15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Chapter 15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Finding the Ideal Opportunity in Todays Job Market
Learning Objective 1: List eight key steps to finding the ideal opportunity in todays job market.
Top companies place a high priority on finding the right employees and the investments they are willing
to make in both personnel and technology to attract and keep valuable talent. Identifying and landing the
ideal job can be a long and difficult process, particularly in tough employment markets.
As you craft your personal strategy for finding the right job, keep these two guidelines in mind:

Get organized. You need to keep all the details straight to make sure you dont miss
opportunities or make simple mistakes.
Start now and stick to it. Now is not too early to get started with some of the essential research
and planning tasks. If you wait until the last minute, you will miss opportunities and you wont be
prepared when the right opportunity comes along.

Writing the Story of You

Take the time you have now to explore the possibilities, to find your passion, and to identify
appealing career paths. These steps will help you start down the path:

Identify the nature of the work youd like to do, if not a specific profession.
Begin writing the story of you, things you are passionate about, the skills you possess,
your ability to help an organization reach its goals, the path youve been on so far, and
the path you want to follow in the future.
Think in terms of an image or a theme youd like to project.

Writing your story is a valuable planning exercise that helps you think about where you want to go
and how to present yourself to target employers.
Learning to Think Like an Employer
With every hiring decision, companies take great risks and need to prevent the following:

Hiring someone who doesnt meet expectations

Letting a better candidate slip through their fingers

Many companies judge the success of their recruiting efforts by the quality of hire, a measure of how
closely new employees meet the companys needs. Candidates are judged by:

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Perceived ability to perform the job

Ability to handle responsibilities
Reliability
Motivation
Whether they get it when it comes to being a professional in todays workplace.

Researching Industries and Companies of Interest

Learning more about professions, industries, and individual companies is easy to do with the library
and online resources.
Companies are more likely to be impressed by creative research, such as interviewing their customers
to learn more about how the firm does business.
Seek out advice for online job searches as well as links to hundreds of specialized websites that post
openings in specific industries and professions.
To learn more about contemporary business topics, use these resources:

Leading business periodicals and newspapers with significant business sections

Bloggers, microbloggers, and podcasters offering news and commentary on the business
world
Directories for blogs
People who write about topics of interest

This research will also help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords currently in use in a
particular fieldincluding essential keywords to use in your rsum.
Translating Your General Potential into a Specific Solution for Each Employer
Customizing your rsum to each job opening shows employers that you will be a good fit for the
position.
From your initial contact through the interviewing process youll have opportunities to impress
recruiters by explaining how your general potential translates to the specific needs of the position.
Taking the Initiative to Find Opportunities
When it comes to finding opportunities, the easiest ways are not always the most productive ones.
Major job boards and classified services might have thousands of openingsbut many thousands of
job seekers are looking at and applying for these same openings.
Moreover, these job postings are often a companys last resort, after exhausting other possibilities.
Instead of searching the same job openings as everyone else, take the initiative and find opportunities:

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Identify the companies you want to work for.

Focus your efforts on them.
Get in touch with their human resources departments or individual managers (if possible).
Describe what you can offer the company.
Ask to be considered if any opportunities come up.

Building Your Network

Networking is the process of making informal connections with mutually beneficial business
contacts. Networking takes place wherever and whenever people communicate:

Industry functions
Social gatherings
Alumni reunions
All over the Internet

Networking is more essential than ever, because the vast majority of job openings are never
advertised to the general public. The more people who know you, the better chance you have of being
recommended for one of these hidden job openings.
Start building your network now, before you need it. Here are some places to make contacts:

Classmates could end up being some of your most valuable contacts.

Identify people with similar interests in your target professions, industries, and
companies.
Read news sites, blogs, and other online sources.
Follow industry leaders on Twitter.
Follow individual executives at your target companies to learn about their interests and
concerns.
Connect with people on LinkedIn and Facebook, particularly those dedicated to your
career interests.
Participate in student organizations, especially those with ties to professional
organizations.
Visit trade shows to learn about various industries and meet people who work in those
industries.
Dont overlook volunteering; you can demonstrate your ability to solve problems,
manage projects, and lead others.

Remember that networking is about people helping each other, not just about other people helping
you. Pay close attention to networking etiquette:

Learn something about the people you want to connect with.

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Dont overwhelm others with too many messages or requests.

Be succinct in all your communication efforts.
Dont give out other peoples names and contact information without their permission.
Never email your rsum to complete strangers.
Dont assume you can send your rsum to everyone you meet.
Remember to say thank you every time someone helps you.

