Christians are NetworkingWorkbook

A Jobs Ministry Sponsored by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington

Version 2.0

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Acknowledgements and Dedications

We are indebted to the McLean Bible Church who, in the truest spirit of Christian fellowship and ecumenical social justice, has served as an advisor and advocate in the preparation of this handbook and generously shared their ministry with ours.

We also want to thank the many volunteers who like Simon the Cyrenian are willing to carry the cross for those impacted by our nation’s current economic crisis.

Finally, we dedicate this handbook to all job seekers. Some, like Jesus in St. John’s gospel, may be able to bear their crosses by themselves. For you, we offer prayerful support of your efforts. Others however, like Jesus in the synoptic gospels, may need to accept help under the weight of their unemployment burdens. For you, we offer ourselves in prayerful service, so that daily you may carry your cross well and ultimately see the revelation of God’s plan for you.

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Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It is with great enthusiasm and above all, hope, that I write to encourage the efforts of Christians Are Networking (CAN). I am particularly pleased to see Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington sponsoring a ministry for the benefit of those in search of meaningful employment. This new program embodies my continuing and fervent desire to enliven Catholic social justice in ways that strengthen individuals, families and communities and exemplify the humble privilege of serving those in economic need.

CAN focuses on discerning the state of life to which Our Heavenly Father has called our job seekers. It enriches their employment journey with the prayerful service of fellow Catholics, who serve as career mentors and ministers in the identification of potential job opportunities. Its mission is to embolden job seekers that they may carry their crosses well and, ultimately, experience the wonderful revelation of God’s plan in their lives.

I started this letter by mentioning hope. I speak often of the need for all of us to be people of hope. How prescient was our Holy Father when, during his visit last year to Washington, D.C., he reminded us of “Christ our Hope”. In the midst of our current economic challenges, my dear brothers and sisters, we must reflect and pray for this gift of hope and share it with all we meet so that we may be leaven within our communities and workplace.

Like many of you, my life has been deeply impacted by individuals from the “Greatest Generation”. As inspiring as these people have been in my life, I have great hope and optimism when I witness today’s faithful responding in efforts like CAN. May future generations be inspired by our response to this present economic climate and may they find us to be people of faith and, above all, hope.

Faithfully in Christ,

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Most Reverend Paul S. LoverdeBishop of

Arlington

Table of Contents

__________________________________________Acknowledgements and Dedications ………………. Page i

Letter from Bishop Loverde ………………………… Page ii

Table of Contents …………………………………… Page iii

Workbook Modules:

Introductory Module: WelcomeModule 1: Finding Your Purpose and VocationModule 2: Resume WritingModule 3: Marketing YourselfModule 4: Identifying OpportunitiesModule 5: Responding to Opportunities (Writing Cover Letters)Module 6: NetworkingModule 7: InterviewingModule 8: Negotiating Offers

Appendices:

Introductory Modulei-1 Job Search or Career Resources

Module 11.1 Finding Your Purpose Diagram

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1.2 Skills Discernment WorksheetModule 2

2.1 Sample Resumes – Chronological2.2 Sample Resumes – Functional2.3 Sample Resumes – Hybrid2.4 STAR Worksheet

Table of Contents (cont’d)

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Module 33.1 Target Companies Listing3.2 Target Company Worksheet3.3 Networking Worksheet3.4 Marketing Strategy & Tools Action Plan (Sample)3.4a Marketing Strategy & Tools Action Plan (Blank)3.5 Marketing Plan (Sample)3.5a Marketing Plan (Blank)3.6 Sample Prospecting Letter

Module 55.1 Job Matching Analysis (Sample)5.1a Job Matching Analysis (Blank)5.2 Sample Cover Letters

Module 6 [There are no appendices for this Module.]Module 7

7.1 Sample Job Interview Questions7.2 Questions to Ask the Interviewer7.3 Telephone Script for Requesting an Information

Interview7.4 Sample Informational Interview Questions7.5 Sample Thank You Letter (Interviews)

Module 8

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8.1 Salary Negotiation Items to Consider8.2 Role Play for Salary Negotiations/Question8.3 Sample Letter Rejecting an Offer

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Introductory Module: Welcome _______________

About the Ministry

Welcome to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Arlington’s Christians are Networking (“CAN”). CAN is a very real symbol of Catholic Charities’ mission seeking to implement the Church’s mission of social justice …in ways that strengthen individuals, families and communities.

Our goal is to help you become all that God wants you to be. Our purpose is to provide ministry and support to people who are seeking employment or considering a career change.

We offer:

A module based handbook to help you develop your own personal marketing plan focused on where God is calling you.

A support group where participants exchange networking ideas and offer moral and prayer support.

Consultation regarding job-seeking skill development in such areas as resume refining and development, Internet searches, networking, marketing yourself, and interviewing techniques.

What We Can Do For You

CAN:

Provides a weekly meeting for pursuing relevant CAN services. Offers support, nurturing, and advice. Provides consultation for skill development or job search developmental needs, based on

the needs of each participant. Provides training - in private consultation and at the meeting - in networking skills, with

access to relevant network sources in business, government, ministry, and not-for-profit organizations, as appropriate.

Created in God's image, we were given the mandate to transform the earth. By their work people share in God's creating activity... Awareness that our work is a sharing in God's work ought to permeate even the most ordinary daily activities. ~ Pope John Paul II

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What We Cannot Do For You

CAN does not:

Provide jobs or job lists. Facilitate employment placement. Provide networking sources to ensure employment. Ensure that networking sources will be supportive, relevant, or helpful to each

individual’s search.

What You Agree To Do

Remember: This is your job search. CAN will assist you in any way we can, but you will need to invest a lot of time and energy into your job search. You must be willing to identify job leads, develop your job search documentation and marketing plan, make telephone calls, build your network of contacts, go to appointments (job interviews, informational interviews, etc.) and generally commit yourself to the hard work of finding a job.

When you participate in CAN, you agree to:

Respect the confidentiality of all participants in the meeting. Complete all agreed upon assignments. Approach network contacts with the highest regard and courtesy, with no demand for

employment. Treat all prospective employees, network appointments, and participants in the ministry

gently and with dignity, honor, and respect. Comply with the rules and procedures of the ministry, whether or not they have been

stated.

CAN Services are Free

There is no monetary charge. But, we do ask that you come back and share with others your experience, God’s work in your life, and ask that you help someone else once you have landed a position.

Getting StartedFor many, beginning a job search seems like an overwhelming and daunting task. Beyond the emotions, you may find yourself faced with many questions:

What do I want to do? What should I be doing? What tasks and activities are necessary for a successful outcome?

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Where do I start?

Our goal at CAN is to provide support and encourage you to network and benefit from the experience of the volunteers and other participants as you search.

Your search is a project and will need to be managed. There will be many phases to your search, from discovering the role you are called to do, marketing yourself, asking for God to intercede, and measuring your success in completing tasks.

Finding a Job the Secular WayMost of us have been taught to approach the professional job search in a secular, transactional, way:

Get over anger, disappointment, and fear, and “get on with it.” View your contacts in a “what can they do for me” perspective. Prepare a resume and your other job search materials. Research options. Identify the job you want, where you want. Research companies/participate in informational interviews. Target best options. Go for it! Make the best deal for you!

Finding a Job the Catholic Way

God has a plan for you—or, rather, you have a place in God’s Plan. The Bible speaks of God’s Plan as “the Kingdom of God.” Jesus came to proclaim the Kingdom of God. After His Baptism, He went first to His own town and entering the synagogue, took up the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah where it is written:

Jesus did not come to explain away suffering or remove it. He came to fill it with His presence. ~ Paul Claudel

Seek you first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. ~ Matthew 6:33

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God’s kingdom is a kingdom where all have hope and His plan is a plan in which you can play your role in transforming this world into the sort of place that God wills it to be—a world where all can reasonably hope for the share of this world’s goods that their heavenly Father wishes for them. God doesn’t have only a job for you—He has a vocation for you. This is your opportunity to find it.

Some texts to pray over:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born, I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. ~ Jeremiah 1:5

Lord, show me your way; lead me on a level path. ~ Psalm 27:11 The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No

longer will your Teacher hide himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher. While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: "This is the way; walk in it," when you would turn to the right or to the left. ~ Isaiah 30:20-21

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink. ~ Matthew 6:25

Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ~ Matthew 6:8

Some questions to meditate on:

Recognize that God has a plan and a place for you in that plan. Pray over your anger, your fear, your sense of rejection or failure, and your

disappointment. Invite others to pray with you and for you. Ask the prayers of your parish community. Supported by prayer and Christian fellowship, relax, and put your trust in God.

What are the significant differences between a secular and Catholic job search?

1. The worldly person takes responsibility for his or her own success. A Catholic knows his/her success depends on God.

2. A secular person identifies the job that is most satisfying to him or her. A Catholic realizes that God has a plan for the world and a place for us in that plan, and wants to discover his or her place in that plan.

3. A Catholic recognizes the challenge and prays and discerns before researching or searching.

4. A Catholic doesn’t go it alone, but finds his way through community.

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

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Remember: You are God’s handiwork. He created your innermost being and knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You have been given work-related Gifts that have been chosen specifically for you. God desires for you to use the Gifts He has given you. Working out His Plan will bring you satisfaction, will bless and enable you to serve others effectively, and will bring glory to God. To make good career decisions, you must have a thorough knowledge of your personality, skills, abilities, interests and values (See Module 1). Without this knowledge, you are not fully equipped to make good career decisions. Our goal is to help you discover His path.

The Job Search or Career Discovery ProcessA Christian approach to a successful job search requires that (s)he is committed to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and to seek God’s Plan. While many of the steps you should take are the same as for those who aren’t disciples, the effectiveness of a Christian approach is directly related to your relationship with Jesus Christ and your desire to do God’s will in your life.

If you have questions, speak with one of the volunteer leaders in the program. The remainder of this guide is organized around the following points:

Prayer

Ask God to Intercede Ask Others to Pray with and for you Pray Daily

Module 1: Identify your Purpose and Direction

What Are Your Strengths Discovering your Spiritual Gifts Personal Traits What Makes You Happy? What Do You Enjoy?

Module 2: Resume Writing

Resume Formats

Parts of the Resume

Module 3: Marketing Yourself

Developing Your Marketing Strategy

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ~ Matthew 18:20

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Researching Opportunities

Defining Target Market/Industry/Companies

Crafting Your Elevator Speech and Branding Statement

Establishing a Professional E-mail Account

Creating Your Business Card

Module 4: Identifying Opportunities

Researching the Market

Responding to Published Job Openings

Prospecting the “Hidden” Job Marketing

On-Line Marketing

Module 5: Responding to Opportunities

Cover-Letters

Prospecting Letters

Networking Letters

Thank Yous

Job Acceptance Letters

Module 6: Networking

Traditional Networking

Computer Social Networking

Module 7: Interviewing

Preparing for an Interview

Types of Interviews

Flow of the Interview

Interviewing Tips

The Salary Question

Module 8: Negotiating Offers

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PrayerPrayer is a relationship that you have with God. Like all relationships, it is built on communication. Prayer places us in God’s presence and opens the deepest chambers of our hearts to Him, allowing Him to change us. Prayer draws us closer to God, helping us realize that we depend on Him for everything. This relationship, as we pursue it, will result in your having peace of heart and mind.

Are you willing to take a few minutes every morning? Not five mornings out of seven. Not six out of seven. But, seven out of seven! Ask God to help you: “Lord, I want to meet You first thing in the morning for a few minutes. Tomorrow when the alarm goes off, I have an appointment with You.”

Your morning prayer might be, “Morning by morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation.” ~ Psalm 5:3

Often, people do not pray. They find themselves caught up in “I don’t know what to say.” Prayer is not a show for God; it is a way of communication between you and God. It is personal and private. God created and designed us to relate to Him! Prayer is talking to someone we love.

There are four dimensions to prayer; remember “ACTS”:

A: Adoration. This is the purest kind of prayer because it is all for God – there is nothing in it for you. You do not barge into the presence of a King. You begin with a proper and respectful attitude. So, worship Him. Acknowledge his greatness, but also remember God is a loving Father and Jesus is our faithful brother. Tell the Lord that you love Him. Reflect on God’s greatness, on God’s power, on God’s majesty and sovereignty, but also reflect on the deep love He has for you and His desire for you to be happy!

C: Confession. Standing in the Presence of God, we now want to be sure every sin is confessed and forgiven. We come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be assured of God’s having put our sins behind us—and Him. We need to look into our hearts, every day, and confess our faults and failures. We need to ask for His pardon.

Confession comes from a root word meaning “to put our faith with someone.” We put our faith with God. We have enough faith in God to trust Him to forgive any sin, if only we are truthful about it. We don’t have to lie to God. He knows us better than we know ourselves. So we need to stand before Him in complete honesty and complete humility, naming our sins and asking for His pardon.

So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. ~ Luke 11:9-10

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T: Thanksgiving. Everyone likes to be thanked for what they have done for others. Acknowledgement of time and effort is important in showing appreciation. God, of course, requires neither time nor effort, but He wants us to have “an attitude of gratitude.” So express your gratitude to God. In your prayers, name specific things to thank Him for: your family and friends, your possessions and health, your church, ministry and other responsibilities. Thank Him for hardships; these “thorns” are a fellowship of pain with Him who suffered for your salvation.

S: Supplication. This means to “ask for, earnestly and humbly.” This is the part of your prayer life where you make your petitions known to Him. Ask for others, then for yourself. Remember to pray for others who, like you, are searching to find God’s plan.

Remember to pray for those whose situation is even more serious than your own. Pray for the sick, the homeless, and all those in need. Pray for the needs of the Church —especially for vocations to the religious life and to the priesthood. Include other people around the world, such as the Pope, missionaries, our military, students studying abroad, friends in distant places, and, above all, the people of many lands who have yet to hear about Jesus Christ.

Remember to listen. Too many people have a one-way conversation with God. He knows already what is in your heart, but He takes the time to listen to you. It is more important that we hear what is in His heart. So an important part of our prayer is learning to sit back and quiet yourself and your surroundings. He doesn’t speak in thunder but in silence. Learn how to be silent in His presence and let Him get a word in edgewise in your prayer.

Soon you will discover that it is impossible to spend only a few minutes with the Lord. In fact, an amazing thing will happen – a few minutes will turn into 20, and it won’t be long before you are spending 30 precious minutes with Him—and wishing it could be more.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:38-39

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. ~ Psalm 66:18

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

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Do it not because other people are doing it, not as a spiritless duty, but because God has granted us the priceless privilege of being His friend.

Talking with God about your needs and wants

For the Catholic, God and His Will must always be your focus. We have our needs and wants, but we can’t allow them to distract us from God’s plan for us. The things we really need - and should really want - are the things that God has in store for us.

Do you think that when you pray and ask God for the things you need - or think you need – that your words change God’s mind? Prayer is meant to change your heart …not God’s mind. Know that God will always provide the best answer for you! When we listen to God, in prayer, He will change us, our hopes, our plans and the desires of our hearts.

Ask Others to Pray with and for You

Catholics know that we don’t go to heaven alone. We need one another’s company and assistance on our journey. We are here to encourage one another, to urge one another on, especially when the night is dark and the path is not clearly seen. So, support one another in prayer and with words of encouragement. No matter how dark the night, the company of those who care will dispel the fear and the loneliness.

Pray Daily

Throughout Scripture we are encouraged, even commanded, to pray and not to give up (Luke 18:1). Since our battle is a spiritual one, we must FIGHT with spiritual weapons or we'll suffer defeat after defeat!

Prayer is one of your spiritual weapons. In Colossians 4:2 we read, "DEVOTE yourselves to prayer." Following is a prayer that could be used as a model:

"Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have failed. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins. I now invite Christ to again take His place as the Lord of my life. I pray that my heart will be willing to follow the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit."

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive. ~ Matthew 21:22

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. ~ James 5: 16

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Some additional things to pray for:…that we would set our hearts and minds on things in Heaven, not on things here on Earth. ~ Colossians 3:1-4.

