Below appears the text of the assignment sheet for the Job Packet (JobP), adapted for online presentation. This version is to be considered authoritative, superseding any previously published information regarding the JobP.
The first major assignment in ENGL 3323 is the JobP, which is meant to help prepare students to enter the professional workforce successfully. It may also be used to help students prepare to enter into internships, graduate study or military positions, or other post-graduation positions as deemed appropriate in consultation with the instructor. Per the course packet and other course documentation, the JobP project will consist of two parts:
JobP Posting and Memo (JobPPM)
Cover Letter and Resume (JobP)
The JobPPM will be submitted as a daily assignment independent of the other parts of the JobP. The JobP will be submitted as a single document. More details regarding submission, format, and content requirements appear below.
JobPPM
The JobPPM is to be submitted via D2L as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file before the beginning of class time on 28 January 2015. It is meant to ensure that students are pursuing positions appropriate to their emergent professional identities.
The content should consist of a one-page memorandum and either a copy of the student-selected job posting or (preferably) a link to it. The memorandum should follow the standard format for such documents discussed in the course textbook and class discussions: the required subject line is "ENGL 3323 JobP Posting and Memo." Its content should consist of two paragraphs:
The first should paraphrase the professional requirements and identity of the position (e.g., background the position requires and prefers, the industry of the position, the possibilities for advancement). Keep in mind that the primary reader of the memo (the instructor) is an educated non-specialist, so jargon and technical vocabulary in the position will need to be rephrased to address a reader who reads well but does not have professional training in the field.
The second should articulate in brief the appropriateness of both the student to the position and the position to professional development for the student. Answering such questions as how the student's current and imminent qualifications and experience suit the student to the position, what the student's career goals are, and how the position is an acceptable step towards reaching those goals will be helpful.
After the two paragraphs should be either a link to the job posting (copy and paste the URL into the document with an appropriate heading or textual tag) or a second page consisting of an image of the job posting (either a scanned and inserted image or a screen shot).
A copy of the grading rubric that will be appended to the JobPPM when it is returned to the student appears below. Scoring of the JobPPM as a 10-point daily assignment will be determined according to the following criteria:
Format (3 points)
Does the memorandum display appropriate type-face, interlinear and inter-paragraph spacing, and captioning and transmittal information as indicated in the course textbook? Does it conform to the length and distribution requirements expressed above? Is it submitted in one of the requested file formats?
Content (5 points)
Does the memorandum contain the requested information, as noted above? Is that content sufficient to address the needs of the reader (i.e., determining the nature and scope of the position and its appropriateness as a next-step professional endeavor for students in the class)? Is the required subject line in place? Is the memorandum accompanied by a link to or copy of the job posting, and is the accompaniment appropriately labeled?
Mechanics (2 points)
Does the memorandum adhere to the conventions of academic American English expressed in the course textbook and discussed during class time? Does it observe diction, register, and tone reasonably appropriate to professional discourse, such as can be reasonably expected of students in an upper-division English class?
Please note that if the position being referenced in the JobPPM is deemed inappropriate, the student who submits it will be required to seek out a different position for the remainder of the JobP.
JobP
The JobP, consisting of a cover letter and a resume (in that order) should be submitted via D2L as a single document in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format before the beginning of class time on 9 February 2015. It is a major assignment worth 100 of the 1000 points available in the course, and it should contain documents suitable for presentation to a professional agency as part of a hiring process.
Cover Letter
The Cover Letter should be a document of no more than two pages formatted in accordance with standards articulated in the textbook, the course packet, and class discussion (i.e., standard block format with sender and recipient address, date, salutation, closing, signature line, enclosure notation, and copy notation in place as appropriate). It should be written to the prospective employer. Content should consist of four to six paragraphs:
The first is a tailored introduction, indicating the position applied for, the venue through which the position was identified, and any accompanying materials. It should conclude with something like a thesis statement for the letter, which is a persuasive document.
The last is an expression of gratitude and contact information not already included in the return address.
Intervening paragraphs (two to four) should articulate clearly and in appropriate, professional style and tone how the student both fits the expressed requirements of the position applied for and offers value to the hiring/accepting organization in that position.
Resume
The Resume should be a document of one page (unless otherwise specifically noted for returning/nontraditional students) which articulates the students held and expected credentials in a manner indicative of fit for the positions to which they apply. It should be formatted in accordance with the guidelines articulated in the textbook, the course packet, and class discussion. It should also follow the Cover Letter (rather than preceding it). Content should consist of several sections, the order of which is somewhat flexible (information within each should be presented in reverse chronological order):
Student Contact Information (has to be first)
Related Work Experience
(Other) Work Experience
Education
Certifications and Licenses (optional)
Awards and Honors (optional)
Leadership Experience (optional)
Community Involvement (optional)
A copy of the grading rubric that will be appended to the JobP Cover Letter and Resume when they are returned to the student appears below. Scoring of the JobP as a 100-point major assignment will be determined according to the following criteria:
Format (30 points)
Does the letter display appropriate type-face, interlinear and inter-paragraph spacing, sender and recipient information, salutation, closing, signature line, and copy and enclosure notation as indicated in the course textbook and discussed during class time? Does it conform to the length and distribution requirements expressed above?
Does the resume display appropriate type-face, interlinear spacing, and contact information as indicated in the course textbook and discussed during class time? Does it correspond with document design principles articulated in the course textbook and discussed during class time? Is it presented in a way that facilitates a quick scan by a non-specialist reviewer? Does it conform to the length and distribution requirements expressed above?
Are the two items submitted as a single file in one of the requested file formats?
Content (50 points)
Does the letter contain the requested information, as noted above? Is that content sufficient to address the needs of the reader (i.e., explaining to a non-specialist how the student's held or imminently expected credentials and experience suit the student to the position being sought)?
Does the resume contain sufficient information from among the categories listed above to adequately support the student's assertion that the student is fit for the position being sought? Is the information presented in a reasonable and sensible fashion, with like information gathered into appropriately-labeled categories and presented in reverse chronological order within them?
Mechanics (20 points)
Do the documents adhere to the conventions of academic American English expressed in the course textbook and discussed during class time? Do they observe diction, register, and tone reasonably appropriate to professional discourse, such as can be reasonably expected of students in an upper-division English class?
Note that there is no expectation of outside reference in the JobP (save an informal reference to the advertisement for the position being sought). Even so, any deployment of outside source materials needs to be accounted for appropriately. Failure to do so will be investigated as provided for in course, program, department, College, and University policy and may have a detrimental effect on student grades.
Grading Rubrics
Copies of the rubrics for the JobPPM and JobP are linked here.
Samples of Student Work
A sample of the JobP, one submitted by an earlier student and reproduced by permission, is linked here.
More information is forthcoming. Check back for updates.