Professional and Technical Writing/Career
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[edit] Career Documents
[edit] Reader-Centered Approach
Two common types of career documents are resumes and cover letters. The best approach to write career documents is to use a "reader-centered approach." The goal of the writer is to convey his/her qualifications specifically to the reader. One question a writer might consider is: how will my qualifications (as presented in the career documents)be read by the reader and will it meet the organization's goals? Your communications should constantly consider how the reader will react to your writing. Reader-centered approach writing focuses on a readers' goals and expectations while being persuasive and usable to your reader. It will help a great deal to have this reader-centered approach.
[edit] Reader-Centered Approach to Writing Resumes'
Reader-centered approach writing based upon careful consideration of your readers are expectations and goals. The first step to write a resume is to identify your audience. Before you begin to write, you must first understand who you are writing to. For example, a department head may look for different criteria than a company executive or someone in human resources. Yet, always remember that a resume will often be read by many different people in an organization and your resume must satisfy everyone's criteria.
Your resume is a document designed to persuade an employer that you have the necessary job skills to work at an organization. Like all professional writing, your resume should be persuasive. Keep in mind what your reader expects in a job applicant. A helpful suggestion is to review the list of qualifications and desired traits of potential applicants provided by employers. Your reader-centered approach resume should highlight your qualifications and explain the experiences that enhanced your skills and knowledge. Most importantly, your resume should provide proof that you have the traits desired by the employer.
See Also: Resumes and CVs
[edit] Reader-Centered Approach to Writing Cover Letter
A cover letter is a persuasive letter that is achieved by grabbing the reader's attention. Cover letters should state why an applicant wants to work for an employer and address how the applicant will contribute to the success of the organization. The applicant should answer this question in the cover letter: "What am I able to do for this employer or organization?" A reader-centered approach cover letter will answer this question while anticipating other questions the reader may have.
Also, a cover letter will project your personality to the organization that you are applying to. The tone of your letter is important as it will indicate your personality. If you know the kind of people that the organization employs, it will help you to set the tone for your cover letter. While some employers want to hire enthusiastic, hard-working employees, other employers may look specifically for critical, confident, or good-tempered employees. How well you know your reader is critical to writing a reader-centered approach cover letter.
See Also: Cover Letters
