This week's reading, Chapter 15- Starting Your Career, is a practical reading for college students. I like how the author emphasizes goal setting. I feel that a person that sets high but reasonably attainable goals is most likely to achieve them. One point that I feel like the author did not emphasize was that goals should also be measurable. By being measurable a goal can be more clearly reviewed to see if it has been obtained. The author discussed job searching and how the internet opens up a lot of opportunities, but did not leave out the importance of personal networking. The author noted the importance of personal networking by urging people not to be reluctant to use their personal network. The section included about preparing and designing a resume relates back to the previous reading with the importance of learning about your audience and what to include. It was interesting to me that verb phrases were listed to make for easy scanning versus full sentences. The process given for writing an application letter clearly defined what needed to be stated. The style that it is written should reflect your personality, and show to the reader what you would expect from the position. It is also extremely important that the application letter and the resume be proof read, by not only the writer but by an additional source. Giving an employer a poorly written resume and application letter will immediately make a bad impression, which is not what is desired. When proofing a resume and application letter there are four different areas that need to be thought about, which are: content, organization, style and design. It is also a good idea when applying for a job to have a personal portfolio to give to the recruiter. A personal portfolio is a collection of different documents that demonstrate ones abilities and qualifications.
Reply
I agree with your statement that “individuals that set high but reasonably attainable goals are most likely to achieve them.” This idea was emphasized throughout chapter 15, along with your following statement that “the goals one sets need to be measurable.” Only after setting goals that meet these criteria will one be able to see the success he or she has achieved and take in all that goes with that. The most important topic covered in chapter 15, as you recalled toward the end of your writing, is proofreading. This is something that is stressed in any writing-based course that I’ve taken, but even that isn’t enough. Every document that you draft must be proofread, by multiple individuals, so as to decrease the possibility that errors exist and to gain insight from those proofreading your document.
Networking
I agree that networking can be a great way to find a job. People should not refrain from using their contacts to land a job. Knowing someone at a company you want to work at is like having your own personal recruiter. Not only are they likely to recommend you, they might even fight for you to be hired. This is why it's important to keep in touch with old friends, especially those who work in the same area as you.
On Portfolios
Portfolios are awesome. The resume part is easy, so long as it looks decent-easy considering so many templates on the internet, and everything is spelled correctly-should be easy considering spellchecker. The portfolio gives concrete evidence of the work you've done. I'm a huge fan of this because it offers a depth of understanding to your employer about how well you work. I'm not too keen on cover letters though-they seem like they have to much fluff. Most of the information that is in a cover letter already is/should be contained in the resume and portfolio.
Response
I agree, having a portfolio can only be beneficial in the eyes of an employer. Just the fact that you have one may make you stand out of the crowd. I also like that they are more flexible in terms of how you make them as opposed to the resume and cover letter, which are more structured. It allows the employer to go as in depth as they need to when researching you. So, if it cam down to you and another similarly qualified person for a job, the employer could be easily swayed your direction with the proper portfolio.
Shane
Reply
I really like the way that you thought that goal setting was an integral part of building a solid resume. I think that you should have goals in everything that you do in life, and reflecting them in your resume is always a good thing. I also like the section in your response about networking. I think that it is very important to get your name out into the job scene. Networking in my opinion is one of the main reasons that people get the jobs that they are looking for. I agree with several points that you discuss in your reading response.