Business Communication Chapter 15 Homework In this case study, students will learn more about a prominent career coach’s thoughts on job searching in today’s world

V. Using Digital Tools to Boost Your Job Search (15-5, PPT Slides 42–50, DISC:

Communication evolution; Theory application)

a. The first reader of your résumé may be an ATS. The higher your résumé

ranks when it is evaluated, the more likely it is that it will be reviewed by a

recruiter.

b. The following techniques can boost the probability that your résumé will

rank high enough to qualify for review by a human reader:

i. Include specific keywords or phrases in context.

c. Using a career e-portfolio—a collection of electronic files, images,

multimedia, blog entries, and hyperlinks that demonstrate a writer’s talents,

accomplishments, and technical skills—can spotlight a candidate’s

qualifications. (Figure 15.8)

d. A job seeker’s chances may be expanded with a video résumé:

i. A video résumé enables a job candidate to present their experience,

e. Prepare one basic print-based traditional résumé formatted to maximize

readability.

f. Customize your résumé for various job prospects and formats.

i. Group Discussion Activity: 45 minutes total. Activity 15.11—Consider a

Twitter Mini Résumé as a LinkedIn Alternative

Have students complete the activity found at the end of the chapter.

Students should be prepared to share their mini résumés with the group for

discussion and feedback.

VI. Cover Messages—Do They Still Matter? (15-6, PPT Slides 51–59, DISC: Purpose;

Theory application)

a. A cover letter or letter of application (cover message that introduces your

résumé) is less significant for recruiters using online recruiting and ATS.

c. When creating a customized cover message, follow these tips:

i. Opening: Captures attention; introduces the message; identifies the

position

d. It’s important to gain attention in the opening of a cover message.

i. Address the reader by name or replace salutation with a descriptive

subject line.

e. When applying to an opening for a solicited job (Model Document 15.7):

i. Refer to the name of an employee in the company.

f. If you are unsure whether a position actually exists (unsolicited jobs), you

might use a more persuasive opening (Model Document 15.8):

i. Demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of the reader’s business.

g. Use the body of a cover message to promote a candidate’s strengths:

i. Explain how your preparation and experience fulfill the stated

requirements.

h. To motivate action in the closing, use these techniques:

i. Ask confidently for an interview.

i. The following are common ways to send a résumé and cover message:

i. Submit both your cover message and résumé in an e-mail message.

Convert both to plain text.

j. Consider these final tips for successful cover messages (Model Document

15.9):

i. Revise to avoid too many sentences that begin with “I,” making

activities and outcomes the subjects of sentences.

ii. Strive for a comfortable style; don’t write unnaturally.

k. Writing Improvement Activity: 45 minutes total. Activity 15.2—Document

for Analysis: Poor Cover Letter

Have students complete the activity found at the end of the chapter.

• Detailed feedback for this activity—including a revised cover letter

sample—can be found in the Solutions Manual.

• Document weaknesses include:

o Fails to use the receiver’s name in the salutation.

o Neglects to identify the position title and specifically where the

announcement appeared.

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Discussion Questions

You can assign these questions several ways: in a discussion forum in your LMS; as whole-

class discussions in person; or as a partner or group activity in class.

1. Discussion: To Gig or Not to Gig? (Critical Thinking #1) Duration 5 minutes.

a. When asked if they would pass up a traditional job for full-time gig work,

b. What is it about gig work that appeals to young people and others? What

disadvantages do you see?

i. Answer: One would have to know how the survey question was

2. Discussion: Should Job Boards Be a Jumping-Off Point? (Critical Thinking #2, 15–2,

PPT Slides 13–16) Duration 5 minutes.

a. “If you are starting your job search with Monster.com, CareerBuilder, or

similar search tools, then you are starting at the end of the chain,” claims job–

search author Ryan Guina.

b. What do you think he means?

i. Answer: Writing from experience, job-search author Ryan Guina

3. Discussion: The Hidden Job Market (Critical Thinking #3, 15-3, PPT Slides 21–25)

Duration 10 minutes.

a. Why do you think some businesses avoid advertising job openings?

i. Answer: Companies avoid advertising because doing so brings a flood

b. If jobs are unlisted, how can candidates locate them?

i. Answer: To locate jobs that are not listed (the hidden market),

4. Discussion: Is LinkedIn a Waste of Time? (Critical Thinking #4, 15-3, PPT Slide 23)

Duration 10 minutes.

a. LinkedIn has 675 million registered users, but only 310 million are active

each month. Although it is highly recommended that new grads complete a

b. As a job candidate, would you post your résumé information at LinkedIn?

