does it look neat and well balanced? Does it have adequate white space so that it looks uncrowded?
9. Have you shaped your information so that it qualifies you for the position in which you are interested?
Résumé: Your Ticket to an Interview
What is a résumé?
A résumé is a “sales brochure” about you. It describes your abilities, your experience (paid and/or unpaid), and your education, all of which should support your job objective.
What should a good résumé accomplish?
It should get you an interview—it will not get you the job!
What are the essential parts of the résumé?
· Name
· Address
· Telephone number (more than one if possible)
· Educational background (college graduates should not list their high school)
· Work experience
· Career-related coursework and projects (this is not essential if you have good relevant work experience)
· Computer experience
· Foreign languages
· Professional and student organizations
· Licenses and accreditations
What should not be included in a résumé?
· Personal data such as height, weight, age, marital status, or your photograph—employers want to avoid any possible hint of discrimination
· Titles (i.e. “Résumé”, “Fact Sheet”)
· Reasons for leaving a job
· References—Make a separate sheet and have it ready
· Salary—if a salary record is requested, discuss it in the cover letter
· Early childhood and upbringing
· Weaknesses, demands, and exaggerations (keep it honest)
· Long paragraphs—use short statements or bulleted items
· Hobbies unless they relate to professional interests or show traits an employer wants
What is a Job Objective and should it be included in a résumé?
The job objective is a statement of what you want to do and the level at which you want to do it. The objective provides the résumé reader with a focus and a quick sense of direction. Seventy-eight percent of college recruiters surveyed said they definitely want a job objective included in a résumé. A very helpful aspect of having an objective is that it can help you in determining what to include in your résumé. Will a certain item help to achieve your objective? If so, include it. If something is not going to help you get the job, don’t put it on your résumé. Even if you don’t provide an objective, make sure your résumé focuses on the kind of work you can and want to do.
If you are going to have an objective, make sure it is clear and specific. It is better not to have an objective than to have one such as, “I want to obtain a challenging position which will allow me to use and contribute my education and job experience.” (Are there any college graduates that don’t want a job like this!?!). A good objective might include the type of industry you are interested in, the level of responsibility, and your area of interest (i.e. “An entry-level marketing position in the hotel industry”). By using a word processor package on your computer, it is easy to prepare different résumés with different objectives for different jobs. See pages 9 and 10 in this handout for examples of career objectives.
Is there more than one kind of résumé?
Yes; however, the two most commonly used types are Chronological and Functional.
What is a Chronological résumé?
A chronological résumé is a listing of positions you have held, by dates, beginning with your most recent position and working backwards. The Experience section in a chronological résumé will include the title of the position held, name of the organization and location (omit street address), dates of your employment (generally month and year), and a description of your job responsibilities. College graduates, who usually have more limited experience, often find that a chronological résumé works best.
What is a Functional résumé?
A functional résumé lists the data that supports your job objective by grouping major tasks performed or skills used. Administering, organizing, promoting, coordinating, and supervising are some tasks around which people build functional résumés. People with extensive work histories may find a functional résumé more appropriate to their needs because similar tasks have been performed in a variety of jobs. You may also use a combination of the functional and chronological résumé.
Is one résumé good for all jobs?
Generally no. A résumé should be targeted to the job you are seeking or the company to which you are submitting your résumé. This means that you should do some research on the company so that you know what kinds of positions are available.
What else do I need to know about résumés?
· Résumés often get less than one minute of an employer’s time–make that time count for you.
· Be clear, concise, and accurate.
· Use CAPITALIZATION, underlining, italics, and bolding to attract attention to important points.
· The length should be one page—possibly two if you have a lot of relevant information to convey.
· Use good quality bond paper. A white, off-white, or buff-colored paper is desirable.
· Check for typing accuracy, spelling errors, and grammar usage. Ninety-five percent of surveyed college recruiters said that poor grammar or more than one spelling error would cause a definite lack of interest in a candidate.
· If mailing a résumé, include a well-written cover letter developed specifically for the job you are applying for. Remember the employer will view the cover letter as an example of your communication skills.
· Write the résumé yourself; no one knows you as well as you do.
