Advancedtechniques PDF

Advanced
Techniques for
Work Search
Target your work search

Develop your network
Market yourself effectively
Stand out in an interview
Government
Career Practitioners
This workbook was developed to help self-directed adults with experience in the workforce or with
post-secondary education improve their work search strategies. It offers detailed information and
exercises to help your clients
identify their employability skills
update their work search tools and skills (resum, cover letters, portfolio, information gathering,
interview skills, proposals, etc.)
focus their work search
find relevant labour market information
access other work search resources
Clients looking for their first job, or those with limited work search experience, should check out Work
Search Basics, available at alis.alberta.ca/publications.
Catalogue item# 800001

ISBN 978-0-7785-8861-0
This publication is available to download or order at alis.alberta.ca/publications.
2002, 2007, 2008, 2014

Government of Alberta
For copyright information. contact:

Alberta Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
Workplace and Career Planning
Tel. 780-422-1794 Fax. 780-422-5319
Email: info@alis.gov.ab.ca
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Table of Contents
How to use this publication....................................................................................................................3
Preparing for Your Work Search...........................................................................................................4

Identifying your skills.................................................................................................................. 5
Exercise: Work-specific skills.............................................................................................................6
Exercise: Employability skills.............................................................................................................7
Exercise: Describing your top skills.................................................................................................10
Recognizing your accomplishments..........................................................................................12

Exercise: Identifying your accomplishments....................................................................................13
Exercise: Analyzing your accomplishmentsSTARS......................................................................15
Exercise: Writing accomplishment statements................................................................................16
Understanding your workplace preferences......................................................................................17

Wants versus needs.........................................................................................................................17
Exercise: Your ideal workplace........................................................................................................18
Assessing potential workplaces.......................................................................................................21
Researching employers.........................................................................................................................22
Information sources.........................................................................................................................22
Information interviewing...................................................................................................................24
Exercise: Developing an information interview script......................................................................26
Marketing Yourself.....................................................................................................................................27
Finding work opportunities...................................................................................................................28
Traditional networking......................................................................................................................28
Social media and networking online................................................................................................29
Contacting employers directly.........................................................................................................30
Using employment or placement agencies......................................................................................32
Understanding the selection process.................................................................................................33

How employers screen applications................................................................................................33
What employers are looking for.......................................................................................................33
Crafting high-impact resums..............................................................................................................34

Tailoring your resum.......................................................................................................................34
What to put on your resum............................................................................................................35
Keywords.........................................................................................................................................39
Resum master................................................................................................................................39
Resum types..................................................................................................................................39
Curriculum vitae...............................................................................................................................48
Resum best practices....................................................................................................................49
Special circumstances.....................................................................................................................50
Exercise: Resum checklist.............................................................................................................53
Formatting your resum........................................................................................................................54

Formatting best practices................................................................................................................54
Paper resums.................................................................................................................................54
Emailing your resum.......................................................................................................................55
Online application forms..................................................................................................................55
Other application forms...................................................................................................................56
Alternative resum formats..............................................................................................................57
Plain text resums............................................................................................................................57
Writing cover letters...............................................................................................................................58

What to put in your cover letter........................................................................................................58
Cover letter best practices...............................................................................................................58
Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 1

Cover letter template........................................................................................................................59
Sample email cover letter.................................................................................................................60
Sample print or attachment cover letter..........................................................................................61
Using other marketing tools..................................................................................................................62

References.......................................................................................................................................62
Letters of inquiry..............................................................................................................................63
Business cards.................................................................................................................................65
Portfolios..........................................................................................................................................65
Proposals.........................................................................................................................................66
Thank-you notes..............................................................................................................................66
Preparing for the Interview....................................................................................................................68

Gathering information............................................................................................................................69
Presenting yourself well.........................................................................................................................70
Building your confidence.................................................................................................................70
Projecting a professional image.......................................................................................................71
Anticipating employers concerns....................................................................................................73
Knowing what to expect........................................................................................................................74

Typical interview types.....................................................................................................................74
The interview process......................................................................................................................76
Typical interview questions..............................................................................................................77
Inappropriate questions...................................................................................................................80
Asking your own questions..............................................................................................................80
Learning from the process....................................................................................................................82

Assessing interviews........................................................................................................................82
Following up.....................................................................................................................................83
Strategies for Success............................................................................................................................84

Thinking positively..................................................................................................................................85
Avoiding self-defeating thoughts.....................................................................................................85
Dealing with job loss........................................................................................................................86
Transitioning from school to work....................................................................................................86
Handling rejection............................................................................................................................87
Coping with emotional highs and lows............................................................................................87
Maintaining your energy...................................................................................................................88
Dealing with practical considerations.................................................................................................89

Staying organized.............................................................................................................................89
Being financially responsible............................................................................................................90
Handling a job offer................................................................................................................................91

Understanding the offer...................................................................................................................91
Evaluating the offer..........................................................................................................................91
Making a counter-offer.....................................................................................................................92
Wrapping up your work search........................................................................................................93
Preparing for your next work search................................................................................................93
Resources......................................................................................................................................................94
Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website.......................................................................95
Alberta Career Information Hotline...................................................................................................95
Alberta Works Centres.....................................................................................................................95
Alberta Job Banks............................................................................................................................95
Feedback.......................................................................................................................................................96
2 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

How to use this publication
Advanced Techniques for Work Search takes you Preparing for the Interview will show you
through the process involved in a typical work how to present yourself effectively and how to
search by providing information, examples and create a positive impression when you meet
exercises. face-to-face with prospective employers.
If you have some experience in the workplace or Strategies for Success will offer suggestions
job market, then this publication is for you. If you for dealing with emotional, financial and other
are a new job seeker, you may want to start with challenges related to searching for work.
Work Search Basics, available at alis.alberta.ca/
You dont have to read the publication cover to
publications.
cover in order to benefit from it. For example,
The publication includes four primary parts: if you already know what skills you have and
the kind of work you want, you may decide to
Preparing for Your Work Search will help you
begin with Marketing Yourself. Or if you need
identify your relevant skills, accomplishments
help dealing with the emotional ups and downs
and work preferences and describe them
of a typical job loss before starting your work
effectively. This part also offers suggestions for
search, you may want to start with Strategies for
identifying and researching potential employers.
Success. You may want to spend more time on
Marketing Yourself will help you present some areas and less on others. Use the detailed
your product (yourself). This section provides Table of Contents to find topics and exercises that
guidelines for connecting with employers and apply to your specific work search needs.
creating resums, cover letters and other tools
Throughout the publication, youll find references
that will show employers you have what they
to useful websites and other resources with further
are looking for.
information on a variety of topics.

The information and
exercises in this section
will help you
identify your skills,
accomplishments and
workplace preferences
gather information about
employers that are a
good match for your skills
and workplace
preferences
Preparing for
Your Work Search
Identifying your skills
Start describing yourself by identifying your skills. When youre thinking about skills, dont limit
Like most people, you probably have more skills yourself to those you use professionally. Include
than you give yourself credit for. Skills are often the skills youve acquired through volunteering,
divided into two categories: managing a household or taking part in
recreational, sports or artistic activities. The
work-specific or technical skills, such as
average person uses 500 to 800 skills on a
knowing how to use a specific software
regular basis!
program, repair a diesel engine or teach a math
class
employability or transferable skills, which are the

more general skills and qualities you need to Which skills should you
succeed in virtually every work situation start with?
The following exercises will help you find the If youre looking for work that requires
language to describe your skills to potential work-specific skills you already have, start
employers. Later, when you put together your your skills list with the following exercise,
resum and cover letter or prepare for an interview, Work-specific skills. If you dont have much
you can refer to these exercises for descriptive work experience or would like to change
words and phrases. occupations, start with the exercise called
Employability skills on page 7.

Exercise Work-specific skills
To identify your work-specific or technical skills, first write down the tasks that you perform in
your work. (If you like, you can use the interactive worksheet available online at alis.alberta.ca/
workspecificskills.)
Next, break down each task into the skills required. Be specific: the more detailed the list, the better.
For example, a technical writer might list the following tasks and skills:
TASK SKILL
write online help text for a interview subject matter experts

software program test software
translate technical information into clear, user-friendly terms
organize topics logically
use help-authoring software
create, follow and research industry style standards

enforce an in-house consult subject matter experts on technical terms
style guide
provide rationale for style decisions
create and tailor information to the knowledge level of the audience

deliver training (technical or layperson)
write lecture material
design hands-on training exercises
deliver lectures in an engaging way
scale course content to fit the time available
A human resources professional might list the following tasks and skills:
TASK SKILL
recruitment and selection write job ads for vacant positions

evaluate applications fairly
interview candidates
conduct reference checks
prepare employment contracts
compensation and benefits gather industry-specific data on compensation levels

administration design incentive programs
co-ordinate benefits plans, including life, medical and
disability insurance
training and development identify ways to improve employees skills and versatility
develop and deliver internal orientation and training
arrange external training

If youre having a hard time coming up with tasks resum books
and skills, check out the following resources:
job ads on the Internet or in the newspaper
Alberta occupational profiles on the Alberta
When youve completed the exercise, highlight or
Learning Information Services (ALIS) website at
circle the five skills that are most relevant to the
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo
work you are seeking. These are the skills you will
job descriptions from your previous work focus on describing in more detail on your resum
and in interviews.
Exercise Employability skills

Employability skills are the critical transferable skills that are valuable across fields and in most
workplaces. This exercise focuses on some of the categories of employability skills that employers
identify as most important.
Check off all the skills you feel Highlight or circle the five checked
STEP competent using. You dont have to STEP skills you most enjoy using. These
1 be an expert at a skill to check it off.
Include skills you havent used for a
2 are probably the skills youre best
atthe transferable skills you should
while but could relearn quickly. emphasize when writing your resum
and talking to employers.
Communication
writingusing good questioningdeciding what stating opinionssaying

grammar to write clear questions to ask to obtain what you think, confidently
sentences and paragraphs; useful information or to help and assertively
expressing yourself and others gain insight
other _____________________
explaining things in writing
teachingunderstanding __________________________
public speakingkeeping group dynamics; __________________________
the audiences attention instructing others __________________________
while giving a presentation

Analysis, problem solving and research
researchinglocating the cost of products and developing and evaluating

information using services solutions to make
appropriate technology and recommendations or
budgetingplanning how to
information systems (for decisions
spend money; deciding what
example, computers, library
to buy, how much to spend selecting and using
classification systems,
or how to get the work done appropriate tools and
Internet search engines)
most cost-effectively technology
analyzing information
evaluating situations and other _____________________
breaking it down to basic
identifying problems __________________________
sections
__________________________
assessing problems from
estimatingjudging the __________________________
multiple viewpoints (for
cost or size of things;
example, human, technical,
predicting the outcome of
scientific)
a math problem before it
is calculated; forecasting

Flexibility, adaptability and management of multiple priorities
identifying and suggesting coping with uncertainty other _____________________

innovative ways to get work making decisions when __________________________
done youre not sure what the __________________________
outcome will be __________________________
working on several tasks
or projects at the same adapting to changing
time requirements and
information
Leadership and management
coachingproviding one- making decisionschoosing other _____________________

to-one or small-group a course of action and __________________________
assistance to help others accepting responsibility for __________________________
achieve a goal the consequences __________________________
providing feedback chairing meetingspresiding

accurately describing an over a group of people
individuals work, behaviour, who come together for a
appearance and so on in a purpose; listening, speaking,
helpful and considerate way encouraging discussion and
following an agenda
Planning and organization
determining priorities planningdeveloping maintaining records of

deciding whats most projects or ideas through inventory, budgets or other
important and doing that first systematic preparation; information
deciding in which order
schedulingpredicting other _____________________
and at what time events will
how much time tasks will __________________________
occur
take; setting time frames __________________________
for activities; keeping track organizingco-ordinating __________________________
of projects, timetables, the people and resources
itineraries and so on necessary to put a plan
into effect

Teamwork and interpersonal skills
negotiatingbargaining with giving credit where credit is using tactbeing discreet

others to solve a problem or duerecognizing your own and diplomatic, particularly
reach an agreement and other peoples good when dealing with sensitive
efforts issues
resolving conflictsbringing
disagreements to successful accepting authority respecting differences
resolutions being able to work under appreciating diversity;
supervision accepting the uniqueness of
listeningpaying attention
individuals
to what other people say clarifying the groups
in order to understand goals and objectives when other _____________________
and appreciate different necessary __________________________
points of view and respond __________________________
accepting feedback without
appropriately __________________________
becoming angry or defensive
Reliability and responsibility
following through with time being socially responsible maintaining high ethical
and financial plans and and contributing to your standardsdealing with
making adjustments when community (for example, people, problems and
necessary volunteering) situations honestly
risking, when appropriate being timelycompleting other _____________________

assessing, weighing work on time to meet __________________________
and managing physical, project deadlines; arriving __________________________
emotional and financial risk at meetings on time; __________________________
responding to messages
accepting responsibility for
reasonably quickly
your actions and the actions
of your group
Learning
being aware of your personal setting your own learning learning from your mistakes
strengths and areas that goals instead of waiting for
other _____________________
need improvement or someone else to tell you
__________________________
development what you should learn
__________________________
__________________________

Exercise Describing your top skills
This exercise will help you to further define your skills and describe them in ways that reflect the details of
your own experience. Clear, specific descriptions of your skills, targeted to specific jobs and employers,
are the building blocks for effective resums and impressive job interviews. Youll use them later in the
Marketing Yourself section, which begins on page 27.
For each item you highlighted in the two previous exercises, ask yourself the questions journalists ask:
who, what, when, where, why and how. Use the answers to describe each of your skills as accurately as
possible. For example, if you write down the skill teaching, ask yourself who you teach, what you teach,
when you teach, where you teach, why you teach and how you teach. You might say, I teach weekly
adult vegetarian-cooking classes through a continuing education program in Big City, Alberta, to help
people incorporate healthy vegetarian choices into their diets.
A job seeker looking to move into a management position might use the following skill descriptions to
emphasize her leadership qualities:
As project team lead, I assign tasks to team members and set ambitious but realistic milestones to
keep the project moving forward.
I mentor younger employees to help them develop the

technical skills they need to get ahead and to help our
RESOURCE
organizations succession planning.
Need more help
I schedule weekly team meetings, set the agenda for the
identifying your skills?
meetings and lead the discussion to keep the team up to
date on the progress of the project. The following resources can
help you name and describe your
I contribute programming expertise to management top skills:
discussions about software architecture and project
the publication Assessing You:
scope.
The First Step in Career Planning
See the sample resums in the section Crafting high- and Workability: What You Need
impact resums (page 34) for examples of how skill to Get and Keep a Job available
descriptions are used. at alis.alberta.ca/publications
the Abilities Exercise and
the Significant Experiences
Exercise available at
careerinsite.alberta.ca
under Know Yourself
the ALIS Tips Find Work That
Fits and Do You Have the Skills
Employers Want? available at
alis.alberta.ca/tips

My top skills
My skills Who, what, when, where, why and how?

Recognizing your accomplishments
Prospective employers often base their Recognizing and describing your

assessment of your future performance on your accomplishments will help you
past performance, which is usually measured by
remember the results you have achieved
your accomplishments. As a result, describing
your accomplishments effectively, both on paper target your work search
and in person, is a vital step in marketing yourself.
develop outstanding resums and cover letters
prepare for job interviews
boost your confidence

Use the exercises in this section to help you
identify and describe your accomplishments.
You can refer to these exercises when you write
your resum and cover letter and prepare for
an interview.
What are
accomplishments?
Accomplishments are
activities that give you
pleasure, fulfilment and a
feeling of success. Whether
theyre large or small,
routine or extraordinary,
your accomplishments
represent you at your
best. To identify your
accomplishments, ask
yourself these questions:
What am I most
proud of?
What do I do better than
my co-workers?
What do my former
employers miss most
about me?

Exercise Identifying your accomplishments
This exercise will help you to identify the accomplishments you want to emphasize when you are
marketing yourself to employers.
Read through the following examples Review the accomplishments youve

STEP of accomplishments. Check off STEP checked off. Highlight or put a star
1 the ones that relate to something
youve accomplished. Add other
2 beside the five accomplishments that
are most significant or most relevant
accomplishments to your list. to the type of work you are seeking.
Employment accomplishments
Selected to do tasks that I perform better than my co-workers
Trained co-workers
Received recognition, awards or bonuses
Saved my organization money, time or resources
Received recognition for perfect attendance
Exceeded performance goals
Served in a leadership or senior position, either short or long term
Simplified a procedure that made a job easier or more cost-effective
Helped develop, implement or maintain a new system
Increased customer satisfaction
Participated in hiring decisions
Led projects
Wrote policy or procedures, or contributed to research
Organized employee or company activities or functions

Other
Personal accomplishments in the workplace

Volunteered for special assignments or extra duties
Mentored, coached or helped co-workers
Motivated or persuaded others
Multi-tasked and met tight deadlines
Took on responsibilities beyond those outlined in my job description

Contributed to my organizations success through flexibility or adaptability
Represented peers as their chosen spokesperson
Enhanced the image of my organization
Mediated conflict
Other

Education and training
Gained specialized knowledge or earned credentials that made me a more valuable employee
Achieved honours standing
Earned scholarships or awards for academic excellence
Improved skills in areas within my field through my own initiative
Other
Volunteerism and community participation

Participated in community groups
Held a volunteer or board position
Organized or played a key role in community projects

Received awards or recognition for contributions to my community
Other

Exercise Analyzing your accomplishmentsSTARS
The STARS storytelling technique allows you to articulate what you did and the results you achieved by
describing your accomplishments in the following way:
Situation Describe the circumstances and the problem you faced.

Task Explain what you needed to do, why you needed to do it and the challenges involved.
Action Describe the actions you took.
Results Explain what happened as a result of your efforts.
Skills Describe the skills you used to accomplish what you did.
You will need to include accomplishment statements in
RESOURCE
your resums and cover letters. For examples of how
accomplishment statements are used, see the sample resums More help on
on pages 43, 45 and 47 of the Crafting high-impact resums STARS Technique
section. Developing accomplishment statements is also excellent
For more information about
preparation for interviews, particularly for behavioural questions
the STARS Technique, see
that ask you to describe the details of your accomplishments the ALIS Tip Be Prepared
concisely and convincingly. for Behavior Descriptive
Create a STARS summary for each of the five most significant Interviews Using the
accomplishments you identified in the Identifying your STARS Technique, available
accomplishments exercise. at ALIS.alberta.ca/tips.
STARS accomplishment summary

Situation: The processing time for orders Action: I compiled and analyzed data on
was creating problems. The lag time between order times and shipping backlogs, solicited
receiving an order and shipping it was too staff input and researched alternative
long, and orders were getting backlogged. ordering systems. I presented my findings
The backlog was creating overtime problems and recommendations for an integrated
in the shipping area, and customers were phone-and-online system to management,
complaining. which approved the new system. I managed
Task: As department assistant manager, I the start-up of the new system and organized
needed to increase ordering efficiency and staff training.
reduce overtime. Since the problem involved Results: Combining the phone and online
two different staff units and two different ordering systems reduced the lag time
ordering systems (online and phone), it between order placement and order shipment
presented logistical and communication by two days and reduced overtime for
challenges. I initiated a review of the ordering shipping staff by 20 per cent.
systems. Skills: I exercised organizational,
communication, analysis, problem-solving,
troubleshooting and technical skills.

