WRITING

GOOD vs Bad News

Business Letter
Types of Business Letters
• 1. Application Letter
- is sometimes called cover letter
- Composed persuasively whenever you are applying for your target job
Formats for application letters:
• First Paragraph:
- Determine the reason/s why you are applying for the job. Mention if
the job is solicited or unsolicited.
• Second Paragraph:
- Explain why you deserve the job without being too boastful. You may
support it by citing your qualifications.
• Last Paragraph:
- Even if you think you are hired or not, thank the hiring personnel.
Sample Application Letter
Activity: Write an application letter with the details
provided:

Noneco Address:
NONECO Compound
Barangay Tortosa, Manapla
Negros Occidental
2. Letter of Reply or Response
• - is written in response to a letter of inquiry which is directly answers
all the inquiries regarding the company’s products or services.
• Steps in writing a letter of response:
1. Acknowledge the inquiry by mentioning important details from the
letter of inquiry you received.
2. Build goodwill and pave the way for future contacts by using a
cordial or friendly tone.
3. Answer the questions fully and send prompt replies.
Activity : Write a
response letter on
the letter of inqury
provided
3. Resume
THE PROCESS OF PLANNING YOUR RÉSUMÉ, INCLUDING HOW TO CHOOSE
THE BEST RÉSUMÉ ORGANIZATION

Your résumé will be the most important document you create in a job search. Adapt
it for a variety of uses:

 Personally delivered applications

 E-portfolios
 Social networking profiles
 Online application forms

Writing a résumé really benefits from multiple planning, writing, and completing
sessions spread out over several days or weeks. You are trying to summarize a
complex subject (yourself!) and present a compelling story to complete strangers in
a brief document.
A. Analyzing Your Purpose and Audience

A résumé is a structured summary of a person’s

 Education
 Employment background
 Job qualifications

Make sure you understand the true function of a résumé. It’s a brief, persuasive
business message intended to accomplish two objectives:

 Stimulate an employer’s interest in you

 Get you an interview

Learn as much as you can about the individuals who may be reading your
résumé. Any bit of information can help you craft a more effective message.
B. Gathering Pertinent Information

Gather all the pertinent personal history you can think of, including

 Dates, duties, and accomplishments from previous jobs you’ve held

 Relevant educational experience—formal degrees, skill certificates, academic
awards, or scholarships
 Relevant information about school or volunteer activities
 Offices you have held in any club or professional organization
 Presentations given
 Online or print publications
C. Organizing Your Résumé Around Your Strengths

Although you will see a number of ways to organize a

résumé, most are:

 Chronological
 Functional
 Combination of the two

The right choice depends on your background and

your goals.
 Addressing Areas of Concern

Many people have gaps in their careers or other issues that could be a concern for employers.
Here are some common issues and suggestions for handling them in a résumé:

 Frequent job changes.

If you’ve had a number of short-term jobs of a similar type group them under a single
heading. Reasonable employers understand that many professionals have been forced to
job hop by circumstances beyond their control.

 Gaps in work history.

Mention relevant experience and education you gained during employment gaps, such as
volunteer or community work.

 Inexperience.
Mention related volunteer work and membership in professional groups. List relevant
course work and internships.
 Overqualification.
Tone down your résumé, focusing exclusively on the experience and skills
that relate to the position.

 Long-term employment with one company.

Itemize each position held at the firm to show both professional and career
growth within the organization and increasing responsibilities along the way.

 Job termination for cause.

Be honest with interviewers and address their concerns with proof, such as
recommendations and examples of completed projects.
TASKS INVOLVED IN WRITING YOUR RÉSUMÉ

As you follow the three-step process to develop your résumé, keep four points in mind:

 Treat your résumé with the respect it deserves.

A single mistake or oversight can cost you interview opportunities.

 Give yourself plenty of time.

Don’t put off preparing your résumé until the last second and then try to write it in one
sitting.

 Learn from good models.

You can find sample résumés online at college websites and on job boards.

 Don’t get frustrated by the conflicting advice you’ll read about résumés.
 Résumés are as much art as science, and there is more than one way to be successful with them.
Choose the approach that makes the most sense to you and is compatible with what you know about
business communication principles and practices.

