Chapter 9

Strategies in the
Job-Search Process
 Learning Objectives
 You will be able to conduct an effective job search; compose
effective cover message, resumes, and follow-ups; and prepare for
interviews.
 Develop and use a network of contacts in your job search.
 Assemble and evaluate information that will help you to select a job.
 Identify the sources that can lead you to an employer.
 Compile print and digital resumes that are strong, complete, and
organized.
 Write targeted cover letters that skillfully sell your abilities.
 Explain how you can participate effectively in an interview.
 Write application follow-up messages that are appropriate, friendly,
and positive.
 Maintain your job-search activities.
 The Job Search
 Begin the search by building a network of contacts
in this way:
 Broaden your circle of friends
 Know your professor

 Meet executives

 Make contacts through internships

 Work with community organizations (charities, fund-

raising groups, etc.)
The Job Search
 Identifying Appropriate Jobs
 To find the right job, you need to investigate both
internal and external factors.
 The best fit occurs when you have carefully looked
at yourself: your education, personal qualities,
experience, and any special qualifications.
 These internal qualities need to be analyzed in
light of the external factors. Some of these factors
may include the current and projected job market,
economic needs, location preferences, and family
needs.
Career Fair
 Analysing Yourself
7

 Begin with a self-analysis covering these background

areas:
(1) Education: For specialized curricula, the career path is clear
such as accounting, finance, marketing or information systems.
You must look at the quality of your educational reports
(grades).
(2) Personal Qualities: communication skills, leadership, etc.)
(3) Work Experience
(4) Special Qualities: language, etc.
 Building Your Resume
8

 When employers receive a resume, they expect to

see specific blocks of information, including your
name, address, phone number, education, and work
experience.
 Some resumes also mention job objectives,
community and professional activities, and
employment references.
 Building Your Resume
9

 Name, Address, and Phone Number: Open your

resume with your name, address, and phone number.
 This information identifies you and gives employers a
way to reach you if they are interested in your
qualifications.
 Place this information at the top of the first page.
 There is no need to identify your resume with a label
like “Resume”, “Qualifications in Brief”, “Curriculum
Vitae”, etc.
 Building Your Resume
10

 Job Objective: The next heading is often

“Objective”, which reflects the job target. For
instance:
 Objective: Production editor for print media.
 Objective: Entry-level compensation and benefits
administrator.
 Objective: Credit manager in a retail firm.

This information helps prospective employers pinpoint a

slot into which you might fit.
 Building Your Resume
11

 Education: The skills and abilities that you have acquired, major
career-related courses and projects, grades and awards, and
extracurricular activities all point to your ability to achieve results.
 Your resume should tie your accomplishments to job objectives.
 Include the names and locations of all the higher-education
institutions that you have attended, the dates you attended and the
degrees you received.
 Mention awards, special projects, and grades if they are job-
related or show distinctive personal qualities.
 Building Your Resume
12

 Work Experience: Your resume also lists your

previous work experience.
 Be sure to include part-time and summer jobs,
especially those that are related to the kind of
work you want to do.
 Community and Professional Activities: You may also
decide to mention community and professional
activities tied to your job target, e.g. fund raising.
 Building Your Resume
13

 References: It is a list of people whom an employer may call to

learn about your ability, character, and background.
 References may be previous employers, college professors,
community leaders, or even well-known or influential friends.
 Many resumes include a standard tag line like “References available
upon request”.
 When employers request references, give the names, titles,
organizations, addresses, and phone numbers of all references.
 Before including people on your personal-reference list, be sure to
tell them about your intention and ask permission.
 Choosing an Effective Layout
14

 If possible, limit your resume to one page.

