Rhetoric and the Job Search

Employment materials are some of the most important and challenging pieces of writing you will ever undertake. This chapter aims to ease your mind and demystify the job application process by giving you some core principles. With these principles, you can create a job package that will make you a more desirable candidate to potential employers. Many strategies remain the same, whether you are applying to be an administrative assistant, an engineer, a web developer, or a diesel technician.  As you read through this chapter, keep the following principles in mind:

• The more customized your materials are, the more successful they will be—generic materials are unlikely to capture an employer’s attention.
• Your materials should not demonstrate why this job would benefit you. Instead, they should show how you, as a unique candidate, can help your potential employer.
• Your materials should not simply list every job you’ve ever held, but instead emphasize transferable skills, arguing how your accomplishments prepare you for the job you are applying for.

Tailoring your materials to a specific audience is to work smarter rather than harder. Tailoring is one of the core principles of technical writing. Imagine yourself in the position of a hiring manager.  Would you be more likely to hire a candidate whose generic résumé appears to have been sent to dozens of similar employers? Or would you be more likely to hire a candidate who has researched your business and understands what the job entails? The answer is pretty obvious. Applying for a job is an excellent opportunity to practice your developing rhetorical communication skills!

Applying the Rhetorical Situation to Job Applications

Applying the theories above will set you on a strong path when applying for jobs. We now want to focus on the theory of Lloyd Bitzer, the author of “The Rhetorical Situation.” This article provides a foundational theory for this textbook. Recall the three rhetorical elements he discusses:

• rhetorical exigence
• rhetorical audience
• rhetorical constraints

Let’s look at all three of these theories in the context of a job search.

Rhetorical Exigence

What is your rhetorical exigence as you begin your job search? You may think you want a job to make money, develop skills, and get experience. While these needs are understandably important to you, employers seldom hire you to solve your problems or fulfill your needs. Think of it this way: why did the employer post the job in the first place? What problem prompted the job to be posted? The employer needs someone with the skills and qualities to do the job. They want someone who can get along with people and is reliable. This means that the more you can show in your application materials that you are the solution to the employer’s rhetorical exigencies, the more successful you will be.

Rhetorical Audience

Who is the rhetorical audience for the job posting? This is pretty obvious: it’s the employer! The more you know about the employer, the more carefully you can put your job package together. Thus, you should begin your research before writing your cover letter and résumé, and especially before attending your interview. How do you begin your research? Google the employer. Check out any local news stories about recent projects or company developments. Read the company’s mission statement and learn about any projects they are currently working on. This will give you a sense of how the company sees itself and what is important to them. This process may seem time-consuming, but it’s essential to do it because it demonstrates your care and concern for these matters. If you show that your mission and goals align with the employer’s, they will likely call you for an interview. Use this information to make your job application materials more audience-centered.

Rhetorical Constraints

You may run into some constraints as you create your job package. Here are just a few to consider:

The Employers’ Needs

A job posting typically outlines the various qualities an employer seeks in a candidate. It is crucial, then, that you are selective in the information that you include in your cover letter and résumé. Go through the job posting and pick out keywords to put in your cover letter and the front page of your résumé. Whether your job application package is viewed first by a person or a computer tracking system, both will look for those keywords to ensure you meet the company’s needs. Ultimately, your application package may not be looked at in isolation. Instead, it may be part of a stack of other viable candidates. At the early stage of the hiring process, employers actively seek reasons to remove your application and not consider it. This is why it is essential to make your job package materials audience-centered by tailoring them to the employer’s needs.

Format

The length of your documents constrains you. You don’t have ten pages to tell an employer why you’re great for a position. A cover letter and résumé that are too long will go straight into the recycling bin because they show you cannot be concise. Instead, aim for a 1-page cover letter and a 2-page résumé. Additionally, the look of both documents is essential. If they don’t have good visual appeal, both papers will be set aside immediately. Therefore, consider white space, bolding, indentation, and horizontal design features, among others. Your documents must be visually compelling and engaging, inviting the audience to take a closer look. In the following chapters, we will examine examples of various formats.

Truth

You want to show yourself in the best light, but must also tell the truth. If a résumé or cover letter suggests a lie, it will immediately be thrown out. This means you need to consider what is relevant and most recent and include that information on your résumé. Keep in mind Booth’s discussion of rhetorical corruptions, particularly the Advertiser's Stance. You will want to avoid sacrificing the logos of your message as you put together your application materials.

Reading the Job Ad

Job advertisements provide a wealth of information about what is vital to a company. It is easy to immediately skip to the skills section and not consider the rest of the posting. Instead, take the time to read the entire job ad carefully to identify keywords that highlight the skills, qualities, and values most important to the company. Let’s look at an example. Below is an organizational profile for Nutrien Ag Services. Organizational profiles are typically located at the top of job postings and are excellent places to search for relevant keywords. This profile was found in a job posting for an internship position targeting students and new graduates. See if you can identify at least 3-4 keywords. Keep in mind that there are many more than that in the profile.

You probably noticed that there is a fair amount of information that is not relevant to our purposes. That’s okay, though; as long as you can find at least a few keywords that you can use to make your job application package more audience-centered, you’ll be in a good position. Here is a list of keywords that you could potentially use for this job posting:

• safety
• integrity
• trust
• helping growers
• customized services
• precision
• diverse views
• collaborative
• reliable
• innovative
• inclusive

That’s a lot! Don’t worry, though. You don’t have to include all of those keywords in your job package. Instead, pick at least 3-4 that apply to you and your experience, and include those in your materials.

Ultimately, you will be more successful in your job application if you share the company’s values and possess the same skills and qualities.