Agenda: Organizing a Document

*Pages 128-136 will help immensely as you look to organize all of your data for the interview (and to come back to for all technical documents [and essays] you write.)

The main goal for today's class is to begin organizing your questions in a way that seem appropriate for the interview. What is deemed appropriate? Well, that depends on what you, as a group, want to focus in on in the interview.

Perhaps you've found lots of data on the company -- its business success in regards to similar companies, its public relations issues, its company motto and core company values. Or perhaps there is other material you've found. Or perhaps, you will find this kind of material between now and Monday's deadline!

As a group, you must evaluate together all of the information you found in your individual research. (Again, grades of the assignment depend partly on your interpersonal communication within your group. In other words, I will hand out team-member evaluation sheets on Monday.)

To Organize Questions: Make a choice for how to order of each question...

1) Do you want to perform your Interview starting out with General questions on the position and the candidates skills and then order your questions to be more company-specific?

2) Do you want to ask question that start out with the most important questions about the job (also the most company-specific/duty specific), and then filter towards questions that may not be as important in terms of getting the job. These "less important" questions might be questions that have to do less with company, then, and more about resume details, etc.

One important thing: As a group, how do you decide which is more important, and which is less? Make sure to discuss this amonst the group.

3) You may also use any of the other methods of organization charted on pages 130-131 and explained in better detail in Chapter 7 -- but the above two choices are most likely the easiest ways to structure your script. You may borrow some of the techniques of structure from the other organizational patters, though. 

One example: cause and effect might be an interesting pattern use for the questions -- since many of the questions in a successful interview seem to play off of each other.

Consider Your Answers in final organization:

1) Depending on your example answers, which are required to be included in the script, you may feel that some questions are more connected to each other once you've gone through and looked for patterns in your answers.

2) You may even want to re-word a couple of your Interview questions to include previous possible answes to other questions!

Final Form of Script: like all technical documents, the final form should be consistently formatted, and aesthetically-pleasing to the eye (aka: readible and presentable).

1) Are you using numbers to organize questions?
2) Are you using sub-headings for different sections/ lines of inquiry?
3) To bold, or not to bold? Italics? Indenting? These are usually some of the last things inexperienced technical-document writers conside, but they should be decided on amonst the group.

You want to the document to be professional-looking, with no errors.

Agenda Setting: Researching for Appropriate Content

As we discussed within our small groups, the goal of yesterday was to start researching and understanding the company your putting The Interview Script together for.

By gathering as much knowledge as you an about the company, your goal for yesterday was to understand:

1) Who there audience is, and
2)How the company addresses that audience --through it's company goals, through its advertisement, through its press releases.


Creating a Preliminary List of Interview Questions

Some groups have already begun to do so, but here are some rhetorical considerations to make your script strongest.

Content: during an interview, the interviewer may be ask a variety of questions, not all of them in specific regard to your resume. Below are today's prompts to help you come up with different areas for lines-of-questioning that an interviewer might ask a candidate for a position:


1) An competent Interview Script will ask questions that address company needs, company history, company ideology. You've been doing the research on this stuff already, so this first thing your group will do today is to write down at least 5 company-geared questions.


2) Another area for questions might be "expertise" questions. These kinds of questions ask about specific parts of the job, and measure the candidates theoretical and practical knowledge of their "field". Remember: You are looking into the fields of "public relations" OR "marketing," and you are to have started looking into finding, at minimum, some basic information on these fields of study through academic journals and reference material.

You'll have to research, "What does a public relations person do?" Or, "What does a marketing person do?"

If your group hasn't yet, find an article and/or book that gives you a basic understanding.
Write out some of the basic duties and basic field knowledge needed to perform job well.



Planning/ Researching Strategies


Make a second list of field knowledge questions (5-10). If you have time or feel ambitious, start to think back to your first list made today and start making this list of field- knowledge questions more specific towards the job.

Field Knowledge includes two things*:

1. General skill level and knowledge for the general position (lawyer, doctor, public marketing)

2. Specific Area field knowledge within the larger field (International lawyer, criminal lawyer; pediatrician, cardiologist; sports marketing, environmental public relations)

This is important, and you will be graded on how well the content of your group Interview Script reflects having researched and incorporated general field knowledge AND Specific Area field knowledge.

Your group should discuss, and then research, which Specific area your company would be included in.



The Real World: at an interview, one should also ask or expect to be asked questions that relate to what is currently happening -- in the economy, in the field, ...in the global culture.


