Planning for Your Career

Planning for Your Career
Chapter 12 Planning for Your Career Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Purpose of This Chapter
This chapter you will engage in: Self-assessment related to work attributes Career exploration Career planning skills . . . that will culminate in a successful career plan. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Learning Outcomes Assess your work-related: values, interests, occupational personality type, & skills. Investigate career options based on your self- assessment. Conduct a job informational interview. Conduct job searches. Network with professionals in your field. Market yourself for a job via a resume, cover letter, application, portfolio, & job interview. Employ online strategies for networking & job applications. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

CAREER DECISION-MAKING: A Life-Long Process
What you learn in this chapter will be repeated at various times throughout your life. You will continually upgrade your career decision-making skills to carry out realistic & fulfilling career & life plans.  Reflect on this—what does this mean to you? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Self-Assessment for Career Exploration
Values—what matters most to you. Interests—what you enjoy doing. Occupational Personality Type—your character, traits, & nature related to work personality environments. Skills—what you are good at, your abilities.  Knowing yourself can help you find a satisfying career. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Assess Your Values Work Values  What you consider to be important, worthy, or meaningful for your job satisfaction. A few examples: helping others, managing projects or people, becoming wealthy, using or developing new technology, job or family security, working with your hands or with nature, having a sedentary or a physical activity job, working independently or with a team, & many more. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Exercise 12-1: My Work Values
Not everyone believes work & values must be aligned. But values often influence the kind of work you choose. Use your assessed work values from Exercise 12-1: My Work Values, to help you consider what types of jobs match your values. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

JOB VALUES  What do you consider to be important, worthy, or meaningful?
From Exercise 12-1: My Work Values Discuss with your classmate  After determining your top 5 work values & the types of jobs that are likely to satisfy those values, what conclusions can you derive from Exercise 12-1? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Assess Your Interests Interests are reflected in the activities you enjoy doing and in your affinities. Identifying your interests & finding employment that matches your interests obviously provides greater work satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Interest Interview Use the following questions to interview a classmate.
What are your favorite hobbies? What are your favorite recreation activities? What social issues are important to you? What interests you in each of the following subjects: science, art, technology, health, psychology, sociology, or others? What other activities do you enjoy? See any “interest” theme from your responses? Any conclusions about jobs that may match your interests? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Occupational Personality Types & Aligned Work Environments
Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

John Holland’s Theory of Career Choice
Holland’s theory states that “the choice of a vocation is an expression of personality.” People are more satisfied & perform better in a career or major that fits their personality type. Career choices consistent with your occupational personality type are likely to lead to job success & satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

John Holland’s Theory of Career Choice continued
Holland developed a 6 factor typology to describe both personality types & work environments. This theory is the best known & most widely researched theory on this topic & is used by most career counselors & the U.S. Department of Labor. The next slides display & explain the 6 personality types & work environments. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

John Holland’s Theory of Career Choice continued
You are a combination of all 6 occupational personality types. However, you are likely to be dominant in 3 occupational personality types. Holland classifies occupations using the 3 highest or dominant personality types. 3 top scoring letters = Holland’s Code Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

The 6 Occupational Personality Types
Realistic (R)—practical, physical, hands-on, likes outdoors, fix things (bodies, machines, animals) (Doer) Investigative (I)—analytical, intellectual, logical, scientific, explorative, independent (Thinker) Artistic (A)—creative, original, independent, visionary, perceptive, intuitive (Creator) Social (S)—cooperative, supporting, helping, healing/nurturing, idealistic, empathetic (Helper) Enterprising (E)—competitive, control, ambitious leadership, persuading, adventurous (Persuader) Conventional (C)—detail-oriented, organizing, clerical, accurate, sociable, efficient (Organizer) - RIASEC - Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Holland’s Code The initials of your top 3 occupational personality themes form a code that can be used to discover occupations that match your interests. EXAMPLE: ESC for Employment Managers resemble people in Enterprising (E) occupations most of all. Social (S) occupations somewhat less. Conventional (C) occupations still less. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Your “Holland Occupational Personality” Results
Discuss the following with a classmate: Based on the textbook’s John Holland Occupational Personality Type Self-Assessment, what were your top three personality types? and corresponding scores? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

