You should list at least three business and three character references here, but be certain you have obtained permission from all of them to use their names. Though your friends, some may not like giving recommendations they have not authorized.
Rather than take the chance of a reference not being able to write a recommendation, or being unwilling to do so, write the letter yourself so that the reference has merely to sign it. Each letter should be different, stressing those good points of yours with which the reference is most familiar. Make each of these letters short, to the point and honest. If what you write is the truth, you need not hesitate to ask the reference to sign. Explain that you have written it yourself to severity, and leave a copy.
A practical way to handle all the details you've gathered in your self-analysis is to present a resume, personally or by mail, to potential employers. It should be perfectly typed on a good grade of bond paper, in clear analytical, functional or chronological form.
Your background, education and experience deter mine the order of the facts in your resume. Spotlight the facts that are particularly relevant to the job, subordinating the ones that have little or no bearing. For example, if you are well trained for, but inexperienced in, the job you want, the information about your education should get preferred treatment. Some authorities recommend putting personal data (name, age, marital status and the like) first, where they strike the eye immediately. Here, we recommend that the personal data come after the more vital information about your abilities, education and experience.
In making up your resume, first check the questions that can be answered from your occupational work sheet; then check over your resulting' 'raw material'' at least three times. You are now ready to type a resume, organizing the information into the general form of one of the samples. The different kinds of resumes-basic, chronological, functional, modem analytical-are explained the article. Remember, the best form for you depends on the specific background you have to offer.
The resume should be easy to read, and it should be easy to follow graphically. Dates and headings are used to lead the reader. A personnel manager probably reads resumes for several hours each day; if yours is concise and correct, you stand a better chance of having it read and remembered.
Much has been written about the difference between the functional and the chronological resumes-?as to which is the better. Of late, the form that is considered the most practical and is most in favor is that which a combination of both is. It is known as the modem analytical resume.
A resume can easily be compared to a passport. You think of a passport when you want to travel abroad, but you find that, before the government issues one to you, you must supply certain information and meet certain health and character requirements. A good resume is your most important job-finding tool. It consists of information brought together in your self-analysis. It should be typed neatly on standard 8Vi-by-ll-inch white paper, suitable for reproduction on a copying machine.
In writing your resume, strive for brevity but don't omit important or essential information. Most personnel managers say they prefer one- or two-page resumes, but the length of yours will depend on your particular situation. Ten or twenty-five copies of your resume may be enough if you're seeking a secretarial or clerical job. For specialized work or an executive position, you may need 100 or more copies, which can be reproduced in a number of ways: mimeographed, offset or photocopied. The offset process is the one that is gaining favor today, because it offers a more formal, permanent and elegant appearance, and the cost is usually quite low. Carbon copies should be kept for your file, but they should never be sent to an employer.
Why Not Let the Mails Work for You?
You can let the mails work for you by preparing and calculating your resume with a short accompanying letter explaining why you are seeking employment with the company addressed. This way you don't need to travel-your resume will do the looking for you, either close to home or far away. Just decide where you want to work then distribute your resume and accompanying letter in that area.
It is suggested that you consult someone in your local public library to help you find the proper directory or other source of names and addresses of prospective employers. Librarians can give you this information without any difficulty, and they are very accommodating.
Prepare a list of likely prospects, and address the envelopes, making sure to include the proper ZIP code number. When your copy has been printed or reproduced in some other way, type the name of the person, firm and address at the top of each letter, sign it at the bottom, and then insert the letter with the resume in one of the envelopes. Stamp it, drop it in the mailbox, and the postman will do the rest.
Some companies may not have a job to offer you when they receive your resume and letter. But a company may be impressed with what you have submitted and will, therefore, decide to keep it for future reference. Or it may be that a company may have a job that is not precisely in your field, but that is closely related to it. Hence, if your resume does not result in immediate employment, it may be the means of a future connection. Many personnel executives keep resumes that appeal to them on file for long periods of time.
