© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 1

Building Careers and Building Careers and Writing RésumésWriting Résumés

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 2

Securing Employment in Securing Employment in Today’s Job MarketToday’s Job Market

• Understanding the employer’s approach

• Organizing your approach

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 3

Employment Search Employment Search ProcessProcess

1. Build toward a career

2. Prepare a résumé

3. Understand the interview process

4. Prepare for interview

5. Take the interview

6. Follow up and accept the offer

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 4

Employer’s Approach Employer’s Approach to the Recruiting Processto the Recruiting Process

• Look inside the company

• Networking and personal references

• Employment agency or search firm

• Unsolicited résumés

• Newspaper want ads

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 5

Organizing Your Organizing Your ApproachApproach

• Track business news

• Monitor financial news

• Research specific firms

• Build a network

• Seek career counseling

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 6

Three-Step Résumé Three-Step Résumé ProcessProcess

• Planning

• Writing

• Completing

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 7

Planning Your RésuméPlanning Your Résumé

• Identify audience and purpose

• Include pertinent information

• Determine the best medium

• Build on your strengths

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 8

What Employers SeekWhat Employers Seek

• Results orientation

• Workplace achievements

• Versatility

• Signs of progress

• Standards of excellence

• Flexibility

• Communication skills

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 9

Areas of ConcernAreas of Concern

• Frequent job changes

• Gaps in work history

• Level of experience

• Long-term with one company

• For-cause job termination

• Criminal or arrest record

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 10

Organizing Your ROrganizing Your Résuméésumé

• Chronological

• Functional

• Combination

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 11

Writing Your RWriting Your Résuméésumé

• Respect your résumé

• Take your time

• Review good models

• Minimize frustration

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 12

Keep the RKeep the Résumé Honestésumé Honest

• Workplace references

• Background checks

• Credit histories

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 13

Adapting to the Adapting to the AudienceAudience

• Consider the employer’s perspectiveConsider the employer’s perspective

• Build on past accomplishmentsBuild on past accomplishments

• Stress your future potentialStress your future potential

• Translate skills and experienceTranslate skills and experience

• Clarify educational achievementsClarify educational achievements

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 14

Composing Your RComposing Your Résuméésumé

• Name and address

• Career objective or summary

• Academic credentials

• Employment history

• Activities and achievements

• Relevant personal data

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 15

Completing Your RCompleting Your Résuméésumé

• Revising

• Producing

• Proofreading

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 16

Common Résumé Common Résumé ProblemsProblems

• Wrong length

• Hard to read

• Wordy

• Too slick

• Poorly reproduced

• Amateurish

• Boastful

• Generic

• Gimmicky

• Carelessly written

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 17

Producing Your RProducing Your Résuméésumé

• Printed traditional résumé

• Printed scannable résumé

• Electronic plain-text file

• MS Word file

• HTML format

• PDF file

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 18

Printing a Traditional Printing a Traditional RRésuméésumé

• High-quality paper

• Crisp, clear image

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 19

Printing a Scannable Printing a Scannable RRésuméésumé

• Use sans-serif fonts• Separate characters• Avoid columns• Avoid special characters• Separate phone and email• Use plain white paper• Identify all pages• Include a keyword summary

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 20

Digital RDigital Résumé Formatsésumé Formats

• Plain-text file

• MS Word file

• HTML version

• PDF format

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 21

Proofreading Your Proofreading Your RRésuméésumé

• Headings and lists

• Grammar and punctuation

• Spelling and word choice

• Paper and digital formats

© Prentice Hall, 2008 Business Communication Today, 9e Chapter 18 - 22

Distributing Your Distributing Your RRésuméésumé

• Postal mail

• E-mail

• Fax machine

• Online

• Personal website

• Index service or job site