Building Careers and
Writing Résumés
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 1
Today’s Dynamic Workplace
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Less career stability
Limited lifetime employment
Growth of small businesses
More independent contractors
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 2
How Employers View the
Job Market
• Financial trade-offs
– Temporary workers
– Independent contractors
• Economic uncertainty
– Cheaper labor markets
– Global recruiting
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 3
What Today’s
Employers Require
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Life-long learning
• Teamwork skills
• Strong work records
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 4
What Today’s
Employers Require
• Leadership capabilities
• Diversified skills
• Varied experiences
• Multicultural and international
awareness
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 5
Adapting to the Market
• What you want
• What you can offer
• Your workplace value
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 6
What Do You Want?
Type of
Occupation
Nature
of the Job
Specific
Compensation
General
Career Goals
Size of
Company
Type of
Operation
Facilities
Corporate
Culture
Location
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 7
What Can You Offer?
• Personal achievements
• Educational preparation
• Work experience
• Extracurricular activities
• Personal characteristics
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 8
Increasing Your Value
• Employment portfolio
• Interim assignments
• Workplace skills
• Life-long learning
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 9
The Employment Search
• Build toward a career
• Prepare a résumé
• Understand the interview process
• Prepare for interview
• Take the interview
• Follow up and accept the offer
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 10
Employer
Recruiting Practices
• Look inside the company
• Networking and personal references
• Employment agency or search firm
• Unsolicited résumés
• Newspaper want ads
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 11
Organizing Your Approach
• Track business news
• Monitor specific firms
• Build a network
• Seek counseling
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 12
Three-Step Résumé Process
• Planning
• Writing
• Completing
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 13
Planning Your Résumé
• Analyze audience and purpose
• Gather information
• Choose the best medium
• Organize content
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 14
“Red Flags” for Employers
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Frequent job changes
Gaps in work history
Level of experience
Long-term with one company
For-cause job termination
Criminal or arrest record
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 15
Organizing Your Résumé
• Chronological
• Functional
• Combination
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 16
Writing Your Résumé
• Respect your résumé
• Take your time
• Review good models
• Minimize frustration
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 17
Keep the Résumé Honest
• Workplace references
• Background checks
• Credit histories
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 18
Adapting to the Audience
• Consider the employer’s perspective
• Build on past accomplishments
• Stress your future potential
• Translate skills and experience
• Clarify educational achievements
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 19
Composing Your Résumé
• Name and address
• Career objective or summary
• Academic credentials
• Employment history
• Activities and achievements
• Relevant personal data
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 20
Completing Your Résumé
• Revising
• Producing
• proofreading
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 21
Common Résumé Problems
• Too long
• Spelling
• Too short
• Grammar
• Hard to read
• Poor quality
• Poorly written
• Boastful
• Uninformed
• Gimmicky
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 22
Producing Your Résumé
• Printed traditional résumé
• Printed scannable résumé
• Electronic plain-text file
• MS Word file
• HTML format
• Electronic PDF file
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 23
Printing a Traditional Résumé
• High-quality paper
• Crisp, clear image
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 24
Printing a Scannable Résumé
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Use sans-serif fonts
Separate characters
Avoid columns
Avoid special characters
Separate phone and email
Use plain white paper
Identify all pages
Include a keyword summary
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 25
Digital Résumé Formats
• Plain-text file
• MS Word file
• HTML version
• PDF format
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 26
Proofreading Your Résumé
• Headings and lists
• Grammar and punctuation
• Spelling and word choice
• Paper and digital formats
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 27
Distributing Your Résumé
• Postal mail
• E-mail
• Fax machine
• Online
• Personal website
• Index service or job site
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 28
Reviewing Key Points
• Building your career
• Securing employment today
• Preparing résumés
© Prentice Hall, 2007
Business Communication Essentials, 3e
Chapter 13 - 29