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MEMORANDUM To: Alison Jaenicke From: Ashley Moyer Subject: Background and Description of Rhetorical Choices in Job Application

Package Date: February 21, 2012 _______________________________________________________________________________________ The purpose of this memo is to present background information on the positions and employers in my Job Application Package and justify my rhetorical choices in writing my resume and cover letters. The first job I will analyze is the Exam Room Technician position at the Newtown Veterinary Hospital. The second is an Animal Care Internship at the Philadelphia Zoo. Each job will be divided into three sections: Job Overview, Audience Analysis, and Rhetorical Choices. Exam Room Technician, Newtown Veterinary Hospital This job description can be accessed through http://www.newtownvet.com. Job Overview The duties of this job include bringing clients into exam rooms, obtaining medical histories, educating clients, restraining animals for exams, drawing blood, taking x-rays, filling prescriptions, and running tests on lab samples. Clinical experience is preferred but not necessary. Required characteristics for the job include multitasking ability, strength to restrain large animals, and the ability to be a positive and outgoing team player. Audience Analysis The Newtown Veterinary Hospital is a private practice. There is an office manager who handles the business side of the practice and would be able to carefully review applications. The content of the clinics website, which includes information about each veterinarian, suggests that they are only moderately formal. Rhetorical Choices I tailored both my resume and cover letter to this position in several ways. I listed my education first because I am studying veterinary medicine, which shows a direct interest in a job as a veterinary technician. I did not list any relevant courses on my resume because my major, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, is very well known in the veterinary world. I listed my experiences working with animals in a clinical setting, from most hands-on to least hands-on. Finally, I added a section for my activities and skills to show additional experience. Equine research is listed first because it involves animals, but Lion Line and cheerleading are very important in showing that I am positive, outgoing, and strong. It is also important to list activities because my busy schedule and high GPA show that I can multitask. My cover letter begins with a statement of my interest for the position. I chose to write about specific courses that I have taken at Penn State because they are the courses that I have learned the most practical information from. When writing about my experience, I chose to describe the most relevant clinical experiences. For example, I had many duties at PetSmart, but the only duty relevant to the job is caring for ill animals. I think my letter may be slightly more formal than necessary, but I would rather be too formal than not formal enough.

Animal Care Internship, Philadelphia Zoo This internship description can be accessed through http://www.philadelphiazoo.org. Job Overview The duties of this internship include preparing food, maintaining exhibits, keeping animal health and behavior records, administering medication, providing animal enrichment and training, and assisting with animal capture, crating, and transfer. Interns must also provide daily educational programs using live animals. Additional requirements include an interest in working with animals, basic biological knowledge, strong teamwork and communication skills, and strength. Audience Analysis The Philadelphia Zoo is a very large zoo, focused on providing service to the public. A Human Resources representative will read my application, one of many, and may contact me for an interview. The website does not provide personal information for any employees, and the tone seems much more formal than the Newtown Veterinary Hospitals website. Rhetorical Choices I began my cover letter with a statement of my interest for the internship. In the education section, I listed relevant coursework to show my basic biological knowledge and interest in animals, but I provided fewer details because the internship is not focused on veterinary medicine. In the experience section, I focused on my work in Belize because I worked with the same exotic species that would be housed in a zoo. I also focused on a different duty at PetSmart, educating customers about proper pet care, because the internship involves daily educational programs. I did not include information about my strength or communication and teamwork skills because it would be listed on a resume. I wrote my letter in a formal tone to match the tone of the Philadelphia Zoos website. Summary By focusing on my education and different aspects of my experience, I was able to write a resume and two cover letters tailored to different jobs. The Exam Room Technician position requires a veterinary medicine-based approach, while the Animal Care Internship requires an approach based on animal husbandry and public education.

February 21, 2012 Tim Ireland D.V.M. Newtown Veterinary Hospital 107 Penns Trail Newtown, PA 18940 Dear Dr. Ireland, I am writing to you in response to the job opening listed on the Newtown Veterinary Hospitals website. Please consider me for the Exam Room Technician position. I have a strong interest in veterinary medicine, and I have the necessary education that would make me a great candidate. I have worked with wildlife in a clinical setting, which has provided me with valuable experience that will be useful in my training. Several of my courses at the Pennsylvania State University have prepared me well for this position. Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates gave me a comprehensive overview of different animal systems, and I was a Teaching Assistant for a Functional Human Anatomy lab. I have taken Principles of Animal Nutrition, Principles of Animal Disease, and General Animal Pathology. I have also taken Current Issues in Veterinary Medicine, which gave me several different perspectives on ethical issues involving animals. The Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences curriculum has given me foundational knowledge that will be useful for this job. It will help me understand patient cases and diagnoses, adding to my value as a staff member. In addition to my education, I have experience working with animals. I traveled to Belize for two weeks to work with wildlife, where I assisted Dr. Paquet-Durand with iguana and porcupine surgeries as well as parrot and crocodile examinations. I spent two summers working as a Pet Care Associate at PetSmart, where I monitored and medicated ill animals under the stores care. These unparalleled experiences with both exotic wildlife and small pets will provide me with a comparison point for working with companion animals in a clinical setting. I have also spent time shadowing Dr. Shechtman, Dr. Ezzo, and the technicians at the Buck Road Animal Hospital, which gave me a working knowledge of the daily events at a veterinary clinic. Experience is the best way to learn, and I have the unique experiences that make me a great candidate for this job. I have attached a resume that provides additional information about my education and experience. I would greatly appreciate a chance to meet with you to discuss my qualifications for the Exam Room Technician position. I can be reached at aom5188@psu.edu. Sincerely, Ashley Moyer

February 21, 2012 Andrew Baker, Chief Operating Officer The Philadelphia Zoo 3400 West Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104 Dear Mr. Baker, I am writing to you in response to the internship opportunity listed on the Philadelphia Zoos website. Please consider me for the Animal Care Internship. I have a strong interest in veterinary medicine, and I have the necessary education that would make me a great candidate. I have worked with wildlife in a clinical setting as well as with small animals, which has provided me with valuable experience that will be useful in this position. I am studying Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, and I will be applying to Veterinary School in the fall of 2012. Several of my courses at the Pennsylvania State University have prepared me very well for this internship. The curriculum includes Principles of Animal Nutrition, Principles of Animal Disease, and General Animal Pathology. These courses have given me foundational knowledge that will be useful in carrying out the daily tasks of this job. In addition to my education, I have experience working with exotic animals. I traveled to Belize for two weeks to work with wildlife, where I assisted Dr. Paquet-Durand with iguana and porcupine surgeries as well as parrot and crocodile examinations. I spent two summers working as a Pet Care Associate at PetSmart, where I taught customers the proper care of new pets. Through these unique experiences with both exotic wildlife and small pets, I have learned the proper handling and care of numerous animal species. Experience is the best way to learn, and I have the experiences that make me a great candidate for this position. I have attached a resume that provides additional information about my education and experience. I would greatly appreciate a chance to meet with you to discuss my qualifications for the Animal Care Internship. I can be reached at aom5188@psu.edu. Sincerely, Ashley Moyer

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