Tools in Job Hunting

RESUME
It is one-of-kind marketing communication with a specific goal to win an interview. It is usually
attached to the application letter; the former is usually placed at the latter.
It is a one- to two-page formal document submitted to job recruiters as means of showing a list of an
applicant's work experience, education, and skills.
This document is designed to provide a detailed summary of an applicant's qualifications for a
particular job; it is not usually meant to provide a complete picture.
A good resume gives the potential employer enough information to believe the applicant is worth
interviewing.
Resume provides comprehensive background of the application for the job. It tells about the
applicant, his/her background and experiences, and qualifications that the employment needs.
It is unique because it is based on every person’s background, skills, and experiences.
APPLICATION LETTER
It is the “sales pitch” of the applicant. A letter of application or an application letter is a personal letter
that is typically used to apply for a job.
It is merely another name for a cover letter, the official business letter often included with a job
application and/or resume and sent to a prospective employer.
TIPS IN RESUME WRITING
Format Your Resume Wisely "Do the Hiring Managers" Work for Them
1. No matter how well written, your resume won't get a thorough reading the first time
though. Generally a resume gets scanned for 25 seconds. Scanning is more difficult if it
is hard to read, poorly organized or exceeds two pages.
 Use a logical format and wide margins, clean type and clear headings.
 Selectively apply bold and italic typeface that help guide the reader's eye.
 Use bullets to call attention to important points (i.e. accomplishments)
2. Identify Accomplishments not Just Job Descriptions
 Hiring managers, especially in technical fields like engineering, seek candidates that
can help them solve a problem or satisfy a need within their company.
 Consequently, you can't be a solution to their problems without stating how you solved
similar problems in other companies and situations.
3. Quantify Your Accomplishments
Q: What's the most common resume mistake?
A: Making too many general claims and using too much industry jargon that does not market
the candidate. A resume is a marketing document designed to sell your skills and strengths
rather than just portray a bio of the candidate.
 Include and highlight specific achievements that present a comprehensive picture of your
marketability.
 Quantify your achievements to ensure greater confidence in the hiring manager and thereby
generate interest percentages, dollars, number of employees, etc.
4. Cater Your Resume for the Industry
Unlike advertising and design professionals who have greater creative license in designing
their resume for those fields, the mechanical engineering industry won't be impressed and may
be turned off by distinctive resume design.
 Err on the side of being conservative stylistically.
 Your accomplishments, error-free writing, grammatically-correct, clean, crisp type, and paper
will make the impression for you.
5. Replace your Objective" with a "Career Summary"
A Career Summary is designed to give a brief overview of who you are and what you do. Most
objectives sound similar: Seeking a challenging, interesting position in X where I can use my
skills of X, Y, and Z to contribute to the bottom line. Not telling at all.
 Grab a hiring manager's attention right from the beginning, remembering you
only have 25 few seconds to make a good impression
 Spend time developing a summary that immediately gets their attention, and accurately
and powerfully describes you as a solution to their problems.
6. Network. Network. Network.
For unemployed candidates, handing out resumes should be a full-time job. The majority of
mid- to senior-level positions are filled through networking, so contact absolutely everyone you
know in addition to recruiters who are in a position to hire you or share insights. 
Networking can include:
 Personal business contacts, people you've worked for or who worked for you.
 Vendors and sales representatives you have dealt with in the past five years.
 People listed in the alumni directory of your alma mater.

TYPES OF RESUME
1. Basic Resume
This type of resume is different from a curriculum vitae as to its length and usage. It is
shorter and much more specific including only important information about oneself that the
employer needs to know.
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
It is longer compared to basic resume that consists of (two or more pages) and more
detailed summary of one’s life. It is also a detailed summary of educational and academic
backgrounds, and relevant skills and experiences such as researches, teachings,
publications, awards, honors, affiliations and the like. Its usual purpose is to outline the
credentials for an academic position, fellowship, or grant
The employers in Asian countries prefer a curriculum vitae, while employers in western
countries like the United States, they prefer to receive a resume for most types of jobs.
It is usually used as part of the appendices of a thesis or dissertation.
CV contains the detailed information of the following: a. personal information, b.
educational qualifications, c. employment history and experiences, d. certificates and
licenses, e. researches, papers, and publications, f. grants, scholarships and fellowships, g.
honors, f. recognitions and awards, h. professional associations and activities, i.
specialization, special trainings and skills, j. foreign studies and travels, k. language
competencies, l. technical and computer skills, and m. other vital details or information
about the researcher’s experiences and feats.

