The Ultimate Job Hunter's Guidebook » (5th Edition)

Susan Greene has been a professional copywriter and marketing consultant for over 20 years. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida where she specializes in writing corporate web sites and brochures. Throughout her career she has served as an adjunct professor teaching job hunting skills at various colleges and technical schools.Susan has a BS in journalism from Syracuse University and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. Her website is www.SusanGreeneCopywriter.com.

Melanie Martel has been teaching college students about job-hunting since 1985. She has worked as career counselor, Liberal Studies Department Chair, and Associate Professor of English at New Hampshire Technical Institute. She has also worked with the New Hampshire Job Training Council, assisting job hunters of all ages, including recent graduates, women in transition, and retirees embarking on new career paths. In addition to co-authoring the Contemporary Business Communication Study Guide (Houghton Mifflin, 1994), Ms. Martel has written for several local newspapers and worked as a corporate trainer. Ms. Martel received her BA in English from Tufts University and M.Ed. from Notre Dame.

Offering concise coverage of essential job-hunting and career strategies, this flexible, how-to book can supplement any business course or serve as the foundation for a career development class. The Fifth Edition continues to focus on real-world applications through experiential exercises and hands-on activities designed for individual or group use. New chapter-ending Success Stories focus on individuals who've used their initiative to transition from one career to another.

Note: Each chapter begins with Strategies in Action and concludes with Success Stories. I. Setting Your Course 1. Planning Your Job Search Job Search Step One: Set Your Course Job Search Step Two: Gather Your Tools Job Search Step Three: Hire an Employer Job Search Step Four: Begin the Search 2. Conducting a Self-Assessment Know Yourself Choose the Right Job for You Set Career Goals Try Informational Interviewing and Job Shadowing 3. Planning and Organizing the Job Hunt Make Job Hunting Your New Job Organizational Tools for Job Hunters Managing Your Job Hunting Files, Documents and Notes Managing Your Attitude During the Job Hunt II. Gathering Your Tools 4. Preparing Your R'sum? How to Write a R'sum? Types of R'sum's What to Do About Gaps in Your Job History FAQs for Experienced Job Hunters R'sum? Alternatives R'sum? Software How to E-Mail Your R'sum? 5. Writing Cover Letters Elements of the Cover Letter The Write Stuff Alternative Letter-Writing Strategies An Old Marketing Trick: Use a P.S. to Make Your Case E-Mail vs. Postal Mail Types of Cover Letters Sample Cover Letters 6. Obtaining References and Assembling a Portfolio References Available Upon Request Assemble a Portfolio III. Hunting for an Employer 7. Targeting Potential Employers Generate Job Leads Turn Dead Ends into Live Contacts Read the Classifieds Making Contacts at Job Fairs Research Potential Employers Informational Interviews Long-Distance Job Hunting 8. Taking Your Job Hunt Online Pounding the Virtual Pavement E-mail Etiquette Searching the Internet The Right Site Put the Internet to Work for You 9. Have You Considered...? Federal Jobs Working for a Nonprofit Corporation Working for a Small Company Starting Your Own Business Taking a Different Job Path Further Education 10. Backdoor Your Way into a Job Part-Time Jobs Working in a Related Position Temping Freelancing Entry-Level Positions Internships Volunteer Work IV. Beginning the Search 11. Filling Out Job Applications The Application Form Completing the Application Form Typical Application Questions 12. Interviewing Preparation: The Key to Interview Success Before the Interview During the Interview After the Interview Nontraditional Ways to Get an Interview Reasons for Unsuccessful Interviews Handling Rejection Ask for What You Want 13. Evaluating Job Offers Choose the Best Job for You Negotiate Your Salary The End Is in Sight 14. Learning Your New Job Your First Few Days on the Job Your First Few Weeks on the Job Your First Year on the Job Tips for Working with Your Manager Managing Relationships on the Job Finding a Mentor The Importance of Staying Current How You Will Be Evaluated Advice from Those Who Have Made It An Invitation to Share