University of the District of Columbia Employment Search Packet Paper Complete Employment Search Packet
Your complete Employment Search Packet should include the following:
JOB DESCRIPTION – Select an actual job description from a newspaper, online employment search team or from the UDC Career Center. The date on the job description should be within 30 days (September and October 2019).
THE COVER LETTER – Prepare a cover letter for submission to the job ad you have selected.
In preparation for your anticipated interview for your selected job, you must prepare a cover letter. Page 418 – 419 of the text gives specific instructions for “contacting potential employers”, including a sample cover letter. Prepare your cover letter using the format suggested in your text.
Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Paragraph 2 – Highlighting your accomplishments. In this section, you will want to reference your interpersonal skills. Additionally, the interpersonal skills you reference can be connected to an anecdote, or example, of when or how you used this skill during the interview.
A sentence like, “My interpersonal skills include a great ability to motivate others, develop rapport with coworkers, and resolve conflicts” will fall flat. Instead, show how you used your skill. For example, “my ability to motivate the individuals is demonstrated in how consistently I meet, and beat, deadlines without burning out my team.”
Paragraph 3 – Closing and next steps – make sure to ask for the interview!
JE9 – Preparing for the Interview – Why Me?
One of the first steps in preparing for a job interview is to equip yourself with some brief narratives that demonstrate your experience and will capture the attention of the interviewer(s). Consider the job you selected for your Job Search Packet. For each of the following four topics, write down one brief, lively, very specific story that demonstrates your competence in relation to this specific job: education, prior work experience (volunteer work is OK), career-related goals, an outstanding personal trait. End each story with a statement explaining how that experience makes you an excellent candidate for this job.