Job Acquisition

Your Job Search

Analyze your personal and career goals.

Analyze your qualifications.
Analyze the job market.
Research specific organizations.

 Analyze Your Personal and

Career Goals
Thinking about your personal goals will clarify
what is important to you.
Clarifying what you want from a career will
guide you in your job search.

 Analyze Your Qualifications

Create a file as a basis for your portfolio.
Include:

Academic transcripts
Letters of recommendation
Previous resumes and job application forms
Awards, test scores, and diplomas
A list of ten skills, abilities, and
accomplishments that make you marketable

(continued)

 Analyze Your Qualifications (continued)

Concentrate on your qualifications in these
areas:

Work experience
Education
Achievements and activities
Special skills and personal traits

 Analyze the Job Market

Identify job openings

School placement offices

Personal contacts
Newspapers and professional publications
Internet
Employment agencies
Temp agencies
Internships
Libraries

 Research Specific Organizations

Conduct your research.
Organize your research:

Company identification
Company classification
Company activities
Company size
Location of facilities

Writing Your Resume

Use at least 1-inch margins on all sides.
Print on high-quality, 20-lb. bond paper with
matching envelopes.
Use headings, boldface print, different font
sizes, underscores, listings with bullets, or
capitalization to emphasize your
qualifications.
Limit your resume to one page.
(continued)

Writing Your Resume

(continued)

Format your resume attractively on the page,

using white space effectively.
Use parallel structure in headings and listings.
Never use the pronoun I as the first word of
a sentence.
Correct all spelling, grammar, and
punctuation errors.

Organizing Your Resume

Reverse Chronological Order

Functional Order

Preparing your Resume

Heading
Includes your name, address, day and night
telephone numbers, and e-mail address

Job Objective
Omitted if you are unsure of what the employer
is seeking

Special Qualifications
Condensed statement of your qualifications

(continued)

Preparing your Resume

(continued)

Work Experience

Describes all work experience you have that

relates to the job you are seeking
Can be presented in functional order, by date,
by company, or by job title

Education

Includes a list of each school, the degree or

certificate earned, the major area of study, and
completion dates
(continued)

Preparing your Resume

(continued)

Activities, Interests, and Achievements

A list of activities that reflect skills in
leadership, public speaking or organizational
ability, and a positive attitude

Personal Information
Used only if it will help you get the job

References
Optional part placed on a separate page

Creating Electronic Resumes

Scannable resumes

On-line resumes

Application Letter Types

Solicited letter of application
Written to apply for a specific job opening that
has been announced or advertised

Unsolicited letter of application

Written to apply for a position that has not been
advertised or announced and may or may not
be open

Application Letter Parts

Opening paragraph
Opening for solicited letter
Opening for unsolicited letter

Body paragraphs
Closing paragraph

Opening Paragraph
Captures the readers attention so that your
letter will be read.
Includes this information:

Indication that you are applying for a position

Name of the position for which you are applying
How you learned of the opening (solicited)
Your abilities (unsolicited)

Body Paragraphs
Convince the employer that you are right for
the job.
Interpret your resume facts for the reader.
When responding to a published job opening,
explain how your qualifications meet those
mentioned in the advertisement.
(continued)

Body Paragraphs

(continued)

If you have little work experience, concentrate

on qualifications such as your education,
related activities and honors, ability to learn
quickly, or enthusiasm.
Explain any information in your resume that
may raise questions or cause a negative
reaction.

Closing Paragraph
Use the closing paragraph to lead up to a
request for an interview.
Make it easy for the employer to contact you
by again including your telephone number.
Modify your closing if contacting you would
be difficult or if you are applying to a company
located far away.

Application Forms
An application form is a standardized data
sheet that a company uses to compare the
qualifications of applicants.
Fill out a sample application form for practice.

The Purpose of a Job Interview

Employers determine if applicants are qualified
for the position and if they are a good fit for the
company.
Applicants determine if they want to work for a
particular company through observations and
questions.

Preparing for the Job Interview

Investigate the company and the job.

Anticipate questions.
Prepare questions to ask.
Practice for the interview.
Bring appropriate information.
Dress for the interview.
Arrive on time.

The Interview: Nonverbal Skills

Carry yourself confidently.
Keep a pleasant, interested expression on your
face during the interview.
Keep your gestures natural.
Maintain eye contact with the interviewer.

The Interview: Listening Skills

Concentrate on what the interviewer is saying.
Look at the interviewer.
Be observant of the interviewers body language.
Listen eagerly by providing feedback.
Prepare to respond to important points after the
interviewer has finished.

Interview Questions
Opening questions are intended to put you at
ease.
Convince interviewer that you are the best
person for job; talk about your
accomplishments and abilities.
Remember employers cannot discriminate on
the basis of factors unrelated to job
performance.

The Follow-up Letter

Write within two days after the interview.
Thank the interviewer for the interview.
If you are sure you want the job, indicate your
interest and ask for a decision.
Organize the letter as a goodwill message.