Unit 5

How to Find a Job

[Jerrold G. Simons, Ed. D., psychologist and career development specialist at the Harvard
Business School, has counseled a great many people in their search for jobs. Here are
some practical suggestions he has for getting the job you want.]

1 If you are about to launch a search for a job, the suggestions I offer here can help
you, whether or not you have a high school or college diploma, whether you are just
starting out or changing your job or career in midstream.

“What do I want to do?”

2 Before you try to find a job opening, you have to answer the hardest question of
your working life: “What do I want to do?” Here’s a good way. Sit down with a piece of
paper and don’t get up till you’ve listed all the things you’re proud to have accomplished.
Your list might include being head of a fundraising campaign or acting in a juicy role in the
senior play.

3 Study the list. You’ll see a pattern emerge of the things you do best and like to do
best. You might discover that you’re happiest working with people, or maybe with
numbers, or words. Whatever it is, you’ll see it. Once you’ve decided what job area to go
after, read more about it in the reference section of your library. “Talk shop” with people
you know in that field. Then start to get your resume together.

Writing a resume

4 There are many good books that offer sample resumes and describe widely used
formats. The one that is still most popular, the reverse chronological, emphasizes where
you worked and the jobs and titles you held.

5 Your name and address go at the top and also your phone number. What job do
you want? That’s what a prospective employer looks for first. If you know exactly, list that
next under Job Objective. Otherwise, save it for your cover letter (I describe that later)
when you’re writing for a specific job to a specific person. In any case, make sure your
resume focuses on the kind of work you can do and want to do.

6 Now comes Work Experience. Here’s where you list your qualifications. Lead with
your most important credentials. If you’ve had a distinguishing work history in an area
related to the job you’re seeking, lead off with that. If your education will impress the
prospective employer more, start with that. Begin with your most recent experience first
and work backwards. Include your titles or positions held and list the years.

Figures don’t brag

7 The most qualified people don’t always get the job. It goes to the person who
presents himself most persuasively in person and on paper. So don’t just list where you
were and what you did. This is your chance to tell how well you did. Were you the best
salesman? Did you cut operating costs? Give numbers, statistics, percentages, increases
in sales or profits.

 No job experience?

8 In that case, list your summer jobs, extracurricular school activities, honors, and
awards. Choose the activities that will enhance your qualifications fo the job.

9 Next list your Education — unless you chose to start with that. This should also be
in reverse chronological order. List your high school only if you didn’t go on to college.
Include college degree, postgraduate degrees, dates conferred, major and minor courses
you took that help you qualify for the job you want. Also, did you pay your own way? Earn
scholarships or fellowships? Those are impressive accomplishments.

No diplomas or degrees?

10 Then tell about your education: special training programs or courses that can
qualify you. Describe outside activities that reveal your talents and abilities. Did you sell
the most tickets to the annual charity musical? Did you take your motorcycle engine apart
and put it back together so it works? These can help you.

11 Next list any Military Service. This could lead off your resume if it is your only work
experience. Stress skills learned, promotions earned, leadership shown.

12 Now comes Personal Data. This is your chance to let the reader get a glimpse of
the personal you and to further the image you’ve worked to project in the preceding
sections. For example, if you’re after a job in computer programming, and you enjoy
playing chess, mention it. Chess playing requires the ability to think through a problem.
Include foreign languages spoken, extensive travel, particular interests or professional
memberships, if they advance your cause.

No typos please

13 Keep your writing style simple. Be brief. Start sentences with impressive action
verbs: “Created,” “Designed,” “Achieved,” “Caused.” Make sure your grammar and
spelling are correct. And no typos! Use 8 1/2” x 11” bond paper — white or off-white for
easy reading. Don’t cram things together. Make sure your original is clean and readable.
Then have it professionally duplicated. Don’t make carbon copies.

Get it into the right hands

14 Now that your resume is ready, start to track down job openings. How? Look up
business friends, personal friends, neighbors, your minister, your college alumni
association, or professional services. Keep up with trade publications, and read help-
wanted ads. Start your own “direct mail” campaign. First, find out about the companies
you are interested in — their size, location, what they make, their competition, their
advertising, their prospects. Get their annual report — and read it.

No “Dear Sir” letters

15 Send your resume, along with a cover letter, to a specific person in the company,
not to “Gentleman” or “Dear Sir.” The person should be the top person in the area where
you want to work. Spell his name properly! The cover letter should appeal to your reader’s
own needs. What’s in it for him? Quickly explain why you are approaching his company
(their product line, their superior training program) and what you can bring to the
company. Back up your claims with facts. Then refer him to your enclosed resume and
ask for an interview.

An interview!

