I. Plan
A. Analyze the Situation
1. What is your general purpose?
2. What is your specific purpose?
3. Exactly what do you want your audience to think, feel or believe after receiving your message?
4. Who is your primary audience?
5. What is their background?
6. How are its members different from one another?
7. How are its members similar to one another?
8. What are their reactions likely to be to your message?
B. Gather Information
1. What information do your readers need to receive?
2. What facts must you gather in order to create an effective message?
C. Select the Right Medium
1. What medium were you told to use in the explanation of the task at the end of your resume or case?
2. If you used a different medium, why did you?
D. Organize the Information
1. What is your main idea or career focus?
2. Will you use the direct or indirect approach?
3. Why are you using the approach you chose?
II. Write
A. Adapt to Your Audience
1. How will you show sensitivity to your audience's needs?
2. How much credibility do you already have with your audience?
3. How will you establish the additional credibility you need?
4. Will your tone be informal or more formal?
B. Compose the Message
You DO NOT have to attach your first draft.
III. Complete
A. Revise the Message or Resume
List three or more changes you made between your first draft and final draft suggested by the prompts in that checklist:
1. First change?
2. Second change?
3. Third change?
4. Additional changes?
B. Produce the Message or Resume
Use effective design and layout for a clean, professional appearance. Proofread the Message or Resume.
Review for errors in layout, spelling, punctuation and other mechanics.
You DO NOT have to list typos and mechanical errors.
C. Distribute the Message or Resume