For this assignment you will be required to create a set of written materials relevant for a job you intend to apply for in the near future (i.e., the next few years).  As part of this assignment, you will prepare a personal inventory analyzing your background, experiences, and skills, you will research potential jobs that interest you and relate to your qualifications, and you will prepare a job description, resume, and cover letter.   Your primary resources for this assignment will be information contained in Chapter 9 as well as links provided in this section of the website.  Your final product will include a 2-3 page paper which includes your self analysis and an overview of your research, a 1 page job description, a 1-2 page resume, and a 1 page cover letter.   All materials must be typed.

The Self Analysis Paper

This paper should begin with a detailed self analysis of information describing your skills and qualifications and a summary of research on your potential job.  For your self analysis, you should discuss the following questions:

• What are your personality strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your intellectual strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your communicative strengths and weaknesses?
• What have been your accomplishments and failures?
• What are your professional strengths and weaknesses?
• What do you want in a position and organization?
• What are your most valued needs as a person?
• What are your professional interests?
• Why did you select your university and major?
• What are your previous work experiences?  Why did you select those and why did you leave?

Based on your self analysis, you should select a potential career field, and if possible, a particular organization you would like to work for.  After making that decision, you should research that organization to find out information like who its leaders/managers are, its financial status, geographic locations of its infrastructure (e.g., offices, plants, divisions, etc.), reputation in the field, and products/services offered.  Much of this information may be found by reviewing the organization's WWW page, contacting the organization and having materials mailed to you, and checking professional publications found in your library (see Chapter 9 for potential sources to use).  Your paper should conclude with a summary of your research and an explanation of why this company is a "good fit" based on your self analysis.

Job Description

After you have thoroughly researched the company and career field you want to be employed in, you should prepare a job description for a position you intend to apply for.   The job description consists of an applicant profile (see Chapter 8) and other information about the job like the salary range, benefits offered, and a brief description of the company including any contact information like a WWW page.  The applicant profile should identify required and desired BFOQ's, or bona fide occupational qualifications which conform to state and national EEO laws.  Such job descriptions typically are a page in length and provide more detailed information about the job than would be found in a standard "want ad."

Resume

Your resume should generally follow the models provided in Chapter 9 (either chronological or functional).  The format and content of your resume will vary depending on your past experiences, qualifications, and career field, however, your resume should generally be one to two pages in length.  Remember, your resume is your first opportunity to make a good first impression, so it should look professional and make a good case for you getting the job.

Cover Letter

Your cover letter (and any cover letter) should be tailored to the organization and position you are applying for.  If possible, you should address your letter to a specific person and it should be one page in length.  In general, your letter should explain why you are writing, what position you are applying for,  and how you learned about the position.  You should also indicate any knowledge you have of the organization.  Your letter should also highlight your qualifications for the position.  Do not simply repeat what is in your resume.  You should use the letter as an opportunity to persuade the reader to hire you.