Welcome to CPIT 221 Technical Writing AREEJ ALSHETARY

Welcome to CPIT 221 Technical Writing AREEJ AL-SHETARY

Contact information Office: 302 -D Email: aalshetary@kau. edu. sa Website: http: //aalshetary. kau. edu. sa Office hours: S. M. W, 11 -12. 30 or 2 -2. 50

What is CPIT 221? Communication is your only way to convey information In this course we will focus on the way to deliver written information in a scientific form

Course scope Remember that this is a course in technical communication Communication you do as a professional The course concentrates on formal writing, but insha Allah we will also look at Presentation skills Job skills

Course schedule I. Job Skills (1 week) 1. Resume/CV and Cover Letter 2. Interviews II. Writing Process (8 weeks) 1. Preparation 2. Research & Referencing 3. Organization 4. Draft Midterm

Course schedule III. Report Components (1 week) 1. Report Supplements 2. Layout and Design 3. Visuals IV. Presentations (1 week)

Textbook Alred, G. , Brusaw, C. , and Oliu, W. , Handbook of Technical Writing. New York, St. Martin’s Press, 2009. Class Power. Points available through cpit-221@googlegroups. com Print them before class!

How will we be evaluated? Evaluation Method Weight Topic Question 5% Proposal 5% Outline 5% Draft 5% Final Report 20% Presentation 10% Resume/CV & Cover Letter 10% Midterm 20% Final Exam 20% 100%

Attendance All absences will be recorded > 25% absences = not allowed to enter the final Absence excuses will not be accepted without a medical report Late entrances = ½ an absence Students who miss the midterm will have its weight go to the final Late submissions cost 10% per day

Some important rules…

Job Skills: How to Write an Effective CV CPIT 221

What is a CV? CV = Curriculum Vitae = resume Curriculum Vitae is a Latin phrase which means “Story of Life” A brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, prepared for an application to a job It will provide others with a summary of your relevant life experiences and skills.

Different Types of CV Conventional CV: this gives details of your education and qualifications, work experience, skills, interests and referees. Skills-based/Functional CV: the emphasis is on the skills you have to offer with evidence of how and where you developed these skills.

CV Main Rules We have 3 main rules: Keep it Brief Keep it Relevant Keep it Simple

Keep it Brief Person reading your CV is busy May spend 10 -30 seconds scanning it because they get 100 s of applications One or two pages is usually sufficient

Keep it Relevant You may have an excellent CV but you’re not called for any interview, why? The CV should always be re-written/modified for each position that you are applying for Customizing it so that the skills you have which are relevant to the position are highlighted

Keep it Simple Thus do use: Good layout Logic sequence Consistent formatting (font style and size) Abundant white space, bullets, indentation Revise White paper Be truthful Update your CV often

Do… Use action verbs: Action verbs show a specific action, e. g. solved, managed, initiated, accomplished, led, developed, discovered, improved, transformed, completed, eliminated, engineered, directed, organized, built, trained, expanded, guided, demonstrated, analyzed, headed, proved, modified, attracted, planned, initiated, established, founded, won, supervised… In a CV, action verbs make you sound like a motivated, energetic person.

Common reasons for CV rejection Too long 1 -1. 5 pages max for fresh grads Poor grammar Punctuation, spelling Poor formatting Strange fonts, too many techniques, crowded, poor printing Not relevant Dishonest

What information should be in your CV ? Personal information Career objective Education Achievements Publications & conferences Experience Skills Extracurricular activities/affiliations Interests References

1. Personal Information Include: Name Telephone Email address Home address Other information is optional: Marital status Nationality Date of birth Be essential in some cases

1. Example of Personal Information

2. Career Objective Your professional career goal should: It is a statement of what you actually want to do Be part of the job you’re applying to Be something you’re knowledgeable about so that you can talk about it in an interview Be less than 3 lines

2. Example Career Objective Desire a position in the office management. Prefer a position requiring responisbility and a variety of tasks To obtain a position where I can maximize my financial skills and experience in a growth-oriented environment

3. Education Schools and colleges you attended in reverse chronological order Include Degree Major Graduation date or expected date University name and location G. P. A. –only if 3. 0 or above

3. Example Education Master of Finance, Expected June 2008 University of Dayton, Ohio Bachelor of Science in Management, 2004 Edison State College, Ohio (GPA: 3. 8)

4. Achievements Another way to show that your CV is results oriented You can mention main projects or achievements you’ve done in your previous career. Examples of achievements: Awards/prizes Scholarships Honour list Guest speaker in conference/program Major job accomplishments Where applicable include names of organizations, dates, monetary values

4. Example Achievements Achieved an average 23% return on all personally recommended investments Notice how the numbers give more credibility Recipient of 2004 MI Hydro Scholarship ($5000) 1 st place winner of IEEE Design Competition, 2002

5. Publications/Conferences In IEEE format, include reference to any conference/journal articles you wrote/participated in Example: Published “Developing Computer Models for Financial Planning, ” Midwest Finance Journal 34 (2006): 126 -36.

6. Experience If you are seeking your first job, list any relevant work experience, including summer jobs and unpaid work Start with your most recent position Include: Company name and location Position title Start and end date Description of your accomplishments, roles, and skills acquired Current job –write in present tense… previous jobs in past tense Begin phrases with action verbs (e. g. supervised, implemented, organized, etc. )

6. Experience Emphasize your experience which matches employers needs Use bullet points and keep the phrases short and concise Concentrate on accomplishments, and numbers ($, %, . . ) rather than just listing roles Be specific • I am good at dealing with the public • I gained considerable experience in dealing with the public during my summer job as a receptionist at Ramada Hotels. This involved responding to phone inquiries and reservation

6. Example Experience Salesperson, Grand Auto, Atlanta , June 2004 present Grand Auto, Atlanta , Salesperson, June 2004 present Performed sales work for auto parts store with annual sales exceeding $35 million.

7. Skills Every position will have a specific and different set of essential skills Mention only skills relevant to the job required not more than that. Especially important are: Communication Languages (conversational, intermediate, advanced, and fluent) Teamwork Leadership Reliability

7. Example Skills What type of skills may be important to list for a sales position? Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic Problem-solving and organizational skills Very hard-working and responsible

8. Computer Skills Include programming languages, systems, and programs you have experience using Example: Programming: C, C++, Java, & SQL Software: Matlab, Adobe Photoshop, Flash, & Microsoft Office

9. Extracurricular Activities & Affiliations Include names of organizations, and dates of your involvement State your title if it’s a leadership position Example: Member, IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers), 2003 to present Editor of monthly newsletter “Compu club”, 2005 to 2007

10. Interests Briefly describe your interests and hobbies Select the hobbies that can help you to get the job (remember, be relevant) Example: Reading, Swimming, Playing tennis

11. References Usually written as: “Available upon request” Provide only if asked during interview or for pre-employment requirements If you must include references, include their: Full names Job titles Work address Phone number/email Don’t forget to ask their permission and send them a copy of your CV

For More Information Look at the sample CVs on pages 473 -480 of your handbook Check out some of the abundant resources on the Internet

Conclusion: (1) Test your understanding Name two things you can use to help the busy person who will read your CV quickly find what they’re looking for. Keep it brief good layout logic sequence consistent formatting (& font 12) abundant white space, bullets, indentation

Conclusion: (2) Test your understanding Name one common reason why CVs are refused Too long Poor grammar Poor formatting Not relevant Dishonest

Conclusion: (3) Test your understanding Improve the following passage to make it more credible Helped reduce company debt Facilitated a 45% decrease in company’s long-term debt using personally developed computer models