Chapter 1 Careers in Industrial Maintenance 9 a position at a larger international company specializ- ing in plastic injection molding machines and tooling. Jake’s territory is the central United States and includes 15 states. He travels to customers’ locations and performs troubleshooting and repair on the company’s machines. Th is work involves all aspects of industrial maintenance: automation, mechanical, fl uid power, electrical, and electronic. Jake’s workweek varies depending on callouts and can range from a minimal number of hours to as many as 60 hours a week. He earns more than $70,000 per year as a base salary, and his annual income can be near $100,000 if he works a good amount of overtime. Case Study #2: Steve Steve worked as a carpenter and cabinetmaker. While maintaining his full-time work schedule, he began tak- ing courses in an HVACR program at a community college. During his courses, he found that he enjoyed his industrial maintenance courses as well. After a busy few years, Steve received certifi cates in both Industrial Maintenance and HVACR. Earning these two certifi - cates made Steve an attractive candidate for positions. He accepted an off er to work as a maintenance mechanic at a large food manufacturing company. In three years, Steve was earning nearly $30 per hour ($62,400 per year). While overtime is not required, Steve usually works 60–70 hours a week, which results in him earning a six-fi gure income for the year. Steve has also achieved certifi cation for ammonia refrigeration and waste water operations. By complet- ing this additional training, Steve gained skills that were valuable to the company, and his salary was increased. In a typical day, Steve checks on operations of the fac- tory’s steam and refrigeration plants, performs planned maintenance, and completes specifi c projects involving troubleshooting and repairing process control sensors. Initially intending to stay in a residential fi eld involving carpentry or HVAC, Steve’s $12,000 investment in his education has proved very valuable toward getting into the industrial fi eld. 1.4 APPLYING FOR A POSITION When you are ready to apply for employment, you will need to know the appropriate steps to take. Having a well-prepared résumé is an important fi rst step. Knowing how to write an acceptable letter of application, also called a cover letter, is another goal. You will also need to put together a list of references—people you can trust and who know you to be a reliable person. Finally, you will want to practice your interviewing techniques. 1.4.1 Your Résumé A résumé is a brief outline of your education, work expe- rience, and other qualifi cations for work. A well-written résumé can help you get an interview. You will need to include several sections on your résumé. An example of a résumé appears in Figure 1-8. Make sure that your résumé is precise and without errors. It is more likely that an employer will request that a résumé be sent as an attachment via e-mail (usually as a word-processing document or pdf fi le) or be uploaded during the application process on the employer’s web- site. You can also post an electronic résumé to a num- ber of online job-search sites. Employers may use the electronic fi le to search for key terms that match their descriptions of an ideal job candidate. Keep this in mind while compiling your résumé. Along with the résumé, you need to develop a list of references. A reference is an individual who will pro- vide important information about you to a prospective employer. A reference can be a teacher, school offi cial, previous supervisor or coworker, or any other adult out- side your family who knows you well. You will need at least three references. Always get per- mission from each person to use his or her name as a refer- ence before actually doing so. Your list of references, along with their titles, phone numbers, and addresses, should be kept private. Share this list only with an employer who has interviewed you and asks for your references. 1.4.2 Letter of Application / Cover Letter Th e letter of application, or cover letter, is often the fi rst contact you have with a potential employer. It can make a lasting impression. It should be neat and follow a standard form for business letters. You will likely be asked to upload or post the letter along with your résumé. As with your résumé, use a standard font to give the letter a professional look. You should use the same font for both documents. Be sure to check spelling and punctuation. Have several people read the letter and off er advice for improving it. A sample letter of application appears in Figure 1-9. It is a good example to refer to when responding to a job ad. Your letter should be brief and to the point. It should include the following items: ■ Title of the job you seek. ■ Where you heard about the job. ■ Your strengths, skills, and abilities that might apply to the job. ■ Reasons you should be considered for the job. ■ Request for an interview. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.