... that we would set our hearts to honor God. ~ Malachi 2:2

… that we would not be eager for money or deceived by it in any way. ~1 Timothy 6:10; Mark 4:19

…that we would not drift away, become lukewarm or neglect such a great salvation. ~ Hebrews 2:1-4; Rev. 3:15, 16

…that we would grow in fruitfulness and make the most of every opportunity. ~ John 15:1-8; Ephesians 5:15

… that we'd be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. ~ James 1:19

…that God would grant us wisdom, health and deliverance from trouble. ~ 2 Chronicles 1:10; 3 John 2; James 5:13

Remember: Pray Daily!

Other Job Search and Career Tools

Appendix 1 of this Module (Appendix i-1) provides a listing of additional resources to help you in your job search or career transition.

May there be peace within me today.May I trust God that I am exactly where I am meant to be.May I not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May I use the gifts that I have received, and pass on the love that has been given to me.May I be confident knowing that I am a child of God. Let His presence settle into my bones, and allow my soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.It is there for each and every one of us.

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MODULE 1: Finding Your Purpose and Vocation__________________________________________

Finding Your Purpose

Some of the greatest people in history have been great because they had the ability to read a situation and they responded differently than their contemporaries. Where most saw chaos, they saw opportunity. Where most were paralyzed, they were energized and focused in their response. Seeing opportunity within the chaos allowed them to find new and wonderful responses to their situation.

Many see today’s dire economic situation in paralyzing terms. There are a few, however, who see it as an opportunity to reflect on where they’ve been and determine where they are to go. In fact, it can become time to pursue what they’ve always wanted, but were afraid. It can be a liberating time, rather than a time of paralysis.

The first step in this process is one of discernment and reflection. What is my purpose and direction? Cardinal Newman was right when he said that God created you for a unique purpose. Embrace this economic crisis as an opportunity to find your unique purpose. It will provide you with a powerful advantage over many other job seekers.

You are not looking for a job. You are seeking your vocation and this can make all the difference in the world!

Step 1: Completing the Finding my Purpose DiagramIn the Appendix of this manual, there is a diagram (Appendix 1.1) that – once completed - will assist you in finding your purpose. Completion of this diagram involves discernment and reflection in three areas:

What are your skills or talents? What activities/situations create the most passion for you? Where do you see the greatest opportunities?

God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never be told it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I have a part in this great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. ~ Cardinal John Henry Newman

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By answering these questions, you will complete each of the circles in Appendix 1.1. Through a process of reflection and discernment, some common themes between these three circles will emerge. The intersection point of your skills, passions and opportunities, will help define your purpose.

Step 2:What are your Skills?

Most of us are born with an innate awareness of our gifts and talents. Things that come easily to us are often nourished and nurtured. In an effort to fit in or not appear boastful, we may lose track of these talents. We may take them for granted and assume that everyone has these abilities. The first step in better understanding our purpose is to recreate that innate awareness of the talents and gifts God has given us.

Module 3 discusses how to “brand” your unique value proposition to a perspective employer. What makes you unique and different from other applicants? Focusing on your strengths will help you focus that value proposition.

In discovering your strengths, which are your skills and abilities, you may want to use the skills list provided in Appendix 1.2 (Part1). We suggest that you to give this same list to five-to-seven people, who know you well, and ask them to identify your strengths without having seen your self-assessment. Sometimes our most powerful reflection of who we are comes from the mirror of our friend’s feedback.

Step 3: What are you Passionate About?

Try to remember a time when you were working on a project or hobby and were so involved that you lost track of time. What were you doing? Have you ever been involved with a team of people who shared your vision and passion? In those times, it seemed as if anything was possible.

Success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves, their strengths, their values, and how they best perform. ~ Peter Drucker

Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. ~ Leo Buscaglia

I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. ~ Steve Jobs

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The exercise found in Appendix 1.1 (Part 2) is meant to help you remember those times in an effort to identify themes. Once you become more aware of what activities stir you to love what you do, you will not only find your purpose, but you will be located with a group of people who are like minded. A group of people who not only love what they do, but create success because they believe in the work they are doing. It no longer becomes a job, but a vocation.

Step 4: Where do you see Opportunities?

Earlier, we discussed the ability of great figures to see opportunity in the midst of chaos. The difference between the person who is paralyzed by chaos and the person who is energized by it is the gift of stepping outside the situation and finding the opportunity that is present in that moment. God calls each of us to be truly listening in these moments. Your response to that call is an increased awareness of the opportunities which exist in this present moment. As Pope Benedict asked in his recent visit to America, “What is God whispering to you?”

What opportunities do you see in your current situation? Completing the questions found in Appendix 1.2 (Part 3) will help you identify opportunities that may help in focusing where to concentrate your job search and refine your purpose.

Step 5: Putting it all Together

Now that you have your answers to Appendix 1.2 (Parts1-3):

1. Put them into your respective circles (Appendix 1.1).

2. Draw lines between similar answers and see if a common theme jumps out.

3. Place that common theme at the intersecting point.

4. Take this common theme to prayer. Let God speak to you … illuminate you. Look at it over a period of days and try new purpose statements. Ask the opinions of others that you trust.

5. Do not be frustrated if it does not fall into place immediately. Have faith and trust that in the appropriate time, God will make it all clear to you.

When written in Chinese, the word "crisis" is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity. ~ John F. Kennedy

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Additional Resources:Additional resources can be found on the internet. You may want to take advantage of vocational assessments available online.

The following sites offer online quizzes and other exercises to help you to match your interests, personality traits, and talents to the job market. You may even find that some will tell you that what you thought you wanted would not be the best fit for you. While most are free, some require registration or have a fee:

www.keirsey.com www.assessment.com http://www.self-directed-search.com/index.html http://www.d.umn.edu/student/loon/car/self/career_transfer_survey.html www.typefocus.com www.typelogic.com www.online.onetcenter.org www.bls.gov/oco www.acinet.org

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MODULE 2: Resume Writing__________________________________________

Background

Even the best resume will not get you a job. Instead, it is a job hunting tool used to secure an interview with a potential employer. Given this, a resume needs to serve several functions:

Create a positive first impression of a job seeker. Entice the potential employer to want to learn more about the job seeker. Summarize your accomplishments, skills, interests, work experience, special skills and

strengths.

Since hiring professionals spend between 20 and 25 seconds screening a job seeker’s resume, it is imperative that a resume tells an employer, at a glance, what you want to do and what you are good at. During this scan, employers review resumes for content, “keywords” and over-all appearance.

Never lie, embellish or exaggerate on a resume. Alternatively, don’t be modest. Remember: If you can’t sell yourself in your resume; you may not have the opportunity to sell yourself in an interview.

One-Size Does Not Fit All

If you want to grab a potential employer’s attention, you need to give them what they want. Expecting one resume to address the requirements of all employers is not realistic. You need to customize your resume for each job opportunity to achieve the best results.

Customization requires reviewing job qualifications/credentials for each job posting and addressing them (reusing the exact language and “keywords” used in the job posting) in your resume, to the extent possible. Every job listing contains clues about the specific skills, credentials, education, computer skills, etc. the employer is seeking (“keywords”).

I will prepare and some day my chance will come.~ Abraham Lincoln

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Organize your resume, highlighting how your abilities match these needs (See Module 5). The easiest way to accomplish this is to have a Master Resume that can be tweaked or customized for each job posting.

Step 1: Decide on a Resume Format

One of your first decisions is how to organize your resume’s content. There are basically three formats: Chronological, Functional, and Hybrid.

Resume Types and their Uses:

Chronological Resume (See Appendix 2.1):

Most commonly used resume format. Provides job titles, job responsibilities, and achievements in reverse chronological order

for each employer. Useful if all/most of your experience is in one field, you have no large employment gaps,

and you plan to stay in the same field of employment.

Functional Resume (See Appendix 2.2):

Least common of the resume types. Arranges job history to highlight special skills, functions, and achievements without

associating the information with a specific time period or employer. Shifts the focus from dates/positions/employers to skills and work functions.

Useful if there are unexplained gaps in your employment history, you are a more mature job seeker, you want to change career direction, you’ve changed jobs frequently, or you are seeking employment opportunities at higher levels.

Hybrid Resume (See Appendix 2.3):

Highlights skills and achievements that might otherwise be buried within your job history, while providing (but de-emphasizing) job chronology. Focuses on transferrable skills and experiences that are applicable to the job posting.

Useful if you have a varied job history that doesn’t reflect a clear career path, if your work experience doesn’t link to the desired position, or if you have large employment gaps or numerous jobs of short duration.

There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you. ~ Maya Angelou

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Step 2: Parts of a Resume

Regardless of the resume format you choose, there are a number of key elements and attributes that are common to all resume format. “MAKE” is a helpful tool in creating a resume that will differentiate you in the marketplace:

Metrics-driven Accomplishments-based Keyword-imbedded Electronically-friendly.

Key Elements:

Contact Information: Your Contact Information includes your name, address, telephone numbers with area codes (home, cellular, pager), e-mail address (make sure it is a professional e-mail, not something like Iamsocute@livinglife.com) and your personal web page, if applicable.

Professional Summary: This is one of the most important sections of your resume. A Professional Summary is a concise statement (3-5 line paragraph) matching your qualifications with the job responsibilities. This section previews your overall work history and contributions. It should answer the questions: Why are you qualified? Why should I hire you?

It also provides an opportunity to include “keywords” early in your resume. Electronic databases use keyword searches to match candidates to positions.

Omit statements that aren’t relevant to the subject job opening.

Employment History: Include the companies you have worked for and positions/job titles you have held. Positions are listed in reverse chronological order. Generally, only include the years (without the months) for dates of employment. There is no need to include work history that is older than 10 or 15 years, unless it is relevant to the current job opportunity.

Employment history should highlight accomplishments and experiences; not duties and responsibilities. Whenever possible, provide quantifiable measures of accomplishments and successes. Quantification and scope add impact. Ask yourself: What did I improve, increase, or enhance? What did I decrease, prevent or avoid? What did I create, design, launch, or establish?

Examples include: revenues (e.g., generated or retained); budgets; expenses (e.g., reduced or avoided); market share (e.g., grown or retained); P&L responsibility; quantity (e.g., number of employees), size (e.g., geographic region, span of control), dimensions (e.g., time saved, customer satisfaction rates), and capacity (10% increase in productivity or accuracy/reliability).

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To do this, the following acronym may be helpful to you in constructing the sentences; remember “STAR:” See Appendix 2.4 for a sample worksheet. This is your opportunity to demonstrate how you attained or exceeded your job goals, how you improved something or “went above and beyond” (e.g., challenging or unusual situations, turnaround situations, start-up companies, mergers, acquisitions):

ST: This is a description of the Situation or Task in which you were involvedA: What Action you took or how you Accomplished your successR: The Result of your action or direction.

For example: “Company faced difficulties in finding qualified new management candidates. Counseled individuals to identify their personal, professional objectives and developed individualized plans that resulted in 32 associates being promoted to management positions.”

Education/Training: Summarize your education and training background in reverse chronological order. Include your highest degree achieved and the name/location of the college/university you attended. List certifications you hold that are relevant to position you are seeking. If you hold a current technical education that is relevant for the job opportunity, include the date you obtained your certification.

If you are a recent graduate, include your GPA (if it is higher than a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale). If you graduated with “honors”, include this information.

If you are currently enrolled in an educational program, list the name/location of the college/university, your anticipated degree and graduation date (month and year).

Include high school information, if it is your only education or certification.

Other Information:

Military Experience: If you were recently released from active duty or if your experience is relevant to the job opportunity/your career path, list your rank, branch of service, rating or military specialty.

Association Affiliations or Memberships: Include memberships and any offices held in associations of which you have been a part. Include any community activities if they support your objective.

Other Categories or Information to highlight and consider: If appropriate, list languages, security clearance, professional licensing/certifications, additional training, patents, computer skills, awards or titles of publications/presentations you have written.

You are built not to shrink down to less but to bloom into more. ~ Virgil

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Key Attributes:

Beware of resume templates. Employers can recognize them. They could infer a lack of imagination.

List information in the order of importance to potential employer. For example, list your position title before your dates of employment. If your education or computer skills are most relevant to the position, list them first.

Use the active voice and bullet points to make information easier to digest. Steer clear of passive verbs.

Do not use personal pronouns like “I” or “me.” Fit your resume on no more than two pages, no matter how extensive your experience.

Only include information that will help you land an interview. Leave white space on all four margins; don’t crowd your resume. Your resume should be organized with consistent headings, fonts, bullets and style. Do

not use Times Roman; it is most commonly used. Consider using Georgia or Tahoma. Print should be large enough to read off a screen without eye-strain.

No typos. Your document should be perfect. Do not list references on your resume. Provide them only when requested. Mirror the

format used in your resume.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.~ Eleanor Roosevelt

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MODULE 3: Marketing Yourself

__________________________________________

Background

Many job seekers fall into the trap of trying to convince perspective employers that they are just like incumbents and other applicants. They try to envision what the perspective employer is “looking for” and model their submissions to these standards. But what they are really doing is making themselves like everyone else.

Remember: You are a product who is providing a service. And as with selling any product or service, you must distinguish yourself from other applicants. Identify the one thing that will make you stand out from the crowd. Basically, you need to “Sell Yourself.” To do this, you should have a well-defined and focused marketing plan.

What is a Marketing Plan?

“Marketing” and “selling” is not the same thing. “Marketing” is what you do to help you sell. It requires:

Developing a strategy Having the right tools Being proactive Being accountable

A marketing plan defines your goals and develops a series of activities to achieve your goals.

Your mother has probably told you, “It isn’t what you know, it’s who you know.” According to Randstad, a job placement agency, Mom is right. In fact, Randstad reports that close to 80% of job opportunities are not advertised and that 94% of surveyed new hires state that they found

You need a plan to build a house. To build a life, it is even more important to have a plan or goal. ~ Zig Ziglar

The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself. ~ Peter F. Drucker

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their position through networking -- someone who knows you and knows of an employment opportunity. 

The goal of this Module is to help the job seeker develop a defined marketing plan, one that allows others to help you make those all important job connections. 

Developing Your Marketing StrategyA marketing strategy should include a definition of your mission/purpose (to secure a position in this industry at this salary in this location in this timeframe; think in terms of your “ideal” job), a profile of prospective employers, and an analysis comparing you (favorably and/or unfavorably) to your competition. The following questions may help in developing a strategy:

Who is your audience? Do your research. Who are the companies that are hiring? Who are the companies that are hiring people who do what you do? Set specific criteria (geography, industries, size of companies, preferred organizational culture).

What are the current trends and need of the prospective companies? Is the industry expanding? Contracting? What issues are confronting this company (economy, new laws and regulations, controversy)?

To do’s:

1. Complete a personal assessment . See Module 1. This will aid you in developing your purpose and identifying your career goal.

2. Prepare a list of target companies and research them . Appendix 3.1 provides a worksheet for listing your target companies. Start with a list of 10 companies to research and network into. Choose companies located in your preferred geographical area. Establish a timetable for visiting their web sites and researching the companies in-depth. Appendix 3.2 provides a worksheet for collecting information associated with your target companies. Post your resume to these companies’ and SuperSites (Monster, Career Builders, Execunet, USA Jobs) web sites. Set up search agents and alerts. Apply for desired positions.

The best prospect is the client who has already dealt with you. The second best is the one referred to by a client who has dealt with you previously. The third best is the one referred to you by another trusted professional or friend. ~ Marilyn Jennings.

The way of the world is meeting people through other people. ~ Robert Kerrigan

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3. Identify contacts, who can help you network into your target company. Establish a timeframe for connecting with your contacts or developing new contacts (alumni, trade association professionals, internet networking, networking groups). See Appendix 3.3 for a Networking Worksheet. Alternatively, research the corporate and industry web site for contacts. Connect with your contacts. Have a face-to-face meeting with connections that have a lot of knowledge of the industry. Refer to Module 7 for how to secure and conduct an Information Interview.

Remember: People want to help other people. Let them!

4. Monitor current events affecting your target companies and their industries . Collect this information on Appendix 3.2. Set up e-mails for corporate and industry developments. Stay abreast of current issues of interest. Subscribe to trade journals and newspapers. Join internet networking sites (LinkedIn, etc.) and subscribe to groups that are specific to your industry and target companies (See Module 6).

Developing the Right Marketing Tools

Just as the process for looking for a job has changed, so have the materials needed to perform an effective marketing campaign. Today, in addition to a resume (See Module 2), you need the following:

Professional e-mail account - Make sure it is a professional e-mail, not something like “Iamsocute@livinglife.com.” Do not use numbers or special characters. Some companies treat such addresses as “spam.” Include all or part of your name, so that companies may readily identify you.

