Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education InternationalChapter 18 - 1 Building Careers and Writing Résumés

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education International Chapter 18 - 1

Building Careers and Building Careers and Writing RWriting Résumésésumés


Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Describe the approach most employers take

to find new employees

• Explain the importance of networking in your

career search

• Discuss how to choose the appropriate

résumé organization and list advantages and

disadvantages of the three common options


Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• List the major sections of a traditional

résumé

• Identify six formats in which you can

produce a résumé

• Describe what you should do to adapt your

résumé to a scannable format


Securing Employment in Securing Employment in Today’s Job MarketToday’s Job Market

• Understanding employer’s approach

• Organizing your approach


The Job Search ProcessThe Job Search Process

1. Build toward a career

2. Prepare the résumé

3. Understand the interview process

4. Prepare for the interview

5. Complete the interview

6. Follow up and accept the offer


How Employers How Employers Approach the Recruiting Approach the Recruiting

ProcessProcess• Look inside the company

• Networking and personal references

• Employment agency or search firm

• Unsolicited résumés

• Solicited résumés via advertising


Organizing Your Organizing Your ApproachApproach

• Monitor business news

• Researching specific firms

• Building a network

• Seeking career counseling


Three-Step RThree-Step Résumé ésumé ProcessProcess

Writing CompletingPlanning

Analyze Situation

Gather Information

Select Medium

Get Organized

Revise Résumé

Produce Résumé

Proofread Résumé

Distribute Résumé

Adapt to the Audience

Composethe Message


Planning Your RésuméPlanning Your Résumé

• The “Story of You”

– Audience and purpose

– Relevant information

– The best medium

– Organization


Analyze Audience and Analyze Audience and PurposePurpose

• The résumé

– Target company

– Hiring manager


Gather InformationGather Information

• Employment history

• Education background

• Personal Experience


Choose the MediumChoose the Medium

• Word document

• Plain-text

• PowerPoint

• Multimedia

• Plain paper


Organize the ROrganize the Résuméésumé

• Think in terms of results

• Know how to get things done

• Well rounded

• Career progress and development

• Standards of excellence

• Flexible and willing to try new things

• Communicate effectively


““Red Flags” for Red Flags” for EmployersEmployers

• Frequent job changes

• Gaps in work history

• Inexperience or over-qualification

• Long-term with one company

• For-cause job termination

• Criminal or arrest record


Typical RTypical Résumé Formatsésumé Formats

• Chronological

• Functional

• Combination


Writing Your RWriting Your Résuméésumé

• Respect your résumé

• Take your time

• Review good models

• Minimize frustration


Keep the RKeep the Résumé Honestésumé Honest

• Workplace references

• Background checks

• Credit histories


Adapting to the Adapting to the AudienceAudience

• Consider the employer’s perspective

• Link accomplishments to potential

• Translate skills and experience

• Clarify educational achievements


Composing Your RComposing Your Résuméésumé

• Contact information

• Introductory statement

• Educational background

• Employment history

• Activities and achievements

• Relevant personal data


Completing Your RCompleting Your Résuméésumé

• Revising

• Producing

• Proofreading


Common Résumé Common Résumé ProblemsProblems

• Length issues

• Amateurish

• Writing problems

• Generic quality

• Hard to read

• Poorly produced

• Boastful tone

• Gimmicky design


Producing Your RProducing Your Résuméésumé

• Printed traditional résumé

• Printed scannable résumé

• Electronic plain text file

• MS Word file

• HTML format

• Electronic PDF file


Traditional Printed Traditional Printed RRésuméésumé

• High-quality paper

• Professional image


Printed Scannable Printed Scannable RRésuméésumé

• OCR software

• Résumé length

• Keyword summary


Digital RDigital Résumé Formatsésumé Formats

• Plain text file

• MS Word file

• HTML version

• PDF format


Proofreading the Proofreading the RRésuméésumé

• Headings and lists

• Grammar and punctuation

• Spelling and word choice

• Paper and digital formats


Distributing Your Distributing Your RRésuméésumé

• Postal mail

• Fax machine

• Email


Posting RPosting Résumés Onlineésumés Online

• Personal e-portfolio

• Personal website

• Social networking

• General job sites

• Specialized websites

• Staffing services

Documents

Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education InternationalChapter 18 - 1 Building Careers and Writing Résumés