Examples of Career Objectives
Accounting:
· To work as a junior accountant in a CPA firm; to qualify for CPA certificate.
· Entry-level position on auditing staff, eventually to specialize in tax work.
· A challenging career in public accounting in which opportunities for advancement exist for conscientious young man (or woman) with intention of becoming a CPA.
Advertising:
· To enter field of advertising in which creating and planning of marketing media is required.
Banking:
· To work in banking profession in areas of institutional investment, loans, and portfolio development.
Data Processing:
· A management position in which operations research and computer knowledge can be utilized in a decision-making capacity.
Economics:
· To apply a rigorous academic background in economics and strong communication skills to a demanding analytical position.
Engineering:
· A position in systems analysis in the public or private sector.
· Operation-systems analyst position that will lead to management possibilities.
· Chemical engineer for medium-sized company in the New England area (or California or Texas etc.).
Finance:
· Entry-level position in corporate finance, leading to responsibilities in investment portfolio management or trust department. Willing to enter training programs or do graduate studies.
· Introductory or training position in industrial or financial management, eventually qualifying for management responsibility in analytical area.
· Entry-level position as financial analyst with bank, insurance, or investment company leading to higher level responsibility.
Health Services:
· Position in social service field at psychiatric hospital, mental-health clinic, or community agency.
· Planning or coordinating of community mental health and drug-abuse-prevention functions.
Insurance:
· Mid-management position with opportunity for advancement with large insurance company.
Management:
· Position in management leading to decision making. Willing to enter training programs or do graduate study. Willing to relocate.
· A responsible position providing for career growth, utilizing leadership skills, compatibility with others, and educational experience. A desire to contribute effectively through motivation, discipline, and hard work.
Marketing:
· To join marketing-oriented company; to advance to challenging position in marketing management.
Merchandising:
· Executive merchandising position in national company with distribution in mass markets.
Personnel:
· To enter the personnel area as an outgoing individual. Willing to relocate.
· Position in personnel department of large (or medium-sized) company.
Political Science:
· To contribute and develop strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skill in a growth-oriented position.
Production Management:
· Production-management position with opportunity for supervision.
· An entry-level production-management position that will lead to greater responsibility.
Public Relation:
· A training program leading to management responsibilities and eventually to public relations. Prepared to do graduate study depending on needs and best interests of company.
Retail Management:
· Position in retail management that offers opportunity for advancement based on ability and job performance. Interested in either management or buying.
· Retailing position that provides potential for career growth in fashion merchandising and related area.
· Retail sales management. Willing to enter training program and willing to relocate.
Sales Management:
· Marketing and sales to sell your company name and product to consumers.
· Position in sales promotion, leading to management responsibility. Willing and qualified to train for position specifically designed to meet requirements of your company.
· Sales representative for manufacturing firm. Capable of opening new accounts and maintaining established clients in designated territory. Willing to become involved in marketing strategies and product promotion.
Résumé Brainstorming
What kind of job do you have in mind at this time?
What kind of job would you like in 10 or 15 years?
What jobs have you held in the past five years? (List a job title and place of employment.)
On each of these jobs, what equipment did you run; what technical knowledge did you use; what computer programs did you utilize—what exactly did you do?
What other skills/responsibilities did you employ on these jobs—did you open and close a business; were you responsible for training and supervising anyone; did you handle cash; were you responsible for lives?
What is your educational background? What classes have you taken that give you special training? What is your major, grade-point average, anticipated graduation date?
What other of life's skills have you learned? Did you work on a farm or have you been self-employed, are you totally supporting yourself through school (hard worker, self-starter, self-motivator)?
What honors and awards have you received? (Eagle Scout, scholarships, Dean's List, etc.)
What community contributions have you made? (Serve on any nonprofit committees, serve any voluntary time, and/or organize any community events/drives)
What leadership positions have you held? (Studentbody officer, president of a social/business group, trainer/supervisor)
What particular leadership skills did it take to succeed in any of these positions?
What are your interests and hobbies? (List both some intellectual and physical interests if possible.)
Who could you list as references? Think of personal friends, instructors who know you well, religious advisors, and past employers (who still think favorably of you).
