PART 1
This discussion topic is designed to help prepare you for writing assignment #5, the resume, cover letter, and summary of PARC concepts.
In this discussion topic, we will listen to part of a podcast about the skill-gap in the cybersecurity market. If you are not majoring in cybersecurity, no problem. The concepts noted in this podcast will apply to your field as well.
In addition, we will examine a tutorial on writing resumes.
Both the podcast and the tutorial are included in the discussion topic questions in this thread.
The podcast, “Cyberbit Podcast Episode 1: The Unspoken Skill-Gap in the Cybersecurity Market,” features Mr. Adam Bricker, former co-founder of Carolina Cyber Center. Moderating the podcast was Mr. Sharon Rosenman, Chief Marketing Officer at Cyberbit.
The whole podcast is 58 minutes in length. It is extremely interesting, and you might want to listen to the whole podcast.
But for this discussion topic, we will focus on the segment of the podcast from the 8:45 mark to the 11:00 mark.
In this segment, Mr. Bricker outlines three main skill gaps between what industry wants to see in cybersecurity students and what students bring to hiring managers.
The following url takes you directly to that part of the podcast:
In this segment, the third gap Mr. Bricker mentions is the need to be able to “tell your story.”
Please answer the following questions in a few sentences or more.
- Whatever field you are in, when you apply for a job, in the resume and cover letter and in the interview, you will need to be able to “tell your story.” You need to tell the hiring team why you are qualified for the position for which you are applying and why they would specifically want you for the position.
This involves storytelling.
Telling a story involves narration. When we think of technical writing, we often don’t think of storytelling. We often think of writing instructions, procedures, specifications, etc.
What challenges do you anticipate in being able to “tell your story” in a job application process, whether it be in the resume/cover letter or in an actual interview?
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https://www.candidcareer.com/video-common+resume+sections,de8a5c5ad8c972e8e6ef,UMGC
After watching the video, list one tip that the video provided. Then explain the tip to your fellow classmates in a few sentences. Explain what the tip is and why it is important to follow it in writing a resume.
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- How can you “tell your story” in a resume? In taking the statement from Mr. Bricker and also examining the video tutorial, how might a resume allow you to tell your story to a hiring manager or hiring committee? Write a few sentences about how your story can be communicated in a resume.
For writing assignment #4, the report to the supervisor, the first section of your report will be a memo. This discussion topic is designed to prepare you for writing the memo.
In the past, you might have been told that memos should be direct and to the point.
However, when delivering bad news, or when attempting to persuade an audience to take action when they don’t understand why it is necessary to take action, starting the memo with a gentler tone can be more effective.
In the learning resources for week 5, you watched a video from the Purdue OWL, “The Basic Memo.” At the 3:26 mark of that video, the narrator mentions that, when delivering bad news in a memo or when trying to be persuasive in a memo, building up the main point can be an effective rhetorical strategy.
Cynthia Meason, from Small Business Chronice, in her article “How to Present Bad News in a Business Memo,” makes the case that a bad news memo should start with a statement that reflects good will.
https://smallbusiness.chron.com/present-bad-news-business-memo-39646.html
The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV), in its tips titled “Bad News Correspondence,” points out that bad news correspondence should begin with an expression of appreciation.
https://www.uhv.edu/curriculum-student-achievement/student-success/student-resources/a-d/bad-news-correspondence/
With this in mind, please post a draft of your memo to Mark Carmen. Apply these principles of using a gentle tone, perhaps expressing good will or appreciation.
Make sure you have the correct headings at the top of the memo, and keep your memo to no more than 150 words.
Make sure you understand the situation described in writing assignment #4 before writing your memo.