John Holland’s Hexagon model shows relationships between the occupational personality types/work environments. Note  personality types closest to each other are more alike than those farther away. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Continue to discuss with your classmate . . .
Review the occupations listed in your text that are listed in each of your top 3 occupational personality types. What occupations listed in your top 3 occupational personality types are of strong interest to you? What new job titles have recently been developed (but not listed in the text) & are likely to be listed in these occupational personality types? Note: New & emerging jobs are continually added as new fields & technologies emerge. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Assess Your Skills The skills you have strongly influence your career options. Skills are abilities you can immediately apply in specific tasks or functions. Marketable skills are key selling points on your resume—they’re the skills your employer hired you for. As you develop additional skills you grow in your job & become eligible for other jobs. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

4 Types of Skills Transferrable skills can be transferred from one job to another—you can adapt them & use them in many other types of work. Generally expressed as verbs. (design)  Why are transferable skills seldom expressed alone on a resume or in an interview? Work-specific skills are abilities you have learned specifically for the job. Always a phrase. Begins with a transferable skill (a verb), followed by a brief specific description. (design webpages)  Give examples of each of the 2 skills above which you possess. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

4 Types of Skills continued
Self-management skills relate to how you manage yourself, how well you perform, your behavior, and/or temperament. Generally expressed by adjectives or adverbs. Can be single word or phrase. Examples: trustworthy Increased sales by 60% in two years (quantitative) Strong technical & reader-friendly writing styles (qualitative) These skills are important to employers because they want to hire people who are “good workers” & those who will fit with the work group.  Give an example of a self-management skill which you possess. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

4 Types of Skills continued
Knowledge-based skills are expressed as nouns & relate to your knowledge of specific subjects, procedures, & information necessary to perform particular tasks. You attain this knowledge through courses, training, seminars, employment & other experiences where you have gained expertise in certain field. Example: Microsoft Word proficiency  Give an example of a knowledge-based skill which you possess. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Go to the O*NET Connector
Go to the O*NET Connector . . . to learn what skills are required for a job in which you have an interest. Note: At this website, the work-specific skills are called, “Detailed Work Activities.” Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Investigating Career Options via Online Resources

Investigating Career Options
Choosing an occupation is easier not only when you understand yourself but when you are also knowledgeable about the occupations available to you. Exercise 12-8, Occupational Exploration Outline Use any of the following 4 online occupation & career resources (described in next 4 slides) to explore an occupation you’re interested in that is related to your major. Also  the more you know about the occupation you plan to enter, the better you will be at marketing yourself for that occupation. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) (U. S. Dept
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) (U.S. Dept. of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics) Investigate occupational information on: Job duties Education & training needed Earnings Expected job outlook/prospects Highest paying occupations, projected fastest growing occupations Job market in each state & more Note: The OOH is revised every 2 years. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

O*NET Resource Center http://www.onetonline.org/
Is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Contains information on hundreds of standardized & occupation-specific descriptors. Is continually updated by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation. Is an interactive application for exploring & searching occupations. Has career exploration tools & assessment instruments for workers & students looking to find or change careers. Use the following link to find an occupation based your interest (occupational personality type) on the O*NET Website: Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

CareerOneStop http://www.careeronestop.org
A comprehensive career resource library containing: Career exploration resources Salary & benefit information Education & training information Job search sites for each state Occupational profiles by state Resume, application, & interview help Other related services & more Sponsored by U.S. Department of Labor/Employment & Training Administration Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

