MAGNA ONLINE SEMINARS

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Leverage Social Media to FuelStudent Engagement & Learning

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Presented by:

Barbara Looney, Ph.D.

Barbara Looney, Ph.D., is assistant professor at Black Hills State University.The demand for social media competency among business professionals drivesher interest in research that will benefit her instruction and her students.

LinkedIn Profile Assignment Handout #1 B. Looney

Draw upon your resume preparation and create a LinkedIn Summary for yourself. See Tips below. Submit the Summary as a Word document. Value: ___ points

After receiving feedback on your Summary, open a LinkedIn account, if you do not already have one. Most summaries are several paragraphs or points in length. A good summary is not a cut and pasted version of a resume. Rather, a strong summary narrates your background, strengths, and aspirations. Below are three possible Youtube links for help with LinkedIn. Many exist; if you have time, view others. LinkedIn Tutorial – The Basics (8 min 30 sec) by Cox BBA and MSA Career Services Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTTDmSe5AXo (Jan 2011) Critique: quick, though general and casual

5 Tips for a Flawless LinkedIn Profile (45 min) by J.T. O’Donnell, founder of Careerealism.com Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXGUvFLZc8Q&feature=related (May 2011) Critique: wordy and sluggish, but thorough Tips cover: Picture, Summary, Formatting, Keywords, Groups Explains importance of “top fold,” first four or five visible entry items in Summary LinkedIn Training – 5 Things Recruiters Expect (32 min 26 sec) by J.T. O’Donnell

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Phaf3hWQpUk Critique: most suitable for job search stage and making profile attractive to recruiters

Tips emphasize making work history quantifiable with numbers and percentages

Tips for creating an effective Summary:

Avoid simply pasting resume into LinkedIn or making the Summary a data dump

Open with personal branding statement, an elevator style personal pitch that grabs attention and interest

Structure in short, narrative paragraphs or bullet points

Use first person “I”

Explain who you are and what you do

Offer strengths

Provide your professional past/history

Share goals, aims and what you want to achieve

Prove your dynamic nature

Be personable and interesting

If job searching, use key words from job descriptions

Include a call to action – call me today to . . . OR contact me if . . . Use one of two approaches: A. Create a summary profile that explains who you are now and invites contacts. B. Create a summary profile of yourself on the job market. Either way, promote yourself. For a sample entry, open a LinkedIn account, www.linkedin.com, and search for instructor’s name.

Prezi Pairs Presentation Handout #2

Value ___ points B. Looney

Topic: Business Communication Trend Directions: 1. In a 5 to 8 minute informative presentation, educate your audience about one trending facet of business communication. Key terms: social media impact on business; business communication trends; changes in business communication Locate an article. Through research, locate a trending article from an academic business journal. Use the university Library search engines EBSCOhost and ProQuest. Explore a current trend that impacts how business people relate to customers or to one another in the workplace. Share your findings with the class. 2. Present as partners using the Prezi.com slide program. Prezi is a cloud-based presentation software. The Public educational license is free, and all Prezis will be public. The Prezi program offers a selection of pre-constructed slide templates that present material in a dynamic, non-linear way. Choose one of these templates or create your own. Note that the constructed slide templates each contain a set number of possible slides. You will need to organize your presentation based on the slide potential of the template you choose, or you can add more slides to the template. 3. Make clear to your audience why they should care about the trend. What are the pros? Any cons? Pointedly share “what’s in it for you” [W I I F Y] in knowing about the trend. Do this very early in the presentation. Convince listeners to stay with you. 4. Use a Prezi program with a minimum of 6 slide views. Visuals receive points for arrangement and content. Send the URL for your Prezi to your instructor on the day of your presentation. 5. Divide the slides between the speakers, so each speaker has an opportunity to narrate at least two slides. You may alternate speakers, back and forth, or one speaker may present, followed by the other. Another option would be for one person to open and close and the other to handle the core presentation. Introduce each other and tell the audience when you finish and your partner takes a turn. Refer to your partner by name. Avoid saying, “Now he will tell you about . . . .” Instead say, “Now Roy will explain why the . . . .” 6. As you create slides, keep in mind these generally accepted design points.

Font size suggestions: 44 to 50 pt for titles, 32 pt for subheads, and 28 pt for text

Slides containing fewer words are much easier to read and digest.

Viewers process bullet phrases more quickly than sentences.

3 to 5 points per slide are optimum for most readers

presentation style is shifting to one or two key words on slides, with content shared by speakers

audiences like visuals more than words

7. Remember to project your voices and enunciate clearly. 8. Rehearse carefully so that you finish within the allowed time. 9. Consider the evaluation criteria on the next page.