To become a valued network member, you need to be able to help others in some way. The more you
network, the more valuable you become in your networkand the more valuable your network
becomes to you.
Be aware that your online network reflects on who you are in the eyes of potential employers, so
exercise judgment in making connections.
Seeking Career Counseling
College career centers offer a wide variety of services, including

Individual counseling
Job fairs
On-campus interviews
Job listings
Advice on career planning
Workshops in job search techniques
Rsum preparation
Job readiness training
Interview techniques
Self-marketing

You can also find career planning advice online. Many of the websites offer articles and online tests
to help choose a career path, identify essential skills, and prepare to enter the job market.
Avoiding Mistakes
Take care to avoid the simple blunders that can torpedo a job search, such as

Not catching mistakes in your rsum

Misspelling the name of a manager to whom you are writing
Showing up late for an interview
Tweeting something unprofessional
Failing to complete application forms correctly

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Asking for information that you can easily find on a companys website
Making any other error that could flag you as someone who is careless, clueless, or
disrespectful

As recruiters work to narrow down the possibilities, even a minor mistake on your part can give them
a reason to bump you right out of the candidate pool.
Section 2: Planning a Rsum
Learning Objective 2: Explain the process of planning your rsum, including how to choose the best
rsum organization.
Your rsum will be the most important document you create in a job search. Adapt it for a variety of
uses:

Personally delivered applications

E-portfolios
Social networking profiles
Online application forms

Writing a rsum really benefits from multiple planning, writing, and completing sessions spread out over
several days or weeks. You are trying to summarize a complex subject (yourself!) and present a
compelling story to complete strangers in a brief document.
Analyzing Your Purpose And Audience
A rsum is a structured summary of a persons

Education
Employment background
Job qualifications

Make sure you understand the true function of a rsum. Its a brief, persuasive business message
intended to accomplish two objectives:

Stimulate an employers interest in you

Get you an interview

Learn as much as you can about the individuals who may be reading your rsum. Any bit of
information can help you craft a more effective message.
Gathering Pertinent Information
Gather all the pertinent personal history you can think of, including

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Dates, duties, and accomplishments from previous jobs youve held

Relevant educational experienceformal degrees, skill certificates, academic awards, or
scholarships
Relevant information about school or volunteer activities
Offices you have held in any club or professional organization
Presentations given
Online or print publications

Organizing Your Rsum Around Your Strengths

Although you will see a number of ways to organize a rsum, most are:

Chronological
Functional
Combination of the two

The right choice depends on your background and your goals.

The Chronological Rsum
In a chronological rsum, the work experience section dominates and is placed immediately after
your contact information and introductory statement.
The chronological approach is the most common way to organize a rsum, and many employers
prefer this format because it presents your professional history in a clear, easy-to-follow arrangement.
List your jobs in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent position and giving the
most space to the most recent positions. For each job, start by listing these facts:

The employers name and location

Your official job title
Dates you held the position (write to present if you are still in your most recent
position)
Highlight accomplishments in a way that is relevant to your readers

The Functional Rsum

A functional rsum, sometimes called a skills rsum, emphasizes your skills and capabilities,
identifying employers and academic experience in subordinate sections.
This arrangement stresses individual areas of competence rather than job history. The functional
approach also has three advantages:

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Without having to read through job descriptions, employers can see what you can do for
them.
You can emphasize earlier job experience.
You can deemphasize any lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress.

Be aware that because the functional rsum can obscure your work history, many employment
professionals are suspicious of it. If the chronological format doesnt work for you, consider the
combination rsum instead.
The Combination Rsum
A combination rsum meshes the skills focus of the functional format with the job history focus of
the chronological format.
The chief advantage of this format is that it allows you to focus attention on your capabilities when
you dont have a long or steady employment history, without raising concerns that you might be
hiding something about your past.
Addressing Areas of Concern
Many people have gaps in their careers or other issues that could be a concern for employers. Here
are some common issues and suggestions for handling them in a rsum:

Frequent job changes. If youve had a number of short-term jobs of a similar type group
them under a single heading. Reasonable employers understand that many professionals
have been forced to job hop by circumstances beyond their control.
Gaps in work history. Mention relevant experience and education you gained during
employment gaps, such as volunteer or community work.
Inexperience. Mention related volunteer work and membership in professional groups.
List relevant course work and internships.
Overqualification. Tone down your rsum, focusing exclusively on the experience and
skills that relate to the position.
Long-term employment with one company. Itemize each position held at the firm to
show both professional and career growth within the organization and increasing
responsibilities along the way.
Job termination for cause. Be honest with interviewers and address their concerns with
proof, such as recommendations and examples of completed projects.
Criminal record. You dont necessarily need to disclose a criminal record or time spent
incarcerated on your rsum, but you may be asked about it on job application forms. If
you are asked and the question applies to you, you are legally bound to answer truthfully.

