For this assignment I was placed in a group with Cody, Autumn and Vince. We named our group CAVA2311. When our group began the proposal process we each came up with different possible topics to choose from. As a group we evaluated each of our RFP’s by determining which one we thought would be the most available to research. We chose Autumn’s RFP which was to research the current training program at the Texas Tech Physical Plant. Our next step was to determine the main problems of the current training program. The major complexity with the current training program is that the Physical Plant is losing many man hours to trivial and costly training. The employees at the Physical Plant do not like the way the training is set up.  After determining the problems, we began research on developing a new training program. First, we interviewed several employees, allowing them to express their opinions about the current program. Then we researched files that explained the training program held at the Physical Plant. The next step in conducting our research was to compare the training program at the Texas Tech Physical Plant to the training programs at other Big 12 schools. We also took into consideration the state mandated courses the employees are required to take annually to continue working at the Physical Plant.            After our research was complete we were ready to begin our draft. We thought it would be best if we each split of the sections of the proposal evenly and worked on them individually. After we each finished our sections we met at the library two different times to collaborate our work and put our proposal together.            We determined Autumn to be our decision maker. We chose her because the proposal topic was her idea and because she also works in the office of the Texas Tech Physical Plant. We found that the research for this proposal was not too difficult because Autumn was well organized and knew exactly what we needed to do in order to find the information we needed to implement the new training program.            I am glad we got to do our proposal as a group project. I enjoyed working with Autumn, Vince and Cody. We all got along extremely well and had fun getting to know each other. I also think it was a good idea that we split the proposal into sections. That way we were not too overwhelmed when we got together at the library. We were able to use our time very wisely and finished our proposal much faster than we would have if it had been an individual project.            I believe we were able to accomplish every course goal throughout our proposal process. We determined that our audience was the Director of the Texas Tech Physical Plant. We were also able to create an effective and convincing document. The purpose was clear and easy to understand. Our proposal is easy to read and user friendly because the style is consistent throughout the document. Upon the completion of this proposal we were able to develop an effective business document. Although the proposal was challenging, I thought it was a very relevant assignment and I learned a lot. 

I found this assignment on correspondence to be more difficult than I was expecting. I didn’t realize how much thought and time had to be put into this type of communication. I have learned it is imperative to focus on the audience and situation to which you are writing as well as the purpose and tone you are trying to convey.

As I wrote the claim letter I focused on several things. First, I made sure to establish good will with the manager as that is very important. I wanted him to know that I appreciated the company’s services and their reputation for customer service, while at the same time expressing my displeasure with my purchase. I also wanted to be sure and maintain a professional tone while describing the product I purchased. I also made sure the action I wanted the manager to take was clear and easy to understand. I did this by being direct and to the point because I wanted to let them know my expectations concerning the product I bought and how I expected my problem to be solved.

I also wrote the bad news memo using the same criteria that I used in the claim letter. Along with establishing and maintaining good will and using a professional tone, I made sure to deliver the good news to the employees first and then follow with the bad news. I wanted to be sure to clearly describe the plan for reducing the number of personal copies made but also be indirect as to not blame anyone in particular for the problem. I also used easy to understand language so there would be no misunderstandings on the part of the employees. An email format would also be a good genre for this type of announcement. Many companies have an announcement folder where company-wide emails are posted for employees to read. This would be sort of like an email bulletin board.

For the solicitation email I included an attention grabber at the beginning praising the Mr. Jones for his outstanding community service. This positive beginning would give them a feeling of good will at the beginning of the solicitation. I told him about our organization and how we serve individuals and families in our community, including statistics to be more specific. By giving him our Mission Statement I provided him with the values that our organization has in our city and area. In the last paragraph, I gave Mr. Jones specific details on how he and his company can partner with our foundation. I extended him more good will at the end of the email by inviting him and Jones, Inc. to an event planned just for them.

While completing this correspondence assignment I have accomplished many of the course goals. I have learned how to communicate effectively with specific audiences. I have also put together convincing and usable documents and been able to solve problems and improve situations within these documents. These examples of business correspondence represent the types of correspondence I will encounter weekly if not daily in a business setting.

PuettClaimLetter.doc

PuettBadNewsMemo.doc

PuettSolicitationEmail.doc

            I began this assignment by researching several different websites such as Monster and Career Builder, and a couple of newspapers. I found researching for a job to be a little more difficult than I had expected. I was expecting to find many more ads which required my education and skill-set. Many of the advertised positions wanted one to three years’ experience which was a little discouraging to say the least. This exercise was a reality check for me because in just a few short months this will be reality for me. I will be looking for my first job following my graduation in May.

While looking for a job I took many things into consideration. I wanted to make sure I was able to complete the job requirements but also be challenged at the same time. I also kept salary in mind because I want to be able to support myself without help from my parents and to be stable financially. While financial stability is very important, I realize this will be my first job so I need to have realistic expectations concerning salary. I also hoped to find a job that interests me and one that would bring satisfaction and fulfillment. I think it is really important to have a career you like because I believe job satisfaction is a great motivator for job performance. If you have a job you love and are passionate about, you will work even harder. Using the above criteria I began my job search.

The position I chose was on the Career Builder website. It is for a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Supervisor position in
Dallas, TX. The job description interested me and described in detail the duties of a CASA supervisor. It matches my degree perfectly. I am very interested in this job because I love working with children and families. I am very passionate about working with children to better their lives. One of my personal goals is to have a positive influence on children and impact their future in a life-changing way. After reading this ad and reviewing the CASA website, I believe that I would be a good match for this position. If this were just a few months from now, I would actually apply for this position. I will be checking back with CASA as I near graduation.

While preparing the Job Letter and Resume I have gained a lot of knowledge. One thing I learned is that I am now able to design convincing and usable documents. I now have a better understanding of technical communication and all that it involves. I am also learning how to relate information to different audiences. As I work toward completing my degree, I will be using much of the knowledge that I have attained in Technical Writing. This will be one of the classes I will be referring back to as I graduate and begin sending out resumes. I have already learned many things that will be beneficial as I begin searching for my first job.

PuettJobLetter.doc
PuettResume.doc