Job Materials Assignment
Job Materials Assignment
For this assignment, you will create one document that has two items:
A Job Application Letter
A Résumé
You will need to research job leads to find an actual job announcement that advertises a position for which you are qualified. Search national job sites like Monster.com, Indeed.com, Careerbuilder.com, and USAJobs.gov.
Research the Company or Organization. You must research the company or organization that advertised the job announcement. You can research the company in a variety of ways. For instance, you can find the company’s Website if one is available; or you may obtain a copy of the company’s annual report; or, if you know someone who works for that company, you can network with employees of the company
The goal here is for you to become more informed about the company in general—its product line, its past and current successes, and its plans for future development. Ideally, you should use some of this information to your advantage in your application letter. The best application letters not only demonstrate how you are well qualified, but also show how you can make specific contributions to the company. Remember that the chief aim of an application letter is to help you get an interview. Your letter should persuade the reader that you are the best applicant for the position.
Requirements for the Application Letter
Review the information on application letters in Chapter 9 and write a job application letter with an effective introduction, body, and conclusion. The job-application letter, which is the first thing the reader sees, expands upon a few of the points made in the résumé. The typical letter has at least three parts, and your letter should have all of them:
ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER HERE
The first paragraph establishes why you are writing to your reader. State that you are looking for a particular position and explain why you would like to work at that particular company. You should also identify the source where you find the job opening information. Forecast the body of the letter by stating your major qualifications for the job.
The body of the letter develops each qualification (education and experience) with specific evidence. The goal is to show that you know what the employer needs and that you meet the requirements. You may organize this section around your education, around your training and experience, or around what the job or the company requires.
You should end the letter politely and include a reference to the enclosed résumé, a request for an interview, and your phone number and e-mail address.
Format
Your letter must meet all of the formatting requirements of a good business letter. It should use the block format. If possible, wrote no more than one page. The letter should contain all of the elements covered in the chapter about letters.
Heading (sender’s address)
Date
Inside address (full address, including title, for the person who is addressed)
Salutation
Body text (introduction, body, conclusion)
Complimentary closing (“Sincerely,” or “Sincerely yours,”)
Signature
Typed name
Enclosure notation (“Encl. Résumé”)
Requirements for the Résumé
The purpose of the résumé is to describe your qualifications for work. Review the information on résumés in the textbook carefully and then design and write a professional résumé.
You should create either a functional or reverse chronological résumé tailored for the specific job opening. If you have limited job experience, a gap in experience or are changing careers, you must create a functional résumé. If you have mid-level experience and beyond, you must create a chronological résumé.
A functional résumé should be no longer than one page, and a chronological résumé with over 15-20 years of experience can be two pages, and both must contain all of the following elements:
Heading (full name, address, phone, and email address)
Education (schools, majors, minors, and dates of graduation; omit high school education unless it is a specialized high school)
Work Experience (employer’s name, the position you hold, dates of employment, and a list or description of duties and responsibilities for each position)
Certifications (optional)
Interests and Activities (optional)
DO NOT write an objective statement or include “References Available Upon Request” (Employers assume your objective–to get a job–and also indicate if they want references)
Your style should be formal. You need not use complete sentences, but you should use a concise, active style and show consistency in expression from section to section. When making lists, be sure to use the parallel structure (They should match one another in tense and form).
Requirements
Failure to use a functional format when you have limited experience, a gap in employment, or are changing careers will result in 10-point deduction
You can use specialized descriptive 2-3 word phrases or single words in your documents (copy/pasting an external source’s sentences, sentence fragments, job descriptions will result in the assignment turned over to the Office of Student Conduct for an academic integrity violation)
Copyedit, copyedit, and copyedit again–read your work out loud, verbally to hear errors. Have a friend find errors.
Make sure to include the website URL in the comment to instructor box available via Canvas so that the coaches/instructor can view the job announcement (Failure to include a working URL will result in a 5-point deduction)
Submission Instructions
Submit via Unicheck in Canvas (Final Draft). No assignments will be accepted over email. Assignments incorrectly posted or submitted to the wrong location in Canvas will receive a 10-point deduction
Required title for final version: your last name-job application.