Section 3: Writing a Rsum

Learning Objective 3: Describe the tasks involved in writing your rsum, and list the major sections of a

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

traditional rsum.
As you follow the three-step process to develop your rsum, keep four points in mind:

Treat your rsum with the respect it deserves. A single mistake or oversight can cost you
interview opportunities.
Give yourself plenty of time. Dont put off preparing your rsum until the last second and then
try to write it in one sitting.
Learn from good models. You can find sample rsums online at college websites and on job
boards.
Dont get frustrated by the conflicting advice youll read about rsums. Rsums are as much art
as science, and there is more than one way to be successful with them. Choose the approach that
makes the most sense to you and is compatible with what you know about business
communication principles and practices.

If you feel uncomfortable writing about yourself, youre not alone. Find a classmate or friend who is also
writing a rsum and swap projects for a while. You might be able to speed up the process for both of
you.
Keeping Your Rsum Honest
Applicants with integrity know they dont need to stoop to lying on their rsum. If you are tempted
to stretch the truth, bear in mind that professional recruiters have seen every trick in the book, and
frustrated employers are working aggressively to uncover the truth.
Nearly all employers do some form of background checking, such as using these methods:

Contacting references
Verifying employment
Checking criminal records
Sending rsums through verification services
Designing interview questions specifically to uncover dishonest rsum entries
Withdrawing formal job offers, if falsification is discovered

Given the networked nature of todays job market, lying on a rsum could haunt you for yearsand
could force you to keep lying throughout your career to hide the original misrepresentations on your
rsum.
Adapting Your Rsum to Your Audience
The importance of adapting your rsum to your target readers needs and interests cannot be
overstated. In a competitive job market, the more you look like a good fit, the better your chances will
be of securing interviews.

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15: Building Careers and Writing Rsums

Address your readers business concerns by showing how your capabilities meet the demands and
expectations of the position and of the organization as a whole.
Adapting to your readers can mean customizing your rsum, sometimes for each job opening.
Express your experience using the terminology of the hiring organization. Take general concepts and
present them in common business language.
Composing Your Rsum
Write your rsum using a simple and direct style.

Use short, crisp phrases and focus on what your reader needs to know.
Avoid using the word I, which can sound both self-involved and repetitive.
Quantify results so that your claims dont come across as empty.
Offer concrete proof of accomplishments.
Use active statements that show results.
Provide specific supporting evidence.
Dont go overboard with small details.

In addition, most rsums are subjected to keyword searches in an applicant tracking system.
Recruiters search for rsums most likely to match the requirements of a particular job so its
essential to use the words and phrases that a recruiter is most likely to search for.
Keywords that catch a computers attention are usually nouns that describe the specific skills,
attributes, and experiences an employer is looking for.
Study job descriptions carefully to understand your target audiences needs. Keywords can include:

Business and technical terms associated with a specific profession

Industry-specific jargon
Names or types of products or systems used in a profession
Job titles
College degrees

Beware of clichs that are used on so many rsums and social media profiles that theyve lost most
of their impact. These are the buzzwords and phrases that are among the most overused (notice how
vague and generally unquantifiable most of them are):

extensive experience
innovative
motivated
results-oriented

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dynamic
proven track record
team player
fast-paced
problem solver
entrepreneurial

Instead of saying you are all these things, show how you are, using solid evidence.
Name and Contact Information
Your name and contact information constitute the heading of your rsum; include the following:

Name
Physical address (permanent and temporary, if youre likely to move during the job
search process)
Phone number(s)
Email address
URL of your personal webpage, e-portfolio, or social media rsum (if you have one)

Be sure that everything in your rsum heading is well organized and clearly laid out on the page.