Exercise Writing accomplishment statements
Condense the descriptions of your accomplishments from the exercise Analyzing your
accomplishmentsSTARS into accomplishment statements.
Accomplishment statements used in resums and cover letters often have the greatest impact when
theyre condensed to three lines or less. Each accomplishment statement should begin with an action
word and should quantify your accomplishment. You may also use qualifiers to add impact to your
accomplishment statements (more information about action words, quantifiers and qualifiers follows).
Target your accomplishment statements as much as possible to the requirements of the position you are
applying for. For sample accomplishment statements, see the example below.
Action words, quantifiers and qualifiers

Action words add punch to descriptions of your accomplishments, responsibilities and activities. Use them
as the first words in bulleted lists of skills, accomplishments and responsibilities. Here are some examples:
drafted an orientation resolved financial upgraded in-house processes to

manual for all new staff budgeting discrepancies improve efficiency in production
Quantifiers describe size, numbers, time and money. Employers want to know the specifics of your
accomplishments. They are more likely to believe your accomplishment statements when you can support
or substantiate them.
For example, Trained staff on the inventory system over a period of months with a resulting decline
in errors is a description without a quantifier. Add three quantifiers and the description takes on new
meaning and impact: Trained 150 staff on the inventory system over a period of three months with a
resulting 75 per cent decline in errors.
Referring to specific promotions or awards can also strengthen an accomplishment statement.
Qualifiers are adjectives and adverbs that can add depth and focus to descriptions of your
accomplishments, skills and knowledge, but they are no replacement for quantifiers. Try not to overuse
them. The following are examples of qualifiers:
analytical proficient punctual specialized profitable safely successfully
To find out more about words you can use to describe skills and accomplishments, see the ALIS Tip
Use Action Words to Get the Job, available at alis.alberta.ca/tips.
Accomplishment statements
doubled sales from $50,000 to answered 70-plus customer achieved first-class honours
$100,000 within two years service phone calls per day, standing throughout post-
achieved savings of $70,000 troubleshooting problems, cutting secondary studies
through volume discounts and red tape and making special implemented a customer
central co-ordination arrangements, resulting in feedback system that increased
repeat business customer satisfaction ratings by
promoted from marketing
co-ordinator to marketing commended for error-free work 20 per cent
manager maintained accurate bookkeeping strengthened team performance
received Employee of the records and reduced outstanding by introducing a series of team-
Year award for exceptional accounts by 10 per cent building events; received a
performance organized a neighbourhood formal commendation from the
garage sale, raising $15,000 for vice-president
took no sick days reported
over a three-year period a local library

Understanding your workplace preferences
To get what you want, you have to know what you Wants versus needs
want. Some features of your ideal workplace may
Needs are things you must have to feel fulfilled.
be based on obvious needs, such as a minimum
Wants are desires, not essential needs. This
level of income. Others may not be as obvious.
distinction is important because no work
This section will help you get a clear picture of situation is perfect. There is always some
what is essential to you in a workplace and where compromise involved.
you are willing to compromise. It focuses on
If you find it hard to identify what work type and
identifying your preferred
environment you need or want, begin by thinking
work type and environment about what you dont want. For example, if you
work culture dont want to work in a downtown office tower,
what kind of environment do you want to work in?
management style Outdoors? In a small industrial park?
Work culture differs from one organization to

another. If your values and beliefs are compatible
External and internal values with values and beliefs held by most people in an
organization, youre more likely to enjoy working
Workplace features such as geographical location, there. In particular, a good working relationship
hours of work or pay are external values. If a work with your supervisor is important for job
opportunity doesnt match your needs or wants satisfaction and career advancement.
with regard to such external values, youll probably
find the workplace to be less than ideal. However,
matching your preferences doesnt guarantee that
youll be satisfied with the work itself. Work that you
dislike doesnt suddenly become more enjoyable if
you get a pay raise.
Workplace features such as recognition or status
are internal values that influence your feelings of job
satisfaction. Usually, the better the match between
your internal values and your work, the happier
youll be. Since you spend a great deal of time at
work, your level of job satisfaction has a big impact
on how good you feel about your life as a whole.

Exercise Your ideal workplace
STEP For each item on the following list, think about whether that factor is essential to
1
you or something youre willing to compromise on based on your work and life
experiences to date.
Each essential statement limits the number of work opportunities open to you.
STEP
Review your responses and ask yourself whether youre limiting your search unnecessarily.
2 For example
If you said you dont want to work for less than a certain amount, do you really need that
level of income? Are there ways you could cut back on your spending?
If you were offered a job that has health care and pension benefits, would you be willing
to accept a lower rate of pay?
If relocating could dramatically increase your chances of finding work, are you willing to
move to find suitable employment?
STEP
3
Rank the essential items youve checked off in order of importance.
FEATURE Essential Willing to Rank in order

compromise of importance
Work type and environment
Geographic location
Indoors
Outdoors
Stimulating environment
Hours of work (for example, standard weekday
hours, shifts, overtime)
Pay
Job security
Size and type of organization
Equipment, tools and furniture
Working with others
Working alone
Direct supervision
Independence
Vacation and other benefits
Nature of the work
Challenge
Adventure
Travel
Variety in the job

Being part of a team
A sense of accomplishment
Opportunities to learn and advance
Level of responsibility
Input into decision-making
Recognition
Status and respect
Opportunities to influence or coach others
Time for self or family
Opportunity to contribute to society
Opportunity to supervise others
Influence over policy
Creativity
Social relationships
Working with my mind
Working with my hands
Other:
Work culture
The organizations mission is clearly understood
by all employees.
Employees have a strong sense of loyalty to the
organization.
The organization does what it says it will do.
Employees consistently interact
in positive ways.
The organization balances its needs with
employees needs.
Management practices are consistent and
predictable.
The organization supports and develops good
leaders.
The organization is able to retain good people.
Developmental feedback is provided at all levels
of the organization.
Creativity and innovation are rewarded.
People are treated fairly and with respect.
The organization encourages and responds to
employee input.
The organization treats employees as its
greatest asset.
Physical facilities are attractive and conducive to
productivity.

Salaries are compatible with levels of

responsibility.
Salaries are consistent with the marketplace.
Employment and compensation practices
demonstrate equal opportunity.
Fringe benefits are comparable to other
organizations benefits.
Individual contributions are recognized (pay for
performance).
The organization is committed to employee
development.
Management style
Having a supervisor who
Treats everyone fairly
Is technically knowledgeable and competent
Delegates work, clearly stating objectives and
timelines
Delegates the necessary authority as well as
responsibility
Gives me a fair degree of control and autonomy
Provides necessary training and development
Encourages creativity
Is available when I need to discuss a problem
Is decisive
Gives credit for good work
Provides regular, constructive feedback
Supports staff when appropriate
Is friendly and acknowledges team
members daily
Criticizes the behaviour, not me, if my
performance is a problem
Has realistic expectations of me
Keeps the team informed of the organizations
challenges and expectations
Approaches goal-setting as a shared process
Compensates team members fairly and equitably
Holds regular performance reviews
Fosters my career development
Helps me learn from my mistakes
Is a positive role model
Is an inspiring coach
Is honest
Has integrity

Assessing potential workplaces
As you conduct your work search, keep in mind the essential features you
identified in the previous exercise. The clearer you are about your priorities,
the better prepared youll be to assess potential employers and work
situations and to target your search.
Understanding your preferences can be especially helpful

if youre trying to decide between two or more potential
RESOURCE
jobs. If an organization offers all or most of the items on
your list, youll know that its likely a good fit for you. Do you need to do some
career planning?
If youve had trouble determining
your workplace wants and
priorities, you may need to do some
career planning before youre ready
to start looking for work.
Go to CAREERinsite at
careerinsite.alberta.ca. Click
on Know Yourself and try the
Preferred Working Conditions
Quiz, the Work Values Quiz, the
Interests Exercise and the Vision
Exercise.
Check out the publication
Career Planner: Choosing an
Occupation, available at alis.
alberta.ca/publications.
To talk to a career advisor,
call the Career Information
Hotline toll-free at
1-800-661-3753. (In Edmonton,
call 780-422-4266.)

Researching employers
Once you have a good understanding of your skills Professional sites and forums. Industry,
and accomplishments and a clear idea of what you professional and alumni association sites can
need and want from a workplace, its time to move be sources for links to potential employers.
on to the next phase of your work search: finding Industry- and occupation-related discussion
the employers who need your skills and fit your forums and professional discussion groups
preferences. (for example, on LinkedIn) offer an opportunity
to keep up with current developments and
You probably already have some ideas about
network with others in your field.
potential employers you might like to work for.
Research will allow you to gather more information Blogs. Typing industry- or employer-related
about these and other employers, to generate terms into a search engine may connect you
leads and to target your work search. to relevant blogs. You may even find a blog
written by a current employee in the industry
This section will help you
sometimes with the organizations blessing,
explore diverse research sources sometimes without. Bear in mind that a blog
features one individuals point of view and is
plan for and conduct information interviews
unlikely to be objective. Nevertheless, a blog
can offer a perspective that you may not get
Information sources from the organizations official website.
You can use a wide array of resources to identify

Job fairs
potential employers and find out more about them.
Job fairs are a growing trend in Alberta as
employers look for different ways to attract
Career and company websites
and recruit staff. Often hosted by educational
The Internet offers extensive and up-to-date institutions, industry groups or major corporations,
information on most subjects, and employment job fairs let you check out a number of potential
topics are no exception. Try the following online employers at the same venue. (Larger corporations
resources: may hold their own job fairs or open houses.) You
Employers websites. Explore the sites of can gather useful information and get a feel for
employers you want to work for. Browse an organization by viewing the display and talking
through press releases, annual reports, mission with the staff. You may also be able to submit
statements, awards, product and service your resum or apply for a position. Watch for job
profiles, and names and emails of key contacts. fair ads posted at Alberta Works Centres, online
You never know what information might at humanservices.alberta.ca/jobfairs or in the
provide insight into the company, suggest how business section of local newspapers.
you should target your resum or help you
answer an interview question. Even the tone Alberta Works Centres
and look of the site can tell you a lot about Alberta Works Centres offer staff and resources
the companys culture and values. A thorough that can help you learn more about industries,
review of an organizations website can even occupations and employers. See the Resources
take the place of an information interview. section (page 95) for more information.
(See page 24 for details about information
interviewing.)

News sources computers with Internet access
News sources offer plenty of information about online resources such as databases, directories,
your local labour market newspapers and industry magazines
whats happening in other locations (if youre annual reports for major employers in
willing to relocate for employment) your area
how conditions are expected to change in
the future Telephone directories
If you see an article about a company developing Yellow Pages and other phone directories of cities
a new product, think about the effects this could or towns and their regions are available online
have on the local labour market: and in print. These directories list businesses
and organizations in categories, which can help
The company might soon be looking for people you identify potential employers. For example, an
to help produce, distribute and sell its new accountant might look in the Accountants category
product, needing, for example, production line in the Yellow Pages to find a listing of accountant
workers, warehousing technicians and sales businesses. Your local library or Alberta Works
representatives. Centre may have print copies of the Yellow Pages
If the company is expanding, it may also be or other directories for your area and others. You
looking for other types of workers, including can access the electronic version of the yellow
administrative assistants, accountants, pages at yp.ca.
business management consultants, network Another telephone number resource that lists
administrators and purchasing agents. businesses and organizations by category is
Producing the new product will require raw available online at 411.ca.
materials. This may mean that local suppliers
and distributors could also be expanding their
workforces in the near future.
Your local public library

Libraries provide many work search resources.
Here are some examples:
directories of community services, businesses

and manufacturing firms. These directories list
employers, often by region, and include contact
information (mailing addresses, telephone
numbers and website addresses). Some
directories also provide a description of each
organizations services and products
and the names of key contacts.
labour market information

published by federal, provincial
and local government
agencies. Examples include
Statistics Canada and
provincial and municipal
economic development
departments.
information published by local

chambers of commerce and
other business and
professional organizations

Information interviewing or if the person can recommend someone else
for you to talk to.
Information interviewing is a research tool based
on the idea that if you want to find out what its Lets talk over the phone right now. Always
like working in a particular job or for a particular have your questions ready when you make your
company, you should talk to someone who does initial call!
that type of work, or someone who works there.
The purpose of an information interview is to ask for Contacting people you know
information, not to ask for a job. You can talk with Begin the information interviewing process with
people you know as well as those youre referred to. people you know. You may know someone who
Before you contact someone for an information works for an employer youd like to work for
interview, decide what kind of information youre
knows about an employer youd like to work for
looking for. It will probably fall into one of the
following three categories: can refer you to someone who works for an
employer youd like to work for
occupational informationif youre thinking
about moving into a different field of work See the Brainstorming your network sidebar on
page 28 for tips about considering people you may
industry informationif youre planning to
want to start with. Phone or email several of these
target your work search to a specific industry
people. Tell them that youre looking for work and
information about a specific employerif ask them for ideas or, if appropriate, conduct an
you want to target a particular company or information interview.
organization
Contacting people you dont know
Preparing for an information interview Through networking or other research, you may
Follow these steps to prepare for an information be referred to people you dont know who can
interview: provide you with more information.
Prepare your questions. See the Deciding what Whats the worst that can happen when you
questions to ask section on this page. contact people you dont know? They may tell
Prepare a script for each contact. See the you they cant or dont want to talk with you.
exercise Developing an information interview Whats the best that can happen? You may
script on page 26. get an insiders perspective on an industry or
organization.
Make initial contact with the person. If you dont
know the person, introduce yourself and say Deciding what questions to ask
who referred you.
To be effective in an information interview, you
Briefly explain the kind of information youre need to be clear about the kind of information
looking for. youre seeking.
Ask whether the person would be willing to To gather occupational information, consider
speak with you for 10 or 15 minutes. asking the following questions:
Keep track of the calls you make. See What does this occupation involve on a
the section Tracking your contacts for day-to-day basis?
suggestions.
What skills does it require?
Be prepared for one of three answers:
What set of values does it reflect?
Yes, certainly. In this case, try to arrange a
How do people enter this fieldboth the usual
face-to-face meeting, or ask to conduct the
and the unusual approaches?
interview by phone or email.
What do you like and dislike about this
No, Im sorry. Accept graciously and, if
occupation?
appropriate, ask if another time might be better

Would it be possible for me to job shadow you
to learn more about this occupation?
To gather industry information, consider asking

the following questions:
Make your information interview
What kinds of people are attracted to positions a success
in this industry? What are their values? What
Call or arrive on time.
motivates them?
Take only as much time as youve
What changes and challenges is the industry requested10 or 15 minutes should be long
facing? enough.
What are the cyclical patterns of this industry? When you make contact in person or by
phone, make sure you have your script and
What credentials or training programs are most a copy of your cover letter and resum in
respected within the industry? front of you. (See the Marketing Yourself
What are the unspoken expectations for people chapter, which begins on page 27, for help
who work in this industry?
preparing a cover letter and resum.)
Dress professionally for the meeting. Speak
What industry organizations or associations slowly and clearly, and relax.
would you recommend? Are there trade
Take detailed notes.
publications or journals that would be helpful to
someone interested in this industry?
Thank the person at the end of the meeting
or phone call.
To gather employer-specific information, Always follow up with a thank-you card or
consider asking the following questions: email. It will leave a good impression, and
What are some of the key challenges in your some of the people you talk to may be in a
position? position to influence future hiring decisions.
What qualifications are required for someone to

work in this position?
What do you like most about your job with this

organization? Tracking your contacts
Keep track of the people you contact for
What do you like least about your job with this
information interviews. You may want to make note
organization?
of the following details:
How did you find your current job?
contact name
What advice would you give someone who
organization
wants to work for this organization?
address, phone and email address
Who else do you recommend I talk to about this
organization? date and time of contact
Who does the hiring in your organization? (Ask comments
this question if you were unable to find this
thank-you note or email sent
information through your research.)
other follow-up completed or required
The interactive Work Search Plan and Record,

available at alis.alberta.ca/wsrecord, is a tool you
can use to keep track of your contacts and other
work search information.

Exercise Developing an information interview script
Use this worksheet to develop a script for each information interview. Your script may be different for
each contact. Avoid memorizing your script or reading it to your contact word for word. Practise getting
your main points across using words that seem natural to you.
Date: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Script for (indicate name of contact here): _______________________________________________________
Briefly introduce yourself. Include some information about your background, if appropriate. ___________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Tell the person youre interviewing how you found out about them (referral, website, job ad, newsletter
or other publication, business pages, etc.). _____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
If you have any knowledge about the occupation, industry or company, referring to it at this point will
catch the contacts attention. __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Depending on what you want from the interview, ask for
the information youre looking for, based on the section Deciding what questions to ask
(page 24)
feedback or advice about your skills or resum
referrals and whether you can use the persons name or contact him or her for additional
information
other support or information
Thank the person at the end of the meeting, email or phone call. Note any additional follow-up required.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

In this section youll learn how to find
work opportunities and promote yourself
to potential employers. Youll create
targeted marketing tools that highlight
your most relevant skills and
accomplishments.
The information and exercises will help you
network and connect with employers,
online and offline
understand how employers select
job candidates
develop high-impact resums and
cover letters
choose references who will support
your work search
develop and use other tools,
such as curricula vitae,
portfolios and business
cards
Marketing
Yourself

Finding work opportunities
Once you have researched the industry and

employers that interest you, its time to look for
specific job opportunities. This section focuses on The strength of
finding work by weak ties
networking, both online and offline Which people in your network are
most likely to connect you to a job
contacting employers directly opportunity? Surprisingly, studies
using employment or placement agencies show that acquaintances may be
more helpful in your work search
than close friends and family. One
Traditional networking reason is that they are more likely to
know about leads you havent already
Networking is possibly the single most important heard about. Another is that people
work research tool available. Its estimated that with whom you dont have a strong
70 to 80 per cent of jobs are filled by people who personal relationship may find it easier
heard about the opportunity from someone else to view you in a professional light.
or contacted the employer directly to find out
whether the organization had an opening.
Networking is the process of connecting with If theres an established professional association

all of the people you know and asking them to in your field, join it. Contact the association about
help you directly or refer you to someone else. job leads. Watch for leads on the associations
Ask people you know for support, advice and website and in its newsletter. Consider posting
information about occupations, industries and your resum on the associations website or
specific employers. Chances are theres someone placing an ad promoting your services and
in your network who can connect you to the kind strengths. Expand your network by attending
of opportunity youre looking for. Give a copy of association and other professional meetings,
your resum or business card to everyone in your lunches, conferences and activities. The more
network. The more they know about you, the more people you meet, the more likely youll be to
effectively they can promote you. connect with someone who may be able to
help you.
Brainstorming your network

When youre trying to come up with your network, list contacts from community groups (volunteer groups,
as many people as you can. Include friends and family clubs, religious organizations)
members, but dont limit yourself to the people youre former classmates
closest to or most comfortable contacting. Also consider
former teachers
neighbours friends family members
current and former co-workers As your network expands, add new contacts to your list.
parents of childrens friends

Social media and
networking online
Networking online allows you to contact people
youd likely never meet through traditional
networking methods and to maintain contact with
people you do know. Some of the most effective Manage your web presence
tools for networking online are social media Many employers use social media to pre-screen
websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. potential candidates. Whether or not you actively
LinkedIn is a professional networking site. It use social media for professional purposes,
employers may search for your LinkedIn,
allows you to outline your background, skills
Facebook or Twitter profiles, or read your blog.
and experience and add people you know to
An unprofessional web presence can hurt your
your network. Your direct contacts connections
chances of being hired, while a positive impression
become second-degree connections in your can help. For this reason, its important to be aware
LinkedIn network, and their contacts become of and manage the information that is publicly
third-degree connections. LinkedIn also available about you online. Google yourself once in
includes job postings and discussion groups on a while so that you know what potential employers
a wide variety of professional topics. will see if they search your name.
Facebook is primarily for personal networking,
but because it is such a large social media
website, it is also an important professional Its important to keep your profiles up to date
networking tool. Posting on Facebook is an and avoid any unprofessional content in your
efficient way to let your contacts know that personal profiles. Keep in mind that being
youre looking for work. professional doesnt mean erasing all traces of
your personalityyou still want to be yourself in all
Twitter is an information network where
your online profiles.
people and organizations have conversations
using short messages called tweets. Twitter
is primarily a public forumyou can follow
people you dont knowso its a good way to
exchange information outside your immediate
professional and social circles.