To this end, it is important to do research through periodicals for trends in the marketplace, and similar areas. To do this, again, you can go to the periodicals-section of your local bookstore (I like Borders sections), but also use the Internet to go to reputable business/new magazines such as the NY Times, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN and The Wall Street Journal.


TIPS:
1) You may want to divide these duties among your group members.


2) When it comes to #3, you may want to discuss as a group what you are looking for when you are reviewing periodicals. What kind of subjects/articles are you looking for? Should the researcher be looking within a certain section?

Agenda Setting for The Interview Script

After settling into which company your group works for to complete The Interview Script, here are a couple of tasks that you are to start doing today within your groups, to help in the research process:

Research – answer a few ?s about the company that are important to pursue:

-        What is the company motto and/or what do they emphasize their company is about?

-        What are some of the general main duties and skills necessary of a person working in the public relations OR marketing aspect of a company?

-        Consider the current culture – what are some possible cultural/ business events that may likely affect your company?

*

1) Go to the Company Website: seek out information from their "about" or "history" section. 

Tip:Have someone on the team draft a professional-looking e-mail inquiry to their human resources department that:

a. explains that you are doing it for a class project, and 

b. you want to know what kind of qualifications and characteristics they look for in hiring someone into their company. Also, ask them You may get a response, you may not, but this is part of the research process. For some help, go to page 117 of our text)

2) Library Research: Expanding beyond the workplace
-Everyone in the group should brainstorm together, and create a list of, various kinds of data and job-related material might be useful when discussing the available position. For example: there are theories, and standard practices and tools used within various fields. When you are about to interview someone, it is helpful to get to know some of what the experts know in that position...so...to the library! (http://www.chipublib.org)

The Interview Script Assignment

The Interview Script (50 points)
Due: Monday, May 4, 2009

Explanation:

For this assignment you are putting yourself in the position of INTERVIEWER. More specifically, you are a Human Resources employee that is assigned to put together an “interview script” by the Human Resources manager; one that (s)he can use to evaluate potential candidates for a position in Public Relations/Marketing.

Further explanation of the kinds of questions and answers you will put together will be listed below. Also, for this assignment, you will be working in small groups of 2-3 people, as you would in the workplace.

You are allowed to choose your own company, which we will do during class time, once small groups are formed.

First steps:
1) First, exchange contact information for communicating outside of class time.

2) As a group, choose an easily researchable company; one whose product each of you is familiar with.

3) To begin your research, search/go to that company’s website and start looking for relevant information on the company’s history and its company goals/motto/beliefs/ core values. The website is usually starting reference point, and sometimes there is an “about” or “history” section where this information is located. Make sure to record this information so you can evaluate and use material for your Interview Script.

4) You will also want to do outside research using the school and public libraries, using interlibrary loans, periodical indexes, and other secondary source material (refer to Chapter 6 of Technical Communications for a refresher).

5) Start creating an agenda for the group to follow in the writing process.

Goals/Requirements:

1) The Interview Script includes both:

a. specific questions appropriate to be asked based on the company and the position being interviewed for, and:

b. exemplary answers that are specifically related to company and to Public Relations/Marketing position, but also to the current economic climate of 2009!

2) The script should be approximately two complete pages, single-spaced, with a minimum of six questions.

3) The script should include researched (and cited) material, both from primary and secondary sources. 

4) Each student will get evaluated both on group work and individual part in putting the script together. (There will be an evaluation form filled out by group members.)

Transitional Devices

How do you develop your one theme in four paragraphs of intro, education, professional experience and in your asking for an interview?

Transitional devices can reallly help you focus and bring out the theme of your letter:

1. Transitional sentences: use the last sentence of one paragraph to connect ideas that you will explore in the next sentence (see page 393, end of paragraph 1, for example).

• Open-ended
• Introduce or repeat phrases that you will develop in next paragraph

2. Transitional Words and Phrases:

• Visit U. of Richmond's site for a good example.
• Also, Purdue's OWL website is the most infamous site for grammar help.

As You Consider your Cover Letter:

• Which transitional phrases will help you structure your letter
• What is your theme, and in which ways will you develop it through education and work experience?

Pre-Writing Strategy -- in-class

First, open up a blank Word document to do the following:

Before we worry about formatting and editing, we must get out content.

Answer the following questions in good detail, and feel free to use examples from your resume. Go into more depth on what you did at your jobs, or in school, etc.

