There are a couple things that I would advise doing to be successful in English 304:
First, I would stay ahead of schedule. Everything in this class builds on itself, so it's better to get things done ahead of time so you can have time for questions or help from other group members.
Second, I would read the book. It's pretty easy to get by without reading the book for this course, but I would recommend reading it. It makes the extra difference between an A and B, and you'll also learn some valuable tools that you can use in the workforce.
Lastly, I would take advantage of your great teacher. Mrs. Rogers is an awesome teacher, and she's always there to help. With her office hours, her email, and her AIM, there's not really a time that she can't communicate with you. She'll help you out with anything, and she seems to like students who ask for help with problems.
You'll really enjoy this course. It's a nice break from the boring curriculum in my major, that's for sure. You get do to some stuff that's applicable to real life, so I kind of enjoyed that. So, have fun, and I wish you the best of luck!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tuskegee Syphilis Study
For my ethical research, I studied the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. This was a study done by the public health department on African American males and their problem with syphilis. The 600 participants were signed up in agreement that they would be given free medical exams and burial insurance.
Word shortly got out that the study was being used as a ploy rather than a way to help African American males. They were not being treated at all for their disease, and they were not helped at all. They were simply medical subjects to study.
I feel that this is why African Americans today do not trust the government. When we did things like this to them, they had to rebel to make their voice heard, and races were pushed further apart. If we simply and honestly had helped them like we said, this study would've been a stepping stone in the unification of America. I believe that our future is bright, though, and we will see more programs and studies in the future which will successfully help the African American culture.
Word shortly got out that the study was being used as a ploy rather than a way to help African American males. They were not being treated at all for their disease, and they were not helped at all. They were simply medical subjects to study.
I feel that this is why African Americans today do not trust the government. When we did things like this to them, they had to rebel to make their voice heard, and races were pushed further apart. If we simply and honestly had helped them like we said, this study would've been a stepping stone in the unification of America. I believe that our future is bright, though, and we will see more programs and studies in the future which will successfully help the African American culture.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Ethical Lapses/Work Productivity
Along with reading the ethical study article, I have taken a couple construction classes based on ethics. I understand that this is a growing problem in our society, and unethical problems in the workplace can seriously harm companies well-being from the inside out.
I believe that ethical problems are very easy to initiate in the workplace. When a worker cuts a corner, forgets an assignment, or simply feels too tired or irritated at work, an ethical problem is likely to occur. A cover-up solution is usually produced in the workplace, and a worker tries to find the easiest solution to the problem, which is normally not the most ethical. This causes huge problems with companies across America, and the problems are only growing in numbers.
When an unethical situation is presented, it usually causes people to step back and not volunteer their involvement. While in the business force, teams of workers must solve problems as a group or team, to avoid conflict and problems down the road. I believe that most ethical problems are caused by lone-rangers in a business who go out on their own to close an easy "dirty deal" or who try to "fudge the numbers" to cover up their laziness. If the proper process is used, a system of checks and balances will catch the problems and resolve them before serious harm is caused to the structure of the company.
I think that the ethical lapse solution is simply eliminating laziness and greediness. When people are lazy or greedy they step out on a limb from the company to make sure that either they don't have to work, or they wish to be applauded by their coworkers for being a good businessperson. These two types of people cause great harm to a company, and they need to understand that the teamwork perspective to business, while slow or boring, is the only real way to get things done the right and ethical way.
I believe that ethical problems are very easy to initiate in the workplace. When a worker cuts a corner, forgets an assignment, or simply feels too tired or irritated at work, an ethical problem is likely to occur. A cover-up solution is usually produced in the workplace, and a worker tries to find the easiest solution to the problem, which is normally not the most ethical. This causes huge problems with companies across America, and the problems are only growing in numbers.
When an unethical situation is presented, it usually causes people to step back and not volunteer their involvement. While in the business force, teams of workers must solve problems as a group or team, to avoid conflict and problems down the road. I believe that most ethical problems are caused by lone-rangers in a business who go out on their own to close an easy "dirty deal" or who try to "fudge the numbers" to cover up their laziness. If the proper process is used, a system of checks and balances will catch the problems and resolve them before serious harm is caused to the structure of the company.
