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©2007 by the McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

15

Creating a Career and Designing Résumés

©2007 by the McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

McGraw­Hill/Irwin

Creating a Career

Creating a career means selecting the right field and matching your skills to the job you want and will enjoy.

© Brand X Pictures/PunchStock

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A Career-Finding Strategy

• Examine Your Professional Goals and

Interests

• Find Out More

◦

business professional means to spend time watching him or her perform in the work environment

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 Shadowing

A Career-Finding Strategy

• Find Out More (continued)

 Visit the campus career counseling center or

placement office.

 Check out employment planning and job listing

websites on the Internet.

 Network with professionals in the fields that

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interest you.

A Career-Finding Strategy

• Find Out More (continued)

 Take a part-time or freelance job in the field.

 Read trade journals.

 Review classified ads in newspapers.

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 Write exploratory letters to companies.

A Career-Finding Strategy

• Create a Professional Inventory of Skills

and Abilities

◊ oral and written communication

◊ second languages

◊ problem solving

• Take a Temporary Job

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◊ computer proficiency

Designing Your Résumé

 Résumé

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◦ a written marketing tool that briefly summarizes your skills, abilities, education, and experience for a potential employer

Résumé Formats

  Chronological Résumé

◦ a traditional format organized by positions

  Functional Résumé

held, starting with the most recent

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◦ presents relevant skills and achievements in categories rather than under job titles. It does not require dates of employment or titles.

Résumé Formats

  Targeted Résumé

◦ a customized format tailored to a precise

  Integrated Résumé

career field or job. It contains only the content that applies to a set of job requirements.

  Scannable Résumé

◦ includes aspects of all the other formats

◦

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formatted in plain text for electronic scanning systems

Résumé Formats

TABLE 15.1 Scannable Words

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Sample Résumés

FIGURE 15.1 Chronological Résumé Format

Indicate date that degree will be completed.

List courses related to the position you are seeking.

Use bullets to identify accomplishments.

Capabilities demonstrate skills you want to highlight.

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Boldface job titles and bullet major duties.

Use dates to indicate

time spent in

positions.

Sample Résumés

FIGURE 15.2 Functional Résumé Format

List courses that demonstrate competence in the field where you are seeking employment.

Group career and other experiences into categories that emphasize relevant skills and strengths.

Downplay scant work history by placing it at the end of your résumé.

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Sample Résumés

FIGURE 15.3 Targeted Résumé Format

List academic activities that are tailored to the field.

Use a special heading to highlight work experience that matches the job or field.

Limit experience listed to a specific job or career field.

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Other related academic activities and skills can be listed at the end of your

résumé.

Sample Résumés

FIGURE 15.4 Integrated Résumé Format

Bullet information in categories.

Group related experience and skills in categories.

List job experience from most recent first as you would using a chronological format.

Separate responsibilities and accomplishments for each position.

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Place your education at the end of the résumé if it is not directly applicable to the position or if your

experience is stronger.

Sample Résumés

FIGURE 15.5 Scannable Résumé Format

Use key words that match the job description or listing.

Use a single- rather than a two- column format.

Use asterisks or hyphens rather than bullets for lists.

Use white space so scanner can identify and read separate categories.

If you indent, use the space bar rather than tabs.

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Avoid the use of bold, italic, or underlining when formatting the résumé.

Résumé Ingredients

  Identification

◦ a heading centered on top of the first page of a résumé that includes your full name, home address, telephone number, and e-mail address

  Education

◦

includes academic degrees earned, major field of study, date your degree was completed or anticipated, and your grade point average (GPA)

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Résumé Ingredients

  Accomplishments

◦ something you have achieved or produced by

  Capabilities

using your talent and skills

◦

  Professional experience

the abilities you possess, such as communication skills, computer proficiency, and second languages

◦

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full-time, parttime, volunteer, internship, and self-employment experience

Résumé Ingredients

TABLE 15.2 Action Verbs

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Résumé Ingredients

  References

◦ people who know you personally, your work, and your talents and who will recommend you for employment

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Résumé Ingredients

• The Problems with Résumés

 does not identify accomplishments or

achievements

 contains falsehoods & lies

 is long & wordy

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 exceeds the need to know

Résumé Ingredients

• The Problems with Résumés (continued)

 is scattered, jumbled, & hodgepodge

 contains typos, poor grammar, & misspellings

 uses “I,” “me,” & “my”

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 shows obvious employment gaps

Designing Cover Letters

 Cover letter

◦ brief and persuasive application document that

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accompanies your résumé

Designing Cover Letters

• What Cover Letters Accomplish

 Distinguish from other applicants

 Illustrate knowledge of and interest in company

 Identify how key skills and work experience can benefit the company and meet the requirements of the job

 Demonstrate ability to express self as a

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business communicator

Designing Cover Letters

• Writing the Cover Letter

• Steps to Writing Cover Letters

1. one page letter; printed on same paper as résumé

2. direct to specific person not “Dear Sir” or “Director”

3.

in opening, emphasize letter’s purpose

4. build interest in body of letter highlighting qualifications

5.

last paragraph motivates action and makes contacting you easy

6.

thoroughly proofread your cover letter

7. remember to sign your cover letter (in ink)

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Designing Cover Letters

• Types of Cover Letters

◦

sent in reply to requests for résumés involving open positions

 Solicited applications

◦

involves selecting a company and preparing a letter to request an informational meeting

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 Exploring opportunities

Designing Cover Letters

FIGURE 15.6 Sample Solicited Cover Letter

First paragraph identifies how you learned about the position and states that you are applying for the job.

Duties and skills that match the job description can be bulleted.

A proactive closing paragraph indicates that you will be following up to gain an interview.

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Designing Cover Letters

FIGURE 15.7 Sample Exploring Opportunities Cover Letter

First paragraph demonstrates knowledge of the company.

Bullets highlight the most applicable qualities listed in the résumé.

The close mentions résumé and initiates follow-up.

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Finding a Job

 Networking

◦

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identifying and contacting people you know who can help you find a job or who may refer you to someone who can help

Finding a Job

Network

 Make an employers list

 Write exploratory letters to companies on your list

 Attend job fairs

 Search the Internet

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 Websites for job listings and job fairs

Questions

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