Unit 16 Preparing for the
World of Work
16:1 Developing
Job-Keeping Skills
 Must develop good characteristics to be a
good employee
 Use correct grammar at all times
 Report to work on time and
when scheduled
 Be prepared to work when you arrive
 Practice teamwork
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Developing Job-Keeping
Skills (continued)
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Promote a positive attitude
Accept responsibility for your actions
Be willing to learn
Without good job-keeping skills,
no amount of knowledge will help you
keep a job
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16:2 Writing a Letter of Application
and Preparing a Resumé
 Letter of application or cover letter
 Purpose of a letter of application is to
obtain an interview
 Must create a good impression
 It should follow the correct form for letters
 If possible, address letter to the
correct individual
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Application Letter Format
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Usually contains 3-4 paragraphs
Paragraph one contents
Paragraph two contents
Paragraph three contents
Paragraph four contents
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Resumé
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Record of information about an individual
Thorough, concise summary
Provides employer with basic information
Computer printed or typed and attractive
in appearance
 Format for resumés can vary
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Resumé
(continued)
 References
 Honesty is always the best policy
 List all information before preparing
your resume
 Use correct size envelope
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Parts of a Resumé
 Personal identification
 Employee objective, job desired,
or career goal
 Educational background
 Work or employment experience history
 Skills
 Other activities
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Career Passports
or Portfolios
 Professional way to highlight your
knowledge, abilities, and skills
 Allows for presentation in an organized
and efficient manner
 Introductory letter
 Resumé
 Skill list and competency level
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Career Passports
or Portfolios (continued)
 Letters of recommendation
 Copies of work evaluations
 Documentation of mastering
job-keeping skills
 Organize information in a neat binder
or portfolio
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Career Passports
or Portfolios (continued)
 Use tab dividers to separate into
organized sections
 Use correct grammar and punctuation on
all written information
 Effort will pay off at interview
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16:3 Completing Job
Application Forms
 Used by employers to collect
specific information
 Vary between employers
 Most request similar information
 Read entire form first before
completing information
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Completing Job
Application Forms (continued)
 Make sure you have all required
information when you go to an interview
 Basic principles for completing
application forms
 Wallet card
 Remember, employers use application
forms as a screening tool
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16:4 Participating in
a Job Interview
 Usually last step before getting or being
denied a particular job
 You have been selected based on your
resumé and/or application
 Purposes of interview
 Careful preparation is needed
 Carefully note date and time of interview
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Participating in
a Job Interview (continued)
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Dress carefully
Check entire appearance
Leave early for the interview
Points to remember during interview
Send a follow-up note or letter
after the interview
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Participating in a
Job Interview (continued)
 Many difficult questions can be asked
during an interview
 Federal law prohibits discrimination in
regard to age, cultural or ethnic
background, marital status, parenthood,
religion, race, or sex
 At the end of the interview, you may be
asked to provide proof of eligibility to work
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16:5 Determining Net Income
 Income: money you are earning that is
available to you
 Amount you earn and amount you spend
may vary
 Gross income
 Net income
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Determining Net Income
(continued)
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Calculation of gross income
Calculation of net income
Calculation of net monthly pay
Essential to calculate your net income
– Know what amount of money you
have to spend
– Determines your lifestyle
– Allows you to manage money more effectively
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16:6 Calculating a Budget
 Budget is an itemized list of
living expenses
 Must be realistic to be effective
 Types of expenses: fixed and variable
 Way to calculate budget
 Incorporate savings into a budget
 Calculating monthly payments
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Calculating a Budget (continued)
 Important that budget amounts do not
exceed amount of net monthly income
 Final step is to live by your budget
 Creation of a budget does lead to careful
management of hard-earned money
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