Part 1: Report

With your career path in mind, locate a company/entity that you would like to work for.

Type a 1-page report of the company/entity. Single space it, and arrange it in sections with headings and plenty of white space for readability.

What kind of company/entity is it?

What positions do the employees hold?

Approximately how many people does it employ?

What is its mission statement?

What is its motto?

Make sure to put quotation marks around any words that are not your own.

If you can find an actual job listing, cut and paste that into the report and cite its source in a link.

Part 2: Cover Letter

Imagine that a job is available at the company you found, or apply for an actual position. Write a cover letter applying for the real or imaginary position. Remember that you are trying to persuade this company that you are the right person for the job, so you are employing rhetoric with the purpose of making an argument about yourself.

How to Structure the Cover Letter:

Include a greeting, like “Dear HR Team” or “Dear Ms. or Mr. …”

Begin the cover letter by providing context about the specific position you are applying for and how you heard about it. Name-drop if you happen to know someone who works in HR or in some other position at the company.

Provide a paragraph or two of evidence to prove that you are the right applicant. Whenever possible, incorporate language from the company’s website or job listing that you researched for the report. For example, you could mention the company’s mission statement or motto and say that your values are aligned with that. You could argue that you have the exact skills that the company is looking for, as mentioned in a job listing, and provide evidence to support that.

Conclude your letter by thanking the HR team for their time and urging them to contact you.

Close the letter by choosing an adverb (respectfully, sincerely, etc.) and including your name and contact information (Do not use your real contact information. Please use fake contact information for this project.)

Part 3: Résumé

Do some research to determine the appropriate standards for a résumé in your particular career. Consult the chapter on résumés and letters of application in Keys for Writers.

Use fragments (incomplete sentences), avoid excessive text, minimize white space, choose an appropriate font, align all columns, and use consistent verbs, a parallel structure, and consistent punctuation for readability and a clean look.

Use periods for abbreviations (St., Ave., Blvd., etc.) and capitalize both letters in states (CA).

Include sections with headings, like Employment, Education, Relevant Course Work, Skills (computer and language proficiency), etc.