This week's schedule

I hope you're all having a good weekend!

Just so everyone is clear, here is the schedule/agenda for this last week.

For Tuesday: Please come to class ready for the exam.  I will give the exam after making some general announcements.  Then, with whatever time remains afterwards, you will finalize your BP (and I will be available for questions, etc.).

For Thursday: The BP is due (hard copy and PDF); team evaluation memo is due; "elevator pitch" takes place in class.

By Saturday morning: Your assessment email is due.

If any of these items seem unfamiliar, please check with a teammate!

Preview: Thursday class

For Thursday, everyone will need to bring one copy of their major section(s) of the Business Plan.  The more complete your copy is, the more effective the workshop will be.  Meaning, have it done...just ready for editing/comments.  Have the research integrated into it...have the graphics in there...have it ready for input.

In class, we will "workshop" the sections in hopes of polishing them off.

In addition, you will complete an exercise designed to create the bulk of the Executive Summary.

Touching Base

Good job yesterday, everyone!  I hope the workshop was helpful, as was the BP time.  I talked with some groups after the entire process, and it seems like everyone is moving in the right direction.  Please remember that you can email me at any point to touch base with any questions, as well.

For Tuesday, please remember your cover letter/resume.  In class, we will discuss tips for using graphics and formatting of the BP, as well as going over presentation tips.

See you then!

Today's In-Class Exercise

Today in class, we workshopped our resumes and assigned the small tasks of the BP.  In addition, I have given you a substantial amount of time to continue work on your specific section of the plan.

My goal is for everyone to have all the information they need, and some of the writing done, but tonight...and then by next Tuesday, for everyone to have their content in a rough section/sub-section format.

So, here is your task for today.  Use the remaining time from class to continue work on your section.  Then, by 10 pm this evening, post to this blog (in the comments here), telling me how far along you are, and what major work you have left for your section.  This will keep us all up to date with each other...and maybe even motivate each other, as well!

Resume/Cover Letter Project

As discussed in class (Tuesday):

Your last individual (major) assignment will be to create a cover letter and resume.  Here are the details:

1.  Locate a real job or internship (one that you could realistically apply for now or at graduation)--you will use that job posting for your cover letter and to focus the resume.

2.  On Thursday, please bring a rough draft of your cover letter and resume to class.

3.  Next Tuesday, a final draft of the cover letter and resume are due at the beginning of class.

Of course, please feel free to contact me with any questions at all during the creation of these documents...

In addition:

For the resume projects, I'd like to provide some samples for reference. The best ones I've found are http://www.quintcareers.com/resume_samples.html -- look at all of the "New Graduate" samples. However, feel free to check out http://www.susanireland.com/resumeindex.htm and http://www.resume-resource.com/exstu3.html as well. Remember that there are different ways to create an effective resume--just make sure you follow the suggestions we discussed in class. Also, here's a great link for information on action verbs:http://www.quintcareers.com/action_skills.html And, here is a good example of a cover letter: http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/recentgrad.htm

For Tuesday

I hope you're all having a nice weekend!  A few notes in advance of Tuesday's class...

1.  Please remember to bring a hard copy of your "Bad News Letter" to class.

2.  Please be sure to print out, and bring, the new PDF I sent over the weekend.  If you did not receive that, please email me right away.  We will begin our resume discussion in class on Tuesday.

3.  Please remember the bring your memos about the other BP ideas to class.

4.  Finally, it came to my attention that some of the email assignment grades did not go through correctly.  To my knowledge, they have all been received now...but if you did not get a note from me with your grade, please email me right away.  Thanks!

See you Tuesday!

Memo and Letter Format

Sample Memo: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/590/04/

Sample Formal Letter: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/02/ (all are fine)