MGMT2100 Chap.3 Job Applications: Fit, Resumes and Cover Letters
Job Applications: Fit, Resumes and Cover Letters
A job application is the first formal business communication between you and an employer, and both sides read it for cues of fit. This chapter explains person-job fit and person-organisation fit, Schneider's attraction-selection-attrition framework and the outcomes linked to fit, then turns to the documents.
It covers what a resume is for, how it differs from a CV, length evidence from a study of Big Four recruiters, the parts and formatting rules, and the tutorial's ladder from a good to an excellent entry. It finishes with the cover letter as persuasion through the AIDA formula and the STAR model for selection criteria.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Person-job fit and person-organisation fit
- 02
Attraction-selection-attrition and the outcomes of fit
- 03
Resumes versus curricula vitae
- 04
Resume parts, order, length and format
- 05
Quantified achievements and power words
- 06
Cover letters and the AIDA formula
- 07
STAR answers to selection criteria
Worked example · free
Plan a cover letter paragraph by paragraph with AIDA
- 1Attention: name the role and reference number and open with the specific reason this credit union's community lending program draws you, which signals person-organisation fit.
- 1Interest: show what is in it for the employer by linking your client-facing work, for example two years explaining products at a bank branch, to the advertised requirement.
- 1Desire: give one quantified achievement, such as resolving enquiries at a high satisfaction rate, to make the reader want to interview you, which demonstrates person-job fit.
- 1Action: close politely by stating the next step you seek, an interview, and how you can be contacted.
Key terms
- Attraction-selection-attrition
- Schneider's framework in which organisations attract and select people who fit, while those who do not fit tend to leave.
- Resume
- A document tailored to a job that sets out your qualifications, experience and achievements in full.
- Curriculum vitae
- A usually longer, chronological record of a career, common in academic, scientific, medical and research roles.
- AIDA formula
- A persuasive writing sequence of attention, interest, desire and action, used for letters and emails.
- Integrated Leadership System
- The Australian Public Service guide to the capabilities expected at each level, whose language applicants should use.
- Selection criteria
- The stated requirements of a role that applicants address with evidence, often using the STAR structure.
Job Applications: Fit, Resumes and Cover Letters FAQ
How long should my resume be?
The lecture cites a study in which Big Four recruiters rated similarly qualified graduates with two-page resumes more favourably than those with one page, and advises keeping a resume within three pages. The tutorial checklist treats two to three pages as appropriate, while a cover letter should fit on one page.
Should education or experience come first?
The Week 3 tutorial advises putting education first if you have no industry experience for the job, and starting with work experience if you have substantial experience. Whichever comes first, list the entries in each section newest first, in reverse chronological order.
What turns a good resume entry into a very good one?
A good entry simply states what you did. A very good entry adds specific responsibilities, quantified achievements and the skills applied, tied to the job requirements. Use active power words, keep verb tenses consistent, and substantiate claims with outcomes or awards rather than saying your work was well received.
What is person-organisation fit, and how do I show it?
It is the congruence between your values and the organisation's values, as Chatman defined it. Show it by connecting a specific value, program or commitment of the organisation to concrete evidence from your own record, rather than offering generic praise of the company.
What must a cover letter include?
The tutorial checklist expects an expression of interest naming the specific job, information about you that matches the role, interest in the organisation, and where and how you can be reached. It should be one page, use the job advertisement's keywords and end with a polite call to action.
Exam move
Memorise the two fit definitions with their authors and the outcomes linked to fit, because they let you analyse any recruitment or retention case. Then practise the documents. Take three lines from your own resume and climb the ladder from good to very good by adding scale, responsibility and a result. Write one selection-criterion answer in STAR order and check that the result links back to the job.
Draft a cover letter plan in four AIDA paragraphs for a real advertisement, highlighting the job ad's keywords. For exam purposes, be ready to explain why fit cuts both ways: it improves satisfaction and retention, but selecting only for similarity can narrow a workforce.
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