BASIC RESUME FORMAT

1. Chronological Resume
Your work history is listed in order according to dates. Begin with your most current position
and end with the earliest. Many employers prefer this type because it gives them an overview
of your experience.
 This basic resume type is best for those people with a solid employment background who have
no lapses in their work history. It is also beneficial if most of your experience coincides with the
job you are interested in.
Generally, the last 10-15 years should be listed on the resume. Start with the most current
position and work backward.
It is not etched in stone that only full-time jobs should be listed. Include part-time positions,
volunteer work, or anything else that will emphasize the skills you have to offer.
2. Functional Resume
Focuses on your skills and experience and de-emphasizes your work history. Employment
history is secondary to the abilities you have to offer.
This basic resume type is preferable if you have lapses in employment. The gaps could occur
for any number of reasons such as raising a family, illness, or job loss.
It is also beneficial for new graduates who have limited employment experience or people who
are in the middle of a career change.
Those who have had diverse occupations with no focused career path will also find this basic
resume type helpful.
3. Combination Resume
You highlight both your skills and traits and provide a chronological listing of your work
experience.
This gives you a flexible platform to list your workplace assets and show what kind of
employee you are.
List the most recent or advanced degrees first and work in reverse order. If there are older
courses that are more specific to the position, list them first.
You don’t have to list graduation dates, but if you graduated summa cum laude, or have
achieved other high scholastic honors, don’t be modest about listing them. This will set you
apart from other applicants.
4. Targeted Resume
This basic resume type is customized and specific to the position you want. Your work history,
abilities, and education are reflections of the job requirements.
For example, if you were applying for a position as a book editor in a publishing company, you
could emphasize your master’s degree in English and your internship with an editor during
your senior year. 
Study the job description of the position you want. It is important to know what skills and
abilities a prospective employer is looking for in their applicants.
If the ad requires self-reliance and innovative thinking, and these are traits that describe you,
then showcase your experiences that will exemplify these traits.
5. Resume Contents
a. Name and address
The name is placed at the top center of the resume and is highlighted by using a slightly large
font size and in bold typeface. The address and contact (i.e., phone number, fax number, and
e-mail address) are placed immediately underneath the name. The presentation of this section
requires visual balance and symmetry.
Mary Shane Louie M. Sayson
#78 Corner School of DNSC New Visayas Panabo City, Davao del Norte
Contact No. : 0918-766-4857
Email Address :
shane_sayson@umindanao.edu.ph
b. Education
A resume should list in reverse chronological order the list of the degrees from college on, with
the name of the institution and date they were awarded. It should specifically state the name of
the college or institution, geographic location, degree earned or expected, and graduation date
 including the GPA (Grade Point Average), honors and awards if they can spark the interest of
the perspective employees.
It must be noted that this section (education) is one of the major attractions in a resume.
Example: Education
2005 Columbia University New York, NY, USA
M.S., Anesthesia; GPA 1.25
2016 University of Mindanao, Davao City
B.S., Hotel and Restaurant Management, Cum Laude
c. Work experiences
 A resume should include work experiences whether technical, research, teaching, and other
salaried professional engagement. However, presentation of experiences depends upon the
requirements of the job being applied for. Work experiences can be presented in reverse
chronology starting from the most recent job or functionally basing on the skills with their
functional significant for the job.
 Interview Skill Mobilization
An Overview
• A lot of times, applicants go to an interview unprepared. While it is true that we don’t really
know what the interviewer is going to ask, we can prepare on thought organization.
• We must know that an interview usually lasts for 10-15 minutes. It is empirical to remember
that impact is more important than the length of the answer.
• The length of the answer will not matter if the answer itself doesn’t have substance. You
should remember KISS when giving your answers -- Keep It Short and Simple or Substantial.
• Also, the first 10 seconds of an interview is very crucial.
• The proceeding slides are the things we must be aware of before going to an interview.
First Impression :
• Dress appropriately;
• Be early and nice; and
• Greet the interviewer enthusiastically;
Body Language :
• Posture;
• Eye contact;
• Tone of your voice;
• Pacing; and
• Smile (don’t be stiff/too serious).
FYI
• We also must be aware that there are different types of questions asked during an interview.
The most common types would be questions about your strengths/skills, behavioral, and
situational questions.
• When asked about your strength/s, know that the interviewer is asking about your skills. And
there are 2 types of them: soft skills (cannot be measured; cannot be taught but can be
developed) and hard skills (can be measured; can be taught).
Soft Skills Examples Hard Skills Examples
 team player; - web developing
 being able to multi-task; - image enhancing
 punctuality; - graphic designing
 integrity; - programming
 experience in customer service; - workforce
 interpersonal skills; - technical writing
 etc. - accounting
 TO MAKE MORE SENSE OF IT, LET’S HAVE THIS.
