PennState To: From: Subject: Date: Professor Sneff Ian A. Kopack English 202C - Job Application Package Analysis 03 March 2016 The purpose of this memo is to present the background information and analyses of two different job listings. The first job listing is for the position of Summer 2016 Engineering Intern with Universal Orlando Resort. The second job listing is for the position of Mechanical Designer I with Tait Towers. In this memo, I intend to provide commentary highlighting how I have adapted my cover letters and resumes to each job listing. Universal Orlando Resort: Summer 2016 Engineering Intern Job Description The first job application package is intended for an internship position with Universal Orlando Resort, based in Orlando, Florida. Universal Orlando Resort, commonly referred to as Universal Orlando, is a resort consisting of two theme parks, a nighttime entertainment complex, and four hotels. Throughout the year, Universal Orlando conducts an internship program that allows students to gain experience while working for the resort. The program offers a broad spectrum of internship positions ranging from marketing and finance to engineering and maintenance. As a mechanical engineering student intending to begin my career working in the themed entertainment industry, Universal Orlando's engineering internship poses as an attractive option for a summer internship opportunity. In the job listing for the Summer 2016 Engineering Intern position, the job is described as a general engineering role involved with tasks and responsibilities that require a multidisciplinary approach to the resort's engineering challenges. The “summary” section of the job listing presents the type of work that the employee will have the opportunity to be involved with, such as working on the design, fabrication, and installation of the different technical systems being used at Universal Orlando. From the information mentioned in this summary, applicants can conclude that this position incorporates various disciplines of engineering work such as electrical, mechanical, and computer systems. This conclusion is further supported by the fact that not only is this general engineering internship position available, but internships for specific engineering disciplines are as well, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and others. I have chosen to apply for this specific internship because I enjoy challenges that extend beyond just my mechanical engineering education. The “essential duties and responsibilities” section of this job listing provides a detailed list of tasks that will be assigned to the employee of this position. How these tasks have been represented in both the cover letter and resume for this job will be addressed in the rhetorical analysis section of this memo. The “requirements” section of this job listing is fairly standard and straightforward; it gives exact requirements that allow potential applicants to determine whether or not they are eligible to apply for this job. The “preferred qualifications” section expands on the information included in the “requirements” section and provides a more detailed explanation of the skills that are desired of applicants for this job. Qualifications such as knowledge of specific software applications and technical documents are included in this section, and will be addressed in the rhetorical analysis section of this memo. Lastly, the “additional internship information" section of this job listing addresses any miscellaneous information that would be useful for applicants to be aware of when considering applying for this job. Audience Analysis With such an internationally recognized name, Universal Orlando receives an incredibly large number of applications when job listings become available to the public. As a result of this, the company is very To: Professor Sneff Page: 2 Date: 03 March 2016 selective in the qualities they look for in applicants. This selectivity is even more significant for positions such as engineering, in which the skills required are education and experience-based. Taking that into account, for the Summer 2016 Engineering Intern position, Universal Orlando is looking for applicants that have already had experience working with theme parks or other areas of the themed entertainment industry. This is reflected in the job listing information with mention of desired "experience in theme park development, construction, show and ride systems design or fabrication.” Also included in this job listing are the typical requirements of most engineering internships, such as minimum grade point average and enrollment in an accredited institution. The “preferred majors" listed for this position narrows down the audience of potential candidates to only a few engineering majors and computer science. Interestingly, even though this job listing seems to be intentionally different from a similar mechanical engineering job listing with Universal Orlando, the “related coursework" for this position mentions machine design, dynamics, vibrations, motors and circuits, and software design. The first four of these five courses are core mechanical engineering classes, which may be an indication of there being a greater preference for mechanical engineering students over the other majors mentioned. Overall, based on the responsibilities and requirements of this job listing, Universal Orlando is looking for an individual with technical experience that can adapt to various engineering assignments. These assignments require that the employee has both technical skills in situations that require analyzation and testing, as well as communication skills in situations that require processing information and working with