For today’s class, you read Chapter 2, Overview of the Reader-Centered Communication Process: Obtaining a Job from Anderson’s Technical Communication. Take the first ten minutes of class to summarize your reading in a comment on this blog post. Remember to use the memo header for these beginning of class writing assignments:
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE: (Create your own meaningful subject)
(Your summary)
Use the entire ten minutes for writing to improve your writing ability over time. Think of this as a writing workout. You’re doing repetitions that will pay off over time.
TO: Prof, Ellis
FROM: Mohammed S Akhtar
DATE: 09-15-14
RE: ” Effective Resume Skills”
In this chapter “Overview of the reader- centered communication process obtaining a job” Anderson refers to how to build an effective resume and which employee to target according to your qualifications. Also Anderson approaches us about how to write a professional resume that will attract the employer that were seeking and he also provides us with tips that will impression an employer through our resume.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Tanman Dey
Date: Sep 15th, 2014
Subject: Effective Resume Writing
Chapter 2 of this book provides an Overview of the Reader-Centered Communication Process. This chapter provides tips on how to write an effective resume and an effective job application letter that will grab employers’ attention.
The author mentions that it is important o learn about the reader, who will read your resume. Employers look for specific skills that match the job rather than general qualification in the resume. So it is important to list the skills that match the particular job we applying for. Anderson states, “To succeed, your resume must help that reader in two key ways. It must enable the reader to find the qualifications you have that are relevant to the job opening” (Anderson, 24).
Anderson mentions how important it is to define an objective, which matches with the job you applying for. The length of the resume is another important thing a candidate has to focus on.
Anderson talks about two major type of resume, which are experiential resume and skills resume. In experiential resume, we talk about the experience we have. Where in skills resume we talk about what we capable of doing and list the skills we have such as communication and technical skills.
It is necessary to research about the job you are applying for, to learn about the daily work of people in that particular position. The more you know about the job and the company, the better you will be prepared to write a good resume.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Kanstantsin Yanchanka
DATE: 09/15/2014
RE: How to get attention with a resume and an application letter.
In the second chapter, Paul Anderson discusses how to increase our chances to get selected when we apply for a job. He states that creating an effective resume and application letter is the first step. Further, Anderson gives specific strategies and tips on how to write an application letter and a resume, which has two types: experiential resume and skills resume. One of his tips suggests to research a company and a job position in order to find the skills they are looking for and include those skills in resume because most companies use a software for initial screening that selects resumes based on the specific key words. Also, Anderson provides a basic structure of professional resume and application letter with the detailed examples.
To: Prof. Ellis
From: Robert Plummer
Date: 9/15/14
RE: Technical Communications Chapter 2 Summary
The central point of Chapter 2 is to show the importance of writing for your readers, and it does this by using an important subject itself: a resume for a job application.
The process of reading a resume is very strenuous for employers. There are many other resumes that have to be processed per job application, they all must be evaluated on an individual basis based on what the employers are specifically looking for, and all within a very narrow time frame that the employer cannot afford to waste. Because of this, regardless of how detailed and extensive it is, only bits and pieces of your resume will be acknowledged at best, and it could result in being denied the position even if you’re already the perfect candidate they’re looking for.
By formatting the resume to be as short as possible, while still emphasizing the credentials that your specific employers are looking for, it will make it much easier for them to read and process the information, even if it’s under a time span of seconds. This could make all of the difference and have your resume stand out as a valuable candidate, even amongst a pool of thousands.
