Job Search Tools and Techniques:

1
Job Search Tools and Techniques

• Creating a Résumé
• Writing a Cover Letter
• Interviewing Tips
• IS Careers

• By Paul Lazarony, Ph. D.
• Email paul.lazarony_at_csun.edu
• Web Address http//www.csun.edu/pjl26399

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Creating a Résumé
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Preparation

• Research the job market.
• Use newspapers, the Web, and other resources to
  learn about jobs, qualifications, and employers.
• Analyze your strengths.
• What will sell you for the job you want?
• Study other résumés as models.
• Experiment with formatting.

4
Heading and Objective

• List your name, land address, e-mail address, and
  telephone number.
• Include a career objective for a targeted job.

5
Education

• Name your degree, date of graduation, and
  institution.
• List your major and GPA.
• Give information about your studies, but dont
  inventory all your courses.

6
List of Past Jobs

• Start with the most recent jobs. Include
  employers name and city, dates of employment
  (month, year), and most significant title.
• Salesperson, Kmart, Dayton, Ohio. 4/01 to 5/02.
• Manager, Fleet Equipment, Kettering, Ohio. 6/02
  to present.
• Tax Return Preparer, Volunteer Income Tax
  Assistance program (VITA). March, 2002, to
  present. Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio.

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Summary of Achievements and Skills

• Use action verbs to summarize achievements and
  skills relevant to your targeted job.
• Prepared state and federal tax returns for
  individuals with incomes under 25,000.
• Conducted interviews with over 50 individuals to
  elicit data regarding taxes.
• Determined legitimate tax deductions and
  recorded them accurately.

8
Evidence of Nontechnical Skills

• Give evidence of communication, management, and
  interpersonal skills. (Employers want more than
  empty assurances. Try to quantify your skills.)
• Organized holiday awards program for 1200
  attendees and 140 awardees.
• Praised by top management for enthusiastic
  teamwork and achievement.

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Special Skills, Achievements, Awards

• Highlight computer skills.
• All employers seek employees proficient in word
  processing, spreadsheet, and Internet use.
• Show that you are well-rounded.
• List awards and extracurricular activities,
  especially if they demonstrate leadership,
  teamwork, reliability, loyalty, initiative,
  efficiency, and self-sufficiency.

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Other Résumé Tips

• Omit references (unless specifically required).
• Look for ways to condense your data.
• Double-check for parallel phrasing.
• Project professionalism and quality.
• Avoid personal pronouns. Omit humor. Use 24-pound
  paper and a quality printer.

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Other Résumé Tips

• Have a good proofreader critique your résumé.
• Proofread! Proofread! Proofread!

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What Recruiters Consider Most Important

• The objective. Plus dates when things happened
  and accomplishments.
• Information about skills that apply to the job
  less about job history and past duties.

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What Recruiters Consider Most Important

• Valid information in an easy-to-read, attractive
  style.
• The candidates address and phone number. Lots
  of people put them only in the cover letter.

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What Recruiters Consider Most Important

• Realizing that the employer is looking for red
  flags and making sure there arent any. If you
  have an employment gap, include a clear statement
  explaining it.
• Meeting the qualifications for the job.

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What Turns Recruiters Off

• Personal data. Thats a major red flag. Also
  typos, inconsistent punctuation, and huge
  paragraphs that look like job descriptions.
• Odd-sized résumés from services saying
  Presenting the candidacy of . . . . I dont
  even read them anymore. Theyre a major rip-off.
• Résumés that show no research not looking at
  the employers needs.

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What Turns Recruiters Off

• Omissions in terms of dates. And misspellings!
• Long cover letters and résumés over two pages.
• Excess cosmetics, substituting form for content.
  A résumé should look nice but not go overboard.

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What Turns Recruiters Off

• A photo. I have to remove them because managers
  must be color and gender blind.
• Not sending the résumé to the right place.