Key Words for Résumé Preparation
Action Words
ability
accelerated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
acted
actively
adapted
addressed
adjusted
administer
administered
adopted
advised
allocated
analyze
analyzed
applied
approve
approved
arranged
ascertained
assisted
assumed
attained
audited
awarded
bought
briefed
brought
budgeted
built
canceled
capability
caused
chaired
changed
checked
classified
coached
collected
combined
commended
communicated
compared
competence
compiled
completed
completed
computed
conceived
conceived
concluded
conduct
conducted
consistently
constantly
contributed
control
coordinate
coordinated
copied
counseled
created
created
credited
dealt
decided
defined
delegate
delegated
delivered
demonstrate
demonstrated
designed
detected
develop
developed
direct
directed
discussed
distributed
documented
drove
dug
earned
edited
effect
effected
efficiently
eliminated
eliminated
empathized
endorsed
enforced
enlarged
enlisted
established
established
estimated
evaluate
evaluated
examined
expand
expanded
expedite
experienced
experimented
extracted
filed
financed
fixed
focused
followed
forecast
formulated
founded
gathered
generate
generated
governed
guided
handled
headed
helped
identified
illustrated
imagined
implemented
implemented
improve
improved
improvised
incorporated
increased
increased
indexed
influence
influenced
initiated
inspected
installed
instituted
interpret
interpreted
introduced
investigated
involved
joined
judged
kept
knowledgeable
launched
lead
learned
lecture
lectured
led
lifted
listened
made
maintain
maintained
manage
managed
manipulated
maturely
mediated
mentored
met
modeled
motivated
negotiated
observed
obtained
offered
operated
ordered
organize
organized
originate
oversaw
participated
participated
perceived
perform
performed
persuaded
pinpointed
plan
planned
positively
prepared
presented
prevented
processed
productively
professional
proficient
profitably
program
programmed
projected
promoted
proposed
proposed
proved
proved
provide
published
pursued
qualified
recommend
recommended
reconciled
recorded
recruited
reduced
reduced
reinforced
related
reorganized
repeatedly
replaced
reported
represented
researched
resourcefully
responsible
revamped
review
reviewed
revise
revised
saved
schedule
scheduled
selected
served
set up
significantly
significantly
simplicity
solve
solved
specialized
specified
strategy
streamline
strengthened
structure
studied
submitted
substantially
substantiated
successfully
successfully
suggested
summarized
supervise
supervised
support
targeted
taught
teach
technically
tested
trained
translated
updated
versatility
vigorously
well educated
well rounded
wrote
Self-Descriptive Words
active
adaptable
aggressive
alert
ambitious
analytical
attentive
broad-minded
conscientious
consistent
constructive
creative
dependable
determined
diplomatic
disciplined
discrete
economical
efficient
energetic
enterprising
enthusiastic
extroverted
fair
forceful
imaginative
independent
logical
loyal
mature
methodical
objective
optimistic
perceptive
personable
pleasant
positive
practical
productive
realistic
reliable
resourceful
respective
self-reliant
sense-of-humor
Should I Include My Church Activities and
Assignments on My Résumé
Adapted from an article by Dave Hart, former director of Career Placement and
Cooperative Education, Utah State University
Many job-hunting students wrestle with the question of including church activities and assignments as they write résumés. Some wonder if including church-related experiences on their résumés will hurt their prospects.
Certainly church-related activities should not be the heart and soul of a résumé. They are not the reason for hiring you. Generally, if used, they should be supplemental to other, more pertinent criteria such as educational background, related or professional work experience, honors, and awards. In fact, even active members in any church would be reluctant to hire someone whose only achievements are in church settings.
However, most church experiences can be equated to the world of work. The important thing is to identify the skills and personal characteristics accomplished, learned, or demonstrated in the church involvement. These might include leadership skills such as motivating others, setting goals, solving problems, organizing, teaching, and communicating effectively. All of these skills and characteristics are vital and in great demand in the job market—and employers have a real interest in people possessing them.
On the other hand, statements on a résumé indicating that a person was a stake young women's president or an elder's quorum president or had served a two-year mission could be meaningless, confusing, and irritating to someone not familiar with the LDS church.
Note the following examples of well-written statements (that could be included in a cover letter) that show skills and personal characterist
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