I almost didn’t bother with this assignment. It seemed redundant to fix something that wasn’t broken. I had already obtained several recruitment messages with the profile I had initially. I soon realized how arrogant this was of me; profiles, resumes, and cover letters always require updating and improvement. There is always something that can be worked on, revised, and further analyzed. This assignment helped me realize the importance of constantly updating your job application portfolio.
Reflecting on the process of creating a LinkedIn profile
This was an interesting experience for me because I had already created quite an in depth LinkedIn profile quite a while ago. While I would consider it quite a successful profile, this assignment forced me to revisit and revise it. This gave me the opportunity to improve it and consider things I hadn’t before, such as:
- How professional my profile picture looks?
- How much white space do I have in each section?
- How readable is my profile, is it easy on the eyes?
Had I not done this assignment, I most likely would have left my profile as is, and as research shows, readily editing your profile is necessary.
How do you feel about creating a professional social media network?
In regards to how I feel about creating a professional social media network, I felt quite comfortable with it. Again, I already had experience with LinkedIn. I am still striving to increase my network though. A personal goal of mine is to hit 500+ connections, as that seems to be a marker of success on LinkedIn.
Reflect on the process of brainstorming and preparing your report proposal and outline; how do you feel about your progress with the report?
I thought the requirement to write a schedule was interesting. I’m not someone who usually sets hard deadlines for myself, I tend to just fit in the work whenever and wherever possible, but I think some structure will be an interesting experiment. I also think it’ll keep me accountable and prevent procrastination. In terms of progress, I think it’s going quite well. This is an issue that’s plagued me for quite some time, so I’m more than happy to explore it and look into it.
Do you have questions about how your investigation is going to become a Formal Report — or, put more simply, with how this is all going to come together?
To be completely honest, I’ve had so many deadlines and exams from other classes that I haven’t really had a chance to fret over it. I’m someone with a “let’s cross that bridge when we get there” attitude. I have no doubt that it’ll be quite stressful, but I’m also confident in my writing, problem-solving, research, and synthesis abilities.
Reflect on your peer review for your partner’s proposal; what did you learn?
Reading my partner’s proposal was very interesting. I think we often operate in a closed environment and forget that other people’s ideas even exist or are just as interesting as our own. I really enjoyed reading Brenda’s proposal, and thought she brought up an excellent problem that should be addressed, self care for healthcare professionals. I learned that ironically, dental hygienists aren’t forced to follow hygiene procedures that would protect themselves from harmful bacteria. We’re so inwardly focused that we often forget about the people on the frontlines of healthcare. Brenda’s proposal reminded me to consider the health and safety of those who take care of us.
And finally, reflect on the peer review process: what have you learned about your writing and reading by reviewing your team’s writing forum.
Again, I think we write in a vacuum sometimes. It’s hard to edit and critique your own work, so having it peer reviewed by someone has been so helpful. My team has made points I never would have considered; I think it’s smart to have people from diverse backgrounds and different majors review your work. I’ve learned that my writing is decent, but can definitely get a bit too jargon-y. I have to remember that not everyone understands the same terminology as I do, I’ve just become habituated to the terms. In regards to reading, I’ve learned that it’s important to read someone else’s work with the same care and scrutiny you’d want them to give your work. I do my best to read my peer’s work thoroughly and provide them with comments that are positive, but still helpful. I think I’ve really learned to be straightforward, but tactful.
Have you been surprised by what you have read in your colleague’s work?
Absolutely. Like I mentioned before, we often work in solitude. In traditional classes, there usually isn’t any opportunity to view anyone’s work but your own, so you never know what your peers are doing. In this class, it’s been so nice to see other people’s unique ideas and backgrounds.
How do you think peer reviewing has impacted your view of your writing?
It’s made me realize how important the peer review process is. If not a peer, at least someone who has NOT written your work should read it through to catch any grammatical or clarity issues. I’m actually surprised I made it through most of university without consistently asking someone else to look over my work. It’s not like having someone else review my work is a foreign concept, it’s something I’ve always been well aware of, but just haven’t realized HOW important it is.
Peer Review Link: https://blogs.ubc.ca/engl301-99a-2019wa/2019/10/15/formal-report-peer-review/