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Activity: Career Search - Job Posting Analysis for Cover Letter & Resume

Site: RRU Open Educational Resources
Course: Career Management Resources for Professionals
Book: Activity: Career Search - Job Posting Analysis for Cover Letter & Resume
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Sunday, 19 May 2024, 12:51 AM

Table of contents

Job Posting Analysis

Part 1

This activity has two parts. First, you will analyze an example job posting, explore how skills can be identified, and see how a T-chart can be used to assess how your own skills might be applicable for the posting.

  1. Review the sample job posting.
  2. Review the example of technical and transferable skills identified from the job posting.
  3. Read the statements pertaining to identifying technical and transferable skills.
  4. Review the T-Chart example.
  5. Read: Address the Gaps.
  6. Review the cover letter and resume examples.

Part 2

For the second part of this activity, you will put what you've learned above to work!

  1. Find a job posting of interest to you.
  2. Identify the technical and transferable skills in the job posting.
  3. On the T-Chart: list the identified skills from the posting on the left-hand side.
  4. Compare, evaluate, and list your skills and experience on the right-hand side of the T-Chart as related to applicable to the required skills that you listed on the left.
  5. Compose a cover letter and resume for this posting.

Once you have completed all of the steps and activities in this worksheet and still feel challenged, reach out to a Career Advisor for feedback in Career Services via LibCal.

1. Example Job Posting

Design Researcher

Idea Couture, a Cognizant Digital Business Cognizant Interactive. This is an exciting time for design research at Idea Couture. As our practice continues to grow, we need someone who is knowledgeable in all things UX but is passionate about User Research.

We’re looking for a Design Researcher who understands the nuances involved in conducting user research. At times, your presence in the field will have you translate findings and information into meaningful insights. You will build and implement experimental designs across a variety of product development studies ranging from early stage concept development and assessment through usability testing. We offer a creative, multi-disciplinary environment where you will be driving these activities.

What you'll be pursuing:

  • Partner with team members and our clients to galvanize a perspective about what research is the right research to conduct.
  • Lead and execute complex multi-stream research design projects for products and experiences independently and as part of a team.
  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior through lab studies, field visits, ethnography, surveys, benchmark studies, and online experiments (e.g. A/B testing).
  • Work with Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other UX and Design Researchers to prioritize research opportunities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  • Understand and incorporate complex technical, business, and strategic requirements into research.
  • Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written reports and in-person presentations.
  • Contribute to the evolution of design research theory and practice across the organization

Minimum Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree in Anthropology, Human Factors, Psychology, HCI/Computer Science or other related fields or equivalent practical experience.
  • 4 years of work experience conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology.
  • Experience with defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies (e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com).
  • Experience conducting semi-structured interviews, stakeholder and user workshops, and contextual field visits in one-on-one and group settings.
  • Ability to synthesize and rationalize secondary and primary research findings into actionable insights and recommendations to inform design solutions
  • Polished presentation and facilitation skills within a cross-functional, interdisciplinary environment

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline.
  • Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices.
  • Experience with research for service design
  • Experience in survey design and analysis. Working knowledge of statistics and experimental design.
  • Deep understanding of the strengths and shortcomings of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during the product development process

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, inspires thought leadership, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to create meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

If you’re comfortable with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you.

2. Example of technical and transferable skills identified from the job posting

In this example, we've colour-coded the list of the different types of skills to found in the job posting on the left:

Design Researcher

Idea Couture, a Cognizant Digital Business Cognizant Interactive. This is an exciting time for design research at Idea Couture. As our practice continues to grow, we need someone who is knowledgeable in all things UX but is passionate about User Research.