others. Ideally, the company would like to hire an individual that has had previous engineering experience in a theme park environment, which incorporates all of these skills simultaneously. Rhetorical Analysis With the understanding that the very first person to receive and review my job application will most likely be a human resources representative, I knew it would be important to incorporate as much ideology and vocabulary from the job listing into my cover letter. Since experience is typically weighted heavily in assessing potential job candidates, I primarily used my cover letter to discuss my internship with SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando and the work I have done with Penn State's Theme Park Engineering group. At the beginning of my description of the SeaWorld internship, I worded the first two sentences of the paragraph to allow me to include the length of time that my internship occurred over. In doing so, I was able to indirectly compare my six month internship with internships that typically run only three months. By mentioning this, I intended to differentiate myself from other students who may have decided not to take time off from school to pursue work opportunities, and therefore build upon the reader's understanding of my dedication to a career in the industry. Further into the paragraph, I described a majority of the specific tasks I was responsible for during my internship. This intended to provide the reader with solid evidence of my experience and the skills I claim to have developed when presenting myself as a potential job candidate. Included in these tasks are some phrases pulled directly from the job listing, such as the mention of my construction site experience. Following the description of my internship is another paragraph that describes the application of my industry interests and knowledge to extracurricular projects through the Penn State Theme Park Engineering Group. This paragraph generally mirrors the first half of the "personal development" section in my resume, but elaborates on the information with more detail. In particular, I chose to describe the "Cornell University Theme Park Entrepreneurship Contest” I participated in, because it To: Professor Sneff Page: 3 Date: 03 March 2016 reflects the theme park development experience and general industry knowledge that is desirable for applicants of this internship position. The closing paragraph follows a standardized format that summarizes my personal statements, provides contact information, and thanks the reader. For the accompanying resume to this cover letter, I followed a sectionalized format with headlines that identify each category of information. Below my name and contact information, I highlighted the three most significant points of my resume in the “summary of qualifications" section. This section was included to allow those who are quickly reviewing and sorting through many resumes to immediately identify the important details I want to stand out. Additionally, to provide cohesiveness and reference for the reader, the three bullet points of this section are placed in the same order as the topics they relate to within the resume itself. In the “education” section of this resume, I made sure to include the information that was stated as required by the job listing, such as major, anticipated graduation date, and cumulative GPA. Additionally, I also included a list of "relevant courses” I have taken to reference the mentioned coursework in the “requirements” section of the job listing. In the next section, “work experience," I listed the three most recent jobs I have held, in chronological order. I made sure to provide the greatest amount of detail for my SeaWorld Parks & Resorts entry, as that job is the most relevant to this job listing. The last two sections, “personal development” and “additional skills and interests," allowed me to personalize my resume with extracurricular activities and certain skills I've developed to distinguish myself from other applicants. Tait Towers: Mechanical Design Intern (Staging/Rigging) Job Description The second job application package is intended for a permanent position with Tait Towers, based in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Tait Towers, commonly referred to as TAIT, is a company specializing in the design and manufacturing of staging, scenic, automated rigging, show control, and LED integration for the live entertainment industry. This company designs and builds most of the sets and scenery for the tours of major musical performers, as well as for many other live events around the world. In the job listing for Mechanical Designer I, the employee's main role is described as providing mechanical design services for the company. This role involves working with project teams and design software to develop mechanical system components that satisfy project specifications. The “responsibilities” section of the job listing outlines the expectations of the employee, such as modelling mechanical systems and performing engineering assessments of company equipment. Of all the information in the job listing, this section provides the most content describing the scope of work that this position is involved with, and gives an impression that the position is heavily focused on engineering design and analytical modeling and testing. The second section, “qualifications,” presents the general requirements needed to be eligible for the job position, such as communication skills, eligible college majors, and software experience. Audience Analysis Within the community of those knowledgeable of the performance entertainment industry, TAIT is a widely-recognized name. As a result, I would predict that TAIT