Employment Communication
In this part of the website we want to inform you about how to get the right job for you. It is important to have a job that suits you and that you are happy to do. It is important to understand that you are the one that is in control over your career. The more you will communicate and network, the better your career will go.
So what is it what employers are looking for in their employees? According to (Eunson, 2012) these days the nontechnical skills are just as important as the technical and knowledge skills. These skills are called transferable skills. For example these are interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, teamwork skills, passion, leadership skills and so on.
Choose your career
These days and in the future it has become normal to change jobs, change careers. Instead of working for the same employer and in the same occupation, these days we are more changing and shaping our careers. We have the opportunity to choose what we want to do with our lives and there is more choice in studies we can pursue.
It is a good thing to organise your jobsearch (Eunson, 2012). For example keep record of which jobs you applied for, how you applied for the job. Make sure your emailadress is a professional one, for example your first name and last name in full. Also make sure you answer the phone in a professional way and your voicemail is also professional.
When you are on the jobsearch, it is important to use networking. You can use your own network by letting people know you are looking for a new job. Also you can look for networks such as professional associations, LinkedIn, go to seminars or conferences. Volunteer or work in the community. A lot of jobs being available are not filled up by advertising, but by networking.
Personal Brand
In the job application process it is important to communicate in the correct way. Applying for a job is actually in the end selling yourself and your services to the company. With doing that right, you will have more chance for the job you want.
These days it is not only qualifications that will get you a job. It is more, who you are, what you do and how you do this. That is why it is important to create a personal brand (“Building your personal brand n.d.)
A personal brand, is actually telling the company your brand. What is it what makes you, you? Creating your personal brand, shows that you know who you are, and how you stand out, what your value is. It is your marketing tool. As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com said; “Personal Brand is what people say about you when you leave the room”.
The more skills, knowledge, experience and the stronger your personal brand will be, the more likely you will be employed (Eunson, 2012).
In this video Eugene Hennie (2013) talks about how to find your awesomeness. It is a great tool to create your personal brand and ask yourself who you are, what you do, what your value is and what you want.
So what is it what employers are looking for in their employees? According to (Eunson, 2012) these days the nontechnical skills are just as important as the technical and knowledge skills. These skills are called transferable skills. For example these are interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, teamwork skills, passion, leadership skills and so on.
Choose your career
These days and in the future it has become normal to change jobs, change careers. Instead of working for the same employer and in the same occupation, these days we are more changing and shaping our careers. We have the opportunity to choose what we want to do with our lives and there is more choice in studies we can pursue.
It is a good thing to organise your jobsearch (Eunson, 2012). For example keep record of which jobs you applied for, how you applied for the job. Make sure your emailadress is a professional one, for example your first name and last name in full. Also make sure you answer the phone in a professional way and your voicemail is also professional.
When you are on the jobsearch, it is important to use networking. You can use your own network by letting people know you are looking for a new job. Also you can look for networks such as professional associations, LinkedIn, go to seminars or conferences. Volunteer or work in the community. A lot of jobs being available are not filled up by advertising, but by networking.
Personal Brand
In the job application process it is important to communicate in the correct way. Applying for a job is actually in the end selling yourself and your services to the company. With doing that right, you will have more chance for the job you want.
These days it is not only qualifications that will get you a job. It is more, who you are, what you do and how you do this. That is why it is important to create a personal brand (“Building your personal brand n.d.)
A personal brand, is actually telling the company your brand. What is it what makes you, you? Creating your personal brand, shows that you know who you are, and how you stand out, what your value is. It is your marketing tool. As Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com said; “Personal Brand is what people say about you when you leave the room”.
The more skills, knowledge, experience and the stronger your personal brand will be, the more likely you will be employed (Eunson, 2012).
In this video Eugene Hennie (2013) talks about how to find your awesomeness. It is a great tool to create your personal brand and ask yourself who you are, what you do, what your value is and what you want.
How to find your passion and inner awesomeness (2013)
The First Contact
Cover Letter
Writing a good cover letter is important for getting the job that you want. A cover letter needs to show that you are able to do the job. A good cover letter is able to convince the employer to invite you for a job interview.
A cover letter goes always with a resume. The resume is detailed fact information about your past employment. The cover letter supports this document and is more information about why you would suit the specific job and why you fit in the organisation that is advertising the job. It is not that much about you or not just facts, but more about you and the organisation and why you relate to the job and organisation.