TO: Prof. Ellis
FROM: Ailin Guo
DATE: Sept. 15, 2014
RE: “Effective Resume Writing”
In Chapter 2 Anderson gives important hints on writing an attention-grabbing resume and application letter to land the first interview. In previous chapters he mention that it’s crucial to keep in mind the readers and audience, likewise in this chapter it’s crucial to keep in mind the employer. Your employer will be the one hiring you, therefore doing research about the employer and learning what they want will increase the opportunity of a interview. When writing, first consider the type of resume best highlight your qualifications. You can either use experiential resume, which centers on your education and activities or skill resume, which centers on your accomplishment and abilities. Also remember to keep your resume concise and specific which makes it easier reading for the employer. When it comes to writing your job application letter it should express what you know about the company and why you are the best candidate for the job. In conclusion, this chapter highlights again to always think about your readers and to improve your writing techniques that will benefit you in any career.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Amit Rabadia
DATE:9/15/2014
RE: Andersen’s Chapter 2 Summary
In this chapter, “Overview of the reader-centered communication process: Obtaining a job” Anderson discusses about different communication mythologies towards obtaining a job. Anderson talks about the principles of reader centered approaches in the beginning of the chapter. Some of his points that stood out to me and I think are important as: considering the reader’s characteristics, goals, expectations, and situations. Writing resume is crousial and important part of your introduction of who you are in one single paper. Anderson breaks down on how to write a reader-centered resume by defining objectives, planning, drafting and revising the resume. What I liked about this chapter is that as I read along, not only the contents of each topics make me understand what he’s saying but also he gives examples of what he’s talking about. The examples of resumes will help me write the two resumes that we are writing for our first project.
Electronic Resumes are as important to consider when sending via scanner, email or through web page. Anderson gives good explanation of writing job application letter. He states that, “Job application letter is just as or more important than the resume.” He breaks down this topic as: define your letter’s objectives, plan your letter, draft your letter and revise your letter. He provides good examples of some of the job application letter which I think are very useful for future references. Towards the end of the chapter, Anderson talks about ethical issues in job search, writing for employment in other countries, interviewing effectively and conclusion as well.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Diego Tuso
DATE: 9/15/2014
RE: Improving Resume and Application Letter Skills
In Chapter 2 of Anderson’s TC he goes into full detail on how to prepare our resume, application letter, what ethics to follow for each procedure. He begins with the Resume and explains there is two types of resumes; one being the experience based resume where you highlight what kind of work background you may have and how it benefits the company you are applying to. The other is the skill resume where you explain in detail what skills you may have obtained from either school or courses you have taken in the past and how you plan to put these skills at work for the chosen field where you may be applying to. Anderson identifies how as an applicant we must always prepare our resume from the point of view of whom we believe is going to be reading our resume from either managers or other people in higher positions; we must always remember to explain what we can offer the company we are applying to and how the benefit from hiring you and avoid saying what the company can do for you and your future. Next Anderson evaluates how to write an affective application letter that can get the eye of whomever is reading it and can effectively get you a callback. In this part Anderson says we must indulge in why we believe that the position we are applying to is the one for us based on past experiences, educations, etc. Anderson explains how to form the sentences where you avoid using “I’ so it reminds the person who is reading this that your main concern will always be how to improve and successfully represent the company you are applying for.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE: (Create your own meaningful subject)
Chapter 2 in the text describes how to create a resume that will maximize one’s effectiveness on seeking employment most suitableto their skill level. it covers a wide demographic from the resume layout to which information should be presented with most emphasis descending to the least pertinent information. I have held many different occupations and its intersting to see that each career field has its own layout for a resume.
J.X. Pabon September 15, 2014 at 4:09 pm
TO:Dr. Ellis
FROM:Juan Pabon
DATE:9/15/2014
RE: Effective resume layout
For instance a government or military resume requires that the applicant provide all former employment no matter how relevant(or irrelevant);whereas other employers only seek the job related experience. I am looking forward to revamping my resume during this class to further improve my chances of attaining the career of my choice.
To Prof Ellis
From: Paige Donaldson
Date: 9/15/2014
Re: Chapter 2 : Obtaining a Job
Chapter 2 breaks down the beginning steps in obtaining a job. It gives us the important guidelines in writing an effective resume, how to conduct yourself in your personal lives and how that can affect your chances of getting a job you may really want. I’m usually good at making resumes so i didn’t think this chapter would surprise me but I was completely wrong. This chapter mostly stressed steps to steps on what you should have in your resume and how to structure your resume. Guideline 1 , make sure you know what the reader is looking for, meaning you should know what kind of job you are applying for and what are their requirements. This chapter also breaks down how the interviewers view your resume and the steps they go through during the hiring process. Guideline 2 , expresses the importance of different types of resumes and what will be best for whatever you are applying for. Guideline 3 and 4 states that you should draft your resume focusing on the highlights of what the job is looking and the design. Guideline 5 stresses the importance of revising to eliminate mistakes or typos the resume will contain. What surprised me about this chapter was in Guideline 5 it stress the importance of social media and how a job can use Facebook, MySpace, and others as another way to feel out the candidate for the job, so it is very important to monitor what you post because it can either make or hurt your chances of getting a job.