MyNextMove http://www.mynextmove.org/
U.S. Department of Labor career search site. Allows users to search for careers by keyword, industry, & interest. Includes a special search for veterans. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Job Search (Hunting) Strategies
Class Brainstorm: Let’s list all the ways we can think of to search for a job. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Job Searching on the Web
Company website job ads Government sponsored job site CareerOneStop MyNextMove Private sector job sites: CareerBuilder, Monster, CoolJobs What others? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Informational Interviews
Author Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute? recommends the use of an Informational Interview to find out if you would like a job before you commit yourself to preparing for it. To conduct an Informational Interview, you locate people who are involved in work that interests you & arrange to meet & talk with them about it. The purpose of an informational interview is to gain job information & to broaden your network of contacts for future references. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Informational Interviews continued
Talking to people about their jobs/careers, without an expectation of a job offer, is a fantastic way to investigate career options. It is less stressful than a job interview & you are asking the questions because you want to learn about the job. You can learn about the pros & cons of a job as well as the workplace. It’s always good to talk to several individuals to get different takes on the job/career. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Informational Interviews continued
Locate someone working in a job you are interested in & courteously explain that you are trying to learn more about that field of work. Ask for 15 to 30 mins. Dress professionally Prepare a list of specific questions about duties, skills, working conditions, problems, hours, & the organization itself. Send a thank you note. You could ignite the interest of a prospective employer—it happens occasionally! Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Informational Interview Questions
Discuss in small groups & record: What questions you would like to ask to learn about the job & workplace.  Share your questions with the class. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Networking  to help you identify job openings & make job contacts.
Making contacts with others & making use of the contacts you already have to find work & advance your career is called networking. You’re not yet actually applying for a job—you’re inquiring about possible job opportunities & making others aware of your career interests. Many jobs are found informally, through personal contact with friends, relatives, acquaintances, & through online social media contacts. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Group Brainstorm/Group Share
List possible networking contacts. List possible places to network. How can you prepare for networking? How would you approach individuals? What kinds of information will you seek? . . . and provide? How would you recommend following up your networking? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Using Social Networking for Job Searching
Social media networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter are the top social media sites for job & employee seekers. How does social media display people’s identities beyond what you’d see on a resume? How could social media be used to predetermine whether an applicant should even be considered for employment? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Discussion: LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter for Job & Employee Seekers
What makes LinkedIn the most popular social media site for professional networking? What are the pros & cons related to using Facebook for job hunting? How can you use Twitter for job hunting? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

College Placement Services
What kind of career & placement services does our college provide? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Marketing Yourself for the Job Resume Cover Letter Application
Portfolio Job Interview Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

The Resume The resume is the first step in marketing you for the job— concisely listing your contact information, credentials, achievements, skills, work, & educational background. Purpose—to get the prospective employer interested in interviewing you. Employers want a resume to show a clear match between the applicant & the job. Note—there are many & varied approaches to constructing a resume. Give yourself plenty of time to construct your resume & get a competent proofreader to check it. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume Writing is an Art
It takes time to create an exceptional resume with all the qualifications the employer is searching for & the keywords the ATS is searching for. It is helpful for you to build a master (or comprehensive) resume that will serve as a base to create your future resumes. Once you have a master resume, you can continue to add new education, training, & professional work experiences, & modify it to fit any job you’re applying for. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Design Your Resume E-Folder
Ultimately, you should have a “Resume E- Folder” with job subfolders for all jobs you have applied for. Each subfolder should contain a position description, application copy, resume, cover letter, list of references, & employer Website or other information to help you prepare your documents & prepare for the interview. E-folders should be categorized by date. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume  Group Discussion
 There are many possible ways to construct a resume, so let’s first discuss category headings. Think of all the possible category headings you could put on a resume. What will you name these category headings? How will you order your categories? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Small Group Presentations Major Components of a Master Resume
Divide into small groups. Each group should prepare for & present 1 to 2 of the Components of a Master Resume as listed on the next slide. Use the text guidelines for making presentations. Use visual aids. Facilitate a Q & A. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Major Components of a Master Resume
Resume Header Contact Information Professional or Career Objective Qualifications Summary Education Experience (or Work Experience) Extracurricular, Community Activities, or Volunteer Activities (Optional) Reference Statement Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Other Potential Category Headings That May Help Market You for the Job
Online career profile link for LinkedIn or other social media—could be at bottom of last page or part of header. Licenses/Certifications Affiliations/Memberships (of non-controversial groups) Foreign Travel—if valuable for the position Public speaking, Presentations, or Publications Volunteer, Community Service, Fund-Raising, Leadership, or Athletic activities. Activities or Hobbies/Interests  Only include additional categories if space is available & it adds value. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Creating a Resume That Gets Past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) & into Human Hands
Employers (particularly large companies) & recruiting agencies handle so many resumes that they frequently rely on ATSs to scan resumes. Knowing that your resume may be scanned by an ATS means you will need to include the following on your resume: keywords & phrases & years of experience as related to the position description (PD). Even if your resume would not be scanned by an ATS, why is still a good practice to use keywords & phrases & years of experience as related to the PD? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Creating a Resume That Gets Past ATS & into Human Hands continued
The employer's desired search terms (keywords & phrases & years of experience) are matched against the scanned results & scored on how well they match. If you survive the ATS & score among the highest scoring applicants, you are likely to get called in for an interview. ATSs search for the both the exact & related keywords & phrases as are on the PD. Describe your experience in specific words & use jargon & acronyms specific to your field. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume Tips Use the job position description to help you prepare your resume. Pay close attention to the skills the employer wants, & make sure you address them in your resume. Your skills, accomplishments, & background should clearly match up to the position description. Be honest, but don’t confess your negative attributes or shortcomings on your resume. Use concise bulleted phrases—no unnecessary words, no pronouns, & generally avoid abbreviations. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume Tips continued Rule of thumb to determine how long your resume should be: If you have little work experience, are applying for an entry-level position, or if there’s a lot of competition, keep your resume at 1 page if possible, 2 pages at the very most. Include only pertinent qualifications. If you have a significant amount of professional work experience & are applying for a higher level position, you are likely to have less competition & you may need several pages to highlight how well you match the position. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume Tips continued Use clear, concise, impactful language, & parallelism as appropriate. Parallelism is consistency in grammatical parts of speech, e.g. use all past tense verbs -ed OR use all participles a verb ending in –ing. Make it Perfect. Carefully check for grammar, spelling, & overall appearance. Ask a competent writer to proof it. If your resume has 2 or more pages, place your name & page # on each page after page 1. How can you make your resume show that you are a responsible & energetic person who gets things done? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

