Preface Connect to Your Career is more than a text about how to get a job it is a technology-driven 21st century reflection of how adults find and cultivate careers. Finding a job you enjoy is a long process, one that is outlined in this text. The job-search process begins with writing a plan that will build a foundation on which your professional reputation will rest. Next, you will draft employment documents that will attract attention from employers and position you as an outstanding candidate. Then, you will sort through numerous job postings to weed out scams and occupations for which you are not qualified. Finally, after some effort, you will be prepared to apply for jobs that you will enjoy, make you feel fulfilled, and are in line with your career plans. To facilitate your understanding of the job-search process, Connect to Your Career was designed with one overriding goal in mind: to help you understand how to use technology, such as social media, job-search web- sites, and digital devices, to connect to a career. Technology will be an essential part of your career search, so it is important to know how to leverage it to help you find the career of your dreams. Upon completing this text, you will able to • identify your skills, talents, and career strengths to develop a career plan • practice job-specific and soft skills required by employers • learn how to brand yourself as a professional in the workplace • build, protect, and maintain a professional online presence that will lead to employment • develop professional networks to assist you in the job-search process • learn how to protect your identity and personal information while searching and applying for jobs online • create résumés that highlight your strengths and present you as a qualified job applicant • create cover letters that convince employers to grant you interviews • apply for jobs online and in-person and manage the job-search process • prepare for various types of job interviews, including virtual interviews • understand how to behave professionally while participating in a job interview • use post-interview techniques to help keep the job-search process in perspective • develop an understanding of what employers expect so you can be successful at your new job and • learn what it means to be a professional and connect to your career. Your new career will come first from planning and then acting. Appreciate the time that it takes to secure your future employment and enjoy the journey of creating new professional connections, sharing your insights on social media, and gathering professional followers. It is time for you to Connect to Your Career! About the Authors Suzann Connell is a corporate consultant teaching data visualization, robotic processing automation, and data cleansing. As a consultant, she travels the country, taking five to ten new contracts each year and living the principles compiled in this text for each new consultation. Her roles include instructional design, train- ing, onboarding new employees, and curriculum design for a variety of organizations, including financial firms and hospitals. In addition, she teaches career-development techniques, professional communication, and academic writing courses for the University of Phoenix. Suzann holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a master degree in Educational Technology from Pepperdine University. She also holds a PhD in nutrition counseling. Julie Jaehne has been an adjunct faculty member for 21 years at the University of Houston in the College of Education. Via distance learning, she has taught instructional technology courses and teacher certification courses. Julie also has extensive experience with the use of technology with kindergarten through 12th grade instruction. She is a published author of multiple computer application textbooks and tutorials. In addition, Julie is a Career Education consultant and adviser for community workplace initiatives. Julie holds a bachelor degree in business administration from Baylor University and a master degree in education with a concentra- tion in occupational education from the University of Houston. iii