receives many applications for posted job listings, and especially for entry-level positions such as this one. Due to the fact that this job is located at the main Lititz, Pennsylvania headquarters of the company, I would also predict that job applications are reviewed by both a human resources representative and by certain individuals on the design team at the Lititz office. In the “overview" section of the job listing, it mentions that designers To: Professor Sneff Page: 4 Date: 03 March 2016 work closely with the "Studio Lead.” Therefore, the individual acting as “Studio Lead” may possibly review applications as well. The responsibilities and qualifications listed for this job and the serious tone to which the overall description is presented describes the type of individual that the company is looking to hire. From this job listing, it can be determined that individuals interested in applying are expected to be experienced in using design software, and have already worked with projects in which engineering analyses were performed. Of those qualified for the job position in terms of educational background and experience, the responsibilities of this job narrow down potential candidates to those with specialization or an interest in mechanical systems. Additionally, as could be concluded from this job listing's mention of software experience and technical responsibilities, prior relatable experience is weighted heavily when determining eligible job candidates. Rhetorical Analysis Similarly to the Universal Orlando cover letter, I primarily used this cover letter for the job with TAIT to elaborate upon my experiences and how they relate to the job's responsibilities. Once again, because it is my most significant professional work experience, I began the body of this cover letter by discussing my internship with SeaWorld Parks & Resorts Orlando. Edits were made within this paragraph to avoid primarily focusing on theme parks, and redirect the focus of this paragraph to the engineering design and project management experience I have acquired during my internship. The last sentence in this paragraph is included to acknowledge that while the tasks I was responsible for during my internship with SeaWorld do not completely coordinate with the tasks associated with this position with TAIT, the experience provided a unique perspective of engineering-related projects that would be useful for work assignments. In the next paragraph, I discussed a project I was involved with to provide a concrete example of my technical experience. The second body paragraph of this cover letter is focused on describing the vacuum design project I was involved with for one of the classes I took last year. Elaborating on the entry in my resume which referenced the project, I provided information as to what the project was, how it was executed, and what was learned. I chose this specific example to explain because in doing so, I demonstrated an understanding of the job responsibilities that are expected of this position with TAIT. Specific tasks listed in the "responsibilities” section of the job listing are referenced in my description of this project. For example, in this paragraph I mention that I performed mechanical and safety analyses, a task that mirrors the job's responsibility of creating “physical testing criteria of equipment” and coordinating “expected and actual results analysis with fabrication and testing personnel.” To write a resume for this job application, I utilized the same format as what was used for the Universal Orlando resume, with some modifications. The greatest difference between the two resumes was the replacement of the “personal development” section with a “project experience” section, to provide a greater example of my capabilities as they relate to the job listing's heavy emphasis on technical responsibilities. Including the “project experience” section allowed me to present multiple specific examples of engineering projects I've been involved with, as well as the skills and accomplishments related to each one. To include this section, I needed to remove three pieces of information from the Universal Orlando resume: the awards listed under my "education” section, my work experience as a math and physics tutor, and mention of my involvement in the Tau Beta Pi: Pennsylvania Beta Chapter. When relating my personal qualifications to the job requirement, these three pieces of information are To: Professor Sneff Page: 5 Date: 03 March 2016 not as significant as the information they are replaced with, and can always be referenced in a future interview if needed. However, some of the information relating to the Penn State Theme Park Engineering Group that was originally listed under the “personal development” section in the Universal Orlando resume was rearranged and incorporated into this resume for TAIT. This information was included because it has been a significant part of my college career, and also because the engineering group has actually visited the TAIT office in Lititz, Pennsylvania this past year. There is a possibility that an individual from the company who sees the group's name in my resume may remember us visiting, making my resume stand out from others missing such a personalized association. Overall, I have designed this resume to emphasize the technical abilities I have acquired, rather than the “people- oriented" skills that were presented in the Universal Orlando resume, with the intent of conforming to the professional engineering tone of the job listing. Additional Comments and Recommendation When you are available, I would like to further discuss these job listings and corresponding application packages. I welcome any recommendations you