Worth 15% of your course grade

Important Dates

• July 27 Rough Drafts for Peer Feedback, due by 9:00 AM
• July 28: Project 3 due by 11:55 PM
• July 30: Grace period ends at 11:55 PM

Goals

learn the characteristics of job application materials that are typical for your field

identify ethical/intercultural and global issues that can come into play when preparing job application materials

create something that is immediately useful outside this course, whether in a job you have now or in your job search

The Project Assignment

You will explore the kinds of documents you need in order to apply for a job, an internship, or a scholarship. You’ll propose what you want to write (anything goes—a traditional resume, a personal website, a LinkedIn profile, a GitHub repository, etc.). Based on your findings, you will create the job application materials that you need, whatever they may be.

Step-by-Step Details

Step 1: Conduct your research. You probably know a bit about what you will need to gather for a job application after you graduate. For Project 3, you will build on that knowledge by researching what someone in your field needs to develop. Research the job application expectations for your field using the information in the textbook, your experience from internships and other jobs in your field, and the details from the Virginia Tech Career Planning Guide (available online or in print from Career Services on the Blacksburg Campus).

You can also rely on discussions with colleagues where you have worked, advice from faculty in your major, and information from other students and alumni. Review position listings for your field as well in order to see the kinds of material companies ask for. Look at the kinds of materials that are specifically requested as well as the kinds of resources companies often consult.

Step 2: Choose the focus for your project. Based on your research, you should choose a broad focus for your job application materials. Some (not all) possible options are the following:

• Find a job posting you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Find a internship posting you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Find a scholarship you want to apply for and write the materials it requires.
• Create a personal website that provides a portfolio of your work and basic biography or resume.
• Clean up your online presence online and establish profiles in places that will help you network or get a job (like Academia.edu, LinkedIn or GitHub).

Additional examples are also available. I encourage you to choose whatever project is most helpful to you. Take advantage of this assignment to get something done you’ve been putting off or to get ahead on (or add to) your job search.

Step 3: Propose your project. Write a short, informal proposal in the forums that tells us about the materials you will create for Project 3. I will provide more details on your proposal on Thursday. If you want to work ahead, you can use the information in Markel on writing proposals to guide you. Be sure you tell us about (1) your proposed tasks, that is what you will create for Project 3 (see p. 283–286 of Markel) and the evaluation techniques (see p. 289 of Markel) your propose for your project (You need to outlines three levels of work: Average Work ( a C project), Above-Average Work (a B project), and Excellent Work (an A project).

Step 4: Complete the work you have proposed for Project 4. Create whatever job application materials you have proposed, working to meet whatever grade goals you have set for yourself.

You will post the Google Share link to your drafts for peer review by 9 AM on Monday, July 27. If you are working on another site (for instance, LinkedIn), you will need to set the page so that we can all read it and share the link to that site. Use the advice you receive from your readers to revise before the due date. There are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.

Step 5: Complete the transmittal memo.
A transmittal memo is like a cover letter for your project. It tells me whatever information I need to know to understand the work you did on your project.

You will write a short transmittal memo that gives me the Share link (or other links) to your job application materials and explains the decisions you made for Project 3. More details on this memo will be included in the post for the due date (July 28). Be sure that you follow the instructions, include the relevant information, and proofread your memo. If you skip this memo, you lower your grade on the project.

Step 6: Submit your work in Scholar.
When you are finished with the project, you will submit your transmittal memo in the Assignment tool on Scholar with the Google Share link to your table. Details on how to submit your work will be included in the post for the due date (July 28).