Chapter 7: Preparing Employment Communications
Preparing to enter the professional world can be a daunting task. Use your network to find jobs and prepare for every interview by tailoring your resume and cover letter for that position. Communications with your future employer can be either written or oral. Written communications can include the job announcement, application letter, follow-up letter, recommendation letter, offer or rejection letter, and the acceptance or rejection letter. Oral communication includes interviews, telephone calls, or social gatherings.
For application letters, or cover letters, address your potential employer. Introduce yourself, and use this opportunity to gain an interview. The opening paragraph should explain the purpose of your communication. The middle paragraphs should explain your education, experience, and attributes that qualify you for employment. The last paragraph should as for an interview.
Resumes are a self-promotion document. Study the job requirements and tailor your resume to fit them. List your experience chronologically, beginning with the most recent. Create headings, use a professional summary, list your education, create a section for achievements, keep it to one page, proofread, and pay special attention to appearance.
Interviews are perhaps the most critical part of your job search. Follow these guidelines for interviews: (1) Do your homework, (2) Be prepared and on time, (3) Be sensitive to appearance and body language, (4) Speak confidently, clearly, and fluently, (5) Be honest, (6) Tie your answers to your job requirements, (7) Give compelling answers, (8) Have questions to ask the interviewer, (9) Be prepared for surprise questions. When interviewing others, use these guidelines: (1) Take good notes and record impressions, (2) Prepare interview questions in advance, (3) Start out with a brief warm-up phase, (4) Avoid illegal questions, (5) Use closed and open questions effectively, (6) Use probing questions effectively, (7) Use behavioral questions appropriately, (8) Be a good listener.
When writing follow-up letters, remember to send them within a day or two. Include a sincere thank-you, something about the interview you appreciated, and a reaffirmation of your desire to work for the company. Keep it short.
Recommendation letters are provided by a previous mentor or employer. Be sure to ask your potential references before including them on your list. When writing a recommendation letter for others, include a description of the job and what made the individual a good fit.
This post was a little difficult to read because the paragraph breaks are not very obvious and so it all appears to be one huge block of text. In general, your summaries are very well done and show that you have put forth effort to understand the concepts. You have relatively few errors, but it would be beneficial to you to proofread everything that you write before you post it so that you can avoid making simple mistakes that detract from your writing.
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