I think that the ethical lapse solution is simply eliminating laziness and greediness. When people are lazy or greedy they step out on a limb from the company to make sure that either they don't have to work, or they wish to be applauded by their coworkers for being a good businessperson. These two types of people cause great harm to a company, and they need to understand that the teamwork perspective to business, while slow or boring, is the only real way to get things done the right and ethical way.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Paper vs. Web Writing
Writing on the web and on paper are very different to me. I use them for different purposes, and I have come to realize what form is best-used at certain instances.
Writing on the web is normally very informal and simple. It is easy to access and write on at any time you have a computer, and it usually involves less content. Writing on the internet is usually harder to read than writing on paper, and most people who want to observe long documents tend to use writing on paper.
A more formal form of writing would be done on paper. It is usually more elaborate, and presentable. It is good for presenting longer papers with a lot of content. Paper can be harder to use sometimes due to having to have access to a printer or paper and pencil. Most people also use paper for longer reading because it seems to be easier on the eye, and in-depth analysis comes easier when using paper.
The two forms are the same when it comes to grammar. Grammar is always important whether on paper or on the internet. People should be able to understand writing at all times, no matter what the medium of choice.
Writing on the web is normally very informal and simple. It is easy to access and write on at any time you have a computer, and it usually involves less content. Writing on the internet is usually harder to read than writing on paper, and most people who want to observe long documents tend to use writing on paper.
A more formal form of writing would be done on paper. It is usually more elaborate, and presentable. It is good for presenting longer papers with a lot of content. Paper can be harder to use sometimes due to having to have access to a printer or paper and pencil. Most people also use paper for longer reading because it seems to be easier on the eye, and in-depth analysis comes easier when using paper.
The two forms are the same when it comes to grammar. Grammar is always important whether on paper or on the internet. People should be able to understand writing at all times, no matter what the medium of choice.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Free Topic
As this week is a blog topic of my choice, I figured that I would talk a little bit about my Internship plans and interviews for this coming summer.
I went to the job fair at Littlejohn and gave out probably 10 resumes. I spent a lot of time on my resume, and I was sure that I would at least grab the attention of some respectable construction companies. I have heard back from probably 5 of of them, but most were either on the other side of the country or with a company that I was not really interested in.
I have two main leads for an internship this summer. I have been accepted for an interview at Fluor, which I hope to do well in. I would give anything to get my foot in the door in a huge Fortune 500 company such as Fluor. With their tradition and success, this would be a great starting point for my career as a project manager for a construction company.
A second company that I have interviewed with is Yoder's in Fair Play, SC. They are a local, family owned company that is on the rise. They are in the supply business, and working with them would help me gain valuable knowledge and experience with a well-run and professional company.
I am very interested to see where I end up for this coming summer, and I am sure that wherever I work I will benefit and become a better worker and student because of it.
I went to the job fair at Littlejohn and gave out probably 10 resumes. I spent a lot of time on my resume, and I was sure that I would at least grab the attention of some respectable construction companies. I have heard back from probably 5 of of them, but most were either on the other side of the country or with a company that I was not really interested in.
I have two main leads for an internship this summer. I have been accepted for an interview at Fluor, which I hope to do well in. I would give anything to get my foot in the door in a huge Fortune 500 company such as Fluor. With their tradition and success, this would be a great starting point for my career as a project manager for a construction company.
A second company that I have interviewed with is Yoder's in Fair Play, SC. They are a local, family owned company that is on the rise. They are in the supply business, and working with them would help me gain valuable knowledge and experience with a well-run and professional company.
I am very interested to see where I end up for this coming summer, and I am sure that wherever I work I will benefit and become a better worker and student because of it.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Lying on Resumes
After reading the article about lying on resumes, I was stunned at the overwhelming evidence to support that over half of the job force lies on their resumes. This is a lot of people, and this means that there are many people in the job force today that are filling positions that they may not be qualified for.
