Chapter 9: The Job Search, Résumé / Resume, and Cover Letter
Students from many different programs take COMM 11000 at Mohawk College. While students in Motive Power, Nursing, and Advertising have very different audiences and communication styles, they all share a common communication problem. Sooner or later, they will need to communicate to get a job!
Consider that:
- some students are in a program with an apprenticeship component;
- some students have chosen a co-op option in their program;
- some students have to find work right now to pay for their tuition;
- some students are focused on becoming “Future Ready” for their long-term career.
Whether you need to find work to meet your academic requirements or to meet your life requirements, you need to know how to knock on the door that will lead to employment. Your résumé and cover letter are that first “knock.” When you reach out with a well-written résumé and/or cover letter, you make a strong first impression. If you reach out with poorly written documents, it will also be the last impression you make on a potential employer.
Writing a résumé and cover letter is not just about copying and pasting boring job descriptions onto a single page. These documents function as proof that you can:
- gather and organize information;
- draft and deliver a message to a specific audience;
- demonstrate professional behaviors and values; and
- create communication solutions.
Don’t rush into drafting your application documents and delivering them to a hiring manager. That approach will never get you through the front door. Instead, take a moment to ask yourself “what’s at stake?” Think about how much money you’ll be paid over the course of holding that job. Imagine how you can start with an entry-level experience and build into a high-level role. Remind yourself how important this single act of communication is for your future. Research some job postings, research potential employers, and research your own experiences. Communicate about who you are and what you’ve done in such a way that your audience–the employer–feels connected to you and confident about welcoming you into their circle. Not every applicant will get the job, but a strong résumé can persuade an employer that interview time spent with you will be time well spent!
