Chapter Overview
Communicating for employment involves a targeted application of persuasive skills with the aim of showcasing your qualifications and accomplishments according to how they meet the needs of a prospective employer. This chapter offers a roadmap to the job application process, beginning with the identification of career objectives and competencies through self-analysis. You’ll discover traditional, social media, and AI resources for networking, carrying out a job search, and applying for positions. You’ll be introduced to a variety of options for designing a resumé and ensuring your resumé leads to an interview. Finally, you’ll learn how to prepare for a job interview and what types of questions to expect.
Learning Objectives
In this chapter, you will learn to do the following:
- Prepare for employment by assessing your career objectives, interests, and professional strengths.
- Use resources to network and find out about jobs and employers.
- Use social media, mobile, and AI tools to search for and apply for a job and to establish a profile.
- Compose chronological, functional (skills-based), and combination resumés that provide overviews of your professional background and capabilities.
- Create online and scannable resumés.
- Write solicited and unsolicited job application letters that strategically target and sell your skills to prospective employers.
- Prepare for and follow up on job interviews.
- Write a range of messages related to job-seeking, including thank-you letters, job-acceptance letters, and requests for recommendation.