The Resume How to Instantly Catch the Reader’s Eye
Identify & include areas in which you can make a contribution. Create a strong Professional Objective statement: Should state the position you are applying for. Can include a strong & concise statement that shows the employer how you meet their requirements. May also follow with a list of qualifications you bring to the position.  Explain Can also show that you can bring added value. Should persuade the employer to read the rest of your resume. Should be modified so it is specific to each job you apply for. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

To Include or Not to Include a Professional Objective Statement?
Some people choose to omit the objective statement because they believe it is limiting. Some employers want to see an objective to size up your intentions. Other employers say objectives are often poorly written & waste space. Discuss reasons you may or may not want to include an objective on your resume. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Other Resume Openers Headline statement—simply state the title of the position you’re applying for Revise for every job you apply for. Branding statement—ad-like statement that tells immediately what you can bring to the employer. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Headline & Branding Statement Used in Combination
Example: PROJECT MANAGER Specialize in upgrading business information systems, designing strategy, managing risk, implementing training, and improving the quality and caliber of operations. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Another Approach (from Monster.com)
Dedicated health information technician (HIT) with seven years of acute-care hospital medical records coding experience. Additional four years of experience as a medical office administrative manager in a rehabilitation setting. Completed full-time HIT program in Qualifications include: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification AAS degree in Health Information Technology Expertise in ICD-9-CM and CPT coding Knowledge of licensing, reimbursement, and accreditation standards Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Include Accomplishments on Your Resume
Focus on accomplishments that set you apart from other job candidates. In each job, what special things did you do to set yourself apart? How did you do the job better than anyone else or than anyone else could have done? What were the problems or challenges that you or the organization faced? What did you do to overcome the problems? What were the results of your efforts? How did the organization benefit from your performance? How did you leave your employers better off than before you worked for them? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Resume Style Options Functional Resume—highlights an applicant’s specific experience & skills rather than a chronological listing of work history experience. Chronological Resume—highlights an applicant’s work history starting from the most recent work experience listed in reverse chronological order. Combination of both Which type would you choose? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

References Who should you select for references?

Reference Tips & Options
“References available upon request” may be placed at the bottom of your resume. It may be eliminated, especially if space is needed for pertinent information. Another option: “Professional references and portfolio available upon request.” May have references available on another typed sheet of paper. (Usually best to provide at interview.) Always ask permission from those you wish to use for a job reference. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Reference Tips & Options continued
It can be helpful to give your references your current resume & job description for the position to which you are applying  Why? List at least 3 people (not relatives) who are: Favorably impressed with you. Have direct knowledge of your skills, character, accomplishments, & the quality of your daily job performance. List reference’s name, title, company, complete address, phone number, & address. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Include a Cover Letter When You Submit Your Resume to an Employer
Cover Letters: Inform employers who you are & why you’re sending your resume. Provide an opportunity for the employer to see your writing capabilities & personality & distinguish your application. A well-written cover letter gets the employer interested in seeing your resume, so take the time to write an exceptional cover letter. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