TO: Proffessor Ellis
FROM: Muhammad Javed
DATE: 09/15/2014
RE: Overview of the Reader-Centered Communication Process: Obtaining a Job
In this chapter Anderson talks about how to write a effective resume and job application letter in order to get a job. In this chapter all important point are shown which can help us to get the attention of the reader. For example, “Define your resume objectives by learning what you reader wants and Plan your resume by thinking creatively about your qualifications, deciding how long your rĂ©sumĂ© should be, and choosing the type of resume you will prepare” these are the first things we have to think of, in order to, write a resume. By following this chapter’s steps we can easily write a resume and also can get the attention of the reader. I think this will play an important role in the future for us to get a job
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Yevheniy Matveychuk
DATE: 9/15/14
RE: Finding a job and creating a resume for it
The first step in finding a job is to look for a job posting through various sources like online or friends/colleagues. This will help you find an open position in an area of your interest. The next step is to look for the qualifications that the employer is looking for that job. Look back at your education and employment history and match your experiences and skills with what the employer is looking for. Create either a experiential resume or a skills resume based on your skills and try to condense your information to be as concise as possible.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Elena Prokhortseva
Date: Sep 15th, 2014
Subject: Effective Resume Writing
In Chapter 2 we can see how to write an effective resume and job application letter. It’s important to write your resume in specific format, which should consist an experience, education and recommendation.
It’s also important to remember to make resume as simple as possible in order not to confuse a reader with too much information. Design of the resume is also critical for visual appeal and finding main information points quicker.
However, we usually think about resume as a printed version, there is much more different media for it.
TO: Jason Ellis
FROM: Khalil Joseph
DATE: 09/15/14
RE: Summary of Chapter 2
The chapter was mainly on the being able to successfully write a resume, and effective job application letter, and how to conduct a job search ethically. It talks about the importance of finding employers that you’d enjoy working for because no one wants to work at a place that they don’t like, and generally what that employer is looking for in their employees. Then it goes on to talk about the styles that people should use to write their resumes, what should be put in the resumes i.e.: your contact information, as the skills and qualifications that you possess that help make you stand out as more of an asset to the company in which your are applying for a job. Also, how the revision of resumes can be helpful in eliminating errors and inconsistencies that you may have made while writing it to help increase its impact on the potential employers decision of hiring you as their employee. Then as it speaks about how to ethically make job searches it talks about how listing the good and the bad about yourself can be a good thing because it shows the employer that you aren’t just saying good stuff to make them hire you, but giving them more of a reason to trust that what you are saying is honest and true.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Ekue Mensah
DATE: 09/15/14
RE: effective resume Writing
According to Anderson in this chapter, we should follow different guidelines to effectively write a good resume. In the first step, Anderson advises to define the resume’s objectives by learning what the reader wants. He proposes to identify the employers you would like to work for. He also proposes to determine how your readers will look for what they want. In steps 2 he advises to plan the resume by thinking creatively about one qualification, deciding how long the resume should be and choosing the type of resume one will prepare. In doing so he proposes to decide how long your resume should be and explains the different types of resume that exits such as experiential resume and skills resume
TO: Prof, Ellis
FROM: Aaron Munoz
DATE: 09/15/14
RE: ” grab-a-job”
The chapter “overview of the reader-centered communication process: obtaining a job” is my favorite chapter to date. Anderson gives tips and effectively explains how to have your resume standout for that job that you really want. One of the critical points he discusses is the importance of knowing what the company is searching for that way your resume can be tailor-made for the company. Anderson also goes over cover letters and the importance of having a well made letter that shows your skills, thoughts, and a letter that shows who you are as a productive employee. In a resume showing your job history, skills, and education is important in a resume, but knowing the best way to present them well help your resume stand out from the 100 resumes that the employer has to review.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: Nilda Correa
DATE: 09/15/14
SUBJECT: Chapter 2 Obtainins a Job
Anderson explains that everything we learn about writing to obtain a job will stem from two steps. First it is important that you learn about your reader: who they are, what they want and what are the specific qualifications being saught. Second you have to used all the information you gathered to make your resume and job letter as effective as possible.