For every job application you should have a different cover letter because every job/organisation you apply to is different.
The cover letter is typed on A4 page in a normal standard font (10-12 point). You should not type any slang words, but just plain formal English. It is important that you do not make any spelling and grammar mistakes in the letter.
Do's and don'ts in a cover letter:
A solicited letter is a cover letter that you write in response to an advertised job. It is specific written for that job vacancy.
You can also write an unsolicited letter. This type of cover letter is more a general written letter that you write to a company so you might attract interest. It is not written for a job that is advertised (Eunson, 2012).
A cover letter starts with an introduction. It is important here to get the attention of the reader, and make them really want to read your letter. When you write your letter in a more personal way, that shows you have a connection with the company, you will get the attention of the reader. It shows that you are really interested in the company and not just wrote the same cover letter you send out to twenty different companies (Anonymous, 2004).
The next paragraph should be a value selling paragraph. In this paragraph you sell yourself and tell the company why they should hire you and what value and how you bring this to the company. You should not just simply list your strengths but describe the achievements and contributions you made in previous work experience (Anonymous, 2004). Choose the achievements and contributions you describe by asking yourself which ones will apply best to the company you are writing to. Writing a value selling paragraph is the same as selling. Many sellers make the mistake to sell a product by just looking at the products strengths without asking themselves what the customer actually needs. This is why it is important to ask yourself what the company wants and how you can add value (Anonymous, 2004).
After the value selling paragraph there should be a background summary. This paragraph tells what education you had and which experience. Keep this summary short because your resume also has this information.
In the end is the action statement and statement of appreciation. Ask politely for action after reading your letter or offer to call the company. In the statement of appreciation you thank the reader for taking the time to read your letter (Anonymous, 2004).
Resume
Your resume is also your marketing tool. A resume is not there to give you a job. It is simply there to get you to a job interview. Because your resume will be scanned through, as quick as in 30 seconds it is important to do this right (What do hiring managers look for in a resume). It doesn't matter how qualified you are, if your resume is not written well, it won't get you to the job interview.
You're resume should proof that you are employable. It includes your contact details, your qualifications and education, you're previous work experience and the skills you gained.
The length of the resume depends on your work experience. It should start with your contact details and make sure these are up to date (Eunson 2012). Then it depends if you will write a chronological or functional format resume. A chronological resume is information laid out in order of time. You start with the most recent study and go back from there.
Job interview
An employer will not waste time on reading all resumes and cover letters. Your resume and letter will be scanned trough and not more than a minute will be spend on it. That is why it is so important to stand out with these ones.
When you are selected you will be invited for a job interview.
It is a good idea to prepare yourself for this interview. Prepare yourself for questions that the interviewer may ask. These questions can be open questions or closed questions. Closed questions require a short response, and it will be either one answer or the other. Open questions require you to give more detailed answer or explanation (Eunson, 2012).
An interviewer can also ask behavioral questions. This because the best predictor of future performance will be past performance (Anonymous, 2004). Behavioural questions are questions that in your answer you would have to describe what you would do in a given situation (Eunson, 2012).
The First Contact
Cover Letter
Writing a good cover letter is important for getting the job that you want. A cover letter needs to show that you are able to do the job. A good cover letter is able to convince the employer to invite you for a job interview.
A cover letter goes always with a resume. The resume is detailed fact information about your past employment. The cover letter supports this document and is more information about why you would suit the specific job and why you fit in the organisation that is advertising the job. It is not that much about you or not just facts, but more about you and the organisation and why you relate to the job and organisation.
For every job application you should have a different cover letter because every job/organisation you apply to is different.
The cover letter is typed on A4 page in a normal standard font (10-12 point). You should not type any slang words, but just plain formal English. It is important that you do not make any spelling and grammar mistakes in the letter.
Do's and don'ts in a cover letter:
A solicited letter is a cover letter that you write in response to an advertised job. It is specific written for that job vacancy.
You can also write an unsolicited letter. This type of cover letter is more a general written letter that you write to a company so you might attract interest. It is not written for a job that is advertised (Eunson, 2012).