You want to submit a resume online, but the site does not request or allow you to include a cover letter? Possible alternatives to including a resume anyway: Create one file that contains both your resume & a cover letter. Consider sending both your cover letter & resume directly to the employer, HR Department, and/or area requesting the position. Think about it? Why would you want to do either of these? Is there a reason not to? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Cover Letter Tips Send a customized cover letter with each resume.
Make every effort to address your cover letter to the person who makes the hiring decision or strongly influences the hiring—avoid the “Dear Sir or Madam.” Search the “About Us” pages on the company Website for names of individuals to address. Use “Dear Employer” as a last resort. Let the person know why you’re sending your resume. Responding to an ad? Did you research the company yourself? Recommendation?—mention name & position. Are you writing on someone’s advice—mention name & position. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Cover Letter Tips continued
Address why you are the best candidate for the company & specific position. Emphasize your skills, experiences, & accomplishments as they relate to the specific job you are applying for. You can also communicate that you match or exceed the qualifications/requirements listed in the job description. Note: Try not to repeat your resume—just introduce the highlights that encourage the employer to read your resume thoroughly. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Cover Letter continued
Consider targeting your cover letter by creating two columns: On the left  take the job posting & list the qualifications/requirements the employer is looking for. Across from it (on the right), list your corresponding qualifications/requirements. Write a lead-in sentence (prior to the lists) referencing how your qualifications match the position criteria. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Conclude your cover letter by requesting an interview & thanking the person for his/her time. Consider including information on how you will follow up. “I will contact you the week of _________.” to inquire about an interview. OR what other clever statement/reasons could you pose for a follow-up call? Spell check & proofread. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Like a resume . . . There are many & varied approaches to constructing a cover letter. Give yourself plenty of time to construct your cover letter. Get a competent proofreader to check it. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Do You Need a Job Portfolio?
No—a job portfolio is not necessary, but it can: Make a good impression on an employer or an interview team. Set you apart from other job candidates— giving you a competitive edge. Showcase your skills, accomplishments, & the quality of your work. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

What is a Job/Career Portfolio & How Do You Use It to Market Yourself for the Job?
It’s a job-hunting tool you develop to give employers a “picture” of who you are—your experience, education, accomplishments, & skills. It’s much more than just what a cover letter & resume can provide. It can be placed in a 3-ring binder, folder, on your Website, or sent as an attachment. (Most keep electronic & print copies.) Start preparing a portfolio when you begin college. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Portfolio Tips You can introduce your portfolio
During a job interview in a folder, binder, or in a PowerPoint presentation. Provide a link to your e-portfolio on your resume or cover letter. Offer to send the employer your portfolio. Using a 3-ring binder lets you add & subtract documents. The first page of the portfolio should be your index/overview of what is contained in the portfolio. Keep your portfolio updated. Documents to include  next slide Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Portfolio Documents Resume or vitae
Most recent licenses, certificates, professional registrations, or other credentials Degrees & training completion certifications Achievements, recognitions, awards Evidence (photos) of creative projects, displays, products Writing samples and/or publications Letters of recognition Evidence of presentations at conferences, etc. Memberships & offices held in professional organizations Printed programs that list your involvement in a service or production Examples of your technology skills (PowerPoint presentation, podcast, video, or e- publication) What else? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Completing a Job Application: Another Piece of Self-Marketing
Most job applications are completed online. Read instructions & the entire form before writing anything.  Why? Thoroughly complete the application form & double check to make sure that nothing is left unanswered. You don’t want your application to go in the “Do Not Interview” pile because of errors or not being thorough. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Completing a Job Application: on Paper or Online
Create a “model” application (or data sheet) with all work history, dates, & references & their information, so you will have accurate information quickly available whenever you need to complete an application. Make a copy to keep in your resume e-folder & document folder to take with you to your interview. Arrive early to an interview in case you need to complete the application or other documents at the time of your job interview. If asked what salary you expect, you may list a specific salary, a low-high range, or write “open” or “negotiable.” Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Completing a Job Application: on Paper or Online
Have little or no formal work history? List any volunteer, charitable, or casual labor jobs in the Work History section of the application. This will show that you know what is expected in the work place. Have employment gaps?  Offer some explanation. If you’ve been attending school or training, note that. If you’ve been seeking employment for a while, it is legitimate to write “job hunting.” Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Completing a Job Application: on Paper or Online continued
Convicted of a crime?  Write “N/A” in the space provided, unless you were convicted of a felony. In that case, consider leaving the space blank & be prepared to discuss it in an interview. Thoroughly proofread the document, checking for all errors—especially typos & misspellings. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

