buisness

Impersonal Analysis Assignment

This assignment will help you understand the concept of analysis. Using yourself as a prospect for a job you will write an impersonal analysis as a job prospect but from the perspective of a job coach – someone that you hire to assist you in finding the right job.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Understand the process of impersonal analysis and have the opportunity to articulate it to the audience.

2. Identify what your audience would be looking for in someone for the position for which they are hiring.

3. Assess the expectations of your audience and define a set of tactics for communicating the information in the necessary manner that will allow you to reach the report objective or the outcome you are seeking.

4. Understand the method(s) of developing an impersonal report in alignment with the purpose or need for the report or letter.

5. Exhibit an understanding of the fact that impersonal writing should never be dull.

6. Understand and be able to implement the need for and use of research in even impersonal report writing.

7. Understand and be able to utilize information in order to assist in “telling the story” of the report.

When your diploma is safely tucked away and you are ready to launch your career, you will need to sell yourself.

At the beginning of your systematic job-getting campaign you will need to make a market analysis, such as a sales engineer would make for a manufacturer with a new product to sell. Typically, a market analysis involves a study of 1) the product, 2) the prospective purchasers – “the market” – and 3) the sales strategy. In this case, the “product” is you. Because this product will face sharp competition in the stringent employment market, you will do well to get an accurate perspective on yourself as the potential candidate for employment. What value can you potentially bring to an organization and which skills you possess that may need strengthening.

The method is something more than psychological introspection, or “looking inward;” it is rather that of standing off and looking at yourself as others do – particularly as a prospective employer would do. Perhaps the objective nature will be easier to achieve if we set up an imaginary situation involving a third person as the analyst and report writer. Assume that you are availing yourself of the services of the Intercollegiate Human Resources Clinic, sponsored by the American Association of University Women, and that an experienced and understanding consultant named Mr. Pendergast has let you talk freely for two hours or so and has learned more about you than you know about yourself. The report will be written by this consultant and submitted to you.

PREPARATION ASSIGNMENT: Make sure your reading is caught up.

STEP 1: Develop a clear statement about the job you want. What job do you want after graduation? Do you want a job in marketing, management, accounting, business teaching, sales, manufacturing, etc.? This is not just about the title but also about what sort of tasks you believe a role such as this will require you to accomplish.

STEP 2: Create a list of the skills, knowledge and education that this job will require. Now you are ready to do some research. Next use your favorite search engine search for “role descriptions” for your area of work such as “marketing director.” Read through several of the role descriptions and start creating a list of the skills, knowledge and education that will be required. In this process you will also want to create a list of the language and wording that is being used in the descriptions. This will aid you in writing your analysis document.

STEP 3: Assess your strengths and weaknesses. In the Pendergast role, then, evaluate your characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses as you compete for the exact job that you want when you start your career. Jot down your notes ruthlessly but not deprecatingly – confidence is a vital element in this procedure. As we gain knowledge and skills in our course work for a four-year degree slowly we lose perspective. We fail to remember what we have gained so you may want to go back through the catalogue and look at the descriptions for each of the business courses you have completed. This process will remind you about what you have gained in your education.

STEP 4: Take both lists into consideration. Determine where your skills, knowledge and education meet up with those that you have discovered will be needed for the job you want to gain. Now you have the beginning of your analysis document.

Step 5: Write the impersonal analysis report. Using the information that you gathered you can now complete your analysis document (this is the document you will turn in for credit). As you complete your education you will gain additional skills and talents. If you keep your list of what will be needed and continue to add to your list of skills and knowledge, you will build a document that you can use to write cover letters when you are applying for positions in the field in which you want to work.

NOTE: Use the standard memo format that we discussed in class. Use one inch margins, single-spaced, easy to read font and 10 to 12 point type.

RUBRIC – Part 1:

There to two rubrics for this assignment as it is in two parts. On this page you will find “Rubric – Part 1” and on the following page you will find “Rubric – Part 2” one for each of the “parts” of this assignment.

As students who are far advanced in preparing for your career it becomes critical that you write using good grammar and that you not only check the spelling but that your documents are free of typos.

Assignments that do not meet the “threshold requirements” listed below will receive no more than a “C” grade:

1. The document has a cover page that contains the required information: name, date, class with section number and title of the assignment. This is “Part 1 of the Mid-Term.”

2. The report has clearly been edited for grammar, spelling and does not have any typos.

3. The report meets the mechanical requirements spacing, margins etc. and is formatted in the required form.

4. The document is complete and contains both an outline and a research plan.

5. This rubric is attached to the back of the paper.

This document is worth 40 points total and will be graded on the following criteria:

Points
17	The document has a clear outline that is in the proper order (direct or indirect).
5	The document contains a footnote explaining (in report writing terms) why either the direct or indirect order was used. The footnote provides evidence that the order is well thought out and well planned.
18	The document contains a clear research plan that leaves nothing out and does not make the reader “fill-in the blanks.” The reader is not required to determine what might be missing. It is through and well developed providing evidence that the research process has been considered.