A. Keeping Your Résumé Honest

Applicants with integrity know they don’t need to stoop to lying on their résumé. If you are tempted to
stretch the truth, bear in mind that professional recruiters have seen every trick in the book, and
frustrated employers are working aggressively to uncover the truth.

Nearly all employers do some form of background checking, such as using these methods:

 Contacting references
 Verifying employment
 Checking criminal records
 Sending résumés through verification services
 Designing interview questions specifically to uncover dishonest résumé entries
 Withdrawing formal job offers, if falsification is discovered

Given the networked nature of today’s job market, lying on a résumé could haunt you for years—and
could force you to keep lying throughout your career to hide the original misrepresentations on your
résumé.
B. Adapting Your Résumé to Your Audience

The importance of adapting your résumé to your target readers’

needs and interests cannot be overstated. In a competitive job
market, the more you look like a good fit, the better your chances
will be of securing interviews. Address your readers’ business
concerns by showing how your capabilities meet the demands and
expectations of the position and of the organization as a whole.
Adapting to your readers can mean customizing your résumé,
sometimes for each job opening. Express your experience using
the terminology of the hiring organization. Take general concepts
and present them in common business language.
C. Composing Your Résumé

Write your résumé using a simple and direct style.

 Use short, crisp phrases and focus on what your reader needs to know.
 Avoid using the word I, which can sound both self-involved and repetitive.
 Quantify results so that your claims don’t come across as empty.
 Offer concrete proof of accomplishments.
 Use active statements that show results.
 Provide specific supporting evidence.

In addition, most résumés are subjected to keyword searches in an applicant tracking

system. Recruiters search for résumés most likely to match the requirements of a
particular job so it’s essential to use the words and phrases that a recruiter is most likely
to search for.
 Keywords that catch a computer’s attention are
usually nouns that describe the specific skills,
attributes, and experiences an employer is looking for.
Study job descriptions carefully to understand your
target audience’s needs. Keywords can include:

 Business and technical terms associated with a

specific profession
 Industry-specific jargon
 Names or types of products or systems used in a
profession
 Job titles
 College degrees
 Beware of clichés that are used on so many résumés and social media profiles
that they’ve lost most of their impact. These are the buzzwords and phrases that
are among the most overused (notice how vague and generally unquantifiable
most of them are):

 extensive experience
 innovative
 motivated
 results-oriented
 dynamic
 proven track record
 team player
 fast-paced
 problem solver
 entrepreneurial

Instead of saying you are all these things, show how you are, using solid
evidence.
MAJOR SECTIONS OF A TRADITIONAL RÉSUMÉ

A. Name and Contact Information

Your name and contact information constitute the

heading of your résumé; include the following:

 Name
 Physical address (permanent and temporary, if you’re
likely to move during the job search process)
 Phone number(s)
 Email address
 URL of your personal webpage, e-portfolio, or social
media résumé (if you have one)
B. Introductory Statement

Of all the parts of a résumé, the brief introductory statement that follows your
name and contact information probably generates the most disagreement. You
can put one of three things here:

1. Career objective.
A career objective identifies either a specific job or a general career track you
would like to pursue. If you have little or no work experience in your target
profession, a career objective might be your best option.
2. Qualifications summary.
A qualifications summary offers a brief view of your key qualifications. The goal
is to let a reader know within a few seconds what you can deliver. Consider
using this approach if you have one or more important qualifications but don’t
yet have a long career history of you want to highlight your educational
preparedness.

3. Career summary.
A career summary offers a brief recap of your career, with the goal of
presenting increasing levels of responsibility and performance. A career
summary is useful for executives who have demonstrated the ability to manage
increasingly larger and more complicated business operations.
A. Education

If you’re still in college or have recently graduated, education is probably your

strongest selling point. Present your educational background in depth, choosing
facts that support your “theme.” Starting with the most recent, list:

 The name and location of each school you have attended

 The month and year of your graduation
 Major and minor fields of study
 Significant skills and abilities developed in your course work
 Degrees or certificates earned (or expected date of completion)
 Courses that have directly equipped you for the job you are seeking
 Scholarships, awards, or academic honors you’ve received
 Relevant training sponsored by business or government organizations
D. Work Experience, Skills, and Accomplishments

The work experience section should focus on your

overall theme showing how your past can contribute
to an employer’s future. Use keywords to highlight
skills you’ve developed on the job and your ability to
handle increasing responsibility.