Introductory Statement
Of all the parts of a rsum, the brief introductory statement that follows your name and contact
information probably generates the most disagreement. You can put one of three things here:

Career objective. A career objective identifies either a specific job or a general career
track you would like to pursue. If you have little or no work experience in your target
profession, a career objective might be your best option.
Qualifications summary. A qualifications summary offers a brief view of your key
qualifications. The goal is to let a reader know within a few seconds what you can
deliver. Consider using this approach if you have one or more important qualifications
but dont yet have a long career history of you want to highlight your educational
preparedness.
Career summary. A career summary offers a brief recap of your career, with the goal of
presenting increasing levels of responsibility and performance. A career summary is
useful for executives who have demonstrated the ability to manage increasingly larger
and more complicated business operations.

Education

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If youre still in college or have recently graduated, education is probably your strongest selling point.
Present your educational background in depth, choosing facts that support your theme. Starting
with the most recent, list:

The name and location of each school you have attended

High school or military training only if the achievements are pertinent to your career
goals
Grade point average (depends on the job you want and the quality of your grades)

The month and year of your graduation

Major and minor fields of study
Significant skills and abilities developed in your course work
Degrees or certificates earned (or expected date of completion)
Courses that have directly equipped you for the job you are seeking
Scholarships, awards, or academic honors youve received
Relevant training sponsored by business or government organizations

Theres no rule saying you have to show your GPA on a rsum. But, be prepared to answer questions
about it during the interview process as many employers will assume that your GPA is not spectacular
if you didnt list it.

Work Experience, Skills, and Accomplishments

The work experience section should focus on your overall theme showing how your past can contribute to
an employers future. Use keywords to highlight skills youve developed on the job and your ability to
handle increasing responsibility.
List your jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Include any of these that
apply:

Military service
Internships
Part-time or temporary jobs related to your career objective
Name and location of the employer
Brief description of what the company does (if readers are unlikely to recognize the
organization)

Before or after each job listing, include

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Your job title

Years you worked in the job; use the phrase to present to denote current employment
Whether a job was part time

Devote the most space to the jobs that are related to your target position. If you were personally
responsible for something significant, mention it. Facts about your skills and accomplishments are the
most important information you can give a prospective employer, so quantify them whenever
possible.
If you have a number of part-time, temporary, or entry-level jobs that dont relate to your career
objective, use your best judgment when it comes to including or excluding them. If you dont have a
long employment history, including these jobs shows your ability and willingness to keep working.
Activities and Achievements
Include activities and achievements outside of a work context only if they make you a more attractive
job candidate. If applicable to the job youre seeking, include such things as:

Traveling
Studying or working abroad
Fluency in multiple languages
Community service activities that suggest leadership, teamwork, communication skills,
technical aptitude
Athletics or other organized student activities
Publications, projects, and other accomplishments that required relevant business skills

Avoid listing religious or political organizations (unless youre applying to such an organization).
Personal Data and References
Your rsum should not include any personal data beyond the information previously described.
When applying to U.S. companies, never include any of the following:

Physical characteristics
Age
Gender
Marital status
Sexual orientation
Religious or political affiliations
Race
National origin
Salary history

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Reasons for leaving jobs

Names of previous supervisors
Names of references
Social security number
Student ID number

Employers assume references are available; be sure to have a list of several references ready when
you begin applying for jobs and keep it in your files for a time when they are requested. List three or
four people who have agreed to serve as references. Include each persons name, job title,
organization, address, telephone number, email address, and the nature of your relationship.
Section 4: Completing a Rsum
Learning Objective 4: Characterize the completing step for rsums, including the six most common
formats in which you can produce a rsum.
Completing your rsum involves review work such as

Revising it for optimum quality

Producing it in the various forms and media youll need
Proofreading it for any errors before distributing it or publishing it online

The advent of applicant tracking systems, social media, and other innovations has dramatically changed
the nature of rsum production and distribution. Be prepared to produce several versions of your rsum,
in multiple formats and multiple media.
Even if most or all of your application efforts take place online, starting with a traditional paper rsum is
still useful, for several reasons:

Creating a traditional printed rsum helps organize your background information and identify
your unique strengths.
Planning and writing tasks help generate blocks of text that you can reuse in multiple ways
throughout the job search process.
Preparing for when someone might ask for your rsum during a networking event or other inperson encounter ensures you dont let that interest fade.