Personal Business Cards - Get business cards printed with your name and personal contact information. Be sure to use two to three words to market yourself on your business card. Consider including your branding statement, discussed following. Online, www.vistaprint.com has an offer for 250 free business cards, plus shipping. Select a card that speaks to your personality, but is appropriate for the industry and roles you are targeting.

Fear melts when you take action towards a goal you really want.~ Robert G Allen

The pros, the champions, the ones who are determined to succeed (and you're one of them), do the little things right, consistently. ~ Bob Burg

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Elevator Speech- This is a very brief overview of what you have done and where you want to go… a short verbal resume. It should not be any longer than two minutes. The elevator speech should be interesting and aimed at engaging the interest of the recipient. Include your unique strengths, a value statement, and/or your banding statement (discussed following). Use powerful, attention-keeping adjectives.

A sample follows:

My name is ________. I’m in the Information Technology Industry. I am an Oracle database administrator with six years of Windows NT and Unix Systems administrator experience. I am also a systems analyst. The primary companies I have worked for include ____________. I bring strengths in attention to detail and organizational structure to any project I have led. I am interested in an opportunity in a mid-size company where I can contribute and build on my current skill set. Some of the places I am particularly interested in are ________ and ________.

Your elevator speech should be delivered in a way that will prompt them to ask for your card and make them remember you!

Branding Statement/Hook – The book, “Be Your Own Brand,” by David McNally and Karl Speak, offers a formula for branding yourself.

Be Distinctive – It stands for something – your values and ethics. Be Relevant – It connects you with the importance others place on what you can do for

them. Be Consistent – It is reinforced by repeated behaviors and specific language.

Building on the above elevator speech, an example may be: “Part of the Solution.”

As with all effective branding (think Kleenex says, “Bless You”; Coca Cola is “the Real Thing”; McDonald’s is “lovin’ it”), it should be incorporated into all of your communications and correspondence.

Bringing the Pieces Together

Getting noticed by potential employers requires an effective marketing strategy and plan. You are the product and potential employers are your customers. Jobseekers often find it more

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

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comfortable to search for work using online job boards or by responding to want ads. But, it is typically advisable to incorporate strategies designed to access both the published and unpublished job market. Don't rely too heavily on any single strategy.

Marketing is normally characterized with “4 Ps”: Product, Placement, Promotion, and Price.

Developing your Marketing Strategy and Tools has focused on the first “2 Ps”: Product (personal assessment, resume, branding statement, elevator speech, business cards) and Placement (target company research, building a network). Appendix 3.4 provides Sample and Blank Worksheets for pulling together your Marketing Strategy and Tools.

Once armed with your Marketing Strategy and Tools, you should develop a Marketing Plan. This is Promotion. Your Marketing Plan is a series of actions to help you sell/promote your product (“you”). It should include:

Quantifiable goals. Weekly goals are recommended. A record of activities, with follow-up actions noted as appropriate.

Appendix 3.5 provides sample and blank Marketing Plan Worksheets. A good marketing plan establishes concrete marketing actions for you each week regarding the number of:

Hours you'll devote to your job search. Resumes and letters you'll send.

Follow-up calls you'll make.

Face-to-face meetings you'll arrange.

Keep track of your job search efforts and make adjustments as needed. Focus attention of strategies that yield the best results.

Launching Your Campaign

Traditional and Non-Traditional Approach

A traditional job search includes: consulting the classifieds or internet for job vacancies and contacting the prospective employer via cover letter and resume. You may also engage the services of a recruiter. See Modules 4 and 5.

A non-traditional approach includes: informational interviews and networking, networking, networking. See Module 6. It also includes sending Prospecting Letters to Target Companies.

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Prospecting Your Target Companies

You don’t have to wait for your target companies to have advertised job openings before approaching them. A common approach for getting your name in front of a potential employer is to send an unsolicited prospecting letter. See Appendix 3.6. This is a letter that defines who you are and what you can do for your targeted company(ies).

Find the name of a person in your desired area of employment within the company (e.g., sales, accounting, marketing). You can usually find this information on the company’s web site in the “About Us” link. Look for organization charts.

You need to customize this letter as much as possible. Refer to your Target Company Worksheet (Appendix 3.2). Focus on news and challenges associated with the company or the industry. Researching a company demonstrates to the company that you are serious about working for them. Remember: This company’s problems are your opportunities to sell yourself … proposing solutions is a great way to get the potential employer to notice you.

Even if there aren’t current opportunities, a prospecting letter may signal you as a candidate for a future position with the company… before the position is advertised.

Tap into your networking resources…those contacts who can help you network into your target company(ies).

Send a letter asking if they know anyone in the company. If they do, ask them to forward your resume. Make sure to identify how you should follow-up on his/her referral.

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MODULE 4: Identifying Opportunities__________

BackgroundAt this point, you have defined your career goals, skills, competencies, and transferable skills (See Module 1). You have also drafted a Master Resume (See Module 2) and established your Marketing Strategy (See Module 3).

Now, you are ready to search out new employment opportunities.

Where are the Jobs?

Employers normally use a number of methods for advertising a job opening. These include the traditional vehicles (such as classified ads placed in newspapers/periodicals and on the internet) and nontraditional approaches (such as prospecting for jobs via networking, establishing online search agents, and posting your resume online).

A savvy job seeker realizes that the chances of finding a job using the traditional vehicles are significantly lower than through nontraditional approaches. Remember: Hundreds, possibly thousands, of candidates will apply for each advertised job opening. The competition for published positions will be fierce.

This is not to say that you cannot find a position from applying to published positions. But your best results will come if you can identify an opportunity before it is published.

Traditional Vehicles

Published Openings (Classified Ads and “On-line” Postings).

These include all employment ads that are published to the public, including local newspapers, company websites, industry-specific journals/newsletters, job listings, and internet job sites (Monster.com, theLadders.com, CareerBuilders.com).

Responding to a Published Opening. Generally, you will respond to a published job opening by sending a cover letter (See Module 5) and a resume (See Module 2) tailored for the position.

Tips for E-Mailing a Response:Copy and paste a text version of your resume in the body of the e-mail that you send, and also attach a nicely formatted resume. By pasting a text version, it allows the hiring manager to do a quick scan of your resume and does not force him or her to take the time to open an attachment.

When you e-mail someone about a job, use the subject line to include any relevant job code or job description.

Make sure that what you name your resume reflects you. For example, name the file “SusanSmith.doc” or “SusanSmithFabulousLawyer.doc” versus calling it something like “resume2.doc.”

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Executive/Career RecruitersWhy use a Recruiter? Sometimes a person has no time for job hunting, is looking for a particular position in a particular location, or needs confidentiality. In these situations, a recruiting service may be your avenue to a new job.

There are two different kinds of recruiters:

Retained Recruiters . Those who are paid by the employer for their recruiting efforts regardless of the outcome.

Contingency Recruiters . Those who are paid by the employer only if a referred person is hired.

Non-Traditional Approaches – Prospecting OpportunitiesFollowing are strategies for discovering an employment opportunity before the employer advertises the position. But, they can all be summarized with three words: Networking. Networking. Networking.

1. Word of Mouth (offline and online).

Offline. Let as many people as possible know that you are looking for work is important. Every time you meet someone be prepared to tell them about your situation and give them your elevator speech.

Online. Blast an e-mail to everyone you know letting them know that you are looking for work. People such as friends, former co-workers, former bosses, family, neighbors, and your church family care about you and want to help.

Monitor online discussion groups and networking group. Opportunities are often posted to these sites.

2. Associations.

Associations are a great way to network, get acquainted with other people in similar circumstances and to access the hidden job market.

Offline. Networking within professional and industry associations puts you in contact with other people within your profession. Most association members will be glad to assist you in your job search.

Alumni Associations/College Placement Offices are also a valuable network of contacts. They are also outstanding ways to locate fellow alumni working in your professional field.

Recent college graduates should utilize their college placement offices and become well known in the placement office. Over time it helps to establish a good working relationship with the staff that works closely with recruiters representing different companies. Also, join some on-campus organizations and become an active participant.

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Many companies will recruit through the placement office and on-campus organizations/associations. Some companies will have a student "point person" on campus to establish good PR for the organization.

Online. Associations usually have a large database of member-companies, links to “niche sites” specific to their industry and postings for their own job openings and opportunities.

Member-companies will often direct link to/from the associations' web sites and use this link for posting job openings and opportunities.

3. Online Marketing

Online marketing means that you are posting your resume on the Internet Job Sites (like Monster.com, theLadders.com, USAJobs.gov and CareerBuilders.com) and/or establishing job search engines (aka search agents) at these and other Internet sites (corporations, associations, industry-specific “niche” sites). Consider setting up a homepage via LinkedIn so that employers can find you.

Why use Online Marketing?

The Internet is a cheap tool (fast, constant – 24/7) for distributing and advertising your resume.

Using the Internet in your search demonstrates leading-edge skills. Recruiters and employers scan resume banks for potential candidates for advertised

and unadvertised job openings. Many job boards provide a service that matches your resume with job listings as they appear on their site. If you sign up for their email notifications of this you may receive daily updates on job listings that match your resume or key words from your resume.

On the Internet, no one can see you sweat. You do not have to worry if you look okay or if everyone can see that your hands are shaking. Take your time and relax. Find the groups and folks that feel best to you and are discussing things that interest you, and then take your time getting to know them before putting your best electronic face forward.

Post your resume on the web sites of your target companies (Module 3) – regardless of whether they have current employment opportunities. Employers commonly accept resumes for future consideration, positions that may not yet have been made public.

This is very important: Update your resume on job search sites two-to-three times a week. Every time your resume is updated, it appears to be a new resume to a recruiter. You can change anything -- add a period, use your middle initial, change an abbreviation to the full spelling. You may want to “Activate” a new resume weekly and change your heading information.

When job sites ask for a “Title” for your resume, use something that sets you apart from other candidates. For example, “Web developer with personality,” or “Electrician who plays well with others.”

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Selecting the Right Sites

Now that you have found them, how do you decide which resources are the best and will fit your needs? Try asking yourself these questions as you look at a site. (These questions are provided only as a starting point for your evaluation and selection process; you are the only who can say that a site and its resources work well or does not work for you):

What type of information am I finding here? Is it a more formal or informal discussion? Is it business listings, academics, or nonprofits? Is it just job listings, or is there other

useful information to be found? Are the job listings dated so that I know when they were added? Employers dislike

getting applications/inquiries about jobs they filled a while ago, and it really wastes your time. If you do not see any dates, check the information for employers posting here. How much do they pay and how long will they post their jobs? If you still do not see any information, send an e-mail to the site’s webmaster and ask how long they retain position listings in the database.

Establishing a Job Search AlertAvoid setting up a job search alert with large homogenous boards like Monster. Set up search alerts on industry-specific and professional association websites that are more like a talent hub than an aggregator. Also, consider an alternate strategy that looks at how people can find you instead of how you can find them. Job search boards are migrating to a social networking function where their primary function is matching people with relevant interests and needs. Use only four-to-six job search sites. If you use more than six, managing your resume

can become overwhelming. Develop a strategy for helping people find you. Set up a web presence via LinkedIn or

another networking site so you can be more effectively found by relevant employers via search engines. More than 4 million job-related searches are conducted on Google daily.

Managing Your Time on the Internet – Developing an Internet Strategy

Limit your time online to one-quarter (25%) of the total time you can dedicate to your job search, ... unless you are a “techie” who is working in any area related to computer networks or programming. In that case, move it up to one-half (50%) of your time, but make sure your skills are current in order to be most competitive. Most jobs will be found through networking and are never advertised. Use the internet to help you do research and hone your marketing plan, not to replace relationship building and networking. The internet is a wonderful resource, but it can be an incredible time waster so be disciplined and focused in

Never use “Apply Now” on job search sites. Always go to the corporate site of the hiring company and find the job there, if possible. Do this because using “Apply Now” often gets sent to a generic e-mail address that may never get checked. By going to the corporate site, you may get directly to a hiring manager’s e-mail box. If you have no other way of applying, then (and only then) should you use “Apply Now.”

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your use so you can put your time and priorities where they will do the most good, in networking with others to better refine and focus your search.

Avoid starting your Internet search in the same place every day. Every time you connect, start someplace new. Pick out a select list of general resources, use these to find more specific resources, and keep moving. Things change, but not so rapidly that you will miss something important if you check there only twice a week.

Visit the large information databases first. These include virtual libraries and large recruiting sites like America’s Job Bank. Look for links in your chosen field or industry. Repeat this search every few days, like Monday and Thursday.

Move on to the smaller, more exclusive resources and services, including online resource guides and sites dedicated to your field or industry. Find links to employers or collected information in your field that can give you leads or networking contacts. Repeat this search every few days, perhaps Tuesday and Friday.

Use search engines (like Yahoo, Google) to locate new and hidden resources specific to your occupation, field, and target companies. Repeat this search every few days, maybe Wednesday and Saturday.

Finally, shut off the computer and spend some time with your family, friends, and yourself. Use your Sabbath to worship and relax.

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MODULE 5: Responding to Opportunities (Writing Cover Letters)

Background

As discussed in Module 4, most of your job seeking activities should revolve around the “hidden” job market – those positions that are not advertised. Indeed, most sources find that only 3% of job openings (for non-federal government jobs) are filled via advertised postings. Given this, responding to advertised positions is going to be an extremely competitive area to your job search.

There will, however, be advertised job opportunities that will be worth investigating. In these instances, a job seeker can significantly improve his/her chances of landing an interview, if (s)he follows a few basic rules:

Rule #1: Be selective. Competition for advertised positions will be fierce. So, don’t waste your time responding to positions that you aren’t passionate about.

Rule #2: Beware of job titles. Remember that position titles mean different things in different industries. Your ideal job may be listed under an unfamiliar job title.

Rule #3: Be timely. Respond to the advertised position, as soon as you discover the opportunity. Ideally, week-end postings should be responded to on the following Monday. Don’t respond to a position that has been posted for more than 14 weeks.

Rule #4: Submit typed documents only. “Apply in writing” does not mean “hand-written.” Do not submit hand-written documents, unless asked to do so.

Rule #5: Match your abilities to the job requirements. Tailor your submission to the specific job opening. Carefully study the job opening for “keywords”, soft requirements (“organized”, “people person”, “organized”) and hard requirements (education, experience, qualifications, years of experience). Address how you satisfy each job requirement. Appendix 5.1 provides a Job Requirements/Abilities Matching worksheet that will help you organize your response.

Rule #6: Provide the job reference number. Provide the job reference number after the salutation. For example, Dear Hiring Professional, [go down two lines], RE: Job Number xxxx.

It is often hard to distinguish between the hard knocks in life and those of opportunity.  ~Frederick Phillips

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Rule #7: Avoid the salary discussion. Respond to requests for a salary requirement or salary history with words like “open” or “negotiable.” Such information is often used to eliminate candidates.

Rule #8: Follow-Up. Follow-up an e-mail/electronic submission with a hard copy. Also, if this is your “ideal” job for which you are eminently qualified, consider resubmitting your materials after a few weeks or contacting the company for a status.

Always Include a Cover Letter

A cover letter is an important self-marketing tool. It is essential for creating a positive first impression. Moreover, it will be your first opportunity to separate yourself from the other candidates and to demonstrate your professionalism and attention to detail. It also serves to answer:

“Why should I bother reading your resume?” “How is this candidate unique from the other applicants?”

Keep the letter to less than one page (3-4 paragraphs of 6 or less sentences each).

If you are responding via e-mail, the standard protocol is to send your cover letter as the text of your e-mail. Send your resume as an attachment.

Parts of a Cover Letter

Salutation. Address the letter to a specific title or name (i.e., Dear Hiring Professional or Dear Ms. Smith). Avoid “To Whom It May Concern.”

Reference to Job Number.

Use a clean 12-point font (Arial or Georgia). Do not make the hiring professional reach for reading glasses.

The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.  ~Benjamin Disraeli

Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the one you miss.  ~Author Unknown

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Stand Out/Introduction. Because there will be significant competition for a published opening, your response must distinguish you from other applicants in the first sentence. You have to stand out. How?

