online dream job

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Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

7. Prepare a résumé package. 7.1 Illustrate a cover letter that is tailored toward a specific job. 7.2 Prepare a résumé that highlights professional skills and strengths. 7.3 Outline a professional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

7.1

Unit Lesson Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Unit VII Assignment

7.2

Unit Lesson Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Unit VII Assignment

7.3

Unit Lesson Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Unit VII Assignment

Required Unit Resources Chapter 13: Job Search Skills Chapter 14: Résumé Package

Unit Lesson Imagine you are about to graduate from Columbia Southern University and are eager to seek your new employment after spending roughly five years of your life learning a skill that will help land you that dream job. This is both an exciting and scary part of the process. You are looking forward to the new opportunities that await you, and you feel ready to show off your new skills, but where do you begin? How do you go about finding this new job? How do you show off your skills to potential employers? This unit is vital to your representation, inevitable career changes, and current and future professionalism in the workplace. The lesson details proper job search and career selection techniques and constructing the proper résumé package to land that dream job. Job Search Skills When the time comes for the start of a career or career change, being prepared and planning are essential in today’s ever-changing business environment. Career starts and changes are common and expected, or sometimes an unplanned norm. A welcome attitude toward change provides not only opportunity for advancement but also personal growth. Some common career changes happen due to self-advancements such as completing a degree, a specialized certification, or skill training. Career changes can also occur in two different ways: voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary changes are typically retirement or a resignation due to another job offer. Regardless, be careful not to burn any bridges upon exiting. An involuntary termination is

UNIT VII STUDY GUIDE

Prepare a Résumé Package

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when one loses a job due to being fired or laid-off due to restructuring or furloughs. With today’s competitive environment, restructuring is common because of ever-changing strategies and resource reorganization. The Job Search There are many ways you can search for employment, and many people find online search engines helpful. For example, USAJobs.gov is a good search engine to use if you are looking for a federal job. Not all search engines are the same. Take Linkedin.com, for instance. It is considered more like a professional social media networking tool. You may have more luck searching for and applying for jobs using webpages such as Indeed.com. Additionally, there are niche Web pages for specific jobs. You are encouraged to research the best webpages for your specific career field. To the right is a list of popular job searching resources. When searching the many job search engines, you want to search for jobs for which you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to be successful. Many of the job search engines allow you to fill out a résumé in their format or upload one you have prepared. When uploading your résumé, you want to make sure you have proofread it so that there are no mistakes and it caters to your job needs. KSAs are attributes that employers are looking for. Many companies are looking for knowledge for the job being offered. Knowledge can come from many areas. A good example is a young individual coming out of college with knowledge that is new to the industry. With the advancement in technology, this would benefit the employer. When it comes to skills, employers are looking for individuals that bring skill sets that fit the job being offered. That is why it is important to list and have proof of those skills. Abilities are defined as the means to do something. Do you have the abilities to accomplish a job that is offered? Many jobs require different abilities. That is why it is important to read the job description. Choosing the Right Career Becoming an entrepreneur is another example of a career change, and it is becoming increasingly popular among professionals. Being a business owner comes with many risks, but the rewards can be far more valuable. Entrepreneurial methods come in many forms such as starting a business, buying a franchise, or purchasing an existing business. It all begins with a dream and a passion. The dream begins with identifying an opportunity, exploring the potential, creating a plan of action through a business and market plan, finding the right investors, and surrounding yourself with a well-balanced team of specialists who are creative and supportive of your career transition. If you are interested, the Small Business Administration has a wealth of free information to assist you in making a smooth career transition into entrepreneurship. Here is a link to the website: www.sba.gov. Job Search Portfolio A job search portfolio is an assembly of correspondence used to keep you orderly and prepared while searching for a job (Anderson & Bolt, 2016). To manage your job search portfolio, the most efficient way is to have a binder or folder that can be labeled. It is best to keep your originals and at a minimum of two copies available at all times (Anderson & Bolt, 2016). This will allow you to transfer them to your interview portfolio when needed. As a rule of thumb, your original documents should not be deleted from your job search portfolio. If at all possible, place your original documents in document protectors. As we advance in technology, many organizations use an electronic job search engine to announce job openings. In some cases, you can apply for the position directly from the webpage. That is why it is recommended that you create an electronic job search portfolio. It works the same way as a job search portfolio. The only difference is that you will submit them electronically.