 Use plenty of white space: to produce a feeling of openness and
readability, you should use one-inch margins and also double-space
between major sections.
 Use upper-case letters: Type headings and important titles in UPPER-CASE
letters.
 Use underlining and bullets effectively. Underline results or accomplishments
you want to emphasize. Punctuate specific accomplishments with bullets.
 Produce a perfect final copy: Crossing or whiting out mistakes is
unacceptable on a resume. To eliminate spelling, grammar, and punctuation
errors, draft your resume on a word processor and proofread the final copy
several times.
 Print your resume on high-quality paper.
 Preparing a Cover Letter
15

 With each resume send a cover letter --- written correspondence to

a prospective employer aimed at convincing the employer to grant
an interview.
 Cover letter, in other words, are sales letters intended to sell your
value.
 The best cover letters are written from the employer’s perspective.
When they have jobs to fill, employers are looking for people who
will help them once they have been hired.
 You should tailor each letter to the unique requirements of the job,
the company, and the industry.
 The Elements of an Effective Cover
16
Letter
 Effective cover letters include no more than four or five paragraphs.
 Each paragraph has a purpose as a selling tool.
 Introductory paragraph: Open your letter with attention-getter ----
a statement that convinces the employer to read on. Create interest.
 You might begin by naming a person either within or outside the
company whom the employer knows, by citing specific knowledge of
the company’s business, or by using a compliment.
 The last sentence of your introduction should state directly your
interest in employment with your reader’s company.
 The Elements of an Effective Cover
17
Letter
 Use Contacts: The best way to stand out from the crowd
is to mention a personal contact ---- a professional
colleague, a friend, or a relative ---- whose name the
reader will immediately recognize. For example, “
Albert White, an employee in your accounting
department, told me about an entry level position at
your company…..”. Or, “Andrea Swain, a close family
friend, suggested that I contact you about a position…”
 The Elements of an Effective Cover
18
Letter
 Cite knowledge of company business: This
comes from research ---- from reading local
papers and national publications.
 Compliment the company: Example,”Ever since I
began studying advertising in college, I have
been impressed by the work of Dreamworks
Ltd….”
 The Elements of an Effective Cover
19
Letter
 Middle-paragraph # 1: Sell your value. Answer,
“How will hiring this person help me do my work
and improve company profits?”
 Sell your value through results ---- the achievements
in school or workplace.
 The Elements of an Effective Cover
20
Letter
Middle paragraph # 2: Summarize your background.
Closing the paragraph: A call to action. Example, “ I
would appreciate if an opportunity is given”, or “ I look
forward to hear from you”.
Following up: If you have not received a reply after two
or three weeks, consider calling the company. Your
purpose is to ask if your letter and resume have been
received, not to restate your job qualifications.
 Identifying Formal Sources of
21
Employment
 College placement officers: These are job-search
professionals hired by colleges and universities to help
students and alumni find jobs.
 They offer personal career counselling and testing as
they help students analyze their career goals and guide
them through the job market maze.
 This is often done through job fairs in which numerous
employers talk to students about available job
opportunities.
 Identifying Formal Sources of
22
Employment
On-campus Recruiters:
 When companies like Motorola and General Motors have job
openings, they often send representatives to college campuses.
 These representatives, known as on-campus recruiters, are highly
trained professionals in the company’s human resources department
who interview students for jobs.
 On-campus recruiters also look for candidates interested in summer
internships --- unpaid or low-paid positions held by students while
they are still in school.
 These positions give students the opportunity to learn about a
company and give the company the opportunity to evaluate the
student for a job after graduation.
Identifying Formal Sources of
Employment
 Identifying Formal Sources of
24
Employment
Employment Agencies: Interviewers sift through the
applicant pool --- reviewing resumes and references ---
to present a handful of qualified people for company
interviews.
 With hundreds of business contacts and with a large
inventory of jobs on file, well-established agencies can
shorten your search by matching you with available
jobs that meet personal career and financial needs.
 Identifying Formal Sources of
25
Employment
Executive Search Firms: Also known as “headhunters”, executive search
firms are specialized employment agencies that work for companies
rather than individual job applicants.
 Used primarily to place high-level personnel, they earn more than
30% of the first year’s salary for each job placement --- a fee
always paid by the company.
 Executive search consultants do not work for recent college
graduates with limited job experience.
 Handling the Interview
 Investigating the company
 Making a good appearance
 Anticipate questions and preparing answers
 Putting yourself in ease
 Helping to control the dialogue
Good Appearance Matters