Revising Your Rsum

Keep your rsum out of the recycling bin by avoiding these flaws:

Too long or too wordy

Too short or sketchy
Difficult to read
Poorly written

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Displays weak understanding of the business world in general or of a particular industry

Poor-quality printing or cheap paper
Full of spelling and grammar errors
Boastful
Gimmicky design

The ideal length of your rsum depends on the depth of your experience and the level of the
positions for which you are applying. Recruiters appreciate brevity, and presenting yourself in a
single page shows your ability to write concise, focused, audience-oriented messages.
For online rsum formats, you can always provide links to additional information. If you have more
experience and are applying for a higher-level position, you may need to prepare a somewhat longer
rsum.
Producing Your Rsum
A clean, professional-looking design is a must. Resist the urge to get creative with your rsum
layout. Recruiters and hiring managers want to skim your essential information in a matter of
seconds, and anything that distracts or delays them will work against you.
Fortunately, good rsum design is not difficult to achieve. Good designs feature:

Simplicity
Order
Effective use of white space
Clear typefaces
Subheadings that are easy to find and easy to read
Lists to itemize your most important qualifications
Color (if desired), keeping it subtle and sophisticated

You might want to produce your rsum in as many as six formats:

Printed traditional rsum

Printed scannable rsum
Electronic plain-text file
Microsoft Word file
Online rsum, also called a multimedia rsum or social media rsum
PDF file

Find out what each employer or job posting website expects, and provide your rsum in that specific
format. Unless requested, do not include photographs, in materials you submit to employers.

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In addition to these six main formats, some applicants create PowerPoint presentations or videos to
supplement a conventional rsum. Let the employers procedures direct you on this decision.
Producing a Traditional Printed Rsum
Traditional paper rsums still have a place in this world of electronic job searches. Have a few
copies ready whenever one of your networking contacts asks for one.
Avoid basic, low-cost white bond paper intended for general office use or gimmicky papers with
borders and backgrounds. Use heavier, higher-quality paper designed specifically for rsums and
other important documents.
Use a high-quality, well-maintained printer
Printing a Scannable Rsum
Scannable rsums are a type of printed rsum that is specially formatted to be compatible with
optical scanning systems that convert printed documents to electronic text.
Their use appears to be declining rapidly as more employers prefer email delivery or website
application forms.
A scannable rsum differs from the traditional format in two major ways:

It should always include a keyword summary

It should be formatted in a simpler fashion that avoids underlining, special characters,
multiple columns, and other elements that can confuse the scanning system.

Creating a Plain-Text File of Your Rsum

A plain-text file is an electronic version of your rsum that has no font formatting, no bullet
symbols, no colors, no lines or boxes, or other special formatting. The plain-text version can be used
in two ways:

Include it in the body of an email message.

Copy and paste the sections into the application forms on an employers website.

Creating a Word File of Your Rsum

In some cases, an employer or job-posting website will want you to upload a Microsoft Word file or
attach it to an email message.
This method preserves the design and layout of your rsum and saves you the trouble of creating a
plain-text version.
Make sure your computer is free of viruses; infecting a potential employers computer will not make
a good first impression.

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Creating a PDF Version of Your Rsum

Creating a PDF file is a simple procedure, but you need the right soft ware. Adobe Acrobat is the
best-known program, but many others are available.
Creating an Online Rsum
A variety of terms are used to describe online rsums, including:

Personal webpage
E-portfolio
Social media rsum
Multimedia rsum

All these formats provide the opportunity to expand information contained in your basic rsum with

Links to projects, publications, screencasts

Online videos
Course lists
Social networking profiles
Other elements that give employers a more complete picture of who you are and what
you can offer

Regardless of the approach you take to creating an online rsum, keep these helpful tips in mind:

Remember that your online presence is a career-management tool. The way you are
portrayed online can work for you or against you; its up to you to create a positive
impression. Most employers now conduct online searches to learn more about promising
candidates, rejecting many applicants because of information they dug up online.
Take advantage of social networking. Use whatever tools are available to direct people
to your online rsum, such as including the URL of your online rsum on the Info tab
on your Facebook page.
During the application process, dont expect or ask employers to retrieve a rsum
from your website. If employers want to know more than your rsum reveals, they will
likely do a web search on you and find your site, or you can refer them to your site in
your rsum or application materials.

Proofreading Your Rsum

Employers view your rsum as a concrete example of your attention to quality and detail.
It needs to be perfect. Although it may not seem fair, just one or two errors in a job application
package are enough to doom a candidates chances.