Since outsourcing and loss of jobs has become more popular today, I assume that this is the cause for all of the lying and cheating. I think that people try to gain an edge on competitors by putting an extra degree or job on their resume, and when they do it they don't think it's terribly wrong.
While it is bad that so many people lie on their resumes, I can sort of understand why they do it. People are only wanting to better themselves financially, and this can be their last resort. While wrong and illegal, I think that these people mean no harm. I also think that these people should face consequences, but people must realize that they are just human beings trying to get somewhere in life.
Since outsourcing and loss of jobs has become more popular today, I assume that this is the cause for all of the lying and cheating. I think that people try to gain an edge on competitors by putting an extra degree or job on their resume, and when they do it they don't think it's terribly wrong.
While it is bad that so many people lie on their resumes, I can sort of understand why they do it. People are only wanting to better themselves financially, and this can be their last resort. While wrong and illegal, I think that these people mean no harm. I also think that these people should face consequences, but people must realize that they are just human beings trying to get somewhere in life.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Market Analysis
My group, Cohort 3, decided to go with the real estate and land sale business for our SecondLife business plan.
I thought that this idea was good for our group for several reasons. We would need very little money to get this business started, as well as little design work for building our actual office. I think that having this business would be very profitable because it will create a great common ground between buyers and sellers in SecondLife, and it would make people's lives a lot easier by working through our agency.
The market analysis for our business was a little tough to do. We had to research all of the different land sale businesses in SecondLife, and it seems as if it is the biggest business out there. On the other hand, I believe that no business would be like ours. I think that our professional and business-like approach to be a middle man for buying and selling land is innovative to SecondLife business, and I think we could actually make a lot of money doing it.
I thought that this idea was good for our group for several reasons. We would need very little money to get this business started, as well as little design work for building our actual office. I think that having this business would be very profitable because it will create a great common ground between buyers and sellers in SecondLife, and it would make people's lives a lot easier by working through our agency.
The market analysis for our business was a little tough to do. We had to research all of the different land sale businesses in SecondLife, and it seems as if it is the biggest business out there. On the other hand, I believe that no business would be like ours. I think that our professional and business-like approach to be a middle man for buying and selling land is innovative to SecondLife business, and I think we could actually make a lot of money doing it.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Interview
After having my mock interview on Wednesday, I can realize that there is some minor changes that need to be made before I do actual interviews for a real job.
While in the interview, I thought that I gave some great answers. I was trying to keep my responses as quick and informative as possible. I also had done some research before the interview about Fluor, so I was prepared for the in-depth questions that I was asked.
The things that I need to work on are mainly my question asking. I think that interviewers want you to ask questions when they open the floor up, and I should do that. I should make several questions before interviews to ask the employer.
Besides these couple things, I think that my interview was an overall success. I hope to make improvement so that by the time I have an interview for an actual job then I will be a master.
While in the interview, I thought that I gave some great answers. I was trying to keep my responses as quick and informative as possible. I also had done some research before the interview about Fluor, so I was prepared for the in-depth questions that I was asked.
The things that I need to work on are mainly my question asking. I think that interviewers want you to ask questions when they open the floor up, and I should do that. I should make several questions before interviews to ask the employer.
Besides these couple things, I think that my interview was an overall success. I hope to make improvement so that by the time I have an interview for an actual job then I will be a master.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Working Out
Well, I don't have a lot to write about, but I suppose I can talk about the newest change in my life. I've recently started working out again, the first time since high school. My roommate has worked out for a while, so I just decided to start going with him. I've ran and worked out a couple times now, and I realized that I missed it really bad. Working out with the team in high school was just routine for me, and I took it for granted. Now that I am out on my own I realize that working out is a very important thing for everyone to do, and i want it to become that routine part of my life once again.
I hope to make this change in my life permanent. After seeing how unhealthy and sick some people get when they get older, I want to take advantage of my youth and try to take preventative action towards being a healthier adult.
