This project is designed to help you write an effective job description (in a format applicable to compensation analysis) for a position you have interest in acquiring. A good packet effectively links the key duties, responsibilities and skills described as requirements for the selected job to your cover letter and resume.
In addition, this project requires group participation to review and improve the "application packets" of the members in your group. Finally, the evaluation of all "application packets" from another group of students in the class helps develop the critical thinking skills used in many positions within the typical Human Resources department.
ASSIGNMENT
PART ONE: INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION PACKET (Including draft version)
Part 1a: Locate an online advertisement for a job that you aspire to have. It should be a position that is a stretch for your background and experience, but a role for which you could reasonably be considered a candidate. Choose any position you want - whether it is a full-time, part-time, or temporary job - as long as it reflects opportunity for personal growth and career development. It should take advantage of your skills and education.
Part 1b: Translate the advertisement into a job description that follows the general format described in Chapter 4 in the textbook and discussed in class. The advertised job you find should be "expanded and fleshed out" to the point of offering a finished description containing all the relevant items needed for a compensation analyst to evaluate the job including: identification of key duties, qualifications of the typical incumbent, the work environment, and the definition of the typical metrics used when measuring successful performance.
NOTE: The written a description should be written for "internal use", that is, not used for an advertisement or an external job posting. Omit references useful only in advertisements, like descriptions of the company, benefits, or interview process.
Part 1c: Write a cover letter and resume that is appropriate for your application for the position described. Your objective is to prepare a packet sufficiently convincing to receive an interview.
Part 1d: As a group, gather the hard copies of each team member's packet (i.e., original job posting, job description you compose, resume, and cover letter) and review each document providing supportive and critical feedback in writing on the document and verbally for each member's benefit. Each person should collect all feedback from the team and use it to create an improved final document packet. Submit all drafts/comments with your final version in the group packet.
The complete packet to submit for this assignment in a professionally appropriate package will contain:
a print out of the job opening you found listed online,
draft copies of your written job description of the position, cover letter and resume with "applications"/reflecting notes/comments from each member of your group, and
a clearly identified final version of your description, cover letter and resume as your application for the job. Include your name AND your individual code name, which will be determined in class.
This packet will be used by the professor to grade the assignment.
PART TWO: ANONYMOUS GROUP SUBMISSION PACKET (FINAL VERSIONS)
Part 2a: In addition to your individual packet that is to be submitted with your group, the group needs to submit a collection of the final version of each member's job description, cover letter and resume WITHOUT ACTUAL NAMES OR IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. This packet SHOULD include each individual code name.
Identify each packet with a group code name and each item in the packet must be coded to identify the individual owner within the group. This packet will be used for the class evaluation portion of the project (described next).
Part 2b: Each group will receive a group of application packets from another group. Your group needs to meet and review all of the application packets and provide written feedback and evaluation of each application.
In a summary table, indicate whether each application receives recommendation for (a) an in-person interview, (b) a phone interview, or (c) is not selected for consideration from the reviewing team based on a consensus decision. Each member of the group should note their opinion of each application, too. The group consensus recommendation for the "hiring manager" (professor) must be clearly noted since it contributes to grades.
NOTE: The outcome the professor assigns will be compared to the outcome the team assigns. Significant differences may reflect poorly on the evaluators. For example, if the group votes for in-person interviews for an application containing obvious typographical errors, the "overly generous outcome" will result in lowered grades for the evaluators since this reflects poorly on the "HR support" being provided to the "hiring manager".