Individual Presentation Evaluation B. Looney - Handout #3

Presenter ____________________ Topic ________________________ Total Points Earned ______/40

Evaluation Criteria points

1. Business casual attire 4

2. Give professor grading rubric before presenting. 2

3. Provide professor Prezi link by email before presenting. 2

Undeveloped

(1) Evident

though needs strengthening

(2)

Good and strong

(3)

Excellent (4)

4. Clear delivery and vocal projection (voice/volume) No tics: um, uh, like

5. Eye contact with audience

6. Solid introduction followed by strong content with details

7. Share how topic matters- -WIIFY Go to heart of issue for listener

(WIIFY: what’s in it for you) 8. Attractive visuals (appearance)

9. Effective visuals (content) Parallel terms for bulleted lists

10. Firm conclusion

11. Evidence of rehearsal (within time)

Comments:

*** Give your professor this sheet before you give your presentation. This rubric will be marked and returned to you.***

Persuasive Memo on business communication book Handout #4

Memo accompanies Prezi Presentation on book B. Looney

Select one of the contemporary business communication books from the Reserve Stack in the University Library.

Read the book and take notes on the highlights, focusing on the greatest value to the reader.

Mark a few of the most memorable quotes. Now write a persuasive memo to a projected work colleague and try to persuade that person to read the book. Share one or two of the most riveting quotes. Additionally, create a Prezi presentation to help convince your recipient as to the merits of the book. See separate assignment explanation and rubric for the Prezi.

Follow this rubric below to help you organize and advance your persuasive memo.

1. Open with a statement that catches attention and interest and will appeal to your recipient on common ground. ____/2

2. Make clear why one might want to know about the book and its views. ____/4 Share here, in a big picture way, what you gained from the book.

3. Build desire; sell benefits. Promote the book by briefly mentioning a ____/5 particular segment that you favored. Highlight the content. Use it as an example of what the book content can do for your colleague. Connect the book to something useful and applicable in your colleague’s working life.

4. Include one or two key quotations from the book. ____/2

5. Overcome any projected negatives. What advantages can you champion? ____/2 Might your recipient claim he/she does not have time? Predict potential blocks and overcome them.

6. Seal the recipient’s desire by referencing the engaging Prezi you created. ____/5 At the end of the document, make it clear what you want the reader to do.

7. Use proper grammar and sentence structure. ____/5

Total ____/25

Prezi scoring for slides to accompany Persuasive Memo 1. Create an informative Prezi about one business communication book In the first or second slide of the presentation make very clear to the viewer the WIIFY:

what’s in it for you. Convince the viewer to stay focused and tuned in with you. You may use the word WIIFY on your slide, if you like.

2. Work toward a conclusion that convinces your viewer about the merits of the book. Sell the book. 3. Create from 6 to 8 slides. Consult our business communication textbook, which compares a poorly formatted and a well-formatted slide. See also page ___ for a discussion of effective and ineffective font size, number of words and lines, and colors for slides. 4. Keep in mind that slides containing fewer words are much easier to read and digest. The ideal combination is a few words and a well-targeted visual. 5. Understand that in the space given, you will not cover everything in the book you select. Assume your highlights will so intrigue your viewer that he/she will want to read the book. You will intentionally leave out some sections. Cover the segments you found most valuable.

Prezi criteria

1. Inviting introduction/opening ____/4

2. Clear WIIFY slide that helps viewer “buy into” book’s value ____/5

3. Visually pleasing slides ____/6

uniform font style

attractive and appropriate visuals/graphic

trim and visually uncluttered slides

focused content for quick access and understanding

4. Structurally accurate slides ____/5

parallel form

accurate spelling and grammar

legible and well designed slides

5. Conclusion “sells” the book ____/5

Total ____/25

Handout #5 B. Looney

Twitter Assignment (option 1) Handout #6 B. Looney

Twitter Entries: 4 entries @ ___ pts each = ___ total points Log on to Twitter and establish an account: www.twitter.com Select a professional Twitter name. Share your Twitter address by searching for and then following your instructor’s Twitter account. Locate your classmates and follow their accounts. Be a wise writer Implement the strong writing strategies we covered this semester:

Active voice

Positive language

“You” focus

Trim style

Strong verbs

Effective starts [absence of There, Here, It] Tweet length is 140 characters, though Tweeting advisors recommend 120 characters so recipients have space to comment and reTweet. Avoid over abbreviating. Tweets are not text messages. Aim for a professional style, comfortable, but not overly casual. Share complete ideas and punctuate for clarity. Tweet Assignments: Use #______ to begin each tweet. This way, when you log into Twitter and type #______ [no spaces] into the search box, all tweets by classmates also using this hashtag will display. Tweet #1 Promote a product or service from any business you visit this week. Tweet #2 Respond to a classmate’s tweet #1. Use .@ (classmate’s address) to reach that person specifically. Do place a period in front of @ so that all your classmates will also receive the Tweet Tweet #3 Publicize an event or activity you recommend others attend. The date can be this week or in the future. Tweet #4 Forward a URL link to anything business related. Sites for shortening URLs: tinyurl.com OR is.gd First, find an article. Second, capture the long URL. Third, paste that long URL on to the tinyurl.com site so the URL can be shortened. Fourth, use the new tinyurl created URL in your Tweet, so the link takes up less space. FYI: Youtube Twitter Tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YGp4cWdndc

Important: Copy and paste your 4 Tweets into a Word document. Create a hard copy and bring the document with you to class on the due date.

