ENGL 3155-1: Technical Writing

2017-2
The Prospective Professional Memo
Draft 1: Due January 30

General Instructions

For your first assignment, I would like you to write a memo where you introduce yourself, especially as a
prospective, beginning or experienced professional in your particular field. That means you must tell me about
yourself, your professional background and training (if applicable), and what professional prospects exist for a
person like you.

Through this memo I would like to get to know you as a prospective professional. And I'd like to know more
about the career paths that people follow in your relevant specializations and how people prepare for those
career paths. So please inform me about those matters.

1. What career(s) you're preparing for, and how you've been doing that preparation?
2. What kinds of organizations might employ you?
3. What will your job responsibilities be? What exactly will you be doing?
4. What skills will be required of you?
5. What is unique about the "culture" of your field?
6. How might your responsibilities change as your career develops (i.e. what might you be doing in five
years? ten years?)
7. What advancement and other opportunities are before you?
8. What kind of salary will you be likely to earn?
9. What kinds of things are you doing right now to prepare for the kind of professional future that you
anticipate? In what ways are you being "acculturated" into a new community?

Can you answer those questions for me? Or at least most of them? It might not be easy. You'll probably have to
do some footwork to find the answers to the questions I've raised. Talk to your professors or colleagues. Call up
your knowledgeable relatives and family friends. Speak to your boss from your summer job or current position.
Visit the library. Check the Web. Incidentally, you'll be gathering information that may be useful when you do
undertake a job search.

As I say, I consider this your professional introduction to me. Let me know what kind of beginning professional
you are.

Requirements for Memo

Your job in this memo is twofold: to teach me something about you and your professional prospects, and to
show me an early sample of the writing abilities you will bring to ENGL 3155. When evaluating your memo, I
will use the specific requirements outlined below.

Content

You must provide information on the questions I've raised above, and you should also indicate in some way the
source of your information. Be aggressive and ambitious! Teach me! And use specific details, examples, and
quotations (direct or indirect) to explain and support your points.
Organization

Write your report in the form of a memo addressed to me, as your instructor. The introduction should include a
clear purpose statement--what kind of report this is, why you're writing it, what it will be about. The report
should be organized as a report, not as a narrative--that is, organize in some way around the information you
have to give, not according to the process you went through to gather information and not according to your
life's chronology.

Length

The memo should be about 1000-1200 words long.

While you should explore each topic that I've listed above, you may well find that one topic deserves special
emphasis. You may focus--almost entirely--on that topic in your report, as long as you briefly address the
others. Consider keeping an eye and ear out for the skills, abilities, and experiences that seem most important
for people starting off in your field. If, like many students, you don't have a definite position in mind right now,
take this assignment as an opportunity to explore some possibilities.

Advice: I would recommend that you be diligent in your quest for information as I do not want you to simply
work on filling white space, but would like you to think about your career path and what you as an individual
have learned as a result of this process. In addition, remember that this assignment will evaluate content as
much as it will evaluate the way that content is presented. As a future scientific/technical communicator, you
must keep in mind that the information you present is as important as the way in which that information is
presented. Therefore, while I will not provide you with any template outlining the various sections you are
expected to investigate and report on, I do expect you to exercise some creativity in the way you will design
your professional memo.

Please find the assessment rubric below:

Prospective Professional Memo:

Expectations Grade Comments
Format: Block Form (5)
Date correct and in consistent format
To:/From: correct and complete
Subject line brief and precise
Research: Incorporation/Citation (10)
Research content incorporated
smoothly (Lead-in phrases etc)
Quotes (direct/indirect) used to
enhance paragraph content
Citation format adheres to
APA conventions
Reference list included
Content: (10)
Paragraphs contain adequate
details/explanation
Paragraph content consistent with
titles of subheadings
Organization: (Direct) Logical/Coherent (5)
Visual cues (bullets, numbers,
spacing, headings) used to aid
readability and understanding
Purpose line/s clear and succinct
Appropriate Closure
 Mechanics: (5)
Correct sentence structure
Correct punctuation
Correct Spelling
Tone: (5)
Reader-centered language
Use of courteous and professional
language
Revision Quality: (10)
Draft reflects engagement in
adequate/meaningful revision
Addresses more than surface errors
Total Points:

Sample Memo:

