Writing
The spring 2023 semester provided incredible paths for me to upgrade my writing capabilities. Initially, I took writing for granted. However, my business communication class taught me the meticulous level of detail involved in communication, and that things aren't as simple as they may seem. With this knowledge, I was able to achieve a more keen writing eye as a navigated through emails, a case competition, a data analysis project, and more!
Supply Chain Competition - Case Analysis
Kijani_Case.pdfI had the opportunity to write a case analysis for the UT Dallas Out of the Box Supply Chain Management competition. The experience set a teammate and me as supply chain analysts analyzing and suggesting improvements to a fictitious company. The primary skills I had to apply were tactful delivery of criticism, persuasive framing of my suggestions, and a thorough understanding of the audience. It was challenging but rewarding. A 17-page document of information about the company had to be analyzed given in about 10 pages. I wrote with concision, incorporated data and critical thinking to create a persuasive argument for my suggestions, and used creative thinking to find unorthodox solutions to a business's issues. This opportunity gave me incredible confidence in my writing ability as we advanced to the finals based on our report and analysis.
Word_Certificate.pdfThe LinkedIn Word 2021 Essential Training gave me mountains of helpful tips when it came to formatting and configuring my team's case analysis. I used to think I knew Word, but after I took this certification course, I realized how much I was missing. While basics do the job, this course taught me the intricate details of Microsoft Word and gave me a great sense of detail and organization that I now apply to all my Word-based writing.
Data Tracking - Personal Finances
In this project, I tracked monthly spending on my credit card over a period of eight months and plotted data regarding the amount spent, number of transactions, and type of transactions. I then gave an analysis of the data and formed a goal with an actionable plan.
The project gave me an effective way to practice data analysis and using numbers in business writing. I used Excel to map out data and create visualizations. I then used PowerPoint to aggregate the elements into a cohesive showcase. I took elements of what I learned in this activity to the supply chain competition. Overall, the project was extremely helpful in teaching the analytical/numerical side of business communication.
Excel_Certificate.pdfI also gained much of the knowledge I used in the data analysis project through the LinkedIn Excel course. The course taught me the power and depth you can give to data through Excel. I was able to develop my skills to do more than just put numbers and boxes. I have learned how to format and present data in a spreadsheet to give incredible insights and communicate my points.
LinkedIn Exposure
Business communication class gave me practice and exposure in navigating and creating awesome LinkedIn posts. With LinkedIn becoming more and more important to employers, it was a fantastic skill to gain experience with. I learned how to make the post engaging by adding pictures and how to write friendly and professional in order to make yourself an attractive candidate wherever you go.
Professional Emails & Revisions
I was also able to polish my professional writing skills through an email revision activity in my business communication class. The overall topic was a supervisor email sent out to employees to address incidents of poor performance and behavior. I was provided a (very) rudimentary email which I reconstructed into one more clear, concise, and professional one (shown below the original email).
Original Email.pdfRevised email.pdfThe core principles I learned from this activity were efficiency, wording, and power dynamics. I was able to learn efficiency by condensing and prioritizing certain information. This is extremely important as a dense, long email will discourage thorough read-throughs by employees. I also had to rephrase the email in order to convey a more professional, disciplining, yet encouraging tone. Power dynamics were extremely important. Since the audience was subordinate, and the email was coming from a supervisor, I had to strike a balance between conveying authority and expressing encouragement to improve. Overall, the activity was extremely helpful in considering the many factors that come into play in business communication, especially in a tense situation.
Email to Club President
I was able to exercise my professional writing as I wrote to the president of the Investment Management Club, explaining to him why I should be chosen as a future officer of the club. I wrote to persuade and market myself to the president of the club. Moreover, this honed my ability to anticipate and think critically about what the audience (in this case, the president) was looking for. I had to consider my skills and market myself according to what I believed he would value, and also what I believed would bring value to the club. This was also a more competitive direction of business writing, as I had to consider my unique skillset and what I could provide that others could not.
Reflections
Throughout the past year, and especially this past semester, I have had various opportunities to practice and refine my writing. Writing a case study for a supply chain competition, weekly newsletters at work, and emails to club presidents and professors have allowed me to implement what I have learned. Through these experiences, I could also assess my strengths and weaknesses. With this insight, I directed my efforts to my writing weak points and continued to drive home on my strengths.
The task of writing used to intimidate me. Still, the skills I have gained through my business communication class and semester experiences have manifested a sense of confidence and hunger for growth that I didn’t have before.