Building Careers and

Writing Résumés

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 1

 Securing Employment in
Today’s Job Market
• Understanding employer’s approach
• Organizing your approach

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 2

 The Job Search Process
1. Build toward a career
2. Prepare the résumé
3. Understand the interview process
4. Prepare for the interview
5. Complete the interview
6. Follow up and accept the offer
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 3
 How Employers Approach
the Recruiting Process
• Look inside the company - Internal
• Networking and personal references
• Employment agency or search firm
• Unsolicited résumés
• Solicited résumés via advertising

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 4

 Organizing Your Approach
• Monitor business news - Internet
• Researching specific firms - Internet
• Building a network - Networking is the process
of making informal connections with a broad sphere of
mutually beneficial business contacts.

• Seeking career counseling

• Hidden Job Market – 80% of job openings are
never advertised

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 5

Three-Step Résumé Process
Planning Writing Completing

Analyze Situation Revise Résumé

Adapt to
the Audience
Gather Information Produce Résumé

Select Medium Proofread Résumé

Compose
the Message
Get Organized Distribute Résumé

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 6

 Planning Your Résumé
• The “Story of You”
– Audience and purpose
– Relevant information – education/work
– The best medium
– Organization

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 7

 Analyze Audience and
Purpose
• The résumé
– Target company
– Hiring manager

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 8

 Gather Information
• Employment history
• Education background
• Personal Experience

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 9

 Choose the Medium
• Word document
• Plain-text
• PowerPoint
• Multimedia
• Plain paper
• QR Code – Quick Response
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 10
 Organize the Résumé
• Think in terms of results
• Know how to get things done
• Well rounded
• Career progress and development
• Standards of excellence
• Flexible and willing to try new things
• Communicate effectively
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 11
 “Red Flags” for Employers
• Frequent job changes
• Gaps in work history
• Inexperience or over-qualification
• Long-term with one company
• For-cause job termination
• Criminal or arrest record
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 12
 Typical Résumé Formats
• Chronological - work experience section
dominates and is placed in the most prominent
slot, immediately after your name and address
and optional objective
• Functional - sometimes called a skills
résumé, emphasizes your skills and capabilities
while identifying employers and academic
experience in subordinate sections (little
employment history)
• Combination

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 13

 Writing Your Résumé

• Respect your résumé

• Take your time
• Review good models - Templates
• Minimize frustration

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 14

 Keep the Résumé Honest

• Workplace references
• Background checks
• Credit histories

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 15

 Adapting to the Audience

• Consider the employer’s perspective

• Link accomplishments to potential
• Translate skills and experience
• Clarify educational achievements

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 16

 Composing Your Résumé
• Contact information
• Introductory statement
• Educational background
• Employment history
• Activities and achievements
• Relevant personal data
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 17
 Completing Your Résumé

• Revising
• Producing
• Proofreading

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 18

Common Résumé Problems

• Length issues • Hard to read

• Amateurish • Poorly produced
• Writing problems • Boastful tone
• Generic quality • Gimmicky design

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 19

 Producing Your Résumé
• Printed traditional résumé
• Printed scannable résumé
• Electronic plain text file
• MS Word file
• HTML format
• Electronic PDF file
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 20
Traditional Printed Résumé
• High-quality paper
• Professional image

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 21

Printed Scannable Résumé
• OCR software
• Résumé length
• Keyword summary

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 22

 Digital Résumé Formats
• Plain text file
• MS Word file
• HTML version
• PDF format

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 23

 Proofreading the Résumé
• Headings and lists
• Grammar and punctuation
• Spelling and word choice
• Paper and digital formats

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 24

 Distributing Your Résumé
• Postal mail
• Fax machine
• Email

Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 25

 Posting Résumés Online
• Personal e-portfolio
• Personal website
• Social networking
• General job sites
• Specialized websites
• Staffing services
Business Communication NCBA&E Asim Ahmad Chapter 18 - 26