Beyond the social media sites, When contacting employers by phone, ask
RESOURCE
you can also participate in for the name of the person who has hiring
More help with newsgroups and discussion authority. If the person who answers is reluctant
networking forums related to the industry or to put your call through to the appropriate
For more information employment field you want to person, call back another day and ask for the
on networking and work in. Professional associations hiring authority by name.
social media tools, and alumni organizations may
Using To Whom It May Concern in letters or
check out the ALIS sponsor or provide links to online
email is usually ineffective. If you cant find out
Tips Networking, networking sites. Or you can use a
by calling the organization directly, locate the
Networking Online, search engine to discover sites in
names of specific people through your network,
Use Social Media your area of interest. Some of the
on the organizations website or in a business
for Work Search most effective online networking
directory.
and Managing sites ask you to become a member
Your Social Media of the site by submitting a profile You may also want to talk to someone who
Identity, available at describing your experience and doesnt have hiring authority, such as an
alis.alberta.ca/tips. work background. This lets all employee of the organization in a position
members search the site for others similar to one youre interested in. Explain to the
who share their interests. person who answers your call what youd like
to do and ask to speak with someone who can
answer your questions.
Contacting employers directly
When contacting people, always keep in mind the
When you identify employers that interest you, following:
contact them directly to inquire about work,
Do your research! Check out the companys
whether or not they are currently advertising
published material before you make contact.
positions.
Ask for the names of the people you talk to,
Cold-calling including receptionists. Write their names down
Cold-calling is unsolicited contact with a and use them in conversation. If you have to
prospective employer without a referral. Before you call back, its helpful to know peoples names.
make a cold call, the first step is to identify the right Be polite.
person to talk to or address your resum to.
Keep your calls and emails short and to
Use current classified and career ads to the point.
target employers who may have unadvertised
job openings in your field. Use the contact If youre prepared and professional, people will be
information in the ad to send an unsolicited more likely to tell you what they know and refer
resum with an introductory cover letter. The you to others who may also be able to help you.
Letters of inquiry section on page 63 includes
a sample letter.
If youre contacting employers in person, call

ahead and ask who has hiring authority for your Target your inquiries
type of work. Typical titles of people with hiring
Resist the temptation to simply mail out a
authority include foreman, supervisor, human
number of resums. Target specific employers
resources manager or consultant, manager or
and deliver a customized resum personally
assistant manager. Find out when this person (which gives you the opportunity to look around
may be available. When you walk in, ask for the and check out the organization) or email it with
person by name. a cover letter expressing your interest and
motivation. See the Tailoring your resum
section on page 34 for more information.

RESOURCE
Vertical search engines
In contrast to general search
Job ads and job search websites engines like Google, vertical
About 20 per cent of positions are advertised. search engines focus on a
Although useful for identifying potential employers particular type of content.
and job leads, online and offline job postings have Vertical job search engines pull
some disadvantages: information from many different
job search boards, so they
Since many people use classified job ads to
are an efficient way to look for
find work, competition for these positions is opportunities posted online. You
often keen. can typically search by keyword
Unless theres a specified competition deadline, and location.
advertised positions fill very quickly (often Some popular Canadian vertical
within 24 hours). job search engines are
Not all employers advertise positions. Many Eluta Canada (eluta.ca)
choose to fill positions through walk-ins, via Indeed Canada (indeed.ca)
referrals or from within the company. WowJobs (wowjobs.ca)
In addition to job ads in the classified or careers
section of newspapers, the Internet is teeming
with job search websites where employers list
You can search most job sites by keyword, job
the jobs they have available and job seekers post
type or job title and location.
their resums. Many websites also offer work
search articles and tips. The provincial and federal Many sites allow you (and thousands of others!)
governments also maintain job banks: to post your resum in hopes of capturing the
interest of an employer or recruiter. Keep in
The Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS)
mind that every other job seeker with an Internet
website at alis.alberta.ca/jobpostings has
connection can do the same. Posting your
links to more than 190 job posting sites.
resum on numerous job sites, blasting (mass
A listing of jobs from across Canada is available emailing) your resum to a number of employers
at jobbank.gc.ca. or spending hours surfing for work search tips may

give you the illusion that youve accomplished a Using employment or
lot when, ultimately, these approaches alone are
placement agencies
unlikely to get you an interview.
Private employment agencies are contracted
Many job websites offer a job agent or job match
by employers to find candidates to fill specific
service. When you post your resum or skills
positions. Sometimes, newspaper ads and online
profile, the service updates you regularly by
postings tell job seekers to submit their resums
email, alerting you to new postings that fit your
directly to this kind of agency. You can do this, but
qualifications. This kind of service can save you
keep in mind that the agencys job is to recruit for
time and money.
the employer, who is the agencys client.
If you decide to post your resum on a job search
You may decide to submit your resum to a
website, try to edit or alter some of the information
placement agency that specializes in placing
every two weeks. This effectively reposts your
people who have qualifications similar to yours (for
resum with the current date and ensures that
example, business administration or engineering
your resum stays active on the site: many
design). You may submit your resum either for
recruiters search resums by date posted.
a specific position or to be kept on file for future
The postings you find on job search websites can openings, especially if you know that your targeted
help you identify potential employers and find employers use placement agency services. If your
additional postings through employer or recruiter qualifications fit a position the agency is trying to
websites. An increasing number of employers fill, the agency will contact you.
maintain an active list of job openings, including
Given the amount of free work search help and
jobs that are not posted on job search websites or
information available, its probably wise to be
in newspapers.
cautious of agencies that ask for payment to help
you with your work search. Before you sign an
agreement with any agency, read it carefully and
RESOURCE
be sure you understand the terms.

Getting started with Depending on the industry and the kind of work
your online work search youre interested in, contacting an agency can be
For more information on how and where to look a useful strategy. Just make sure its only one of
for work opportunities online, look at the ALIS several strategies you pursue. Continue to use the
Tips Using the Internet for Work Search: Getting other methods described in this section as you
Started and Using the Internet for Work Search: look for work.
Finding Jobs and Work Opportunities, available at
alis.alberta.ca/tips.

Understanding the selection process
Take a moment to imagine yourself as an employer Athose who demonstrate that they exceed all
who needs to fill a position. Before you begin the criteria
recruiting, you decide what kinds of skills and
Bthose who demonstrate that they meet all or
other qualifications the ideal employee will have.
most of the criteria
You describe these requirements in the job
posting. Cthose who do not demonstrate that they
meet the criteria
You may receive hundreds of resums or
applications for the position. Some will meet your Several factors will influence how many candidates
requirements; many wont. How do you decide will be interviewed, including the time and staff
whom to interview, never mind whom to hire? available, the skill level of the position and the
number of positions to be filled. Probably only
the top eight to 10 candidates from group A will
How employers screen be interviewed. If the position cant be filled from
applications group A, or if the employer wants to keep options
open, the most outstanding candidates from group
Most employers follow a selection process to B may also be interviewed.
compare their requirements with the skills and
qualifications of the applicants. The process will
depend on the size and nature of the organization. What employers are looking for
Most large organizations use applicant tracking
Resums are screened using a set of criteria that
system software to review and store resums
include the requirements of the job as well as
electronically. This software searches for keywords
other needs and preferences the employer has
and phrases, and ranks each resum against the
identified. If the employer is looking at dozens of
selection criteria and other candidates resums.
resums from applicants who have most or all
At a smaller organization, the employer may be the of the necessary criteria, he or she will probably
first person to look at the dozens (and sometimes select those that
hundreds) of resums received in response to
are easy to read and error-free, reflecting the
the job posting, or this task may be assigned to
applicants desire to do high-quality work
the hiring manager, a recruiting agent or a human
resources employee. clearly highlight the relevant qualifications for
the position posted
No matter how the task is handled, the goal is
to screen out as many resums as possible in describe the relevant qualifications using the
order to narrow down the number of applicants same or similar keywords that appear in the job
who will be evaluated more closely. Although the ad or posting or, for unadvertised positions, that
exact process is different for each organization, are standard in the industry
an employer will probably screen applicants by
The following section describes in detail how best
sorting them into three groups:
to showcase your qualifications to get your resum
through the screening process.

Crafting high-impact resums
A well-written resum is a key element of your Your approach will vary depending on the
work search. Its a one- or two-page summary occupation or industry you want to work in
of your skills, accomplishments, experience and and the qualifications you want to emphasize.
training. Your resum is a marketing tool you give For example, if youre a pilot, your resum will
to a prospective employer in order to probably be most effective if you follow the
industry standard and list the details of the aircraft
make a good first impression
youre licensed to fly near the top of the first
demonstrate how your skills and page. On the other hand, if youre a pilot seeking
accomplishments meet the employers a career change, its probably a good idea to
requirements highlight your strongest employability skillssuch
as personal and teamwork skills that are essential
get an interview
regardless of occupation.
The effectiveness of your resum will depend on
If youre applying for more than one type of
what information you include and how well you work, youll need more than one resum. Youll
tailor it to the position continue to write and rewrite your resum and
how you organize the information your other marketing tools throughout your work
search. Tailor your resum to each specific job you
the words you use, including keywords and apply for and change information as your skills,
accomplishment statements achievements and experiences evolve.
Tailoring your resum

Tailoring your resum means highlighting relevant
qualifications to show a specific employer that you
References available
have the skills, experience and training to succeed
upon request?
in a particular job. Doing so demonstrates that you Dont include your references with your resum
place a high priority on the employers needs. To unless an employer specifically asks for them
tailor your resum, you need to in the job ad or posting. Most employers dont
require this information until youve been
learn about the employer
shortlisted for the job.
understand the job requirements from the Should you use the phrase References available
employers point of view upon request in your resum? Most human
identify your most relevant qualifications
resources and career development professionals
note that since employers expect you to provide
choose the resum type that will best highlight references anyway, using this phrase is stating the
your qualifications (See the sample resums on obvious.
pages 43, 45 and 47.)
describe your qualifications in keywords and

phrases that are the same or similar to those
that appear in the job ad or posting, if there
is one

Three fields, three resums
Janet Jobin is interested in three teamwork skills and adaptability interpersonal skills
types of work: attraction to adventure problem-solving skills
firefighter sports and athletic involvement Her resum for supervisory
telecommunications technologist commitment to helping others positions should emphasize her
supervisor of telephone installers volunteer firefighting experience ability to motivate
Since each position requires background in naval cadets ability to delegate
different skills and knowledge, Her resum for telecommunications ability to hire, train and coach
Janet will need at least three technologist positions should ability to provide feedback
different resums. Her basic emphasize her
resum for firefighting positions ability to listen, organize, plan
should emphasize her technical telecommunications and make decisions
skills and journeyman telecommunications technical
physical strength and agility certification expertise
knowledge and understanding of telecommunications technologist
firefighting supervisory or management
diploma training
participation in safety training special employment-related
and technical firefighting courses leadership roles in volunteer,
project assignments sports and community activities
What to put on your resum

As you select and organize the content of your The following table outlines the main categories of
resum, your main goal is to demonstrate that information that are commonly used on a resum. It
you have the skills and qualifications the potential also lists several typical headings for each category
employer is looking for. The information you include of information. Review the sample resums on
will depend on your experience and credentials as pages 43, 45 and 47 to see how to choose and
well as the type of work you are seeking, so the organize content for different types of resums.
formula is not the same for everyone.
Information commonly used on a resum

Possible section headings Content
Contact Information On the first line of your resum, include only your name and, if
applicable, a designation such as BA or P.Eng. On the following lines,
include your address and postal code, phone numbers (including
area code) for your home phone and cellphone (if you have one)
and your work search email address. You may also want to create
an online version of your resum that does not include most of this
personal information. Consider the following suggestions:
To maintain confidentiality and professionalism, dont use your

work phone or work email for your work search.
Provide a daytime phone number where messages can be left

for you. Interviews are usually arranged by phone during office
hours.
Put your name on every page of your resum. You can use the
header or footer function in word-processing software to do this.

Information commonly used on a resum (continued)
Career Objective This is a one- or two-line description of the kind of position

Goal youre seeking and your strongest qualification for the position.
Job Goal Its optional.
Job Target Be aware that objective statements can be used to screen you
Objective out rather than in if they focus on your goals rather than the
employers goals. Some employers feel that objective statements
Position Applied for
are a waste of valuable resum space. Vague statements
such as To obtain a challenging position with a progressive
company that will allow me to grow and develop my analytical
and problem-solving skills are not likely to grab an employers
attention.
You may want to include an objective statement if you are

offering a very specific type of expertise. For example, Have
seven years experience with back-end web development
technologies; looking to move into a senior web developer role.
You may also want to include an objective if you must find a job
for a particular time frame, such as an internship or co-op period.
For example, Eight-month co-op position beginning in the fall
term.
If youre in doubt about whether to include an objective

statement in your resum, you can always create an objective,
write your resum based on it and then leave it off the final draft.
Or you can include your objective in your cover letter.
Background This is your opportunity to summarize how your qualifications

Highlights of match the jobs requirements. Be sure your experience will
Qualifications back up any statements you make. Include
Profile the number of years in the relevant occupation
Summary
relevant education and training
Summary of
Background relevant accomplishments
key skills or specialized knowledge
personal skills (such as attitudes or work style) that

support your objective

Accomplishments This section features the work-related accomplishments

you identified when you completed the exercises in the
Achievements
Recognizing your accomplishments section, which
Areas of begins on page 12. Group skills in sets that reflect the job
Effectiveness
requirements, and include a bulleted list giving details to
Capabilities support each skill set.
Professional
Attributes If you choose to use a combination resum (described on
page 46), put this information at the beginning, immediately
Results Achieved
following your name and address or after a summary, if you
Skills have one. For screening purposes, employers usually like to
Strengths see your education and experience first. You can get around
Talents listing the details of your experience and education at the top
of your resum by including the highlights in a summary.
Employment Describe your key responsibilities in this section. Use action

Employment words that convey your professionalism, expertise, maturity
Background and experience. (For help with this exercise, check out the
Employment Action words, quantifiers and qualifiers section on
Experience page 16). Whether you choose to use past tense or present
Employment History tense, be consistent. Try to use numbers and descriptive
words to help the employer picture how you work and what
Relevant Work
History youve accomplished for other employers.
Work Experience The term work experience is generally associated with

Work History entry-level jobs. It is used for volunteer placements where
students have an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge
and develop skills. Ensure that your paid employment is not
confused with this type of experience.
Background These are ideal headings if you are combining paid and unpaid
Career Experience experience.
Experience Highlights
Professional
Background
Professional
Experience
Relevant Experience

Education List your most recent formal education first. You may also want
Education Background to include a bulleted list of course titles and dates in any subject
Education and areas that are particularly relevant to the job.
Development Listing numerous seminars and workshops may take up too
Educational much space. Instead, combine these under a heading like
Development Education and Development and include a statement such
Education and Training as Workshops and seminars on computer skills, leadership
and supervision, including Or highlight one or two subject
Post-Secondary
Education areas that are particularly relevant to the job and follow with a
statement like Complete list of courses available on request.
Professional
Development If you have a degree, diploma or certificate, dont list your high
Training and school diploma, since high school completion is usually the
Development prerequisite for post-secondary admission.
Community Involvement This section is optional. Job seekers often wonder whether its
Leadership Roles appropriate to include volunteer activities on a resum. Many
Volunteer Activities companies are committed to active participation in the community
and strongly encourage employees to volunteer. Including this
information may show that you are a well-rounded person and
may even help get you the job. Include the activities you think will
interest a particular employer. You can also use volunteer activities
to demonstrate relevant skills and show experience.
Under human rights legislation, youre not required to name
specific organizations you belong to. Avoid identifying your
religious or political affiliations unless this is relevant to the
employer. Use your best judgment.
Limit this section to one or two lines. Its not necessary to include
dates here, although its fine to do so.
Hobbies Although this section is optional, there are a number of

Interests reasons why you may decide to include this information:
Leisure Activities It gives employers a glimpse of you as a whole person,
Recreational not just your professional self.
Activities It supplies information that may help the prospective
employer make small talk at the beginning of an interview.
It indicates that you have a balanced lifestyle and
recognize the need for recreation and diversion.
Your recreational and leisure interests may involve
knowledge and skills relevant to the job.
Limit this section to two or three lines. Or combine it with a
volunteer or community involvement section under a title such
as Community and Leisure Activities.

