PREPPING COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT PROCESS

Sherry Ann C. Medrano

Where do I start?

Selling Yourself to Employers

• Self Appraisal Inventory

• Preparing the Résumé

• Writing a Cover Letter

Job application is like “selling your self” to the employer.

As the first step in marketing your talents, prepare a detailed self-appraisal or personal inventory of your background and experience—your qualifications. This will help you answer questions such as :

What work can I do?

What work do I want to do?

What kind of work do I do best?

Self-Appraisal Inventory

Your self appraisal inventory will help you...

• Provide facts and other pertinent information to an employer

• Assist you when filling out application forms • Provide the foundation from which to build your

résumé• Help you organize your qualifications for

presentation at an interview

To prepare your inventory carefully, completely, and critically, examine the following:

• Identify your interests, talents, and aptitudes• Identify your skills ans abilities • Assess your experience • Evaluate your education • Identify your career goals • Describe the position you want

ACTIVITYComplete the following self-appraisal inventory:

1. Interests/Talents/Aptitudes:

a. What are my hobbies and volunteer activities?

b. What are my special talents and aptitudes?

c. What do I learn most easily?

2. Skills/Abilities

a. What personal qualities do I have that make me good at a certain type of work?

b. Describe why you should be hired for a position?

3. Career Goal

a. What kind of work do I want to be doing?

b. What sort of position should I seek now in order to prepare for my career goal?

Preparing a Résumé

The term Résumé is a French past participle of résumer ("to summarize")

It is a brief account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by job applicant.

What Information Should Be In A Résumé?

• Identify Yourself• Objectives• Education• Continuing Education• Work or Professional

Experience• Volunteer Experience• Activities• Computer Skills

• Professional Associations

• Special skills aand Abilities

• Character References

Characteristics Of A Successful Résumé

• Focuses on skills. Uses action words to define the

responsibilities of your job-related experience.

• Easy to read and understand.

• Visually powerful ( it may have 20 seconds to attract favorable attention)

• One page, or at most 2 pages long.

Characteristics Of A Successful Résumé

• Must always be 100% truthful.

• Contains no inappropriate personal information.

• Computer encoded and printed

• Data presented in chronological order (unless functional).

Résumé Sections • Heading or Identification

It appears on top of the résumé and includes the full name, complete mailing address, telephone number, and email address.

• Career Objective

An objective is a concise statement indicating the type of position you are seeking. Use action verbs or power words to make the objective concrete.

POWER WORDS

• Education• Work History • Skills • Awards Received • Membership • Seminars Attended• Personal Data • Character References

Résumé Styles

• Chronological Résumé

-the most traditional Résumé style

-it presents experience and education with the most recent information

-it uses the “reverse chronological order”

-it is effective for jobseekers who want to highlight their job progression

Résumé Styles

• Functional or Skills Résumé

-focuses more on the skills you have acquired and the skills you have attained

-in this type, the employer quickly sees what you can do for the company

-it is effective for applicants who had employment gaps

Résumé Styles

• Combination Résumé

-includes both the features of chronological and functional

-it makes an appropriate style for people who are changing positions or careers

-it is effective when both skill and work experience need to be emphasized

The Cover Letter

• It is an application letter. • It is a must with your résumé. • It is your formal introduction. • It highlights the particular aspects of your

skills and accomplishments. • It helps to get you an interview

What is a cover letter?

Preparation for writing a cover letter• Search about the company or organization• Know the position required • Identify your central selling point (your most

important attributes) • Know how should you address the letter • Identify the type of over letter to write.

Solicited application letter is written as a reply to an advertisement.

Unsolicited application letter is writtent when the applicant is just prospecting for a job.

Guidelines for writing a cover letter

• Attract the Reader’s Attention 1. Identify the type of position you are applying for

and tell how you learned about the opening.

2. Summarize your qualifications for a specific kind of position.

3. Refer to the organization’s reputation, progress, or policies.

4. Express supoort for the kind of work thee organization performs.

• Present Your Qualifications Convincingly

• Close with a Request for Action

• Have a Final Check of Your Cover Letter

Sample body of a cover letter (solicited)