Why You, Why Me, Why Now

"Getting a job means successfully navigating the application process, and today that requires the right mindset--and the skills to convey it to a potential employer. You need to focus on the organization's needs, not your own, often a challenge for recent and soon-to-be college graduates. In this book, writing professor Rachel Toor shows you how to identify those needs, decide whether you are a good match for a job, and then tell a clear, concise, and authentic story about yourself through your cover letter, resumâe, and interviews. Full of insights from hiring managers and career professionals in a wide range of fields, the book reveals the traits employers are looking for and how they--and their AI bots--evaluate application materials. Instead of templates and timelines, it offers advice on how to present yourself professionally, from cover letter salutation to post-interview thank-you note. It also includes practical tips on such matters as understanding LinkedIn, preparing for Zoom interviews, and selecting appropriate references. And throughout it features Toor's tips on good writing, from choosing the right words to get past the bots and make the most of limited space to using classic storytelling techniques to explain what you can contribute to an organization. Encouraging, funny, and blunt, this is a job-search guide like no other"--