Chapter TwentyUnderstanding the Strategies and

Communications of the Job Search

Overview of the Job Hunt Preparation

Self-assessment Information gathering Networking

Overview of the Job Hunt Job-Hunt Correspondence

Application letter Resume Follow-up letters

No answer After an interview After a refusal Accepting or refusing a job

Overview of the Job Hunt Interviewing

The interview Negotiation Before and after the interview

Application Letters

1. Beginning Do some name-dropping: refer to someone in

the company or known to the company. Refer to some fact about the company. Make some statement about the job you seek. Refer to one of your key qualifications.

Application Letters

2. Body Supply highlights of education and experience

relating to the job. Show how you fit into the job or organization. Supply specifics rather than generalities. Use the you-attitude. Refer to the enclosed resume. Offer to supply additional information.

Application Letters

3. Ending Request an interview. State the times you are available to interview. Indicate how to get in touch with you.

Think about the cover letter as your “two minute” preliminary interview. How will you get your foot in the door for the big interview?

Resumes Content and organization of resumes

Chronological resumes Emphasize work history Demonstrate promotions, advancement

Functional resumes Emphasize categories of skills Demonstrate usefulness, flexibility

Targeted resumes Emphasize what you can do Demonstrate capabilities learned from a variety of sources

Resumes Format of resumes

P-resumes (paper resumes) More polished Slower

E-resumes (scannable, e-mail, Web) No length restrictions (within reason) Benefits of keywords Fewer design options More generic looking

What is most important about you?

Follow-Up Letters After two weeks of no response to an

application letter After an interview When a company refuses you a job When you accept a job offer When you refuse a job offer