Twitter Assignment (option 2) Handout #7 B. Looney

Twitter Entries: 4 entries plus 1 reTweet @ ___ pts each = ___ total points Log on to Twitter and establish an account: www.twitter.com Select a professional Twitter name. Share your Twitter address by searching for and then following your instructor’s Twitter account. Locate your classmates and follow their accounts.

Tweet length is 140 characters, though Tweeting advisors recommend 120 characters so recipients have space to comment and reTweet. Avoid over abbreviating. Tweets are not text messages. Aim for a professional style, comfortable, but not overly casual. Share complete ideas and punctuate for clarity.

1. Select a business Imagine that you own or work for a hypothetical business that you want to promote. Choose your own business based upon work you have either done or hope to do. Select a business that truly interests you, so that ideas for this assignment will readily come to you.

2. Promote the business Rely on your reading of 42 Rules of Social Media for Business to help you target your promotion for effectiveness and variety.

3. Be a wise writer Implement the strong writing strategies we covered this semester:

Active voice

Positive language

“You” focus

Trim style

Strong verbs

Effective starts [absence of There, Here, It]

4. Create four (4) Tweets for your business. Select from the seven topic categories listed below. Open each Tweet with our class hashtag: #_______

Promote your product or service -- directly sell.

Offer something at a reduced price or no cost OR offer a booklet, handout, product or item if customers stop by and pick up

Feature the talents and skills of an employee

Ask for customer input

Offer an inside tip -- make readers feel as if your information improves or makes their lives easier

Forward a URL to something related to your business or products; explain the advantage of the link Sites for shortening URLs: tinyurl.com OR is.gd

Publicize a community or local event that holds some connection, though maybe indirect, to your business; for example: a play that an employee acts in; a fundraiser you support; a ski slope opening where customers will use your produce or hope not to use your accident coverage; the local Festival of Trees fundraiser for which your company decorated and donated a tree

5. By ________(date), reTweet to your instructor your favorite Tweet by a classmate. Before writing, review

these tips on effective reTweet headlines – see: http://www.copyblogger.com/twitter-headlines/

6. Prepare your document o Cut and paste your Tweets into a Word document. o Plan to get feedback about your ideas by bringing your Word document to class on ____________. o Following review by two classmates, you may edit the Tweets on your Word document before

submitting the document for a grade.

BLOG information Handout #8 B. Looney

Blog link: http://thinkofyourmind.blogspot.com/ Why “think of your mind”? The class aims to heighten in each of us a greater desire to access the stimulating richness of all the arts. The instructor invites all of us to be greedier for our own minds. During 6 of our meetings, we will have discussion group responses to a blog posting. By Wednesday of the assigned week, the new blog posting will appear. Please log on and review the video clip, slides, picture, or short selection posted. Type a focused paragraph in response to the prompt question; share something in the material that you can discuss further with an assigned discussion group. Blog entries should aim to offer comments not made by others and to advance the insight or to illuminate fresh aspects of a possible discussion. Responding to someone else and taking an idea further is helpful and expanding. Offering contrary or alternate perceptions is also broadening and useful. Merely echoing someone else falls flat. The most useful comments share perceptions and demonstrate thoughtful reflection. Mere praise or a dismissive “I didn’t care for it,” do nothing for the rest of us. Not engaging with something is okay, but sensible reasons need to be shared so that the explanation of a cool reception actually stands as a thoughtful critique. Blog responders may go outside the blog for insights and background that provide useful discussion about the week’s entry; however, the focus should remain on the posted material. Blog postings are reaction assignments, not mini-research assignments. On dates when a blog is due, you will explore your artistic impressions of the viewed

material in a small group discussion. The aim will be to enhance overall appreciation through sharing.

When you post your comments, your entry will immediately be sent to your instructor’s email for point credit.

Point evaluation for blog entries based on these criteria:

1. Comments confirm viewing 2. Language goes beyond “very interesting” 3. Views share some insight and attempt to advance class understanding 4. Reflection reacts to observation of a classmate 5. Ideas connect to other material covered during semester

Pinterest Report Assignment Handout # 9 B. Looney Pinterest Assignment Elements points: 40 Pinterest Pinboard displaying articles on a chosen topic 10 Works Cited page for Pinboard 35 Memo of Transmittal with Executive Summary for Pinboard 15 Good News email memo of commentary about assigned classmate’s Pinboard Note: This document explains the overall project; individual assignment rubrics explain each graded element. For sample Pinboard, see B. Looney link: https://pinterest.com/thinklooney/

For sample Works Cited page and Memo of Transmittal with Executive Summary, see handouts. __________ ….. __________

BACKGROUND

What is Pinterest? Pinterest is a social media site that connects people through the things they find interesting.

What makes Pinterest deserving of our attention in a business communications course?