We’re looking for a Design Researcher who understands the nuances involved in conducting user research. At times, your presence in the field will have you translate findings and information into meaningful insights. You will build and implement experimental designs across a variety of product development studies ranging from early stage concept development and assessment through usability testing. We offer a creative, multi-disciplinary environment where you will be driving these activities.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Conducting user research
  • Translate findings and information into meaningful insights
  • Build and implement experimental designs

CORPORATE CULTURE

  • Creative, multi-disciplinary environment

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Leadership

What you'll be pursuing:

  • Partner with team members and our clients to galvanize a perspective about what research is the right research to conduct.
  • Lead and execute complex multi-stream research design projects for products and experiences independently and as part of a team.
  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior through lab studies, field visits, ethnography, surveys, benchmark studies, and online experiments (e.g. A/B testing).
  • Work with Designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and other UX and Design Researchers to prioritize research opportunities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  • Understand and incorporate complex technical, business, and strategic requirements into research.
  • Advocate research findings to diverse audiences through written reports and in-person presentations.
  • Contribute to the evolution of design research theory and practice across the organization

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Leadership, independent, team player, project management (time management, organization, communication)

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • Collect, analyze and synthesize user behavior

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Collaboration, communication, work under pressure

Minimum Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree in Anthropology, Human Factors, Psychology, HCI/Computer Science or other related fields or equivalent practical experience.
  • 4 years of work experience conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology.
  • Experience with defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies (e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com).
  • Experience conducting semi-structured interviews, stakeholder and user workshops, and contextual field visits in one-on-one and group settings.
  • Ability to synthesize and rationalize secondary and primary research findings into actionable insights and recommendations to inform design solutions
  • Polished presentation and facilitation skills within a cross-functional, interdisciplinary environment

TRANSFERABLE/DIGITAL SKILLS

  • e.g. A/B testing
  • e.g. Userzoom or Usertesting.com

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • BA/BS degree
  • Conducting research, with expertise in formative and summative methodology
  • Defining usability performance metrics and conducting live or remote usability studies

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline.
  • Experience integrating user research into product designs and design practices.
  • Experience with research for service design
  • Experience in survey design and analysis. Working knowledge of statistics and experimental design.
  • Deep understanding of the strengths and shortcomings of different research methods, including when and how to apply them during the product development process

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Preferred Qualifications (aka "Bonus Points")

  • Master's degree or PhD in a related discipline
  • Integrating user research into product designs and design practices

Our strength is built on our ability to work together. Our diverse backgrounds offer different perspectives and new ways of thinking. It encourages lively discussions, inspires thought leadership, and helps us build better solutions for our clients. We want someone who thrives in this setting and is inspired to create meaningful solutions through true collaboration.

  • If you’re comfortable with ambiguity, excited by change, and excel through autonomy, we’d love to hear from you.

CORPORATE CULTURE

  • Diverse team (could be cultural, age, gender &/or disciplines)

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

  • Open-minded, communication, leadership, innovative thinking, problem solving, collaborate, flexible, adaptable, can work independently

3. Review the T-Chart Example

Review the interactive T-Chart image below.

You can also Download a PDF copy of this resource, if you prefer.

4. Review: Address the Gaps.

Everyone has knowledge, skills, and/or experience gaps!

Conducting a T-Chart comparison with the employer's requirements to your knowledge, skills, and experience will likely show gaps. No one will be 100% qualified!

Here are a few pointers to address shortfalls.

Do not draw attention to your gaps within your cover letter or resume, or in an interview—unless you are specifically asked about it. Then you can state in the interview (if this is true for you) your plan with action steps that include how and when you will develop the skill(s), e.g., registering for a course, experiential learning experience such as volunteering, or in-house professional development at work.

Another instance that could arise is, you do not have experience with the software program the company uses. In the interview you can state that you are competent with "X" software program that is similar to the one they use and you are confident that you can learn the program quickly.

We have suggested using the terms/language from the posting and from the company’s website. Weave in these keywords throughout your cover letter and resume, and emphasize your transferable skills. This creates rapport because it shows that you are ‘listening’ to the employer. Furthermore, employers are commonly open to providing on-the-job training, whereas they are not open, nor inclined to teach and train transferable skills, e.g., communication, creative problem-solving, or collaboration skills.

5. Review the cover letter and resume example

Click the image below to download and review this sample cover letter and resume. How does it relate to what has been discussed in this unit?

Click this image to download the sample resume and cover letter

Part 2: Conduct Your Own Job Posting Analysis

Now that you've seen a job posting analysis example on the previous pages, it's time to try doing your own! Follow the same steps we demonstrated in our example:

Tip: Click exit book below to go back to the main page, or take this shortcut to move directly to the next activity in the module.