1. What are 2-3 skills you've learned in college that will help you in this particular job? (Specify the course, what projects and technology you worked with, etc.) What in the job posting you are applying to makes you think these skills are necessary for this job?

2. In what ways have you demonstrated those skills you write of above? In the real world, on the job? In other worlds, how have you put that knowledge to use on practical levels?


3. What is something you do that you feel represents who you are as a worker? A specific task, project, idea that you put into practice? Explain that here.




* After we do the above writing we will e-mail our answers to a peer. When you are directed, you will partner with one of the people at the computer next to you. You will switch seats, read each other's answers...and respond in a "Dear ..., letter" at the end of their document. But, you will also use the following guidelines in a response:

Critiquing a Colleague's Work (p. 55)

1. Start with a positive comment
2. Discuss the large rissues first. (In other words, don't edit words, commas, etc.)
3. Talk about the document, not the writer

Cover Letter (aka: Letter of Application), Due 4/24

Cover Letter:

Along with the resume, you will often be asked to also send a cover letter (or letter of application). Below is a template for what to include in that cover letter. Basically, this letter is a chance to go in more depth on your skills and work experience that you'd bring to the position employer is looking to fill.

Guidelines: 1-2 pages (most companies prefer 1-page) of focused letter that explains interest and qualifications for job (as you see!). Use 12-pt, Times New Roman. Single space, and follow the template below as far as form and content....

Also, this is due Friday, April 24th, but by e-mail*.

*Since I will be out of town. You will have a homework assignment given next Wednesday for the following Monday (Week 4).


For some good pointers and a more in-depth template and description of a Cover Letter (Letter of Application is another term for this letter), review and take notes on pages 387-393 of our textbook.

For now, here is the run down on what to include.

Rather than overloading with a list of all things you've ever done, places you've worked, skills you have, or the success of your education, you want to highlight a few points.

Focus on 2-3 points within the letter, and develop those points with the job you are applying for in mind. Again, look back to the job posting to see which qualifications are of highest importance and begin thinking about and writing down in your first draft how you can fulfill those jobs.


Here is our template:


Your street addy
Your city/state/zip

Date letter is written

Person Addressing Letter To (potential employer; be formal)
Their Business Addy


Dear Mr./Ms. (don't assume that a woman is married!):

Paragraph 1: Don't indent, but use a space to separate paragraphs. In this first paragraph, be straightforward and to the point. 4 duties of the introduction: 1) What job you are applying for, and 2) ask for them to consider you. 3) How do you know of job; who told you? 4) What is one position-specific reason they should consider you for job (skill, past employment). Tip: This last sentence should respond to a particular demand implied in the job posting --again, look for key qualifications and repeat them back with specific examples developed in your response.

Paragraph 2: Education paragraph. This is an important paragraph for many of you, applying for entry level positions out of college. Use a transitional topic sentence (a hinge) that speaks back to the main reason you should be considered for the job, and then describe how your education has helped build that skill or given you the practical knowledge to be able to fulfill the position's responsibilities. For instance, if the job asks for sound computer skills and you have them...let them know what courses you've taken, what computer programs you've worked with, and how those courses will fulfill particular responsibilities they are asking of their candidates.

Paragraph 3: Using one job as a reference point to describe what you learned or what skills used (or both) by working there. IF you haven't had a job, ever, than this may be more difficult, but you can still use this paragraph to explain your skill-level and how you've used that skill.

Paragraph 4: Wrap up --why should they interview me? 1)Mention your resume. 2) Ask or make know that you would welcome an interview (use such a phrase as "would welcome"). 3) Provide your personal contact information (e-mail and phone #), and mention that you will also provide further references or would be willing to provide additional information (if they would like).

Tips:

- Formality is key: use friendly phrases; do not use contractions(don't, can't, etc.); and don't be too forward.

-Consistency: have a focused theme, and commit to developing that them from paragraph to paragraph. If they have a main duty or skill important to hiring the person, focus your letter on explaining how your own skills and experience fulfill different aspects of that main duty or skill they are looking for --in interest, education, and in practice.

Resume Revisions:

Here are two major considerations when revising your resume, as stated on p. 372 of our textbook:

1) "The resume must provide clear, specific information, without generalization or self-congratulation" and

2) "The resume must be completely free of errors"

To help achieve this, we will do a few activities in class today:

1. Look over some example resumes and discuss the language and aesthetics in the documents, and how this affects the reader...
2. Then work on the re-vision strategies below to help discuss the language within your own resume.
3. Finally, we will open up a blank Word Document, find its Word 1003 resume templates, and at minimum look at which one looks appropriate for our content and then how to insert own information into the relevant sections.