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Your rsum is one of the most important documents youll ever write, so dont rush or cut corners
when it comes to proofreading. Check everything:

All headings and lists for clarity and parallelism

Grammar
Spelling
Punctuation
Dates
Phone numbers
Email addresses
Other essential data

Ask at least three other people to read it, too. As the creator of the material, you could stare at a
mistake for weeks and not see it.
Distributing Your Rsum
How you distribute your rsum depends on the number of employers you target and their preferences
for receiving rsums.
Employers usually list their requirements on the career pages of their websites, so verify this
information and follow it carefully.
Here are some general distribution tips:

Mailing printed rsums. Take some care with the packaging. Mail these documents in
a 9 x 12 envelope or a Priority Mail flat rate envelope.
Emailing your rsum. Some employers want applicants to include the text of their
rsums in the body of an email message; others prefer an attached Microsoft Word file.
If you have a reference number or a job ad number, include it in the subject line of your
email message.
Submitting your rsum to an employers website. Many employers, including most
large companies, prefer or require applicants to submit their rsums online. In some
instances, you will be asked to upload a complete file. In others, you will need to copy
and paste sections of your rsum into individual boxes in an online application form.
Posting your rsum on job websites. You can post your rsum on general-purpose job
websites, more specialized websites or with staffing services.

Before you upload your rsum to any site, learn about its confidentiality protection. Dont post your
rsum to any website that doesnt give you the option of restricting the display of your contact
information. Only employers that are registered clients of the service should be able to see your
contact information.

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HIGHLIGHT BOX: SHARPENING YOUR CAREER SKILLS (p. 504)

Dont. Just Dont.
1. Showing some personality will set you apart from other candidates; however, you need to consider
carefully the type of personality you choose to show. Obviously, the examples cited here are extreme
but you can add your own personality by making sure to use the you attitude.
2. Most students should realize that a combination or functional rsum, not a chronological one, is one
way to draw attention away from a three month gap in employment. Students should mention that the
reason for the employment gap should be discussed in person during an interview, not on the rsum
itself.

COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES AT ATK (p. 511)

1. Youve learned to pay close attention to the career objectives on rsums to make sure you match
applicants interests with appropriate job openings. Youve selected four rsums for the operations
representative position; from them, which of the following is the most compelling statement of
objectives for this position?
a. No. This objective is too vague.
b. No. The tone and style of this objective is over the top (explosive growth), making it sound
amateurish. In addition, top executives, not entry-level employees, generally shepherd the
company in whatever direction it is going. Making such a statement on a rsum suggests
either a lack of awareness of how companies operate or a level of arrogance that will turn
most employers off immediately.
c. Yes. This objective quickly summarizes the candidates skill set, suggests the type of financial
positions for which he or she might be qualified, and it specifically matches this particular job
opening.
d. No. This objective makes it sound as though the applicant wants to use an employer to
continue his or her education for a career that might start somewhere else, rather than
building a career at ATK.
2. Of the education sections included in the rsums, which of the following is the most effective?
a. No. This statement contains good information, but it jumbles together education,
employment, and other activities.
b. No. This section is way too long and too chatty.
c. Yes. This statement contains all the pieces required to describe an education obtained at this
institution.
d. No. The accomplishments and awards probably should be highlighted separately, and this
statement doesnt include the dates that the two degrees were received.
3. Which of the rsums does the best job of portraying each candidates work experience?
a. No. This is a good description for this persons work experience, but (c) more closely
matches the requirements for this position.

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b. No. This statement suffers from several problems: it is unnecessarily apologetic (many
college graduates lack full-time employment experience), it is verbose and unprofessionally
chatty, and it doesnt offer a quick summary of employment experience.
c. Yes. This job experience comes the closest to working in an accounting position and matches
many of the specific experiences and skills identified in the job description.
d. No. While this is an impressive accomplishment (although perhaps a bit long, depending on
what else needs to be conveyed on the rsum), the description in (c) is more directly
relevant.
4. The applicant tracking system produced the following rsum for the operations representative
opening. What action will you take?
a. No. This candidates summary of qualifications is impressive, but the rsum is missing two
key sections entirely: education and employment.
b. No. If you have a good supply of qualified candidates who have done a better job of
providing the information you need, then you can feel safe in rejecting this application.
However, if youre in a tight labor market and need to be more creative in your recruiting,
you might be wise to look more closely at this candidate, even if he did a fairly weak job of
presenting his background on the rsum.
c. No. At the initial screening stage, youre probably reviewing dozens of rsums a day, and
you dont have time to go online and review information that shouldve been provided in the
rsum.
d. Yes. This candidate did a relatively poor job of presenting his background, so if you have
several other viable candidates youre probably safe to pass on this one. However, as
discussed in (b), in some cases you may need to overlook shortcomings in the rsum in
order to find the right candidate.

APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE (p. 516)

1

To think like an employer, recognize that companies take risks with every hiring decisionthe risk
that the person hired doesnt meet expectations and the risk that they let a better candidate slip
through their fingers. Employers consider more than just a candidates ability to handle the
responsibilities theyre given. They want to know if theyll be reliable and motivated, if theyre
somebody who gets it when it comes to being a professional in todays workplace.

In this situation, the job indicates a positive contribution to the community and a strong willingness to
help others in need. These are positive qualities which should be included on a rsum. If you have a
number of part-time, temporary, or entry-level jobs that dont relate to your career objective, you have
to use your best judgment when it comes to including or excluding them. On the one hand, employers
will be impressed by the fact that you can land and keep jobs while youre progressing toward your
career goals. On the other hand, too many minor and irrelevant work details can clutter your rsum,
particularly if youve been in the professional workforce for a few years. Generally speaking, if you
dont have a long employment history, use these jobs to show your ability and willingness to work.

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A qualifications summary gives a quick overview of the value you can offer an employer; however, if
you have little or no work experience in your target profession and no solid professional theme based
on your education, a career objective might be your best option.

Even if a student is uncertain about a career path, he or she always applies for a single, specific job.
Therefore, his or her rsum should be fine-tuned to the specific nature of that job. This approach of
modifying the rsum for each opportunity creates a much more compelling story than simply
sending out a generic rsum.

Informed students will argue for including the finance company in their list of jobs, as leaving it off might
make it appear theyre trying to hide something. Moreover, obtaining the same kind of work right after
shows character and validates that the skill to do the job was never really in question.

PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS (p. 516)

Message 15.A
Although this job applicant has valuable qualifications, they are so poorly presented that she is not likely
to be asked for an interview, much less be offered a position. Students should point out the following:

The rsums format is inconsistent. Each heading level should be presented in the same fashion; for
instance, Education and Work Experience should both be centered or flush left, both be in
capitals or in uppercase and lowercase letters, and so on.
The rsum is poorly organized. The most impressive aspect of the applicants qualifications is
her work experience, so that section should immediately follow her statement of a job objective.
Her education is the next most important aspect, followed by personal data.
The job objective is too vague and does nothing to present this candidate as a compelling employee.
Under Experience, format is again inconsistent (note the use of commas and periods in the
subheadings). The job descriptions should begin with strong verbs that convey professionalism,
responsibility, and initiative. The most recent positions should be described in greater detail than
earlier positions. The descriptions emphasize skills (such as secretarial skills) that are irrelevant to
the position she seeks, and they provide no evidence that she has successfully carried out marketing
or sales tasks. For example, she could indicate the size of her sales territory, the types of customers
she called on, and changes in sales volume due to her efforts. When discussing summer and parttime work, she should focus only on skills that relate to her job objective.
When discussing education, the writer should also focus on matters related to her career field. Her
extracurricular activities, if she considers them relevant, should be mentioned in an achievements
section. She should mention her date of graduation.
The personal data provided here are irrelevant, are not especially distinctive, and should be
eliminated. The space could be used to list references or to list some activities and achievements
demonstrating her ability to deal with people.
The rsum is not concise and the pronoun I is used excessively.

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Exercises
1

This self-assessment exercise will help students think through their preferences for work-related
activities and situations. Encourage them to keep these preferences in mind when they research
appropriate careers and jobs.

3. Here are more effective alternatives:

a
b
c
d
e
f
g

Experienced in database design.

Explored cost accounting alternatives for large manufacturer.
Participated in the development of a new inventory control system.
Prepared quarterly department budget.
Managed department and oversaw seven employees.
Developed spreadsheet to analyze monthly sales by department.
Designed and implemented new ordering program for supplies.

4. Here are quantified alternatives:

a
b
c
d
e
f
h

Designed databases for 15 clients in the retail and high-technology sectors.

Explored cost accounting alternatives for manufacturer with $75 million in sales.
Participated in the development of a new inventory control system for 750 products.
Prepared quarterly department budget ($3 million).
Managed department generating $13 million in sales and oversaw seven employees.
Developed Excel spreadsheet to analyze monthly sales of 13 departments.
Designed and implemented new ordering program for supplies resulting in the elimination of a fulltime position.

