project 5
Project 5: Applying for that job
ENGL 2311 -- Prof. Winter
Table of Content
Assignment
Assignment – Job Description & Evaluation
Assignment – Resume
Assignment – Cover Letter
Assignment – Linked In Page
Assignment – Business Card
Learning Outcomes
Evaluation Criteria
Assignment
Application documents
Assignment: Find an internship, entry-level position right out of college, or a position you hope to hold after completing your degree. Evaluate the job description and create application materials. Also create a Linked In page and a business card you can use for networking purposes while you are still in or just out of college.
Audience: Write to the person or persons (e.g. HR, hiring manager, hiring committee members) who will review your application documents.
Documents to be submitted:
Description of position you are applying to
Evaluation worksheet
Resume
Cover letter
Student or networking business card (front and back)
Assignment – Job Description & Evaluation
To get started on Project 5, find a position related to your major you would want to apply for, either while still in college or immediately after completing your degree. Typical positions are:
Internship opportunities
Entry-level positions in your field
Advancement opportunity the field you are already working on that requires the degree you are seeking.
Once you have decided on a position, copy and paste it into a word document, and analyze the document for the following information (click on icons to the left for desired file format):
Who is hiring where (if available)?
Who will likely be reading my application?
What are the qualifications they are looking for?
How do my professional experience and education meet those qualifications?
Popular Job Search Sites:
Indeed: Career Builder:
Glassdoor: Google Careers:
Linked In: Monster:
This is by no means a complete list, and there might be sites for specific fields you might want to look at.
glassdoor
MONSTER
Assignment – Resume
Remember that many companies use software to screen resumes for specific key terms, so be sure to use the ones they seemed to focus on. Use the completed analysis worksheet to make sure you use the right terms and position yourself for the vacancy and tweak your resume for different applications if needed.
Select a type of resume (chronological or functional) and follow its content and formatting conventions.
Word and other sites provide great templates. Select one that is appropriate for the field you are looking at.
Be sure to include information relevant to the position you selected.
Check for grammar, uniformity in sentence structure and style, spelling, punctuation, etc.
Assignment – Cover Letter
The cover letter provides you with an opportunity to show how you meet the potential employer’s needs. Look at the analysis worksheet and link as much of your experiences and education to their needs. One of the problems finding an entry-level job is that everybody wants experience, but nobody wants to provide those opportunities. It is okay to say you did something similar/equivalent in an internship, during volunteer work, or as part of a college course.
Again, check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and be sure you list the correct employer. Don’t use one letter for all application, but tailor each to the needs of the employer or position.
Assignment – LinkedIn page
LinkedIn is a social media platform used to connect with people professionally. You can also find colleges, universities, and job vacancies here, along with articles and much more. For this assignment, you want to create a personal profile and add what information you can. You want to submit a PDF file of your page in eCampus. Here are a few ideas for information to add:
| At a minimum | Other suggestions |
| Your name & contact info (avoid vanity email addresses) | Volunteer Experience & Causes |
| Headline – Your title or a very brief description of your strengths | Organizations – clubs at school or outside |
| Statement describing yourself – you want to focus on your strengths and goals here. | Honors & Awards |
| Education | Courses – list the classes here that show off the skills and expertise you are most excited about |
| Experience | Projects – talk about school or personal projects you worked on. |
| Skills & Expertise | Recommendations – ask a manager, teacher, professor or classmate who’ve worked with you closely to write a recommendation to add credibility to your strengths and skills. |
| Other things like achievements, other languages you speak, published articles, etc. |
Assignment – Business Card
Even while you are still in college, there will be opportunities to network with professionals. Having a personal business card you can leave with somebody can give you that foot in the door needed to get hired. Below are a few links detailing what should be on this student/networking business card:
https://advice.milkround.com/top-tips-on-designing-and-effective-student-business-card
https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/what-college-students-should-have-on-business-cards
https://www.wayup.com/guide/stand-out-with-student-business-cards/
https://www.findspark.com/business-cards-recent-grads/
https://www.internqueen.com/how-make-savvy-student-business-cards
If you already have a personal business card, see if you can make it even better. Also remember some of the design principles from Chapter 6.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this assignment, you should be able to create an effective resume, cover letter, and have a personal student business card you can use.
Evaluation Criteria
Your submission will be graded as follows:
Finding a position to apply for (0 points)
Vacancy Evaluation (15 points)
Resume (40 points):
Formatting & organization – the resume’s format is used correctly (10 points)
Wording – the letter uses concise language and a cohesive style, and adheres to common grammar and punctuation conventions (15 possible points)
Content – the resume correlates to the job description and uses important key terms (15 possible points)
Cover Letter (30 points):
Formatting & organization – the resume’s format is used correctly (10 points)
Wording – the letter uses concise language and a cohesive style, and adheres to common grammar and punctuation conventions (10 possible points)
Content – the resume correlates to the job description and uses important key terms (10 possible points)
Personal Student Business Card (15 points):
Format – size
Content – information and functionality
Design – readability, audience-appropriateness, overall appeal