JOBTALKS Communications Employment Communications Indiana University Kelley School

JOBTALKS Communications Employment Communications Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph. D Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies and used with the permission of the author.

JOBTALKS Communications Employment Communications Business Career Planning and Placement Indiana University Kelley School of Business C. Randall Powell, Ph. D.

Employment Communications Cover Letters Resumes Applications Interview Appreciation Expense Statements Accepting Invitations Thanking for Interest Offer Acknowledgement Stall Offer Acceptance Letters and Telephone Confirmations

Be thorough in your planning Don't get bogged down in "busy-work" tasks

Letter Style City, State, Zip Phone Date Employer's Name Employer's Title Firm Name Address City, State, Zip • Your address • Inside address Dear Mr. , Ms. , Last Name: Introductory Paragraph Body Paragraph(s) Close (Thank you, action expected) Sincerely yours, Applicant's Name Encl: Resume, expense statement, & other attachments • Salutation • Body • Close • Enclosures

Interview Date Confirmation Dear Employer: Thank you for your telephone call on (date) inviting me to (employer) for further interviews. After our first interview I was more impressed with your opportunity in (occupation) and anxiously awaited a positive interest from you. As requested, I am suggesting the date of _______ for the visit to your facilities. If this is compatible with your schedule, please advise so I can make travel plans. Please reserve a hotel room nearby as it will be necessary for me to arrive the evening before to meet your 9: 00 a. m. appointment time. I assume that you will be handling the appropriate expenses. Your interest is very much appreciated and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Charley Brown Encl: Job Application c: Network Assistants • Appreciation and interest • Confirm last contact date • Recall circumstances • Suggest/confirm dates • Travel arrangements • Polite close • Enclosure

Interview Thank You Dear Employer: Thank you for arranging a most pleasant and productive day of interviews on ______. All of the people with whom I spoke provided a wealth of information on the opportunity in (occupation) at _______ which should prove helpful to me in my decision making process. I am very excited about the possibility of a job offer because the position is exactly what I have been seeking. As requested, my travel receipts are attached. Since I also visited with another firm the next day, I have prorated the airfare. The hotel bill was billed to you directly. Your expense statement is attached. Several people asked about my writing ability so I am also enclosing some samples. I hope to make an employment decision by _______. I appreciate all of the consideration that you have provided. Sincerely, Encl: Receipts Academic Transcript c: Business Placement • Appreciation • Last contact date • Level of interest • Receipts • Prorating expenses • Decision date • Polite close • Attachments

INTERVIEW TRIP EXPENSE REPORT Name _______________________ Address ______________________ City, State, Zip ___________________ Telephone _____________________ Date of Visit ____________________ Transportation From Home to Airport Airline Fare (Receipt Attached) From Airport to Home Taxi/Limousine Fares ____________________ Lodging Hotel ( ) (Receipt Attached) Hotel Tips ____________________ Meals Prior to Interview Meals En route home ____________________ TOTAL EXPENSES INCURRED ____________________ ____________________ Signature _____________ Date _____ Expense Report • Identification • Transportation • Lodging • Meals • Signature

Terminating Discussions Dear Employer: I would like to thank you and other members of your organization for spending time informing me about _____. My visit on ____ was both educational and enjoyable. Recently I received an offer from an organization for a position which seems to be most appropriate for my background and education. I plan to accept that opportunity. Please remove my name for possible employment consideration at the present time. Perhaps there is time to extend an offer from another graduate from my university. Your time and interest in me is much appreciated, which makes this decision difficult for me. I would hope that if my new plans do not materialize as expected, we could possibly resume our employment discussions. I wish you much success in your recruitment efforts this year. Sincerely, • Appreciation • Last contact date • Other opportunity • Remove from consideration • Difficult decision • Leave door open

Offer Letter Dear Candidate: We were very impressed with your credentials when you visited us on _____. As a result, we are pleased to offer you a position of ______. Your initial duties and responsibilities will be identical to those in the attached job description and would begin after the two month development program here. You will then be assigned to one of our 50 locations based upon an evaluation of your interests and our needs. Your starting salary will be $_____ with your first review being in six months and annually thereafter. Our benefit handbook is enclosed. We do not pay moving expenses. This offer is contingent upon your completion of your academic program and passing a routine medical examination at our facilities. Please call me if you have any questions. This offer is open until _____ but we hope that you will accept sooner. Sincerely, • Last contact date • Extending offer • Duties/location • Salary and benefits • Reviews • Contingencies • Questions • Closure

Acknowledging Offer Dear Employer: Thank you for your letter of _____ offering me a position as ______ in your _________ department at a salary of $_____. I was really impressed with you and was hoping for this result. I am nearing mid-terms here and still actively interviewing, which is putting me behind in my studies. I understand your need for a decision by ______. I want to give this offer as much consideration as I can in light of the other opportunities that I have. If for some reason I cannot make a decision by that date I will call you. This is precisely the type of opportunity I have been seeking. Your confidence in my abilities is much appreciated. I will contact you shortly. Sincerely, • Repeat offer details • Acknowledge deadline • Make room for delay • Reaffirm interest

Accepting Offer Dear Employer: Thank you for permitting me some extra time to make an employment decision on the offer you extended to me on ______ which I acknowledged on ______. After interviewing several employers and attempting to match my background and interests with different assignments, I have concluded that the opportunity which you have offered in the chance I am seeking. I am delighted to accept your offer. In compliance with your request, I have taken a physical examination, the results of which will be sent to you by the physician you recommended. As agreed, I will report to your office on _____ for initial orientation. I plan to be in the area apartment searching on _____, so any information you could send me before then would be helpful. I will stop by at that time to clear any last-minute details. Thank you for being patient and so cooperative. I eagerly look forward to my association with you. Sincerely, • Appreciation • Recall detail • Accept • Contingencies • Report date • Housing • Anxious

Reneging is Not Acceptable; It is Unethical ÙOffer letter and acceptance letter form a bond of commitment ÙCannot be taken lightly ÙIf you renege, that employer can damage your job search efforts ÙIf employer reneges, it would affect their ability to recruit

Declining Offer Dear Employer: Thank you for the time you have given me to evaluate your offer for a ______ position. I especially appreciate your helpfulness and the consideration given me by messrs. _____ and ______. I have been fortunate in having more than one job offer to consider. The decision of which offer to accept is one of the most difficult decisions in my life and has taken me many hours of contemplation. After much deliberation with family, friends, faculty, and placement office staff, I have decided to accept an offer from another firm. Their opportunity seems to match my interests and abilities at this point in my career. I hope that I can keep the door open for possible later discussions with you in two or three years if plans do not materialize as expected. I appreciate the professional manner in which you handled our discussions and I have heard other students expressing the same attitude. Thank you for all of the help in my career decision. Sincerely, • Acknowledge offer • Personalize • Difficult decision • Declining offer • Keep doors open • Appreciation • Professionalism

Acceptance Letters Moral Contract Honest-Trustworthy-Considerate Long-Term Ethical Considerations Can't Ethically Continue Other Employment Discussions Next step is to manage your career; career planning is a continuous life cycle.

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If you would like to learn more, Career Planning Strategies textbook will supply additional information on this topic.