I hope to make this change in my life permanent. After seeing how unhealthy and sick some people get when they get older, I want to take advantage of my youth and try to take preventative action towards being a healthier adult.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Cover Letters
After reading the material on cover letters, I found out a lot about what a company is looking for in this document, and how many times it can be misconstrued to hurt you in job search rather than help you.
I think that the material was very helpful in providing a view of the cover letter from an employer's perspective. It explained how it is often not even read, and gave details on how to modify a cover letter to being one of your main selling points. The tips on a p.s. at the end were really helpful, because I didn't know that that could be used in such a formal document. I will begin to use these tips in my internship and job searches to put me in a better position to get a job. I will probably print out the sample cover letter and use it as an example to write my own for the mock interview, and for job searches in the future.
This information was very helpful to me, especially now that I am searching for an internship for this upcoming summer. I will take these tips and put them to good use.
I think that the material was very helpful in providing a view of the cover letter from an employer's perspective. It explained how it is often not even read, and gave details on how to modify a cover letter to being one of your main selling points. The tips on a p.s. at the end were really helpful, because I didn't know that that could be used in such a formal document. I will begin to use these tips in my internship and job searches to put me in a better position to get a job. I will probably print out the sample cover letter and use it as an example to write my own for the mock interview, and for job searches in the future.
This information was very helpful to me, especially now that I am searching for an internship for this upcoming summer. I will take these tips and put them to good use.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Virtual Interviews
After reading the article about virtual interview with SecondLife, I came to the realization that the business world is taking a huge leap in technological interaction. I think this can be a great addition to the already formal and defined interview process for job seeking.
The virtual interview process, in my opinion, should only be an additive to the job selection process. What this means is that it could be done at a stage of the interview process when there are a select number of candidates left, such as 10. I think these interviews on SecondLife can be used to gather information about the candidates' personality and how tech-savvy they are. These are only two of the many criteria used for employee selection, and I think that SecondLife can only be used for these two things. Conversations can be transmitted through this virtual world, yes, but a face-to-face interview, in my opinion, is the only and best way to grasp the full attention and ambitions of the job candidate.
SecondLife is used for entertainment, interaction, and mostly advertising. There are some millionaires from the SecondLife business world, but they are few and far between. I think that this virtual world is a great vessel to keep in contact with job applicants and maybe can be used to hold informal interviews with less business related conversation. I think that this will give companies a head start on the selection process for jobs, especially if they are wanting to hire an employee with a great technical background or personality.
The virtual interview process, in my opinion, should only be an additive to the job selection process. What this means is that it could be done at a stage of the interview process when there are a select number of candidates left, such as 10. I think these interviews on SecondLife can be used to gather information about the candidates' personality and how tech-savvy they are. These are only two of the many criteria used for employee selection, and I think that SecondLife can only be used for these two things. Conversations can be transmitted through this virtual world, yes, but a face-to-face interview, in my opinion, is the only and best way to grasp the full attention and ambitions of the job candidate.
SecondLife is used for entertainment, interaction, and mostly advertising. There are some millionaires from the SecondLife business world, but they are few and far between. I think that this virtual world is a great vessel to keep in contact with job applicants and maybe can be used to hold informal interviews with less business related conversation. I think that this will give companies a head start on the selection process for jobs, especially if they are wanting to hire an employee with a great technical background or personality.
Monday, February 4, 2008
"Letter from the Birmingham Jail"
After reading "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr, I was in awe of his persuasiveness and passion. The man was great, there is no doubt in that. His extremism and pride seemed too much for some people, but I think it was amazing. The man stood up for what he believed in. He was ridiculed every day of his life, but he sits and writes a monster of a letter begging people to be more compassionate. Where is his anger? He seems to have none. I would be so angry if I was him.
While looking at the persuasiveness of this piece, I searched for a contemporary excerpt related to the construction industry. In the "Why Flour?" page on the Fluor Corporation website there are a few paragraphs explaining the benefits of working at the Flour Corporation. I found that they stated several statistics. They are ranked at the top of several lists among construction companies nationwide. They seem to offer great employee incentives and benefits. They promise to give their employees the best work experience possible. It seems that they want to do anything to get the best employees out there.