• Let’s say an interviewer will ask, “Why should we hire you?” This question is asking for you to
share your skillset. A more straightforward question about your strength would be, "What are
your greatest strengths?" This is where SET comes in. Let’s start with Showcasing Your Skills.
Showcasing your Skills (SET)
• Answer: “There are 2 skills that I have which I can share to the company. These are
punctuality and being a team player .”
Example/Experience (SET)
• Continued Answer: “In my previous company, I never had any records or absences or
tardiness. This greatly affected the confidence of my team with me. Because of that, I was able
to work with my team harmoniously. I was awarded as top performer for a number of times
because I was always present to complete my tasks and the tasks assigned to my team.”
Things to keep in mind…
 The reason why I mentioned to limit the showcasing of your greatest skill to 2 is because we
must explain them one by one. And if we mention more than 2 skills, your explanation might
already be too long. The interviewer might be bored listening
• By explaining each of your skills, you must go back to the time when you were able to apply or
execute those skills. IF YOU CANNOT RECALL any time in the past when you were able to
exercise the skills that you have listed, then it would only mean that those are not really your
skills. Because if they are, you must have a memory of exercising them.
Tailor Fitting (SET)
• Continued Answer: “With this, I can say that with my skill set, I can be a good addition to the
company and to the team that I will be part of in the future.”
• Tailor fitting is where you seal your answer by connecting your skills to the company. You
should tell the interviewer that your skill is relevant to the company.
Question: Why should I hire you?
• Answer: “There are 2 skills that I have which I can share to the company. These are
punctuality and being a team player (showcasing your skills). In my previous company,
I never had any records of absences or tardiness. This greatly affected the confidence
of my team with me. Because of that, I was able to work with my team harmoniously. I
was awarded as top performer for several times because I was always present to
complete my tasks and the tasks assigned to my team (example/experience). With this, I
can say that with my skillset, I can be a good addition to the company and to the team
that I will be part of in the future (tailor fitting).”
• And that is how you can answer questions about your strengths in a short but substantial way.
Also, always remember to be confident with your answers. Believe in what you say! Your
interviewer won’t be confident with you if you will not be confident also.
 Now, SET stands for:
• S – howcasing your skill/s
• E – xample/experience
• T – ailor fitting
• These can be applied for interview questions about your strength.
• These can also be used on how you transition your answers from one idea to another.
Now, let’s talk about STAR!
If SET can be applied for questions about your strength, STAR can be applied for
behavioral and situational questions like:
• Situational : How did you handle your most difficult call?
• Behavioral : Was there a time when you and a co-worker disagree? Tell me what
happened.
STAR stands for:
• S - ituation
• T - ask
• A - ction
• R - esult
Like SET, STAR is also about how we can transition our ideas from 1 point to another,
so we can have a cohesive train of thought when we answer interview questions.
• Let’s try answering this question and follow the STAR format.
Was there a time when you have to take over a certain task? What happened?
• SITUATION
• This is where you must describe the situation of your answer.
• ANSWER
• “Once at a former company, an employee left days before the imminent deadline
of his pending emails and backlogs. My team leader assigned me to take over his
tasks.”
• TASK
• This is where you have to tell the interviewer the specific goal for the situation.
• ANSWER:
• “The goal at that time was to answer all the pending emails and backlogs before
the scheduled deadline.”
• ACTION
• Describe what you did to accomplish that goal.
 ANSWER: “What I did to make it possible was I collaborated with my workmates
to gather the data needed. We all worked together to finish it.”
• RESULT
• State the outcome of your action.
• ANSWER: “This made everyone in the team delighted and more productive and
finishing the tasks before the deadline became a success.”
Was there a time when you have to take over a certain task? What happened?
• Answer: “Once at a former company, an employee left days before the imminent
deadline of his pending emails and backlogs. My team leader assigned me to take over
his tasks (situation). The goal at that time was to answer all the pending emails and
backlogs before the scheduled deadline (task). What I did to make it possible was I
collaborated with my workmates to gather the data needed. We all worked together to
finish it (action). This made everyone in the team delighted and more productive and
finishing the tasks before the deadline became a success (result).”
Summary
• That’s how you apply STAR in answering behavioral and situational questions.  
• SET and STAR can be your guide in answering interview questions for you to have a more
organized and concise answer – short and simple or substantial.
• A lot of times when we don't know where to start, how to start our answers, what to say next,
or even how to end it. By following SET and STAR as our guide, we can have a better way of
delivering our answers.
• These concepts can sound intimidating and that's very understandable. Take your time to
absorb it. Here are some sample questions that you can ask yourself, then apply SET and
STAR:
SET
1. What are your strengths? (pretty straightforward)
2. What's makes you hire-able?
STAR
1. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict at work.
2. Tell me about the time you handled an abusive customer.