“Once viewed as a niche player in the social space, Pinterest has become one of the fastest growing social networks ever, harnessing both an increased user base and its exponential growth as a referring site to become a considerable force in the marketing world.” “Equally important for businesses to consider is the buying power behind Pinterest: Pinterest users purchase items more often and in greater quantities, spend more money, and shop more frequently than any other social network.” Source: Burke, Katie. “The Marketer’s Guide to Pinterest SEO.” HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Blog. 11 January 2013. Weblog. 18 January 2013. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34042/The-Marketer-s-Guide-to-Pinterest-SEO.aspx#ixzz2ITNmLwXK __________ ….. __________ What terms will new Pinterest users want to know?

Pin: A pin is an image added to Pinterest. You can link to an image from a Web site or upload an image from your computer.

Repin: Once something is pinned, it can then be repinned by other Pinterest users. This is how

content spreads virally.

Board: This is where your pins live. You can have separate boards for separate subjects.

How to open an account: Pinterest technically is still open to invited users only. But, you can request an invite at www.pinterest.com and one should be sent to you very quickly.

How to create boards: Upon sign up, Pinterest gives pinners options to create a sudden storehouse of pins by repining selections of preferred pictures. Be careful about filling your Activity with cluttered pins that you have not explored beyond a one-picture preference. Each picture you click will create a board

2 of 5 pages

for you to follow. The options you create may seem overwhelming. Fortunately you can delete the excess.

How to follow: Just like on other social networks, you build a list of people to follow on Pinterest.

Browser bookmark: By adding a bookmark to your Web browser, you can also pin images from other sites.

Use the search bar: This is the best way to find specific ideas.

Look behind a pinned item: If you discover a pin that you like, click one page deeper and look at the origin board it came from. Chances are you will find more ideas of interest. Searching the origin page is also a good way to find new links, subjects, and people to follow.

Work together with friends [for future info, NOT for this class Report project]: You can also permit friends on Pinterest to contribute to one of your boards. To add a contributor to one of your boards, click on the board's edit page. There, change the pin setting to "Me + Contributors." Then, you can add a friend's name. You must be following at least one of the user's boards to add that person as a contributor, and anyone you invite can decline the request.

Source: Smith, Mark W. “How to use Pinterest’s pinboard for the Web.” Detroit Free Press. 17 January 2012. Weblog. 20 January 2013. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-01-17/how-to-pinterest-mark-smith/52615856/1 __________ ….. __________ What might account for Pinterest’s popularity, as compared to other social media sites?

Lack of chatter Life-style related, like magazine gazing and saving chosen pages Low-maintenance. Like window-shopping Allows users to showcase multiple interests in an organized way Absence of “real-time” urgency, like on Twitter, and personal focus, as with Facebook No hurt feelings if pins are followed or not followed Relaxing (for many) and inspirational Visually driven, without status updates

The format “invites varied applications: for example a sports shoe company might share pictures of staged events with a board on running gear, a board on running shoes, a board on inspirational quotes, a board on running websites for new runners, and so on; or a CEO might create boards for favorite books, places traveled, boards for favorite brands, or a board where customers can post photos of the company’s products in action (Jenny Schmitt). “Hopefully, brands can have the guts to stay out of [Pinterest] and let it be an organic, legit form of word-of-mouth. Commercializing everything is becoming incredibly boring” (Julie Kucinski).

By way of contrast, “to really participate in the Flickr community you have to take photographs. To participate in Pinterest, you just have to see cool stuff online and pin it. That’s important because very few people are actually content creators; many more of us are content consumers or sharers. With re-pinning, Pinterest makes it easy anyone to gather up the content that they like and share it” (Megan Wilker).

3 of 5 pages

Source: Hanson, Arik. “What’s behind the Pinterest craze? 15 super-users share their thoughts” Communications Conversations. 13 December 2011. Weblog. 20 January 2013. http://www.arikhanson.com/2011/12/13/whats-behind-the-pinterest-craze-15-super-users-share-their-thoughts/ __________ ….. __________

What major companies currently use Pinterest to their advantage?

“General Electric does not immediately leap to mind when one thinks of Pinterest. However General Electric on Pinterest highlights the industrial conglomerate’s legacy of design. Its boards also display items of inspiration. There’s even a Badass Machines board for cool machines in action. While GE only has around 200 followers on Pinterest, it’s embracing the spirit of the site, and its progress is worth watching.”

Source: Ueland, Sig. “14 Brands on Pinterest.” Practical Commerce: Insights for Online Merchants. 8 February 2012. Weblog. 20 January 2013 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3347-14-Brands-on-Pinterest

Other companies that have found creative ways to show how products or services fit into the lifestyles of potential customers include Oreck, Mashable, and Drake University.

