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Business Communication, MGMT 3510, 006, Spring 2014 5:30-6:55 M-W, Room 267

Professor’s contact information: Mr. Thomas Lott, Management Department

(901) 224-4395 tglott@memphis.edu

Communication With The Instructor: Please use the email address above for communication with me. I check this frequently during the day and it is the most efficient way to reach me. If you have not received a response from me within 24 hours, I probably did not get your message, so please check the email address and resend.

Course Management information: Register for course support through http://www.cengagebrain.com, see card provided in textbook. Grades and course content available through elearn, www.memphis.edu, click on eCourseware for course information. Text information: Lehman, C. M., & DuFrene, D. D. (2013). BCOM5 (5th ed.).

Mason, OH: South- Western Cengage Learning. Course Description: Communication theory applied to business and the professions; emphasis on effective writing; presentation of written and oral case solutions, letters, memoranda, reports, and employment applications; selection and use of research sources; consideration of business ethics, technology, and intercultural communication. Note: This course is a writing and project intensive course! Course Topics The following topics and minimum assignments are included in all sections of MGMT 3510:

Business Correspondence

Informational/routine/good news message

Unpleasant/bad news message

Persuasive message (letter of application can substitute for this message) Career Communication

Employment-related communication assignments including a résumé, letter of application and other documents.

Business Presentations

Oral individual and team presentations (formal and informal) including effective audio-visual components such as PowerPoint and charts.

Research and Report-writing

Research activity/report that demonstrates the use of gathering, organizing, evaluating, and synthesizing information into a report format using graphics as well as APA style documentation.

Professional Career and Image Development

Business etiquette and professional development for the job search process. Course Goals and Objectives: To develop an understanding of the theory (principles) of effective communication and the ability to apply these principles to the solving of management problems, especially in the form of written business messages. Although the emphasis is not on grammar, spelling, etc., all work is expected to be correct in these areas. If you are not confident in these areas, please take advantage of the U of M writing tutoring and the style cards

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in your text. Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student is expected to be able to:

Understand and discuss the communication process;

Plan, organize, and develop a variety of business messages that display appropriate tones and demonstrate the use of correct appearance of business documents;

Discuss and use listening, oral and nonverbal communication skills;

Prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint;

Gather, organize, and evaluate data to write business reports;

Prepare employment communication messages, including a letter of application and resume;

Understand and discuss effective team, interpersonal, and intercultural communication

Use critical thinking, apply ethical approaches to solving business communication problems, and exhibit desirable work traits (business etiquette), which promote success in business.

BBA Degree Program Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for this degree program are located on the following URL. Notice that goals indicate Learning Outcomes for the degree program. The objectives under each learning outcome indicate what must be done to reach the learning outcome. Faculty members in the Fogelman College developed these learning outcomes and periodically assess students to determine the level that the learning outcomes are being met. URL: http://www.fcbeassessment.net/LearningOutcomes/BBADegreeLearningOutcomes.pdf Academic Course Requirements: The following minimum assignments are included in all sections of MGMT 3510:

a. Informational/routine letter, also considered a “good news” letter b. Unpleasant/bad news letter c. Persuasive letter (letter of application can substitute for this letter) d. Employment communication (letter of application and résumé minimum requirements) e. Student individual oral presentations (formal and informal) f. Research activity which demonstrates use of gathering, organizing, evaluating, and

synthesizing information into report format using APA style documentation g. Business etiquette and team communication activity

Grade Components: The final grade will be determined by the number of points earned on examinations, class assignments (including oral and group presentations), and written assignments (memos, letters, class assignments and reports). Some class and written assignments will be completed during class time and without prior notice; others will be completed outside of class. The total points you earn in each grade component will cumulate for the total points in the course. See the chart below for points and grade correlation.

Grading Components Point Value

Intro Writing Assignment 15 points Letter Writing Assignments-2@ 50 pts. 100 Quizzes—2 @50 pts. 100 Mid-term Test 100 Social Media Report 100 Oral Presentation—Individual 75

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Team Presentation 75 Career Plan 285 Final Exam 150 Total 100% 1,000 points Written Assignments 115 points Quizzes 100 points Reports 100 points Tests/Final Exam 250 points Presentations 150 points Projects 285 points

A 90-100% 900 -1,000 points B 80-89% 800 - 899 points C 70-79% 700 - 799 points D 60-69% 600 - 699 points F- Less than 60% Less than 600 points For FCBE majors, a minimum grade of C- is required for graduation. If your grade is less than a C-, you will have to retake the course.

