Advice to New Students

My advice to new students taking this business writing class is to simply do the work and projects expected of you. This course is not difficult although at some points during the semester it will be time consuming. Be sure that you complete most if not all of your blogs, usually the topics are rather simple or just wanting your opinion on a subject. Study for the grammar quiz because it is a significant part of your grade. A large part of the course will have you into groups so you need to be able to work with a team well. Always pull your weight and when possible go above and beyond what is expected of you. Your team will appreciate it and your grade will reflect it. As long as you follow these instructions you will have a blast in the class.

Myspace Stupidity

People who put "Official (your name) Myspace"
Assuming you are important enough to warrant such a title...
I.E. people may fake profiles of you because you are so awesome,
you do realize that these "fakers" have the same ability.
In fact if I were taking the time to make a fake profile of a celeb
I would probably say "Moron's Official Myspace"
In other words I don't see the point in doing such a thing.
Unless you're trying to make yourself look cool.
But you look stupid.
Yaaaaaaa Digg?
Thanks.
I feel better now
Thats All.
Really Thats All.
Ok.
Later...

Cheating on Resumes???

I have mixed feelings about this subject. The girl in the article successfully climbs the corporate ladder and is an asset to the company. The girl does this in spite of the fact that she does not have a master's degree. Perhaps resumes are a not the most accurate way of measuring ones ability. There are subtle exaggerations that I believe most people put on their resumes. Saying that you have a master's degree is more than an exaggeration, and lying on that level is sure to get you caught as was the case in the article.

Presentations

The presentation which stood out to me the most is "South of the Border Anyone" by Rene Onate.
This is because of the fun way he presented his presentation, and the fact that I was interested in what he had to talk about. I had already planned to go to Mexico for spring break. Listening to his advice should prove very helpful when I travel to "South of the Border."

I clearly remember him saying to only drive in the day because potholes are not visible in the night. The roads in Mexico are not up to par. Rene also advised to stay inside hotels that are walled in. These places will prove to be your safest bet in a dangerous country. I will also be sure to watch out for the cops; I hear they are some of the most honest and ethical people in the world!

Mock Interview

When I first heard that we were having mock interviews, I thought that the experience would be a waste of time. Why should I have to dress up and make a special time to interview for a job that does not exist? My attitude towards the experience changed after it was over. I felt that the interview prepared me for the future interviews that I will have. It sharpened my skills in a variety of ways.

I had to make sure that I arrived at the interview on time. This took planning and I even set my phone alarm to make sure I did not forget. When the questions started I was forced to think of answers quickly. I do not expect that I will ever be an accountant but thinking quickly is an asset at any job. Also many of the questions were not directed towards the job but were personal instead. These types of questions are also general to many careers and now I know the answers to them. Prior to the interview I had not really thought about the personal questions. Overall the experience was more than I expected, and I truly believe that it will help prepare me for future interviews.

Free Write

I'm talking you those people that by some miracle can take upwards of 15 minutes at a "self checkout" either in a grocery store or a Wallmart ect. I was just in line at a Walmart and a guy took eight minutes to pay for toothpaste! One item! If it takes you over a tenth of an hour to pay for toothpaste then please for the love of all that is good...GO TO A CASHIER!! Also while we are on the subject… listen up you "cashier goers" ...same question, how on earth can a business transaction between two people take so long? After my last item has been scanned it literally takes me less than 30 seconds to pay. She swipes my card and gives me a receipt...it’s so simple. Yet people manage for this process of to take upwards of 5 minutes. And god help us the old lady buying birdseed has a coupon...your day is shot!! I remember once there was a lady who gave the cashier a coupon, and it wouldn't scan. They had to call a manager over, which took another couple minutes because he was at the other end of the store. The real kicker is that it saved her a grand total of .35 cents on a bag of grapes. My time standing in that line is worth more than .35 cents.

Cover Letters

I thought the article brought up an interesting point in saying that the cover letter is actually read after the resume. If the resume generates enough interest then the employer will come back to the cover letter. Another point in the same article was that the cover letter should be about your target and not yourself. When I wright my cover letter for my mock interview I will be sure that I follow that rule.

The example cover letter was also helpful by giving me a visual example of what I should strive for when I wright my own.

Since I am not an expert on writing cover letters I did not find anything that I could disagree about in the articles.