Oreck board/pet site called Furry Friends --- never mentions vacuum cleaners but focuses on the reason for product purchases

Mashable pins data-driven infographics and anticipates influx of male users Drake University pins campus lifestyle choices, including spirit wear, room décor ideas, and food

items

Source: Georgieva, Magdelena. “How to Use Pinterest for Business? Blog.Hubspot.com. 1 February 2012. Weblog. 20 January 2013. https://www.google.com/search?q=Hubspot+How+to+Use+Pinterest+for+Business&rlz=1C1RNNN_enUS344&aq=f&oq=Hub&aqs=chrome.1.57j59j60l3j0.2158&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 __________ ..... _________

ASSIGNMENT (40 pts) 1. Choose a business trend in your degree specialization or in a business area of personal interest.

2. Locate a minimum of 8 web articles that explain or explore the trend and possibly share different perspectives or a range of approaches. You may use the key word search in Pinterest to locate one (1) of the articles. Locate the other seven (7) or more selections through searching business blogs, journal posts, and website articles. Vary your sources and authors, though an author may be a source more than once.

3. Open a Pinterest account. Request an invitation and wait for the confirming email to join. You will need a Facebook or Twitter account just for an address link. If you do not have or prefer not to use your Facebook account information, simply create a “dummy” Twitter account. If you are concerned about privacy, use a specially created gmail.com account as your address for this assignment. 4. Write a brief statement in your Pinterest “Profile Info” that explains your business interest. 5. Based on your business trend, create a catchy topic label for your Pinboard. Pin your eight (8) articles to that board.

6. If one of your selected articles lacks a visual, you will need to create a visual for your Pin. Go to Google Images and find an appropriate illustration. Save that Image in a Picture File on your computer

4 of 5 pages

so that you can Upload the image for use with your Pin. NOTE: Images load first, before article URLs. Therefore, you’ll need a picture FIRST to move ahead and make your Pin.

7. IMPORTANT: Along with your Pin, ADD a summary statement about your article, so that readers immediately know the main idea. Indicate your summary by typing three (3) spaced dashes before inserting your words. For example: Top 5 Most Commonly Misunderstood Interview Tips - - - questions show interest, but can also show nervousness or a too-eager desire that says "know-it-all"

Again, see B. Looney’s Pinboard example: https://pinterest.com/thinklooney/

8. Each of your board entries will have a visual, an article/weblog title, a summary, and a source link.

HOW TO PIN

1. Most Weblogs now have a “Pin” button, along side posting buttons for Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and Tumblr. On the Pinterest Menu Bar under the “About” heading, you can locate the directions for creating your own linked “Pin It” button. With the button installed on your own Bookmarks Bar, you can click to facilitate loading of “Pins” onto your Pinboard. 2. If you do not want to install and use the “Pin It” button, you can easily load articles manually by capturing first a picture, and then the article URL. 3. To Load –

Go to the Menu bar on Pinterest Click Add + Upload a Pin (up arrow) Go to Picture folder and Click on desired picture from your stored images Describe your Pin [type the article title or capture/cut and paste; ADD three (3) spaced dashes - -

- and provide your own summary comments about the article Click “Pin It” On your newly created Pin itself, click “Edit” Add the URL link Click “Save Pin”

4. Verify your loaded Pin by clicking on your name and your Board title; your pinned article should appear 5. Be aware that Pins appear on your Board with the most recent Pin listed first. Thus, if you desire a specific order for Pins, you’ll want to load the desired LAST Pin first and work back to the desired FIRST Pin, or you can Repin items in a forced order and then delete the duplicates. For our purposes as a first-time assignment, do not worry about your Pin order.

HOW TO EDIT

After reviewing your Pins, you may want to change wording. Add text to your Pins using the Edit function on each Pin.

PROTECTING PRIVACY

1. Including your picture on Pinterest is strictly optional

5 of 5 pages 2. Your self-description can be quite non-specific 3. Under “Edit Profile” you may activate the Search Privacy button to “Prevent search engines from including your profile in their search results.” 4. Again under “Edit Profile,” leave “off” Social Network links to Facebook and Twitter

VERY IMPORTANT -- SHARE YOUR PINTEREST ADDRESS

So that your instructor and classmates may read your Pins, please list your Pinterest address [for just this class project] on our class Google Drive document:

The Google Drive document will list all addresses for everyone in the class. You will use this list to complete the email assignment that is part of this project.

CREATE A WORKS CITED PAGE (10 pts)

1. This Report project addresses a “research” experience as part of our course curriculum. To document your engagement in that experience, create a Works Cited page that lists all of your Pin sources. 2. Again, see the sample Works Cited page prepared by your instructor. 3. Use the “References” Tab in Microsoft Word to help you record and organize the source information.

