In Chapter 15 “Starting Your Career”, many subjects were discussed that would help with the first step in finding a job. Some of these steps included writing a resume, making a cover letter, and starting a portfolio. When reading the chapter I found mostly everything in it very relevant. The thing I found very interesting was the diagram in trying to find a job (The Job Searching Cycle). I thought that the Job Searching Cycle was a perfect way in finding a job. In my personal experience I have found that Personal Networking was the best way in finding a job. So far I have had a couple internships and both of them were found knowing workers within a company. Sometimes knowing these people will definitely make the hiring process easier too. Also, especially at Purdue University, College Placement is a very effective way in getting an internship or a first job. Reading on into the chapter, I realized why it is so important to have a flawless resume. Things like font, “no wasted space”, and organization could get your resume thrown out. As an example, when people go to the Industrial Round table and forty or fifty people are applying to the same job, a simply misspelling could kill your chances in getting a job. Also the line is already getting shorter because they are turning everyone down that does not have above a 3.0/4.0 GPA. For this reason I think that the project that we are currently doing is very important because otherwise I would have probably never done it. Everyone usually has a resume, but to have a cover letter or even follow up letters would help someone increase their chances in getting a job.
Later into the chapter the portion on creating a cover letter was very informative. I thought that because you are trying to “take action” that using active voice is accepted is interesting. When writing papers for other classes passive voice is usually the writing style which makes the cover letter unusual. I think that using the assertive style writing is a very good idea to show the company that you know enough to be an asset to their company. Also keeping in mind that the emphasis should be on their needs, not yours.
Misspellings
I would wholeheartedly agree with you in saying that a misspelling on a resume could kill your chances in getting a job, but doesn't that make pretty good sense? If somebody can't even take the time to proofread their resume, the employer will probably wonder how much effort that particular person will put into an actual job. Furthermore, applicants should also be checking their resumes and cover letters for proper usage of grammar. I've written portions of several group lab reports during my past two semesters at Purdue, and the grammar used by several of my lab partners has been absolutely horrid. Therefore, I believe that proper writing style can really give a person an edge in finding a job out of college because a lot of people (especially engineers) can't even construct a fluid sentence. The chapter advocates the idea of presenting yourself as a potential asset for the company that you are applying for, and it's my opinion that spelling and grammar can definitely make or break the impression an employer has of a job applicant.
Reply
I agree that most people are rejected when they can’t make fluid sentences or when they have grammatical errors. I am a person who has to read my documents more than once to catch my errors. It is hard to correct myself due to the fact that I know what I am thinking while I am reading what I‘ve written. Anything really important, like a cover letter, I will have a few people read over it and make sure that it is written correctly and that they can understand my ideas that I am trying to convey. For some people it is just easier and more effective to write and explain their thoughts than others.
Zebulon Rouse
Reply
I think that your response to the reading was well informed and I agree with almost all of the things that you have said. I am glad that you talked about the cover letter and your personal thoughts on them. Some people in our class feel like they are not important anymore, but I believe that we both agree that they are important. I am also glad that you talked about networking and job placement that Purdue University does. I think that this is the easiest and most effective way to get an interview for a job that you are looking for. Overall, I agree with everything that you have talked about.
Cover Letter
I do feel like the cover letter is just "fluff," as some others have put it, but that doesn't mean its not important. Creating an active cover letter that exploits your strengths, experiences and explains your contribution to the company may and will give you the edge over other candidates.
I also agree with Zeb about having others proofread these documents. This is a very important part and everything must be proofread as much as possible by as many as possible. There's nothing worse than putting multiple hours into a resume and cover letter and submitting them just to have them thrown out because of some small grammatical error.
Response
I agree with what you wrote about the competitive nature of job hunting and how important it is to have a perfect resume. The market is so aggressive the smallest error can jeopardize your opportunity for a job. It is important to spend several moments looking over your resume and be sure it is ideal. Ironically, after spending so much time creating your resume following strict formats and guidelines, it is also important to stand out from the competition. This is easier said than done. But the idea when turning in your resume, is to have a well written document that claims you’re more qualified than the other individuals standing in line with you.