A cover letter starts with an introduction. It is important here to get the attention of the reader, and make them really want to read your letter. When you write your letter in a more personal way, that shows you have a connection with the company, you will get the attention of the reader. It shows that you are really interested in the company and not just wrote the same cover letter you send out to twenty different companies (Anonymous, 2004).
The next paragraph should be a value selling paragraph. In this paragraph you sell yourself and tell the company why they should hire you and what value and how you bring this to the company. You should not just simply list your strengths but describe the achievements and contributions you made in previous work experience (Anonymous, 2004). Choose the achievements and contributions you describe by asking yourself which ones will apply best to the company you are writing to. Writing a value selling paragraph is the same as selling. Many sellers make the mistake to sell a product by just looking at the products strengths without asking themselves what the customer actually needs. This is why it is important to ask yourself what the company wants and how you can add value (Anonymous, 2004).
After the value selling paragraph there should be a background summary. This paragraph tells what education you had and which experience. Keep this summary short because your resume also has this information.
In the end is the action statement and statement of appreciation. Ask politely for action after reading your letter or offer to call the company. In the statement of appreciation you thank the reader for taking the time to read your letter (Anonymous, 2004).
Resume
Your resume is also your marketing tool. A resume is not there to give you a job. It is simply there to get you to a job interview. Because your resume will be scanned through, as quick as in 30 seconds it is important to do this right (What do hiring managers look for in a resume). It doesn't matter how qualified you are, if your resume is not written well, it won't get you to the job interview.
You're resume should proof that you are employable. It includes your contact details, your qualifications and education, you're previous work experience and the skills you gained.
The length of the resume depends on your work experience. It should start with your contact details and make sure these are up to date (Eunson 2012). Then it depends if you will write a chronological or functional format resume. A chronological resume is information laid out in order of time. You start with the most recent study and go back from there.
Job interview
An employer will not waste time on reading all resumes and cover letters. Your resume and letter will be scanned trough and not more than a minute will be spend on it. That is why it is so important to stand out with these ones.
When you are selected you will be invited for a job interview.
It is a good idea to prepare yourself for this interview. Prepare yourself for questions that the interviewer may ask. These questions can be open questions or closed questions. Closed questions require a short response, and it will be either one answer or the other. Open questions require you to give more detailed answer or explanation (Eunson, 2012).
An interviewer can also ask behavioral questions. This because the best predictor of future performance will be past performance (Anonymous, 2004). Behavioural questions are questions that in your answer you would have to describe what you would do in a given situation (Eunson, 2012).
References
Anonymous (2004). The perfect cover letter. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.polytechnic.wa.edu.au:2048/docview/189254671?accountid=39715
Building your personal brand. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/campus/programs- events/personal-brand/index.jhtml#overview
Eunson, B. (2012). Communicating in the 21st century. In Eunson, B., Employment communication (pp. 664-701). Milton: John Wiley & Sons.
Hennie, E. [TEDxMME]. (2013, September 7). How to find your passion and inner awesomeness [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH0AlC2TbR8
The do’s and don’ts of a covering letter. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.stepstone.be/Career-Advice/Tips- Tricks/the-dos-and-donts-of-a-covering-letter.cfm
What do hiring managers look for in a resume? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume- cover-letter/sample-resume/what-do-hiring-managers-look-for-in-a-resume/article.aspx
You Brand [image]. (2014). Retrieved from http://prettylivingpr.com/pr-diaries-personal-branding/.
Anonymous (2004). The perfect cover letter. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Inc. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.polytechnic.wa.edu.au:2048/docview/189254671?accountid=39715
Building your personal brand. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/campus/programs- events/personal-brand/index.jhtml#overview
Eunson, B. (2012). Communicating in the 21st century. In Eunson, B., Employment communication (pp. 664-701). Milton: John Wiley & Sons.
Hennie, E. [TEDxMME]. (2013, September 7). How to find your passion and inner awesomeness [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH0AlC2TbR8
The do’s and don’ts of a covering letter. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.stepstone.be/Career-Advice/Tips- Tricks/the-dos-and-donts-of-a-covering-letter.cfm
What do hiring managers look for in a resume? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume- cover-letter/sample-resume/what-do-hiring-managers-look-for-in-a-resume/article.aspx
You Brand [image]. (2014). Retrieved from http://prettylivingpr.com/pr-diaries-personal-branding/.