© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter 17 - 1 Building Careers and Writing...

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8e Chapter 17 - 1

Building Careers and Building Careers and Writing RésumésWriting Résumés


Today’s Dynamic Today’s Dynamic WorkplaceWorkplace

• Career stability

• “Job-hopping”

• Small businesses

• Independent contractors


How Employers View the How Employers View the Job MarketJob Market

• Financial trade-offs– Temporary workers– Independent contractors

• Economic uncertainty– Cheaper labor markets– Global recruiting


What Today’s What Today’s Employers RequireEmployers Require

• Flexibility and adaptability

• Life-long learning

• Teamwork skills

• Strong work records


What Today’sWhat Today’sEmployers RequireEmployers Require

• Leadership capabilities

• Diversified skills

• Varied experiences

• Multicultural and international

awareness


Adapting to the MarketAdapting to the Market

• What you want

• What you can offer

• Your workplace value


SpecificCompensation

Type ofOperation

CorporateCulture

Type ofOccupation

GeneralCareer Goals

Location

Nature of the Job

Size ofCompany

Facilities

What Do You Want?What Do You Want?


What Can You Offer?What Can You Offer?

• Personal achievements

• Educational preparation

• Work experience

• Extracurricular activities

• Personal characteristics


Increasing Your ValueIncreasing Your Value

• Employment portfolio

• Interim assignments

• Workplace skills

• Life-long learning


The Employment SearchThe Employment Search

• Build toward a career

• Prepare a résumé

• Understand the interview process

• Prepare for interview

• Take the interview

• Follow up and accept the offer


Employer Employer Recruiting PracticesRecruiting Practices

• Look inside the company

• Networking and personal references

• Employment agency or search firm

• Unsolicited résumés

• Newspaper want ads


Organizing Your Organizing Your ApproachApproach

• Track business news

• Monitor specific firms

• Seek opportunities

• Respond to openings

• Build a network

• Seek counseling


Three-Step Résumé Three-Step Résumé ProcessProcess

• Planning

• Writing

• Completing


Planning Your RésuméPlanning Your Résumé

• Audience and purpose

• Information needs

• The best medium

• Overall content


What Employers SeekWhat Employers Seek

• Results orientation

• Workplace achievements

• Versatility

• Signs of progress

• Standards of excellence

• Flexibility

• Communication skills


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


Organizing Your ROrganizing Your Résuméésumé

• Chronological

• Functional

• Combination


Writing Your RWriting Your Résuméésumé

• Respect your résumé

• Take your time

• Review good models

• Minimize frustration


Keep the RKeep the Résumé Honestésumé Honest

• Workplace references

• Background checks

• Credit histories


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


Composing Your RComposing Your Résuméésumé

• Name and address

• Career objective or summary

• Academic credentials

• Employment history

• Activities and achievements

• Relevant personal data


Completing Your RCompleting Your Résuméésumé

• Revising

• Producing

• proofreading


Common Résumé Common Résumé ProblemsProblems

• Wrong length

• Hard to read

• Wordy

• Too slick

• Poorly reproduced

• Amateurish

• Boastful

• Dishonest

• Gimmicky

• Carelessly written


Producing Your RProducing Your Résuméésumé

• Printed traditional résumé

• Printed scannable résumé

• Electronic plain-text file

• MS Word file

• Online résumé

• Electronic PDF file


Printing Your RPrinting Your Résuméésumé

• Paper quality

• Overall length

• Formatting issues

• Objectives and key words


Digital RDigital Résumé Formatsésumé Formats

• Plain-text file

• MS Word file

• Webpage version


Proofreading Your Proofreading Your RRésuméésumé

• Headings and lists

• Grammar and punctuation

• Spelling and word choice

• Paper and digital formats


Submitting Your Submitting Your RRésuméésumé

• Postal mail

• E-mail or online

• Fax machine

© Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter 17 - 1 Building Careers and Writing...

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Transcript of © Prentice Hall, 2005 Business Communication Today 8eChapter 17 - 1 Building Careers and Writing...