Job Search Portfolio Project

 
project due date: April 30, 2020

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:

COMPONENTS SUMMARY
Job Search Portfolio (30%)
Job Advertisement with Annotations
Cover Letter
Traditional Résumé
Interview Question Responses
Thank-You Correspondence
  • (Annotated) Job Advertisement* for a desirable, real job in your field that you could likely obtain directly after graduation (see advertisement guidelines). Copy/paste the text of the listing into a Word file and also include an accessible URL.
    • if the copy/paste is difficult to read, please reformat to plain(er) text for better readability
    • required annotations:
    • highlight in blue (or use bold): job functions, roles, tasks, and/or responsibilities you must be able to perform; things you must be able to do and/or things you will be asked to do (these are often—but not always—verbs)
    • highlight in green (or use italics): attributes, qualities, traits, and/or characteristics you should possess (these are often—but not always—adjectives)
    • highlight in yellow (or underline): tools, systems, or products you must be able to use, work with, or provide; products or things you must be able to create or make; knowledge or expertise you must possess (these are often—but not always—nouns)
  • Cover Letter (written specifically 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; resume design must be created from scratch (no MS Word or other templates)
  • Interview Question Responses – Answer all six four 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 Correspondence 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 Guidelines and Requirements

Some students plans include applying for an internship before graduation. Some students post-bachelors degree plans may include graduate school, a position with their family’s business, moving up in a company where they are already employed , or something else other than taking in entry-level position in their field.

While I acknowledge all of these possibilities as reasonable 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.

job advertisements for the Job Search Portfolio project must
  • be for a position in your career field or industry
  • be for a position you will qualify for (or nearly qualify for) after you graduate (and take any necessary licensing exams)
  • be for a position you would be satisfied with—in an industry you’d be comfortable working in, in a geographic area where you want to live, etc.
  • include the name of the business or organization hiring, a position title, a job description/list of duties, and minimum qualifications/requirements for applicants
you may not use any of the following as the basis for the Job Search Portfolio project
  • you may not use an internship or graduate school application/opening
  • you may not use a position in your family business or a friend’s business
  • you may not use a position that has no job advertisement; a position that is not publicly advertised (internal) or not accepting applications from the general public
  • you may not use an opportunity for a promotion at a business you already work for
  • you may not use telemarketing, temporary/temp agency, or office positions (such as administrative assistant, secretary, etc)
  • you may not use positions advertised by job placement or recruitment agencies that do not include the name of the business or organization that is hiring
  • you may not use multi-level marketing positions, network marketing positions, or referral marketing positions.

Interview Questions

As part of your job portfolio project, answer all six four 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 position and company/organization in your response.

UPDATE for Spring 2020
I’m reducing the number of questions you must respond to in writing down to four.
  • 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 for Job Search Portfolio

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 Cover Letter will be considered above average (A/B) if it

  • Includes an effective introduction
  • Is targeted at (tailored to) the job advertisement
  • Expands on/proves items from resume
  • Indicates specific experiences, results, and/or successes
  • Includes effective closing; asks for interview
  • Employs a rhetorical approach and professional style

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

  • Is clearly and appropriately written as a chronological, skills, or mixed resume
  • Is targeted towards a particular job advertisement (and position)
  • Includes a well-written objective statement, clearly tailored towards the particular job advertisement and/or position description, highlighting what the applicant will bring to the position (may also include summary of qualifications OR a skill section, as appropriate)
  • Includes descriptive action verb statements that effectively describe duties, responsibilities, 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 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
  • Reinforce qualifications for position
  • Indicate specific experiences, results, successes
  • Address weakness effectively (when appropriate)
  • Are professional and contribute to good ethos

The Thank-You Letter will be considered above average (A/B) if it

  • Includes specific detail
  • Affirms interest and confirms qualifications
  • Employs rhetorical approach and professional style

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

  • Employ clear, correct, concise professional writing style
  • Employ reader-centered writing
  • Are organized appropriately
  • Employ a rhetorical approach
  • Demonstrate correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no typographical, capitalization, or other errors
  • Employ correct diction
  • Are complete
  • Meet all requirements as stated on this 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

See Canvas assignment area for submission instructions.

Resources

Articles
General Career Resources
FAU & Florida Career Resources
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
Professional Organizations