List your jobs in reverse chronological order, starting

with the most recent. Include any of these that apply:

 Internships
 Part-time or temporary jobs related to your career
objective
 Name and location of the employer
 Brief description of what the company does (if readers
are unlikely to recognize the organization)
 Before or after each job listing, include

 Your job title

 Years you worked in the job; use the phrase “to present” to denote current
employment
 Whether a job was part time

Devote the most space to the jobs that are related to your target position. If you were
personally responsible for something significant, mention it. Facts about your skills
and accomplishments are the most important information you can give a prospective
employer, so quantify them whenever possible.

If you have a number of part-time, temporary, or entry-level jobs that don’t relate to
your career objective, use your best judgment when it comes to including or
excluding them. If you don’t have a long employment history, including these jobs
shows your ability and willingness to keep working.
E. Activities and Achievements

Include activities and achievements outside of a work context only if they make
you a more attractive job candidate. If applicable to the job you’re seeking,
include such things as:

 Traveling
 Studying or working abroad
 Fluency in multiple languages
 Community service activities that suggest leadership, teamwork, communication
skills, technical aptitude
 Athletics or other organized student activities
 Publications, projects, and other accomplishments that required relevant business
skills

Avoid listing religious or political organizations (unless you’re applying to such an

organization).
F. References

Employers assume references are available; be sure to have a list of

several references ready when you begin applying for jobs and keep it
in your files for a time when they are requested. List three or four
people who have agreed to serve as references. Include each
person’s name, job title, organization, address, telephone number,
email address, and the nature of your relationship.
THE COMPLETING STEP FOR RÉSUMÉS

Completing your résumé involves review work such as

 Revising it for optimum quality

 Producing it in the various forms and media you’ll need
 Proofreading it for any errors
 Distributing it or publishing it online

The advent of applicant tracking systems, social media, and other innovations has dramatically
changed the nature of résumé production and distribution. Be prepared to produce several versions of
your résumé, in multiple formats and multiple media.
Even if most or all of your application efforts take place online, starting with a
traditional paper résumé is still useful, for several reasons:

 Creating a traditional printed résumé helps organize your background

information and identify your unique strengths.
 Planning and writing tasks help generate blocks of text that you can reuse in
multiple ways throughout the job search process.
 Preparing for when someone might ask for your résumé during a networking
event or other in-person encounter ensures you don’t let that interest fade.
A. Revising Your Résumé

Keep your résumé out of the recycling bin by avoiding these flaws:

 Too long or too wordy

 Too short or sketchy
 Difficult to read
 Poorly written
 Displays weak understanding of the business world in general or of a particular industry
 Poor-quality printing or cheap paper
 Full of spelling and grammar errors
 Boastful
 Gimmicky design

The ideal length of your résumé depends on the depth of your experience and the level of the positions
for which you are applying. Recruiters appreciate brevity, and presenting yourself in a single page shows
your ability to write concise, focused, audience-oriented messages.

For online résumé formats, you can always provide links to additional information. If you have more
experience and are applying for a higher-level position, you may need to prepare a somewhat longer
résumé.
B. Producing Your Résumé

A clean, professional-looking design is a must. Resist the urge to “get creative” with your
résumé layout. Recruiters and hiring managers want to skim your essential information in
a matter of seconds, and anything that distracts or delays them will work against you.