The Job Interview Interviewing varies widely, based on industry, occupation, employer, & position. Generally, the higher paid the job, the longer & more rigorous the selection process. If you’re qualified for the position & you’ve written an effective cover letter & resume, chances are good that you will get to interview for the job. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Interview Variances Some Interviews include:
Interview committees—then meet the CEO. On rare occasions, all candidates are interviewed in the same room, same time. May require a writing sample, presentation, or test during the interview process. Any other experiences? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Interview Preparation
Learn everything you can about the employer, the position, business/industry, products & services—including the major competitors in the field. Go to the employer’s Website & study every page. You will likely pick up some information & language that you can use in the interview. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Interview Preparation continued
When you set up the interview schedule, ask who will be interviewing you and, as appropriate, consider asking how best to prepare. Practice responding to potential questions—even the tough questions like: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” “Why are you unemployed?” Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Prepare questions to ask during interviews—for example: “Is there any qualification for this position that you think I am missing?” “What are some of the problems you are trying to solve with this position?” This gives you clues about concerns you could address further. Be prepared to demonstrate your writing ability & your ability to make presentations. The employer will generally notify you about some of the specifics of this in advance. Know where you’re going. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Arrive 15 minutes early for your interview. Take copies of your resume, cover letter, portfolio (if you have one), list of references, & a model application (or data sheet). Bring a note pad so you can take notes as needed. You can write down questions to remember to respond to each part of the question. Get ready the night before. Get plenty of rest the night before & eat before your appointment. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

From the text  An out-of-the-box strategy for your consideration: On the next slide is a question that you ask, not one that you answer. If you should decide to use it, do so as early in the interview as possible. It could lay the groundwork for success in the rest of the interview. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

What do you think about using this question?
To Supervisor or Hiring Manager: “I reviewed the job description and based on what I know so far, the job consists entirely of things that I like to do and can do very well. Since this is my first opportunity to talk directly to you about it, would you be willing to tell me exactly what you will expect from me in this position? I would like to hear how you view the job description and your expectations beyond the job description. What’s most important? In this position, what would I need to do to earn the highest rating in my first evaluation?”  Don’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Class Share Let’s hear about some of your experiences with interviews.
Based on your experiences, is there any advice you have about interview preparation? What are some of the reasons people may have an unsuccessful interview? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Don’t Forget Send a thank you after your interview to the entire interview team. (It’s a good idea to write the names of the interviewers in your note pad as they are introduced. Then you can each of them a thank you note.)  What should you say? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Discussion: Career Changes
Does anyone remember the days when workers & employers remained loyal to one another for 30 or more years? Why are job & career changes more frequent today? How can you thoughtfully plan for job & career change that will lead you to the next position? Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Career Changes More often than not, the need for job or career change happens unexpectedly, when one is least prepared, & so it can carry with it fear, frustration, & immobilization.  Reflect on this. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Key Chapter Points Knowing your work-related values, interests, occupational personality type, & skills can help you find a satisfying career. Investigate jobs that match you. People are more satisfied & perform better in a career or major that fits their personality type. Talking to people about their jobs/careers, without an expectation of a job offer, is a fantastic way to investigate career options. Networking (face-to-face & on social media) with professionals in your field can help you uncover jobs openings & good contacts. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Key Chapter Points continued
Keeping a data sheet with all work history, dates, & references will provide accurate information whenever you need to complete a job application. There are many & varied approaches to constructing both a resume & a cover letter. Give yourself plenty of time to construct an exceptional & professional resume & cover letter & get a competent proofreader to check it. Start preparing a portfolio when you begin college. Prepare for your interview by researching the job & company & practicing responses to questions. Copyright © 2016 by Tapestry Press, Ltd.

Planning for Your Career

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Planning for Your Career

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Presentation on theme: "Planning for Your Career"— Presentation transcript:

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