16 And now you’ve got an interview! Be sure to call the day before to confirm it.
Meantime, prepare yourself. Research the company and the job by reading books and
business journals in the library. On the big day, arrive 15 minutes early. Act calm, even
though, if you’re normal, you’re trembling inside at 6.5 on the Richter scale. At every
chance, let your interviewer see that your personal skills and qualifications relate to the
job at hand. If it’s a sales position, for example, go all out to show how articulate and
persuasive you are. Afterwards, follow through with a brief thank-you note. This is a fine
opportunity to restate your qualifications and add any important points you didn’t get a
chance to bring up during the interview.

Keep good records

17 Keep a list of prospects. List the dates you contacted them, when they replied and
what was said. And remember, someone out there is looking for someone just like you. It
takes hard work and sometimes luck to find that person. Keep at it and you’ll succeed.

1500 words

A. Analysis of Ideas and Relationships: Circle the letter next to the best answer.

1. The subject of this article is:

a. Jerrold G. Simon, Ed.D.

b. how to try to get the job you really want.

c. how to write a resume.

Please explain your answer.

2. Dr. Simon wrote this article for:

a. college graduates with or without experience.

b. high school graduates with or without experience.

c. both (a) and (b)

Give examples from the article to support your answer.

3. Put these activities in the order in which Dr. Simon suggest:

a. go for an interview

b. send out your resume to companies

c. write a cover letter for your resume and ask for an interview

d. decide what you want to do

e. find out everything you can about the field

f. write your resume

g. get an interview

4. Put these items in reverse chronological order:

a. Hunter High School, 1975-78

b. Hunter College, 1980-82

c. Queens College, Summer 1980

d. Manhattan Community College, 1978-80

e. The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 1982-

(No final date indicates still in attendance.)

5. If you wanted an entry-level job in architecture, which hobby would you list on your
resume? Why?

a. Swimming

b. Photography

c. Reading

6. Why should you list military service (if you have it) on your resume?

a. To stress skills learned and other achievements in the service.

b. To show that you are patriotic.

c. To explain those years of your life.

7. Your cover letter should begin:

a. Dear Mr. Lurie:

b. To Whom It May Concern:

c. Dear Sir:

Why?

8. Put the following statement into logical order. Then refer to paragraph 15 to check your
work.

a. “Spell his name properly!”

b. “Send your resume, along with a cover letter, to a specific person in the company, not
to ‘Gentleman’ or ‘Dear Sir.’ ”

c. “The person should be the top person in the area where you want to work.”

d. “The cover letter should appeal to your reader’s own needs.”

e. What’s in it for him?”

9. Check “Yes” or “No” for these statements:

Yes No

a. If your interview is at 9, you should arrive exactly at 9. ____ ____

b. Find out everything you can about the company and the

job before the interview. ____ ____

c. Let the interviewer do all the talking. ____ ____

d. Try to act calm. ____ ____

e. Write a short thank-you note to the interviewer later. ____ ____

Please explain all of your answers.

10. Which advice is NOT appropriate to give to someone looking for a job?

a. Just sit back and wait and something will come along.

b. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

c. Don’t give up.

B. Interpretations of Words and Phrases: Circle the letter next to the best answer.

1. Keep up your hard work while you are looking for a job.

a. Continue

b. Stop

c. Don’t do

2. In the interview, bring up everything in your education and experience that may be
related to the job.

a. mention

b. remember

c. write down

3. Go to the library and look up information about your field of interest.

a. study

b. research

c. think about

4. Find out the name of the division or department head and send your cover letter and
resume directly to that person.

a. Figure out

b. Remember

c. Discover

5. Go all out in your job search.

a. Go to a lot of places

b. Do everything you can

c. Talk to a lot of people

6. At the interview, be sure to explain what you can bring to the job.

a. contribute to

b. earn on

c. learn on

7. In your resume, lead off with your most important accomplishments.

a. end with

b. underline

c. start with

8. Track down information on job openings.

a. Search for

b. Follow

c. Think about

9. Follow through with suggestions people give you for finding a job.

a. Listen to and take

b. Go after

c. Search for

10. Keep at your job search.

a. Do

b. Don’t stop

c. Hold onto

C. Synonyms: From this list, choose a synonym for the word in bold type in each
sentence. Use appropriate tenses for verbs and singular and plural forms for nouns.

to talk about work related possible, future

to begin in charge of to crowd

to shake to advance typing mistake

short

1. Here are some things to think before you launch your job search.

2. Be sure to tell a prospective employer what kind of job you want.

3. Find people who are working in your field of interest and talk shop with them.

4. Make sure that your resume looks clean and neat and that it doesn’t have any typos
in it.

5. Don’t try to cram too much information on a page.

6. If you were head of a project or committee, be sure to mention it.

7. Include any work, educational, and personal experience you have that will further the
image you are trying to project.