Drop names in the first paragraph if you know someone in the company. Hiring managers take résumés more seriously if you were referred by one of their employees or customers.

Incorporate your branding statement. See Module 3.

The Body of the Letter. A cover letter should have three to four paragraphs. Limit the paragraphs to no more than 6 lines long. Keep the document brief and easily readable while still demonstrating a professional, thoughtful manner.

When you tell potential employers why you're interested in working for them and their companies, be sincere. Don't bother pouring on a bunch of flattering statements. If you're interested in a position or company, just say why.

Your second paragraph (or two) is the perfect place to mention specific experience that is targeted to the job opening. This is your "I'm super great because" information.

Summarize why you are absolutely perfect for the position. Sell yourself. Pick and choose some of your experience and/or education that relates to

the company's requirements, or elaborate on qualifications that are not in your résumé but apply to this particular job.

Don't make this section too long or you will quickly lose the reader's interest.

Use the word “I” sparingly. Change “I” statements into “You” and “Your company” statements. For example, change “I am interested in your company, because …” into “Your company will benefit from my experience …”

All great work is preparing yourself for the accident to happen.  ~ Sidney Lumet

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.  ~ Thomas Edison

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Closing/Action statement. Indicate to the employer that you will take the initiative in contacting the employer regarding your resume.

The closing should be concise. Let the reader know what you want (an application, an interview, an opportunity to call). If you are planning to call the person on a certain day, you could close by saying, "I will contact you next Tuesday to set up a mutually convenient time to meet."

Include your contact information in your cover letter, as well as on your resume. This information should include an address, home phone and a daytime number (where a potential employer can leave a detailed message).

Appendix 5.2 provides copies of sample cover letters. You may want to use Vault.com as a resource for additional examples.

Take care in checking your spelling and grammar. Ask someone else to proofread your cover letter for you.

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MODULE 6: Networking__________________________________________

IntroductionAccording to Randstad, a job placement agency, close to 80% of all job opportunities are never advertised. Given this, a successful job search requires tapping into a “hidden” job market. Networking is your number one resource for getting your foot into the door of this market.

What is Networking?

Networking is inviting others to help you. It is contacting people you know and telling them that you are looking for a job… letting them know that you need help. It is engaging them to “be as Christ to you.” A function of the human condition is that people want to help one another. Let them. Ask them if they know of a job opportunity. Ask them if they know someone who may be able to assist you in your job search.

Networking is an inverted pyramid. It starts with you as the base. The next tier is your list of contacts. You engage them to build your next tier … their contacts and so on.

What Networking Isn’t

Networking is not asking others to find you a job. You are responsible for your own job search.

I get excited about what the Holy Spirit is doing now through all the people He is refining and raising up all over the planet. I love connections, relationship, and networking, but it must be led by the Spirit. ~ Daniel Smith

Poverty ...wasn’t only a lack of financial resources; it was isolation from the kind of people that could help you make more of yourself. ~ Keith Ferrazzi

…knock and the door will be opened to you. ~ Matthew 7:7

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Networking is not a series cold-calls. You need to ask others to introduce you to people they know.

Networking is not a one way street. It is establishing relationships and relationships involve give and take.

Authentic networking is not transactional it is relational. You do not use your network, you engage your network and that means valuing the relationship for how it can help everyone involved.

Types of Networking

Networking may come in all shapes and forms. But generally, it falls into two categories: traditional and e-networking (aka social networking).

Traditional Networking. Traditional networking involves thinking of everyone who can serve as a contact for you and then engaging them in your job search. This could include:

Family and friends Neighbors Co-workers (current and past) Alumni and Professors Classmates Local politicians Your doctors and dentist Your hairdresser, manicurist, supermarket clerk Your priest and fellow church members Community leaders Members of professional/trade organizations Conventions Charities and volunteer activities Cocktail parties and fundraisers Members of your gym

Traditional networking includes face-to-face meetings, phone conversations, information interviews (See Module 7) and attendance at various social/professional events. It involves seeking out and making affirmative connections, but it also means capitalizing on opportunities that present themselves to you.

The basic rules of traditional networking:

The successful networkers …continually put the other person’s need ahead of their own. ~ Bob Burg

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1) Set goals for yourself . It will help you to remain focused. Do you want to reach out to 3 people at each networking event? Do you want to learn about a company or industry? Do you want to establish 4 new contacts each week? Do you want to secure an introduction to someone attending an event?

2) Be specific about the type of help you want . You must succinctly articulate what you are looking for and how they can help. Are you soliciting career advice or are you asking for a referral or recommendation? Do you want them to socialize your resume? Do you want the name of a resource or address?

3) Be positive and energetic . What image are you conveying? Leave your baggage at the door. This is not the time to burden people with your trials and tribulations. Also, shut-off the “negative chatter” in your head. Remember: You are interesting and worth speaking with.

4) Listen . Observe the principle: “Listen twice as much as you talk.” You are seeking advice …listen to it. Make eye contact. When speaking with one person, do NOT scan the room for your next opportunity.

5) Build an ongoing relationship . Be prepared to give as well as receive. Networking is a two-way street of helping each other. If you want someone to help you, you need to be willing to help others in return. Also, if you are known to be a powerful resource for others, people will remember you. It will keep you visible.

6) Be prepared . Always be prepared for an opportunity when it presents itself. You never know when a potential contact will be in front of you at the coffee shop or working-out next to you in the gym. So always to ready to make a contact and exchange business cards (See Module 3). Practice your self-introduction. Always be prepared to launch into your elevator pitch (See Module 3).

7) Follow-up quickly on referrals you have been given . You are a reflection of the person who is helping you. Respect and honor what others are doing on your behalf.

8) Write “Thank-You” notes and follow-up with your network . Make sure your contacts feel engaged and appreciated for their actions. Keep them informed on the progress of your job search. Write thank-you notes. Let them know how you value them.

9) Talk to everyone you come into contact with . Do not be afraid to tell them that you are out of work! You do not know who they are or whom they know. Someone you talk to may know someone, or even be someone in the specific company or type of company in which you are interested.

10) Be prepared for rejection . It happens. Don’t take it personally.

E-Networking (aka Social Networking). Social networking augments your traditional network activities by creating a community of “virtual” contacts. How? By engaging the power and resources of the internet. Social networking facilitates making connections with people that you may never meet, otherwise. It places you into a virtual community and provides context to who you are and what you are interested in. This is particularly important if employers are using these sites to find prospective candidates.

What are the benefits of social networking?

It removes the awkwardness some people feel about networking and making cold-calls. On-line contacts don’t involve personal meetings or phone calls. It eliminates the fear that some people feel about making a first encounter.

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It expands your networking possibilities exponentially. It doesn’t require a primary contact to facilitate the introduction. It serves to “break the ice”, if you ultimately meet with the contact in person. The other party can’t see you “sweat.” You can engage or be engaged as you wish.

What are the disadvantages of social networking?

It’s hard to establish a personal relationship on-line. Information you place on the internet is public and permanent. So, be careful about

what you post in cyberspace. Putting someone in contact with one of your business contacts (by opening up

contact list) can be risky. Referrals are a reflection of you. You need to vet these referrals in the same way you would a traditional networking request.

Where do you go to network on-line?

Social networking websites. These profile driven sites ask you to create a personal profile. It then allows you to cull through their membership for networking opportunities. They work on the principle of “six degrees of separation.” It spins who you are, who you know, and what you know into a spider-web of potential networking opportunities. Examples of these services include: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Social Networking Tips:

Ensure that your profile is complete and compelling. "Your social network profile can be a great opportunity to enhance your image as someone who is truly passionate about what they do," says "Bill S.," a commenter to the blog ReadWriteWeb.

"(A)n incomplete profile makes you appear lazy and does not showcase all your accomplishments and abilities," cautions Christine Hassler of The Huffington Post.

If you blog, link your blog content to your profiles and status updates.

Include links to your Website/portfolio/blog in your profiles.

Ask and answer questions through LinkedIn Answers .

Join sub-groups within venues like Facebook and LinkedIn that focus on your profession and interests. Communicate and connect with members of these groups.

Social Networking Tips

Ensure that your profile on the major venues is complete and compelling. Conversely, "an incomplete profile makes you appear lazy and does not showcase all your accomplishments and abilities," cautions Christine Hassler of The Huffington Post.

Let your network know through your status updates that you seek a job and what kind.

If you blog, link your blog content to your profiles and status updates.

Include links to your Website/portfolio/blog in your profiles.

Ask and answer questions through LinkedIn Answers .

Research employers through company pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Recommend people on LinkedIn and ask your contacts to recommend you.

Participate in discussion forums and boards in your career field.

See if professional organizations in your field offer social-networking tools.

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Chat Rooms, Virtual Meeting Rooms and Web Forums. These sites have informal settings, where participants discuss current events and topics of common interests. They are the 21st century version of a telephone “party line” or a conversation at the water cooler. Services include:

Itzbig , where matching candidates to jobs also is the centerpiece. Itzbig calls itself a "real-time interactive recruiting network, providing a way for job seekers and recruiters to come together online." The site uses "profile matching technology" to provide "a filtered set of qualified candidates to the recruiter and a filtered set of job matches to the candidate."

QuietAgent , which claims to "evaluate every job, every day, so you don't have to." The site notes that with QuietAgent, "recruiters use rich toolsets to get two-way private connections with quality candidates."

Climber.com , which helps you, the job seeker, "understand yourself and reveal what types of jobs/companies you will best fit." The Climber.com site states that it is "for people who are not necessarily actively looking for a new job, but rather who are open to recruitment by companies." The site enables seekers to "connect anonymously to recruiters, research companies and salary information, and refer jobs to trusted co-workers and friends."

My Perfect Gig , "a members-only, private career network for engineering professionals where companies and talented individuals speak a 'common language.'" (We've heard other anecdotal evidence of job-seekers finding success on paid, private job boards.)

Vitruva , "a second-generation career website powered by an artificial intelligence job-matching engine." The Vitruva site says it "connect[s] talented professionals with highly qualified job opportunities instantly – in real-time."

Jobzerk , which bills itself as the "world's first community and socially driven job site."

OneWire , a site for finance professionals that "allows individuals to quickly and precisely map their experiences -- education, work, and life -- and distinguish themselves from their peers." The site goes on to note that "firms use the same system to create a search for their ideal candidate. This mirroring of profile and search criteria allows for the precise matching of individual to opportunity."

Bulletin Boards. These are web sites that are generally operated by trade or professional associations, colleges, alumni associations, etc.

So how do you make a contact?

You review the various postings and look for someone who shares a common interest, appears to be well-informed, or is knowledgeable about a topic of interest to you.

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Sites generally post an email address of the participant. It may even provide the person’s company, industry affiliation, and job title. Use this information to e-mail your contact.

Follow business protocols associated with traditional networking. For example, Do NOT ask for a job. Be willing to give as much as you receive.

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MODULE 7: Interviewing

Background

Your resume has gotten your foot in the door. Congratulations! Now, you need to demonstrate that you are the best person for the job.

Believe it or not, at this point, it is not about skills, accomplishments, or talents. Your prospective employer already has this information about you from your resume. Your success now hinges on the 3 P’s: Preparation, Presentation and Passion.

Why “prepare”? It will quiet your nerves and enable you to demonstrate confidence.

How can you be confident with your presentation? Smile, make eye contact, use a firm handshake, and exhibit good posture. Give strategic answers: Tell the interviewer what (s)he wants to know and tell the interviewer what you want him/her to know.

Finally, use each response as an opportunity to demonstrate your value and how well you “fit” with the company. Focus on showing your passion for the job. “Passion” is the key to distinguishing yourself.

Preparing for an Interview

There are differing opinions on how to prepare for an interview. But all agree that preparation is the key. Following are suggestions for how to prepare for an interview.

1. Research. Find out as much as you can about the company, the job, and the interviewer. Know the products and services the company offer. Who are their customers? Who are their competitors? Use this information to communicate your passion for the position/company. Indeed, an effective interviewing skill is to discuss your skills, accomplishments and

Remember: The interviewer wants you to have a successful interview. If you are called for an interview, the company already thinks that you could be a “fit” for the position. They want you to convince them that you are the “best” fit, so that they can hire you. So, don’t be modest. This is your chance to sell yourself. Do it.

...do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

STAR STATEMEN

TSST = Situation/TasksA = ActionsR = Results

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talents in the context of what the company is looking for, its needs and the issues with which it is currently dealing.

Reread the original job advertisement. Identify the personal attributes and accomplishments that are likely to help you succeed in this position.

2. Re-familiarize yourself with your resume. Be prepared to discuss and expound on each entry. Then be prepared to demonstrate how your abilities are relevant to the company. Some people develop a compliance matrix. List each requirement of the position description and an example how you meet the requirement. If you think it is helpful, provide it to the employer to make his/her life easier (see Appendix 5.1 for an example). A common approach is to use the STAR Method. Appendix 2.4 provides you with a STAR Worksheet.

Consider answers that incorporate input from others. For example, “My boss viewed me as his right-hand man.” Or “My team workers submitted me for an Excellence Award because of my contributions.”

Your answers should demonstrate that you are relevant for the company. Practice your answers aloud. Don’t memorize them -- just be comfortable with their content. When you’re ready, ask someone to perform a mock interview with you. Be as expressive, open and concise about each experience as possible. The more you practice, the better you will perform during your interview. And the more comfortable and confident you will be during your interview.

3. Role Play. Appendix 7.1 provides a list of sample interview questions. Draft responses. Keep your responses short, vivid, on point, positive and business-related. When possible, demonstrate your active problem-solving ability, using your experiences and accomplishments.

4. Practice your handshake. Your handshake should be firm, not too limp or bone-crushing. And it should be accomplished with a smile while making eye contact. Practice until you are accustomed with how much pressure to exert to execute a “firm” handshake. Practice until this level of pressure becomes instinctive.

Interviewing Blunders –The Do Not’s of Interviewing

Do not:

…be late. Arrive 10-15 minutes early.

…be defensive.

…use jargon, slang or profanity.

…interrupt the interviewer.

…become too familiar with the interviewer.

…talk about your lifestyle or personal life. DO NOT talk about the “nanny situation.”

…let your responses exceed two minutes.

…bad mouth past employers or bosses.

……leave your cell phone turned on.

…refer to the interviewer by his/her first name, unless asked to do so.

…ask about salary or benefits.

…ask for days off for scheduled events.

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Make sure your hands are clean and well manicured. Your hand should be warm and free from perspiration.

5. Bring your resume and list of references. Bring copies of your resume with you. Make sure that it is the same version that you submitted in response to the job posting and that they are printed on high-grade paper. Bring more copies than you can possibly need – just in case additional individuals are present at your interview.

If requested, provide a copy of your references. Do not proactively offer them.

6. Be on Time, Bring ID, Dress Appropriately and Watch Your Posture. You’ve heard that “you never have a second chance to make a first impression.” So make sure that it is positive.

7. Introduce yourself to the receptionist and others that come into contact with you. Never underestimate the influence of "silent interviewers" (receptionists, secretaries, maintenance, employees). Your interviewer may speak with these individuals to get feedback on how you acted, your preparedness, and your treatment of others.

The more people you meet increases your opportunity for being remembered. Wait patiently for your interviewer to arrive. Don’t fidget or rattle papers. Make sure your cell phone is turned-off. Be prepared to produce identification. Bring a note pad and pencil, so you can take notes.

Dress appropriately for the corporate culture. Know that a business suit is always appropriate. Dress conservatively, but stylishly. Be neat, clean and well-pressed. Check for missing buttons, an uneven or dragging hems, strings and spots. Avoid jangling or flashy jewelry. Avoid clothing that is too tight or too short. Do not wear overpowering perfumes, colognes, or aftershaves.

Stand tall. Walk tall. Sit tall. A tall carriage communicates confidence. Do not cross your legs (men or women); it creates a barrier between you and the interviewer. Sit toward the front of the chair, leaning slightly forward. Beware of fidgeting, drumming your fingers, and bouncing your feet/legs. This communicates nervousness.

8. Make Eye Contact and Build a Rapport. Maintaining eye contact demonstrates honesty and an interest in the position. Engage your interviewer as much as possible.

