Weakest Link: Get Electronic Communications To Work For You

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Weakest LinkGet Electronic Communications To
Work For You

• Career Development CenterUniversity at
  AlbanyULB 69518/442-5515www.albany.edu/cdc

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Presentation Outline

• Your expectations?
• Communication and the job search
• E-mail
• Tips for Electronic Communication
• Internet Discussion Forums
• Tips for Group Discussion
• E-mailing Resumes
• Scannable Resumes
• Questions?

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Communication the Job Search

• Clear communication is essential for a successful
  job search. The World Wide Web and e-mail have
  been making significant changes in the way
  candidates and search committees or recruiters
  communicate and interact.
• Web sites now provide easier access to important
  information that candidates need to learn about
  opportunities and to research organizations.
  E-mail has made applying for positions as simple
  as a few clicks.It is important, however, to
  keep some guidelinesin mind when using
  technology in your job search.

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E-mail

• Almost everyone loves e-mail. E-mail
• Is a great alternative to connecting with
  others than by phone
• ? speaking on the phone can be challenging
  when you are under pressure
• ? it can be difficult to connect with
  someone by phone (phone tag)
• Allows more control over your message you can
  edit and refine what you want to communicate
  until you are satisfied (vs. perhaps saying
  something wrong, or the wrong way, on the
  phone)
• Is more formal than a phone call, and is less
  formal than a business letter
• Can be used for follow-up after
• ? an information session ? an interview
• ? an informational interview ? a phone
  call
• ? a career fair ? a networking event
• Can be used to send various job search
  materials, such as your resume, cover letter,
  thank you note, sample of your writing, etc.

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E-mail cont.

• If possible, find out a persons preference for
  communication. If they dont use their e-mail
  account and/or they prefer other forms of
  communication, you may want to be more old
  fashioned!
• Faxing your materials is an option if speed is
  important.
• Follow up if you do not get a reply
• (to phone call, e-mail, or fax).

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Tips for Electronic Communication

• Keep messages short and concise.
• Check spelling, grammar and punctuation. ?
  Use capitalization and lower case letters.
  ? You may be judged by the quality of your
  writing.
• Say exactly what you mean and be specific
  tell person if you are looking for
  information or if you would like to schedule
  a meeting.
• Give your message a descriptive and enticing
  subject.
• Include or summarize the original message
  when replying to someone.

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Tips for Electronic Communication cont.

• AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Its seen as
  shouting.
• Avoid emotion icons i.e., -) and acronyms
  (i.e., BTW by the way). Some people regard
  them as unprofessional.
• If angry, wait several hours or a day to
  respond to a heated message. Respond to the
  subject, not the individual. Have someone
  proof your message for tone.
• Always be courteous and professional.
• If e-mailing someone without their permission
  (or invitation), find out if they would
  prefer some other form of communication
  (i.e., hard copy). Include a phone number
  where they can reach you.

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Internet Discussion Forums

• Newsgroups, message boards, e-mail groups and
  chat rooms are all sources for Internet
  discussions and networking, which may lead to
  career opportunities.
• By actively participating in these groups, you
  may build a local, regional, and/or national
  (perhaps even global) reputation.
• How do you actively participate? ? ask questions
• ? respond to other participants
• ? participate in discussions

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Tips for Group Discussion

• Remember -- some sites are not regulated.
• Keep your communication consistent with the
  intended group topic
• and current subject.
• If you want to start a new discussion, begin
  with a new subject. Do not change the
  subject, or add a new subject, in the middle of
  the thread.
• Before you respond, consider if it is best
  directed to the group or a specific
  individual.
• ? Respond to an individual if your
  comments are personal, not
  consistent with the groups topic, or if you want
  to limit the response. ? Send your
  response to the group if it will be of interest
  to the group.
• Look for a FAQ file published by the group and
  read it before participating in discussions.
• Lurk before you leap (begin participating in
  discussions).

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E-mailing Resumes

• Remember that what you see on your monitor may
  not be what they get on the employers side.
• Many employers will not accept attachments for
  fear of computer viruses. If in doubt, ask
  before you send an attachment. You may need to
  cut and paste your resume into the body of the
  e-mail. Follow up is important in a job
  search, and is even more so when e-mail is used
  as your initial method of contact. What if your
  e-mail got lost or accidentally deleted? Follow
  up with a phone call or a hard copy of your
  resume and/or cover letter.

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Scannable Resumes

• If you know your resume will be scanned by a
  computer, follow these formatting guidelines
• No italics, underlining, shading, or other
  unusual enhancements.
• Use a sans serif font, like Arial or Tahoma.
  (These are fonts that do not have small
  markings on the edge of each letter.)
• Dont use serif fonts, like Times New Roman or
  Book Antiqua.
• Use size 10, 11, or 12 font.
• No vertical or horizontal lines, graphics, or
  boxes.
• Avoid two-column format or resumes that look
  like newspapers or newsletters.
• Print out your resume with a laser printer
  send an original or high quality photocopy on
  white or very light paper.

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Scannable Resumes, cont.

• Do not fold or staple your resume. Put it in a
  9x12 envelope and paper clip them together.
• No bullets. You may use asterisks () or
  hyphens (-).
• No parentheses or brackets.
• Even spacing throughout -- no tabs.
• Left justification only.
• If including two phone numbers, list on
  separate lines.
• Use key words include appropriate information
  based on industry applying to.
• Be specific. List Microsoft Word and Excel
  versus only software packages.

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Questions?
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Final CommentsMake sure your e-mail
address is professional. Use some variation on
your actual name or location.When you have an
interview, consider the organization/companys
web site required reading. Use this information
to formulate questions that demonstrate your
research.List e-mail addresses for the folks
listed on your List of References. Although
verbal references are preferred, its good to
have e-mail as a backup.
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Thank you for your attention.Please complete an
evaluation.

• Career Development CenterUniversity at
  AlbanyULB 69518/442-5515www.albany.edu/cdc