Fortunately, good résumé design is not difficult to achieve. Good designs feature:

 Simplicity
 Order
 Effective use of white space
 Clear typefaces
 Subheadings that are easy to find and easy to read
 Lists to itemize your most important qualifications
 Color (if desired), keeping it subtle and sophisticated
 You might want to produce your résumé in as many as six formats:

 Printed traditional résumé

 Printed scannable résumé
 Electronic plain-text file
 Microsoft Word file
 Online résumé, also called a multimedia résumé or social media
résumé
 PDF file

Find out what each employer or job posting website expects, and
provide your résumé in that specific format. Unless requested, do
not include photographs, in materials you submit to employers.
SIX MOST COMMON FORMATS IN WHICH YOU CAN PRODUCE A RÉSUMÉ

1. Producing a Traditional Printed Résumé

Traditional paper résumés still have a place in this world of electronic job
searches. Have a few copies ready whenever one of your networking contacts
asks for one.

Avoid basic, low-cost white bond paper intended for general office use or gimmicky
papers with borders and backgrounds. Use heavier, higher-quality paper designed
specifically for résumés and other important documents.
2. Printing a Scannable Résumé

Scannable résumés are a type of printed résumé that is specially formatted to

be compatible with optical scanning systems that convert printed documents to
electronic text.

Their use appears to be declining rapidly as more employers prefer email

delivery or website application forms.

A scannable résumé differs from the traditional format in two major ways:

 It should always include a keyword summary

 It should be formatted in a simpler fashion that avoids underlining, special
characters, multiple columns, and other elements that can confuse the scanning
system.
3. Creating a Plain-Text File of Your Résumé

A plain-text file is an electronic version of your résumé that has no font formatting, no
bullet symbols, no colors, no lines or boxes, or other special formatting. The plain-text
version can be used in two ways:

 Include it in the body of an email message.

 Copy and paste the sections into the application forms on an employer’s website.
4. Creating a Word File of Your Résumé

In some cases, an employer or job-posting website will want you to upload a Microsoft Word
file or attach it to an email message.
This method preserves the design and layout of your résumé and saves you the trouble of
creating a plain-text version.

Make sure your computer is free of viruses; infecting a potential employer’s computer will not
make a good first impression.

5. Creating a PDF Version of Your Résumé

Creating a PDF file is a simple procedure, but you need the right software. Adobe Acrobat is
the best-known program, but many others are available.
6. Creating an Online Résumé

A variety of terms are used to describe online résumés, including:

 Personal webpage
 E-portfolio
 Social media résumé
 Multimedia résumé
 All these formats provide the opportunity to expand information contained in your
basic résumé with
 Links to projects, publications, screencasts
 Online videos
 Course lists
 Social networking profiles
 Other elements that give employers a more complete picture of who you are and
what you can offer
 Regardless of the approach you take to creating an online résumé, keep these helpful tips in
mind:

 Remember that your online presence is a career-management tool.

The way you are portrayed online can work for you or against you; it’s up to you to create a
positive impression. Most employers now conduct online searches to learn more about
promising candidates, rejecting many applicants because of information they dug up
online.

 Take advantage of social networking.

Use whatever tools are available to direct people to your online résumé, such as including
the URL of your online résumé on the “Info” tab on your Facebook page
.
 During the application process, don’t expect or ask employers to retrieve a résumé from
your website.
If employers want to know more than your résumé reveals, they will likely do a web search
on you and find your site, or you can refer them to your site in your résumé or application
materials.
C. Proofreading Your Résumé

Employers view your résumé as a concrete example of your attention to quality and detail. It needs
to be perfect. Although it may not seem fair, just one or two errors in a job application package are
enough to doom a candidate’s chances. Your résumé is one of the most important documents you’ll
ever write, so don’t rush or cut corners when it comes to proofreading. Check everything:

 All headings and lists for clarity and parallelism

 Grammar
 Spelling
 Punctuation
 Dates
 Phone numbers
 Email addresses
 Other essential data

Ask at least three other people to read it, too. As the creator of the material, you could stare at a
mistake for weeks and not see it.
D. Distributing Your Résumé

How you distribute your résumé depends on the number of employers you target and their
preferences for receiving résumés. Employers usually list their requirements on the career
pages of their websites, so verify this information and follow it carefully. Here are some
general distribution tips:

 Mailing printed résumés.

Take some care with the packaging. Mail these documents in a 9 x 12 envelope or a
Priority Mail flat rate envelope.

 Emailing your résumé.

