Page 349 - Keys To Community College Success

KEY 12.6 Keep accurate records to follow up and stay in touch.

CONTACT AND COMPANY INITIAL PHONE CALL LETTER / RESUME FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW

Out Signals SEPT. 13 SEPT. 14 SEPT. 21 NO
Jackson Fortnet Called and spoke briefly Sent email to Jackson, Made follow-up call to find
PR Director along with résumé and out if graphics design
400 South Fields Street job description. manager would be available
Suite 201 for an informational
Chicago, IL 60622 interview. No such luck.
312-505-0400 Very unfriendly.
jfortnet@outsignals.com

Carto Net SEPT. 15 SEPT 19 SEPT. 22 SEPT. 27 at
Scott de Frey Called Scott re: info. Emailed Scott my letter Called Scott to set up info 10:00 AM
495-1000 interview. He suggested and résumé. interview. Need to come up Informational
scott.defrey@cartonet.com sending in a résumé . . . with list of questions interview with
but I don’t know. Scott by phone

Map Communication, Inc. — SEPT. 19 SEPT. 26 SEPT. 28
Rachael and David Jacobson Responded to ad with Called to check if my info. At 3:30 PM
203-0101 résumé and cover letter was received. Rachael said Interview at Map
rjacobson@mapcomm.com she liked what she saw and Communication
talked to me some more.
She wants to interview me!

the reader’s attention so he or she will read your résumé. And the purpose of your
résumé is to get the reader interested enough to call you in for an interview. You may
have written a sample cover letter for an exercise earlier in this course.
Keep your cover letter short, but attention-getting. Make sure it is focused on the
job and company you are interested in. A good cover letter usually covers four
main points:

1. The position for which you are applying and how you learned about it
2. Why you are the best person for the job (your abilities)
3. Why you want to work for the employer
4. A call to action (how you plan to follow up)

Design your résumé neatly, using a current and acceptable format (books or your
career office can show you some standard formats). Make sure the information is accu-
rate and truthful. Proofread it for errors and have someone else proofread it as well.
Type or print it on high-quality paper (a heavier bond paper than is used for ordinary
copies). Key 12.7 shows an example of a professional résumé.
Here are some general tips for writing a résumé:
■ Always put your name and contact information at the top. Make it stand out.
■ State an objective whenever possible. If your focus is narrow or you are designing
this résumé for a particular interview or career area, keep your objective specific;
otherwise, keep the objective more general.
■ Provide a “core competencies” section that lists your key skills.
■ List your post-secondary education, starting from the latest and working backward.
This may include summer school, night school, seminars, and accreditations.
■ List jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent job first). Include all types of
work experience (full time, part time, volunteer, internship, and so on). Careers and More

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