When looking at Martin Luther King Jr.'s piece, I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming persuasive pressure that he put on his readers. When reading it, my heart began to pour out to those people in need of help. I wanted to get up and do something about the heartache and troubles that the African American people were facing. He did an awesome job with this letter. It seems that he just sat down and began to write down his thoughts of why people act they way they do, and why nobody does anything about it. He calls on Christians to take a step to eliminate racism in Birmingham and across the country. It is compelling. I was inspired by this letter.
I think that when looking at the two works together they are pretty tough to compare. The Fluor Corporation website uses facts and figures to persuade people to work for them, while MLK simply states the obvious. He says what's going on, and what needs to be done about it.
While looking at the persuasiveness of this piece, I searched for a contemporary excerpt related to the construction industry. In the "Why Flour?" page on the Fluor Corporation website there are a few paragraphs explaining the benefits of working at the Flour Corporation. I found that they stated several statistics. They are ranked at the top of several lists among construction companies nationwide. They seem to offer great employee incentives and benefits. They promise to give their employees the best work experience possible. It seems that they want to do anything to get the best employees out there.
When looking at Martin Luther King Jr.'s piece, I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming persuasive pressure that he put on his readers. When reading it, my heart began to pour out to those people in need of help. I wanted to get up and do something about the heartache and troubles that the African American people were facing. He did an awesome job with this letter. It seems that he just sat down and began to write down his thoughts of why people act they way they do, and why nobody does anything about it. He calls on Christians to take a step to eliminate racism in Birmingham and across the country. It is compelling. I was inspired by this letter.
I think that when looking at the two works together they are pretty tough to compare. The Fluor Corporation website uses facts and figures to persuade people to work for them, while MLK simply states the obvious. He says what's going on, and what needs to be done about it.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Ten Years From Now
There are many thing that I want to do in my life. So many that I've come to the point where I have to start prioritizing and reorganizing them. But the main goal that I have in my life is to be happy, so whatever that means, that's where I want to be.
In ten years I could definitely see myself married. I have a girlfriend of three years, but you never know how things like that go. I definitely want to be settled down with someone by the time I'm 30 though.
A second part of my life that I want to focus in on is my faith. In ten years I hope to have grown a lot in my faith and being an active member in my church family and community. I think that these are very important things to making someone successful, because I believe that nothing that you do is accomplished without God being first in your life.
Now when I think about ten years down the road and my career, I honestly have no clue what I am going to be doing. I would like to have graduated in CSM and went on to received a master's in business administration. Hopefully with that resume I could land a decent job with a major construction firm in a large city somewhere. I would like to maybe be a project manager, estimator, or even a financial officer for a design-build corporation. These would all be very financially rewarding jobs and I could support my family pretty comfortably. But then there is always the part of me who wants to have fun everyday getting up and going to work. And in that case, I would probably work up some capital and start investing in real estate. I'd like to buy and sell houses and flip some as well. Maybe I can start out working with a big company and once I get grounded with some money I can go out on my own.
So, I guess I have a rough outline of what I would like to do in the next ten years, but there are several bridges that need to be crossed before i get there. I can honestly say that I am happy when I think about the future. I have a great family, great friends, a great girlfriend, and a great God. Now will all of those things supporting me, I think that the future is pretty bright.
In ten years I could definitely see myself married. I have a girlfriend of three years, but you never know how things like that go. I definitely want to be settled down with someone by the time I'm 30 though.
A second part of my life that I want to focus in on is my faith. In ten years I hope to have grown a lot in my faith and being an active member in my church family and community. I think that these are very important things to making someone successful, because I believe that nothing that you do is accomplished without God being first in your life.