Assignment Information: Check the syllabus for descriptions of each assignment. Any additional information needed to complete assignments will be provided during class as we approach the assignments. Due dates will be announced in class during the semester and are listed tentatively on the class schedule. All assignments must be typewritten. Assignments with a "rewrite" option will be identified in class. It is your responsibility to stay current with any assignment changes announced in class. Keep your graded assignments—they may be used again in the assignments allowed for rewrites and are helpful as you prepare for future assignments in this course. Because improving your writing is a process, review how you are changing your writing throughout the semester and continue to enhance your writing effectiveness. Based on the class progress, some assignments will be allowed to be revised and improved before a final grade is assigned to the assignment. Not all assignments will have a rewrite option so it is important for you to maintain a file of completed coursework.

NOTE: Assignments must be submitted in class, on the date due, during the class period, and at the time the instructor makes the request. Please do not email assignments unless we have spoken about the need to do so. If you are going to be absent, you should plan to turn your work in early and let me know that you have an absence on this day. Late work will not be accepted, please plan ahead and meet your assignment deadlines. Submit early to avoid any potential technical difficulty. Late assignments will not be accepted electronically due to computer issues.

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Make up work is not allowed. If you have a legitimate emergency such as a death in the family or serious illness, contact the instructor and we’ll discuss your specific circumstances. At the instructor’s discretion, based on extenuating circumstances, specific arrangements may be allowed. Credit will not be given for assignments with technology malfunction issues or for incomplete, incorrect, or plagiarized assignments. You may submit assignments early through appropriate communication mediums. Early assignments or those submitted outside of class MUST be received by the professor before the scheduled class time. Changes/revisions to PowerPoint slides may be presented in class only. You are responsible for any material/instructions, etc. presented in class. I strongly encourage you to use a flashdrive or the UM drive to store your work. This back-up storage plan could be helpful in many respects. Archiving your work may prevent a stress later if you have a computer malfunction. Assignments/exams will be returned for review. Assignments/exams physically reviewed during a class period must be returned to the instructor during the same class period. Failure to return any assignment/exam as indicated will result in that assignment/exam a zero for that assignment. Business Etiquette Opportunities: Learning appropriate business etiquette is important for professional development. The Fogelman College of Business and Economics offers a Business Etiquette Dining Experience as part of The Complete Professional Program. These dining workshops are offered outside of class and will be announced for interested students. The Dining Etiquette Experience is a great learning experience and should be considered if your schedule permits. Extra credit in the class will be given for this experience. Information will be announced in class. For the Dining Experience, due to program donor requests, this option is available only for Fogelman business majors.

Exams/Final Exam: Exams will generally consist of true-false, multiple-choice, short answer, essay, and completion questions as well as application exercises. The final exam is comprehensive, and scheduled for May 7 at 5:30-6:55 p.m. If your average is 90% or higher and you’ve had 3 or fewer absences by April 30, 2014 you may be exempt from the final exam. However, you may need that exam to replace another test or exam that you missed due to absence from the class. Quizzes and tests are not made up unless there is an approved absence due to an emergency. Extra Credit Opportunities: A select number of professional development activities will be considered for extra credit in the class. Students must demonstrate that they attended the activity. Attendance records will also be verified. Only activities offered by the instructor will be allowed for extra credit. A maximum of 50 points can be earned for extra credit.

Fall Career and Internship Fair—Wednesday, February 19. Location/times: University Center, 10:00-3:00, see your instructor for the required Activity Sheet. To earn this credit, you have to complete all of the activities required and submit the Career Fair Extra Credit form and business cards from a minimum of 3 industry professionals that you met and spoke to during the Career Fair. Professional Dress required.

Business Etiquette Dining Experience—Students must sign up for a specific date and be

approved for this date. More information will be announced in class. Dates for these

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dinners are Tuesday, February 18, Saturday, March 22 (luncheon, 12:15), Thursday, April 3, and Wednesday, April 23. With the exception of the March 22 luncheon, all dinners begin at 5:15 for registration and finish approximately by 7:30. All of the sessions are held in the Fogelman Executive Center. You must register to attend and pay the $10 fee for your meal. You are not confirmed to attend until you pay for your registration fee.

