Chapter 13/14 - Resumes & cover letters/interviews

Question 1

When envisioning your career, what question should you ask yourself?

Answer 1

• location
• kind of organizations
• who would you like to work with & who do you work best with
• How will your work fit your core values
• kind of working conditions
• how much money would you like and how much do you need
• how much responsibility/supervision do you want

Question 2

How should you research organizations that meet your job criteria?

Answer 2

• Google (Canada’s top 100 employers)
• talk to career counsellors, profs, family/friends
• newspapers, TV, internet for job postings

Question 3

What should you do and order to write your resume well?

Answer 3

• research what employers are looking for
• brainstorm personal qualities, skills, education, etc.
• research specific qualities, experience, and education required for positions in target organizations

Question 4

What is a good resume format?

Answer 4

• turn your weaknesses into strengths (picky vs. detail-oriented)
• consolidate similar strengths into one statement
• create a list of skills, experiences and qualifications
• you can use a chronological resume for a functional resume

Question 5

What is a chronological resume?

Answer 5

• can point out your lack of work experience b/c it lists working/academic experience first
• does not focus on transferable skills, experience, or volunteer work

Question 6

What is the functional resume?

Answer 6

• good option for beginning of a new career
• profiles mix of skills, experience, personal qualities and education
• tells your story better

Question 7

What is a good cover letter format?

Answer 7

• based on resume, make note of what you have to offer in relation to what employer’s looking for
• formal tone descriptive but to the point words/paragraphs
• it is an invitation to learn more from your resume
• content/mechanics editing is very important

Question 8

Why is research of organizations important?

Answer 8

• it shows your knowledgeable of the business which is beneficial because most jobs are never advertised
• make yourself known to key decision-makers in the company
• information can be use as a cheat sheet before meeting with the decisionmaker

Question 9

How should you prepare for an interview?

Answer 9

• memorize qualifications employers seeking and be able to relate it to your qualifications
• ensure you don’t blank out in an interview & that you can quickly and accurately answer questions according to how the company wants
• review your resume

Question 10

What is an informational interview & how should you approach it?

Answer 10

• it’s to gather information about the company & what it is like to work there
• prepare questions to ask employer
• keep track of time & stick to deadlines
• dress appropriately
• send thank you note

Question 11

How should you approach for a job interview?

Answer 11

• be prepared & knowledgeable
• arrive early
• keep answers brief and focused
• prepare questions you might want to ask
• get everyone’s full name and titles and then send handwritten thank you notes
• if not hired, you can ask if there were specific reasons why