8. Be sure to mention all relevant experience.

9. When you go for an interview, try to appear calm even if you’re trembling.

10. Afterwards, write a brief thank-you note.

F. Resume Writing: Look at the sample of Renata Martell’s resume for guidance.

RENATA MARTELL

29 East 9th Street, Apt. 5B

New York, New York 10011

212-632-6098

Career Objective: To design costumes for the theatre, movies, or opera.

Experience:

1982 to Career-World, Inc. 641 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York

present Designer-Stylist: Create and design dresses and suits for the professional

woman in medium-price range. Work with production department in meeting

production schedules. Help produce quarterly shows for buyers.

1980 to Couture du Monde. 411 Madison Avenue, New York, New York

1982 Design Assistant: Assisted head designers in copying styles from Paris,

Rome, Madrid, and London. Assisted in adapting styles to meet the needs

of the American market.

1979 to Couture du Monde. 411 Madison Avenue, New York, New York

1980 Model: Modeled couture designs from Paris, Rome, Madrid, and London.

Education:

1979 Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, New York

A.A. Degree in fashion designing.

Honors:

1979 Received first prize in theatrical costume design: ball gown for Mimi in

La Boheme

Personal Interests:

Theatre, opera, chamber music, and art.

Performed in operettas and plays in high school.

References:

References and portfolio are available upon request.

G. Word Forms: Choose the correct word form to fit into each sentence referring to
the chart as necessary. Use appropriate verb tenses, singular or plural forms for
nouns, and passive voice where necessary.

Noun Verb Adjective Adverb

accomplishment to accomplish accomplished

actor to act active actively

act

action

activity

competitor to compete competing

competition competitive competitively

decision to decide decisive decisively

deciding decidedly

discoverer to discover discovered

discovery

experience to experience experienced

persuasion to persuade persuasive persuasively

qualification to qualify qualifying

qualified

referral to refer

reference

suggestion to suggest

1. suggestion, to suggest

a. What do you ——————————— ?

b. I took his ———————————.

2. experience, to experience, experienced

a. It’s easier to get a job if you have —————————— .

b. She was an ——————————— writer.

c. Did you ——————————— any discomfort?

3. accomplishment, to accomplish, accomplished

a. List your most important ———————————— on your resume.

b. How did you ———————————— so much in so little time?

c. He is an ——————————— pianist, and he gives concerts all over the world.

4. referral, reference, to refer

a. I don’t understand what you are —————————— to.

b. You will have to get a ———————————— from your doctor.

c. You can find the dictionaries and encyclopedias in the general ——————————
room at the library.

5. qualification, to qualify, qualifying, qualified

a. Are you sure he is a ——————————— surgeon?

b. I am going to check his ——————————— for the position.

c. I am very busy studying for my Ph.D. ———————————— exams, so I can’t go

to a disco tonight.

d. Would you care to —————————— you remarks in any way?

6. decision, to decide, decisive, deciding, decisively, decidedly

a. She certainly knows how to act in a ——————————— manner.

b. Hurry up and make a ———————————— on that matter.

c. She —————————— to tell him the truth.

d. “No,” she replied ————————————.

e. He was ——————————— thinner than he had been the year before.

f. What were the —————————— factors?

7. persuasion, to persuade, persuasive, persuasively

a. He is a very ———————————— speaker.

b. He spoke very ———————————— .

c. She has great powers of —————————————.

d. I was ———————————— to change my mind, much to my surprise.

8. discoverer, discovery, to discover, discovered

a. Who were the first ———————————— of the North American continent?

b. The recently ————————————— oil has greatly aided their economy.

c. It was an important ———————————.

d. I ——————————— my wallet was missing when I opened my bag.

9. competitor, competition, to compete, competing, competitive, competitively

a. Did you watch the World Cup Soccer ———————————— ?

b. West Germany and Italy ———————————— for first place in 1982.

c. How many ———————————— were there in all?

d. The ——————————— teams looked each other over carefully.

e. She definitely has a ———————————— spirit.

f. Do you play tennis ————————————— ?

10. actor, act, action, activity, to act, active, actively

a. What was the basis for his strong —————————— ?

b. Don’t —————————— surprised. You knew all along.

c. We didn’t like the play, so we left after the first ————————— .

d. What an ——————————— child!

e. She was —————————— opposed to the war, and she took part in the peace
movement.

f. He is an unemployed ———————————— .

g. Her life is full of ————————— , so it’s impossible to get a minute alone with her.