1. Chapter 13 Composing Cover Letters and Resumes
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

2. Learning Objectives
Explain why you should put yourself in the reader’s shoes when developing your job search tools.
Describe the role of a cover letter.
Identify the purpose of the four paragraphs in a cover letter.
Debate the importance of the final, action-taking paragraph of a cover letter.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

3. Learning Objectives List examples of action verbs.
Discuss the purpose of the resume.
Itemize the basic parts of a resume.
Differentiate between the required parts of a resume and the optional ones.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

4. Learning Objectives
Distinguish between the three traditional resume formats.
Differentiate between plain-text resumes and scannable resumes.
List the guidelines for making sure your documents get read.
Outline the reasons for completing a job application completely.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

5. Cover Letters and Resumes
Do I like the way these documents look?
Do they grab my attention?
How do they sound?
Can I easily read and understand them?
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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6. Cover Letters and Resumes
Have I included all information and omitted all unnecessary details?
Will they achieve my goal of getting an interview?
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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7. Cover Letters Solicited Unsolicited Electronic 143
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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8. Cover Letters Purpose Gets attention. States your interest.
Paragraph 1 2 3 4
Purpose
Gets attention.
States your interest.
Builds desire.
States your intended action.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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9. What Is a Resume? A Summary A Marketing Tool Who you are
What you have done
What skills you possess
A Marketing Tool
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

10. Electronic Resume Formats
ed Resumes
Online Resumes
Personal Websites
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

11. Resumes Three Basic Sections: Heading Experience Education 145
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
145

12. Position applied for: Director of Publicity
Resume Headings
Example 1
EDWIN R. COULTER
225 Normany Village
Shreveport, Louisiana 71104
(381)
Position applied for: Director of Publicity
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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13. Resume Headings Example 2 Qualifications of JANET LEE FELDER
Old Lyme Road
Northbrook, VT 05663
(820)
for the position of SYSTEMS ANALYST
Brighton Industries, Inc.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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14. Resume — Experience Information to Include:
Name and locations of past employers
Job title
Responsibilities
Accomplishments
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15. Taking Another Look
Employment gaps are much more common and acceptable.
Lateral job moves now signal flexibility.
Extensive time with one employer suggests a loyal and tenacious survivor.
Wall Street Journal
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

16. Resume — Education Information to Include:
College education — degrees and major
Anticipated date of graduation
GPA if above 3.0
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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17. Resume — Optional Items
Personal Information
Job Objective
Activities, Military Experience, Professional Organizations
References
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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18. Number of Pages for Resume
New Graduate — 1 Page
Work Experience — 1 to 2 Pages
Executive — 2 to 3 Pages
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

19. Two Versions of Your Resume
One for the Computer to Read
Scannable format and detailed information
One for People to Read
Traditional layout with summarized information
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

20. Functional Resume Format
Functional or Topical Headings
Information about Experience in Each Paragraph
Major Areas of Accomplishments Highlighted
Job Titles and Work History Secondary
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.
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21. Targeted Resume Format
Important Features
Opening job target attracts attention.
Capabilities section illustrates work you can do.
Achievements section highlights related work activities.
Background information includes work experience and education.
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22. Two Important Words Hits Key Words
A hit is when one of your skills match the computer search.
Key Words
A key word is typically a noun such as job titles, departments, companies, organizations, skills, or degrees.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

23. A Scannable Resume Allows a computer to read your resume.
Provides you an opportunity to get “hits.”
Is categorized into job possibilities by key words.
Is ranked by the computer.
Is stored in the computer for future use.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

24. Scannable Resume Focus on: Format Content
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

25. Tips for Maximizing Hits
Use key words to define your skills, experience, education, and professional affiliations.
Describe your experience with concrete words.
Be concise and truthful.
Use more than one page if necessary.
Use jargon/acronyms specific to your industry.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

26. Tips for Maximizing Hits
Increase your list of key words by including specifics.
Use common headings such as: Objective, Experience, Employment, and Work History.
Describe your interpersonal traits and attitude if space allows.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

27. Tips for Maximizing Hits
Place your name at the top of the page on its own line.
Use standard address format below your name.
List each telephone number on its own line.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

28. Tips for Maximizing Hits
Do not condense spacing between letters.
Use boldface and/or capital letters for section headings.
Avoid fancy treatments (italics, underline, shadows, and reverses).
Avoid vertical and horizontal lines, graphics, and boxes.
Avoid two-column format or resumes that look like newspapers or newsletters.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

29. Tips for Maximizing Scanability
Use 8 1/2 by 11 inch white/light-colored paper and print on only one side.
Use a laser printer for best quality type.
Do not fold or staple.
Use standard typefaces.
Use a font size of 10 to 14 point.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

30. Job Application Provides similar information as a resume.
Used to screen potential job candidates.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.

31. No Magic Bullets An effective resume takes time to prepare.
Remember, spelling and grammar do count.
Balance content and transmission mode.
Roebuck: Improving Business Communication, 4th edition. (c) 2006, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ All Rights Reserved.