Title: Prepare employment documents.
Course: Office Specialist II - Preparation (12004 - II) > Section: Preparing for Employment

Preparation should include

- résumé
  - educational background
  - work or volunteer history
  - honors and awards
  - membership in club and/or school and community activities
  - leadership positions held
  - personal and professional references
  - optimization for online submission (e.g., using keywords)
- cover letter
  - specific to the employer and position
  - required components
    - salutation
    - body
    - closing
    - signature
    - enclosure notation
  - professional letter format
- job application
  - parts of the application to be completed
  - accurate keying in of information (or legible penmanship for paper applications)
  - complete and effectively organized information
  - inclusion of keywords
  - use of a scanner-friendly format when applicable
  - references (from whom permission has been obtained)
- interview follow-up letter
  - reminder of the applicant's qualifications
  - confirmation of the applicant's interest in the job
  - statement of enthusiasm for next steps (e.g., a second interview)
- resignation letter
  - a provision of ample time to find a replacement--usually two weeks
  - adherence to company procedures.

Preparation should address whether and how individuals with disabilities may choose (or not choose) to disclose those disabilities to, and request accommodations from, employers.

Teacher Resources:

- Youth, Disclosure, and the Workplace: Why, When, What, and How, Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
- Job Accommodation Network (JAN)