Include a minimum of 8 sources List sources alphabetically by author Single space within entries; double space between entries – the Microsoft Word “References” Tab

will automatically do this for you Include date of article (if available) and date of access

WRITE a MEMO of TRANSMITTAL with EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (35 pts)

1. See sample handout

2. Consult separate rubric for content reminders and point breakdown.

Pinterest Project – Pinboard Rubric Handout #10 B. Looney

Create a meaningful title _____/2 Add a subtitle explanation that extends reader understanding. _____/2 Pin a minimum of 8 web articles with visuals that explain or explore _____/16 the topic. Aim to share different perspectives or a range of approaches, so that the Pins avoid redundancy about the information you share. You may use the key word search in Pinterest to locate and repin one (1) Pinterest link. Locate the other seven (7) or more selections through searching business blogs, journal posts, and website articles. (2 pts each pin) Vary your sources and authors, though an author may be a source more than _____4 once. Use the same source no more than twice. Include a summary that highlights the contents of each article pinned. _____16 Indicate the start of this original summary by typing three dashes - - - between the title of the article and the start of your summary. For greater reader interest, vary the language of the summaries. In other words, AVOID tame and dull language such as: This article tells how . . .; This article covers . . .; This article is about . . . . The repetition bores. Create fresh approaches. (2 pts each summary)

Total Points _____/40

Sample page Handout #11 B. Looney

Works Cited

Carnevale, Anthony P, Nicole Smith, James R. Stone, III, Pradeep Kotamraju, Bruce Steuernagel, and

Kimberly A. Green. Career Clusters Forecasting Demand for High School through College Jobs

2008-18. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown Public Policy Institute, Center on Education and the

Work Force, Georgetown U, 2011. Web document.

Hansen, Randall S. and Katherine Hansen. "Your Senior Year in College: 15 Activities that are Pivotal to

Your Job-Search Success." n.d. Quintessential Careers. Web document. 20 January 2013.

Hansen, Randall S. "So You've Graduated College... What's Next for You? Eight Critical Issues Facing New

Grads." n.d. Quintessential Careers. Web document. 20 January 2013.

Hargreaves, Steve. Jobs with the lowest (and highest) unemployment, Money.CNN.com. 7 January 2013.

weblog. 20 January 2013.

Mac, Amber. Expanding Your Personal Network Online, FastCompany.com. 2013. weblog. 20 January

2013.

Pope, Justin. College Costs: New Research Weighs the True Value of a College Education,

HuffingtonPost.com. 20 August 2012. weblog. 20 January 2013.

Reynolds, Brie Weiler. 5 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Job Search, Mashable.com. 23 September 2012.

weblog. 20 January 2013.

Stillman, Jessica. Mission Possible: How to Finally Wake Up Early, Inc.com. 17 January 2013. weblog. 20

January 2013.

—. Secret to More Refreshing Weekends, Inc.com. 8 January 2013. weblog. 20 January 2013.

—. Want a Raise? Work at a Small Business, Inc.com. 14 January 2013. weblog. 20 January 2013.

Thomas, G. Scott. "Earnings Widen between College and High School-only Grads." Nashville Business

Journal (2012). weblog. 20 January 2013.

Thomas, Jacelyn. Top 5 Most Commonly Misunderstood Interview Tips, Undercover Recruiter. n.d.

weblog. 20 January 2013.

Wesley, D. Employment Trends from 2008-2012, Realonlinedegrees.com. n.d. weblog. 20 January 2013.

Pinterest Project – Memo of Transmittal Handout #12 with Executive Summary B. Looney

1. See sample handout. Total _____/35 pts 2. The Memo with Summary should contain--

a personal letterhead, as on a resume proper Memo format: ___/3

To: instructor From: (your name) Date: Re: (an appropriate subject line that invites interest) Pinterest URL: (share your Pinboard link)

opening paragraph that explains topic and conveys/transmits research ___/4 final sentence of 1st paragraph should state overview of entire project

second/third/fourth, etc. paragraphs that summarize topic findings ___/5 body paragraphs should discuss all pins listed on Works Cited and ___/8 offer quotations from at least two articles ___/4

bold headings guide the reader and enhance flow ___/1

final paragraph includes some kind of recommendation or “sell” about the subject should readers follow, ignore, adopt, adapt, watch, wait? ___/3 What might you, the writer, hope for your readers?

ending expresses thanks for research opportunity and mentions ___/2 Works Cited page is attached

correct grammar throughout ___/5 Avoid second person “you” when the intending a broad audience. For example: Problem – After receiving the exciting news that you were accepted into your dream position, which happens to be located in a foreign country, you must then prepare. Revision – After receiving the exciting offer of a dream position, which happens to be in a foreign location, a successful applicant must then prepare. Problem – With just these two devices alone, you can connect with anyone. This means that you can take your business anywhere. Revision – With just these two devices alone, users can connect with anyone. This means that business owners can take their business anywhere.

When citing sources, use the full name of the source when first mentioned, and then use only the last name on subsequent uses.

Discuss sources professionally by last name, never first.

