Chapter 12. Getting Your Job12.1 Analyzing yourself and the market12.2 writing your resume 12.3 composing your letter of application and completing the application form12.4 interview well and writing the follow-up letter

12.1 Analyzing Yourself and the Market

Objectives Analyze your personal and career goals Identify your qualifications Analyze the job market Research potential employers

Your Job Search

Personal goals---it will clarify what is important to you.

Career goals---list the most important goals before the less ones.

Compare this list to your list of personal goals to better understand what you want from life and work.

Analyze Your Qualifications

Work experience---all your work experience, temporary or part-time jobs, include the name, address , and telephone number of each employer, the name of your supervisors; salary history, dates of employment and most important , the major tasks (responsibilities and skills) that you developed or refined for each job.

Education—from high school, the city and state, and certificate and degrees.

Achievements and activities—list your other achievements and activities.

Special skills and personal traits---list at least ten skills, abilities, and accomplishments that have given you satisfaction and that make you marketable.

Analyze the Job Market

Identifying job openings1.School placement offices2.Personal contacts3.Newspapers and professional publications4.Internet5.Employment agencies6.Temp agencies or temp services Internships

Research Specific Organizations

It is important to your success in getting the job best suited for you.

Interviewers are more likely to hire someone who knows something about their company than someone who has not taken time to do basic research .

It helps you decide if a company is right for you.1. Conduct your research—get information from library or talk

to people who are familiar with the company.2. Organize your research—organize in a file for each company

, so that the information is available when you need it.

12.2 Writing Your Resume

Objective 1.describe hoe to organize and prepare a

resume 2.understand the opportunities provided by

electronic resumes.

Organizing Your Resume

Resume (data sheet or vita) is a concise summary of an applicant’s qualifications for employment.

It should highlight skills and abilities that you want employers to notice.

A resume should be easy to read, attractive, crisp, and clean.

Organizing Your Resume

Resume content may be either general or specific. Use a general resume if you are applying for a

variety of jobs Use a specific resume if you have one particular job

or type of job in mind. Section:1. heading;2. job objective;3. special

qualifictions;4, work experience; 5. education; 6. activities; interests, and achievements;7. personal information;8. references

Think about its role as a selling tool—of yourself

Ways of Resume

Reverse chronological order presents the most recent work experience first and works backward to earlier jobs.

Functional order present your accomplishments or skills in order of their importance, showing the most important or impressive first.

If you don’t have much relevant work experience but have attended college or taken courses beyond the high-school level, education is your most important qualification.

Preparing Your Resume

Heading –include your name, address telephone, and email address.

Job objective—a brief statement that describes the type of position for which you applying.

Specific qualifications—a condensed statement of your main qualifications may be placed at the beginning of your resume, cite your strengths and achievement.

Work experience—describe and makes you look best, all work experience you have had that relates to the job you are seeking. See page , 175

Preparing Your Resume

Education: if you are still in school , your education may be your strongest qualification; if you have excellent academically, include any scholarships, educational awards, and academic honors; GPA , include in on the resume.

Activities, interest, and achievements – employers are searching for applicants who are willing to work hard, have creativity and initiative, work with others, and have leadership qualities. The following will be included in the this section: achievement, awards, honors; interests; activities and achievement; additional interests and qualifications.

Preparing Your Resume

Personal information---optional, include age, gender, national origin, religion, race, disability, marital status, and number of children. Generally, include what if relevant and will help you get the job.

Reference—optional. Be placed on the separate page. Or a notation such as “reference are available upon request”. Reference contain names, address, zip codes, telephone number , email address.

Ask for permission if you include people as references.

Preparing Your Resume

Creating electronic resumes

1.Scannable resumes—prepared so that it becomes part of a file that is created by using scanners.

2. On line resumes—written so that it can be viewed via the internet.

12.3 Composing Your Letter of application and Completing the Application Form

Objectives: 1.Describe when the two types of letters of

application are used 2. Fill in an application form

Application Letter

1.Opening paragraph—capture the reader’s attention. Four information:

1).Indicate that your are applying for a position.2).Name the position for which you are

applying.3).Tell how you learned of the opening

(solicited letter)4).Identify your abilities ( unsolicited letter)

Application Letter

2. Body paragraphs---convince the employer that you are right for the job. a. Presents the facts and interprets them for the job in your resume---yo

ur educational preparation, work experience , and qualifications which are relevant to the job requirements.

b. Explain how your qualifications meet the those mentioned in the advertisement.

c. Concentrate on other qualifications such as education, relevant activities and honors, ability to learn quickly, or enthusiasms if you had no much work experience.

d. explain any information that may raise questions or cause a negative reaction.

Application Letter

Closing Paragraph---should have a confident tone and should ask for an interview.

Application Forms

Application form is a standardized data sheet that a company uses to compare qualifications of different job applicants.

12.4 Interviewing Well and Writing the Follow-up Letter

Objectives:

1. Discuss the purpose of a job interview

2. Explain how to prepare for a job interview.

3. Write a follow-up letter

The Job Interview

Preparing for the job interview—investigating the company and the position, anticipating questions that may be asked, preparing questions you want to ask, and other preliminary activities.

The Interview Itself

Conduct yourself in a professional manner while waiting for a interview.

Greet the interviewer with a smile and direct eye contact. Be expected to answer questions. Speak clearly and distinctly. Maintain your composure and be ready to provide information if

the interviewer can show you that the question is job related. Letting the interviewer make a salary offer rather than naming a

figure yourself puts you in a better position to negotiate when asking about the salary you wanted.

Stand up, offer a handshake, and thank the interviewer.

The Follow-up Letter

A brief follow-up letter---to thank him or her for the interview within two days after the interview.

If you are sure you want the job , indicate your interest.

Follow –up letters are courteous and thoughtful and they bring your name before the interviewer again.