SHRM Student Chapter Meetings—See Professor Tuberville for Meeting Dates

Professionalism First—see Professor Tuberville for more information. Career Development

sessions on Fridays in February including Feb 7, 14, and 21. Registration is through Cayla Cook, cdcook1@memphis.edu or through the Professional Development Center, Room 274

Professional Development Luncheons—Dates will be announced in class.

Any other extra credit professional development opportunities must be approved by

your instructor in advance to count as extra credit. The purpose of these events is to help you with the objectives of the course by preparing you for multiple employer requirements in today’s workplace. Take advantage of these opportunities so that you can also work toward your Complete Professional Program certificate. Plan ahead and take advantage of these opportunities for your professional development as well as your grade in the class. Use the form in eCourseware and update as you attend/participate. You will submit this form on April 23 for review and approved credit. Keep up with your dates and activities throughout the semester. Administrative Course Requirements Class Attendance: Enrollment in this course obligates the student not only for prompt completion of all work assigned but also for punctual and regular attendance as well as participation in any class discussion that may occur. It is the student's responsibility to stay informed concerning all assignments made. Absences do not excuse any student of this responsibility. Absence from more than 10 percent of the scheduled class sessions is considered excessive. If you must exceed this 10 percent maximum, withdrawing from the course should be considered. All absences are counted; therefore, the instructor does not grant excused absences. Credit for class attendance requires that you arrive on time and stay (in class) the entire period. To be considered exempt from the exam, you cannot have more than 3 absences from the class and must have a 90% (A) average by April 30. Posting of Grades: All grades will be posted in eCourseware. Be sure to monitor your grades frequently and assess your progress in the class. If you do not understand your grade, please see your instructor. Stay current with your progress and ask questions along the way. Academic Integrity and Student Conduct: Expectations for academic integrity and student conduct are described in detail on the website of the Office of Student Judicial and Ethical Affairs (http://saweb.memphis.edu/judicialaffairs). Please review the sections about “Academic Dishonesty,” “Student Code of Conduct and Responsibilities,” and “Disruptive Behaviors.” I will

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expect students to be aware of these guidelines and to conduct themselves accordingly. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any form—either by giving or receiving information or work that is not your own. All written assignments will be reviewed with the “Turnitin” grading software so be aware that plagiarism does affect your grade. We are here to learn and be successful in this course. Please assume professional-level conduct during class. Conduct which is considered disruptive includes (but is not limited to) arriving late for class, leaving early, leaving and returning during the class period, having telephones or pagers which ring or beep in class, using a laptop for iPad for non-class related work, and bringing children or other non-enrolled guests to class. Cell Phones: Please silence your phones when you enter class. Texting in class is considered disruptive to the class and to the instructor. Texting during a class assignment, presentation, or exam is considered academic dishonesty and will carry the same consequence as cheating and will result in a zero on the assignment. ADA/Students with Disabilities. Any student who may need class or test accommodations based on the impact of a disability is encouraged to speak with me privately to discuss your specific needs. Students with disabilities should also contact Disability Resources for Students (DRS) at 110 Wilder Tower, 678-2880. DRS coordinates accommodations for students with documented disabilities. For more information visit the DRS website at www.memphis.edu/drs/index.php. Note From Director of Undergraduate Programs. Admission into this class is by permit only. Students who are enrolled in the class (on the last day to add classes) will only be given a permit for the class for the next semester one week before the semester begins. Permits will be granted at this time only if space is still available Education and Writing Assistance (Free) Educational Support Program (ESP)-provides academic counseling, contact information is

http://www.memphis.edu/esp/supplemental.php The Business Learning Center:

(Room 256, FCBE)-provides tutoring in accounting, statistics, finance, management, and marketing. Writing assistance is also available in Patterson, Room 225 only. Contact number is 901.678.3912.

Tutoring:

General tutoring (www.memphis.edu/tutoring) Writing and online tutoring (www.memphis.edu/onlinetutoring)

University of Memphis plagiarism policy and helpful tutorials: UM Policy on Plagiarism

http://www.memphis.edu/instructionalsvcs/instruct.php#plagiarism, http://cassian.memphis.edu/history/mcrouse/lit.html How To Avoid Plagiarism.

