Your work for Project 3 is described as “job application materials.” In reality, you do not have to create materials for applying for a job. You have many other options. Here are some of the options that students have done in the past for this assignment:

• a job posting and the résumé and cover letter you would use to apply for the job
• an internship announcement and the materials you would use to apply for the internship
• a scholarship announcement and the materials you would use to apply for that scholarship
• a before image (PDF) of your LinkedIn profile and a link to your revised LinkedIn profile
• before images of several online profiles (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) and then links to your newly cleaned up profiles
• the link to a website you have built as a portfolio, which provides info about yourself and your accomplishments
• the link to your GitHub repository with descriptions and well-documented code for projects you have done
• the link to your Academia.edu profile, which provides info on your education and projects you have done
• the link to a YouTube video that gives a guided tour of some work that you have done or presentations you have given
• Update your LinkedIn profile to network with professionals where you will be working in the future

Do whatever makes sense for your field and career goals. You can combine and rearrange things as well. For example, I had some students in the past who cleaned up their existing online profiles and then created a LinkedIn profile to build a professional online persona.

This project is your chance to work on documents that you can use now and in the future. I’ve had students, for instance, who told me that their in-major advisors or advisors at Career Services kept telling them they needed to set up profiles on LinkedIn, but they never had time. They used this project to get that work done.

The evaluation section of your proposal may feel a little challenging. You are used to teachers telling you what you have to do for a grade, and I’m asking you to do the opposite. You are setting goals for each level of work that you might complete in Project 3. I will review your proposal and let you know if it needs to be adjusted.

What Goes in the Evaluation Section of Your Proposal
Your proposal should outline the evaluation techniques (see p. 289 of Markel) for your project, giving me three levels:

• Average Work ( a C project)
• Above-Average Work (a B project)
• Excellent Work (an A project)

Example 1

If I were going to work on my LinkedIn profile for Project 3, I might outline these expectations in the evaluation section of my proposal:

• Average Work (a C project): clean up my Facebook and Twitter profiles and set up a LinkedIn profile with basic information.
• Above-Average Work (a B project): complete the C project and fill out the LinkedIn profile completely.
• Excellent work (an A project): complete the B project and add an attention-grabbing summary section to the LinkedIn profile as well as arrange the information on the profile so the most important information is in the first screen or two on the page.

Example 2

If I were going to work on my an online presence and portfolio as a communications major for Project 3, I might explain something like this:

• Average work (a C project): create a short video portfolio that employers can use to view my on-camera anchor talent.
• Above-average work (a B project): complete the C project and create a website on which to host the video. Use design elements to organize the website.
• Excellent work (an A project): complete the B project and add a resume to the website. Update the resume so that it is current and accurate.

Worth 15% of your course grade

Important Dates

• March 14: Informal Proposal due by 11:59 PM
• March 21: Grace period for the proposal ends at 11:59 PM
• March 22: Rough Drafts for Peer Feedback, due by 11:59 PM
• March 24: Peer Feedback due by 11:59 PM
• March 28: Project 3 due by 11:59 PM
• April 4: Grace period ends at 11:59 PM

NOTE: We’re using the term "Job Application Materials" to cover a wide range of things that go beyond the traditional resume and cover letter to include any materials you might use to retain your job, work toward promotion, or network with colleagues.

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 and maintain a job, an internship, or a scholarship,
• to maintain your career and demonstrate your work,
• to work toward a promotion or otherwise advance your career,
• to network with employees in your new job.

You’ll propose what kind(s) of job application materials 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 to get, keep, and advance in a job professionally and by building a network of colleagues.

Research the 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).
• Update your LinkedIn profile to network with professionals where you will be working in the future.

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 or career networking.

Step 3: Propose your project. Use the proposal instructions and the information in Markel on writing proposals to know what information to include and how to submit your proposal. Your proposal is due March 14 by 11:59 PM, but you can submit your proposal earlier.

I have never had to turn a proposal down, but I have asked for changes occasionally. If you are planning on a unique or unusual project, try to submit your proposal as soon as possible so that you can begin working on the materials with confidence that they will work for Project 3.

Step 4: Complete the work you have proposed for Project 3. Create whatever job application materials you have proposed, working to meet whatever grade goals you have set for yourself.

You will submit your draft(s) for peer review by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 22. If you are working on another site, you will need to set the page so that we can all read it and share the link to that site. If you are working on LinkedIn, log into Lynda.com with your Virginia Tech PID and password, and watch the video on Adjusting Your Privacy Settings.

Use the advice you receive from your readers to revise before the due date, which is March 28.

Step 5: Submit your work in Canvas.
When you are finished with the project, you will upload your file(s) and/or links in the Assignment tool on Canvas. Details on how to submit your work will be included in the post for the week of March 22.

You will use the Comment section for reflection on your project. In this section you will tell me the following:

• the grade that you have aimed for.
• how well you reached your goals.
• any other information I need to know to understand the work you did on your project.

Be sure that you follow the instructions, include the relevant information, and proofread your memo. If you skip adding the Comment, you lower your grade on the project. Remember that there are no rewrites or revisions after work is graded.

Contributes 50 Points to Your Job Application Project Grade

Important Dates

• March 14: Informal Proposal due by 11:59 PM
• March 21: Grace period for the proposal ends at 11:59 PM

Goals

outline the activities that you want to complete for your job application materials project

set a specific schedule and list of deliverables

suggest evaluation criteria for your job application materials

The Proposal Assignment

Write a short, informal proposal that tells me what you want to create for Project 3. Check out the Project 3 Examples for tips and some projects that will work. A rubric for the proposal will be provided in the next week.

LENGTH: Try to keep it to four pages or less. You could be a little longer if you have included a lot of charts, graphs, or other illustrations. Bottom line: include enough details for me to understand and approve your proposal, but do not add unnecessary filler.

FILE FORMAT: You can work in any word processor, as long as you can save your file as either a *.doc, a *.docx, or a *.pdf file.

STRUCTURE: Your proposal should include the following sections:

• summary (Markel, pp. 282–283)
• introduction, which explains the findings of your research and your needs (Markel, p. 283)
• proposed tasks, that is what you propose to create for Project 3 (Markel, pp. 283–286)
• task schedule (Markel, pp. 287–289)
• evaluation techniques (Markel, p. 289 and more info & examples), which outlines three levels of work for Project 3:
  • Average Work ( a C project)
  • Above-Average Work (a B project)
  • Excellent Work (an A project)

SUBMISSION: Upload your file in the Assignment tool on Canvas, following these instructions:

1. Go to Assignments in Canvas.
2. Choose "Proposal for Job Application Materials" (under Project 3).
3. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
   
4. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your proposal file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
5. Skip the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow) for this activity, unless there is something special you need to tell me.
6. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your proposal will be uploaded and turned in.
7. If you need to make any changes to your plan, I will let you know in the comments on your proposal, so be sure to read the feedback that I send.

Use your free access to Lynda.com videos to find additional resources that can help as you decide what to propose. If you were interested in doing something that the textbook doesn’t cover, these videos may be just what you’re looking for. Here are some examples that could be useful, depending upon your career goals:

• Job Hunting Online with Jolie Miller

• Up and Running with LinkedIn with Justin Seeley

• Job Search Strategies with Valerie Sutton

• Designing a Resume with Steve Harris

• Creating an Effective Resume with Mariann Siegert