RUBRIC – Part 2:

Assignments that do not meet the “threshold requirements” listed below will receive no more than a “C” grade:

1. The report has a cover page that contains the required information: name, date, class with section number and title of the assignment.

2. The report has clearly been edited for grammar, spelling and does not have any typos.

3. The report meets the mechanical requirements spacing, margins etc. is formatted in memorandum form and has a signature. HINT: that of Mr. Pendergast

4. The report contains a company logo.

5. This rubric is attached to the back of the report.

The impersonal analysis report is worth 60 points total and will be graded on the following criteria:

Points
10	Direction and Strategy – the report exhibits a clear well thought out process that includes evidence that the audience has been considered. Orientation to Business Reports: Chapter 1
10	Making the Information Meaningful – the success of our report writing is judged by how much our evaluations (of our research) and the findings are used. We have to make the connections for our readers in a way that is clear and succinct. The purpose of our report writing is to speed up learning and knowledge for our readers by communicating what might be overlooked or erroneously perceived. As report writers we are educators. Our success as report writers is judged by how well we tell the communication story. Our “telling” of the story comes from the insights we have gained in our research process and how well we assimilate our findings and present those findings to our readers. Techniques of Readable Writing: Chapter 2 and Qualities of Effective Report Writing: Chapter 3
10	Diversity – this report exhibits language that is non-judgmental and accepting and shows the writer’s ability to relate to a broad range of people from different backgrounds; considering the ideas and world views of people with different perspectives. Techniques of Cross-Cultural Communication: Chapter 4
10	Well organized information – this report is well organized and contains primary research results that have been classified, edited, and tabulated prior to their application in the “report story.” The research advances the report story and does not detract from it. The report provides clear evidence that logic is used to determine which results are grouped with each part of the story – providing clarity and evidence that significant thought to the facts and report parts has been considered. Organizing Information and Constructing the Outline: Chapter 8
10	Organization – The organization of the collected research provides for the next logical step which is to develop the outline. The outline is built around the objective of the investigation and the findings. The findings present a clear and meaningful order which is apparent in this report indicating that an outline was used in the writing process. Organizing Information and Constructing the Outline: Chapter 8
10	Deriving logical meaning from information: this report reflects the analytical skills and ability of the report writer to be objective in interpreting the information that tells the “report story.” Such analysis begins with the report problem statement and continues throughout the report preparation. Interpreting Information Chapter 9

Report Correction Guide – Impersonal Analysis Report

Any number marked on your report correlates to the following error/correction

A. Format Errors 1. Wrong format (s/b letter) 2. Inappropriate subject (not clear; too vague) 3. Need initials next to name 4. Need business letterhead 5. Wrong block style letter 6. Wrong modified block style letter 7. Need signature block and/or signature 8. Need salutation 9. Improper date format 10. Need header on second page or inappropriate header format 11. Wrong heading format (see study notes p. 18) B. Report Structure, Transition & Structural Aid Problems 12. Need preview sentence 13. Poor report structure 14. Poor heading (too general or awkward) 15. Need parallel phrase/heading construction 16. Awkward topic sentence. Need better setup. 17. Awkward or abrupt transition. Relationship not clear. Need transition word(s) or sentence 18. Incomplete thought 19. Need better summary and/or conclusion 20. Need more concrete recommendation (implementation) 21. Need closing (goodwill and contact information) C. Wording and Sentence Construction Errors 22. Do not use case wording 23. Incorrect word selection: inappropriate, too abstract, cliché or not in proper context 24. Awkward or confusing wording/unclear meaning 25. Redundant or wordy wording 26. Same verb/adjective/adverb in same or adjacent sentences 27. Excessive passive voice

D. Improper Writing Style 28. Too colloquial (improper business report style) 29. Improper tone 30. In the report Mr. Pendergast is speaking directly to the reader not about him/her E. Grammar Errors 31. Run-on sentence and/or need to make into a separate sentence 32. Incomplete sentence 33. Dangling modifier 34. Incorrect or non use of a pronoun or lack of an antecedent 35. Possessive confusion 36. Tense confusion/inconsistency 37. Plural/singular confusion 38. Incorrect spelling 39. Capitalization error 40. Punctuation error 41. Improper use of numbers in text (See text p. 320) F. Information Interpretation & Presentation Errors 42. Illogical phrase or sentence 43. Contradictory statements 44. Faulty causal inference/logic 45. Basis of comparison not clear or absent 46. Misinterpretation of case information 47. Too vague: be specific (give specific date, task information; explain problems and solutions in detail) G. Graphic Aids Errors 48. Missing logo