Pinterest Project – Sample Handout #13 Memo of Transmittal with Executive Summary B. Looney

Your name – use resume letterhead

Your Address OR University

address, state, zip Phone 605-000-0000 ٠ your email@.edu

verbs highlighted in yellow to show interest value in variety

To: instructor From: (your name) Date: [summarize pins using your own Re:] Re: Business Administration Graduates Face Opportunity and Challenge

[opening paragraph explains topic and transmits research] Background Each year I attend two graduation ceremonies, in December and May, and see the names of about 125 of my former students who excitedly face the job market, hoping to locate employment that will utilize their degrees and propel them into meaningful and rewarding working lives. With these students in mind, I gathered a Pinboard called “Sensible Business – employment opportunities.” My pins explore the job market and the search process, and then look ahead to finding satisfaction once employed. [final sentence of first paragraph fully summarizes content of this Memo/Summary document]

[second/third/fourth, etc. paragraphs summarize topic findings, sharing who and what] Employment Market Research by Anthony Carnevale, et al., at Georgetown University, shows that the career cluster that includes Business, Management, and Administration produced above average wage growth in the 1980s and 2000s, and was the favored sector in the labor market to “afford individuals the best route to a middle class income.” Echoing these promising prospects are recent earnings reports, which clarify the correlation between educational level and earning power over a working life. During a lifetime of employment, adults with bachelor’s degrees earned 85 percent more than adults who had not advanced beyond high school (G. Scott Thomas). This powerful fact helps justify the loan debt assumed by many students. As Justin Pope explains in a Huntington Post article, middle class students experience the hardest squeeze from loan debt. They make too much for low-income grants, but not enough to avoid significant loan obligations. [cite above lists Thomas’ full name because Jacelyn Thomas is another source]

A CNNMoney article lists jobs that offer the most secure employment prospects, and those jobs that risk the highest unemployment (Hargreaves). As college graduates might hope, positions requiring a degree hold the most security; among those positions are physicists, engineers, education directors, judicial officers, supervisors, nurses, security analysts, revenue agents, and appraisers. Similar findings appear in a visual scheme or infographic prepared by D. Wesley for Realonlinedegrees.com, a British online university program. [cite above shows Hargreaves as source because his name is not mentioned in the discussion about CNNMoney]

[discussion includes quotations from not all, but at least two of the sources] Job Search Preparation and Process With five pins substantiating the value of a degree, I shifted by search for pins that explore how students might position themselves strongly to meet the job market ahead. Career counselors Randall Hansen and Katherine Hansen developed a sensible and practical list of 15 Activities that

2 of 2 pages are Pivotal to Job-Search Success, which the couple recommends students accomplish during their senior year in College. For example, the Hansens advise upperclass students to take leadership positions in student or university organizations. This exposure helps develop “key skills and abilities that are vital to the workforce, such as delegating, motivating, inspiring, problem-solving, conflict-managing, and others.” [no citation needed for Hansens because both names are mentioned in the discussion] In a post for Mashable.com, Brie Weiler Reynolds suggests an unconventional approach to job searches by offering 5 Ways to Use Pinterest in the process. Other job search advice comes from Jacelyn Thomas, who shares helpful insights about possible misinterpretations of common interview tips. Thomas helps readers see the larger implications in commonly suggested answers. Her post for Undercover Recruiter provides a British perspective that equally suits American interviews. Thomas’ comments guard an interviewee from seeming too eager or too much a know-it-all. To help graduates navigate their options following a job offer, Randall Hansen prepared “What’s Next for You? Eight Critical Issues in a post for Quintessential Careers. Hansen wisely summarizes option outcomes that help new graduates see the career implications of early decisions and first job choices. Work Satisfaction [bolded headings throughout help guide reading and improve flow] Final pins shift focus to the work environment. The value of a growing personal online network gets a quick treatment by Amber Mac in a post for FastCompany.com. Two articles by Jessica Stillman for Inc.com help those on a college schedule adjust to full-time employment. Stillman recommends a pleasant sounding alarm to wake up early and happy. While thoughtful, her ideas about alarm clocks overlook the obvious value of waking up to the scent of great coffee. I would add to Stillman’s list the suggestion that, in preparation for a first job, graduates should purchase a coffee pot with a timer. Stillman’s other full-time employment advice, in a second article, addresses the value of scheduling “anchor events” on weekends, to assure that time-off includes quality activities and does not fill with just sleeping-in and house-lounging. Stillman wants her readers to avoid Monday morning regret that comes from reflection upon a weekend wasted through inactivity.

[note that all pins listed in the Works Cited were included in this Executive Summary] To end the pinned series, an article again by Jessica Stillman looks beyond initial employment for graduates and projects to the stage of first advance and a pay raise. Her piece posts Pay Scale Index statistics that show greater raise potential actually exists for those working in smaller businesses with higher visibility and lesser competition among co-workers. Conclusion The flow and thrust of the pins gathered under Sensible Business points to both opportunities and challenges for those just graduating with bachelor’s degrees. With some forethought and preparation, prior to the walk across the stage for the diploma, graduates can position themselves for a strong entrance into the job market. This project caused me to reflect on the exciting potential that comes with degree completion. My recommendation, after reviewing these selected pins, is that students subscribe now to business news feeds and blogs, like those consulted for this Report. The gained knowledge about trends will be invaluable, both in the job search and in working life.

