Job Application Packet

The Assignment

For this assignment, you will submit 5 things:

• the advertisement or position description for a suitable job or internship in your field (or the information from a graduate school you are applying to); you must be qualified for this job NOW or qualified upon graduation.
• your application letter for the job or internship (or a personal statement, if you are using the assignment to do a graduate school application) (75pts)
• a résumé that matches your application letter (75pts)
• three to five references (NOTE: Your list of references must include at least one Auburn University faculty member. List each person’s job title, professional mailing address, and phone number. Include an email address if available.) (25pts)
• a link to your LinkedIn profile (25pts)

Application Letter, Résumé, References, & LinkedIn Profile

The application letter should be written for a particular job or internship (for which you have obtained an advertisement or description) within a real company or agency that hires graduates in your field. You should be qualified for this position now or qualified upon graduation.

Bear in mind that the major purpose of the application letter is to capture the initial interest of the employer by focusing on your most important qualifications for that particular job. It should clearly show that you understand the requirements of the position. The letter should usually open by mentioning how or where you learned of the position and should conclude with a request for an interview. The application letter of a new college graduate should usually be no longer than one page (3 to 5 paragraphs). The letter showcases your writing ability: I look for well-organized paragraphs and for the logical and clear expression of ideas.

In contrast to the letter, the résumé provides a fuller overview of your relevant qualifications, skills, and experience. It is up to you to organize this information for maximum effectiveness. The résumé for a new college graduate is usually no more than one page. If you feel you need to use more than one page, please reach out to me and let’s make sure. In the résumé, I wish to see that you have organized information with consideration for the needs of the reader. Your résumé must have clear headings and an attractive, appropriate format.

From these documents, an employer will draw conclusions about your communication skills and the overall quality of your work. Obviously, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and final proofreading are vital.

The reference list needs to have a minimum of three names with titles and full addresses/contact information. Depending on your situation, the references will either be included on the résumé or on a separate sheet of paper. The references should include at least one AU faculty member.

Finally, it is increasingly important that you have a professional online presence. So, you will develop a simple LinkedIn profile and submit the link to it.

Evaluation/Grading

In grading this assignment, the application letter is worth 7.5%, the résumé is worth 7.5%, the references are worth 2.5%, and the LinkedIn profile is worth 2.5%.

NOTE: My evaluation of the your application letter and résumé will be based on how well you communicate your strengths–not on the qualifications themselves–and how you conform to certain conventions of neatness, logic, consistency, and grammatical and mechanical accuracy. Remember, this is not an evaluation of you or your record (unlike a real situation), but is based primarily on how well the package is put together.

Note: You may submit the application letter, résumé, and references as separate pdfs or as a single pdf. If you would like to combine them, you will need Adobe Acrobat Professional, which is available free to Auburn students at the OIT website: http://www.auburn.edu/oit/students/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

Here is a link to Adobe’s documentation explaining how to combine multiple pdf files: https://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/feature-details/acrobatpro/pdfs/combine-multiple-documents-into-one-pdf-file.pdf (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Rubric

Job Application Packet Rubric

Job Application Packet Rubric

Criteria	Ratings	Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLETTER: Adhere to formal business letter format?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLETTER: State your qualifications and demonstrate that you are different from other candidates?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLETTER: Demonstrate that you’ve researched the company or organization?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLETTER: Show evidence to support your claims?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLETTER: Appear neat, well organized, and proofread (i.e., no typos or spelling and grammar problems)?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESUME: Adhere to an accepted style of organization?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESUME: Employ telegraphic and action verb – centered writing style?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESUME: Demonstrate qualifications for the job?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESUME: Appear neat, visually balanced, and professional?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeRESUME: Use correct spelling and grammar?		15 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeREFERENCES: Three to five references, at least one of which Auburn University faculty?		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeREFERENCES: Each reference formatted consistently, with information in the same order, full names & titles, etc? (see assignment sheet)		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeREFERENCES: Proofread carefully?		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLINKEDIN PROFILE: Professional-looking profile picture?		5 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLINKEDIN PROFILE: Full name & summary with info on major being pursued and/or professional goals?		10 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeLINKEDIN PROFILE: Information on education and job/volunteer experience?		10 pts
Total Points: 20