For this course project, you will write and design a rsum and a letter of application. You will produce these documents as application materials for an actual workplace job or an internship for which you are now qualified, or one for which you will be qualified in the near future (ie: immediately after you graduate).
Remember, to write an effective rsum and letter of application, you must be qualified for the position you seek. No one succeeds in applying for a job for which they do not have the required qualifications.
Your job packet will include three documents:
a cover memo to your instructor
a letter of application
a rsum
To complete this project successfully, you will need to meet the general requirements for the packet and the specific requirements for the cover memo, the letter of application, and the rsum. These general and specific document requirements are outlined in the following sections, as well as a list of the grading criteria against which your job packet will be evaluated.
NOTE: The letter of application is submitted to the employer in front of the rsum; consequently, it is discussed below before the rsum. However, you may find it easier to fully develop the descriptive information for the rsum first. Then, you can analyze what that information means for the specific job in the application letter.
General Requirements
The general requirements of the job packet are as follows:
Select a job or internship description to use as a target for your rsum and letter of application in the job packet. Choose a position that matches your current or near-future qualifications. Look for a job / internship description that includes detailed information about the position and the qualifications sought, as well as information about the employer. See if the employer has a website so that you can find out more about the employers likely interests and preferences in job/internship candidates.
NOTE: If you are not yet qualified for a job in your profession, you can use the job description to apply for an internship related to that job.
Cover Memo
Write a cover memo to your instructor (me) in which you supply a detailed description of the position for which you are applying. Include a complete citation of the source of information for the job or internship announcement (if possiblenon solicited applications will not have a posting) and a detailed list of the qualifications required for the position. Inform me of how you highlighted your own qualifications to the prospective employer in the job packet documents, as well as how you developed, drafted, and revised all of the documents to respond to the specific rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, and context).The specific requirements for the cover memo are as follows:
State the purpose of the memo.
Identify the job you have targeted in your letter of application and rsum and, if possible, provide the URL or source where you located the job or internship description.
Provide a complete list of qualifications required for the position.
Include a brief description of the organization posting the job / internship. Be sure to identify information that influenced how you developed the content of your documents. DO NOT SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE THIS INFORMATION FROM THE WEBSITE. Paraphrase and interpret the information for yourself to demonstrate your understanding of the information.
Analyze the rhetorical strategies you used to develop a rsum and letter of application that were appropriate for the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, and contextie: the position description and organization, etc.). In your discussion, provide references to specific elements in your rsum and letter of application.
NOTE: Remember to include any instances where you break with traditional conventions in genre, protocol, etc. You will need to justify these choices to me before I can grade the assignment.
Format the memo in a Word file. Use standard memo identification lines for the first page, and on subsequent pages, include a page number. (Do not manually enter; use the header or footer feature of Word).
Use descriptive headings to indicate the content of the major sections and to make sections easy to distinguish and locate.
Usual Length: 1 – 2 pages
Letter of Application
Write a letter of application that analyzes how your experiences, credentials, and accomplishments make you qualified for this particular position within this specific organization. Your letter of application should meet the following minimum requirements:
Use an appropriate letter format (block or modified blockreview page 366 of Technical Communication) with single-spaced paragraphs and double spaces between paragraphs. Follow all of the formal conventions for letter writing, including an appropriate salutation and closing.
Use adequate margins (minimum of one inch on all four sides), and create a well-balanced page.
Organize the content so that it includes a minimum of 4 major paragraphs: an opening paragraph, a paragraph about your education, a paragraph about your work experience, and a closing paragraph.
Use appropriate forecast statements and topic sentences to develop a cohesive argument (Remember that you are trying to persuade them to invite you for an interview).
Use a length appropriate for the position. For most undergraduate students seeking an entry-level position or an internship, a one-page letter is appropriate. For those of you with more experience in your chosen field, research and consider what is appropriate to your own rhetorical situation.
NOTE: If you determine that it is appropriate for your letter of application to be longer than a single page, you should explain why in your cover memo.
Use an appropriate tone. Be confident without sounding arrogant; sound personable but professional.
Carefully and meticulously edit your letter for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage.
Rsum
Develop a rsum that organizes and describes your experiences and qualifications. Your rsum should meet the following minimum requirements:
Create a custom design for your rsum in Word. Do not use a rsum template. Most have design flaws, and, moreover, the templates will be immediately recognizable to employers as templates.
Structure your rsum around the topics typically included on rsums: contact information, education, work experience, skills, interests/activities, and references.
Use headings for the major divisions of your rsum, and use a combination of other visual elements, including subheadings, white space, and bullet points, to make your rsum components easy to recognize and locate.
Carefully and meticulously edit your rsum for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage.
Use a length appropriate for your experience. For most undergraduates with limited work experience, a one-page rsum is appropriate. For those of you with more experience in your chosen field, research and consider what is appropriate to your own rhetorical situation.
NOTE: If you determine that it is appropriate for your rsum to be longer than a single page, you should explain why in your cover memo.
Grading Criteria
The following is a list of the criteria categories from which your job packet will be evaluated:
Rhetorical Situation (Audience, Purpose, and Context)
Content / Support
Organization / Structure
Style (Cohesion, Concision, Readability, and Usability)
Visual Design / Clear and Correct Formatting
Grammar/ Mechanics