MEMORANDUM

TO: Mrs. Lisa Ramirez

FROM: Jane Doe
SUBJECT: Prospective Professional Memo
DATE: August 4, 2017
Today, the work force of Belize is engaged in progressive growth. According to the Statistical Institute of
Belize (2016), preliminary results reveal that in April 2016 there were a total of 146,918 employed persons.
Unemployment fell to 8%, and over 8700 new jobs were added. Indeed, such results highlight the expansion
of the business community; companies are emerging as time unfolds. In light of this favorable advancement,
it is essential to recognize that accountants play a vital role in business world. Every company needs an
accountant. They are the people who will ultimately determine whether the business continues or not by
providing financial information and advice. Moreover, accountants have special obligations regarding ethics,
given that they are responsible for the integrity of financial information provided to internal and external
parties. Many people may be qualified to take on an accounting job, but how many are prepared for a
commitment to ethical professional practices? Ideally, accountants should strive to display competence,
confidentiality, integrity and credibility. My name is Angelica Lopez, and I seek to become a valuable asset to
the workplace and the business community by becoming a professional and ethical accountant.
The role of Accountants
Accountants are responsible for financial accounting, managerial accounting and internal auditing. In small
companies, the accountant may perform all of such jobs, but in larger companies the responsibility is divided.
The responsibilities are as follows:
Financial Accounting Managerial Accounting Internal Auditing
 Focuses on the preparation  Focuses on internal  Checks for fraud, waste,
and publication of reporting. and mismanagement of
quarterly and annual  Prepares and administers funds
financial statements budgets  Monitors, evaluates, and
 Evaluates the performance recommends the
of managers and business organization's internal
units against other controls, and the
business plans and organization's compliance
benchmarks
  Analyzes and reports on with government
financial problems and regulation
business situations.

Necessary Skills for an Accountant

Acquiring and developing the skills of an efficient and effective accountant will increase my job
satisfaction and aid in the achievement of long-term career goals. The skills include:
 Organization
 Time management
 Adaptability
 Communication
 Analytical
 Leadership

As an accountant, I will be exposed to vast amounts of financial and non financial information. Preparing,
reporting and communicating the information to my stakeholders require wise planning, time
optimization and detail orientation and prioritization, all of which are part of being organized.

Accountants also need to be able to adapt quickly to changes in the work environment and the nature of
their work. By developing the skill of adaptability, accountants are more likely to learn and grow in their
career as new challenges arise to test other skills.
Accountants need to be excellent communicators, both written and verbal. It is the responsibility of the
accountant to advice the stakeholders on effective measures for profit maximization, and discusses issues
or discrepancies.

Additionally, accountants use critical thinking to determine ways to make the organization more
financially efficient; hence, analytical skills play a vital role in accounting. Finally, accountants must be
leaders and visionary individuals as they engage in decision making and long-term planning.

My life after 5-10 years

In the next 5 - 10 years after obtaining my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Accounting, I would like to
gain valuable work experience by working at PKF auditing firm. By working at PKF, I will be exposed to a
variety of companies in different industries. My salary is likely to be around $1600.00-$1800.00 monthly
(personal communication, Fabro, August 26, 2016).

Then, I will have the opportunity for advancement by becoming a Certified Public Accountant. After
passing the four exams required, I can see myself working as a CPA where my salary is likely to be around
$3500.00 -$5000.00 per month (personal communication, August 26, 2016).

If afforded the opportunity, I would also like to further my career in becoming a Chief Financial Controller.
Granted that economic conditions would change in Belize, I believe my salary is likely to be around
$6000.00-$8000.00 per month. (personal communication, August 26, 2016)
What is required of me

To be an accountant is a dedication to hard work and a commitment to excellence. According to Mr.

Charles Gladden it is wise to obtain a bachelors degree in Accounting and gain valuable work experience
in an auditing firm before becoming an Accountant (personal communication, August 29, 2016)
Furthermore, to become a certified public accountant it is advisable to have about three years work
experience, and I must sit a total of four exams. Individual states administer the certification, each with its
own requirements for post-university education, examinations, and professional experience. With
professional certification, the avenue to opportunities becomes endless.

I have proven myself as a dedicated and focused student during my time at Saint Johns’ College, Junior college
by graduating 2nd in the class of 2016 with a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.96. I had also taken leadership roles in
active clubs. Indeed, what you put in is what you get out, and it is evident that I’m an enthusiastic student
who see’s learning as the pathway to a successful life. I am eager to encounter the challenges and rewards
that the Accounting field has offer.

If I continue to strive for excellence in all endeavours, I am certain that I can achieve my career goals, become
an asset to the workforce of Belize, and most importantly, achieve financial success.

According to Robert T. Kijosaki in Rich Dad, Poor Dad ( 1997), “ Accounting is possibly the most boring subject
In the world. It also could be the most confusing. But if you want to be rich long term, it could be the most
important subject.”

References

Schmidt, M. (2016, July 30). Accountant, Accounting Profession, Role Requirements Explained. Retrieved

August 26, 2016, from https://www.business-case-analysis.com/accountant.html

Statistical Institute o Belize. (2016). 2016 April labour force summary findings [Data file]. Retrieved from

http://www.sib.org.bz/Portals/0/docs/statistics/labour-force/releases/LabourForce_2016-04.pdf

Topan, R. (2014, September 8). 6 Skills You Need To Succeed In Accounting. Retrieved August 26, 2016, from

http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2014/09/08/6-skills-succeed-accounting/

Schmidt, M. (2016, July 30). Accountant, Accounting Profession, Role Requirements Explained. Retrieved

August 26, 2016, from https://www.business-case-analysis.com/accountant.html