APA websites:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html#Your http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm http://www.apastyle.org

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Study efficiencies/time management-Mitchell Hall, Room 207 Fogelman Career Corner: www.memphis.edu/fcbe/career See this website for résumé formats to be used in this course. These résumé formats are required for the Career Plan assignments. Avron B. Fogelman Professional Development Center and The Complete Professional Program: www.memphis.edu/fcbe/professional The Avron B. Fogelman Professional Development Center is located in room 274, phone is 678-4740. Watch for announcements of upcoming training opportunities as well as the requirements for the Professional Development Certificate. Visit the Center to learn more about how you can get prepared for your upcoming job and internship searches. Career Services-www.memphis.edu/careerservices Check this website for support in career development, career fairs, and other resources. Office of Academic Internships-www.memphis.edu/internships FCBE Office of Recruiting, Scholarships, and Internships—Room 114, FCBE Scholarship deadlines for the Fall 2014 semester are at the beginning of this spring semester. Check out the dates and application requirements! SHRM: (Society of Human Resource Management) www.shrm-memphis.org, Society for Human Resource Management, Memphis Professional Chapter—meetings once per month, see meeting calendar posted on class eCourseware National SHRM site.www.shrm.org, Society for Human Resource Management National Association of Colleges and Employers: www.naceweb.org, Toastmasters—U of M Chapter: Toastmasters is a nationial professional organization designed to assist professionals in developing presentation and professional communication skills. Contact: Mrs. Elizabeth Perkins for more information or contact The Avron B. Fogelman Professional Development Center (address listed above). The national website is www.toastmasters.com. U of M Library www.memphis.edu/libraries. See this website for databases and research options provided to you at no-charge for your Social Media Paper. Suggested Reading Business Communications is a course that may encourage you to learn more about specific topics such as interview skills, professional image development, presentation skills, social media and its implication in employment. Listed below are some selected reading sources. Check the U of M library for additional resources for topics related to your interests in professional skill building. Find Your First Professional Job: A guide for co-ops, interns and full-time job seekers. Weighert, S. (2005). Find your first professional job: A guide for co-ops, interns, and full-time job- seekers. USA: Mosaic.

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Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed Medley, H.A. (2005). Sweaty palms: The neglected art of being interviewed. New York, NY: Warner Business Books. The Successful Internship: Personal, professional and civic development. Sweitzer, H.F. & King, M.A. (2009). The successful internship: Personal, professional and civic Development (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. What Color Is My Parachute? Bolles, R. (2012). What color is my parachute?(40th ed.). Berkley, CA: TenSpeed Press. Student Organizations For career building opportunities, it’s advisable to join at least one student or professional organization. There are a number of opportunities on the U of M Campus. If you are a management major or interested in Human Resource Management, the student chapter of SHRM is available on our campus. Co-faculty advisors are Dr Carol Danehower and Mrs. Tuberville. See me if you are interested in learning more about the student chapter of SHRM. For a complete listing of campus student organizations, go to www.memphis.edu/studentlife Student Organizations within FCBE http://www.memphis.edu/fcbe/student_organizations.php

• Accounting Beta Alpha Psi (international honorary organization) Advisor: Dr. John Malloy

• Economics Omicron Delta Epsilon (international honors society) Advisor: Dr. K.K. Fung

• Economics The Giffen Club (open to anyone interested in economics) Advisor: Dr William T. Smith, Chair of Economics

• Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate Financial Management Association (FMA) Advisor: Mr. Leslie Mathis

• Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate Rho Epsilon (real estate) Advisor: Dr. Phillip Kolbe

• Management Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Advisors: Dr. Carol Danehower and Mrs. Kathy Tuberville

• Management Information Systems Association for Information Technology Professionals (AITP) Advisor: Mrs. Judy Brown

• SCMSA (Supply Chain Management Student Association) Advisors: Dr. Shawn Jones and

Dr. Ernie Nichols.

• Association for Management Information Systems (AMIS) Advisor: Dr. Margaret Schultz

• Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity Advisor: Dr. Charlene Spiceland.

• Student Delegate Board: Mrs. Mary Johnson.