Keywords
Keywords are descriptive phrases and words,
usually nouns, that may be associated with certain
What keywords should you use?
industries or disciplines. By using keywords in your
resum, youre telling employers that you Here are some ways to choose keywords to
describe your qualifications in your resum and
have studied certain subjects
cover letter:
have earned a particular credential Use the keywords and phrases that appear in
know how to use specific tools (for example, a the job ad or posting.
computer program or power tools) Visit the employers website and study the
detailed description of the job youre applying
have certain types of skills (for example, public for. Browse the rest of the website for additional
speaking skills or sales ability) keywords.
Its important to include keywords in your resum Visit other related websites, including those
for two reasons: of competitors, industry associations, trade
publications and sites with occupational profiles
Keywords are considered standard in certain to gather current industry keywords.
industries and are used by employers to
Enter keywords into a search engine or
assess skill and experience. For example, an
into the search function of a job postings
accountants resum would include keywords website. Reviewing several ads for similar
such as budget analysis, spreadsheets, auditing positions will give you a better idea of the
and tax analysis. keywords to use.
Your resum may be searched, either by a File (on computer or on paper) every ad you
person or a software program, for keywords that respond to for future reference.
match specific criteria, and then screened out if Talk to people in the industry or company and
the keywords or their synonyms arent included. ask them about the qualifications for the position.
Check out the job ad and resum on pages 42
and 43 for examples of how to identify and use
keywords.
Resum types
Resum master There are three basic resum types: chronological,
functional and combination. The type of resum
A resum master is a place to keep track of you choose will depend on your experience and
all your experience, qualifications, skills and your work search target. For example, if youre
accomplishments. Think of it as a master applying for a position thats similar to a current
document from which you pick and choose or previous position, a chronological format
relevant skills and accomplishments as you tailor may be the most effective way to highlight your
your resum to reflect the needs of different experience. However, if youre planning to change
employers. Keeping your resum master up to careers or industries, a functional or a combination
date throughout your career makes it easier to resum will highlight your relevant skills.
write tailored resums and prepare for interviews.
Not everything you list will go on every resum You can also ask an employer directly what
that you send out. type of resum the organization prefers. Call the
organizations main number and ask to speak to
For an interactive resum master worksheet the human resources department or the hiring
that you can complete, go to manager for the position youre interested in.
alis.alberta.ca/resumemaster.

The following chart compares the three resum types.
Which resum type is right for you?
Resum type Advantages Disadvantages Use to...
Chronological looks most familiar exposes potential highlight a steady

barriers such as work history that
highlights
gaps in employment, directly relates to the
employment history
frequent job position applied for
can show consistent changes and lack of
apply for a
employment or experience or career
position in a more
upward mobility in progress
traditional field
the same field or
highlights such as teaching or
industry
employment history government work
highlights prior rather than skills
positions and
employers
Functional emphasizes does not appeal change careers or

skills and to most Canadian industry
accomplishments employers
re-enter the labour
provides plenty of highlights skills market after time
scope for tailoring rather than away
to reflect employers employment history
emphasize strong
needs
requires that you skills developed in
de-emphasizes know what skill areas unpaid settings such
gaps in employment the employer would as volunteer work
history and be interested in
seek a permanent
employment barriers
position after doing
such as little
contract or freelance
previous experience
work
in a particular field or
frequent job changes
Combination combines the best can be confusing if balance the

features of both not well written emphasis between
the chronological relevant skills and
de-emphasizes
and the functional employment history
experience with
resum
specific employers
highlights skills as
may require more
well as condensed
time and focus to
employment history
organize
provides more
flexibility for
tailoring than the
chronological format
minimizes potential
barriers such as
gaps in employment
and lack of directly
related experience

Chronological resum Employers often prefer this format because it
A chronological resum highlights your makes it easier for them to quickly determine
employment background, education and whether you have the specific combination of
training in reverse chronological order, placing education and experience they require, as well
your most recent or current experience first. as a steady employment history. However, a
It includes names of organizations and dates chronological resum may not market your skills
of employment. It highlights key duties you as well as a combination resum if you have gaps
have performed, but not how well you have in employment, no directly related experience or
performed them. too little experience.
In the following example, a student job seeker

uses a chronological resum to respond to an
online job posting.
Scenario Emma Puxley is a university student who is completing an English

degree. She finds an online posting for a student co-operative
position as part of a gas companys communication team. (The
posting is shown on page 42.)
Challenges Because Emma is a student, her professional experience is

limited. As well, Emma has never studied photography or
photographic composition. She takes pictures only for fun.
Finally, Emma has no oil and gas experience.
Assets (skills, Emma is a successful student who is working toward an

accomplishments, English degree and has a great deal of relevant volunteer
benefits) communication experience. She can back up the success of
some of her activities with statistics.
How Emma tailors her First, Emma identifies keywords in the job posting. She uses
resum these keywords to tailor her resum to the specific requirements
of the job.
Emma uses a chronological resum to demonstrate that she is a

steady worker with a professional attitude. Because the posting
is for a student, she begins with her education. She highlights her
education awards to downplay her lack of oil and gas knowledge
and to indicate that she is a good learner.
Emma then combines her volunteer and paid work experiences

under the heading Experience Highlights to demonstrate her fit
for the job. Wherever she can, she gives figures to demonstrate
her capabilities or her success, including the number of published
stories, the success of the fundraiser and the number of tables
in the restaurant. Since four of Emmas candid campus photos
have appeared in the universitys online newspaper, she lists these
to indicate that she is comfortable with cameras. She also lists
photography under her hobbies.

The keywords that Emma identifies in the job posting are in bold print.
Home > Search > Results > Job Advertisement
Job Advertisement
Job Search Safety Advice
Email this Job
Job Number: 7314931
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Commencement: May 12, 2015
Duration: 4 months
Job Title: Student co-operative position
Powertech Canada Corporation produces liquid and natural gas from conventional and shale gas
resources throughout Alberta and Saskatchewan. Powertech employs approximately 1,000 workers
and has its head office in Calgary, Alberta.
Powertechs Communication Services Team develops engaging messages for the companys
diverse audiences, including employees, contractors, government officials and members of the public.
The successful candidate will
help execute the goals of the Communication Services Team
assist in developing communication materials, including newsletters, posters, displays,
presentations, advertisements, audio-casts and new media
research and write profiles about employees, articles about company events and other text as
required
take staged and candid photographs for the companys internal publications, both online and print
The successful candidate is
creative, motivated and professional
proficient with Adobe InDesign
comfortable with cameras and good with photo composition
well organized and detail oriented
APPLY
NOW
Previous Next

Sample chronological resum
Emma Puxley
2037 Billingsgate Road
Edmonton, Alberta T8R 1G9
780-555-1234
epuxley@email.ca
Summary
I am a motivated and successful University of Uptown English student with a proven track record of strategically
creating engaging messages and delivering them to a variety of audiences in a number of formats, including
online, print and multimedia.
Education
Bachelor of Arts (English) September 2013present
University of Uptown degree expected April 2017
Jason Lang Scholarships, 2014, 2015
The Patricia Price Memorial Prize in Writing, 2015
Grade 12 Diploma September 2009June 2013

Graduated honours with distinction from Hometown High School
International Baccalaureate diploma
Alexander Rutherford High School Achievement Scholarship, 2013
Experience Highlights
Volunteer Writer and Editor September 2013present
University Newspaper
Researched and wrote more than 40 stories for the official University of Uptown online and print
newspaper, including profiles of guest speakers and articles about Students Union events.
Edited and posted articles for more than 30 online newspaper editions using Adobe InDesign.
Contributed candid photographs to the papers website.
Communications Volunteer and Team Leader September 2012present

University Food Bank, University of Uptown
Participated in creatively executing the fundraising goals of the food bank.
Developed effective communication materials for the Chili Cook-off, the food banks major fundraising
event. These included Facebook and Twitter updates, online posts, posters and on-site displays. This
contributed to 13 per cent more guests over the previous year, and a 17 per cent increase in donations.
Organized shifts of volunteers during regular food bank activities to ensure smooth operations.
Server/Bartender May 2013September 2013

Three Rooms Pub, Edmonton
Took orders, prepared drinks and served meals at a busy 18-table on-campus pub, frequently on my own,
demonstrating organizational abilities and an attention to detail.
Maintained computerized records during my shifts.
Retail Salesperson June 2011August 2013

Computer department, Big Box Store
Sold laptops and accessories for three summers.
Won salesperson of the month, July 2013.
Participated in a one-day product workshop and training course.
Hobbies
Photography, soccer and downhill and cross-country skiing

Functional resum On the other hand, if a chronological or a
A functional resum highlights your skills or combination resum points to gaps in your past
accomplishments instead of your employment employment, a functional resum may be your
background, and shows how youve applied best choice. You may decide to use this type of
your skills. It may omit references to past resum if
employment or list past employers without you dont have a paid employment background
including specific duties or dates.
youre making a career change
Many Canadian employers arent familiar with
functional resums and, as a result, they may not youve been out of the labour market for a long
respond to them favourably. Employers generally timefor example, at home raising a family,
like to see specific details about your employment not available to work, ill or out of the country
history because these details allow them to travelling
assess your background more quickly. The lack In the following example, a job seeker who is
of dates in a functional resum can sometimes returning to the workforce after several years uses
arouse suspicion. a functional resum to downplay the gap in her
work experience.
Scenario Brenda Goodale put her career as a journeyman electrician on

hold for seven years after the birth of her second child. Now
that her children are in school, Brenda is reaching out to former
supervisors and co-workers for job leads. Her experience
includes working for an electrical contractor who was renovating a
local shopping mall and taking an electrical maintenance position
with the mall once the renovations were done. For the last four
summers she has also volunteered for the local music festival by
setting up sound and visual systems. The renovation contractor
who used to be Brendas supervisor lets her know that the City is
looking for an electrician for the renovation and maintenance of its
recreational facility.
Challenges Brenda has been out of the paid workforce for seven years.
Assets (skills, Before beginning her employment search, Brenda makes sure
accomplishments, that she is up to date on the latest codes and regulations for her
benefits) field.
How Brenda tailors her Brenda chooses a functional resum to highlight her skills and
resum qualifications and downplay her seven-year absence from the
workforce.
Because the City is looking for renovation and maintenance skills,

Brenda calls attention to different skills from her paid and unpaid
positions under the heading Commercial Renovation, Installation
and Maintenance Skills. She uses the Troubleshooting Skills
category to demonstrate electrical skills in specific areas. Brenda
highlights her safety qualifications to demonstrate her current
knowledge. Finally, to demonstrate that she can do the job
physically, she lists her triathlon training as a hobby.

Sample functional resum
BRENDA GOODALE
3287 Cedar Grove Road
Midsize City, Alberta
Q9Q Z1Z
403-555-9876
bgoodale@email.com
Goal
A journeyman electrician position where I can use my training, problem-solving skills and more than
eight years of experience in commercial construction, renovation and maintenance.
Summary of Qualifications
First-class, Alberta-certified journeyman Installation and maintenance of
electrician ticket communications systems, HVAC and power
Personal identification number (PIN) for the and lighting
maintenance of fire alarm systems Troubleshooting experience
Clean Class 5 drivers licence Self-directed
Commercial renovation, installation and Team oriented
maintenance Current knowledge of CSA and Canadian
Blueprint interpretation Electrical Code, and OHS regulations
Commercial Renovation, Installation and Maintenance Skills

Installed electrical metal tubing and cables Scheduled labour and material requirements
of all types during a two-year, 35,024-m2 for electrical work.
(377,000-ft.2) renovation of the Midsize Developed and implemented a five-year
Shopping Mall. preventive maintenance schedule for the mall.
Selected locations and planned the layout of Set up and maintained sound and visual
electrical systems, components and controls communication systems at the Midsize Music
from drawings, specifications and related Festival for the past four years.
information for the mall.
Troubleshooting Skills
Effectively repaired switchgear to maintain Diagnosed and repaired a rooftop unit,
contractors work schedule. motors and motor starters.
Replaced burnt-out ballasts and faulty circuit
breakers.
Safety Qualifications
Current certification in Winner of ABC Electrical Contractors Safety
- Standard first aid and CPR Award for no missed time due to work
- WHMIS injuries, for four consecutive years (2004
- Transportation of Dangerous Goods 2007)
- Construction Safety Training System
Hobbies
Training for the Midsize City Mini-Triathlon

Combination resum resums can be more challenging to organize and
A combination resum combines elements keep to a two-page length.
of the chronological and functional types. It Combination resums usually work well when
includes chronological background information youre changing occupations or moving into a
as well as details about your accomplishments field thats similar, but not directly related, or when
and the skills youve developed. It differs youve been working for the same employer for a
from a chronological resum in that a skills long time. If youve performed similar functions for
or achievements section comes before the a number of different organizations, a combination
employment history. resum allows you to group related experiences
Many people find that a combination resum is together.
the most effective type because it allows them In the following example, a job seeker who plans
to highlight their most relevant qualifications and to change occupations uses a combination
to include the employment history that most resum to highlight how his existing experience
employers expect to see. However, combination qualifies him for a new field.
Scenario After 11 years as an occupational therapist, Ben Gupta is tired

of contract work and is looking for new challenges. He sees
a Wheelchairs & More ad in the local paper for a wheelchair
and chairlift sales representative with knowledge of installation
techniques.
Challenges Ben has no sales experience.
Assets (skills, Bens years of experience as an occupational therapist and his

accomplishments, summer jobs on the construction sites of his fathers home-
benefits) building company are his biggest assets. Ben also feels that
his communication skills, including his knowledge of three
languages, are a valuable asset for a sales position. He takes
the time to call the company to learn more about the position
and speaks to the owner/president, who is doing the hiring.
How Ben tailors By choosing a resum style that combines functional and
his resum chronological aspects, Ben can play up his professional and
communication skills as well as his steady work record. In his
cover letters (see pages 60 and 61), he draws attention to the fact
that he has already made contact with the person in charge of
hiring.

Sample combination resum. See Bens email cover
letter and print cover letter on pages 60 and 61.
BENJAMIN GUPTA
9744-182 Street, Anytown, Alberta Z1Z 2Y2
403.555.0000 b.gupta@email.com
HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
Professional Qualifications
Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy (OT)
Eleven years experience working with physically disabled and geriatric patients
In-depth knowledge of assistive technologies such as mobility devices and safety equipment
Residential construction knowledge gained from five summers as a contractors assistant
CPR certification
Professional Award
Winner of the 2014 OTA Professional Excellence Award for the development of a video and brochure
package for new occupational therapy patients
Communication Skills
Excellent listening skills and empathy for people with disabilities and their families
Preparation of presentations on various topics
Developed clearer reporting and record-keeping procedures that are now implemented throughout two
facilities
Fluent in three languages (English, French, Hindi)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Senior occupational therapist, Wellness Hospital, Anytown 2012present
Accomplishments:
Provided OT treatment, including assessment, treatment and discharge planning, for a full caseload of
patients at this 120-bed facility.
Created an award-winning multimedia presentation for orientation and education of new patients.
Developed consistent OT reporting standards for medical charts to ensure effective treatment.
Occupational therapist, Meadows Manner, Anytown 20092012

Accomplishments:
Provided OT treatment and solutions for 162 residents at this assisted living centre.
Developed digital record-keeping standards for residents medical charts.
Encouraged communication between medical disciplines, resulting in greater independence for residents.
Occupational therapist, Live at Home Services, Anytown 20062009

Accomplishments:
Conducted up to 20 in-home visits a week to pre- and post-operative clients for pain management, therapy
and medical equipment recommendations.
Collaborated with Anytown Leisure Centre staff to create Gentle Swim sessions as a rehabilitation tool.
Established open lines of communication with patients and their families to ensure effective treatment.
Contractors assistant, Homes Built to Last, Anytown 20012006

Accomplishments:
Provided on-site support for Homes Built to Last owner John Gupta over five summers while attending
university.
Gained a thorough understanding of structural requirements, including requirements for chairlift
installations.
Developed a five-minute video explaining the benefits of Homes Built to Last.
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, University of Alberta, 2005

Curriculum vitae
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a longer, more academic or executive-level positions
comprehensive document than a resum. In North
professional association memberships or
America, it is often used when applying for
designations
graduate studies or professional programs
Resum Curriculum vitae
no more than three pages long (two three to 10 pages long

pages is ideal)
provides a full record of career and
provides a summary of relevant qualifications with a high level of detail
qualifications
ordered chronologically
ordered in a way that best highlights
highlights teaching, research, service,
qualifications
awards and publications
used in most fields of work
used for academic and higher-level
used to quickly screen candidates positions
tailored to different positions used to study credentials and

biographical information
doesnt change for different positions

(only the cover letter changes)
If youre applying for an academic position within public presentations and appearances
North America, include the following information in
honours, awards, distinctions and
your CV:
achievements
name and contact information
professional designations and affiliations
objective
When youre writing a curriculum vitae, use the
summary of qualifications same care in selecting, organizing and wording
summary of skills your information as you would when writing a
resum. Keep these additional tips in mind:
education, including degrees, specialization,
post-graduate and post-doctoral studies and If your CV is more than four pages long, include
dissertations an executive summary at the beginning.
professional background, including teaching Have your CV professionally translated if

interests and experience, research interests and English is not the language of choice where
experience, job titles and employers youre applying for work.
volunteer and public service experience If you need more information about preparing a
CV, check with the placement office of a university,
research projects, grants (including amount college or technical institute.
received) and inventions
published works

Resum best practices judgment. For example, if you stayed in one
job at the same level for 10 years, employers
Human resources and career development
may wonder why you never advanced. If
professionals say you have between 30
youve had a series of short-term contract or
seconds and one minute to grab the attention
project positions, say so. Otherwise, employers
of someone reading your resum. Here are
may think youre unreliable.
some recommendations for producing effective
resums: Use your judgment about withholding
information. For example, if you have only
Analyze what the employer is looking for and
a high school diploma and the employer is
tailor your resum to meet the requirements
asking for a college diploma, de-emphasize
of the job. (See the Tailoring your resum
your education. Near the end of your resum,
section on page 34.)
include a statement such as Education:
Feature your strongest qualifications in the first High School or Several courses completed:
part of your resum. Marketing, Community College.
If you have the required skills and knowledge Focus on your accomplishments. From an
but lack the specific academic credential employers point of view, what youve done in
requested, apply anyway. If you present the the past predicts what youll do in the future.
skills you have effectively, lack of a specific Support or substantiate your accomplishments
credential may not be a barrier. Lead with your with numbers, percentages, dollars and
relevant experience and transferable skills. List so on wherever possible. The Writing
your education later. accomplishment statements exercise on
page 16 will help you find the language to
Avoid providing information that might be used
describe your accomplishments effectively.
to screen you out. For example, dont include
information that youre not required to supply Proofread your resum (or have someone else
under human rights legislation. This includes proofread it) to be sure its free of spelling
your age, gender, race, religion, marital status and grammatical errors. Dont rely on the
and ethnic background. spellcheck tool in a word-processing program,
which wont catch omitted words or errors in
Put your employment dates in the right-hand
usage.
margin unless you want to emphasize the
length of time you have been employed in Dont include your references unless the
a particular job. Most employers prefer to employer asks that they be included.
see dates in the right-hand margin. Use your

Special circumstances
This section describes special circumstances that may present obstacles to employment and suggests
ways to address these situations when writing your resum.
Circumstance Strategy
Youre qualified but Explain how your education and experience relate to the job
dont have the specific requirements. You may want to mention specific courses that would
degree, diploma or interest the employer. There are many certificate, diploma and degree
experience requested. programs available. Employers may be familiar with only some of them.
Emphasizing your experience as well as your education helps in this

situation, even if its volunteer experience.
Your credentials are Ask an appropriate authoritya university, professional regulatory

from another province organization or assessment agency such as the International
or country. Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)to evaluate your
credentials. Employers will want to know what the Canadian or
provincial equivalents are. Include an official assessment with your
resum or tell employers youll bring it to an interview.
IQAS is a mail-in service only and charges a fee for reports.

