Combine (Free Topic)

For my blog topic this week I thought it would be appropriate to follow-up on my presentation from Friday. As I mentioned in class, the former Clemson Tiger football players at the NFL Scouting combine include defensive end Phillip Merling, Linebacker Nick Watkins, Offensive Guard Chris McDuffie, and Offensive Tackle Barry Richardson. Chris McDuffie was one of the top ten offensive linemen in the bench press, lifting 225 lbs. 29 times. This was the only event McDuffie took place in. Yesterday kickers, offensive linemen, and tight ends worked out. Today quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs are working out. Because linebackers and defensive lineman don't workout until monday, I cannot deliver any new information concerning Nick Watkins and Phillip Merling. Barry Richardson posted a 5.47-40. That isn't a good time but offensive lineman don't have to be fast. He also had 24 reps at the bench press and a 22" vertical leap. So far the fastest 40 time is 4.24 sec. (Chris Johnson), the most reps at the bench press is 37 (Jake Long), the highest vertical leap is 38.5" (Keenan Burton), the furthest broad jump is 10'11" (Dustin Keller), the fastest 3-cone drill is 6.80 sec. (Derek Fine), the fastest 20-yard shuttle is 4.14 sec. (Dustin Keller), and the fastest 60-yard shuttle is 11.29 sec. (Gary Barnidge). That 4.24-40 put up by Chris Johnson is ridiculous. It has to be one of the fastest 40 times ever. Right now Dustin Keller seems to be having the best performance of everyone at the combine.

Cover Letters

The Reality of Cover Letters discusses several misconceptions associated with cover letters. Actually, I was unaware that cover letters were read last, and many times not at all, depending on the value of the resume. The second issue concerns the subject of cover letters. That is, most people assume the cover letter should be about them. The fact that the cover letter should instead target the company you are seeking employment with is not surprising.

The Best Use of a Cover Letter describes the best ways to apply the cover letter. The tips given in this article are fairly obvious, but by referencing this article you will avoid missing anything. The main point is to create a stand-out cover letter accompanied by a proactive effort at getting the job. A good example is given through the Sample Cover Letter link.

The postscript technique was something I was unaware of that would seem to give a greater impact than a cover letter absent of one. Also, the link entitled The Worst Use of a Cover Letter repeats something from The Reality of Covers Letters; that is cover letters are meant to be direct. This was not particularly helpful, since I was already aware that blanket marketing with cover letters/resumes was not an effective tactic.

The testimonial technique is interesting. A good reference from someone else placed in a cover letter would probably be very effective. The last link simply provides a checklist to use when writing a cover letter. This would be very helpful.

All of these links are a good starting point to begin writing a cover letter. I can’t say that I disagree with any of the points discussed. The most useful of these would have to be the checklist. When writing my own cover letter I will try to incorporate the techniques described in these links.

Interview Articles

The first article I read was "How to Answer the Toughest Interview Questions." The first question this article addressed was the future question. I don't particularly like this question either, but the author of this article gives a simple solution. Rather than focusing on your career plan when giving an answer, just talk about your values. This was probably the only part of the article that I learned anything new from. The salary question isn't as clear cut, which is why you should prepare for it in advance. The author suggests deflecting the question by inquiring about the salary of the position. If the interviewer seeks an answer after this you should give a range based on several factors, such as a previous salary or industry standard. This article doesn't help much when addressing the why question either. When an employer asks why they should hire you, the author says you must practice in the mirror, so that you can sound confident rather than arrogant or lacking of self-esteem. The last question, the silly question, is explained along the same lines as the why question. The author just says not to panic and that there is no right answer.

The second article I read was "How to Deal With Interview Stress." This is something that I could improve upon. Interview situations are much like public speaking situations for me. I get nervous and that nervousness shows. One good suggestion the author gives is arrival time. By arriving 10 minutes early you can avoid arriving too early, which may result in increasing anxiety, and arriving too late, which may cause you to race in to the interview sweaty and with a pounding heartbeat. The next suggestion may vary depending on the person. This involves creating a mental picture prior to or during the interview to help boost your confidence. Remaining relaxed is obviously the best way to deal with interview stress. The author suggests that you should control your breathing, maintain good posture while avoiding crossing your legs, control the rate of your speaking and pause for breath, avoid visible clenching, and smile. All of these suggestions are things I am already familiar with. One last suggestion that could be particularly helpful concerns saving the interview after a mistake. The author notes that sooner or later you will screw up somehow and this may be followed by an awkward silence. To avoid this you should just take a 10 second pause to catch your breath and regain your senses and then soldier on.

Persuasive writing

The Letter From Birmingham Jail is a great example of persuasive writing. In it, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr applies all three modes of persuasion. A more contemporary piece of persuasive writing that I think goes well with our situation is the House Ways & Means Budget Subcommittee speech given by President Barker. In this speech, President Barker applies the mode of ethos by attempting to evoke a sense of pride in state and in self by equating the success of Clemson students to the increasing quality of in-state students and the creation of the LIFE and Palmetto Fellows scholarships by the General Assembly. Dr. King uses ethos when stating, "I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth," prior to entering the bulk of his letter. Logos is a technique employed both by Dr. King and President Barker throughout these works. President Barker includes various numerical data to indicate the increasing success of Clemson University, and Dr. King uses a methodical approach to explain why peaceful resistance must be taken underway. The third mode of persuasion is a technique that Dr. King very skillfully applied. By stating, "when your first name becomes 'n*gger,' your middle name becomes 'boy,' and you last name becomes 'John'," Dr. King is evoking strong emotions associated with strong words. Though President Barker does not use pathos nearly as often or effectively as Dr. King, he does apply it toward the end of the speech. By stating, "and we can give our state a top tier research university so that our young people don't have to choose between academic quality and LIFE scholarship," President Barker is appealing to the need for us to provide whats best for our children.