[end with thanks for research opportunity—tell what you learned] I am thankful that I completed this Pinterest Report assignment myself. I learned about Pinterest as a social media platform and as a business generator. I enjoyed creating a Pinboard, and I hope my students will enjoy and benefit from creating theirs as well.

Pinterest Pinboard Good News Email Handout # 14 B. Looney

Write a Good News email to an assigned classmate and copy your instructor.

Use the D2L email function rather university email.

Locate your classmate’s email address in D2L Classlist tab.

Write to the classmate whose name comes directly under yours on the posted list in Google

Drive of class generated Pinboards. The last person on the list will circle back and write to the

first person on the list.

The link for Google Drive appears on the D2L News page for our class.

Criteria: Review the Pinboard of your assigned person. Value: 15 pts.

Open with good news, as this is a “good news” style memo. ___/2

Comment on the best visual on the board; explain your attraction

or confirm its appropriateness. ___/2

Find and share one piece of information you did not know or that

you think will be quite useful to others who view the board . ___/3

Comment on the accuracy of the Pinboard – do all the links function

and are Pin summaries grammatically correct with proper spelling? ___/2

Find one point that raises a question in your mind and causes you

to extend your thinking; share this possibility for another pin,

one that might follow the lead you’ve raised – in other words,

here you make a polite suggestion for how the board might grow.

Is there an omitted area, an undeveloped area, a gaping space for

growth, a high-interest point that could use extended attention? ___/3

Finish with some kind of forward looking “sell” line that encourages

your classmate; recall that effective “good news” communication

ends with a positive tie that moves beyond just the memo and

keeps the recipient involved. ___/3

Tumblr Assignment Handout #15 B. Looney

What is Tumblr? | lynda.com tutorial (2:07 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GClwofaCHB0

Choosing a Tumblr theme | lynda.com tutorial (5:01 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4xhqFP30p8

Tumblr: Creating simple text posts | lynda.com tutorial (8:17 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9YlVfkl1H0

Tumblr is a blogging and social networking website founded by David Karp and purchased by Yahoo in May 2013. Users can post multimedia and other content to a short-form blog, with the option to connect to other bloggers or to keep Tumblr a private site. As of November 2013, Tumblr hosts over 152.2 million blogs.

WIIFY [What’s in it for you] :

Create a personal site that tracks and promotes your professional development.

Prepare yourself for the technological and social media-rich working world ahead of you. Transition from using social platforms as casual and personal outlets into cultivating these platforms as serious

and professional personal sales tools. Enable future employers to value you for your digital footprint. Build a serious personal profile and demonstrate entry-level social media skills and connectivity that you can

take into the workplace.

If smartly assembled and written, social media assignments can display your interests and abilities and help you develop a professional persona well before a diploma date

IMPORTANT: After creating your Tumblr account, log into the Google Drive/Documents file created for this project and list your Tumblr URL so that others in the class and your instructor can track your progress.

Link: (add URL here) This Google Drive/Documents link appears on the D2L News page and in the D2L Content files for Week 2.

Topic Assignments: [space posts two weeks apart throughout semester]

Tumblr #1: Comment on a blog by Jeff Beals, author of Self-Marketing Power: Branding Yourself as a Business of One (our companion text this semester) Locate Beals: http://jeffbeals.com/blog/ and share his link. Tumblr #2: Find an entry from a blog in your career field. Comment and post. See separate handout for URLs to respected business blogs. Tumblr #3: Locate a blog entry from the Harvard Business Review. Comment and post. Tumblr #4: Review the Tumblr accounts of your classmates. Find a comment and post that particularly interest you. Capture the article for your own Tumblr account and add your own comments. Extend the ideas of your classmate or choose an angle different from your classmate. Tumblr #5: Post a video link to a helpful business-related advice. Tumblr #6: Find an entry from any blog that interests you. NOTE: You are welcome and encouraged to post more articles to your Tumblr account than the 6 assigned.

Online business-related blogs and sources Handout #16 B. Looney

www.adage.com (Ad Age Ditigal)

www.asu.com

www.boss.blogs.nytimes.com

www.boston.com (Boston Globe)

www.business.time.com

www.businessinsider.com

www.businessweek.com (Bloomberg)

www.careerbuilder.com

www.cornellhrreview.com

www.fastcompany.com

www.forbes.com

www.ft.com (Financial Times)

www.hbr.com (Harvard Business Review)

www.hrmorning.com (network for HR professionals)

www.huffingtonpost.com

www.iht.com (International Herald Tribune)

www.insidefacebook.com (guide to marketing with Facebook)

www.intel.com

www.itbusinessworks.com

www.mashable.com

www.money.cnn.com

www.nbcnews.com

www.onlinewsj.com

www.smallbusinesschron.com (Houston Chronicle)

www.smartblogs.com

www.testkitchen.colorado.edu (U of CO, Boulder)

www.usnews.com

www.wired.com

www.washingtonpost.com

www.wsj.com (Wall Street Journal)