For more information, call 780-422-5400 (for toll-free access
within Alberta, first dial 310-0000). You can find the IQAS contact
information at work.alberta.ca/iqas.
Each province and territory in Canada has different legislation and

regulations governing employment in the professions and trades.
For more information, visit the Certification Requirements section at
alis.alberta.ca/occinfo-certification. For more information about
credential recognition, visit albertacanada.com/opportunity/
working/education-assessment.aspx.
The publication Working in Alberta: A Guide for Internationally

Trained and Educated Immigrants provides useful information on all
aspects of the Alberta workplace, from writing resums to rights and
responsibilities. Its available at alis.alberta.ca/publications.
You dont have a high If you have an extensive employment background or a demonstrated
school diploma. range of skills, list this in your resum before your education. Use a
heading such as Education and Development and list workshops and
seminars youve taken, followed simply by High school.
If you didnt finish high school and have no post-secondary

education, you can omit any reference to formal education in your
resum. In some cases, education may not be an issue. However,
since it may come up in the interview, be prepared to talk about your
experience in a positive way.
If you have a post-secondary credential of any kind, its not

necessary to reveal that you didnt complete high school.

Your post-secondary Without explaining your situation, you may risk losing an opportunity.
education is Rather than describing your post-secondary education incompletely
incomplete. (for example, Marketing Research, University of Anytown 2011),
let the employer know that Marketing Research is a credit course
in the University of Anytowns Business Administration diploma
program by describing it that wayfor example, Marketing
Research, University of Anytown Business Administration Diploma
Program 2011 to present, to be completed by July 2016. This tells
the employer that youre in the process of earning a post-secondary
credential.
Youve been out of the Even though youve been out of the workforce, you may have
workforce for a long other relevant volunteer or life experiences. Use the heading
time. Relevant Experience and describe your volunteer responsibilities.
Include organization names and dates, just as you would for paid
employment.
A combination or functional resum works best in this situation.

It allows you to highlight skill areas such as communication skills,
teamwork skills, problem-solving skills, computer skills and so on.
Your most relevant You can highlight your past work experience by including a one- or
experience isnt two-line statement near the top of your resum. Use a heading such
your most recent as Profile or Highlights and say something positive and relevant to
experience. the job. For example, extensive customer service experience or
strong computer systems design and consulting skills.
Another approach is to list past work experience under headings

such as Most Relevant Professional Background first, followed by
Other Professional Background. Using a combination or functional
resum will allow you to highlight your skills rather than the dates of
your employment.
You were terminated Ironic but true: employers are more likely to regard you as a
from your last job. desirable applicant if youre currently employed. If employers can
tell from your resum that youre not employed, theyll wonder why.
Of course, there are many reasons why you may not be working
that have nothing to do with your capabilities. These may include
company mergers, temporary positions, project-based employment,
downsizing, business failure and so on.
If you provide employment dates, think carefully about how to let

the employer know about your circumstances:
If you were working in a contract or temporary position, add an

explanation such as temporary project positioncompleted.
For other situations, you may want to add a short explanation

in your cover lettercompany went out of business or
downsizing resulted in 33 layoffsor leave your explanation
for the interview.

You were terminated If you were fired as a result of your performance or a conflict,
from your last job. dont include this information in your resum. Prepare an
(continued) explanation for the interview. Talk to a career and employment
counsellor or read books and Internet articles about preparing
for job interviews to find a positive way to speak about your
experience. (See the Anticipating employers concerns section
on page 73 for more suggestions.)
You feel that you may Human rights legislation protects you from having to reveal your
face discrimination age, gender, marital status, number of dependants, religion,
on the basis of your nationality or ethnic background. You dont have to supply this
gender, age, race, information unless you feel it will enhance your competitiveness.
religion or other There are other types of discrimination (protected grounds) that you
characteristics. are not obligated to reveal. For this list and additional information,
visit albertahumanrights.ab.ca.
If you are concerned that the position you are applying for is
typically held by the opposite gender, you may want to use only
your first initials and surname. On the other hand, if you know the
employer is looking to bring people of your gender into a non-
traditional work environment, it may be to your benefit to use your
first name. Likewise, you dont have to reveal your age if you feel
it is a potential barrier. If your high school or university graduation
year reveals your age, dont supply the date. You also dont have to
include your early years of employment.
If an organization is trying to diversify its workforce, you may

choose to let the employer know if youre an Aboriginal person, a
member of a cultural minority or a person with a disability. Reveal
this information subtly in your cover letter. For example, In addition
to meeting your requirement for considerable customer service
experience, I have an undergraduate degree in economics earned in
my native country, Nigeria.
If youre looking for work in Canada for the first time, discuss your
situation with someone you respect who understands Canadian
employers expectations. For example, a new Canadian might,
because of language differences, reveal spelling or grammar
deficiencies in a resum or cover letter. Guard against this possibility
by asking for feedback.
If you are a job seeker with a disability, see the ALIS Tip Finding Work
Opportunities as a Person With a Disability at alis.alberta.ca/tips.

Exercise Resum checklist
This exercise summarizes many of the resum dos and donts discussed throughout this section. Use
the checklist to critique your own resum or provide it as a guide for anyone who may be reviewing your
resum. Make any necessary changes and corrections.
Overall appearance
Does the resum look Is your contact information Does the resum have a
professional? written clearly at the top of good balance of print and
the first page? white space? Does it have
Was the resum created
even margins?
using a standard word- Do your name, your
processing font such as phone number and the Is the layout appealing,
Arial, Helvetica, Times New page number appear on uncluttered and easy to
Roman, or Courier? Is the subsequent pages? read?
font size appropriate (10 to
Is the resum free of errors
12 points)?
in grammar or spelling?

Length and conciseness
Is the length appropriate Can any words be cut?

(no more than three pages,
ideally two pages)?
Relevance
Are the qualifications most If personal information is

relevant to the job objective included, is it relevant to the
highlighted? position?
Qualifications and accomplishments
Does the resum emphasize Are specific examples Do descriptions of skills,

the qualifications the provided to demonstrate accomplishments and
employer is looking for? qualifications and responsibilities begin with
accomplishments? action words?
Are achievements, awards,
recognitions and scope of Do accomplishment Are appropriate keywords
responsibilities included and statements include used?
described clearly? quantifiers and qualifiers?
Clarity
Are appropriate headings Do headings organize and Are abbreviations that

used? highlight information clearly arent keywords or terms
and consistently? commonly used in the

industry spelled out?
Completeness
Does the resum include all your important

information and details?

Formatting your resum
There are a variety of ways in which employers Formatting best practices

want and expect resums to be submitted,
If you are submitting your resum by email or in
including
print, follow these formatting guidelines:
by email
Use a standard word-processing font such as
uploaded through an online application Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Courier
by fax in a size between 10 and 12 points.
in hard copy, sent by mail or hand delivered Keep your resum to three pages or less. The
ideal length is two pages. Although some
Although youll still need a paper resum to hand resum-writing publications may recommend
to people you meet and to present at an interview, one page, most Canadian employers want
youre far more likely to submit your resum by more detail than that. If youre applying for a
email than by mail. managerial or professional position or preparing
Many employers prefer to receive an electronic a curriculum vitae, three or more pages may be
version of your resum so that it can be appropriate.
circulated and stored electronically Leave as much white (blank) space as you can
while keeping the length to about two pages.
uploaded into recruiting or applicant tracking Balance top, bottom and side margin width.
software
Use bulleted lists that allow employers to read
reformatted from an online application your resum quickly.
To determine what resum format to submit, read Align headings (for example, skill titles, work
the job ad or posting carefully. Its very important titles) along the left side of the page.
to follow the employers formatting requirements
as closely as possible. If you send an email Put your name and phone number on each
attachment using incompatible word-processing page of the resum and number the pages.
software, for example, your resum will likely be Dont title your resum with the word Resum.
screened out. At the very least, the employer will
question your attention to detail.
Paper resums
When you are preparing a paper resum, keep the following in mind:
Do Dont
Use good-quality 8.5-inch x 11-inch white or slightly off-white Sign your resum.
paper. Elements such as paper texture or colours and graphics
Handwrite your
will make your resum difficult to scan or reproduce accurately.
resum.
Be sure that copies of your resum are clean, bright, straight and
Bind your resum or
stain-free.
use a special folder.
Use a paper clip rather than a staple to hold the pages together.
Fold your resum.
Always mail or deliver your resum in a 9-inch x 12-inch envelope.

Emailing your rsum If the employer does not specify a preference,
use the DOC format. Applicant tracking systems
A Microsoft Word document is usually the
used by employers can process files in this format,
standard for sending a resum as an attached
but most of these systems cant search PDFs.
document. That said, before sending your resum
Many job search websites will also let you upload
as an attachment, check what file type the
your resum as a Microsoft Word document.
employer prefers. There are three possibilities:
The sample resums on pages 43, 45 and 47 are
1. DOC file, the typical file format for Microsoft all examples of well-designed Microsoft Word
Word documents. If you send the resume as documents.
a DOCX file, generated by Word 2007 or later,
Some employers ask that you send both your
people using earlier versions of Word may not
resum and your cover letter in a single document
be able to open it.
as a single email attachment. In this case, your
2. RTF, or rich text format. This file format cover letter will be the first page.
maintains formatting such as tabs, fonts
and margins in documents created on and
transferred between different operating systems Online application forms
and software programs. Online application forms often resemble paper
3. PDF, or portable document format. This file application forms. Many job search websites
format is as close to paper as online formats provide these forms for you to use as a way of
can get. The document appears onscreen posting your resum. At some employer websites,
exactly as you created it, and the format cant youre required to fill out this kind of form to apply
be altered. for a position. Other employers (and increasingly,

job search websites) offer you the option of Other application forms
uploading your resum.
When youre required to complete an application
Given the choice, its usually best to upload your form, ask whether it would be acceptable to attach
resum rather than to copy and paste it into an your resum and fill in only your name, contact
online application form: information, the position applied for and the
Online forms ask you to present your competition number on the form itself.
qualifications in the way the employer or job Some employers may want you to complete
search website dictates, not necessarily in the the entire application form and will reject your
way that markets you most effectively. application if you dont. In this case, complete each
Online forms typically do not allow for section of the form in full. If you feel that a question
formatting such as horizontal lines and white violates human rights, you may decide to
space in margins. leave the question blank
The amount of text you can insert may be put a question mark after the offending question
limited. For example, a form may allow only 600
write something like will provide at time of
characters (not words, but letters and spaces)
hiring
for you to describe your technical skills.
For example, an employer requires information
Online forms do not provide editing tools
relating to your marital status, number of
like spellcheck. Also, its less convenient for
dependants and age only if youre hiredin order
someone to proofread your information in an
to administer income tax deductions and benefits.
online form than to proofread your resum.
Its inappropriate for an employer to ask for this
If you must use an online form, an effective way to information on an application form.
do so is to copy and paste the information into the
If youre applying for entry-level positions that
form from a plain text version of your resum.
require some post-secondary education, employers
(See the Plain text resums section on next page.)
may ask for a completed CACEE Application for
This approach allows you to maintain some control
Employment Form, a generic application form
over how your information is presented in the online
developed by the Canadian Association of Career
form. Look at the pasted text carefully: you may
Educators and Employers. You can find this form on
have to make some adjustments, especially if the
the CACEE website at cacee.com.
space available in the field is limited.
Some online application forms wont allow you to

copy and paste from your resum. In this case,
you must type your qualifications directly into
the form. Approach this task carefully and take
your time. Keep your resum handy so that you
can refer to it. If possible, have someone else
proofread the form before you submit it.

Alternative resum formats Plain text resums
Advances in digital technology have opened Plain text is sometimes referred to as ASCII
up several possibilities for creating resums in (American Standard Code for Information
alternative formats, including Interchange), which is the code used in standard
email. ASCII is so basic it can be read by virtually
resums included as pages on a personal
every operating system.
website
It is less and less common to need a plain text
infographic resums, which you can create
resum because most online systems accept
using free tools available online
resums in Word format. However, if an employer
YouTube video resums, in which job seekers requests that you submit your resum in the
introduce themselves on camera body of an email or by pasting it into an online
application form or database, you will need to
Many Alberta employers and human resources
format the resum as plain text.
professionals tend to regard these formats as
cutting edge, particularly outside of creative Use these suggestions to create a plain text
occupations such as web design, graphic design, version of your resum from a Word (DOC) file:
communications and marketing, broadcasting
Use standard fonts, such as Courier, Times,
and so on. However, presenting your resum
Helvetica or Arial.
in an alternative format in some occupational
areas means taking the risk of being labelled too Dont use graphics, shading, tabs or columns.
innovative or not a good fit for the organization.
Use all caps for major headings. Avoid bold,
Generally speaking, alternative formats are italics or underlining.
most effective when you use them as part of
Change bullets to asterisks.
your portfolio rather than your initial resum
submission. After your standard resum has Align text left.
generated interest and an interview, an employer
If youre including your plain text resum in the
is much more likely to take the trouble to visit your
body of an email, remember to remove your
website.
name, telephone number and page number
If you feel that an alternative format resum would at the top of the second page and adjust the
be the best choice for a job youre interested in, space accordingly.
discuss this possibility first with someone who
To see an example of a resum in plain text format,
knows the industry well. A word of caution: think
visit alis.alberta.ca/worksearch/resumes.
carefully before you include photographs or
footage of yourself in an alternative format resum
unless your image is an important consideration
(for example, in television broadcasting). Because
of human rights concerns, employers prefer to
assess your qualifications without reference to
gender, age, race and so on. However, including
images of yourself in your portfolio is acceptable
because you typically present your portfolio at the
time of an interview.

Writing cover letters
You should always send a cover letter (or cover If the employer doesnt ask for a cover letter
email) along with your resum. The cover letter is but requires your resum as an attachment,
an important marketing tool. Think of your resum consider the email to which the resum is
as a movie and your cover letter as the trailer that attached to be your cover letter. The sample
makes people want to see it. cover letters in this section illustrate how an
email cover letter differs from a print cover letter
In your cover letter or email, you want to show the
or a cover letter sent as an attachment.
employer that youre
Employers do not expect you to sign a cover
qualified for the position
letter sent as an attachment or as an email. Typing
confident about your abilities your name is sufficient. If youve digitized your
signature, feel free to use it.
excited about the prospect of working for the
organization
outstanding among the other candidates Cover letter best practices

You want to give the employer one or two Keep it short, simple and specific (no more than
compelling reasons to read your resum and then three paragraphs and no more than one page or
call you in for an interview. A cover letter or email one screen in length).
offers you the opportunity to write persuasively
Send your cover letter or email and resum to a
about your qualifications and what you can offer.
specific personthe hiring manager, a human
resources employee or the business owner,
for example. Phone or email the organization
What to put in your cover letter
to find out who that person would be for the
In your cover letter or email position youre interested in.
quote the competition number and title and Write the way you speak. Avoid stuffy, formal
tell how you learned about the position, if words and phrases such as Enclosed please
applicable find. Instead, say something like Im keenly
use keywords and action words but, where interested in _______ and believe I have the
possible, not the same ones that you use in qualifications you are looking for.
your resum Limit the number of sentences beginning
highlight your relevant qualifications with I.
include information that lets the employer Be original and show enthusiasm.
know youve researched the company and the Make sure your letter contains no spelling
position mistakes or errors in grammar.
stress what you can contribute to the If providing a hard copy, use good-quality
organization paper.
When applying by email, follow these additional
suggestions:
If the employer expects to receive your resum

and cover letter in a single attachment, format
the document so that the cover letter is the first
page.

Cover letter template
Your Address
City, Province
Postal Code
Date
Employers name
Employers position or title
Organization name
City, Province
Postal Code
Dear [Employers name]:
Re: Competition number and title, if applicable
Opening Paragraph
State your purpose for writing. Tell how you learned about the job and why youre applying. What is it
about the job or organization that interests you?
Middle Paragraph
Emphasize specific knowledge and skills that make you a strong candidate for the job. Dont repeat
the information thats in your resum word for word. For example, I have a communications diploma
and three years of experience. Summarize instead: Throughout my seven years of related experience,
I have strengthened my skills as a communications specialist. Then emphasize particular strengths
you have to offer that are relevant to the job. For example, Your description of the ideal candidate
highlighted enthusiasm and strong interpersonal communication skills. My strengths in these areas have
been highly valued in my previous and current positions, where I have frequently been commended for
how effectively I have handled difficult customer situations. Dont emphasize how the opportunity will
benefit you, even if it will. Think like an employer: make it clear how you can benefit the organization.
Closing Paragraph
Describe in assertive, positive language what you expect will happen or what you plan to do next. If
youre responding to an ad, include a statement such as I look forward to meeting you to discuss
what I can offer to your organization. If youre sending an unsolicited resum, write something like
I will contact you early in the week of June 12 to set up an appointment with you. I look forward to
discussing possible employment with (name of organization). If you feel it would be to your advantage,
mention your immediate availability or your willingness to travel or relocate. Indicate that youve
enclosed or attached your resum.
Sincerely,
(printed or faxed copy signed)
Your name
Enclosure

Sample email cover letter
A resum would be attached to the following email.
Kim Green
Ben Gupta Resum for Sales Representative Position
Dear Ms. Green:

Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today about your posting in
yesterdays Anytown Journal for a wheelchair and chairlift sales representative.
Because my skills and qualifications seem tailor-made for this position, Im
delighted to forward my resum.
In my 11 years as an occupational therapist, Ive come to know your product well,
since many of my clients use Wheelchairs & More wheelchairs and lifts. Im excited
to have an opportunity to combine my professional expertise with the construction
knowledge Ive gained from working for five summers at my fathers home-building
business. This combination of skills, I believe, will allow me to offer your customers
knowledgeable, effective mobility solutions.
I look forward to meeting with you.
Sincerely,
Ben Gupta
403.555.0000
b.gupta@email.com
Attachments

Sample print or attachment cover letter
The following example rewrites the previous email as a letter. Notice how the two-column format allows
the applicant to directly show how his qualifications meet or exceed the requirements.
Although this cover letter can be sent in print (signed) or as an email attachment, it wont work in the
body of an email because most email programs wont be able to maintain the two-column format.
Benjamin Gupta
9744-182 Street,
Anytown, Alberta Z1Z 2Y2
403.555.0000
b.gupta@email.com
Ms. Kim Green

President
Wheelchairs & More
8742-76 Avenue
Anytown, Alberta
Y2K 7B8
January 3, 2015
Dear Ms. Green:
Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today about your posting in yesterdays Anytown
Journal for a wheelchair and chairlift sales representative. Because my skills and qualifications
seem tailor-made for this position, Im delighted to forward my resum.
Your position requires: I offer:

A minimum of five years of related Eleven solid years of experience as an
experience occupational therapist
Working knowledge of Wheelchairs Ten years of working with clients who use
& More products Wheelchairs & More products
The ability to advise clients on Five summers of on-site construction

wheelchair lift installation experience with a home-building company
This combination of skills will allow me to offer your clients knowledgeable, effective mobility
solutions.
I look forward to meeting with you.
Sincerely,
Ben Gupta
Enclosure

Using other marketing tools
This section looks at other marketing tools that Take the following steps before including people
you can use in your work search, including on your list of references:
references Choose the most appropriate references for the

job youre applying for.
letters of inquiry
Ask permission to give their name and contact
business cards
information to employers.
portfolios
Ask whether they prefer to be contacted by
proposals phone, by email or in writing.
thank-you notes Ask your references whether they feel
comfortable providing a positive recommen-
dation. Dont assume they do. To succeed in
References finding work, you need references who sincerely
During an interview, many employers will ask you believe youre a valuable worker. If a potential
for a list of referencespeople who know you and reference gives you any indication that he
can tell an employer about your character, skills and or she wouldnt be completely comfortable
work experience. You will therefore need to create recommending your work, ask someone else.
a list of your references, along with their contact If a reference sounds hesitant about answering
information, and take it with you to interviews. Your a question, for whatever reason, employers may
references are a crucial part of your marketing become suspicious.
strategy. They should be people who To ensure your references are ready to answer
know you well enough to be able to answer questions promptly and positively, give them a
specific questions about your character, skills copy of your resum and let them know what
and work ethic position(s) you will be applying for and which
skills you want to emphasize.
can recommend you to employers without
reservation Contact your references each time you provide
their name to a potential employer.
have good communication skills, especially on
the phone, as most employers prefer to check Give your references the details about how
references this way and why you left or are leaving your job. The
explanation you give a prospective employer
You should have at least three references who must be the same as your references and as
have either supervised you or worked closely positive as possible.
with you (on the job, at school or in volunteer
situations). If you have limited experience, some Give your references enough time to respond to
may be personal references (people who can requests from potential employers (preferably
vouch for your character, but who havent directly a few days to prepare for a phone call and two
supervised or observed your work). weeks to provide a reference letter).