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Poor Résumé Before Version
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Poor Résumé Before Version
RÉSUMÉ OF JENNIE JENKINS 3320 Lafayette Street,
12 San Leandro, CA 94561 (415)
781-5592 OBJECTIVE An entry-level position
where my proven communication, accounting, and
administrative skills could be utilized in a path
leading to advancement into management
eventually. DEGREE from San Francisco State
University. Broadcast Communication Arts.
Bachelor of Arts. 3.2 major. EXPERIENCE Apprentice
KPFA - 94.1 in Berkeley, CA. Duties included
scheduling studios. Also recruited staff.
Some paperwork. Often given responsibility to
act as production manager. 10/02 to present.
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Poor Résumé Before Version
Pacifica House Position for financial
manager. Duties included payroll and benefits
for employees of shelter. Was responsible for
books, also for cash transactions. Took care
of some donations. Expected to help raise
funds. I prepared all payroll reports. Also petty
cash. Chaotic environment, under
funded. Spring, 2002 Worked for one
spring with Renaissance Rainbow, which is a
perfor- mance arts troupe operating out of San
Francisco. My duties included scheduling
interviews with print and broadcast journalists.
Was responsible for volunteers and
publicity. Other temporary positions
Manpower, Inc. San Francisco. Worked at many
different places as temp. 1998-2000. Dorhring
Company. File clerk, receptionist, general
duties. Other places. Good Earth Restaurant -
server - 1997-1998.
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Poor Résumé Before Version
Personal Self-starter, can finish jobs
without supervision. Marital status
single Birth 6/15/79 Health
Excellent Hobbies Knitting, singing, like to
read First Baptist Gospel Choir Awards Spirit
Award, Oak High School Deans List, college, 2
semesters
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Improved Résumé After Version
23
Improved Résumé After Version
Jennifer Marie Jenkens 3320 Lafayette Street,
12 San Leandro, CA 94561 (415)
781-5592 Objective Administrative position
involving Payroll Accounting
Employee Benefits Customer
Service SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS Two years
experience in responsible administrative and
accounting positions Disciplined self-starter
able to work without supervision Proficient
with PCs including Word, Excel, and the
Internet Can be counted on to follow through on
every detail, until a task is completed B.A.
degree, San Francisco State University RELEVANT
EXPERIENCE 10/02 to Apprentice, Radio Production,
KPFA - 94.1, Berkeley, CA present As production
manager, schedule studios, recruit support
staff Process scripts, permissions, and logs
involved in weekly productions
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Improved Résumé After Version
2001 to Financial Manager, The Pacifica House
(shelter), San Francisco, CA 2002 Used computer
to manage payroll and employee benefits for a
staff of 26 Completed all projects on time,
despite chronically chaotic environment
Managed agencys cash flow, involving funder
reimbursements, in-kind donations, and
fund-raising Processed all accounts payable
and receivable, monthly, and quarterly
statistical reports for local, state, and federal
funding agencies. Oversaw petty cash
Designed a flow sheet to track success of a
25,000 fund-raising project Spring Publicity
coordinator, Renaissance Rainbow (performance
arts troupe), 2000 San Francisco, CA Scheduled
all media interviews, supervised volunteers
Coordinated publicity mailings for
African-American Performance Arts Festival
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Improved Résumé After Version
1998 to Temp positions, Manpower Temporary
Services, San Francisco, CA 2000 Developed
customer service skills as telephone interviewer
for Dohring Company Maintained files,
routed incoming telephone calls, input employee
progress journals, prepared interoffice memos,
recorded accounts payable checks, keyboarded
accounts payable correspondence, learned e-mail
systems in various assignments EDUCATION B.A.
in Broadcast Communication, San Francisco State
University, 2001 GPA in major 3.2 Deans list,
2 semesters
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Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé
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Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé

• Emphasize keywords.
• Include words (usually nouns) that specifically
  describe the position you want and the skills
  required.
• Avoid unusual typefaces, italics, and
  underlining.
• Applicant-tracking software has trouble reading
  anything fancy.

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Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé

• Use a familiar font and 10- to 14-point type.
• Software programs may misread uncommon type fonts
  or any letters that touch.
• Use smooth white paper, black ink, and quality
  printing.
• Be sure your name is alone on the first line on
  the page.

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Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé

• Provide plenty of white space.
• Avoid double columns.
• Dont fold or staple your résumé.
• Use abbreviations carefully.
• Minimize unfamiliar abbreviations.
• Maximize well-known abbreviations in your field.