Take note of some common interview questions.

Example: Can you please tell me something about yourself?
• It is important to remember to avoid giving your life history or making your answer sound like
the odds are against you when introducing yourself. Example, a lot of applicants would say
something like this when they introduce themselves to get sympathy from the interviewer:
“Hello. My name is John Doe. I have a degree in Language teaching. I supported myself when
 I was still studying because my family cannot afford my tuition. I have 5 siblings and my
parents barely have enough income to support all of us.”
• The initial part is good, but what was said after is not. Now the question is, should the
company know the other details that are too personal to share? No, not anymore! Always
remember to keep your answer related to your profession and the position you are aiming for
and add something fun about yourself when introducing (ex. hobbies, fun fact, etc.)

Format your response:

For your response to be clear and concise, you’ll want to make sure you organize your answer
following a format or formula. There are two common formulas you may consider:
 Present, Past, Future
 Past, Present, Future

Both of these formulas work for your response, but you may choose one over the other
based on the roles from your experience that are most relevant to the position you're
interviewing for.
For example, if your most recent role highlights many of the skills and qualifications that
are required for the role you’re interviewing with, you may want to lead with the present.
However, if you're making a career transition and your past experience is more closely
related to the role than your current position, you may want to lead with your past.
Sample Response
(based on my experiences)
(PAST) I started my career working in two of the most leading BPO companies in Davao
City as a customer service representative. Over the years, I handled both aggressive
and angry customers, which taught me to be empathetic at their situations. However, I
thought that teaching has always been my passion, so I decided to pursue this
profession. In my experience, I taught as a college instructor and an ESL teacher for
over two years in a well-known online English education platform here in the
Philippines.
(PRESENT) In my current role as an associate professor at a university, I always love
and enjoy teaching beyond expectations.
(FUTURE) Moving forward, my experiences in BPO and the teaching field have trained
me to have more patience in my profession, which I believe is the essential factor
needed to accomplish this role. And that’s what brings me here today for this exciting
opportunity.
Common Interview Questions:
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF: Employers ask this question for a variety of reasons.
Some may want to hear a brief summary of your work experience (including your
current job), while others use it as an icebreaker to get a sense of your personality and
what motivates you. Many human resources professionals recommend keeping your
answer brief, stating two professional accomplishments and one personal fact. What
you choose to say, and how you say it, says a great deal about you.
 WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WEAKNESS?: Most of us would like to respond, "I don't
have any" but that's not what the interviewer wants to hear. After all, who doesn't have a
weakness? However, be cautious. Think about what you want to reveal. Pick a
weakness that is not important in this job or one that you have taken steps to
strengthen. Always try to transform your weakness into a strength.
WHAT ARE YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITHIN AND
OUTSIDE OF THE WORKPLACE?: Emphasize accomplishments that are most
relevant to the job. Don't waste time talking about details that would not be of any use to
the employer. Be as specific as possible without revealing too much about your former
employer, especially proprietary or confidential information. Don't downplay your
achievements; instead, mention any difficulties you may had and how you overcame
them.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE COMPANY/POSITION? WHY DO YOU WANT TO
WORK FOR US?: Interviewers ask this question to find out how much you know about
the company. Having done your company research, talk about the needs of the
company or business and how your skill set can contribute to their goals. Talk about
your work experiences and how they have prepared you for this particular position.
Also, point out your own career goals.

PATTERNS OF IMPROMPTU SPEECH DELIVERY

 PREP: Point, Reason, Example, Point
 PPF: Past, Present, Future
 AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
 AREM: Answer, Reason, Example, Message
 CER: Cause, Effect, Remedy
 BER: Before the event, the Event, the Result (also, Before and After)
 GBI: Good (Pros), Bad (Cons), Indifferent
 5Ws+1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How