• Objective: Provide information via email to your instructor that will help distinguish you from your peers. Clearly communicating your 1) interests 2) skills and 3) what you hope to accomplish/learn from this class will help you establish your credibility with your new professor. In the workplace, being able to concisely identify yourself will help positively differentiate you from others. Ensure your email has both an introductory and a closing paragraph (see Email Template I attached it)
Assignment Notes:
What are your skills?
There are two types of skills: hard skills and soft (or transferable) skills:
• Hard skills are easily measured and consist of factual knowledge that is usually learned during formal training or at school. Hard skills include technical expertise, laboratory techniques, computer skills, and languages.
• Soft skills are somewhat less tangible and can be acquired in various areas of one’s life, such as school, work, or extra-curricular activities. These skills, which include your interpersonal and communication capabilities, can be transferred to various work situations.
What values are important to you?
Values are beliefs we develop early in life that make up our fundamental beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad. They are shaped by our family, culture, education, and different socialization processes. Some values are maintained throughout our lives, while others may change and become more or less important over time.
There are countless values. Sometimes we take our values so much for granted that we are not even aware of them, and mistakenly assume that others hold the same values we do. It is important to become aware of one’s values and seek environments that are compatible with them. Take the time to consider and list what is most important to you both personally and professionally.
What do you hope to learn from this class or to accomplish in this class?
Think about the writing and communication skills that you already have as well as those you hope to develop. Look through the syllabus and the textbook to get some ideas of skills you may want to hone. Also, you can google important skills sets used in whatever career field you are targeting after graduation and see how you match up/see what this course might help you with.
Your assignment will be graded on:
• Planning, Organization, Grammar and Style, and Content