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Preparing a Computer-Friendly Résumé

• Include all your addresses and telephone numbers.
• Be prepared to send your résumé in ASCII.
• Conversion to ASCII removes special formatting.
• Conversion to ASCII makes your résumé immediately
  readable by all computer programs.

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Writing a Cover Letter
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Writing a Cover Letter

• Opening
• Address the letter to an individual by name.
• For advertised jobs, name the source include job
  title, date, and publication.
• If someone referred you, name that person.
• Tell how your qualifications fit the job
  specifications, show knowledge of the readers
  business, or describe how your special talents
  will be assets to the company.

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Writing a Cover Letter

• Body
• Demonstrate how your background and training fit
  the job requirements.
• Summarize your principal assets from education,
  experience, and special skills.
• Avoid repeating specific data from your résumé.
• Refer to your résumé.

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Writing a Cover Letter

• Closing
• Ask for an interview. Consider hooking the
  request to a statement reviewing your strongest
  points.
• Make it easy to respond. Tell when you can be
  reached (during office hours). Some recruiters
  prefer that you call them.

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Interviewing Tips
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Interviewing Tips

• Before the Interview
• Investigate the organization.
• Learn about the position.
• Plan to sell yourself.
• Prepare answers to possible questions.
• Prepare success stories.
• Dress appropriately.
• Arrive early.

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Interviewing Tips

• During the Interview
• Establish the relationship.
• Act confident but be natural.
• Dont criticize.
• Stay focused on your strengths.
• Find out about the job early in the interview.
• Prepare for salary questions.

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Interviewing Tips

• During the Interview
• Be ready for inappropriate questions.
• Ask your own questions.
• Conclude positively.

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Interviewing Tips

• Make notes on the interview.
• Write a thank-you letter.

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IS Careers

• Outlook for IS Careers
• Learning about IS job requirements
• How to find IS jobs
• How to research a company before an interview

41

• Outlook for Careers in IS
• Occupational Outlook Handbook,
• 2004-05 Edition
• http//www.bls.gov/oco/print/oco2003.htm
• Careers in Computer Technology are 5 of the top
  20 occupations projected to grow the fastest from
  now until 2012.

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Learning About IS Job Requirements

• Salary.com http//www.salary.com
• Very good list of IT job titles and descriptions
• Includes education and experience requirements
• Salaries listed are based on HR salary surveys,
  and therefore real pay scales.

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How to find IS jobs

• CSUN Career Center http//www.csun.edu/hfcar009/
  
• Monster.com http//www.monster.com
• HotJobs http//hotjobs.yahoo.com/
• Career Builder http//www.careerbuilder.com/

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How to find IS jobs

• Dont underestimate the power of you own personal
  network.
• Make everyone you know aware of the fact you are
  looking for an IS job.
• Many jobs are filled through personal networking
  and are never advertised.

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How to research a company before an interview

• Learning about the company and its industry are
  key to a successful interview.
• If you can talk thoughtfully about the company
  and its competition you will impress the
  interviewer!
• CSUN Librarian Karen Anderson http//library.csun
  .edu/kanderson/

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Online Resources

• Job Search
• CSUN Career Center http//www.csun.edu/hfcar009/
  
• Monster.com http//www.monster.com
• HotJobs http//hotjobs.yahoo.com/
• Career Builder http//www.careerbuilder.com/
• Resume and Cover Letters
• JobSearch Express http//www.westwords.com/guffey
  /job.html
• JobStar http//www.jobsmart.org
• Sample Interview Questions
• Top 12 Interview Questions http//www.csun.edu/p
  jl26399/interview.pdf
• Salary Calculator
• Salary.com http//swz.salary.com/
• Company Information
• CSUN Librarian Karen Anderson http//library.csun
  .edu/kanderson/

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Good Career Resource Books

• Bolles, R. N., What Color IS Your Parachute
  2003 A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and
  Career-Changers, Ten Speed Press, 2003.
• Medley, H. A., Sweaty Palms The Neglected Art
  of Being Interviewed, Ten Speed Press, 1993.
• Sher, B., I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew
  What IT Was How to Discover What You Really
  Want and How to Get It, Delacorte Press, 1994.
• Sinetar, M., Do What You Love, the Money Will
  Follow Discovering Your Right Livelihood, DTP,
  1990.