English 420Y - Business Writing Online

Here is my press release, any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nick

I think Jet Blue handled the aftermath of the crisis effectively and ethically. David Neeleman's apology on youtube was necessary, but definitely sincere. It was also very good strategy, and one Luntz points out in the reading. The way Mr. Neeleman apologized was obviously visual (Rule Eight) which had a stronger impact on the consumer. If he had just offered only a written apology, fewer people would respond to it simply because that is less personal.

Nick Lievense Employment Project Final (posted by jtirrell)

The article I chose concerning the JetBlue crisis comes from the Businessweek magazine website. The article gave a brief description of the meltdown on Valentines Day, but more importantly addressed what the future holds for JetBlue Airlines. One interesting part of the article was a paragraph describing how Businessweek removed JetBlue from it's list of Customer Service Champs. I am not really familiar with this periodical, or the validity of this list, but apparently JetBlue had a #4 ranking and had racked up service accolades faster than any other airline.

Here's my cover letter, any feedback would be great. Thanks, Nick

I felt the resume exercise gave a good perspective on what employers go through. It was difficult to get an idea of who the person is and the experience they have in 30 seconds. However, I now fully realize why it is important to make a resume appealing to the eye and well organized. If there was to much information, no bullet points, or no objective I didn't even bother reading it. When I was reading the resumes I was looking for a clear objective, educational background, related experience and also references. I was surprised to see that very few people listed references.

Here's my resume, I welcome any comments. Thanks, Nick

The position I chose to apply for is an Assistant Groundskeeper for the Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball team. They are the Minor League Baseball affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The responsibilities of the job are divided into four categories, baseball field maintenance, turf maintenance, outside landscape maintenance and crew supervision. The responsibilities of baseball maintenance include: mound and home plate repair, bullpen repair, skin work and batting practice set up/ tear down.

1. Position: Groundskeeper
Company/Location: Purdue University Athletic Fields/ West Lafayette, IN
Supervisor: Al Capitos
Dates of Employment: March 2007- Present
Requirements: Irrigation repair, fertilizing, and general maintenance (mowing. trimming etc.).

Position: Groundskeeper
Company/Location: Purdue University, Kampen Golf Course/ West Lafayette, IN
Supervisor: Jim Scott
Dates of Employment: July 2006-November 2006
Requirements: Tee construction, irrigation repair, and general maintenance.

When I finished the reading in the Thompson Handbook, I had a better understanding of what is required to do well in this course and in my professional career. The book gives very useful examples on how to write a proper cover letter and resume. The list of questions on page 221 were helpful in clarifying what a prospective employer expects to see. I have written cover letters and resumes in other classes; but, it was never a detailed, in-depth process. I feel like the handbook will give clear guidelines to insure my resume will be noticed and considered.