Real Communication An Introduction

520 Appendix A   Competent Interviewing

Don’t be shy—let potential employers know this information. Your skills may

be useful to the organization, and your accomplishments show dedication and

determination.

c References. Your references are typically professors, previous supervisors, or

anyone else who can confirm your employment history and attest to your

work ethic and character. Some organizations want you to include your

references (with current contact information) with your résumé, and others

will ask for those once you get your first interview (Joyce, 2008). Be sure to

include only people who have agreed to serve as references for you.

Once your résumé is complete, take some time to prepare it for elec-

tronic submission. Make sure it is readable on all platforms by saving it as a

pdf document, so that employers can read it regardless of what type of com-

puter they have. You should also name the file carefully, so that employers

will be able to identify it easily. Include your name (or just your last name)

in the file title, along with the word résumé and perhaps a date (for example,

MartinezRésumé Jan2015.pdf ).

The cover letter. Whenever you send your résumé to a potential em-

ployer, it should be accompanied by a formal cover letter (see Figure A.3), a

one-page letter indicating your interest in a specific position. The cover letter

gives you the opportunity to express how you learned of the position and the

organization, how your skills and interests can benefit the organization, and

why you are interested in applying for this particular job. The cover letter also

serves as a means by which you can demonstrate your written communication

skills, so make sure that you use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling—

and proofread carefully!

In many cases, prospective employers accept e-mails as cover letters. So

when you e-mail a hiring manager or a human resources representative at an or-

ganization, your e-mail should contain the same information as your cover letter.

If you are unsure of the protocol, it’s always best to be more formal and include/

attach an official cover letter along with your e-mail. Be sure to include a subject

line (for example, Martinez recruiter position) and to proofread your e-mail

carefully before you press Send.

Build Realistic Expectations

The final component of job hunting involves developing realistic expectations

about the process. Because only a few résumés will make it through the screen-

ing process and you will not be the only candidate called for an interview, you

will likely face rejection at least once during the course of a job search—either

because there was a better-qualified applicant or because an equally qualified

candidate had some advantage (such as a personal contact in the company).

Remember that rejection is common—the inevitable result of a tight job mar-

ket and a less-than-perfect selection process (Fisk, 2010; Hershatter & Epstein,

2010; Lebo, 2009; Luo, 2010). Persistence pays. If you approach the job search

intelligently and persistently, you will eventually get a job (Rampell, 2013).

Do you have your résumé

ready all the time, in prepa-

ration for any unexpected

opportunities? How might

pulling together a solid

résumé be beneficial even

when you are not on the job

hunt?

AND YOU?

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