Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide by Betty Cornell

Author:Betty Cornell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2014-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

February 12, 19—

Mr. David P. Strong

High Fidelity Insurance Co.

592 Main Street

Houston, Illinois

Dear Mr. Strong:

Mr. Henry Wilkins tells me that you are in need of a new secretary. I am writing to ask you to consider me for this position.

Enclosed is a resumé of my experience and qualifications.

I shall call your office in a few days and ask whether it will be convenient for you to see me.

Respectfully yours,

More about resumés in a minute.

If you don’t know the executive, or are writing “blind” to a company you want to work for, address the president. He’ll forward your letter to the proper person.

You’ll always get an answer to a letter like this. If by some chance you shouldn’t, then you should know that the company, or the executive, is too inefficient and impolite for you to waste your time working for.

When you do telephone, the executive or his secretary will have had a chance to know something about you from your resumé and will have an answer ready, either yes or no. You save everyone’s time this way. Remember that successful business people are always busy, and few things make them angrier than to be interrupted in the middle of a big deal by a youngster who’s just wandered in off the street. Everyone, though, respects an appointment; see that you do too.

A good resumé states your name, address, telephone number and date of birth. It gives your school record, any extra-curricular activities in which you may have participated and any honors you may have received. Any special business skills are listed in full: typing, shorthand, languages, etc. It is imperative that this resumé be neatly typed and well organized. It should be no more than one page.

When you have an interview, whether with the personnel director of the company or with the president himself, be modest but not bashful. Let him know fully and explicitly what you can do, but don’t brag. If you’ve had a job before, suggest that your previous employer was pleased with you and tell any nice things he may have said about you. Also, answer any questions put to you willingly and truthfully. Keep your voice well modulated and distinct. Do not use slang and never be off-hand in your replies.

Unless you’re so good and so self-confident that you feel you can pick and choose amongst jobs, never refuse to do anything extra that may be proposed to you. For instance, if you’re after a secretarial job and your prospective employer asks if you’d mind helping out with the filing, say you’d be glad to help out. You’ll win his heart and you’ll get added experience to boot.

Many companies have personnel offices where applicants for positions fill out forms, are interviewed perfunctorily, and then are sent on up to an executive of the company, or are politely told: “We’ll let you hear from us.” Usually the latter means no soap and you can forget about the place. But be nice to the personnel interviewer, and fill out the form graciously, even if it completely duplicates your resumé.

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