Correspondence and Writing Topics

Although I believe I previously carried a feel for professional, concise emails, through this assignment I now have a checklist for how to compose a professional email. I am now more aware of the tone I wish to convey versus the tone that actually comes across. One bulletin I probably never considered was to compromise length, if only slightly, for politeness. My experience with true, business professionalism via email is very limited. The only personal email experience I would consider professional would be with A&M University, although limited. I have found the staff to respond immediately to phone calls, while emails can take weeks (this is largely due to the age of the staff that carries the information I seek.) Mistakes I see likely to make in the future are spelling (I am a terrible speller, if you haven't already noticed) and sending across a less inviting tone. These mistakes can be easily mended by the lovely spell check and reading out loud, or having someone else appraise the email.

The "take home message" I have learned about the following:

• Parallelism - brings topics together and provides an easier reading experience for the viewer
• Tone and Style - poor tone can offset an entire opportunity, be aware of desired tone and double check intentions
• Headings - provide immediate topic, useful in conveying information quickly and effectively
• Lists - provides information quickly if arranged properly
• Modifiers - Dangling or misplaced modifiers can obscure meaning and create confusion

Three things that stick out from the Job Process Simulation
1) turn off cell phones
2) send thank you cards/notes
3) is there such thing as overdressing for an entry position?

This is a useful simulation for it displays how phrasing of an event or attitude can determine how it is perceived. I have used Microsoft templates before although I find them constricting and at times, aggravating. I prefer to model my own while keeping in mind pros of the given template.

My top two results from the Jasper test from the three areas are as follows, values: achievement and balance, environment: fast paced and professional atmosphere, tasks: ideas and data. I would personally rank these in order of greatest to least importance as ideas, balance, fast paced atmosphere, achievement, professional atmosphere and data. The words Jasper uses to describe me are innovative, rousing, communication and questioning. I am unsure if these words are not too bold for a resume, it would be a fine line of standing out (it says my combination is unique) versus sounding over inflated. Jasper also says I am committed in my career choice and that my strongest universal skill is communication, which I would use on a resume.

I believe the most effective lesson from today that I will use in the future is audience, big lectures versus meetings, detailed teachers versus skimming professors. The idea I am not sure I have personally considered before is developing a "rapport with the audience." As most of my important documents were considered once (mostly applications), this is a developing concept.

I am a sophomore at A&M, a university I never thought I would end up in. I am studying civil engineering, with the goal of specializing in environmental engineering, a specialization that only begins in junior year. I enjoy my classes and am passionate about the subjects, but I am more at home in Austin than I will ever be in College Station. I did not get accepted to UT, and no one can deny A&M is a great engineering school. I am enrolled in this course as it is required for my major, I feel that it can be taught generally, and I am trying to complete my major in four years without dying each semester. In starting next semester I hope to find it easier to write memos (as there are a lot, though you say they are outdated), give oral presentations, and find confidence in expressing my ideas. After completing my major, I hope to work on inner city projects that while incorporating green attitudes will be environmental as well as long term pocket book friendly, as I believe, when push comes to shove, will always win. I was born and raised in Austin and am currently working five days a week at a pet grooming salon. It has nothing to do with my career goals, but it is a friendly environment that pays well, plus I got the job through family ties.