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©2007 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
15
Creating a
Career
and
Designing
Résumés
©2007 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
McGraw-Hill/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
3
A Career-Finding Strategy
• Examine Your Professional Goals and
Interests
• Find Out More
 Shadowing
◦
business professional means to spend time
watching him or her perform in the work
environment
4
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
interest you.
5
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.
 Write exploratory letters to companies.
6
A Career-Finding Strategy
• Create a Professional Inventory of Skills
and Abilities
◊ oral and written communication
◊ second languages
◊ problem solving
◊ computer proficiency
• Take a Temporary Job
7
Designing Your Résumé
 Résumé
◦ a written marketing tool that briefly
summarizes your skills, abilities, education,
and experience for a potential employer
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Résumé Formats
•  Chronological Résumé
◦ a traditional format organized by positions
held, starting with the most recent
•  Functional Résumé
◦ presents relevant skills and achievements in
categories rather than under job titles. It does
not require dates of employment or titles.
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Résumé Formats
•  Targeted Résumé
◦ a customized format tailored to a precise
career field or job. It contains only the content
that applies to a set of job requirements.
•  Integrated Résumé
◦ includes aspects of all the other formats
•  Scannable Résumé
◦ formatted in plain text for electronic scanning
systems
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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.
Boldface job titles and
bullet major duties.
Use dates to indicate time
spent in positions.
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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.
Other related academic
activities and skills can be
listed at the end of your
résumé.
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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.
Place your education at the end of
the résumé if it is not directly
applicable to the position or if your
experience is stronger.
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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.
Avoid the use of bold, italic, or
underlining when formatting the résumé.
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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
using your talent and skills
•  Capabilities
◦ the abilities you possess, such as
communication skills, computer proficiency,
and second languages
•  Professional experience
◦ full-time, parttime, volunteer, internship, and
self-employment experience
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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
 exceeds the need to know
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Résumé Ingredients
• The Problems with Résumés (continued)
 is scattered, jumbled, & hodgepodge
 contains typos, poor grammar, & misspellings
 uses “I,” “me,” & “my”
 shows obvious employment gaps
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Designing Cover Letters
 Cover letter
◦ brief and persuasive application document that
accompanies your résumé
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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
business communicator
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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
 Solicited applications
◦
sent in reply to requests for résumés involving open
positions
 Exploring opportunities
◦
involves selecting a company and preparing a letter
to request an informational meeting
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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
◦ identifying and contacting people you know
who can help you find a job or who may refer
you to someone who can help
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Finding a Job
Network
 Make an employers list
 Write exploratory letters to companies on your list
 Attend job fairs
 Search the Internet
 Websites for job listings and job fairs
30
Questions
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