Submit the document as a PDF.
Deadlines:
First draft due by 11:59pm CST Friday of week 3
Peer review due by 11:59pm CST Sunday of week 3
Final draft due by 11:59pm CST Wednesday of week 4
Note: Academic Integrity
While you can find unlimited samples of job application or job description materials on the internet, DO NOT attempt to copy those from those samples. The point of this assignment is for you to learn how to compose a letter and create a resume to persuade your audience to give you an interview. Therefore, it is NOT acceptable to copy phrases, fragments, sentences, paragraphs or descriptions of past work experience you found elsewhere.
You may use a template for the formatting of the documents.
If you copy phrases, fragments, sentences, paragraphs or descriptions of past work experience you found in online examples, you cannot get a 70 or above on this assignment, even if you cite the sources–and if you fail to cite the sources, this assignment will be turned over to the Office of Student Conduct for an academic integrity violation.
View Rubric
Assignment 3: Job Packet
Assignment 3: Job Packet
Criteria
Ratings
Pts
Completeness (10 pts): The job application package is complete, containing one application letter and one tailored résumé. Each document is complete and contains all required elements as stated in the handout.
view longer description
10 to >9 pts
Excellent
The job application package is complete (10 pts) and/or may be missing a minor element (9 pts).
9 to >7 pts
Good to Average
The package has at least one missing required element (8 pts) or is missing one major and one minor elements (7 pts).
7 to >5 pts
Poor
The package has at least two missing elements (6 pts). The package is missing three elements (5 pts).
5 to >0 pts
Dour to Grave
One of the documents is missing (0 pts).
/ 10 pts
Relevance (10 pts): The letter and résumé are tailored to the specific job for which you are “applying” and include information relevant to that job. The information included makes clear why you are qualified for the job.
view longer description
10 to >8 pts
Excellent
The documents are tailored to the job, include information relevant to the job, and makes clear why you are qualified for the job (10 pts). The documents are tailored to the job, may somewhat provide information relevant to the job, and somewhat indicate why you are qualified (8-9 pts).
8 to >6 pts
Good to Average
In looking at the resume and cover letter, some of the language used in the cover letter needs to more closely mirror your experiences (7 pts). It may not be entirely clear why you are qualified for the job or information included is somewhat addressed as to why you are applying (6 pts).
6 to >4 pts
Poor
The cover letter does not make it quite clear why you are qualified for the job based upon your resume (range of 4-5 pts).
4 to >0 pts
Dour to Grave
Based upon the documents, I do not see a connection of how you are qualified (range of 0-3 pts).
/ 10 pts
Résumé Design (29 pts): The résumé is clean and well organized. The use of space is uniform and well considered. The font and type size are easy to read. Different levels of headings are used consistently to demarcate different levels and categories.
view longer description
29 to >26 pts
Excellent
The resume is clean and well organized; the use of space is uniform; font size are easy to read; different levels of heading are used consistently (28-29 pts). There may be one minor error in formatting with headings or negative space or the use of CRAP (27 pts). There may be one major and one minor error (26 pts).
26 to >23 pts
Good to Average
There may be one major error and two minor errors (25 pts) with headings or use of CRAP; there may be two major errors (24 pts) or use of CRAP; there may be two major and one minor error (23 pts).
23 to >21 pts
Average
There may be two major errors and three minor errors with headings or use of CRAP (22 pts). There may be three major errors (21 pts).
21 to >0 pts
Dour to Grave
There are multiple inconsistencies with the design of the resume (range of 0-20).
/ 29 pts
Writing Style (20 pts): The description of job duties and responsibilities at each position include vivid, concrete, action verbs (in past tense if you no longer hold the position). The verbs are in parallel structure. The style and tone are formal. Paragraphs utilize effective topic sentences.
view longer description
20 to >17 pts
Excellent
There are no errors (20 pts). There may be one error such as missing an action verb or verb tense usage error (18-19 pts). There may be two minor errors such as missing an action verb, verb tense usage and an ineffective topic sentence (17 pts).
17 to >13 pts
Good to Average
There may be two minor errors with style, tone or verb use (16 pts). There may be one major and one minor error (15 pts). There may be two major errors (14 pts). There may be one major and two minor errors (13 pts).