5. Yes, you must clarify that these accomplishments were the result of team effort, not just your
individual efforts. Otherwise you will be exaggerating your experience, which is not only unethical
but which can backfire if the truth comes to light.
6. The plain-text rsum should be reformatted by eliminating graphics and special formatting codes
such as italics and tabs, adding blank spaces to align text and asterisks for bullets, and saving the file
in plain-text format.
7. This exercise can help students transition to Chapter 16, since preparing the vidcast will call attention
to many of the same issues that are important for successful job interviews (speech clarity, avoiding
filler words, professional dress, special care with nonverbal communication, and so on).

CASE SOLUTIONS AND GUIDELINES (p. 517)

Here are solutions and guidelines for this chapters cases.
15.1 Career Planning: Researching Career Opportunities [LO-1]
Note: This exercise gives students the opportunity to utilize a variety of different research tools. Their end
product should include fundamental keywords that would satisfy both computers and human readers

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alike.
Subject: Researching PointBridge and the technology consulting market
Dear Ms. Ritter,
Following our discussion in class on the importance of researching before applying for jobs, I read-up on
some of the top technology consulting firmsa field that greatly interests me.
Among them, one firm that stood out was PointBridge, a Chicago-based consulting company. Founded in
2004, PointBridge is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner that builds high-impact business solutions with
Microsoft technology.
PointBridge is currently hiring people for Associate Consultant positions. This position requires
proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, the ability
to multitask, and a strong entrepreneurial attitude.
The on-the-job training for this position is geared toward improving proficiency in

Using ASP.NET, Visual C#, and related technologies

Creating or customizing SharePoint 2010 solutions
Designing and developing databases using Microsoft SQL Server
Using Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server

It is a challenging job that helps candidates to learn and adopt new technologies as well as improve their
teamwork skills.
To keep abreast of the latest developments in this field, as well as improve my professional network, I
have joined an open group on LinkedIn called Microsoft Business Technology Consultants.
In the field of consulting, it is essential to maintain a global perspective. As a result, one of the important
issues faced by consultants is following an international code of ethics. Keeping this in mind, I am
already acquainting myself with the latest developments in global ethics and international standards in
business practices.
This research will help me to present my skills and accomplishments in a way that will convince
PointBridge of my ability to meet their requirements. Moreover, this will help me during my interview
and ensure that I avoid silly mistakes such as asking for information that is easily available on the
company website.
Leslie
15.2 Planning a Rsum [LO-2]
Note: This case invites students to form teams to evaluate each others employment histories with the aim
of determining the best way to present work information in a rsum. Students work experiences will
vary greatly, thereby necessitating different ways of presenting work experience in rsums.
In this sample employment history, meant to be included in an entry-level rsum, the issue of

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inexperience has been addressed by focusing on internships, volunteer work, membership in professional
groups, and relevant course work. The combination rsum writing style would be suitable here in order
to represent clear, complete employment history, while featuring the skills of the candidate more
elaborately.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Symetra Life Insurance Company, Bellevue, WA, 2011 to present, corporate marketing intern.
o Coordinated corporate marketing initiatives and supported all marketing functions as
needed, including PR and channel marketing
o Developed marketing materials, including presentations, sales collateral, case studies, and
customer newsletters
o Maintained and updated company website, blog, and LinkedIn profile
o Coordinated corporate tradeshows, including traveling onsite for booth setup
o Monitored and reported on marketing expenditures
Rainbow Communications, Seattle, WA, Summer 2009, marketing intern.
o Participated as an intern with the consumer-goods research unit for herbal healthproducts
o Developed a masters project on using social networking and other Internet platforms to
market a range of new herbal health-drinks
School of Management, City University of Seattle, 2008 to 2009, marketing intern.
o Developed and implemented an advertising campaign, as a part of a student team, for the
newly-opened Sport and Recreation Services department
Cross-Cultural Solutions, Ghana, 2007, six-month volunteer program.
o Taught basic and intermediate-level English as a part-time teacher at the Bloomsdale
English School in the Volta Region
o Conducted photography workshops for students ranging from age 13-25, to enable them
to document their life through photography

15.3 Writing a Rsum [LO-3]

Note: This case invites students to conduct informal interviews in pairs, and then use the information
obtained to write each others qualifications summary to be used in a rsum. The qualification summary
should act as the introduction of the rsum, and provide a concise description of what the applicant is
all about. It can be presented as a short paragraph, or a bulleted list. The title of the qualifications
summary should brand the applicant and signal his/her career objectives.
15.4 Message Strategies: Completing a Rsum [LO-4]
Note: This case invites students to consider alternative resources to be included in a rsum and also
provides students with a refresher in creating professional-quality presentations.

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