Because of potential legal issues, many
organizations have developed guidelines
for providing references. Some will provide Letters of reference
only employment dates, position and salary Letters of reference are typewritten or
information. Others will include only information emailed business letters in which your
from a performance review that youve endorsed. references tell potential employers about
If one of your references is restricted in this way, you. Although most employers prefer
you may want to ask that person to let potential to contact your references by phone,
employers know this response is company policy a letter may be the best way to get a
and isnt a reflection of your performance. recommendation if your reference is moving
or is about to retire.
Once youve identified your references, create a
list including each references
name
position and organization Letters of inquiry

phone number Writing a letter of inquiry is a great way to break
email address into the hidden job market. If youd like to work for
a particular company, dont wait for it to advertise
relationship to you (for example, immediate an opening and then have to compete with many
supervisor or client) other candidates for the position. Instead, create
contact preferences (time or method), if your own opportunity or job lead by contacting the
applicable company and letting it know of your interest and
what you have to offer.
Address your letter or email to the person in

RESOURCE
charge of hiring. Introduce yourself and explain

Requesting references why it would be mutually beneficial for you to
meet. If you send an email, create a subject line
For more information on references, see the ALIS
thats intriguing and will ensure that your message
Tips Requesting a Reference: Who and How to Ask
will not be mistaken for junk mail.
and Unavailable or Problem References? What You
Can Do, available at alis.alberta.ca/tips. The more you know about the company, the
better youll be able to identify any current or
potential need and match your specific skills and
background to meet it.
The following letter of inquiry was written to

Dont include your references on your resum.
explore a possible opportunity after the job seeker
Most employers dont expect or want to contact
read a news article.
your references until theyve interviewed and even
shortlisted you. And including your references on
resums you post online may compromise your
references privacy. Bring your list of references to
the interview.
Remember to thank your references each time you

use their names, whether or not you land the job.

346 First Avenue
Everytown, Alberta T5T 7X7
August 1, 2014
Ms. Jane Smith

Chairman of the Board
Theatre YYY
Everytown, Alberta T5T 5T5
Re: Artistic Director
Dear Ms. Smith:
I was surprised by your current directors decision to resign. His contribution to

Theatre YYYs success has been significant.
I am interested in meeting with you to discuss how I might fill your immediate
need for a replacement. As an experienced director with strong casting, directing
and creative marketing skills, I have succeeded in increasing ticket sales by as
much as 78 per cent in one season. My success reflects my commitment to
audience and program interests. I would welcome the opportunity to work with
you to improve your organizations finances and help you continue to produce the
fine quality of theatre for which your company is recognized.
I will contact you on Monday to discuss a possible meeting.
Sincerely,
Liz Carr

Business cards Portfolios
Handing out business cards is a professional way An employment portfolio is a collection of items
of ensuring that people can contact you if they hear that provide concrete evidence of your skills and
about an opportunity you might be interested in. accomplishments. It can be
Business cards help people remember you and the
a collection of material assembled in a binder or
context in which they met you. They are a useful tool
an artists portfolio
for expanding your network because your contacts
can also pass your cards on to others. a digital or online collection of documents and
files
Include the following information on your
business card: a website
your name, followed by a professional You can show your portfolio in an interview or, if
designation, college diploma or university your portfolio is online, include the link on your
degree, if you have one resum or business card.
your field of work (for example, Mechanical Currently in Alberta, presenting a portfolio in an
Engineer, Health Care Professional, Adult interview is still relatively uncommon outside of
Educator, Administrative Assistant, Musician, creative fields such as communications or graphic
Sales Representative) design. However, with the encouragement of
career development professionals, educators
your contact information (telephone number, fax
and some certification associations, portfolios
number, cellphone number and email address)
are becoming increasingly common within other
your company name, if you have your own professional groups. In fact, high school students
company in Alberta are now required to create their own
career portfolios.
up to three points that describe your work, skills
and characteristics
RESOURCE
You can also use the space on the back of your

card to market yourself by briefly listing your skills Want to learn more about
and accomplishments. Another option is to include portfolios?
a QR code (a square barcode that can be scanned For more information about portfolios, see
by smartphones) that contains your contact the ALIS Tips Portfolios: Document Your
information or a link to your website. Accomplishments and Portfolios: Showcase
Your Accomplishments, available at

An unsolicited proposal is less likely to be accepted
than a solicited one. However, if youve discussed
the situation with people from the organization and
Tools for online portfolios
are sure theyd be receptive to a proposal, you may
If you want to create a website to host your portfolio but decide that the potential benefit is worth investing
dont know how to do your own coding, a number of some of your time and energy.
online services, which are available free of charge, allow
you to create a website. Another option, if you want to If possible, deliver a printed proposal in person or
showcase creative work online without creating your own by mail or courier. An emailed proposal may look
website, is to set up a profile on a portfolio site. You can less attractive. Enclose your business card and, if
access these tools by doing a simple search online. you have one, a brochure about your business.
Thank-you notes
Proposals Thank-you notes are a good way to let people
You may meet or hear about an employer whos know you appreciate their help or consideration.
struggling with a problem that youre uniquely Thank people who
qualified to solve. If so, you may be able to create spend time providing information or
a work opportunity for yourself by submitting an suggestions related to your job search
unsolicited proposal.
give you job leads
Your proposal could take the form of a concise
letter that includes the following information: invite you to come in for an interview
background information such as a reference to agree to be a reference or provide a letter of

previous discussions with the employer reference
a short description of the challenge the turn you down for a job
employer faces and the desired outcomes If your correspondence is with someone who
some brief suggestions for a course of action has helped you by email, then an email is also an
appropriate way in which to thank that person. You
your special qualifications (skills, experience) for may also send your note on personal stationery or
the action you propose a small card.
when you could begin and complete the project When youre advised that you arent the successful
the fees and expenses you would charge candidate in a job competition, write a thank-
you note that politely and briefly expresses your
when youll contact the employer to follow up disappointment, reinforces your continued interest
Be careful not to provide all the details of your in the company and thanks the interviewer(s) for
proposed course of action. The employer could the opportunity to discuss your background.
take your ideas and ask an employee or someone
else to implement them.
RESOURCE
Learn more about proposals

For more information on proposals, see the
ALIS Tip Writing a Proposal, available at

An example of an email
to be sent after a job
Dear Ms. Mah: interview.
Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you to

discuss the position of regional sales director.
I am more convinced than ever that I would be able to

contribute to your objectives. Please feel free to call if
there is any additional information I can supply to help
you in your decision-making.
Best regards,
Frank G. Svenson
Dear Mrs. Patel:
I really appreciate the time and

attention you gave me on Tuesday,
March 27. The discussion was both
helpful and inspiring. Your feedback and
leads have given me renewed optimism.
I have already contacted John Ormsky

at National Energy, as you suggested.
We have a meeting scheduled for
Friday.
Thanks again!
An example of an appropriate
thank-you note after an
information interview.
Warmest regards,
Joseph Kozub

This section will help you
through the next step in
your work searchthe job
interview. In a job interview,
employers ask many
questions that essentially
boil down to the following:
What do you have to offer?
Why do you want this job?
You can demonstrate your

value in an interview by
gathering information
presenting yourself well
knowing what to expect
Preparing for
the Interview

Gathering information
Studies confirm that applicants who take the time Talk to the staff at your local public library
to find out something about the employer are more or Alberta Works Centre. Explain that youre
likely to get the job. The more you know about an preparing for an interview and would like as
organization, the more confident youll feel going much recent information about an organization
into an interview because youll be sure that youre as possible. Staff may be able to direct you to
a good fit for the position. Youll be able to answer both online and print resources such as the
the employers questions professionally and organizations annual report or other sources
thoroughly. of information (for example, magazine or news
articles). To find the nearest Alberta Works
The following list reviews some of the suggestions
Centre, visit alis.alberta.ca/awc or call the
from the section Researching employers, which
Alberta Career Information Hotline. See the
begins on page 22:
Resources section (page 95) for contact
Visit and explore the employers website. information.
Use an Internet search engine to find other
Ask the people in your network what they know
information about the organization.
about the organization.
Larger organizations often have public affairs
Set up an information interview with someone
or communications departments that distribute
who works for the organization.
information about the organizations programs,
services, financial situation and contributions Contact your local chamber of commerce for
to the community. This information is often information about the organization.
available online.
Visit the organization. Check out the location

and the products and services. Talk with the
receptionist or speak with another employee
who may be willing to answer questions. Research shows initiative
Noticing how people are dressed will help you
decide what to wear to your interview. An interviewer may ask what youve done to
prepare for the interview, knowing that your
Check out the feel of an organization by answer reveals your
becoming a customer yourself. Are the staff
interest in the position
helpful? Do they smile and interact, or keep
their heads down and their doors closed? motivation
resourcefulness
Human resources staff at an organization
planning and research skills
can be a valuable source of information
about job descriptions, salary ranges and the communication skills
organizations philosophy, goals and values. Doing your research will help you answer
this question with the kind of detail and
commitment that will make you stand out. It
will also help you handle many other questions
that will be asked in the interview.

Presenting yourself well
Your skills and accomplishments are key aspects Writing out your answers to these questions and
youll be focusing on during an interview. However, practising them out loud will significantly increase
how you present yourselfyour appearance, your potential for success. Youll be clear about
your attitude, your body language and so onis your purpose and more confident as a result.
also vitally important. Research indicates that the
Use the following tips to help you manage any
decision to reject an applicant is made within the
anxiety you have:
first three minutes of the interview. So you want
to do everything you can to create a good first Visualize yourself in the interview. Form a
impression! mental picture of who is in the room. See
yourself looking poised, confident and
To present yourself in the best possible light during
relaxed and responding to questions with
an interview, think about how to
ease. Observe the positive reaction of the
build your confidence interviewers. This will help to reduce fear of the
unknown and minimize negative thoughts and
project a professional image
expectations.
anticipate employers concerns
Just before going into an interview, breathe
deeply and slowly to slow your heart rate and
Building your confidence calm yourself so that you can concentrate on
what you want to say. While youre waiting to
Showing confidence in an interview will help you be called into the interview, sit up straight with
create the kind of impression that lands jobs. To your feet flat on the floor and your head erect.
build your confidence and increase your sense of Take a deep breath and very slowly exhale
empowerment before an interview, develop a clear through your mouth. Repeat three or more
idea of what you want to say about yourself and times.
what you want to learn about the company and
the position. While deep breathing or immediately after,
use positive affirmations like the following to
To help you plan what you want to say, consider maintain a positive, upbeat attitude:
the following questions:
Im relaxed and confident.
What relevant knowledge, skills and abilities do
I have to offer? I can handle anything that comes up in the
interview.
How do my education and experience relate to
the employers needs? Im a good communicator.
How well do the demands of the job and the Im an ideal candidate for the job.
nature of the organization meet my needs and I have a great deal to offer this company.
wants?
Im prepared.
Whats my track record for achieving results,
I will learn from this process.
contributing to successful outcomes and
enhancing group effectiveness? Review and reaffirm several specific strengths
you bring to the job.

Projecting a professional image Being neat and well-groomed is important. If
youre in doubt about the professionalism of your
Before you even speak, the image you project
appearance, ask trusted friends, colleagues or
(your clothing, grooming, posture, facial
mentors for feedback and advice. By carefully
expression, eye contact and handshake) creates
choosing what you wear, youll be saying to the
an impact. Your visual presentation is responsible
employer, I understand your culture. I belong.
for more than half of the impression you make.
I fit in.
What to wear
When youre researching an employer, find out how
people in the organization usually dress. Consider
dropping by the company to get a feel for how
employees are dressed, or ask the person who calls
to schedule the interview. As a general rule, aim to
dress like the employees, but one level higher.
Every workplace has a slightly different set of rules

for appropriate attire. For example, a shirt and tie
with slacks and a co-ordinated sports jacket may
be very appropriate for a man in one organization,
but not in a more formal, image-conscious
company where staff members are expected to
wear suits. On the other hand, if youre applying
for a service management position in an oilfield
company, wearing a three-piece suit may be
inappropriate.
The style, colour and fabric of your clothing

will affect the impression you make. Be
conservative. For a job interview, solid
colours tend to be better than busy, bold
prints. Make sure the clothes you wear are
clean, pressed and in good condition and
that your shoes are polished and in good
repair. Use discretion with perfume (many
companies now have a scent-free policy),
jewellery, makeup and other accessories.

Body language
Once you have the right look, make sure your body
language supports a professional image too. Non-
verbal communication speaks louder than words. Shake hands with confidence
As part of your preparation, pay attention to Take the initiative and extend your hand
other peoples body language. When youre without waiting for the interviewer to do so.
watching people, take note of mannerisms Say Hello or Pleased to meet you.
that communicate what youd like to say about
If youre being introduced to a third party by
yourself. Anticipate how an interviewer might
someone who states your full name, you dont
interpret your mannerisms and ensure that your need to repeat it. If your name is not given,
body is saying what you want to communicate. Try add Im (your full name) to your greeting.
the following suggestions:
Firmly grip the full hand (not just the fingers) of
Keep your head, shoulders and back erect. the person youre greeting. Two shakes of the
Walk with a sense of purpose to communicate hand is standard.
energy and confidence. If you dont actually
feel confident, pretending you do will have a
positive influence on your body language. Show friendliness, interest and confidence in
your facial expression. Smile and make direct
In the interview, sit up straight with your feet
eye contact. In Canada, lack of eye contact is
flat on the floor and your hands in your lap or
often interpreted as lack of honesty or lack of
your arms on the chair arms. This is an open
confidence.
position. It says that youre relaxed, confident
and comfortable. If your hands or arms are Learn how to shake hands if this skill isnt already
crossed over your chest or stomach, you may a part of your social behaviour. A professional,
be seen as defensive, hostile or closed-minded. friendly handshake shows confidence, breaks
down barriers and initiates bonding.

Lean forward slightly to show interest. Anticipating
Use appropriate hand and arm gestures to add employers concerns
emphasis and credibility to what youre saying.
The Alberta Human Rights Act protects workers
But avoid overdoing your gestures.
against discrimination on grounds such as age,
If you have a tendency to wiggle, fidget or play race, religion and family status. However, other
with anything you have in your hands, be aware types of circumstances could be barriers to being
and stop yourself. Practise and get feedback hired. For example, you might anticipate that
from a friend. employers will be concerned if you
If youre seated too far away, too close or where have a criminal record
its difficult to make eye contact with everyone
have had an attendance problem
on an interview panel, move your chair.
lost your last job
Voice are overqualified
Pay attention to the effect other peoples voices
dont speak or understand English well
have on you. What is it about the tone, speed and
pitch of someones voice that is or isnt appealing? What can you do to remove potential barriers?
Notice the characteristics you attribute to people Employers want to hire people who are
based on their voices. positive, enthusiastic and flexible. Projecting
a positive attitude can help you break through
Unless you have a disability or an injury or illness
preconceptions an employer may have.
that affects your vocal cords or your breath, you
have the power to change the way you use your If you lost your last job as a result of something you
voice. Go online or visit a public library to find did, you may want to explain the circumstances,
resources that will help you learn how to develop take responsibility and describe what you have
your voice. Ask for feedback from friends, family learned from the experience. If you know that you
members or a mentor about how you sound. need to brush up your skills in a particular area
and you are planning to take a class or training,
mention it during the interview to show that you are
proactively looking to improve.
RESOURCE
Dealing with barriers

For additional strategies to
overcome specific potential
barriers to being hired, see the
ALIS Tips Finding Work With a
Criminal Record, Overqualified?
Make the Best of Your
Experience! and Disclosure:
What to Say About Your
Disability and When, available
at alis.alberta.ca/tips.

Knowing what to expect
Knowing in advance what to expect in an interview Screening interviews

will go a long way toward reducing your anxiety. The screening process starts with your resum
Use the information and suggestions in this and cover letter. If you have shown you meet
section to help you the criteria for the job, you typically move on
understand different types of interviews to a screening interview of some kind, usually
conducted by human resources staff. You may be
understand the interview process screened by phone or in a face-to-face interview.
answer typical interview questions You may also be screened
know your human rights by writing a proficiency test, such as a skills

assessment
ask appropriate questions of your own during
the interview by taking part in a group interview, where
several applicants are interviewed at the same
time. Each person answers a question or stands
Typical interview types up and makes a short statement about himself
or herself.
The type and number of interviews youll take part
in depends on the size, scope and culture of the by computer. You log on to the organizations
employer and on the position you apply for. Many website to answer a series of multiple-choice and
employers will screen you on the basis of your short-answer questions when you submit your
cover letter and resum and conduct one interview. application or resum online. Some organizations
Others may ask you to a series of interviews where use this technique to screen out applicants. In
you may meet with several different individuals or this case, the organization will accept resums
groups three or more times. or applications only from those who meet the
computer softwares screening criteria.
Questions to ask before the interview

When youre contacted for an the time of the interview what tests or exercises, if
interview, try to find out as much the exact location of the any, you may be expected to
information as possible from the interview: room number, floor, complete and how to prepare
person who contacts you. If that building and address for them
person is unable to answer your what you should bring
directions, if you need them
questions, ask for someone who
where and how long to park You can also use the opportunity
can, such as a human resources
to ask about the organizations
supervisor or the hiring manager. what type of interview to
dress code and to let the
You need to find out expect
employer know if youre planning
names and positions of all the to bring your portfolio to the
interviewers interview.

