Directions for the Professional Research Project

The purpose of the Professional Research Project is to 1) examine the professional requirements and image appropriate for your selected profession and professional setting and 2) analyze professional journal(s) and organization(s) appropriate to your selected profession and relate the value of membership benefits to selected profession.

Brief essay should include 3 pages.

My chosen profession is a Banking Customer Service Representative

Using this profession write the essay according to the guidelines below.

Essay Requirements:

A complete description of your chosen profession and desired position

Notice that these are two separate items. Your profession may be Accounting, and your desired position may be a CPA. Your profession may be Education, and your position may be an Early Childhood (pre-K) teacher. After identifying the profession and position you desire, discuss what drew you to these areas. Highlight any experience you have in these areas and/or any exposure to these areas you have had. If you do not have any, it is okay to say that. I have had no experience in this area.

Include the following in the essay:

Educational background: Discuss the minimum requirements for your selected profession AND the level of education/ qualifications you personally wish to attain. For instance, you only have to have a bachelor’s degree to teach, but maybe you desire a master’s degree. Provide detailed explanations for these. For instance, discuss your major requirements and any required experience necessary to enter your field. I am working on a bachelors degree

Projected Salary: Discuss the starting salary and upper “limit” for salary for your selected profession. Where do you anticipate entering the salary range? Why? For instance, do you have work experience already that will allow you to enter the field at a higher level than typical starting salary? What will you anticipate making when you enter the field/position?

Projected Career Growth/ Market: Describe what you have learned about the projected career growth and market (two separate things). For instance, growth relates to growth trends…is it a “hot” career…one that anticipates good growth due to a need for professionals? What has its track record been, and what is it expected to do in the future? What is the market for this profession? In what areas can you seek employment? By areas, you can discuss specialty employment areas and/or particular geographical areas that have a high demand for professionals.

What are the individual characteristics needed for success in this position? This is a particularly good area in your paper to include citations. What are the expectations for professional dress? Now that you have identified these areas, which of these areas (individual characteristics and required wardrobe items) are you strong in and which ones need improvement?

Identify a professional organization related to your profession. A professional organization is one you join for membership. For example, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional organization for educators. If you do not know your professional organization, ask your major advisor for examples. What is the mission statement for your professional organization? Be sure to cite your organization. What is the professional publication for your profession? A professional publication is one you can subscribe to in order to broaden your knowledge and expertise in your selected profession. It is not a popular press item like Newsweek or the Wall Street Journal. It is a publication you would find in a university library, is scholarly in nature, and is peer-reviewed. After you have identified the publication, include a summary of what you would find in the publication. By this, I mean what kinds of articles are in the publication?

Advantages and disadvantages unique to your chosen profession. Typically, you will identify these as you critically review all that you learned while gathering information for this assignment.