Now when I think about ten years down the road and my career, I honestly have no clue what I am going to be doing. I would like to have graduated in CSM and went on to received a master's in business administration. Hopefully with that resume I could land a decent job with a major construction firm in a large city somewhere. I would like to maybe be a project manager, estimator, or even a financial officer for a design-build corporation. These would all be very financially rewarding jobs and I could support my family pretty comfortably. But then there is always the part of me who wants to have fun everyday getting up and going to work. And in that case, I would probably work up some capital and start investing in real estate. I'd like to buy and sell houses and flip some as well. Maybe I can start out working with a big company and once I get grounded with some money I can go out on my own.
So, I guess I have a rough outline of what I would like to do in the next ten years, but there are several bridges that need to be crossed before i get there. I can honestly say that I am happy when I think about the future. I have a great family, great friends, a great girlfriend, and a great God. Now will all of those things supporting me, I think that the future is pretty bright.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
WEB 2.0
The video that we were asked to watch this week is called "Web 2.0... The Machine is Us/ing us." I thought it was very interesting and developed some great thoughts and ideas about the evolution of the internet.
The title of this video I thought was very special. It correctly describes the main point in the video that the majority of this world contributes to the growth or maturity of the internet. The constantly expanding web has taken on a second purpose from its original purpose to share information. It is an extension of us... it takes every passion and interest out there and crams it right into that screen that we look upon every morning with our cup of coffee. Why? I believe, like the title says, that the internet uses us. We feed off of the internet to supply us with our constant demands, whatever they may be. This in turn caused the internet to grow to be something that is useful and even required in most of our busy lives.
The internet today is a hotbed for employees new and old to the workforce. This is mainly because one can get there name out in to the world like never before. A company in China who needs an English-speaking consultant can simply go to a common resume' site or employee availability list and pick from hundreds of qualified candidates. I would definitely chalk this up ans an advantage for the younger generation being that they are more learned in the "online world," but hey, older people can learn too.
What do we have to rethink? I think the main thing is that we need to rethink what we use the internet for. Some people may abuse their right to the web, others may under-use it. People just need to take two steps back and realize that the internet is a useful tool that one can gain knowledge from or a tool that will help them excel in some way. I use the internet for social interaction mainly, with my education falling shortly behind. This needs to be rethought, I think, or we will all become social butterflies who all sell stuff on eBay for a living.
The title of this video I thought was very special. It correctly describes the main point in the video that the majority of this world contributes to the growth or maturity of the internet. The constantly expanding web has taken on a second purpose from its original purpose to share information. It is an extension of us... it takes every passion and interest out there and crams it right into that screen that we look upon every morning with our cup of coffee. Why? I believe, like the title says, that the internet uses us. We feed off of the internet to supply us with our constant demands, whatever they may be. This in turn caused the internet to grow to be something that is useful and even required in most of our busy lives.
The internet today is a hotbed for employees new and old to the workforce. This is mainly because one can get there name out in to the world like never before. A company in China who needs an English-speaking consultant can simply go to a common resume' site or employee availability list and pick from hundreds of qualified candidates. I would definitely chalk this up ans an advantage for the younger generation being that they are more learned in the "online world," but hey, older people can learn too.
What do we have to rethink? I think the main thing is that we need to rethink what we use the internet for. Some people may abuse their right to the web, others may under-use it. People just need to take two steps back and realize that the internet is a useful tool that one can gain knowledge from or a tool that will help them excel in some way. I use the internet for social interaction mainly, with my education falling shortly behind. This needs to be rethought, I think, or we will all become social butterflies who all sell stuff on eBay for a living.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Introduction to Classmates
My name is Josh Lusk. I am from the small town of Walhalla, SC where I attended Walhalla Senior High School. I am currently a sophomore in Construction Science and Management at Clemson University. I really enjoy sports, especially football. I live in an apartment in Clemson with my roomate Will who went to high school with me. I have a girlfriend who I've been dating for 3 years now. I attend Rocky Knoll Baptist Church back home in Walhalla. I have one brother who is married and has a kid. I'm pretty much a simple guy from a small town. I love everything having to do with sports, and I also enjoy going to the lake and playing video games. I hope to work for a large construction corporation when I graduate. I plan to do an internship over the summer, and I'm really looking forward to that.
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