To: Professor Ellis
From: Adeola Seidi-Gbamuse
Date: 915/2014
Subject: Effective Resume Writing
Chapter 2 of the textbook provides us with an outlook to the Reader-Centered Communication Process. This chapter provides tips on how to write an effective resume and an appropriate job application letter that will grab the employers’ attention.
The author mentions that it is important to learn about the reader, who will read your resume. Employers look for specific skills that match the job rather than general qualification in the resume. So it is important to list the skills that match the particular job we applying for. Anderson mentions that, in order to succeed, your resume must help the reader in two key ways, It must enable the reader to find the qualifications you have that are relevant to the job opening along with any prior experience you may have.
TO:
FROM:
DATE: September 15 2014
RE: Summery of chapter 2
During chapter two, Anderson highlighted a few key areas to be mindful when preparing your resume. First he examined two kinds of resumes, the skills based and the experienced based. He noted the importance of writing using a reader-centered approach to get the most out of the reader. Get to know your audience and what they are looking for and write your resume capitalizing on the experience that is relevant for the particular job applying for. Focus on your strengths that will make you the perfect candidate for the position by answering the needs of the employer. He also mentioned something which I have never though about doing before, and that is to interview someone who holds the position you want. I think this can definitely be useful research. He wrote of the importance of adding your references clearly on the resume to show the employer that you are ready to get this process going and they can contact your references right away giving you an advantage over others. Over the chapter was very informing and quite resourceful.
TO: Professor Ellis
FROM: PeiYun, Lu
DATE: Sep 15, 2014
RE: Summary of Anderson’s TC Chapter 1
Resume and application letter are ideal examples of reader-centered communication process, because there’s an interactive relationship between writing a resume to reading one. Ultimately, we are only being offered an interview, an internship, or job, based on a successful reader-centered communication process.
In order to write an effective resume, we need to first define and examine the objectives and needs of the intended readers have in mind. For example, we can start from asking ourselves who the reader is and what the expectation he or she may have. Second, we need to identify what an employer, or a corporation, we’d like to work for. Anderson gives three qualities most employers want in a new employer: technical expertise, supporting abilities, and favorable personal qualities. To have our resumes stand out, we can plan it creatively. For instance, we can use list, bullets, varieties of type sizes, and so on to strengthen out those qualification that we possess. Third, Anderson also stresses that the importance of using verb tenses, rather than noun tenses, when we write resumes-“it highlights the qualifications that is most appeal to the employer” (Anderson 27).
Writing a cover-letter is another important aspect of Chapter 2. According to Anderson, an application letter and a resume is somewhat similar; however, it serves different purpose. Most employers look for what are the reasons we want to work for them, how we can contribute to their success, and how well would we work with other employers when reviewing the application letters. Anderson suggests that we can plan our letters by addressing these three questions. Furthermore, the key to answer these questions is to write persuasively with clear and detailed responses. For example, we need to identify the job we want, demonstrate our knowledge of employer’s history or belief, explain the reason we want to apply the position, and give insight of our career goal.
Lastly, it is important to keep in mind that always think about the readers continuously while constructing a resume or a job-application letter.
This chapter is on overview of the reader centered communication process obtaining a job. In it we learn to write an effective résumé, to write an effective job application letter
, to explain how detailed knowledge of your reader helps you create a résumé and job application letter, describe changes you might need to make in your résumé and application letters when applying for a position in a culture different from your own,and to conduct your job search ethically.