Expert Perspective Essay
Objective: To allow students to experience expository writing through primary source analysis.
Assignment: This assignment asks you to conduct an interview (in-person, by phone, email, etc.) with an individual that has worked or obtained any other form of professional experience in your chosen discipline. You will be expected to ask your interviewee a number of questions regarding the professional market into which you hope to enter, including the following:
1. Describe your current position. How did you enter this line of work? What personal and/or professional factors impacted your career choices? Which degrees and/or certifications did you obtain before landing your current job? Are you currently working in the field in which you received your degree? Were you directly hired for this position or were you promoted? Is there large employee turnover in your field (ie: is it common to be laid off)? On average, how many hours a week do you work? Is your work paid hourly or by salary? Do you receive benefits? If so, what kind? Does your job reward employees with bonuses, promotions, stock options, 401Ks, etc.?
a. If you are currently seeking employment, describe your employment history. Is this your first time seeking employment in this field? How long have you been looking for a job? How would you describe the job hunt (see below)?
2. Describe the job hunt. What challenges did you face when first starting out in your career? Was it difficult to obtain a position in your chosen field? How did you hear about your job? Were you required to submit a resume, writing sample, fitness test, etc. in order to apply? Were you recruited for your job while you were completing your degree? Do you know if your employer considered multiple candidates before hiring you? To your knowledge, did you possess any specific skills, qualifications, and/or personal qualities that set you apart from other candidates? In your opinion, did the region in which you were seeking employment impact your likelihood of finding a position?
3. Describe the job itself. What is a typical day for you? What kinds of tasks do you perform? Which tasks do you most enjoy? Which tasks do you least enjoy? What is the most rewarding aspect of your work? What is the least rewarding aspect of your work? Do you believe that your job satisfaction has changed over time? If so, how? If you had the opportunity, would you pursue additional training and/or degrees in your current field? Why or why not? How might your job change in the next ten years? What technologies will you need to master in order to keep up with changes in the field?
This Expert Perspective Essay will be completed in several phases including the interview, paper draft, and revision. First, you will conduct interviews (outside of class). Then, you will produce an essay in which your detail your findings. Using the answers provided by your interviewee, you will consider the following questions in your essay:
1. What are the potential benefits that one may obtain from pursuing your chosen discipline?
2. What are the potential challenges that one may encounter on the job market? What factors (degrees completed, skills acquired, region of study, etc.) might affect your hireability?
3. What challenges and rewards might one encounter on the job? How might your experience of the work itself change over time (would you expect to be promoted, to work longer hours, to obtain additional job perks, better benefits, greater job satisfaction, etc.)?
4. Describe the experience of speaking with a person that works in your chosen field. Were you surprised by some of their answers? Why or why not? Do you feel that their experiences on the job market and on the job are typical? Why or why not?
Format:
You will be expected to produce an essay that follows the basic conventions of argumentative writing, such as including an introduction and conclusion, organizing information into thematically focused body paragraphs, properly formatting in-text citations and a works cited list, and following the basic conventions of grammar and syntax.
Evaluation:
First draft: 500 words (2 pages double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, page numbers, stapled)
Second draft: 1,000 words (4 pages double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, page numbers, stapled, grading rubric attached)
Grading: 0-100 points, points awarded according to the grading rubric.
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