Job Search Portfolio Project

 
description | components | ad guidelines | interview questions | assessment | submission (due 12/14 @ 9:30am) | resources

Assignment Description

Whether you’re planning on getting a job in your field for the first time after graduation, or you’ve been in your field for several years, you may soon find yourself seeking a new position. The job search process can involve a lot of research, writing, patience, and luck.

No matter what field you’re in or what kind of job you’re after, you need to be able to present yourself professionally in documents such as letters and résumés, and in face-to-face communication situations. This project asks you to compose a few documents related to finding a job. You will need to find a real job listing to use as the basis for your project. This listing should be for a job you could legitimately apply for after graduation.All of the documents you write will be geared toward getting this job. Hopefully, once this project is done, you will have documents you can reuse or use as templates to generate professional job search documents in the future.

Components

Your job search portfolio must include the following:

  • Job Advertisement* for a desirable, real job in your field that you could likely obtain directly after graduation. Copy/paste the text of the listing into a Word file and also include an accessible URL.
  • Cover Letter for the job listing above to accompany your resume. It should
    • highlight/explain your accomplishments and show how your qualifications match the job ad, position, and career field.
    • be addressed to a real person at the company’s mailing address (you may have to look this information up online if it isn’t provided in the listing).
    • be written as a traditional, paper cover letter (some listings may ask you to send documents via email. Ignore this and write a traditional cover letter).
  • Traditional Résumé (chronological, skills, or mix) with objective statement intended for the job listing above. MS Word or other templates WILL NOT be accepted. Use good H.A.T.S. document design and do it yourself.
  • Interview Question Responses – Answer all six questions in the section below as if you were asked them during an interview for the job listing you have found. Of course, prepare your answers professionally (use tenants of good professional writing, plan your response, and proofread/edit).
  • Thank-You Letter to be sent after the interview for the above job listing. Send a brief letter to thank the interviewer. You may make up details as necessary.

*Job Advertisement Additional Guidelines and Requirements

Some students plans include applying for an internship before graduation. Some students post undergraduate plans include attending graduate school, taking a position with your family’s business, moving up in a company you are already a part of, or something else other than taking in entry-level position in your field.

While I acknowledge all of these possibilities as valid plans for before and after graduation, these situations are not appropriate as the basis for the job-search portfolio project. Students must use real, desirable, entry-level positions (or positions they would – or would almost – qualify for immediately following graduation). These positions must be advertised publicly with businesses or organizations that are accepting applications from the general public.

You should not use any of the following as the basis for the job-search portfolio project

  • internships or graduate schools
  • your family’s own business or a friend’s businesses that is not publicly advertising an open position or accepting applications from the general public
  • an opportunity for a promotion at a business you already work for that is not publicly advertised or open to the general public
  • telemarketing or temp agency positions
  • positions advertised by job placement agencies that do not include the name of business or organization that is hiring

Interview Questions

As part of your job portfolio project, answer all six questions as if you were asked them as if they were asked during an interview for the job listing you have found. Of course, prepare your answers professionally (use tenants of good professional writing and be sure to proofread/edit your responses). If you are asked a behavioral question, answer using the STAR method. If appropriate/possible, show your knowledge of the company/organization in your response.

  • What makes you think you’re qualified for this position at this company?
  • Tell me about a time that you had a lot of work to do in a short time. How did you manage the situation?
  • Describe a work or school situation where you had to interact with an irate person (customer, supervisor, group member) and describe how you handled it.
  • What do you see yourself doing in 5 or 10 years?
  • What is your greatest weakness?
  • How has college prepared you for this career?

Assessment Criteria

In addition to the general guidelines below, all documents should be written using the tenets of good professional writing, including (but not limited to) clarity, conciseness, and correctness, and should adhere to the guidelines for successful job documents and communication presented in class.

The Traditional Resume will be considered above average (A/B) if it

  • Is clearly chronological or skills based
  • Is obviously targeted towards a particular position. In other words, it includes a well-written objective statement, summary of qualifications, OR a skill section clearly tailored towards a particular job advertisement or description.
  • Includes descriptive action verb statements that effectively describe duties, successes, and outcomes
  • Is written in parallel structure
  • Is formatted professionally. It should be aesthetically pleasing, easy to read, and not based on a template

The Cover and Thank-You Letters will be considered above average (A/B) if they

  • Are professionally written
  • Employ good planning (purpose, audience, organization)
  • Are targeted towards included job listing
  • Employ good professional style (goodwill tone, focus on positive, reader focused)

The Interview Responses will be considered above average (A/B) if they

  • Employ STAR response method on behavioral questions
  • Show knowledge of company/position when applicable
  • Are professional and contribute to good ethos

Overall, projects will be considered above average (A/B)

  • Must be professionally written and proofread
  • Must be complete
  • Must include all requirements as stated on project outline

NOTE: A project will not be accepted if it is incomplete. If any document submitted for this portfolio is found to be plagiarized, in whole or in part, you will receive a 0% F for the project. At the instructor’s discretion, plagiarism can result in a 0% F for the semester grade and a permanent note on the student’s transcript. Repeated cases of plagiarism may result in expulsion from the university. Please refer to the University Honor Code in the University Catalog for more information.

Submission

Please copy and paste your documents into one .doc/x in this order:

  1. Job Advertisement
  2. Cover Letter
  3. Traditional Résumé†
  4. Interview Question Responses
  5. Thank-You Letter

Save as a doc/x file as filename “LastName-JSP” and upload to Bb by Wednesday 12/14 @ 9:30am. 

†If your traditional resume includes “advanced” formatting, or if you are concerned the formatting may be altered or lost in the submission process (upload, conversion, etc), please ALSO submit your resume as a separate .pdf file (filename “LastName-JSP-Resume”). To upload multiple files to Bb, you must browse and select a single file, browse again and select another single file, etc. After you see all the files under “attached files,” then click the “submit” button.

Resources

Articles
General Career Resources
FAU & Florida Career Resources
Professional Organizations
Professional Association
According to Wikipedia…

“A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession and the public interest.

The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: ‘A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;’[1] also a body acting ‘to safeguard the public interest;’[2] organizations which ‘represent the interest of the professional practitioners,’ and so ‘act to maintain their own privileged and powerful position as a controlling body.’[2]”

1. Harvey, L. (2004). Professional body”. Quality Research International. Analytic Quality Glossary.
2. Harvey, L.; Mason, S.; Ward, R. (1995). Role of Professional Bodies in Higher Education Quality Monitoring. Birmingham: Quality in Higher Education Project