13 to >12 pts
Poor
There may be three minor errors with style, tone, or verb use or one major error (13 pts). There may be two major and two minor error (12 pts).
12 to >0 pts
Unacceptable
There are too many errors to the style (range of 0-11).
/ 20 pts
Format (20 pts): The letter and résumé are each formatted correctly following the specified guidelines in the textbook.
view longer description
20 to >17 pts
Excellent
There are no errors (20 pts). May be missing one minor guideline (18-19 pts).
17 to >14 pts
Good to Average
May be missing one major (17 pts), two minor guidelines (16 pts), one major and one minor (15 pts), two major (14 pts).
14 to >12 pts
Poor
May be missing two major (13 pts) or three minor guidelines (12 pts).
12 to >0 pts
Dour to Grave
There are too many missing guidelines (range of 0-11).
/ 20 pts
Grammar and Mechanics (11 pts): Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct. Employers impose strict standards of correctness on job application materials. Accordingly, your coach will mark this assignment on a stricter scale than usual in terms of correctness. If any letter or resume contains a single typographical or grammatical error, you cannot receive an A on this assignment.
view longer description
11 pts
Professional Quality
There are no errors.
0 pts
Unacceptable
There is one or more errors.
/ 11 pts
Total Points: 0
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Job Application Application
For this assignment, you will create one document that has two items:
A Job Application Letter
A Résumé
You will need to research job leads to find an actual job announcement that advertises a position for which you are qualified. Search national job sites like Monster.com, Indeed.com, Careerbuilder.com, and USAJobs.gov.
Research the Company or Organization. You must research the company or organization that advertised the job announcement. You can research the company in a variety of ways. For instance, you can find the company’s Website if one is available; or you may obtain a copy of the company’s annual report; or, if you know someone who works for that company, you can network with employees of the company
The goal here is for you to become more informed about the company in general—its product line, its past and current successes, and its plans for future development. Ideally, you should use some of this information to your advantage in your application letter. The best application letters not only demonstrate how you are well qualified, but also show how you can make specific contributions to the company. Remember that the chief aim of an application letter is to help you get an interview. Your letter should persuade the reader that you are the best applicant for the position.
Requirements for the Application Letter
Review the information on application letters in Chapter 9 and write a job application letter with an effective introduction, body, and conclusion. The job-application letter, which is the first thing the reader sees, expands upon a few of the points made in the résumé. The typical letter has at least three parts, and your letter should have all of them:
The first paragraph establishes why you are writing to your reader. State that you are looking for a particular position and explain why you would like to work at that particular company. You should also identify the source where you find the job opening information. Forecast the body of the letter by stating your major qualifications for the job.
The body of the letter develops each qualification (education and experience) with specific evidence. The goal is to show that you know what the employer needs and that you meet the requirements. You may organize this section around your education, around your training and experience, or around what the job or the company requires.
You should end the letter politely and include a reference to the enclosed résumé, a request for an interview, and your phone number and e-mail address.
Format
Your letter must meet all of the formatting requirements of a good business letter. It should use the block format. If possible, wrote no more than one page. The letter should contain all of the elements covered in the chapter about letters.
Heading (sender’s address)
Date
Inside address (full address, including title, for the person who is addressed)
Salutation
Body text (introduction, body, conclusion)
Complimentary closing (“Sincerely,” or “Sincerely yours,”)
Signature
Typed name
Enclosure notation (“Encl. Résumé”)
Requirements for the Résumé
The purpose of the résumé is to describe your qualifications for work. Review the information on résumés in the textbook carefully and then design and write a professional résumé.
You should create either a functional or reverse chronological résumé tailored for the specific job opening. If you have limited job experience, a gap in experience or are changing careers, you must create a functional résumé. If you have mid-level experience and beyond, you must create a chronological résumé.