Some employers want applicants to include the text of their résumés in the body of an
email message; others prefer an attached Microsoft Word file. If you have a reference
number or a job ad number, include it in the subject line of your email message.
 Submitting your résumé to an employer’s website.
Many employers, including most large companies, prefer or require applicants to submit their
résumés online. In some instances, you will be asked to upload a complete file. In others, you
will need to copy and paste sections of your résumé into individual boxes in an online
application form.

 Posting your résumé on job websites.

You can post your résumé on general-purpose job websites, more specialized websites or
with staffing services.

Before you upload your résumé to any site, learn about its confidentiality protection. Don’t post
your résumé to any website that doesn’t give you the option of restricting the display of your
contact information. Only employers that are registered clients of the service should be able to see
your contact information.
 Three Ways to Organize a Résumé

1. The Chronological Résumé

In a chronological résumé, the work experience section dominates and is placed immediately
after your contact information and introductory statement.

The chronological approach is the most common way to organize a résumé, and many
employers prefer this format because it presents your professional history in a clear, easy-to-
follow arrangement.

List your jobs in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent position and giving
the most space to the most recent positions.
- Ideal for those who already have several work experiences showing steady career growth.
For each job, start by listing these facts:

 The employer’s name and location

 Your official job title
 Dates you held the position (write “to present” if you are still in your most recent position)
 Highlight accomplishments in a way that is relevant to your readers
2. The Functional Résumé

A functional résumé, sometimes called a skills résumé, emphasizes your skills

and capabilities, identifying employers and academic experience in subordinate
sections.
This arrangement stresses individual areas of competence rather than job history.
-ideal for fresh graduates seeking for their first job
The functional approach also has three advantages:

 Without having to read through job descriptions, employers can see what you can do
for them.
 You can emphasize earlier job experience.
 You can deemphasize any lengthy unemployment or lack of career progress.

Be aware that because the functional résumé can obscure your work history,
many employment professionals are suspicious of it. If the chronological format
doesn’t work for you, consider the combination résumé instead.
3. The Combination Résumé

A combination résumé meshes the skills focus of the functional

format with the job history focus of the chronological format.

The chief advantage of this format is that it allows you to focus

attention on your capabilities when you don’t have a long or
steady employment history, without raising concerns that you
might be hiding something about your past.

- Drawing the best features or strong points of chronological and

functional resume styles.
Example of a Combination Résumé
Building Careers
Top companies place a high priority on finding the right employees and the investments they are
willing to make in both personnel and technology to attract and keep valuable talent. Identifying
and landing the ideal job can be a long and difficult process, particularly in tough employment
markets.

As you craft your personal strategy for finding the right job, keep these two guidelines in mind:

 Get organized. You need to keep all the details straight to make sure you don’t miss
opportunities or make simple mistakes.

 Start now and stick to it. Now is not too early to get started with some of the essential
research and planning tasks. If you wait until the last minute, you will miss opportunities and
you won’t be prepared when the right opportunity comes along.
EIGHT KEY STEPS TO FINDING THE IDEAL OPPORTUNITY IN TODAY’S JOB
MARKET

A. Writing the Story of You

Take the time you have now to explore the possibilities, to find your passion, and to
identify appealing career paths. These steps will help you start down the path:

 Identify the nature of the work you’d like to do, if not a specific profession.
 Begin writing the “story of you,” things you are passionate about, the skills you
possess, your ability to help an organization reach its goals, the path you’ve been on
so far, and the path you want to follow in the future.
 Think in terms of an image or a theme you’d like to project.

Writing your story is a valuable planning exercise that helps you think about where
you want to go and how to present yourself to target employers.
B. Learning to Think Like an Employer

With every hiring decision, companies take great risks and need to prevent the
following:

 Hiring someone who doesn’t meet expectations

 Letting a better candidate slip through their fingers

Many companies judge the success of their recruiting efforts by the quality of
hire, a measure of how closely new employees meet the company’s needs.
Candidates are judged by:

 Perceived ability to perform the job

 Ability to handle responsibilities
 Reliability
 Motivation
 Whether they “get it” when it comes to being a professional in today’s workplace.
C. Researching Industries and Companies of Interest

Learning more about professions, industries, and individual companies is easy to do with the library
and online resources. Companies are more likely to be impressed by creative research, such as
interviewing their customers to learn more about how the firm does business. Seek out advice for
online job searches as well as links to hundreds of specialized websites that post openings in specific
industries and professions.