Popular Job Searching Sites

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Résumé Package

You will learn why it is important to have an accurate, appealing, and effective résumé to land you that interview. We will cover the items that will catch the eye of the interviewer to show your KSAs. Anderson and Bolt (2018) recommend five steps to create a résumé: gathering your information, using the appropriate format, drafting a skill summary and profile, outlining experience and accomplishments, and reviewing your final draft. A good résumé should be able to help you sell yourself. In some instances, a carefully crafted résumé can secure a job without a formal interview. That is why these five steps will help you get that interview or job offer. Do not sugarcoat your résumé as it will catch up to you when you least expect it. Step One: Gathering Information Gathering information is an important step to help you build your résumé. Some important information you want to gather are items like education, skills, employment history, any foreign languages, honors and awards, and professional or community involvement. Also, in this step, you want to be sure not to use your personal data, such as your social security number or birthday. On page 207 in your textbook, you can find more on each of these steps. Step Two: Creating an Information Heading and Utilizing Proper Layout

In step two, you will need to create an information heading. This contains relevant contact information such as your name, mailing address, contact phone, and email address. An example is provided below.

YOUR NAME (16 point, bold) Your Address (12 or 14 point, bold) ■ City, State, Zip

Phone Number (Give only one number and include area code) Email Address (Remove hyperlink)

There are two types of layouts you need to consider when you start creating your résumé. The first type is the functional résumé layout. This layout is used when you are just starting your career with less work experience, and it focuses on your skills and education. Many college students just graduating with limited job experience would use this résumé layout. The advanced skill set layout is used when you have job-specific experience and accomplishments to communicate with potential employers. Step Three: Writing a Skills Summary or Personal Profile An individual who has little or no experience will use a skills summary as their introductory statement on a functional résumé. Individuals who have professional experience that aligns with career goals will use a personal profile for their introductory statement. Whichever you are using, the skills summary will be listed on your résumé following the information heading. On page 209 of your textbook, you will find more information about skills summaries and personal profile examples. Step Four: Insert Skills, Accomplishments, and Experience This step is important when you want to catch the eye of the employer. Many employers are looking for top quality individuals who have the skills and experience necessary to do the job. For this reason, it is important to list your skills in two ways. The first way is by listing job-specific skills. These skills are primarily related to a specific job. The second way is by highlighting transferable skills, or skills from previous roles that can be applied to newer positions. That is why it is so important to read the job description that you are applying for. There is a lot of information about the job so that you can tailor your résumé to that job. Also, keep in mind that embellishing or using false information can lead to your termination or not getting hired.

Steps to creating a résumé (Adapted from Anderson & Bolt, 2016)

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Step Five: Review the Completed Résumé The last step is your final review of your completed résumé. It is important that you have individuals you can count on to check for any errors. Many times, individuals do not get the interview because their résumés lacked clarity. Cover Letters Not all companies require a cover letter. However, when you need to have one, make sure you tailor your cover letter to the company and position that you are applying for. In your cover letter, you should include three paragraphs.

 Start out with a purpose, and explain why you are applying for the position.

 Next, you want to follow up with areas such as skills that make you qualified for the position.

 Lastly, you want to request an interview (Anderson & Bolt, 2016). By utilizing this format, you will have a cover letter that explains your purpose for application, the skill set you can offer to the position, and a formal request for the opportunity to interview. Conclusion By following all of the topics covered in this lesson, you should be able to construct a résumé along with a cover letter. There are so many ways to put together a résumé. One of the main points to remember is to tailor your résumé to the job being offered. Looking back at what was covered, you should feel confident in putting all of your material together to prepare a positive cover letter that supports your comprehensive résumé package.

Reference Anderson, L. E., & Bolt, S. B. (2016). Professionalism: Skills for workplace success (4th ed.). Boston, MA:

Pearson. U.S. Small Business Administration. (n.d.). Small Business Administration. Retrieved from

https://www.sba.gov

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Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click the links below. The Accomplishment Statements resource offers tips for creating effective descriptions that highlight your skills and qualifications for résumé writing. The Understanding Transferrable Skills resource explains transferrable skills and ways to highlight them in your résumé. The below video segment gives suggestions on résumé writing that may be helpful as you complete your assignment: Cambridge Educational. (2008). Resume: Necessary Tool for Employment (Segment 4 of 7) [Video file].

Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPl aylists.aspx?wID=273866&xtid=39021&loid=54662

The transcript for this video can be found by clicking the “Transcript” tab to the right of the video in the Films on Demand database.

Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. For this nongraded activity, consider researching job posts in your career field. Identify the skills employers are looking for and how you can tailor your résumé to highlight those skills.