BUY A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER HERE
A functional résumé should be no longer than one page, and a chronological résumé with over 15-20 years of experience can be two pages, and both must contain all of the following elements:
Heading (full name, address, phone, and email address)
Education (schools, majors, minors, and dates of graduation; omit high school education unless it is a specialized high school)
Work Experience (employer’s name, employment dates, the position you hold, and a list or description of duties and responsibilities for each position)
Certifications (optional)
Interests and Activities (optional)
DO NOT write an objective statement or include “References Available Upon Request” (Employers assume your objective–to get a job–and also indicate if they want references)
Your style should be formal. You need not use complete sentences, but you should use a concise, active style and show consistency in expression from section to section. When making lists, be sure to use the parallel structure (They should match one another in tense and form).
Requirements
Failure to use a functional format when you have limited experience, a gap in employment, or are changing careers will result in 10-point deduction
You can use specialized descriptive 2-3 word phrases or single words in your documents (copy/pasting an external source’s sentences, sentence fragments, job descriptions will result in the assignment turned over to the Office of Student Conduct for an academic integrity violation)
Copyedit, copyedit, and copyedit again–read your work out loud, verbally to hear errors. Have a friend find errors.
Make sure to include the website URL in the comment to instructor box available via Canvas so that the coaches/instructor can view the job announcement (Failure to include a working URL will result in a 5-point deduction)
Submission Instructions
Submit via Unicheck in Canvas (final draft only). No assignments will be accepted over email. Assignments incorrectly posted or submitted to the wrong location in Canvas will receive a 10-point deduction
Required title for final version: your last name-job application.
Submit the document as a PDF.
Deadlines:
First draft due by 11:59pm CST Friday of week 3
Peer review due by 11:59pm CST Sunday of week 3
Final draft due by 11:59pm CST Wednesday of week 4
Note: Academic Integrity
While you can find unlimited samples of job application or job description materials on the internet, DO NOT attempt to copy those from those samples. The point of this assignment is for you to learn how to compose a letter and create a resume to persuade your audience to give you an interview. Therefore, it is NOT acceptable to copy phrases, fragments, sentences, paragraphs or descriptions of past work experience you found elsewhere.
You may use a template for the formatting of the documents.
If you copy phrases, fragments, sentences, paragraphs or descriptions of past work experience you found in online examples, you cannot get above a 70 on this assignment, even if you cite the sources–and if you fail to cite the sources, this assignment will be turned over to the Office of Student Conduct for an academic integrity violation.
Information that could help
Lesson 3.2 Assignment
Job Application
For this assignment, you will create one document that has two items:
A Job Application Letter
A Résumé
Youtube
How to Create a Designed CV/Resume in MS Word 2016 | 2017
Learn how to create a designed job document in MS Word by BD i-tech (Figure 19).
BD i-tech. (2016). How to create a designed CV/resume in MS Word 2016 | 2017. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UTxveYres
Embedded Video Player: How to Create a Designed CV/Resume in MS Word 2016 | 2017
Figure 19. Video screen shot of split document with professional document on the left side of the image and “no Photoshop needed” centered in a red-orange circle set against a yellow background.
Duration: 05:50
Transcript: The transcript is available via the closed caption feature in the YouTube video.
Note: There are several design videos on YouTube you can watch that will show you how to use MS Word to design your job application materials.
Pay more attention on this assignment
Lesson 3.2 Conclusion
Remember that an attention to detail is needed when completing this unit. Just one error–even a typographical error–will result in not being able to get an “A” on this assignment.
By completing this lesson, you’ve learned the basics of how to create a persuasive cover letter, and you’ve learned the basics of what goes into a professional job document.
Click next to begin lesson 3.3.
Job Application Materials
How does a job applicant write a persuasive job application letter?
How does copyediting help document design?
UNIT OBJECTIVES
Recall the components of a job application letter and résumé (3.1)
Compose a persuasive job application letter (3.2, 3.4)
Compose an error-free professional résumé (3.2, 3.4)
Analyze the contents of the job application letter and résumé to copyedit line-by-line (3.3)
Course Textbook
Features strategies for creating a résumé (Figure 13) and writing a job application letter:
Read Chapter 9, “Résumés and Other Employment Materials” in Laura Gurak & John Lannon’s Strategies for Technical Communication in the Workplace, 4th edition, pages 140-155 (Chapter outline-Section 9.6)
