Twentieth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

The Wall Street Journal reported that 43% of college grads (2000 to 2017) are underemployed, i.e., working in jobs that don’t require college degrees. Another study revealed that underemployment usually persists “five and 10 years out.” Based on decades years of teaching business writing, the author of How to Write Killer Cover Letters and Resumes addresses the underemployment problem with best practices in networking and job application materials composition. Networking is valuable because that is how most jobs are found. I will also explain how to compose a “killer” cover letter with a unique and time-tested pedagogical strategy including what needs to be achieved in each paragraph with compelling writing models. A detailed handout is also provided that any instructor can use to teach the cover letter genre, including an excellent source for resume development.