The Job Application Process

The Written Job Presentation

Business Communication – I
MBA Evening 2013
Teacher - Sir Adeel Siraj
Group Presentation by Tahseen Hussain and Tehsin Shah
CAMS College of Business & Information Technology
The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation

The written job application process consists of the following two phases;

Phase 1 : Pre job application

 Step 1 - Self Assessment

 Step 2 - Market Assessment
 Step 3 - Preparing a Resume
 Step 4 - Drafting a job application letter/cover letter to a resumé.

Phase 2 : Post job application

 Step 5 - Getting oneself prepared for an interview

 Step 6 - Chronology of the interview
 Step 7 - Positive and negative behavior (The DOs and DONTs)
 Step 8 - Interview follow-ups
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 1

Step 1 : Self Assessment - Identify your skills, interests and personal values

It is important to know which direction fits you before you look for a job.

After you've assessed yourself , you will be able to ;

 make better career decisions.

 present yourself better to employers.

 show employers how your interests, skills, and personal values fit the job you

are applying for.

 save time and money in your job search.

 perform better at a job that interests you.

 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 1

Step 1 : Self Assessment – Keep a record of your accomplishments

No matter how young or old you are, you have already accomplished something.
It is essential to exhibit a list of your accomplishments on your resume.

What may be unimportant to you might prove to be significant to the recruiter.

An ideal way of showcasing your accomplishments on your resume is through
the PEP approach i.e. Profitability, Efficiency, and Productivity.

 How did you contribute to profitability, such as through sales increase.

 How did you contribute to efficiency, such as through cost reduction.
 How did you contribute to productivity, such as through successfully motivating
your team.
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 1

 Step 2 : Market Assessment

Market assessment is a combination of job search through various job portals,

maintaining a strong network with people already attached to the commercial
industry and an exhaustive comparative analysis between the selected
organizations. This may be achieved as under

 Browsing through written sources of career and job information such as

newspapers, magazines, libraries, internet, etc.
 Developing and maintaining a network with people who are already part of the
industry. Linked In is one ideal way of growing your network and successfully
landing a job.
 A comparative analysis between the selected companies in terms of
company’s reputation, career growth, job security, remuneration, perks, etc.
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 1

 Step 3 – Preparing a Resume – The Shotgun approach

Being able to prepare a good resume increases your chances of landing a job as
this is the first step which allows you to better sell your product – yourself.
Composition of this document varies from person to person. However, a standard
format, accepted by organizations and keeping the recruiter engaged, is
as under

 Name, address and contact details

 Objective (A general or job specific career goal)
 Professional experience (in chronological order starting with the latest)
 Academic qualification (in chronological order starting with the latest)
 Achievements and Awards (educational and job related achievements
 Personal Data (Optional)
 Skills/Strengths
 References
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 1
 Step 4 – Drafting a Cover Letter to Resume – The Rifle approach

Also called the cold contact letter or job application letter, the resume cover letter
has one purpose : to attract the interest of the prospective employer /recruiter to
give you a job interview. A cover letter should be a one page composition made
up of three paragraphs, briefed as under

 Opening Para – Stating the complete reference of the job advertisement

 Middle Paragraph – should contain the following order
•Introduction
• Latest qualification and institution attended
• Current employment and organization
• Main job responsibility
• Achievement and skills
• Contribution
 Last Paragraph – An assertive request for an interview call with positive closing
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 2

 Step 5 – Interview Preparation

You have received an interview call from the employer who is quite impressed with
your credentials in your cover letter and resume. Now is the time to get yourself well
prepared for the physical appearance and the real test – the interview.
 Know yourself

 Be conversant with your resume

 Know some major facts and figures about the company

 Know the position and job description you have applied for

 Think up of possible questions and answers during the interview

 Well groomed non verbal appearance and non-hesitant oral delivery

 Must be familiar with meeting place to arrive well before the allocated interview
time and get yourself composed.

 Know some basic salary ranges.

 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 2
 Step 6 - Chronology of the Interview

 Introduction (2-5 Minutes)

 Interviewer seeks to put you at ease through introduction, casual talk

and personal information on the resume

 Company Information (5-10 Minutes)
 You must demonstrate a high degree of interest in the position

applied for. If rehearsed well, the facts, figures about the company
and job description will come in handy.
 Candidate Assessment (10-20 Minutes)
 The interviewer assesses your qualification, strengths and

weaknesses followed by a question and answer session

 Conclusion (1-2 Minutes)
 Interviewer suggests ending the interview and indicates when the

result will be forthcoming.

 You reaffirm your interest in the company, position and express

appreciation for the interview.

 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 2
 Step 7 - The DOs and DONTs during an interview

 Positive Behavior
Show enthusiasm, vitality, interest
 Be honest
 Listen attentively, concentrate
 Keep answers brief
 Show your interest in the company
 Show analytical skills
 Negative Behavior
 Discourtesy
 Avoid using Jargon (technical terms/abbreviations/informal language)
 Overaggressive / cynical attitude
 Avoid unfavorable comments about your previous company and people
 Avoid disregard for optimism
 The Job Application Process
The Written Job Presentation – Phase 2

 Step 8 – Interview Follow-ups

The recruiter/employer probably has interviewed several candidates

including
you. The key is to keep yourself out of sight but NOT out of mind.

Regardless of how the interview went, it is courteous and in your interest to

write
the interviewer a note of thanks via post or email. The note may be
composed in
the following manner

First Para – Express appreciation for having been granted the interview.

Second Para – State any vital points that you missed out during the
interview.