Peace begins with a smile. ~ Mother Teresa

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9. Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. You will be asked if you have any questions. Answering, “No” conveys a lack of interest in the position. Only ask a few. Appendix 7.3 provides a listing of potential questions.

10. Collect Business Cards. Ask about Timeframes. Collect business cards from everyone performing the interview. Ask about timeframes for filling the position, how and when you will be notified of the hiring decision.

11. Do Not Discuss Salary or Benefits.

Types of Interviews

There are two types of interviews: “informational” and “job.”

At an informational interview, you are seeking information about the job, company, and training requirements. Your goal is to find out what it is like to do the job.

In a job interview, the company is interviewing you for a specific job.

Informational Interviews

Informational interviews are a good tool for making contacts and seeing if you want to work at a specific company or in a specific field. You are the one who makes the call and requests that an informal meeting be set up with a company representative. The benefits of doing informational interviews include:

You become familiar with the field, its jargon, and the important issues. You get to see how different environments can shape a career and eliminate places that

are not a fit for you. You to expand your network. It is a low-pressure way of practicing self-marketing skills. It gives you the chance to

practice presenting yourself professionally in a field that interests you.

Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you, and uphold you with my right hand … ~ Isaiah 41:10

Remember: If God wants you to get this job, you will. No human will be able to keep you from it. So be confident. Do not fear.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God

that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Phillipians 4:6-7

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You may learn that the company is planning to expand in the near future and that there will soon be openings.

Follow the guidelines regarding etiquette (dress and professional behavior) that you would in a job interview.

Write or call to arrange the interview at least one week in advance. Identify yourself and state the nature of your research. You might give the interviewee some idea of the types of questions you will ask.

When you place the call, ask the contact for 15-20 minutes of his or her time and give reassurance that you are NOT looking for a job but, rather, contacts in the industry or information about their function within the organization. You might also ask if he or she is willing to look over your resume. Once the interview is scheduled, go prepared with specific questions.

The meeting should be kept short (15 or 30 minutes). Stick to your time allotment; the person you are meeting will appreciate your respect for his or her time schedule. Ask the interviewer for a business card; also ask for the names of other people with whom you can talk. DO NOT ASK FOR A JOB. If the person knows of something that would fit you, he or she will tell you, or will tell you whom you should contact.

You should create a list of three to five prospects; with multiple prospects, you will not be discouraged if one person turns you down.

See Appendix 7.3 for a sample telephone script for requesting an informational Interview.

Conducting an Effective Informational Interview

Keep these pointers in mind:

Define your purpose for the interview. Are you seeking information about a company, position or industry?

Research. Research the profession, organization, and person with whom you will be interviewing.

Prepare. Make a list of questions you want to ask. Think of some that would be interesting to answer.

Practice. Practice interviewing people for fun and practice saying the phone script above.

Listen. Listen to what the individual is saying. Show enthusiasm and appreciation and maintain good eye contact.

Take notes. This will lend credibility and give you information for a targeted follow-up letter or note. Taking notes also will help you remember all information and contacts discussed during your meeting.

Sample interview questions are provided in Appendix 7.4.

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Soon after each interview, write a Thank You note, expressing appreciation for your contact’s time and interest. You might also highlight some of the points you learned from your discussion. “Snail-mailed” notes generally are more appreciated than e-mails. Express your gratitude for the information you received. Keep the person informed of your progress; you might want to send him/her a copy of any report you write about your findings.

Job Interviews

There are several types of interviews: Screening/Telephone

This is a screening interview that's become an increasingly common method, as it is a more efficient use of time and reduces interviewing costs. Be prepared for this call. If not prepared, schedule it for another time. Don't allow distractions. Be prepared for salary questions. Make sure to have your resume in front of you and be prepared with your elevator speech. HINT: Standing up increases your energy level and presentation focus.

One-to-One This is the most typical style of interview. It is characterized by broad questions (e.g., Tell me about yourself. What are your strengths? Weaknesses?)

Panel This is when a team or panel of people (between 3-6 people) interviews one individual. Each generally focuses on one set of competencies.

GroupThis is the least common type of interview. It is when a group of candidates are interviewed together to observe the candidates within a team environment.

Team Serial one-on-one interviews conducted by various members of the organization. A structured evaluation tool is often used in this environment.

Flash Normally, a spontaneous meeting with a top executive, who will give the candidate a quick “once over.” This is a good sign – you are being presented to the executive for final approval. Your meeting will brief; perhaps a minute or two. You may want to have a few questions prepared for this circumstance.

The Dinner/Lunch Interview

If you are asked to lunch or dinner, accept. This is another opportunity for mutual evaluation. However, observe the proper social etiquette. Don't smoke or drink. Be careful when selecting your menu choices. Occasionally, your spouse may be invited, accept. Many job opportunities cannot be carried out without family support (i.e., travel, overtime, relocation, etc.).

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Interviewer Techniques

There are various techniques that can be employed during a job interview:

Question & AnswerThe most commonly used format for interviewing.

Non-directed Normally used by an individual who is not skilled in conducting an interview. In this case, the well-researched candidate can direct the interview and turn it to their advantage.

BehavioralThe questions asked are situational and used as part of a structured interview process. The interviewer is looking for technical skills and performance skills. Behavioral interview questions are pre-planned, directed toward specific examples, and are open-ended. Typically, the interviewer will probe with follow-up questions for more in-depth information on the situation under discussion. The premise is that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.

Stress This places the candidate under varying levels of stress to determine how he/she will respond a difficult situation.

Appendix 7.1 provides a listing of sample Job Interview questions.

The Flow of the Interview

There are four (4) parts to the Interview:

1. The Opening

There is typically a period of "small talk" that allows you and the interviewer to become comfortable talking with each other. Allow the interviewer to control the interview and decide when to go on to the next phase.

2. Information About You

The interviewer will ask questions about your background and experiences. If you don't understand a question, ask that it be repeated or explained. When giving answers: Be

Cast all your worries upon Him … ~ 1 Peter 5:7

I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me. ~ Phillipians 4:13

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positive! Be brief and to the point. Incorporate your STAR Statements (Appendix 2.4) into your responses. Only respond with the information requested.

3. Closing the Interview

Summarize your qualifications and the fit to the interviewer. Identify and address any reservations that the interviewer may express. Get the next steps defined BEFORE you leave. Thank the interviewer before leaving. Then, if the job appears to be a good fit, follow-up and continue pursuing the job.

Be prepared for the salary questions. Try to postpone or avoid question, as long as possible.

Job Interview Tips

NEVER, NEVER turn down an interview. You have no idea what kind of relationship could be started, even if that particular job isn’t for you. Besides, interviews keep you in practice.

DO DO NOT Be well-rested Be yourself LISTEN carefully Answer the questions you are asked Be brief - cut the details and concentrate

on the results generated Be aware of your body language Watch for signs of nervousness (i.e.,

laughing, fidgeting, playing with your hair, etc.).

Avoid using silence fillers like "um" or "ah" or otherwise rambling answers

Be positive!

Lie or exaggerate - if hired, this is grounds for dismissal

Dominate the interview rather, control what information gets across by being prepared

Give answers that are long Give the interviewer more information than

requested Be critical of your former employers or

supervisors Tell long stories - keep your answers brief

and to the point Be afraid or uncomfortable with silence.

Take time to think through the difficult questions.

Help the interviewer run a good interview. If the person is inexperienced, don't show irritation with delays and interruptions.

Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; He will never fail or forsake you. ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

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Mailing Thank You’s

Thank you notes should be emailed or snail mailed within 24-48 hours of the interview/contact. Many decisions are made within the 24-48 hour window.

Personalize the letters to each person. Do this whether or not you are interested pursuing the job.

Thank people for their courtesy and time.

Thank You Letters and Follow Up

Write and send a thank-you note to each interviewer, with expressing appreciation for their time. If a staff person helped schedule the interview, send that person a thank you note as well.

Express your continued interest in the position. Use thank you letters as a further marketing opportunity to: Increase your visibility. Ensure the employer is familiar with your name. Restate your enthusiasm and interest in the position. Stress your qualifications.

Add or correct any significant information or relevant point that you may have forgotten to

mention or turn around any objections that occurred during the interview.

Remind them of the next step.

Refer to Appendix 7.6 for a sample thank you letter.Remember: Contact the employer if you are no longer interested in the position.

Place a call to the hiring manager about 10-14 days after the interview to follow-up on the status of the

position. This re-emphasizes your interest in the position and reminds them of you.

Sample Scripts for Avoiding the “Salary” Question: Salary won’t be a problem. But I’m not exactly sure what the job is, so maybe we can talk more

about that. I’m very flexible, and I’m sure that when we come to some agreement on the job, we can work out the salary.

I’m making very good money right now, and I deserve it. But, I would hate to tell you what it is because I’m afraid it will put you off. I know that salary will not be a problem. I’m a fair person and I’m sure you are too. I know we will come to an agreement.

I am paid very well, and I am worth it. But I am interested in your company and I am willing to make an investment in this, if you are. As far as I’m concerned, salary won’t be a problem.

Frankly, I always keep that sort of information confidential, partly because I think I owe that to my past employer, but mostly because I think it would be misleading. I am sure you can understand why. WHY? Well, if what I earned was higher than what you wanted to pay, you might think that I am overqualified. If it’s under, you might think me under qualified. I would prefer to be judged on my ability to do the job. What did you have in mind?

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Rejection

If you’re rejected, don’t be discouraged. Ask the interviewer to suggest how you could improve your resume/interview skills. If your resume and interview skills are fine, you might ask about other opportunities either within the organization or in other firms with which the employer is familiar.

Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack in it. Yet, at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. ~ Jacob A. Riis

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MODULE 8: Negotiating Offers__________________________________________

IntroductionLet’s hope that you never have to negotiate a job offer – that the compensation package offered by your perspective employer contains everything that you have been praying for and more. If this is the case, great. Go ahead and accept the offer. Congratulations and give thanks to God.

But chances are that you may not be offered everything you are hoping for. Rather than rejecting an employment opportunity that is close to your desired package, this module will assist you with negotiating your employment offer.

Offers of Employment – What to Do?Get clear about what is important:

What is most important to you in making this decision? What are your values? Are you interested in this job? Is the cultural fit important? What is your personality? What will you get out of this role?

VALUES – What needs do you want your career to meet? Thus, how important is power, security, service to others, socializing, interest, creativity, adventure, and opportunities for advancement? Try to identify your most important and least important values. How can they be met by the position you are currently considering?

I don't want to earn my living; I want to live. ~ Oscar Wilde

Remember: This is a business discussion. Potential employers will expect you to negotiate.

But be cautious: The hiring professional may not have a lot of flexibility. So, be prepared to make a decision based on the initial offer or your counter-offer.

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CULTURE – Understanding and assessing your organization's culture can mean the difference between success and failure in today's fast changing business environment.

What is the culture of the organization you are considering? High energy and intense? Laid back? Does the company have well communicated values that are in line with yours? Is the company a large corporation? Does it have an entrepreneurial flair? Is it a non-profit with a cause you believe in? Is the company privately owned or public? Is it a government contractor or agency? What 7 words would you use to describe the company? What is really important? Who gets promoted? What behaviors get rewarded?

PERSONALITY – Do you prefer to spend time with others or by yourself? Do you prefer making decisions after gathering lots of information and facts, or do you prefer to rely on your own internal processes and evaluations? Having answered the questions above, does this match with the role you are considering?

INTERESTS – What do you like to do? Do you have genuine interest in the position, role or organization you are considering?

ROLE – What are you going to get out of this role or what will you need to put into it? Will you get advanced or new training and education? Do you like the people you would be working with? Have you had an opportunity to meet the people you would be working with?

KNOW YOUR WORTH – Check out the web for salary information and your worth in the market. Be realistic. Explore Options. Take time to: research, investigate, and evaluate. Research the market ahead of time. Know what the salary ranges are for this position and industry. This can help bolster your request for a better offer -- or let you know when to say yes. Look at job websites that are advertising positions similar to yours and see what salary and benefits they are offering. Speak to others in the industry and ask them to help you find comparables. Some web research sites to consider:

www.salary.com Comprehensive compensation reports in just two clicks. Be sure to use the specific city or zip code or salary information incorrect.

www.acinet.org Pay data, career advice and job market outlook

www.futurestep.com The salary report is worth the hour it takes to fill out the form

www.rileyguide.com Information on government, private sector, and total compensation

www.payscale.com Provides a range, a ranking and a rating of how you compare to your peers.

You may also want to take a look at a few books:

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Moving Up: How to Get High Salaried Jobs by Eli Djiddah

American Salaries & Wages Annual Survey by Gale Research, Inc.

Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $ 1000 a Minute by Jack Chapman

Is That Your Best Offer? Webfeet Press

Get Paid What You Are Worth Pinkley and Northcroft

When to NegotiateNegotiations should take place BEFORE you accept a position with a perspective employer. Once hired, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to renegotiate your package. Remember, for nondiscrimination reasons, employers generally adopt standard salary and compensation treatment for employees. Negotiating outside of these established parameters will be very challenging.

But equally important: Do NOT try to negotiate your compensation package before you have a solid employment offer. Doing so will limit your bargaining power and may very well negotiate you right out of an employment opportunity.

Who Can Negotiate?

Anyone can negotiate. But you will typically have more opportunity to negotiate if:

You are applying for a position in upper management.

The job has been vacant for an extended period of time and the employer is anxious to fill the opening.

You possess unique skills or abilities.

You have other offers pending.

There are no other candidates for the position.

The hiring executive really wants you to fill the vacancy.

How Do I Know What Elements of A Job Offer are Negotiable?

Ask. “Is this offer (or compensation item) firm or are you flexible?”

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NegotiationOnce you have decided what role you want to accept and organization you want to join, you will need to take steps to ensure an effective negotiation. Remember not to be star struck by the excitement of the offer. Give yourself time to think it over – at the very minimum, one day.

Be ready to negotiate when you can give the employer your decision, how long do you have to get back to them? Make sure you have considered all of the other factors before you begin negotiating the job you have decided on. Your decision to join a company should not be solely based on the best salary. Think about what is most important to you long before the actual negotiating begins. (For example, is a few thousand more dollars more important than time off or a later start date?)

Think broadly about compensation. Salary is one element in the total package. Other critical elements include job design, promotional opportunities, assistance for a spouse who needs to find another job, etc. Make a list of your needs and their priority to you. We have provided a list of Compensation items to consider in Appendix 8.1.

Be Prepared for the Negotiation

Make sure you have done your research before you engage in any form of negotiation. At a minimum, make sure you are armed with the following:

Know what is important to you.

Have a range of salary in mind. But more importantly, know your bottom-line salary/compensation requirements.

Find out as much as you can about the job opening and where the company is in filling the opening. Where do you compare with other candidates? How many other candidates have interviewed? How long has the position been vacant? How well do your qualifications match the job requirements?

No one can figure out your worth but you. ~ Pearl Bailey

All too often we’re filled with negative and limiting beliefs. We’re filled with doubt. We’re filled with guilt or with a sense of unworthiness. We have a lot of assumptions about the way the world is that are actually wrong. ~ Jack Canfield

8-6

Approach: The person you negotiate with will most probably be the person you work for. So when you go to negotiate, make your discussion into a problem-solving session during which you focus on mutual gain.

Know who you are negotiating with. Is this person experienced at hiring? Do they have the authority to raise your salary above a certain level? Your negotiating strategy will depend on your counterpart.

Try to negotiate in person rather than over the telephone. Employers find it harder to turn down a request in person, and you are better able to read their body language (and they yours!) when you negotiate face to face.

We have included some sample scripts for your negotiation discussions in Appendix 8.2.

Take your time while negotiating. You do not have to give an answer to a job offer immediately, and should take time to craft your negotiating strategy. Once an offer is made, determine the time frame for your response. Call any other companies that you are truly interested in to accelerate the interview/offer process.

Support your requests with reasons that match the employer's needs. An employer is more likely to increase an offer if you can show them how you will increase their bottom line performance, or if you support your request with market data, than if you just tell them you need more.

Always negotiate for a win-win and don’t make this feel like a used car negotiation. You are working on a relationship not a transaction so have a conversation where you show your problem solving skills and what working together will be like if you are hired.

Get your offer in writing, especially when it contains variances with other company policies. Writing it down helps avoid good faith misunderstandings. More importantly, it helps insure you against the many things that can happen between the date you agree on terms and the time an anticipated benefit is supposed to arrive.

