FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING

April 24, 2014

TodayBusiness writing: Job applications

Résumé- A résumé may be the most important document for your job search.

- It proves 3 things to potential employers:

1. Proves you are qualified

2. Proves you care about the job

3. Proves you understand the working world

Résumé – What is it?A résumé is not:

- Your life story.

- Your emotional autobiography

- A college transcript.

Résumé - – What is it?- A résumé is a factual and concise summary of your

qualifications.

- A résumé shows prospective employers that you have the education and experience for the job you are applying for.

Think of it like a persuasive advertisement about yourself.

- It’s your billboard

Résumé - What employers like to see1. Honesty

- Be truthful about your qualifications:

- education

- experience

- skills

i.e., if you were the manager’s assistant, don’t say you were the assistant manager.

i.e., # 2: professor’s assistant vs. assistant professor

Résumé - What employers like to see2. Attractiveness

- The document should be “pleasing to the eye.”

- Appropriate spacing

- font

- use of boldface

This tells the employer that you are visually intelligent.

X

Résumé - What employers like to see3. Organization

- Careful organization of information is:- easy to follow- logical- consistent

This shows your ability to process information.

Résumé - What employers like to see4. Concise

- Keep to your purpose (get the job).

- Generally, your résumé should be 1 page (2 at the most).

- Résumés are written in SHORT sentences- They do not use the word “I”

- Use “action-packed” verbs.

Action-oriented language - ExamplesDuties at my last job:

I made the company website

Designed the company website.

I helped with lab reports

Assisted lab report composition.

I changed programs to suit each customer

Customized programs for customers.

Résumé - What employers like to see5. Accuracy

- Make sure:

- grammar - spelling

- dates

- names

-titles

-programs

Are ERROR-FREE

Inconsistencies and errors say: “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

credit: thechive.com

Real résumé linesGraduated in the top 66% of my class.

Thank you for your consideration. Hope to hear from you shorty!

I am very detail-oreinted.

Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.

Education: College, August 1880 - May 1984.

Résumé - What employers like to see6. Currency (current)

- Make sure that ALL information is up-to-date.

Résumé - What employers like to see7. Relevant

- Make sure the information is appropriate for the job.

Employers are looking for necessary education and

experience.

Résumé - What employers like to see1. Honesty – no false is misrepresented information

2. Attractiveness – proper font and layout

3. Organization – proper format

4. Conciseness – brief, and to the point (descriptive)

5. Accuracy – error-free

6. Currency – all information should be up-to-date

7. Relevance – Information should be relevant to the position

Résumé - What employers like to see

Which of these do you have?

Parts of a résuméContact information

At the top of the résumé:

- Your name (avoid nicknames)

- Address

- telephone number

- e-mail address.

Parts of a résuméContact information

Gwen Gao42 Lanark Street, Clayton, VIC 3168Ph: 010-6388-5030gwen.gao@email.com.au

Note: avoid unprofessional e-mail addresses

Cool_guy31@gmail.com princess13@naver.com

Parts of a résuméCareer objective

Create an objective that directly related to the position you have applied for.

Consider:

1. What kind of job am I Iooking for?

2. What kind of job am I qualified for?

3. What abilities do I have that match the position?

Parts of a résuméCareer objective

Avoid:

“I want to join a company.”

“Looking for high-paying job that brings personal satisfaction.”

Real-life example:

Objective: I want a base salary of $50-$60,000 dollars, not including bonus. And some decent benefits. Like a retirement plan, health insurance, personal or sick days.

Parts of a résuméCareer objective

Be focused:

Internship in marketing to apply the training earned through my education.

Regional sales representative using my proven skills in e-commerce and communication to develop and expand a company base.

Parts of a résuméCredentials (Education & Experience)

- The order can vary.- If you are a recent (or soon-to-be) graduate with little

experience, list education first.

- Only include relevant items!

Balancing Education and ExperienceAny part-time work (paid, or not), vacation job, volunteer experience, or internship show an employer that you are responsible and knowledgeable.

i.e,. If you worked at GS 25, it shows that you can work with money and provide customer service and take responsibility for your own duties without supervision.

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Education

- Begin with most recent education first, then list everything significant since high school.

Include:

Name(s) of school(s)

Dates attended

Degree/Diploma/Certificate earned.

- This includes relevant training courses or military training.

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Education

IMPORANT: A résumé is NOT a transcript, though. Do not simply list all the courses you took.

- Instead, concentrate on describing the skills you learned.

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Experience

- A key category for many employers

- Show that you have held a job before and that you are responsible.

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Experience

- Begin with most recent position (reverse chronological order).

Include:- Company name- Location (city, province, country [if necessary])- Your job title- Dates of employment

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Experience

- For each job, provide a short description (one or two lines) of your duties and achievements.

March 2010 – June 2012Promotions Assistant, Promostaff

- Managed product research studies in supermarkets - Collated results and highlighted critical feedback items. - Promoted to team leader due to excellent feedback from clients.

Parts of a résuméCredentials - Experience

- You may include any relevant volunteer work you have done.

- This may be especially important if you have no work experience.

- Describing your volunteer duties can demonstrate your previous responsibilities.

Parts of a résuméRelated skills and achievements

- Indicate any additional languages you speak or write, extensive travel, certificates or licenses, and memberships to professional organizations or community groups.

i.e., Language skills.

- English: Advanced (spoken and written)

How could I prove this on a résumé?

Parts of a résuméComputer skills

- Knowledge of computer hardware, software, etc. is extremely valuable in the job market.

Parts of a résuméHonors/awards

- Include only if they are relevant.

i.e.,

Community service awards

Academic awards

Parts of a résuméReferences

- Usually, you state:

References available upon request.

Parts of a résumé - summaryNAMEContact information

Career objective

Credentials (Education and Experience)

Related skills and Achievements

Computer skills

Honors/awards

References

Résumé language: “Action” wordsPoints to remember:

- Résumés must be concise and to-the-point.- In this small space, you must be as descriptiveas possible.

Using the proper “résumé language” can help your résumé stand out from others.

i.e., I looked after the store’s money that people bought things with.

Managed daily cash flow.

Sample résuméshttp://careers.monash.edu.au/students-grads/apply-for-a-job/resume-samples.html

Assignment 3 introductionInternship Application.

- Pretend you are in your junior (3rd ) year of study.

- You must;

- Find an internship that you are interested in.

- apply for that internship Letter of Application (cover letter) Résumé

Assignment 3Internship Application.

- Pretend you are in your junior (3rd ) year of study.

Consider:

- By the second semester of your 3rd year, what courses will you have completed?

- What experiences will you have had? do not exaggerate.