Review Questions

Review Questions

1. Why should you develop a personalized skill inventory as a first step in your job search?

You should develop a personalized skill inventory so you know what talents/skills/traits you have to sell. Employers look for individuals who have both technical and non-technical assets. As a recent graduate, your technical expertise should be cutting edge. Also important are your current or anticipated non-technical assets, including professionalism, enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, a positive attitude, reliability, honesty, the ability to communicate, problem-solving skills, and team skills. All such skills and abilities placed on your resume make you appear to be a well-rounded applicant who is ready to help meet the employer’s needs.

2. What are eight factors that you should consider when identifying your workplace preferences?

You should consider the:

* Size of facility
* Work pace
* Amount of time spent working with others and working on your own
* Amount of supervision
* Hours of work
* Type of patient population
* Type of professional specialty
* Location

3. How much time should you plan to spend each week on job search activities?

You should plan to devote at least 20 hours each week to your job search. Some employment professionals even recommend you spend 40 hours a week on this pursuit.

4. Describe why and how you should organize a workplace dedicated to your job search.

Devote a specific area in your home to job search undertakings. It is, after all, a job itself. This is also a good way to keep organized. Job search necessities may include:

* An appointment calendar
* A notebook to record/organize information
* Index cards for quick reference
* Good-quality writing materials for resumes, cover letters, and thank-you notes
* Sufficient computer supplies, if you have a computer
* A dictionary
* A yellow pages telephone book
* An area street map

5. Select four sources of job leads and explain how to use each one.

The following are sources of job leads.

* Your school’s career service center will help you organize yourself, help you prepare your presentation, provide you with lists of likely places of employment, and is a natural magnet for employers seeking qualified workers.

* Networking is a job search tactic most often used in two ways: You tell everyone you know your employment availability and newly acquired job skills, hoping someone may connect you with a willing employer; or you solicit networking assistance from within the profession you hope to pursue, asking existing profession members to make your availability known.

* Job fairs or career orientation and learning sessions are put on by your school, other schools, employers, and assistance organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce. Attend these events to both learn about employment opportunities and to introduce yourself to prospective employers.

* Help-wanted ads: Newspapers contain announcements of employment opportunities, identifying employers in the market and the particular skills they need. By reviewing the ads, you learn about the skills that are needed, educate yourself about presenting the desired skills, and find potential jobs.

Other job search techniques exist, ranging from “cold calling” employers to alert them to your availability, to using “telephone job lines” provided and presented by large health care employers like hospitals, to searching the Internet, an ever more commonly used source for listing employment opportunities.

6. What is the purpose of the resume?

A resume is a written summary of professional qualifications. Its purpose is to convince employers to interview you. The resume must present you well and convince employers you are the kind of person they need and might want to hire.

7. What are the major sections of a resume?

The major sections of a resume:

* Heading: this first section includes your name, address, and phone number
* Objective: this section states your job goal
* Qualifications: statement of your skills/traits for the position being solicited
* Educational background
* Certifications and licenses held and not listed elsewhere
* Work experience
* Special skills
* Languages
* Awards and honors
* Community service and volunteer work
* Memberships in professional organizations
* Hobbies and interests

8. What are 10 characteristics of a successful resume?

A successful resume is:

* Accurate, for example, has perfect spelling
* Conservative, for example, uses white paper
* Neat
* Easy to read
* Professional
* Without information that should be discussed in person, such as the reason for leaving the last job
* Properly formatted and spaced
* Complete with special features (e.g., bolding) for highlighting (unless for scanning)
* Concise
* Proofread by someone qualified

9. What is a cover letter and when is it used?

A cover letter is sent with a resume as a way to introduce yourself and explain why you have sent your resume.

10. What are the characteristics of a good cover letter?

A good cover letter:

* Is word-processed or typed
* Uses perfect spelling and grammar
* Is on the same paper as the resume
* Is addressed to a specific person, if possible
* Is individually sent to each employer/position
* Is not more than one page long
* Uses standard business letter format