Panel interviews Serial interviews
Panel interviews are conducted by a group of Serial interviews are common in larger
representatives from an organization. For example, organizations. If you succeed at one level, youre
interviews may be conducted by a combination then referred to another individual or panel for
of people from human resources and the area in the next stage. You might have several separate
which the successful candidate will work. In the interviews. Some of these may take place in
not-for-profit sector, entire boards sometimes informal settings such as restaurants. Some might
participate in the hiring process. involve a tour of a physical plant, for example,
where you will be introduced to other staff. Youll
At the beginning of a panel interview, be sure
be assessed throughout the process to determine
youre seated where you can make eye contact
how well you might fit in.
with all panel members. If you know the names
and positions of the interviewers ahead of time,
you may be able to identify whom you would be
Phone and video interviews
reporting to and whom you would be working with Employers sometimes conduct phone, video or
if you are the successful candidate. Its difficult to conference call interviews of applicants who live in
catch everyones name as youre introduced to a other locations. Some employers ask job seekers
group of people. If you make the effort to find out to respond to a list of questions on video before
their names beforehand and write them down, inviting them for a second interview in person.
youre more likely to feel comfortable using the
panel members names during the interview.
RESOURCE
Handling phone
interviews
For more information on
phone interviews, see
the ALIS Tip Telephone
Interviews, available at
Giving a good interview

Stay positive. If you must Stay calm. Be friendly and Take your time responding to
refer to a negative situation professional to everyone, questions. Take a breath and
from your past, such as a including the person who think about your answer. If you
problem with a supervisor greets you when you arrive. dont understand a question,
or an organization, describe Focus on your strengths. Make ask the interviewer to reframe it.
the situation factually and it easy for employers to see Send the employer a thank-
in a positive way. You may how your qualifications meet you note that emphasizes
also choose to describe how their needs. two or three reasons why
youd handle the situation youre a great candidate for
Be honest but diplomatic.
differently the next time. Never the position, regardless of the
say anything negative about a Avoid bringing up personal
outcome of the interview.
person or an organization. issues and discussing
controversial or sensitive Assess and learn from your
topics. performance.

The interview process The interviewer will probably begin with general
questions about your background and progress
Well-planned interviews are usually conducted in
to more specific questions about your skills and
the following sequence:
experience.
Interviews generally start with introductions,
After the interviewer has asked his or her
handshakes and some polite conversation to
questions, youll probably have an opportunity
put everyone at ease. Interviewers judge your
to ask any questions you may have about the
confidence level by how you meet and greet
job and organization. Its a good idea to take
new people and handle new situations.
advantage of this opportunity. (See the Asking
If youre being interviewed by more than one your own questions section on page 80.)
person and you havent been introduced to
To signal that the interview is nearly over, the
everyone present, ask politely for their names
interviewer might say, Is there anything else
and their positions.
youd like to tell us? At this point, you may
Usually the interviewer will give you an idea want to briefly summarize three or four key
of what will happen in the interview and points to remind interviewers about the skills
how long it will be. The interviewers role is and knowledge you can bring to the position.
to ask questions that will draw out as much
The interviewer may ask you for your
information from you as possible. You should
references. Have a copy of your references list
expect to do 80 per cent of the talking.
ready to provide.
The interviewer will likely close the interview

with a cordial statement such as, We
appreciate your interest in the job (or
Taking initiative in organization) and thank you for coming to an
an interview interview. You can expect to hear from us by
next Tuesday. If the interviewer doesnt offer
Not all employers are good interviewers. If you
this kind of information about the next step,
encounter an employer who isnt, you may have
ask when you might expect to hear about the
to gently guide the conversation to make sure
hiring decision. Then thank the interviewer for
the employer realizes how your qualifications
relate to the job requirements. the opportunity and shake hands again, if its
appropriate, before you leave.
Other recruitment requirements

Before or after an interview, you demonstrating job-related skills undergoing psychological or
may be asked to complete other (for example, writing something personality testing
recruitment requirements such as based on supplied information) Any tests youre asked to take
submitting samples of your taking a test to evaluate your should be relevant to the job and
work aptitude or technical expertise administered to all applicants.
presenting your drivers licence, demonstrating your problem- Find out as much as possible
submitting an abstract of your solving skills by dealing with a about any tests and ask if its
driving record or providing hypothetical situation possible to prepare for them.
evidence of academic
qualifications, professional
memberships or licences

Typical interview questions knowledge, skills and abilities
You can likely anticipate the majority of questions expectations of your supervisor and the
youll be asked. For example, youll probably be organization
asked questions about your supervisory or management styles, if the job
education, training, previous employment and requires you to perform this function
volunteer or community activities flexibility and adaptability
career plans and how the position relates availability to start work
to them
reasons for leaving previous employers
interest in the job and company
reasons for pursuing particular goals, training or
strengths and weaknesses leisure activities
salary expectations. If you dont know the

salary range for the type of work youre
applying for, check out the Wages and Salaries
tab at alis.alberta.ca/occinfo. Or, if youre
Anticipate and practise being interviewed by a large organization, check
The best way to prepare for an interview is to anticipate with the human resources department.
what youll be asked and to develop and practise your
responses:
Write them down so that you can see your answers
on paper.
Record them so that you can listen to or watch
yourself and gauge how much youre improving.
Role-play with a friend or family member so that you
can get feedback.
Each of these techniques will help you assess your
responses objectively and decide how you could
improve. The time you spend practising will improve
your interview skills and build your confidencea great
way to reduce your nervousness during the interview.

Tough questions Tell me about yourself
If youve identified your skills and Interviewers consistently report that one of the
accomplishments using the exercises in the toughest questions for most job seekers to answer
Preparing for Your Work Search section (starting well is Tell me about yourself. Your response to
on page 6), you have the information you need to this common interview question reveals a lot about
answer the following tough interview questions:
how well you deal with ambiguity
Why should we hire you?
your organizational and communication skills
What would you bring to this job?
your ability to anticipate what the interviewer
Why do you want this job? needs to know about you
Why do you want to leave your current job? your ability to evaluate and summarize the most
significant contributions you could make to the
Why did you leave your last job?
organization
What are your strengths?
Resist the impulse to ask What do you want
What are your weaknesses? to know? in reply. Instead, respond as if the
interviewer had asked, How would you describe
What did you like about your last job?
your background and how it has prepared you for
What did you dislike? this job? Thats really the question being asked.
Tell us about a time when you didnt handle a Use your response to stimulate the interviewers
situation well and what you learned from it. interest in you. Avoid making general statements
Candidly answering questions about strengths and about your background and assuming that
weaknesses may seem to go against the idea of experience equals demonstrated competence.
marketing yourself. But weakness in this context Talk about the results youve achieved.
means a job-related knowledge or skill deficiency: Dont say, Well, I have seven years of
youre being asked to acknowledge that there are experience in accounting for oilfield supply
areas you need to develop. companies, including supervising four clerical
One way to answer these questions is to identify support staff for three years. My academic
a weakness that wouldnt be a problem in the background includes a Business Administration
position or to explain how youre working on or diploma in accounting from Anytown College
have improved your performance in a particular and Ive completed the fourth level of CGA
area. For example, if youre being interviewed for a certification. Avoid repeating the information in
supervisory position but have limited supervisory your resum.
experience, dont say, Ive never supervised Do say, Ive always been attracted to working
anyone. Instead, say something like Although I with numbers and financial analysis. I started
have limited supervisory experience, I am enrolled my post-secondary education by completing
in a supervisory development program and have a Business Administration diploma at Anytown
had some leadership experience with a community College, majoring in accounting. After I
organization. graduated, I applied to XYZ Oil Services and
was chosen from a pool of 48 applicants for
the position of office manager. In the seven
years Ive been there, Ive been given more
responsibility and three promotions. I feel Ive
contributed significantly to the companys
profitability. Ive recently completed the fourth
level CGA and will write the final in May.

In the second response, the candidate offers
relevant information about interests, motivation,
ability to set goals and follow through, academic Common behavioural
and job-related accomplishments, initiative, questions
creativity, suitability for advancement and
To practise answering behavioural
willingness to take on new challenges.
questions, consider how youd respond to
the following prompts and questions:
Hypothetical and behavioural questions
Please give us an example of a work
Some interview questions are difficult to anticipate situation where you had to deal with
or prepare for. For example, an interviewer might conflict, either with a customer or a
ask how youd handle a particular type of stressful co-worker. Tell us how you handled it.
situation (a hypothetical question) or ask you to
Describe a situation where a fellow
describe how you handled a difficult experience worker or supervisor had expectations
at work (a behavioural question). Your response that you felt were unfair or unrealistic.
reveals information about what kind of situations How did you deal with that?
you find stressful and how you cope with them.
Can you identify a work-related situation
Employers ask hypothetical and behavioural where you recognized a problem and
questions to find out how youd handle conditions initiated some action to correct the
youre likely to encounter on the job. For example, problem?
if the work sometimes requires dealing with Give us an example of some research
disgruntled customers who may become verbally youve done. What were your findings
abusive, the employer needs to know how youd and conclusions? What did you decide or
react. The interviewer may ask what you would do recommend as a result of your research?
in that situation or ask you to describe a situation Give us an example of a time when you
in your last job that involved an angry customer. He conformed to a policy that you didnt
or she may follow up with specific questions about agree with. What was your rationale?
how you handled the situation and what happened Can you describe a group situation
as a result of your actions. where you were the only person with an
opposing viewpoint? How did you handle
The following suggestions may help you answer
it? What were the results?
hypothetical and behavioural questions:
Before an interview, analyze the information

youve gathered about the employer and the
work. Try to anticipate situations you might When asked to describe situations youve
encounter on the job. Think about how youve actually experienced, limit your examples to
handled similar situations in the past. Select those situations you handled well. Interviewers
situations in which your behaviour contributed who ask behavioural questions believe that how
to a positive outcome. Use the STARS you reacted in the past is a good indication
storytelling method to develop brief descriptions of how youll react in the future. They may
of those situations. (See the Analyzing your disregard anything you say about how youd
accomplishmentsSTARS exercise on page 15 handle the situation differently next time.
and the Using STARS in an Interview example
Dont make up an answer to a behavioural
on the next page for more details.)
question. The interviewer could follow up by
If youre caught off guard by a hypothetical asking detailed questions about the situation,
question in an interview, think through your what you did and what happened as a result.
answer before you say anything. In order to be Always be honest. If you dont have work-
fair to all candidates, effective interviewers wont related experience, describe a situation from a
give you any clues as to what they think the right volunteer or community experience. If you have
answer is. All you can do is answer honestly. no experience relevant to the situation, describe
how you would handle the situation.

If success on the job requires handling stressful Its unacceptable for employers to ask for any
situations calmly and effectively, an interviewer information that could intentionally or inadvertently
may actually try to provoke you to see how well be used to discriminate against you, including
you handle the situation. You have nothing to information about gender, marital status, age,
gain and everything to lose by getting angry or birthplace, ancestry or religious beliefs. For more
letting your disappointment show if you think information, check out the ALIS Tip Human Rights
the interview is not going well. No matter what and You: What Can Employers Ask? at
happens in an interview, remain calm, composed alis.alberta.ca/tips.
and confidentor at least try to look like you are.
Asking your own questions

Inappropriate questions Toward the end of an interview, employers
Employers who are not well informed about often ask if you have any questions about the
human rights protection in Alberta under the organization or the job. If you say no, which is
Alberta Human Rights Act may ask inappropriate what many applicants do, you may be sending the
questions in an interview. employer a negative message.
Its acceptable for potential employers to ask By having questions prepared, you show the
employer that you
about your ability to fulfil work-related
requirements, such as your ability to work night did your research
shifts, travel or lift heavy items
are very interested in the company
for any previous names youve held if the
know whats important to you in an employer/
information is needed to complete reference
employee relationship
checks or verify your past employment or
education are confident and able to assert yourself
appropriately
for your previous address if, for example, the
job has a residency requirement Preface your questions by saying that the interview
has provided you with valuable information and
whether youre legally permitted to work in
youd like to ask some questions to clarify your
Alberta
understanding.
Using STARS in an interview

The following example shows how Action: I called the customer this order was on us. I assured him
a candidate used STARS to answer immediately to assure him that I would that we would make changes to
the behavioural prompt Tell us how investigate the situation myself. I ensure that the problem wouldnt
youve handled a problem with a checked all the details: his documents happen again. Working with the
customer. and our documents, our stock- warehouse and shipping managers,
Situation: A disgruntled customer labelling system, the steps in the order- we implemented a new numbering
claimed the shipping department sent filling process. Sure enough, wed system that has shortened our order
his shop the wrong parts. made the mistakea typo. But the response time by 15 per cent and
root of the problem was in our parts- reduced errors from an average of 11
Task: As the assistant manager, I numbering system, where similar parts to three per month.
had to determine if we had made an carried numbers that were too much
error or if the customer had placed Skills: I used my communication,
alike and prone to this type of error. analytical and teamwork skills to
an incorrect order. This was a high-
volume customer whose business Results: I called the customer to solve a particular problem for a
was important to my organization. tell him the correct parts were being customer and an overall problem for
couriered to him overnight and that my organization.

Its standard practice to bring a list of prepared
questions with you or to jot down questions that
occur to you during the interview. When its your
Handling inappropriate turn to ask questions, quickly review your list
questions and ask any questions that havent already been
answered.
There are several ways to respond if
youre asked an inappropriate question
in an interview: What should you ask?
In an interview, you may want to ask about
Politely refuse to answer the
question. Tactfully let the employer the key focus in the department at this time
know that the question is
the first major project or challenge in this
inappropriate.
position
Answer the question and go on to
discuss the underlying concern. major challenges facing the company
For example, an employer who
working conditionsfor example, what
inappropriately asks about your
employees say they enjoy most about working
family plans or the number of
children you have might incorrectly for the organization
assume youre more likely to be the number of people youd be working with or
absent because of parental leave supervising
or sick time. In this case, you could
address the underlying concern reporting relationships
by talking about your excellent travel requirements, if any
attendance record and your ability
to do the job. Bear in mind that what the organization values and looks for in
interviewers may just be making employees
polite conversation or may not
performance measures and reviews
be thinking about human rights
legislation, so dont assume theyre the organizations policies regarding continuing
ignoring your rights. education and career development
Respond only to the underlying
Questions about salary, vacation, benefits and
concern.
hours of work should be left until after you receive
However you choose to answer, be a job offer.
professional and diplomatic.
If youve researched the job so well you dont have
If you have a human rights complaint
any questions or you just cant think of any, you
or a question about a specific situation,
contact the Alberta Human Rights could say something like the following:
Commission at 780-427-7661 Well, I did have a few questions before I came
(Red Deer and north) or 403-297-6571 in, but youve covered them all during the
(south of Red Deer), or visit the website interview.
at albertahumanrights.ab.ca.
Between the research I did beforehand and
the helpful information youve provided today,
I think I have a pretty good sense of the
company, the job and your expectations. And
Im even more convinced Im the person for
the job! Or, Im even more convinced that my
skills and experience are a great match for the
position requirements!

Learning from the process
Effective job seekers stay open to what they can Use the following suggestions to assess how
learn from the interview process. They continually you did:
reflect on and evaluate the steps they take and
the outcomes they experience. Learning from Write down as many questions as you can
the process helps them to maintain both their remember from the interview and how you
perspective and their self-confidence. answered them. If there were any questions you
werent prepared for, write down how you might
answer similar questions next time.
Assessing interviews Make a note of any questions you wished you
Regardless of the outcome, do a self-evaluation had asked and add them to your list for next
following each interview. This will help you resist time.
the urge to replay the event in your mind and
second-guess yourself. It will also prepare you for
the next interview.

Give yourself a pat on the back for the Graciously thank employers for their feedback
questions you handled well. and, if appropriate, reassert your interest in
employment with the organization.
Assess how well you emphasized the
connection between what you have to offer and Keep employers names and contact
what the employer was looking for. What would information. You may be applying to them in the
you do differently next time? future. Meanwhile, they may be good contacts
for your network.
Assess your attitude throughout the interview.
Did you keep your responses positive, polite Ask employers if you could contact them again
and professional? in a few months. Sometimes the successful
candidate doesnt work out and the employer
Remember that each interview offers you an
needs to hire again.
opportunity to learn, improve your presentation and
move toward the interview that lands you a job. Employers usually find it difficult to select
one person from among several well-qualified
applicants. Often, they make their decision
Following up based on gut feelings or intuition about how
Following up with employers by phone or email the successful candidate will fit in and meet the
can provide useful information about the current organizations needs. Thats why its so important
labour market, other applicants youre competing not to take the rejection you experience in your
with, the employers needs and your interview work search personally. Learn what you can from it
skills. To approach employers for feedback, use and move on.
the following suggestions:
If your approach is professional and non-

confrontational, employers may be willing
to provide feedback about your interview
performance. Be sure to phrase your request When you dont get the job
so that employers understand that youre not Many factors can contribute to an employer
asking them to defend their decisions. choosing a candidate other than you:
Ask employers if theyd be willing to comment Sometimes employers wish they could
on your interview performanceboth what you hire more than one candidate, but they
did effectively and what you could improve. have only one opening.
Another candidate may have more
Listen carefully to their answers and remain
experience or lower salary expectations.
objective. What you learn could greatly improve
your chances of success next time. If you dont Some employers take office dynamics
into consideration and choose the
agree, dont argueyoure still being evaluated
candidate who will fit in best with the
and you want to leave a favourable impression.
existing staff.
The successful candidate may have a
history or connection with the employer.
Choosing the successful candidate is a
business decision. Dont take it personally!

This section will help you deal with the
inevitable ups and downs of a work
search by maintaining a positive attitude.
It also discusses the steps to take when
your work search comes to an end.
Strategies that contribute to a successful
work search include
staying positive throughout the process
dealing with practical considerations
like organization and finances
handling a job offer effectively and
preparing for your next work search
Strategies
for Success
Thinking positively
When youre unemployed or unhappy in your If you dont know what kind of work youre
current position, worried about money, anxious looking for, you risk taking jobs you dont like
about how your qualifications measure up and or arent well suited for. Targeting your work
afraid of rejection, you may sometimes find search is much more effective than widely
yourself struggling to maintain a positive attitude. distributing hundreds of resums that arent
relevant to the employer or the position. If
Self-confidence is a vital element in your work
youre not sure what kind of work you want,
searchemployers want to hire people who
take some time to review and complete the
believe in themselves. Yet nothing destroys self-
Your ideal workplace exercise on page 18.
confidence faster than a descent into negativity,
worry and fear. Im only qualified for one type of work. If
you think youre only qualified to work at what
This section looks at strategies for maintaining
youre trained for or have done in the past, you
the positive attitude that will support your self-
may be limiting your options unnecessarily.
confidence. These suggestions will help you
Stop thinking in terms of job titles and start
avoid self-defeating thoughts
thinking about your skills. For example,
deal with job loss or the transition from school teachers have communication skills,
to work organizational skills and leadership skills.
Hairstylists must be skilled at making customers
handle rejection
feel comfortable, marketing products, dealing
maintain your energy with cash and working efficiently. These skills
cope with emotional highs and lows are required in many types of work, not just
teaching and hairstyling.
To find out what skills you have that could

Avoiding self-defeating thoughts transfer to other kinds of work, check out the
What you think about yourself affects your Identifying your skills section on page 5.
expectations and behaviour. If you think you I have no idea what I want. Try making a list
cant succeed (for example, No one will hire me of things you dont want to do. Then take each
because I was fired or Im too old, too young, item on the list and rewrite it to state what you
not educated enough), youll feel defeated by do want. For example, if you dont want to work
your negative thoughts before you even begin your shifts, say I want to work regular weekday
work search and may act in ways that are likely to hours or whatever is appropriate in your
create negative results. circumstances. See the Understanding your
If any of the following thoughts seem familiar, workplace preferences section on page 17.
consider the responses carefully.
Ill take any job I can get. Youre probably

selling yourself short. Youre a unique individual
with many skills and interests. There are many
things you can do. Which interests will lead
to the most productive use of your skills and
abilities? What type of work will satisfy you?