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• The Complete Professional Program—Mrs. Tuberville in the Professional Development Center. We have a comprehensive program to help you earn a Professional Development Certificate as well as gain valuable career skills.

Your future employer will want to know many things about your overall educational experience. Your overall grade performance, work ethic, as well as your involvement on campus or in community leadership opportunities are all important aspects of your personal brand.

Take advantage of this time to invest in yourself—join an appropriate organization and become involved. The outcomes will likely be:

Increased networking with campus and community professionals

Enhanced relationships with faculty

Broadened relationships with your peers

Exposure to more opportunities in your field

Career and professional development opportunities

Great résumé-building opportunities

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Tentative Course Schedule—Spring 2014 Business Communications—Section 006, Lott

(Changes to the course schedule will be announced in class; it is the student’s responsibility to get changes to the schedule from class announcements)

Week 1 MLK Holiday, Jan 20 Jan 20, 22 First day of class, Jan 22 Course Overview, Chapter 1, 2, 13

(Career Plan I overview) Week 2 Chapters 2, 3 Jan 27, 29 Intro Assignment Due—Jan 27 Week 3 Chapter 3, 4, 5 Feb 3, 5 Career Plan I Assignment Due 2/5

Impromptu Presentations Begin

Week 4 Chapters 5, 6, 12 Feb 10, 12 Quiz Chapters 1-5—Feb 12 Assign Presentation Topics/Dates, Team and Individual Good News Letter Due 2/10 Week 5 Chapters 7, 12, 13 Feb 17, 19 Bad News Letter Due 2/19 Week 6 Chapters 13, 14, 8 Feb 24, 26 Career Plan II Due 2/26 Week 7 Chapters 13, 14, 8 March 3, 5 Mid-term Test Chapters 1-5, 6, 7, 8, March 5 March 10, 12 Spring Break Week 8 Chapters 13, 8, 14 March 17, 19 Team Presentations Begin-3/19 Week 9 Chapters 9, 10, 12 March 24, 26 Research Paper Outline and Sources Due for Social Media Paper,

APA Reference Page draft, 3/24 Sample charts due, 3/24 Career Plan III Due, 3/26 Week 10 Chapters 10, 11 March 31, April 2 Team Presentations continue Week 11 Chapter 14, Social Media Paper Due April 7 April 7, 9 Begin Individual Presentations, Chapter 12 Presentation Outline, Copies of PowerPoint, Self Evaluations Due When Presentation Is Given

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Week 12 Individual Presentations, Chapter 12, Review Chapter 11 April 14, 16 Presentation Outline, Copies of PowerPoint, Self Evaluations Due When Presentation Is Given Quiz #2—chapters 9-12, 13, 14, April 16 Week 13 Individual Presentations, Chapter 12 April 21, 23 Presentation Outline, Copies of PowerPoint, Self-Evaluations Due When Presentation Is Given Week 14 Special Topics in Business Communication April 28, 30 Individual Presentations completed Exam Review and Course Wrap-up Last Day of Class, April 30, Study Day—May 1

May 7 Final Exam, 5:00-6:55, Room 267 Due to guest speaker opportunities and other course-related changes, the professor may need to adjust the schedule periodically. Remember, it is your responsibility to obtain changes to assignments or class schedule changes. Assignment Summary Intro Assignment: This assignment is used to help me determine your current level of writing skills. You are to do the following in this assignment:

a) Develop your unique professional letterhead—all assignments you turn in for this class should include a professional letterhead. You may want to try several versions that “fit” you—remember that this should be professional in design and content.

b) Write a 3-4 paragraph letter to me—see your text for format, chapters 6 and 7. Include date and inside address. In your 3-4 paragraphs, describe yourself in the following ways: classification, major, career interests, your assessment of your communication skills at this point and goals after college. Include anything else that will help me get to know you better.

c) All assignments should be typed and proofed carefully—start here with this good habit. Review samples of letters in your text for the letterhead, inside, and date formats. Be sure to include a proper salutation and closing as well.

