NOMATTERHOWSKILLED students may be, those skills will not lead to a job if potential employers do not know the applicant has them (Crosby, 1999). Job seekers?using a strategy of age-old rhetoric-
must provide concrete, retailed support to demonstrate the skills they possess (Lovelace, 2001; Moody, Stewart, & Bolt-Lee, 2002). Because many recruiters feel that the best predictor of future performance is past performance, students seeking jobs must clearly demonstrate their skills and experiences, showing how the skills they possess meet the needs of the organization (Canter, 1998).
So how can students identify skills they have and demonstrate the accomplishments they claim? If students declare certain achievements, they must prove what they assert. Because companies hire people who clearly demonstrate their achievements, students must provide concrete, specific examples to give needed support (Daywait, 2002). This article provides a strategy to help students seeking jobs identify skills and articulate them in proof statements that are supported by detailed examples. Such achievement statements can be used in job letters as well as in interviews. Effective proof statements show rather than just tell potential employers of job seekers' qualifications. |