may have for improving my writing. Please send an email to me at iak5024@psu.edu with a date and time you think would be best for us to continue this conversation. Thank you very much./nThe Cover Letter The Cover Letter is geared to an individual, appropriate audience. It makes clear that the writer has done research about the company or is familiar with it for other reasons, but doesn't pander or gratuitously flatter. The heading is correct and the salutation appropriate. The opening paragraphs indicates the position being sought, introduces the writer--most likely referring to major and university--and includes a forecasting sentence with specific language that makes a claim about the writer's suitability for the position. Each body paragraph has a strong topic sentence. The body paragraphs elaborate on the claim(s) made in the forecasting sentence. The body paragraphs supply concrete evidence that "shows" more than "tells"--especially in the case of any "soft skills." Body paragraphs don't repeat the main claims. Paragraphs are coherent; that is, the sentences flow smoothly. The writing is lively, engaging, and serious. The tone of the letter is natural and confident, but not arrogant. The concluding paragraph wraps up the claim, welcomes the opportunity for an interview, and gives contact information. The closing is suitable. The grammar and punctuation is impeccable throughout./n Checklist for your Cover Letter You may have good reasons to diverge from the model on page 415 in the chapter (and, if so, you should present your reasons in detail in the cover memo)—but otherwise you should plan to follow the following guidelines. They lead to a good, classic cover letter. Heading and Salutation • Writer's own name does not appear at the top of the letter. Nor does the phone number or email address. • Writer's address can appear either at top right or top left. • • Skip a space, and then date. Skip a space, and then name of individual, name of company, and address of company that you are applying to. "Dear...." Use the name if you can find it. If not, consider using a title: "Dear Hiring Manager." Strictly avoid "Dear Sir or Madam" or "To whom it may concern." Note: in business letters you should use a colon and not a comma here. First paragraph • Skip a space. Paragraphs aligned to the left, with no indentation. (A line should be skipped between each paragraph.) • First paragraph should (1) identify your source of information about the job if it seems useful to do so, (2) identify the job you are applying for, (3) state that you wish to be considered, and (4) forecast the rest of the letter. • Look closely at that forecasting sentence (at the end of the first paragraph). The first part should forecast paragraph 2 and the second part of the sentence should forecast paragraph 3? This forecasting sentence is equivalent (in its own fashion) to the thesis sentence of an essay. You are saying something like "because of X educational experience and Y job experience I am well qualified for this position." This is your CLAIM (and includes X and Y reasons). • N.B.: In most cases you should NOT repeat your claim in the body paragraphs of this letter. Instead, paragraph 2 should support your reason X. Paragraph 3 should support your reason Y. • In the introduction, do you display accuracy and confidence? Do you display modesty? (Modesty can be super effective. It communicates the message that you have something to be modest about.) In most cases you shouldn't claim that you are a “perfect” fit for the job-a phrase which has no real meaning. Do you present a professional persona? Body Paragraphs • For most of you, one of the following paragraphs should discuss education, and one of them should discuss work experience. Note that you should not simply reprise points already made in the resume. Instead, you should be selective and should choose one or several points to discuss and give specific information about. • Recall: the writer of the sample letter in the text book did not simply say that he "has teamwork experience" (for anyone could simply claim to have teamwork experience or, for that matter, leadership skills.) Instead, he writes that he has worked with four other undergraduates on a project; that is, he shows that he has teamwork skills. It's always more persuasive to show rather than tell. You should show/give examples. You should be specific. • Look at the beginning of each body paragraph. Is there a good, really substantial topic sentence? Concluding paragraph • The concluding paragraph should generally (1) include a reference to the resume, (2) include a polite but confident request for an interview (with a phrase something like "at your convenience" (but NOT "at your earliest convenience," which is likely to be construed as being rude)), and the email and phone number. (Take a look at the email address used—is it "respectable.") • Here you should probably make your claim once again and your keen interest in the position. It will sound different--even more persuasive now that you've presented the support in the body paragraphs. • Finally, use an appropriate closing phrase: "Yours truly," or something like that. Grammar, punctuation, word choice, sentence flow, and control of emphasis. Double-check for some of the common errors: • Use of the orphaned "This"-(remember: the demonstrative pronoun "this" should be followed by a noun or noun phrase. This what?) • Commas or periods outside quotation marks (they belong inside.) • Comma splices (instead use period, semi-colon, or comma+conjunction, or change the sentence altogether.) . Lack of needed transitions between sentences within a paragraph. ("however,” etc.)

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