Re-vision Strategies:

Active Language includes specific tasks, actions, tools/programs (like Microsoft Excel/ C++/Quark/ tow motor operator/ etc.) in the appropriate categories.

Here are two easy rhetorical exercises you can do alone, or with a considerate reader, to help you make your resume stronger:

1. Look for Generic Content:

• Read over the resume and look for standalone generalizations. Phrases like "intelligent leader", "strong communicator", "great secretarial skills" and "well-practiced in field" are not as effective as we'd think, and really don't provide much insight into the kind of talent and experience you can bring to job. These phrases can be effective when when part of a longer description that includes specifics, but when left on their own, leave a lot of questions (in other words, alone these phrases are weak and empty).
  
  -Underline/circle/highlight standalone generalizations...
  
  -Then, ask yourself the question, "What made me write that I am /have . . . _____(ex. "hard-working")?"
  
  -Record the answers to the above question for each standalone generalization. Use these answers to revise by addition!

2. Effective and Dynamic Language: Read over the the resume again, looking at your verbs and your adjectives. After doing the above content-revision, you want to go through and make sure the language sticks out -- in a good way -- from all of the other applications.
-In this exercise you want to do to two things:

• Reconsider your verbs. Go through this list here (Columbia College's list of strong action verbs) and see if you can replace generic verbs describing you and the work you've done with a word or phrase inspired by the list.
  
  For example: instead of writing "worked at a publishing house," use a verb that describes the kind of work done, such as: "edited at a publishing house" or "developed new material at a publishing house."

• Add specific tasks: Don't just use verbs, but use language that will allow reader to visualize your skills: look at the first exercise we discussed, about standalone generalizations. Use not only more accurate verbs, but attach those verbs to specific skills, duties, tools, courses, etc.
  
  
  

School Career Center Resume Help

Putting together a resume is daunting if you've never done so before. I know, since I've had six years of practice, starting with graduate school!

What goes on the darn thing, how long should it be, what kind of paper should I use? What is the purpose of this thing? God, gods, goddesses, please make sure there are no grammatical errors that kill my chances!

Where should I go for examples, for advice, besides this class? Once I am outside these walls?

1. Microsoft Word 2008 has a great template. All versions of Word have templates. If nothing else, search for templates in the help screen of your home word-processing program.

2. Academic Institution websites! If you're like me and are a bit independent and like to figure things out simply by looking at examples, or don't have time to make multiple visits to your school Career Services office, look at their website.

I suggest, though, consulting a few school websites, simply because each Institution has their own thought process and might give extra insights not seen on another. Also, you'll be able to get a sense of what things are most valuable by seeing repeated formats, etc. Click on these links, read and imitate!

Columiba College's Resume Helper

Northwestern University's Resume and Cover Letter Helper

Resume

Due: Friday, April 17, 2009

Requirement: 1-page resume, for a particular job posting

Guidelines:

We’ll be working on finding a job posting on-line that you will use to write a mock resume for.

It is suggested that you find a job posting in a field related to your own major studies here at East West, as this will provide you good practice for when it comes time to write your real resume. We will spend some time in class searching job websites for postings, and discuss what to look for.

A key point to the project is to understand that you are being graded on your ability to understand and create a resume,and that some of the requirements might cause you to have to fictionalize work experience, education, etc., only for this project.

In the real world, outside this classroom, when applying for a job – you cannot falsify and exaggerate your qualifications, ethically. Such falsification could get you fired, or more.

But, for the purposes of having some fun, and to allow for your creativity, you may imagine credentials and experience in order to create a strong resume for this class.

However, the focus is still on your ability to apply some of the basic To Dos of both parts of the job application.


The Resume

This is a brief outline of your qualifications for a job. The resume should provide relevant material to the job posting, such as educational background, work experience, skills used, learned, and any honors/credits that show success within the field in which you’re applying.

1. You must have at least 4 main categories, 3 of which should include:

a. Objectives
b. Education
c. Skills

The other 1-2 categories can be from categories such as:

- Related Work experience
- Volunteer Experience
- Awards / Publications
- Relevant Courses (for coming out of college)

Technical Writing Syllabus and Weekly Calendar