It is important to determine what you want from the offer, but it is also important to know the minimum you will take from an offer. What are your non-negotiables? What are the “Gotta Haves” and what are the “Nice to Haves?”

Too many candidates make the mistake of becoming too laid back after they’ve received an offer. Remember, the person you are negotiating with may be your supervisor or at the very least your colleague.

There comes a point in every negotiation when you have achieved everything that you could have reasonably expected to achieve. At that point you should thank the person you are dealing with and accept the offer and stop negotiating.

Don't assume the negotiation is over if you say “no.” Leave a window of opportunity (for example, by saying "I just can't accept an offer at that level"). This not only gives the

8-6

employer an opportunity to come back with something better, it also helps you avoid painting yourself into a corner.

Contingent Offers: Often an offer will be contingent upon successfully completing background and reference checks, but some offers may contain other contingencies. If an offer is contingent for example on winning a contract or customer approval, make sure you understand the process and next steps. If it is contingent on winning a contract and the company is using your resume to help in their efforts, make sure that if they win they will hire you. Helping them win a proposal and not receiving the job is not fair and some companies will engage in unethical practices if you allow them. If you accept a contingent offer, make sure you tell the company that you will still entertain other offers. Having a contingent offer may make you more attractive to other companies and convince them to speed up their hiring process.

Acceptance: Most employment offers will have a signature block for you to confirm your agreement to accept the offer. Should you have a need to write an acceptance letter, be sure to include your starting Salary, Starting date and time, and any perks, signing bonuses, etc. that were negotiated.

Declining: Declining an offer should be done in writing and as soon as you accept another position. This is an important step because you may need this contact later on, so never burn your bridges. Refer to Appendix 8.3 for a sample letter.

Appendices for Introduction Module: Page 2

Introduction Module – Appendix i-1 Job Search or Career Resources

Job Search or Career Resources

Below is a sampling of resources to help you in your job search or career transition.

Finding Work Without Losing Heart, Bill Byron, S.J. What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Nelson Bolles Live Your Dreams, Les Brown (also wrote the “Live Your Dreams” series) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Changing Careers, William Charland, David E. Henderson How to Get a Job in 90 Days or Less, Matthew J. DeLuca Job Searching Online, Pam Dixon The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting the Job You Want, Marc Dorio, Rosemary

Maniscalco The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting the Job You Want (audiocassette), Marc Dorio,

Shauna Zurbrugg (reader) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Interview, Marc Dorio, William Myers Career Planning, Lee Ellis The Complete Job Search Handbook, Howard Figler The Accelerated Job Search, Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D. How to Make Use of a Useless Degree, Andrew Frothingham Job Hunting for Dummies, Robert Half, Max Messmer, Jr. Career Change: Everything You Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control

of Your Career, David P. Helfand Before You Say “I Quit!”, Diane Holloway, Ph.D., Nancy Bishop God’s Little Instruction Book for Graduates, Honor Books, Inc. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Cover Letter, Susan Ireland The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Perfect Resume, Susan Ireland The Job Seeker’s Guide to Socially Responsible Companies, Katherine Jankowski Cover Letters for Dummies, Joyce Lian Kennedy Job Search Kit for Dummies (audio), Joyce Lian Kennedy (Reader), Polly Adams (Narrator) Resumes for Dummies, Joyce Lian Kennedy The Career Coach, Carol Kleimans Change Your Job, Change Your Life, Ronald L. Krannich, Ph.D.

Note: None of these listed resources are endorsed by Catholic Charities or CAN. This list is provided solely for the convenience of the job seeker. Many other resources are available at your local library.

Appendices for Introduction Module: Page 2

Introduction Module – Appendix i-1 Job Search or Career Resources

Job Search or Career Resources (cont’d)

Welcome to the Real World, Stacy Kravetz College Grad Job Hunter, Brian D. Krueger, CPC (Certified Placement Counselor) The New Rules of the Job Search Game, Jackie Larson & Cheri Comstock Professional’s Private Sector Job Finder, Daniel Lauber Non-Profits & Education Job Finder, Daniel Lauber The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and

Success, Nicholas Lore Rites of Passage at $100,000+, John Lucht Insider’s Guide to Finding a Job in Washington, Bruce Maxwell Kiplinger’s Survive & Profit from a Mid-Career Change, Daniel Moreau Consulting for Dummies, Bob Nelson, Peter Economy The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business, Ed Paulson, Marcia Layton Job Hunting for the Utterly Confused, Jason R. Rich Life 101, John Roger & Peter McWilliams Total Life Management, Bob Shank The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business, Barbara Weltman Through the Brick Wall, Kate Wendleton Don’t Send a Resume and Other Contrarian Rules to Help Land a Great Job, Jeffrey J. Fox Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty The Only Networking Book You’ll Ever Need, Harvey

Mackay Knock ‘Em Dead, Martin Yate

Appendices for Module 1: Page 5

Module 1 – Appendix 1.1 Finding Your Purpose Diagram

Finding my Purpose

Skills

PassionsOpportunities Purpose

Appendices for Module 1: Page 5

Module 1 – Appendix 1.2 Skills Discernment Worksheet

Skills Discernment Worksheet

Part 1: List Your Skills

Each individual has unique experiences, skills and strengths. These skills increase your capacity to successfully execute different tasks and responsibilities.

1. From the list of traits below, select 7 that are the best descriptors of YOU. 2. Prayerfully place them into a priority order. 3. Show the list to your friends and family. Ask them: “Which skill best defines me?”

Listen to their feedback.4. Put your top three or four answers into the appropriate circle in Appendix 1.1.

TeachingTeam buildingAssessing performanceTrainingMotivatingHelping othersServing customersResponding promptlyHandling complainsSetting standardsMeasuringGathering dataComputingAssessing qualityResearchAdvertisingPricingPromotingCounselingFund raisingManaging finance

AnalyzingDeveloping policySurveyingConceptualizingDesigningReviewingAdministeringSetting prioritiesRestructuringDeveloping work plansAssigningCategorizingTaking inventoryCoachingCorrespondingDrawingWritingPublic speakingNegotiatingMediating

Managing conflict ListeningInterviewingRelating to clientsSellingManaging salesMarketingManaging salesAnalyzing marketsClient relationsEditingFacilitatingCorrectingFollowing upReportingAuditingBudgetingControllingCost accountingFinancial analysis

Appendices for Module 1: Page 5

Module 1 – Appendix 1.2 (cont’d) Skills Discernment Worksheet

Part 2: List the Things You Are Passionate About

1. First, discern your answers to the following questions. Spend some time with your answers. Pray about them and come back to them in a few days.

How would you describe your strongest passions? When have you been most committed, passionate and enthusiastic? When have you been most creative? When have you been most sure of yourself and your decisions? What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? When have other people considered you to be most successful? When have you enjoyed your work most? What talents were you relying on, and using, in these situations? For what would you take a very strong stand? What about the world puzzles or disturbs you that you could make an

impact on? What jobs do you like to do at work when you have a choice? What activities are you drawn towards out of work? If money were no concern, what would you be doing?

2. Ask someone close to you to review your answers. Listen to their feedback.

# Skills (in priority)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Appendices for Module 1: Page 5

Module 1 – Appendix 1.2 (cont’d) Skills Discernment Worksheet

3. Put them into a priority order. Put your top three or four answers into the circle in Appendix 1.1.

# Passions (in priority)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Part 3: Where do you see Opportunities?

Many of us have had the experience of seeing someone else’s idea or opportunity produce a successful response. And we may have been thinking - I could have done that or developed something similar. This exercise is intended to help stimulate the current opportunities that are already around you.

1. In order to stimulate your thinking – look at relevant industry research and discern the answers to the following: If someone offered me financial backing for a new business, what opportunity would

I address? What businesses do I most admire and why? What are they currently doing well and

taking advantage of in their respective market? What business is struggling in spite of implementing a strong plan? What could they

adjust to be better positioned? From your industry experience, what frustrates customers or users the most? Could

these frustrations be resolved through another solution or offering? From your industry experience, what does everybody think "won’t work"? Asking

questions about what others have thought impossible is a great way to get new ideas. Where do I see the most job opportunities and for what type of skill sets? Are any

relevant to me and can I focus my search in these areas?

Appendices for Module 1: Page 5

Module 1 – Appendix 1.2 (cont’d) Skills Discernment Worksheet

Given my skills and passions (completed in the earlier sections), where do I see strong opportunities?

Where are spending trends occurring? Which industries or businesses are forecasted to grow?

2. Spend some time with your answers. Pray about them and come back to them in a few days.

3. Ask someone you respect, who has relevance to some of these opportunities, to review them and give you some feedback. Listen to their feedback.

4. Place your list in priority order.

# Opportunities (in priority)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

5. Put your top three or four answers into the circle in Appendix 1.1.

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.1 Sample Resumes - Chronological

DENISE JONESP.O. Box 9999 HOME: (999)888-9364Anchorage, AK 99999 djones@email.com CELL: (999)888-8910

An accomplished Database Administrator with demonstrated success designing and implementing database solutions that improve business functionality. Possess diversified technical background with Enterprise Systems Solutions. Proven ability to implement technologies that decrease costs, increase performance and positively affect the bottom line.QUALIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS

Extensive experience working with all aspects of in-house developed systems. Polished leadership skills, with ability to motivate teams to increase productivity. Deep understanding of technology with focus on delivering business solutions.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISESoftware Oracle (6,7,8), DB2, Sybase, SQL Server, IMS, Access, ESSBASESystems OS/390, MVS, VM, OS/390, VAX/VMS, UNIX (Solaris, AIX, Sun/OS,

IRIX, HP/UX, Linux), Windows 2000, Windows NT, MS/DOS, Mac/OSHardware IBM Mainframe (360, 370, 30XX, S/390), IBM RS/6000, Sun, SGI, HP

UNIX Server, DEC Alpha, Compaq, Dell, Apple MacLanguages C, Perl, Visual Basic, PL/SQL, Transact/SQL, COBOL, IBM AssemblerNetworks TCP/IP, IMS/DC, CICS, MQ/Series, Windows NT 4.0 ServerCertifications Oracle Certified Professional, Oracle Database Administrator (Oracle 8)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCECCC Company, Anchorage, AK Senior Database Consultant October 1988 – PresentOversaw design and maintenance of Database environment at Arco Alaska division of $20 billion Oil Exploration and Production Company. Supported distributed Oracle database environment. Performed upgrades, patch maintenance and integration with vendor software on AIX, NT and Solaris platforms.Led up to 7 team members performing Database Administration.

Initiated utilization of Data Warehouse ETL software during conversion of legacy data in IMS to Oracle, saving over 50% of total project costs by reducing contract programming.

Performed key role as technical consultant during transition from IBM Mainframe to client/server model. Recommended database, development and network software that contributed to eliminating mainframe support structure with 20% decrease in support costs.

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.1 (cont’d) Sample Resumes - Chronological

BBB Company, Dallas, TX Database Design Consultant April 1984 – October 1988Designed, developed and implemented databases within IBM Mainframe environments. Utilized database management systems including IMS, DB2 and Oracle. Provided application development support for internal developers. Configured DB2 tuning/support infrastructure. Performed instrumental role in project development from inception to implementation. Supported development and implementation of relational database environment at Arco Oil & Gas Company. Interfaced with initial application project team to ensure success.

Coordinated efforts with Big 6 consulting firms to deploy enterprise wide financial and reporting systems, performing design, development and implementation support, completing project within 3-year time frame.

Instituted logical and physical database designs that enhanced ability to deliver successful business and engineering projects.

AAA, Inc., Austin, TX Database Design Analyst November 1983 – August 1984Developed database for $50 million Software Development Company serving insurance industry. Provided logical and physical database design for client management of software. Performed design with IBM/DB2, CICS environment.

Implemented design enhancements for major IMS databases and initial release of Client Management System that substantially reduced load times and online transaction response.

Designed and deployed data irrigation process for release to beta site customers, performing onsite implementation and decreasing migration process from several weeks to 2 days.

Instruments, Inc., Houston, TX Programmer/Analyst November 1980 – November 1983Designed databases for $15 billion leading electronics manufacturer. Developed software in large scale IMS DB/DC environment. Coded programs using COBOL and Assembler supporting various business functions. Served as lead analyst for Field Service and Marketing Support systems.

Enhanced networking software that cut distributed transaction processing by more than 70%, allowing field offices to receive critical service requests in a timely manner.

Designed and built IMS databases to support migration of distributed systems to central mainframe.

EDUCATIONUniversity of Texas, San Antonio, TexasBachelor of Science in Computer ScienceMinor in Business Information Systems

www.technical-resumes.com

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.2 Sample Resumes – Functional

Rhonda Dolliver887 Dearborn Avenue, Acton, TN 98543

(324) 289-6543RDolliver@email.com

Qualifications SummaryAdministrative Support professional experienced working in fast-paced environments demanding strong organizational, technical, and interpersonal skills. Trustworthy, ethical, and discreet: committed to superior customer service. Confident and poised in interactions with individuals at all levels. Detail-oriented and resourceful in completing projects; able to multi-task effectively. Capabilities include:

Customer Service & Relations Word Processing & Typing Computer Operations

Accounts Payable/Receivable Filing & Data Archiving Office Equipment Operation

Telephone Reception General Accounting Problem Solving

Experience HighlightsAdministrative Support

Performed administrative and secretarial support functions for the Vice President of a large sportswear manufacturer. Coordinated and managed multiple priorities and projects.

Provided discreet secretarial and reception services for a busy family-counseling center. Scheduled appointments and maintained accurate, up-to-date confidential client files.

Assisted with general accounting functions; maintained journals and handled A/P and A/R. Provided telephone support; investigated and resolved billing problems for an 18-member manufacturer’s buying group. Trained and supervised part-time staff and interns.

Customer Services & Reception

Registered incoming patients in a hospital emergency room. Demonstrated ability to maintain composure and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment while preserving strict confidentiality.

Conducted patient interviews to elicit necessary information for registration, accurate prioritization, and to assist medical professionals in the triage process.

Orchestrated hotel special events and reservations; managed customer relations and provided exemplary service to all customers.

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.2 (cont’d) Sample Resumes – Functional

Management & Supervision

Promoted rapidly from front desk clerk to assistant front office manager at an upscale hotel. Oversaw all operations including restaurant, housekeeping, and maintenance. Troubleshot and resolved problems, mediated staff disputes, and handled customer complaints.

Participated in staff recruitment, hiring, training, and scheduling. Supervised a front-desk staff.

Employment HistoryACCOUNTING ASSISTAND, Guardian, Inc., Gonic, ILPATIENT SERVICES REGISTRAR, Grogan Health System Hospital, Grogan, MAASSISTANT FRONT OFFICE MANAGER, Sheraton Exeter, Exeter, CARECEPTIONIST / SECRETARY, Family Counseling & Guidance Center, Griffith, CAADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, Greenland Sportswear, Grant, CA

Education & TrainingGrogan College, Exeter, CA (1988 – 1989)

Concentration in Business Administration

Technical College, Gonic, IL (1999 – Present)

Hager College, Grogan, MA (1996)Introduction to Computers and MS Ofice 2000

Community InvolvementCommitted to community service. Extensive volunteer history includes involvement in public schools, Habitat for Humanity, children’s homes, and community soup kitchens, work with the elderly, and quilts for children with cancer.

(www.distinctiveweb.com)

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.3 Sample Resumes – Hybrid

SAM EVANS38111 Cameron Mills Road ∙ Alexandria, VA 22305

(H) 703-555-1212∙ (C) 703-555-1213∙ sam.evans @verizon.net

_________________________________________COMPLIANCE EXECUTIVE / PROJECT DIRECTOR / ADVOCATE

Accomplished executive of international NYSE company with expertise in general management, program/project management, accounting/finance, corporate and regulatory compliance, federal and state advocacy, human resources, strategic planning and integrated marketing. Detail oriented, analytical problem solver and critical thinker. Proven leadership at all levels of organizations.

Directly responsible for corporate transactions of $1.3B. Negotiated innovative settlement terms, generating $5.2M in annual savings.

