Transcript Effective Communication for Colleges 9th Edition Brantley & Miller CHAPTER 8 Job Searches, Résumés, and Cover Letters © 2002 SOUTH-WESTERN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING.

Effective
Communication
for Colleges
9th Edition
Brantley & Miller
CHAPTER 8
Job Searches, Résumés,
and Cover Letters
© 2002 SOUTH-WESTERN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING
Learning Objectives
Chapter 8
Slide
2
Develop a job search strategy that includes
objective research and analysis, both from
a personal and an employer perspective.
Identify and use a variety of sources,
including the Internet, to research
employment opportunities.
Continued on next slide.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Continued
Learning Objectives
Chapter 8
Slide
3
Prepare a résumé that accurately and
effectively presents your qualifications.
Implement the CBO approach and the
persuasive strategy AIDA and incorporate
the six Cs of effective messages to plan
and complete an effective cover letter.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
The Job Search
Chapter 8
Slide
4
Analyze personal characteristics and
qualifications.
Research potential employment
opportunities.
Prepare a résumé and a cover letter.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Personal Characteristics
and Skills
Skills inventories
Personality inventories
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
5
Chapter 8
Slide
6
Employment Opportunities
Networking
Human resources departments
College placement services
Newspapers and professional publications
Employment agencies
The electronic connection
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Potential Employers
Chapter 8
Slide
7
Publications
Reference sections of libraries
Company publications and web sites
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Purpose of a Résumé
Chapter 8
Slide
8
 The objective of a résumé is to obtain an
interview.
 Your résumé tells the prospective
employer (the buyer) the good things
about you (the product).
 Your résumé tells what you have learned,
what responsibilities you have assumed,
and what you have accomplished.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Correct Grammatical
Structure for a Résumé
Chapter 8
Slide
9
 Use phrases (no subjects) that begin with
strong action verbs.
 Do not use personal pronouns such as I,
me, you, and my.
 Use parallel structure, action verbs, and
descriptive words to tell what you did.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Résumé Content
Heading
Job objective
Education
Employment history
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
10
Optional Résumé Content
Summary of qualifications
Achievements and honors
Accomplishments
Activities and memberships
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
11
Résumé Content
Heading
Include this information:
Name
Complete address
Telephone number(s)
Fax number, if appropriate
E-mail address, if appropriate
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
12
Résumé Content
Job Objective
Chapter 8
Slide
13
Explain your employment interests in
a one- to three-line statement.
Consider other titles for this section:
 Professional Objective
 Career Objective
 Employment Goal
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Résumé Content
Chapter 8
Slide
14
Summary of Qualifications
Use instead of or in addition to a job
objective.
Emphasize the strongest and most
relevant abilities.
Present as a bulleted list or in
paragraph form.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Résumé Content
Education
Chapter 8
Slide
15
Include this information when applicable:
School name, city, state
Graduation and/or attendance dates
(month/year)
Major and minor fields of study
Degree, diploma, or certificates (month/year)
Pertinent courses, seminars, and workshops
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Résumé Content
Employment History
Chapter 8
Slide
16
 Include this information for each employer:
 Company name, city, and state
 Date of employment (month/year)
 Status, if part-time
 Job title and accompanying duties
 Emphasize the relationship between the job(s)
you had and the job you want.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Résumé Content
Achievements
Chapter 8
Slide
17
Include this section only if you have
relevant information and space.
Choose a title for this section that
reflects the content you include.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
References
Chapter 8
Slide
18
 References are people who can comment
positively on your abilities and
accomplishments.
 References are generally listed on a
separate page.
 References may be included on the
résumé when the résumé content is short
and inclusion enhances appearance.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
19
Items to Omit in a Résumé
Birth date
Gender
Physical characteristics
Political affiliation
Marital status Race
National origin Religion
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Organization of
Résumé Information
Reverse chronological order
Functional order
Combination style
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
20
Electronic Résumé
E-mail message
E-mail attachment
Online posting
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
21
Scannable Résumé
Chapter 8
Slide
22
Résumé read by scanner
Job categories identified and applicants
ranked
Letter generated to offer interview or to
reject applicant
Information or actual résumé stored for
future openings
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Keyword Summary
Chapter 8
Slide
23
Keyword summary (nouns or noun
phrases) should reflect
Job titles.
Significant responsibilities.
Special skills, abilities, and awards.
Continued on next slide.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Continued
Keyword Summary
Keyword summary (nouns or noun
phrases) should reflect
Interpersonal skills.
Fields of study.
Academic degrees.
Professional designations.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
24
Chapter 8
Slide
25
Format Guidelines for
Computer-Friendly Résumé
Use a 65-space line; begin most lines at
the left margin.
Use an easily readable font where the
letters do not touch.
Use a 10- or 12-point size.
Continued on next slide.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Continued
Chapter 8
Slide
26
Format Guidelines for
Computer-Friendly Résumé
Use a one-column format. Do not use
lines, graphics, or boxes.
Avoid italics, boldface, underlines, bullets,
and shading.
Send the résumé document to yourself as a
test (e-mail).
Continued on next slide.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Continued
Chapter 8
Slide
27
Format Guidelines for
Computer-Friendly Résumé
List phone numbers on separate lines.
Print on high-quality white or lightcolored paper using a laser printer.
Mail in a large envelope without folding
or stapling (scannable).
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Security Precaution
for Online Résumé
Chapter 8
Slide
28
Include e-mail address but omit street
address and telephone numbers for
online résumé.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Employment Information
Web Sites
Chapter 8
Slide
29
 U.S. Office of Personnel Management
http://www.opm.gov/
 America’s Job Bank
http://www.ajb.dni.us/
 Monster.com
http://www.monster.com/
 CareerJournal from The Wall Street Journal
http://www.careers.wsj.com/
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
The Cover Letter
Chapter 8
Slide
30
The cover letter or application letter,
which accompanies your résumé, is a
persuasive letter that creates interest
in you.
The cover letter is a sales letter—you
are the product.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
31
Plan a Cover Letter
Using the CBO Approach
 Identify the objective. Persuade the
receiver to grant an interview.
 Visualize the audience. Direct your letter
to a specific person, when possible.
Continued on next slide.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Continued
Chapter 8
Slide
32
Plan a Cover Letter
Using the CBO Approach
 Gather supporting information
highlighting your abilities and
characteristics that help the receiver
understand your value to the workplace.
 Organize the information. Use the indirect
pattern and the persuasive strategy AIDA.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
33
Compose a Cover Letter
Draft Using the CBO Approach
Attract attention with an appropriate
opening.
Stimulate interest and encourage
desire in you as a job candidate.
Ask for action, and make responding
easy.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Complete a Cover Letter
Using the CBO Approach
 Prepare a one-page message in an
acceptable business letter format.
 Print on stationery that matches the
résumé.
 Produce an error-free document.
 Sign your name legibly and neatly.
Effective Communication for Colleges, 9th ed. by Brantley and Miller
Chapter 8
Slide
34