Why or why not?

i. Answer: Supporters say that LinkedIn lets people connect with others

in their industry. Your résumé can be seen by recruiters everywhere.

c. How could candidates make better use of LinkedIn?

i. Answer: To take advantage of LinkedIn, candidates should keep their

5. Discussion: The Ethics of Phantom Job Listings (Critical Thinking #5, 15-2)

Duration 10 minutes.

a. Phantom job listings are announcements for jobs that have already been

filled through informal networking processes. The public job posting is

boards or career sites. Often, hiring managers have already selected

candidates for these phantom jobs.

b. Do you believe it is ethical to advertise jobs that are not really available?

i. Answer: From a job candidate’s view, it seems reasonable and fair that

all jobs be advertised. From a company’s view, such a requirement

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Additional Activities and Assignments

1. Case Study: Zooming In—Is Job Searching Like Dating?: In this case study,

students will learn more about a prominent career coach’s thoughts on job

searching in today’s world. They are then asked to answer a series of critical-

thinking questions.

a. Amanda Augustine feels strongly that networking is the most effective way to

find a job. What if you don’t like networking and are uncomfortable pushing

yourself into awkward conversations that you find distressing?

i. Are you hesitant to network because it seems pushy and self-serving?

b. What do you know about the hidden job market, and how does networking

help a new grad find a job in this elusive market?

i. Most students know that all available jobs are not advertised or

posted on websites. Many jobs are filled in-house, through employee

referrals, or from an existing talent pool. Some jobs are even created

c. Career expert Amanda Augustine encourages job applicants to develop their

own “brands.” You may object that you are not a car or a line of sneakers.

What does “branding” mean to you, and why is it essential in a competitive

job market?

i. Student responses will vary on what branding means to them. You

can guide the discussion by pointing out that branding is a form of

2. Case Study: Zooming In—Your Turn: Applying Your Skills With Amanda

Augustine: In this case study, students will take on the role of an intern to career

coach Amanda Augustine. Students are asked to provide input for an article

Amanda plans to write that targets recent college graduates. Break students into

3. Chat About It: At the end of each chapter, you will find additional open-ended

questions related to the chapter material. You may assign these topics for

discussion in class, in an online chat room, or on an online discussion board. You

may also ask students to read and respond to postings made by their classmates.

Topic 1: A recent survey of millennial managers revealed that 75 percent of

respondents felt that constantly changing jobs advanced their careers. This

survey of 1,000 managers and mid- to executive-level executives between the

ages of 18 and 36 was conducted by employee experience platform Akumina “to

understand the needs of millennials in the rapidly changing workplace.” How do

you think changing jobs frequently advances one’s career? Does this seem

ethical?

Topic 3: Why do you think it is important to customize your résumé for each

employer and each job for which you apply? How do you think employers will

respond to a customized résumé versus a generic résumé? Is creating a

customized résumé for each position worth your time and effort? Share your

opinions with your classmates.

a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.

23

Additional Resources

Cengage Video Resources

• MindTap Videos:

o Learn It: Chapter 15 The Job Search, Résumés, and Cover Letters in the Digital

Age

▪ Learn It: Video Lesson 15-1

▪ Learn It: Video Lesson 15-2

Appendix

Generic Rubrics

Providing students with rubrics helps them understand expectations and components of

assignments. Rubrics help students become more aware of their learning process and

progress, and they improve students’ work through timely and detailed feedback.

Standard Writing Rubric

Criteria

Meets Requirements

Needs Improvement

Incomplete

Content

The assignment clearly

and comprehensively

addresses all questions

in the assignment.

15 points

The assignment partially

addresses some or all

questions in the

assignment.

8 points

The assignment does not

address the questions in

the assignment.

0 points

conclusions are logically

related and consistent.

arguments, and

conclusions are mostly

logically related and

consistent.

logically related and

consistent.

0 points

7 points

Research

The assignment is based

upon appropriate and

adequate academic

literature, including peer

reviewed journals and

other scholarly work.

5 points

The assignment is based

upon adequate

academic literature but

does not include peer

reviewed journals and

other scholarly work.

3 points

The assignment is not

based upon appropriate

and adequate academic

literature and does not

include peer reviewed

journals and other

scholarly work.

0 points

The assignment follows

the required citation

guidelines.

5 points

The assignment follows

some of the required

citation guidelines.

3 points

The assignment does not

follow the required

citation guidelines.

0 points

and spelling errors.

unintelligible.

Standard Discussion Rubric

Criteria

Meets Requirements

Needs Improvement

Incomplete

Participation

Participates in or

submits discussion by

the posted deadlines.

Follows instructions for

initial post and

responses.

5 points

Does not participate in

or submit discussion by

the posted deadlines.

Does not follow

instructions for initial

post and responses.

3 points

Does not participate in

discussion.

0 points

Comments add value to

discussion topic.

on task. Comments may

not add value to

discussion.

0 points

5 points

3 points