There ought to be a test I can take that Bargaining. You may try to reverse the situation
will tell me what I should do! Most of us by offering to take a pay cut or move to another
would like to find an easy way to bypass the position in the organization.
self-assessment part of the work search.
Depression. You may grieve your job loss and
Unfortunately, self-assessment is not
lose your sense of perspective. Reach out and
always that simple. Career and employment
let your family and friends help you through this
counsellors can help you explore possibilities.
stage. Other people directly affected by your
Career planning workshops, along with
job loss may also be grieving and may need to
tools like those available on CAREERinsite
talk about their fears too.
(careerinsite.alberta.ca), will help you
understand yourself better. Ultimately, however, Acceptance. You accept the fact that the job is
only you can decide what type of work will be gone and start gearing up for the work search
interesting and meaningful for you, pay well ahead.
enough and satisfy your other requirements
(hours, location, benefits and organizational
culture). Transitioning from school
to work
Dealing with job loss Although many students work part time while
theyre going to school, the transition to the full-
If youve been laid off or fired, you may have to time work world can be stressful. If youre a recent
deal with a range of emotions before youre ready graduate accustomed to the relatively structured
to begin a serious work search. Some people school environment, you may feel overwhelmed
experience all of the following stages of job loss while you figure out what to do next. As you start
within hours, while others need more time to work out in your career, you may also feel like you face a
through particular stages: frustrating catch-22: you need experience to get a
Denial. At first, you may be in shock and act job, but you need a job to get experience.
as though nothing has happened, particularly if Start thinking about your work search before you
you didnt expect to lose your job. leave school, and keep the following in mind:
Anger. You may blame yourself, your employer Be open to different options. These days,
or someone else. most people change occupations several
times throughout their lives, so dont worry
about finding the perfect fit on the first try. Give
yourself permission to explore.
RESOURCE
Job loss: Practical steps Be realistic. You may need to compromise

on some of your workplace wants in order to
For specific suggestions on dealing with job loss,
get a foot in the door and gain professional
see the series of ALIS Tips Job Loss 1: First Things
experience. An entry-level position wont have
First, Job Loss 2: Coping With Change and Job
the salary or responsibilities that you can hope
Loss 3: Moving On, available at alis.alberta.ca/tips.
Another helpful resource is Creating a New Future: to have a few years down the road. Your career
The Job-Loss Workbook, available at alis.alberta.ca/ is a journey, and you have to start somewhere.
publications. Recognize your advantages. Many employers
prefer to hire recent graduates because they
have up-to-date knowledge in their field and
tend to adapt well to the employers corporate
culture.

Handling rejection Coping with emotional
Its not uncommon to experience rejection at some highs and lows
point in the job search process. Try to pursue Whatever your circumstances, youll likely
multiple opportunities at once rather than focusing experience emotional highs and lows as you
all your energy and hopes on one application. That progress through your work search. Its important
way, if one option doesnt work out, youll already to have realistic expectations. Prepare yourself
have others on the go. emotionally and financially for a work search that
If you do experience rejection, dont let it erode could take six months or longer. You may find work
your confidence. Instead, use it to your advantage sooner than that, but keeping your expectations
and take positive, appropriate action to learn from reasonable will help you keep your emotions
the experience. Analyze your work search tools stable.
and strategies and look for ways to improve. One of the best ways to cope with emotional highs
For example, rework your resum or move your and lows is to talk about your feelings. Dont shut
networking activities into high gear. If youre not out the people who care about you. Acknowledge
sure how you can improve, gather feedback by and talk about your deepest emotions with people
you trust. Keep a private journal and use it to write
asking former colleagues, mentors, friends and
out your fears and frustrations.
family for feedback about your marketing tools
and strategies If you reach the point where you feel you cant
cope, talk to a professional counsellor. Reach out
talking to a career and employment counsellor
to organizations such as the Canadian Mental
at an Alberta Works Centre or to a Career
Health Association (Alberta Division) at alberta.
Information Hotline advisor (See the Resources
cmha.ca to find the services you need.
section on page 95 for contact information.)
following up with employers

Maintaining your energy run, jog, lift weights or work out
Looking for work is hard work. It can take a lot walk the dog
of energymentally, emotionally and physically. go for a bike ride
Many people say its one of the toughest things
theyve ever had to do. To maintain your positive read a book, cover to cover
attitude and renew your hope, remember to stop watch a favourite movie
and smell the roses from time to time. Ask for
support from friends and family members. do a crossword puzzle
Be good to yourself. Reward yourself when youve listen to your favourite music
worked hard. Do things that help to reduce your walk in a park
stress and increase your energy. There are plenty
visit a museum
of inexpensive ways to reward yourself and
maintain your momentum. Here are only a few of spend time with friends and family
the possibilities:
attend a free concert
organize a pick-up game of hockey

draw
build something
skate
read comics or graphic novels
dance
do some gardening
take a long bubble bath surrounded

by candlelight and music
RESOURCE
More help with

staying positive
If youre feeling discouraged about
your work search, see the ALIS Tip
Stay Positive during Your Work Search,
available at alis.alberta.ca/tips, or
check out these resources:
Change and Transitions: The Path
From A to B
Positive Works II
These publications are available at alis.

Dealing with practical considerations
Set yourself up for success. If youre unemployed, Staying organized

spend as much time each day on your work
Whether you prefer to keep your records
search (networking, researching, contacting
electronically or in hard copy, being organized will
employers, preparing your marketing tools and
help you feel more confident and professional.
planning your strategies) as you would at work.
Most importantly, all the information you need
The harder and smarter you work at finding work, to succeed in your work search will be at your
the sooner youll succeed and the happier youll fingertips.
be with what you find. Include people in your
Keep electronic or scanned work search
work search process who will help you to keep
documents in a folder on your computer or on a
progressing.
flash drive or disc. If you have paper copies, keep
Work as efficiently and effectively as you can by them in a set of file folders, an expanding file or a
getting and staying organized three-ring binder. Arrange the information in the
following sections:
being financially responsible
information about you, your skills and
accomplishments (Use the self-assessment
exercises in this publication.)
information about your market, such as news

articles about organizations that interest you,
magazine articles about employment trends,
notes you jot down when you get an idea and
job postings
employer contact information and related

notes, including names, phone numbers, dates
contacted, outcomes and when to call back
your marketing tools, all versions of your

resum and cover letters, and thank-you letters
or cards
Organize a system to record your actions and

monitor your progress. For example, you can use
the Work Search Plan and Record, available at
alis.alberta.ca/wsrecord.

Being financially responsible
RESOURCE
If youre currently unemployed or soon will be, More advice on
there are at least three reasons for dealing with managing money
any concerns you may have about money now:
Youll find help with the budgeting
1. Worrying about money drains energy you need process and cutting your expenses,
for your work search. as well as other information, in the
publication Stretch Your Dollars:
2. If employers get the impression that you want
Budgeting Basics, available at alis.
to work for them only because you need the
money, they probably wont hire you.
3. If youre worried about money, youre more

likely to accept work you dont really want.
If you dont like the work, youll be looking If youre eligible, apply for EI immediately and
for work again much sooner than you would fill out the forms carefully. Your first cheque will
otherwise. take several weeks to arrive, and any problems
with your forms will create a further delay.
Plan ahead so that you arent caught off guard
by work search expenses. Youll need Consider ways to save or earn money over
appropriate clothing and shoes, stationery the short term. You could hold a garage sale,
supplies and funds for things such as deliver newspapers or exchange services
transportation and postage. with friends and neighbours (for example, you
babysit for others and they babysit for you).
Your work search could take months. Use
the following suggestions to prepare for the Keep track of your expenses and see if you can
unexpected: cut back anywhere. Look through your receipts
and bank statements to figure out how much
Take stock of all possible sources of income:
youre currently spending and on what.
severance pay, pension fund refunds,
employment insurance (EI) and so on. If you owe money, discuss your situation with your
bank manager or a financial counsellor. You may
be able to consolidate your debts or negotiate
smaller loan payments.

Handling a job offer
After all the time, effort and care you put into your Evaluating the offer
work search, it can be tempting to leap at the
To decide how to respond to the offer, you need
first job youre offered without negotiating salary,
to look at it in context. What are typical salaries,
benefits and other terms of employment.
working conditions, terms and benefits in your
With the exception of some entry-level positions industry and in your location? How does this
and jobs where youre automatically placed on offer compare? To get a feel for whats standard
a grid determined by education and experience, for a similar position in your area, check out the
many employers expect you to make a counter- following sources:
offer and negotiate terms.
Visit alis.alberta.ca/occinfo for information on
To effectively negotiate a job offer, you need to more than 550 occupations, including duties,
understand the offer working conditions, and wage and salary
ranges within different industry groups.
evaluate the offer
Talk to your network, especially people who
make a counter-offer work in the same or a similar occupational area.
Once you do accept a job offer, youll also want to Visit job search and recruiting agency websites
consider how best to or look at career ads in newspapers and other
wrap up your current work search publications to check out salaries and other
terms offered for comparable positions.
prepare for your next work search
Ask your professional association, if applicable.
Next, analyze how you feel about the offer. Are

Understanding the offer you genuinely interested in the position or are you
To understand an offer, you need to see it in motivated by other concerns, such as conditions
writing. If the employer doesnt provide a written in your current job or the length of time youve
version of the offer, ask for one. Or take careful been unemployed? What other opportunities
notes on the offer when its made to you verbally, are you considering and how strong are your
then describe it in detail in a letter or email to the prospects? Talk over the offer with your immediate
employer and ask for confirmation. family, trusted friends, a mentor or a professional
advisor.
Once you have the offer in writing, check it over to
make sure you understand the terms, including Finally, look at the offer from the employers point
of view. How quickly does the company want to fill
the employers expectations (including hours
the position? How strong are your qualifications?
of work, shift work, overtime, travel, using your
Who else could they offer the position to?
own vehicle or other equipment)
If you feel that its acceptable, agree to the offer. If,
salary and other benefits (including vacation,
however, you feel that you need or can legitimately
health and dental benefits)
ask for more, be prepared to make a counter-offer.
any other conditions or terms (including
probationary periods, perks, employee wellness
programs)
If any details are unclear, discuss them with the

employer. Once you understand what youre being
offered, the next step is to assess the offer in
context.

Making a counter-offer Ask if theres any flexibility in the offer. Suggest
some possible compromises. For example, if
Negotiating the terms of a job offer can be a
the position requires more travel than you prefer,
delicate process. Here are some suggestions on
would the employer be open to balancing this
making a counter-offer:
requirement with letting you work from home on
Decide what you want and what youll a regular basis? If salary isnt negotiable, would
accept. Think about how and where you can the employer consider increasing the amount of
compromise. holiday time available or other perks?
Know why youre worth the additional salary, Be polite and professional. Approach the
benefits or perks youre asking for. Know negotiation from a win-win perspective.
whats standard for your industry and area. Be
If you reach a verbal agreement with the employer,
prepared to demonstrate the strength of your
ask for confirmation in writing.
qualifications.
If you decide not to accept the offer or the
Write out and practise the terms of your
response to your counter-offer, let the employer
counter-offer. Practise statements like This
know, then follow up with a letter thanking the
position looks exciting, and I have great respect
employer for the offer. This keeps your options
for the organization. I believe I have exactly
open for the future.
the kinds of skills and strengths youre looking
for. However, the salary offer is less than what
I expected. I was thinking more in the range
between [indicate the salary range you want].

Wrapping up your work search Preparing for your next
An interview and then a job offerthis is the final work search
result of an effective work search, one that every Your current transition is probably not your last;
job seeker looks forward to. After reading the chances are youll change jobs several times over
information and completing the exercises in this the course of your career.
publication, you know how much time and effort
it takes to get this far. When you have accepted a Ironic as it sounds, the day youre hired is a
job offer, take the following steps: good time to start preparing for your next work
transition. Why? From day one at your new job,
Send your current employer a letter of youll be learning skills, gaining experience and
resignation giving at least two weeks notice meeting new people. Youll be developing yourself
(or whatever is required by your contract). Be and expanding your opportunities. If you begin
tactful, ask for a letter of recommendation and now to identify and nurture these opportunities
dont burn any bridges! and keep track of these changes, youll be well
Let your network and your references know prepared when you make your next transition.
your work search has been successful. Thank Use the following suggestions to get started:
them again for their help.
Keep your resum master up to date with new
Withdraw any other applications or proposals information on your work experience, education
you may have made to other employers and let and accomplishments.
them know that youve accepted an offer.
Maintain (or create) your portfolio.
Stay in touch with the people whove helped

and supported you.
Build relationships with people who will mentor

you.
Take advantage of opportunities to develop and

grow. For example, take part in professional
development activities or volunteer for special
assignments.
Stay current with changes in your field.
Become a valuable asset to your employer and

your co-workers.
Keep networking. Now that youve found work,

become a resource for others who are currently
looking for a job. Offer advice, information,
referrals or support.

Alberta Government resources
help Albertans make informed
career, learning and employment
decisions. You can access
information about training, finding
work and the labour market by
visiting the Alberta Learning

Information Service (ALIS)
website
contacting the Alberta Career

Information Hotline
visiting an Alberta Works Centre
Resources

Alberta Learning Information Alberta Career
Service (ALIS) website Information Hotline
alis.alberta.ca Call the hotline for answers to your questions about
ALIS is Albertas leading online source for career planning

career, learning and employment services and
occupations
information. Here youll find the resources you
need for making the most of your future. resum review (including the e-Resum
Review service)
Learn the answers to work search questions
and information on every stage of your work labour market information
search, including
work search skills
looking for work
the workplace
networking
Phone: 1-800-661-3753 toll-free
researching employers 780-422-4266 in Edmonton
Email: hotline@alis.gov.ab.ca
developing your resum
Website: alis.alberta.ca/hotline
completing online job applications
preparing for the interview process

Alberta Works Centres
CAREERinsite is your guide to career planning.
Come in to one of the Alberta Works Centres
Explore career options based on your values,
located throughout the province to find information
skills, abilities and interests. Everything you
on occupations, career options, work search
need to plan your work and learning is here at
and education programs and funding. These
alis.alberta.ca/careerinsite.
centres have computers for Internet use and word
OCCinfo provides information on occupations processing, as well as phones and fax machines
and educational programs in schools in Alberta. available to help you with your work search.
Learn about Albertas employment outlook and You can also talk to a career and employment
advancement, and find information about job consultant. To locate an Alberta Works Centre near
duties and working conditions, educational and you, call the Career Information Hotline or visit the
certification requirements, and wage and salary ALIS website at alis.alberta.ca/awc.
ranges. Visit alis.alberta.ca/occinfo.
Watch occupational videos featuring real people Alberta Job Banks

working in real jobs. Learn what knowledge and
skills are required for different occupations by Opportunities for work exist in all kinds of
visiting alis.alberta.ca/videos. industries, regions and professions. There are
helpful links to the following job bank groupings:
Discover tips on career planning, education
and jobs that can be searched by keyword or Alberta and regional job banks
topic at alis.alberta.ca/tips. public service employer and industry job banks
Find a variety of career, education, and student job banks
employment publications, available at
alis.alberta.ca/publications. To access these job banks, visit
alis.alberta.ca/jobs.

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CAREER PLANNING EDUCATION JOBS
Wondering where to take your career? How to find a job?
Is continuing your education the next step?
Find the answers on ALIS.
Make the Most of Your Future

Do you have some experience in the workplace,
post-secondary education or a combination of
both? Are you looking for a new job? If so,
Advanced Techniques for Work Search is for you!
Youll learn how to identify your skills, update your resume,

and apply your skills to find a job thats right for you.

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Catalogue item# 800001

This publication is available to download or order at alis.alberta.ca/publications.

2002, 2007, 2008, 2014

For copyright information. contact:

02/2007 50M 03/2011 60M

03/2010 30.3M 12/2015 50M

Preparing for Your Work Search...........................................................................................................4

Recognizing your accomplishments..........................................................................................12

Understanding your workplace preferences......................................................................................17

Understanding the selection process.................................................................................................33

Crafting high-impact resums..............................................................................................................34

Formatting your resum........................................................................................................................54

Writing cover letters...............................................................................................................................58

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 1

Using other marketing tools..................................................................................................................62

Preparing for the Interview....................................................................................................................68

Knowing what to expect........................................................................................................................74

Learning from the process....................................................................................................................82

Strategies for Success............................................................................................................................84

Dealing with practical considerations.................................................................................................89

Handling a job offer................................................................................................................................91

2 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 3

employability or transferable skills, which are the

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 5

write online help text for a interview subject matter experts

create, follow and research industry style standards

create and tailor information to the knowledge level of the audience

recruitment and selection write job ads for vacant positions

compensation and benefits gather industry-specific data on compensation levels

6 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

Exercise Employability skills

writingusing good questioningdeciding what stating opinionssaying

Analysis, problem solving and research

researchinglocating the cost of products and developing and evaluating

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 7

identifying and suggesting coping with uncertainty other _____________________

Leadership and management

coachingproviding one- making decisionschoosing other _____________________

providing feedback chairing meetingspresiding

Planning and organization

determining priorities planningdeveloping maintaining records of

8 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

negotiatingbargaining with giving credit where credit is using tactbeing discreet

Reliability and responsibility

risking, when appropriate being timelycompleting other _____________________

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 9

I mentor younger employees to help them develop the

10 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

My skills Who, what, when, where, why and how?

Government of Alberta Advanced Techniques for Work Search 11

Prospective employers often base their Recognizing and describing your

prepare for job interviews

boost your confidence

12 Advanced Techniques for Work Search Government of Alberta

Read through the following examples Review the accomplishments youve

Saved my organization money, time or resources

Received recognition for perfect attendance

Exceeded performance goals

Served in a leadership or senior position, either short or long term

Simplified a procedure that made a job easier or more cost-effective