15 points Good News Letter: This letter is based on content in chapter 6—read the chapter carefully before you draft this letter. You will be given appropriate topics in class for this assignment. This assignment should be a one-page letter with letterhead, date, and a minimum of 3 paragraphs. Follow the format for salutations and closings in your text. Proof your work carefully. The assignment details will be posted on eCourseware. Review samples in your text for inside address, date, salutation, and closing formats. 50 points

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Bad News Letter: This letter is based on content in chapter 7—read the chapter carefully before you draft this letter. You will be given topics in class for this assignment This letter should be a one-page letter with letterhead, date, and a minimum of 3 paragraphs. Use the same format and directions as in the Good News letter. The assignment details will be posted on the class page in eCourseware. Review your text for samples and letter appearance. 50 points Social Media Paper—This paper will include a 4-5 page paper on the “Benefits and Disadvantages of Using Social Media During A Job Search”. Requirements: 3-5 appropriate sources (other than your text), use APA for in-text citations and include a References page. APA should be used for the paper format: 1 inch margins all around, 12 point type, double-spaced, and an appropriate cover page (cover page and reference page do not count in your 4-5 pages). Sources for this paper should be professional journal articles, search carefully for appropriate articles. You should have a variety of sources/types. See chapters 9, 10 and 11 for this assignment. Do not use Wikipedia for this report. Sources should be relevant and timely, written in the last 5 years. Review the sources you choose for credibility and reliability. Two graphs from chapter 10 should be included describing your findings. Submit drafts of your graphs prior to turning in your paper for review. You are to develop two original charts, based on your sources and content. Charts or graphs that have been “cut and pasted” from other sources will not count for this assignment. Your graphs should be incorporated into the text of your paper, not as an appendix. Choose your graphs appropriately based on the type of information you are seeking to communicate. 100 points Career Plan Assignment This project includes aspects of all that you will learn in the course: writing skills, research skills, and career awareness. Make this project a professional level project with appropriate image of your work and relevant to your career interests. Text resources for this project are chapters 8, 13 and 14 as well as chapter 4 for writing fundamentals. The Career Plan will be divided into Career Plan I, Career Plan II, and Career Plan III. A separate handout will describe what is due at each point. Targeted Job Opportunity—research your “ideal” career position either online at www.monster.com or another online career source. Print out the copy; note the required skills and experience. When you develop your résumé, consider those requirements as you craft your résumé. 15 points Résumé—This document should be a one-page résumé, using appropriate formatting. See chapter 13 of your text for examples of resumes as a general review. Print your final copy on résumé paper. Your résumé should be targeted toward your job posting above. The same letterhead you use for your cover letter should be used on your résumé. Review several styles of résumé formats—remember to think like an “employer” and position your strengths and skills accordingly. Microsoft templates will not be accepted, you should develop your personal format. See the FCBE résumé formats in the FCBE Career Corner for formatting your resume. Visit www.memphis.edu/fcbe/career for these formats. 90 points Cover Letter—This letter is a form of persuasive communication—you are persuading someone to consider you for a career opportunity. See chapters 8 and 13 for this letter. Use the same

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letterhead as your résumé. Your goal is for this to look as professional as if you had obtained a résumé specialist to develop these documents for you. 50 points List of References—Identify 3-5 “real” references you would like to use in a career search. Using a separate page with your letterhead, vertically list your references with the following information: The contact’s name, title at their organization, organization name, organization’s mailing address, email address, and the relationship of your source to you. Use real references—always ask permission to use an individual’s name as a reference. See your text for the vertical format and style. Use the same letterhead for each of your documents. Remember to use a variety of references—faculty members, work contacts, or volunteer or professional organizational contacts. Avoid relatives, friends, or distant acquaintances. 30 points Follow-up/Thank You Letter—This letter is to thank your potential employer for allowing you to visit and interview. Use the same letterhead and use the complete format with date and inside address. Be sure to use the same employer you have started with in Career Plan I. Make this as realistic as possible. 50 points Focus 2 Assessments—To assist you in developing your career plan, it is good to take some assessments that help to identify your strengths, skills, and interests. Go to www.memphis.edu/careerservices and take the FOCUS 2 career assessments. Print these out and include in your portfolio (the personality and strengths assessments only). Use the salary information in the section below and cite your source. These are free assessments; you can also set up your account so that you can go back to these in the future. Print out the Work Interest Chart and summarize 3-5 top career paths with salary expectations from the summary. Contact the Career Center and learn how to customize your Focus 2 assessment. You can keep this profile for later use as well. Career Overview—This assignment is a two page document focusing on your career plan. Using APA format, develop this plan based on the outline below. Approximately 6-8 paragraphs with a cover page. (name, course name/number, date, instructor) Cite sources within your paper and list the sources on a reference page using PAA formatting.