M.B.A. ∙ Johns Hopkins University ∙ Baltimore, MD B.S. ∙ Finance (Accounting and Law concentrations) ∙ Clarion University of PA ∙ Clarion, PA

_________________________________________PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VERIZON (and its predecessor, Bell Atlantic) 1983 - 2009Director, Regulatory Compliance Director (promotion), Legislation Implementation Project Director/Team Leader (promotion), Regulatory Audits & Accounting Matters Manager (promotion), Corporate Policies and Standards Subject Matter Expert, Revenue and Corporate Accounting Support

_________________________________________AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Compliance Leadership / Policy and Governance / Quality Management

Instituted formal compliance program and processes, governing $12B of annual transactions; model adopted as corporate standard. Quantified costs of compliance program and processes. Established compliance measurements. Directed corrective measures and remediation.

Drafted and interpreted 27 corporate policies and procedures, including: cost allocation methodology ($2B expenses); corporate contributions; business dispositions; consulting services; outside legal services; business plan development; internal controls; and authority to approve company transactions. Policies affected 228K employees. Conformed 47 local practices to corporate requirements. Negotiated deviations to achieve uniformity.

Program Management / Project Management

Directed corporate activities to implement landmark federal telecommunications legislation, defending $1.2B in annual revenues and successfully entering the $70B long-distance market.

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.3 (cont’d) Sample Resumes – Hybrid Oversaw a $3.2M external audit of operations. Successfully defended subject transactions ($2B).

Managed 8 external auditors through 3500 data requests, 500 interviews, and state mandated budgets and time lines. Directed 4 management employees, 3 union represented employees and 25 subject matter experts (SMEs).

Directed teams and served as key contributor to 4 corporate mergers, dispositions (of 6 jurisdictional franchises), 6 product launches, and major competitive marketing initiatives. Provided strategic direction, analysis, financial impacts and oversight associated with corporate initiatives.

Reengineered local Competitive Response Teams. Assigned teams became flagships for structure throughout the company and models for stemming competitive losses.

Communications / Advocacy / Marketing

Secured balanced federal and state regulations governing critical industry issues. Goals achieved by developing/implementing coordinated advocacy plans and building coalitions to support our efforts.

Developed testimony, affidavits and attestations defending more than 48% of cash expenses during a state regulatory investigation; justifying $12B in transactions; and achieving the company’s entry into new business markets.

Successfully rolled out marketing campaigns ($5M) targeted at large- and small-business customers and residential consumers. Promotions included: radio, TV, periodicals and newspaper campaigns. Developed additional direct mail campaigns to “win back” customers lost to competition. Championed sponsorship of closed-captioning for Washington-Metropolitan newscasts (competed against AT&T and Southwest Bell for the sponsorship).

Developed key messages and position statements for use with external parties. Translated complex business and technical issues into simple concepts. Negotiated industry positions. Initiated coalition building efforts. Represented the corporation in public forums.

Financial Management / Contracting

Oversaw annual corporate transactions of $1.3B. Negotiated/executed 1000 contracts. Contracts resulted in tens of millions of dollars in savings

by leveraging existing networks, infrastructures and resources. Negotiated billing and collecting contracts with long distance carriers. Innovative settlement terms

generated $5.2M in annual savings. Developed methods governing third-party cash settlements involving $3.5B annually.

Promulgated multi-billion dollar cost recovery strategy. Performed comprehensive analyses on 36 accounting issues, including: pension accounting;

accounting for income taxes; debt refinancing; other pension and employment benefits; and FCC dockets.

Talent Management / Human Resources

Recruited, selected, interviewed, promoted, oriented, terminated and appraised employees. Coordinated compensation and merit pay treatment. Served as departmental coach for diversity and mentoring.

Directed/supervised teams, whose memberships varied in management complexion (working levels through Senior Vice President) and size (10-65).

Developed employee training and development plans. Delivered training to more than 100,000 employees. Scripted and directed development of a web-based training seminar.

Appendices for Module 2: Page 7

Module 2 – Appendix 2.4 Sample STAR Worksheet

STAR Worksheet

ST: This is a description of the Situation or Task in which you were involved

A: What Action you took or how you Accomplished your success

R: The Result of your action or direction.

Quantifiable measure of accomplishment and successes, you’re a STAR.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.1 Target Companies Listing

Target Companies

Part A: Prepare a list of target companies.

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________________________

6. _________________________________________________________________

7. _________________________________________________________________

8. _________________________________________________________________

9. _________________________________________________________________

10. _________________________________________________________________

Part B: For each of the target companies, collect the information identified on the Target Company Worksheet. See Appendix 3.2 for a Sample Worksheet.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.2 Target Companies Worksheet

Target Company Worksheet

Company Name: __________________________________________________________________

Brief Description of the Company’s Business Plan: -__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brief Description of the Industry: -__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Corporate Metrics:

Annual Revenues: ______________________________ Number of Employees: _________________

Annual Sales: __________________________________ Corporate HQ: _______________________

Market Share (if provided): ______________________Net Income: __________________________

Company Type: ___ Public ____ Government ____ Not-for-Profit ______ Association ___Private

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.2 (cont’d) Target Companies Worksheet

Key Executives and Position Titles:

CEO _________________________________________________________

CFO _________________________________________________________

President _____________________________________________________

CIO _________________________________________________________

CMO ________________________________________________________

COO ________________________________________________________

Other ________________________________________________________

Significant Develops/News (including Analyst’s Comments):

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.3 Networking Worksheet

Networking WorksheetCompany Name: ___________________________________________________

Name of Contact:___________________________________________________

Phone Number: ___________________ Cell Phone: ___________________

Email address: _________________________________________________

Mailing Address: _______________________________________________

Source of the Contact: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: ___________________ Cell Phone: ___________________

Email address: _________________________________________________

Mailing Address: _______________________________________________

Other (if a cold referral): _________________________________________

Additional Information about the Contact: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Schedule for Meeting/Calling Contact: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.4 Marketing Strategy & Tools Action Plan – Sample

Marketing Strategy & Tools Action PlanAction Tasks Timeframe (add

specific dates)Status (Notes/Dates)

Complete a Personal Assessment Review & Complete Module 1

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx – Completed

Identify your career goal and mission

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx - Completed

Review Assessment with CAN Coach

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx – Prepared and ready for review.

Finalize Assessment and goal

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx - Completed

Developing Your Marketing Tools Create a Master Resume (See Module 2)

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx - Reviewed draft with CAN Coach

xx/xx/xx – Finalized Master Resume

Create an Elevator Speech (See Module 3)

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx - Prepared and reviewed with CAN Coach

xx/xx/xx – Finalized Elevator Speech

Create a Branding Statement (See Module 3)

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx - Prepared and reviewed draft Statement

xx/xx/xx – Finalized Branding Statement

Get Personal Business Cards

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx – Completed

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Action Tasks Timeframe (add specific dates)

Status (Notes/Dates)

Identify & Research target companies – 2 per day. See Appendices 3.1 and 3.2

Monitor current events affecting your target companies and their industries. See Appendix 3.2.

Set up e-mails for corporate and industry developments. Stay abreast of current issues of interest. See Appendix 3.2.

Subscribe to trade journals and newspapers.

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx – Completed for 6 companies.

xx/xx/xx – Completed.

Identify contacts for each target company – 2 per day. See Appendix 3.3.

Connecting with your contacts or developing new contacts.

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx –Identified and contacted for companies 1 and 2.

xx/xx/xx –Completed

Post resume on target companies’ web sites (Master Resume should be tailored for each company and job opening) – 2 per day.Set up search agents and alerts at each target company – 2 per day.

To be completed by xx/xx/xx

xx/xx/xx –Completed

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.4a Marketing Strategy & Tools Action Plan – Blank

Marketing Strategy & Tools Action Plan

Action Tasks Timeframe (add specific dates)

Status (Notes/Dates)

Complete a Personal Assessment Review & Complete Module 1

Identify your career goal and mission

Review Assessment with CAN Coach

Finalize Assessment and goal

Developing Your Marketing Tools Create a Master Resume (See Module 2)

Create an Elevator Speech (See Module 3)

Create a Branding Statement (See Module 3)

Get Personal Business Cards

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Action Tasks Timeframe (add specific dates)

Status (Notes/Dates)

Identify & Research target companies – 2 per day.

Monitor current events affecting your target companies and their industries.

Set up e-mails for corporate and industry developments. Stay abreast of current issues of interest.

Subscribe to trade journals and newspapers.

Identify contacts for each target company – 2 per day.

Connecting with your contacts or developing new contacts.

Post resume on target companies’ web sites.

Set up search agents and alerts at each target company.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.5 Marketing Plan– Sample

Marketing Plan

Part A: Marketing Strategy and Tools Preparation

Date to complete Marketing Strategy and Tools Action Plan (Appendix 3.4)

End of (Month)

Date to complete Target Company Worksheet and Research (Appendices 3.1 and 3.2)

End of (Month)

Date to complete Networking Worksheet for Target Companies (Appendix 3.3)

End of (Month)

Date to establish job search agents for Targeted Companies

End of (Month)

Part B: Acting on Job Opportunities

Week: _________________________________ Hours Available for Job Search ___44____

Activity Date / Number of Hours

Measurable Goal Status

Review “Classified” Ads and e-mail alerts from job agents & job searches (Monday job leads)

Monday – 2 hours

Identify 2-4 opportunities

Match Position Requirements with Your Skill Sets for Monday job leads

Monday – 2 hours

Complete a Position Matching Worksheet for each opportunity

Research identified companies & Identify networking opportunities

Monday – 3 hours

Complete Appendices 3.2 and 3.3 for Monday identified job leads.

Participate in an organized Networking Session

Monday – 2 hours

Participate in X networking session.

Tailor resume & cover letter for each Monday job leads

Tuesday – 2 hours

Submit XX responses to Monday job leads.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Activity Date / Number of Hours

Measurable Goal Status

Reach out to identified Network contacts for Monday job leads

Tuesday – 2 hours

Scheduled XX informational calls and/or meetings with Contacts.

Check the job openings at your target companies (if you don’t already have a search agent/e-mail alert established (Tuesday job leads).

Tuesday – 2 hours

Identify 2 additional job leads.

Match Position Requirements with Your Skill Sets for Tuesday job leads

Tuesday – 2 hours

Complete a Position Matching Worksheet for Tuesday job leads.

Tailor resume & cover letter for each Tuesday job leads

Tuesday – 2 hours

Submit XX responses to Tuesday job leads.

Research identified companies & Identify networking opportunities for Tuesday job leads

Wednesday – 3 hours

Complete Appendices 3.2 and 3.3 for Tuesday identified job leads.

Prepare for scheduled job interviews, if applicable

Wednesday – 3 hours

Complete STAR worksheet (Appendix 2.4) and perform mock interview for scheduled

Participate informational interviews for Monday & Tuesday job leads and job interviews as scheduled

Wednesday – 3 hours

Complete Appendices 7.3 and 7.4 for Monday & Tuesday job leads.

Review e-mail alerts from job agents & job searches (Thursday job leads)

Thursday – 2 hours

Identify 2-4 opportunities

Match Position Requirements with Your Skill Sets for Thursday job leads

Thursday – 2 hours

Complete a Position Matching Worksheet for each Thursday job opportunity

Research identified companies & Identify networking opportunities

Thursday – 2 hours

Complete Appendices 3.2 and 3.3 for Thursday job leads.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Activity Date / Number of Hours

Measurable Goal Status

for Thursday job leads

Tailor resume & cover letter for each Thursday job leads

Thursday – 2 hours

Submit XX responses to job leads.

Prepare thank you letters for informational & job interviews and networking activities, as required

Friday – 3 hours

Prepare XX thank you’s.

Follow-Up on job leads from previous week’s job lead s

Friday – 3 hours

Make XX calls and/or e-mail contacts.

Schedule &/or Participate in informational interviews for Thursday job leads

Friday – 2 hours

Complete Appendices 7.3 and 7.4 for Thursday job leads.

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.5a Marketing Plan– Blank

Marketing Plan

Part A: Marketing Strategy and Tools Preparation

Date to complete Marketing Strategy and Tools Action Plan (Appendix 3.4)

Date to complete Target Company Worksheet and Research (Appendices 3.1 and 3.2)

Date to complete Networking Worksheet for Target Companies (Appendix 3.3)

Date to establish job search agents for Targeted Companies

Part B: Acting on Job Opportunities

Week: _________________________________ Hours Available for Job Search _______

Activity Date / Number of Hours

Measurable Goal Status

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Activity Date / Number of Hours

Measurable Goal Status

Appendices for Module 3: Page 14

Module 3 – Appendix 3.6 Sample Prospecting Letter

Sample Prospecting LetterYour NameYour Street Address, Apartment #Your City, State ZipYour Email AddressYour (h) Phone Number Your (f) Fax Number

Contact’s NameContact’s TitleContact’s DepartmentCompany NameCompany Street Address, Suite #Company City, State Zip

Dear Ms./Mr. Contact,

[XYZ Publication] reports that you have bid on a contract with the federal government for [xxxxx]. As a 25 year veteran of [xxxx], I could be a real asset to your company in implementing the contract when awarded.

As noted in my enclosed resume, I have [xxxxxxxxxx].

I will welcome the opportunity to discuss with you ways in which my expertise will contribute to your team’s continuing success. I will contact you next week and hope that we will be able to schedule a convenient time to speak. If you wish to contact me sooner, I am available at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Attachment

Appendices for Module 5: Page 5

Module 5 – Appendix 5.1 Job Matching Analysis - Sample

Job Requirements/Skills Matching Analysis

Cross Reference of Position Requirements to Candidate Qualifications

Description for Job # 08-1722 John Doe’s QualificationsAny combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, finance, psychology or a human services related field, plus seven years of progressive responsibility in management, building community coalitions, and community fund raising.

Bachelor’s degree from Drake University in Corporate Finance. Over twenty year’s progressive experience in management including as Manager, Vice President and COO. Hands on experience, from conception to execution, of two million dollar capital campaign.

Employment will be contingent upon the completion of a criminal background check to the satisfaction of employer.

Can provide phone numbers/email for references you wish to contact. Have held security clearances in the past.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 8+ years experience in foundation development;

In 1995 started and operated private 501(c) (3) family foundation. In 2002 worked with CBA board in developing a private foundation for purchasing conservation land.

a proven track record of securing foundation funding;

Have secured grants from USAID, Food for the Poor and other foundations for Rainbow House in Haiti. Member of a committee that developed and managed two million dollar capital campaign.

the ability to build effective collaborative relationships;

Known for ability to define goals held in common by participants and creating strategies and managing teams to successfully achieve.

excellent budgetary skills; Previous experience managing five million dollar annual budget.

Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including verbal and written; must be a self-starter and flexible;

Enjoy working in team environment and finding common goals. Comfortable in dynamic environment with changing priorities.

must be articulate and able to represent the county effectively both internally and externally;

Strong public speaking skills. Been asked to represent organization in for internal and external partners.

knowledge of issues facing the homeless community and passionate about our mission.

Past experience as General Partner owning 400 unit low income apartment complex. Work with groups to interact personally with homeless community, particularly at Christ House in Alexandria.

Manage, under the guidelines of state and local procurement law, all required contractual procurements necessary for the implementation of the plan to end homelessness.

Excellent knowledge of procurement law and best practices associated with acquisition process. Assisted in development and evaluation of proposal for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Have assisted in requirements analysis and proposal strategy plans for large federal agencies.

Appendices for Module 5: Page 5

Module 5 – Appendix 5.1a Job Matching Analysis - Sample

Cross Reference of Position Requirements to Candidate Qualifications

Description for Job __________________ Qualifications

Appendices for Module 5: Page 5

Module 5 – Appendix 5.2 Sample Cover Letter – 1 Your Name

Your Street Address, Apartment #Your City, State ZipYour Email Address

Your (h) Phone Number Your (f) Fax Number

Contact’s NameContact’s TitleContact’s DepartmentCompany NameCompany Street Address, Suite #Company City, State Zip

Dear Ms./Mr. Contact,

RE: Job Opening No. XXX

The first paragraph tells why you’re contacting the person, either mentions your connection with that person or tells where you read about the job. It also states quickly who you are. Next it wows them with your sincere, researched knowledge of their company. The goal: demonstrating that you are a worthy applicant, and enticing them to read further.

The second and third paragraph tell more about yourself, particularly why you’re an ideal match for the job by summarizing why you’re what they’re looking for. You may also clarify anything unclear on your resume.