To learn more about contemporary business topics, use these resources:

 Leading business periodicals and newspapers with significant business sections

 Bloggers, microbloggers, and podcasters offering news and commentary on the business world
 Directories for blogs
 People who write about topics of interest

This research will also help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords currently in use in a
particular field—including essential keywords to use in your résumé.
D. Translating Your General Potential into a Specific Solution for Each Employer

Customizing your résumé to each job opening shows employers that you will be a
good fit for the position. From your initial contact through the interviewing process
you’ll have opportunities to impress recruiters by explaining how your general
potential translates to the specific needs of the position.

E. Taking the Initiative to Find Opportunities

When it comes to finding opportunities, the easiest ways are not always the most
productive ones. Major job boards and classified services might have thousands of
openings—but many thousands of job seekers are looking at and applying for these
same openings. Moreover, these job postings are often a company’s last resort, after
exhausting other possibilities.
 Instead of searching the same job openings as everyone else,
take the initiative and find opportunities:

 Identify the companies you want to work for.

 Focus your efforts on them.
 Get in touch with their human resources departments or individual
managers (if possible).
 Describe what you can offer the company.
 Ask to be considered if any opportunities come up.
F. Building Your Network

Networking is the process of making informal connections with mutually beneficial

business contacts. Networking takes place wherever and whenever people
communicate:

 Industry functions
 Social gatherings
 Alumni reunions
 All over the Internet

Networking is more essential than ever, because the vast majority of job openings are
never advertised to the general public. The more people who know you, the better
chance you have of being recommended for one of these hidden job openings.
 Start building your network now, before you need it. Here are some places to
make contacts:

 Classmates could end up being some of your most valuable contacts.

 Identify people with similar interests in your target professions, industries, and
companies.
 Read news sites, blogs, and other online sources.
 Follow industry leaders on Twitter.
 Follow individual executives at your target companies to learn about their interests
and concerns.
 Connect with people on LinkedIn and Facebook, particularly those dedicated to
your career interests.
 Participate in student organizations, especially those with ties to professional
organizations.
 Visit trade shows to learn about various industries and meet people who work in
those industries.
 Don’t overlook volunteering; you can demonstrate your ability to solve problems,
manage projects, and lead others.
 Remember that networking is about people helping each other, not just about other people helping you.
Pay close attention to networking etiquette:

 Learn something about the people you want to connect with.

 Don’t overwhelm others with too many messages or requests.
 Be succinct in all your communication efforts.
 Don’t give out other people’s names and contact information without their permission.
 Never email your résumé to complete strangers.
 Don’t assume you can send your résumé to everyone you meet.
 Remember to say thank you every time someone helps you.

To become a valued network member, you need to be able to help others in some way. The more you
network, the more valuable you become in your network—and the more valuable your network
becomes to you.

Be aware that your online network reflects on who you are in the eyes of potential employers, so
exercise judgment in making connections.
G. Seeking Career Counseling

College career centers offer a wide variety of services, including:

 Individual counseling
 Job fairs
 On-campus interviews
 Job listings
 Advice on career planning
 Workshops in job search techniques
 Résumé preparation
 Job readiness training
 Interview techniques
 Self-marketing

You can also find career planning advice online. Many of the websites offer
articles and online tests to help choose a career path, identify essential skills,
and prepare to enter the job market.
H. Avoiding Mistakes

Take care to avoid the simple blunders that can torpedo a job search, such
as:

 Not catching mistakes in your résumé

 Misspelling the name of a manager to whom you are writing
 Showing up late for an interview
 Tweeting something unprofessional
 Failing to complete application forms correctly
 Asking for information that you can easily find on a company’s website
 Making any other error that could flag you as someone who is careless,
clueless, or disrespectful

As recruiters work to narrow down the possibilities, even a minor mistake on

your part can give them a reason to bump you right out of the candidate pool.