a) Your selected or preferred career path and why you believe this is a good option for you. b) From the Focus 2 Assessment, identify your strengths for this path. Elaborate on what you

learned from the Focus 2 Assessment about your personality and the career preferences you should consider based on your interests and general personality factors.

c) Identify what action steps you need to take to be a competitive candidate (additional coursework, degree requirements, professional skill development)

d) From the Focus 2 Assessments, identify the salary options you might have with this career choice. Also check www.salary.com for additional information. Cite these sources using a Reference page/APA style.

e) Mentors—identify your current mentors for your career search. If you do not currently have a mentor, identify who you might approach to serve as a mentor in the future.

f) Print the Work Interest Survey chart and include in your paper. g) Select 5 occupations that the survey indicates are good options for you and include those

options in your paper. You do not need to print those to submit with your assignment. 50 points

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All of the above elements should be typed, proofed carefully, formatted appropriately, and placed into a clear-front portfolio. Your cover page of your Career Overview section will serve as the title page for your project. You can begin this project early—the first step would be to take the FOCUS 2 Assessments, then search for your ideal “career position” for the future. Once you understand your strengths and

personality factors well, it will be easier to develop your résumé, cover letter, and your career overview. Don’t procrastinate on this assignment—it will show in your proofing, formatting, and overall completion of your work. You should consider putting this career plan on a DVD or CD so that you can update it regularly as you add to your experience and qualifications. Using the UM Drive is another good option for storing this document for future modifications. 285 Total Project Value points Individual Presentation—Oral and written communication skills are among the top five skills requested by today’s employers. Business professionals need to be able to communicate well to diverse audiences and various environments. Each student will:

a) Sign up for a topic in class and select one of the presentation dates—choose your date carefully. You cannot change once the schedule is set. Write your topic and your date in your notes so you’ll be able to add to your calendar appropriately.

b) Prepare a 5-7 minute professional presentation on the topic of your choice. c) Develop powerpoint to support the presentation topic—a minimum of 10 slides should be

included. d) The slides should demonstrate animation, adequate and effective visuals for your topic,

appropriate formatting, and should be proofed well for grammar and writing errors. e) Remember your powerpoint slides are not a “script”; they support you, they do not

replace you in the presentation. f) An outline of your presentation is due on the day of your presentation. A format of the

outline will be given in class. g) Copies of your powerpoint should be stapled to your outline and turned in on the day of

your presentation. h) Professionally dress for your presentation. i) 75 points

Team Presentation—Today’s work environment is largely team-based. Successful business professionals learn how to achieve results by working with others. There will be 2-3 teams approximately of 3-4 members, based on final class enrollment. A list of topics will be presented to the teams to choose a topic. Creativity is important in this presentation—all team members must present. Interactive presentations involving the audience are a plus. The following components should be involved:

a) As a team, select a topic from the instructor’s list and presentation date. b) Gather all team members name and contact information. c) Based on the topic, develop a presentation outline. d) A minimum of 12 powerpoint slides should be used to communicate the topic; animation,

video clips and other creative techniques should be used. The title slide does not count as one of the 12 slides.

e) All team members present—10 to 15 minutes total presentation. f) Members should be professionally dressed.

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g) Team presentations should be practiced and show the practice effort in the actual presentation. Practice is very important in team presentations.

75 points For both presentations—peer evaluations will be used for presentation feedback. In the team presentation, team members will evaluate how well the team worked together to produce a successful presentation. Preparation + Practice + Professionalism = Polished Presentation! Remaining Assignments Other assignments identified in the syllabus will be reviewed in class. It is important to be in class regularly to review your work done outside of class and to really absorb the material to enhance your writing and presentation skills. Check eCourseware frequently for additional updates, particularly if you have to miss a class. Please print out or download the course PowerPoint for effective notetaking. The instructor periodically may add new material to the PowerPoint but the course slides will make your notetaking more productive. This course is important for your remaining academic work within your major as well as your professional career. Put time into this course so that you will benefit both this semester and in your future career.

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