The last paragraph is your goodbye; you thank the reader for his or her time. Include that you look forward to their reply and that you will give them a time when you’ll be getting in contact by phone.

Sincerely.

Attachment

(found on:Vault.com)

Appendices for Module 5: Page 5

Module 5 – Appendix 5.2 Sample Cover Letter – 2

NAMEADDRESSADDRESS

CITY, STATEPHONE NUMBEREMAIL ADDRESS

[date]

Dear [_____]:

RE: Job Position #xxxx

I am forwarding a copy of my résumé to you for your review and consideration in response to your advertisement for a [Position Title] in [Where Saw Ad].

In your ad, you were looking for someone who has 5 plus years paralegal experience in a corporate legal dept., good oral and written communication skills, good research skills, strong organizational skills, and the ability to interface well with co-workers.

During my 12 years as a Paralegal, I have worked in corporate legal departments and law firms and acquired excellent skills to assist attorneys and others with a variety of legal matters. I have excellent oral and written communication skills and am very skilled at extracting and digesting pertinent information for use in preparing documents for attorney review, all of which meets or exceeds the qualifications in your ad. I am a team player who is very familiar with working in law firms who appreciate creative, can-do individuals, which I truly am.

I am a very conscientious worker with outstanding organizational and follow-through skills and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. I am self-motivated, display good judgment and am able to effectively handle the unexpected. My skills and experience will be a very positive benefit to your company.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I look forward to hearing from you soon to discuss my background and qualifications in more detail. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Attachment

(found on:Vault.com)

Appendices for Module 5: Page 5

Module 5 – Appendix 5.2 Sample Cover Letter – 3

September 18, 2001

TitleCompanyAddressCity, ST nnnnn-nnnn

Dear Mr. XXXXXX:

RE: Job Number XXXX

In response to your September 17th ad for a ______ in the Washington Post. You will note in the attached resume that I possess all of these skills required and more. To directly respond to the advertisement, I have listed some of my qualifications to parallel your stated requirements:

Requirements My Qualifications:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

As requested, my salary history is within the scope related to my previous experience. Considering the position and skills required, I believe a salary in the mid 50's and variable options for compensation is appropriate.

My enclosed resume is for your review. I will contact you in follow up to this submission early next week, however should you need to contact before then, my phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. I look forward to speaking with you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Attachment

(found on:Vault.com)

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.1 Sample Interview Questions

Sample Questions – Job Interview

Employers may ask you the following:

Tell me about yourself. (This often is the first question/ “stress interview.”) Do you consider yourself a leader or a follower? Describe your perfect job. Why do you want to work for us? What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives, when and why did you

establish these goals, and how are your preparing yourself to achieve them? What goals, other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself

for the next ten years? What do you see yourself doing five years from now? What do you really want to do in life? What are the most important rewards you expect in your career? What do you expect to be earning in five years? Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing? Which is more important to you—the money or the type of job? Why? What motivates

you? What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses? Give examples. How would you describe yourself? How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you? What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort? How has your education/experience prepared you for a career in ______________? Why should I hire you? What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful in

___________ (your field)? How do you determine or evaluate success? What do you think it takes to be successful in an organization like ours? In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization? What qualities should a successful ______________ (manager, teacher, etc.) possess? Describe the relationship that should exist between a supervisor and those reporting to

him or her. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why? Describe your most rewarding professional experience. If you were hiring someone for this position, what qualities would you look for? Why did you select this company? What led you to choose your field?

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.1 cont’d Sample Interview Questions

Sample Questions – Job Interview

What areas of your previous position did you like best? Why? What areas of your previous position did you like least? Why? If you could do so, how would you plan your career differently? Why? What changes would you make in your present company? Why? Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree? What have you learned from participation in volunteer activities? In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable? How do you work under pressure? In what part-time or full-time jobs have you been most interested? Why? How would you describe the ideal job for you? Why did you decide to seek this position? What do you know about our company? What two or three things are most important to you in your job?

Behavioral Interview - Sample Questions Describe a time when you had to motivate a person who was experiencing difficulty in

their work environment. What action did you take? Tell me about a time you provided excellent customer service. What did you do? Give an example of when you had to communicate an unpopular decision. How did you

handle it? Tell me about the most stressful day you had in the last six months and how you dealt

with it. What made it stressful for you? Think about a time you arrived at work expecting to do certain projects but instead were

given new projects and had to drop everything to work on them. What steps did you follow to organize and prioritize?

Describe a time when you addressed a difficult situation with a co-worker. What was the outcome?

Give an example of a time you were not satisfied with a procedure, policy or process. What did you do? What was the outcome? Tell me about a time you were proud of your decision-making skills. Pick a technical problem you had to solve, give the details involved in it, and tell me about what you did to create the solution to that problem.

Give an example from your current job that would reflect on your ability to deal with pressure.

Describe a situation in your job that has successfully tapped into your creative skills. Be specific.

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.1 cont’d Sample Interview Questions

Sample Questions – Job Interview

Frequently Asked Interview Questions What exactly do you want from us? (also known as describe your job.) Why did you leave your last job? What's your best accomplishment? (Tell me about the highlight of your career.) What are you good at? (What are your strengths? What's your strong suit? Sell yourself.) What's wrong with you? (What are your weaknesses? What's the one thing about yourself

that you would improve? What's the one piece of advice you wish you had coming into your last job?)

Describe a time you failed. Will you get along with your potential boss?

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.2 Questions To Ask the Interviewer

Questions for the Interviewer

About the Job and the Company: What will be the scope of my responsibilities? Where does this job fit in the overall organization? What qualifications are important for this position? What will it take in this position to be successful? What are the future growth plans for the company and what role will this job have in

those plans? What are the immediate job priorities? May I see a job description?

About the Boss, Peers and Subordinates: Who does this position report to? How many other direct reports are there to this

position? Can you tell me a little about them? Who will be my peers? Can you tell me about them? May I meet them at some point? What is the management style of my boss? How do you like to receive communication?

Closing the Interview: What can I do to further convince you that I am the ideal candidate for this position? When do you expect to make your decision? How many candidates are there? How do my qualifications fit the job? What is my/our next step?

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.3 Requesting an Informational Interview

Making the Phone Call for an Informational Interview

Below is a sample script for making a phone call to request an information interview:

Hello Mr./Mrs. ________. My name is ________. I am a ________ professional and am interested in the field of ________. ________ suggested you as someone to contact for expert information and advice. I would love to schedule lunch (or an appointment) with you, at your convenience, so that I might better understand this profession.

When scheduling the appointment, be sure to set a specific time and place to meet.

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.4 Sample Informational Interview Questions

Sample Questions – Informational Interviews

Consider asking the following:

What is a typical day like here? What do you actually do? What are the most interesting aspects of your job? What do you especially enjoy about your work? What are some of the difficulties and frustrations of your work? What are the characteristics of successful people in your organization? What are some of the important factors that have contributed to your success? What were the jobs that you had which led to this one? What skills are most important to be competent in this field? What degrees and/or training are necessary for this kind of work? What types of training do companies give to persons entering this field? What courses or field experiences would be beneficial to prepare for this field? Is there a present demand for people in this field? In the next two to three years? How stable is the job market in this field? Is government funding a major factor? Do you see new types of positions developing? How mobile and flexible can one be in this occupation? Location? Hours? What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field? Do you have information on job specifications and descriptions that I may have? What sources of literature would you recommend to learn more about this profession? What professional organizations would you recommend? Should I join them now? Are you doing what you thought you would be when you started? Are there other individuals who might talk with me and provide further information?

May I use your name?

Appendices for Module 7: Page 7

Module 7 – Appendix 7.5 Sample Thank You Letter1

(Date)

(Your address)

(Person’s name)(Person’s title)(Company name)(Company address)

Dear (Name):

Thank you for the time you spent with me on (date/date) describing the activities of the (section) and your requirements for additional staff.

I am enthusiastic about the prospects of working for (company name) and believe my experience is relevant to your needs, especially my most recent work as a (position) with (company name). I have enclosed a copy of (any supporting documents) that I developed for (whomever). From this, you can see (general details).

Please contact me if you want more information about my education or experience. (If appropriate) I will be out of town between (dates), but otherwise you can reach me at the telephone numbers I gave you at our meeting. I look forward to being in touch.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

(Your typed name)

Enclosure

1 From the Fairfax Job Service Professional Resource Center

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Module 8 – Appendix 8.1 Salary Negotiation Items to Consider

Salary Negotiation Items to Consider

Item Present Company Offer

Salary    

Bonus Yearly/QuarterlyMaximum/Minimum

   

Deferred Compensation

Frequency of Salary Reviews

Sales Commissions

Stock Options/Profit Sharing    

Christmas Bonus    

Sign-on Bonus    

Relocation Package – now and in the future    

Criteria or objectives bonus is based on    

401K benefits    

Retirement Package    

Travel %    

How many states/cities    

Telecommute/Office    

Flex time/scheduled hours    

Car: Total coverage or allowance    

Car insurance    

Car repair    

Gas for car    

Frequency of car turnover    

Health Insurance: Total coverage or %Who's covered (stepchildren, college age)

   

Medications coverage    

Mental Health coverage    

% if surgery    

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Item Present Company Offer

% of family physician    

Out of network benefits    

Employee Assistance Programs    

Eye Care    

Orthodontia    

Dental    

Life Insurance    

Disability Insurance    

Severance Package    

Vacation: Number of days    

Holidays: in vacation or in addition to    

Personal days    

Bereavement days    

Sabbaticals

Leaves of Absence

Sick days    

Supplemental vacation    

Compensation for unused days    

Medical leave    

Conference days and costs    

Can vacation accrue    

Limit of vacation accrual    

Limit of expense account    

Is staying within expense account tied to bonus structure

   

Corporate credit/debit card    

How are expenses reimbursed    

What is/not covered on expense account    

Education reimbursement    

Tuition reimbursement    

Training and development

University tuition grant for dependent    

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Item Present Company Offer

children

Air travel - first class    

Keep mileage points    

Company paid airline VIP lounge    

Country club    

Golf/tennis/health club    

Luncheon clubs    

Company operated country or sports clubs, gym

   

Facilities available to family    

Certification or license cost reimbursement    

Continuing education    

Availability of in-town company courtesy apartments

   

Company paid financial planning    

Company paid for legal    

Company provided or paid for parking    

Toll/metro fees    

Available child care    

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Module 8 – Appendix 8.2 Salary Negotiation Role Play

Salary Negotiation Role Play

Let’s wait statements:

1. Soften your “Let’s wait” statements with introductory phrases like: “Discussing salary is always awkward for me, so….” “I know you must be eager to know my requirements, but…” “Could I say something about that?” “When we discuss money up front, I get worried I’ll be screened out or boxed in, so,

could we….”2. Use questions to find out what’s so important about knowing your salary requirements.

Or

3. Give up. Reveal your salary up front. That will end a tug of war. You always have that option available. WE DON’T RECOMMEND IT!

Present salary statements:

1. “I’m paid very fairly for my responsibilities in my present job, and I expect a fair salary with respect to my responsibilities here.”

2. “Let’s keep talking to make sure I’m the one you want.” or If an offer has been made: “What did you have in mind?”

“I notice we’re back on salary again. May I ask you a question?” The employer says okay. “Are you wondering if you can afford me? Or, do you just need it for an application? Or, something else?”

“I notice we’ve come back to salary. I’d like you to know that I’d be glad to talk about money, and even share my tax return with you at some point if it’s important, but could we take a moment to talk about why we need to discuss it now?”

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Module 8 – Appendix 8.2 Salary Negotiation Role Play

Salary Negotiation Role Play3. “Maybe you’ve noticed by now that it’s a clear principle of mine never to discuss salary up

front. If we’re going to work together, we’ll have to respect each other’s principles, won’t we? So, let’s see how I can help you make (or save) money.”

4. “I’m sure we can come to a good salary agreement when the time comes.”

5. “Don’t worry about salary. I know I need to make you more than I cost. Let’s make sure the fit is right.”

6. “Look, if salary is all you’re worried about, there’s no problem! When I’ve hired people myself, salary has been just the finishing touch to the person who can really play for the team. Let’s talk about it when we’re sure I’m the player you’re after.”

7. “Well, compensation is about number three on my priorities list right now. Number one is whether I’m right for the job and what I can produce for you.”

8. “When asked, “What did you make there?” Smile and say, “A lot!” Pause. “Probably more than I’d make here, but don’t worry, salary isn’t my main concern.”

What Salary Do You Want? What Salary Will It Take to Bring You On Board? -- Questions and Answers

1. I’m sure you have a figure in mind, what have you budgeted for the position? (What type of salary do you have budgeted for this position – makes it sound like another business transaction.)

2. I believe, and I’m sure you agree, that salary should be based on the responsibilities of the position and what that person can contribute. I would like to learn more about the responsibilities of the position so I can discuss better what this job is worth. What do you see the job being worth based on the responsibilities you know of the job?

3. Salary is not the most important thing to me. Quality of company and the responsibilities of the position are very important to me. It is more important to me to be sure the position is a right match for my skills and interests. Stress that you are looking to make a long term commitment in a company and a career and to find that optimal niche you are willing to be somewhat flexible if necessary regarding compensation.

4. Compensation is an important issue, however, my goal is to pursue positions that will allow me to maximize my strengths and solve significant challenges within an organization. A strong fit between my skills and the company needs. When that happens, I’m sure the compensation will fall into place.

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Module 8 – Appendix 8.2 cont’d Salary Negotiation Role Play

Salary Negotiation Role Play5. I hesitate to disclose compensation figures because the position we are discussing contains

elements that differ from my most recent position. We may be wrongly comparing apples and oranges, size of organization, location of company, and the cost of living in the location. The goal is to arrive at a salary level that reflects the breadth of the responsibility of the position.

6. Perhaps it is too early to discuss salary. Let’s see if I’m what you need and if your company is what I am looking for. Could we discuss salary a little later?

7. I’m sure we can come to a salary agreement if we both agree I am the right person for this job. So, let’s agree to table salary until later. (Redirect conversation with a question regarding skill, responsibilities, e.g., “Are you saying that __________________ experience is needed for the position, etc?”)

8. Let’s see how I can make you money or save you money and then I’m sure you will be willing to make an investment in me that we can both agree to.

9. I won’t require any salary outside the industry market. This could throw us off focus on important issues of what I can do. Let’s discuss salary later.

10. An employee’s worth is measured by his or her contribution to an employer. I expect to contribute and be paid a salary commensurate with that contribution. I would not have come to this interview or be interested in your first rate company if I had not felt you would be fair and the range you pay would not fit me.

11. Frankly salary is not so much a concern to me as knowing if I can meet your needs. If I understand you correctly, you need _________________ to do this job. Is that right?

12. I am pleased that you are prepared to discuss money at this point. What is the salary range for this position?

13. Well, I am sure that you have something fair and reasonable in mind. May I ask you what you have budgeted for the position?

14. If forced to respond: I understand the market is $_________ to $___________ range. (When you do state a range for yourself, you must then state why you believe you are worth what you want. Negotiate from a position of strength and not greed!) What range are you thinking for this position?

15. For my part I am interested in finding the position that has the challenge, growth possibilities, and people I enjoy working with. So far this position seems to have it all, commitment, the people, and my role in contributing to the goals of the company. While money is important, I am not locked into a set figure. However, since you have brought the subject up, what kind of range did you have in mind for this position?

Appendices for Module 8: Page 7

Module 8 – Appendix 8.3 Sample Letter Rejecting an Offer2

Sample Letter Rejecting an Offer

(Date)

(Your Address)

(Person’s name)(Person’s title) (Company name)(Company address)

Dear (Name):

Thank you for the time you have spent considering me for the position of (position title) with your company. (If appropriate) I also want to express my appreciation for the efforts of (identify anyone else) who gave me so much of their time.

I have just made a very difficult decision in determining the company that represents the best fit to achieve my career goals. I have been quite fortunate in having a choice of several outstanding opportunities.

After much deliberation, I must respectfully decline the invitation to join your company. I feel that another offer better matches my qualifications and interest at this stage of my career. However, I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to consider your outstanding professional operation and wish you much success in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

(Your typed name)

2 From the Fairfax Job Service Professional Resource Center