Final Project Instructions

Overview

Working in a small group, you will select a subtopic within “The Job Search,” research it thoroughly, create a professional presentation, write a detailed report, and record your presentation delivery. You may also invite peer evaluations of your work or participate in peer evaluation activities if enrolled in a formal course.

Success Mindset

Approach this project with the mindset of a business professional presenting to real stakeholders. Ask yourself:

Relevance: Does my topic address current business challenges?
Credibility: Do my sources and analysis demonstrate professional competency?
Clarity: Can my audience understand and act on my recommendations?
Integration: Am I effectively using specialized vocabulary and concepts from the course?

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Group Formation and Subtopic Selection

Group Formation Guidelines

Form small groups (preferably of 3-5 students)
Consider diverse perspectives and complementary skills when forming teams
Establish clear communication methods and meeting schedules early
Designate roles for coordination, research, and quality assurance

Subtopic Selection

Your group will select one subtopic within the broader theme of “The Job Search” for in-depth exploration. This focus ensures that your research directly addresses practical challenges you’ll face as you transition into professional roles in translation, localization, and related fields.

Available Subtopics:

Subtopic	Focus Areas
Assessing Job Postings	Frameworks for evaluating job advertisements, identifying red flags, assessing cultural fit, distinguishing essential vs. aspirational qualifications
Where to Find Jobs	Job discovery platforms, industry-specific networks, hidden job markets, AI-powered matching systems, accessing unadvertised opportunities
Resume and Application Hacks	Contemporary best practices, ATS optimization, keyword strategies, achievement quantification, customization techniques
The Low Down on Networking	Building authentic professional relationships, informational interviews, leveraging platforms strategically, maintaining connections
Answering Interview Questions on the Spot	Behavioral questions, situational judgment scenarios, buying processing time, structuring responses under pressure
The Elevator Speech	Crafting compelling personal introductions, customization for different audiences, memorable self-presentation techniques
Building a Portfolio	Showcasing skills for translation/localization roles, organization strategies, platform choices, keeping materials current
Establishing Your Professional Presence	LinkedIn optimization, personal websites, professional associations, content strategies, demonstrating expertise
Custom Topics	Other job search-related topics with instructor approval

Subtopic Selection Criteria

Your chosen subtopic should:

Address immediate needs of students entering the professional job market
Support substantial research with access to 5-8 credible sources
Enable practical recommendations that your cohort can apply
Leverage group strengths and diverse perspectives effectively
Suit visual presentation with opportunities for engaging slide design

Submission Requirements

Submit for approval:

Group member names
Selected subtopic with 2-3 sentence rationale
Preliminary research questions or focus areas
Planned division of responsibilities

Note: If proposing a custom topic, include clear justification for why this subtopic would benefit your cohort and how it relates to job search challenges.

Step 2: Research and Content Development

Research Guidelines

Source Requirements

Minimum 5-8 credible sources
Include a mix of: career development resources, industry reports, professional organization guidance, contemporary articles from reputable publications
At least 2 sources should address international or cross-cultural professional contexts
Prioritize sources from the past 3 years given rapid changes in job search practices
Consider sources that address generative AI’s impact on job searching

Research Organization

Create a shared research repository (Google Drive, Teams, etc.)
Develop a consistent citation format (APA recommended)
Share research findings regularly among team members
Identify key themes, statistics, and practical recommendations early

Content Development Strategy

For the Presentation (“Show”)

Focus on actionable insights and practical recommendations
Identify 3-4 key messages that support your main argument
Gather examples, before/after scenarios, and visual demonstrations
Plan interactive elements or discussion prompts for audience engagement
Include job search tools, templates, or resources when relevant

For the Report (“Tell”)

Develop detailed analysis supporting your presentation’s key points
Include comprehensive research findings with expert perspectives
Provide practical frameworks or step-by-step guidance
Address potential challenges and how to overcome them
Organize information logically with clear section headings
Prepare thorough citations and bibliography

Job Search Context Considerations

How has generative AI changed this aspect of job searching?
What cultural or industry variations affect these practices?
What common mistakes do job seekers make in this area?
What resources or tools would help your cohort most?
How do practices differ for translation/localization roles specifically?

Step 3: Presentation and Report Finalization

Presentation Slides Requirements (8-10 slides)

Structure and Content

Title slide with project title, group members, and date
Context/Challenge Statement (1-2 slides): Why this aspect of job searching matters
Key Insights and Recommendations (3-4 slides): What your research revealed
Practical Application (2-3 slides): How to implement these strategies
Resources/Next Steps (1 slide): Tools, templates, or further learning opportunities
Questions/Thank You slide

Design Standards

Consistent, professional template throughout
Majority of slides should have no more than 13 words per slide
For select, text-heavy slides: Maximum 6-7 words per line, 6-7 lines per slide
Clear, readable fonts (minimum 24pt for body text)
High-quality, relevant visuals on every content slide
Proper attribution for all images and data
Professional color schemes and layouts

Written Report Requirements (~1500 words)

Structure and Sections

Introduction (200-250 words)
- Why this job search aspect matters
- Key challenges job seekers face
- Overview of your research approach
Literature Review/Background (400-500 words)
- Current state of this job search aspect
- How generative AI has changed practices
- Expert perspectives and research findings
- Cultural or industry-specific considerations
Analysis and Recommendations (500-600 words)
- Key insights from your research
- Practical frameworks or strategies
- Step-by-step guidance where appropriate
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- Tools and resources to leverage
Conclusions (200-250 words)
- Summary of key recommendations
- Implementation considerations
- Future trends in this area
- Final guidance for job seekers
References (not included in word count)
- APA format
- Minimum 5-8 credible sources

Language and Style Requirements

Use specialized business vocabulary from course units
Maintain professional, informative tone throughout
Include clear topic sentences and transitions
Provide evidence for all recommendations
Use proper business report formatting (headings, spacing, etc.)
Balance practical advice with research-based insights

Recorded Presentation Requirements (8-12 minutes)

Technical Specifications

Clear audio quality with minimal background noise
Adequate lighting for visibility
Stable camera/screen recording without excessive movement
All team members must be visible and audible

Delivery Requirements

Equal participation from all team members (approximately 2-4 minutes each)
Professional presentation demeanor
Clear articulation and appropriate pace
Effective use of visual aids and no reading directly from slides
Smooth transitions between speakers
Confident conclusion with actionable takeaways

Content Requirements

Introduction of team members and subtopic
Clear presentation of main insights with supporting evidence
Use of specialized business vocabulary from course
Practical recommendations the audience can implement
Professional conclusion with key takeaways
Demonstration of research depth and critical analysis

Final Presentation in Discussion Forum

Along with delivering all project files, you’ll need to share your presentation in the Final Projects discussion forum. Share a link to your recorded presentation along with a brief description. Your post should follow this template:

Subject: [Your Subtopic] - Job Search Strategies
Presenters: [Names of all group members]
Description: Give a 1-2 sentence description of what job search aspect you explored
Top "why to watch" reason: Tell us one key insight or practical takeaway from your research

Link: [Include a link to your presentation]

Tips to Follow When Posting

Remember to adjust the sharing settings so that your link is actually accessible
Only one post is needed per team, though team members are welcome to weigh in within the comments with thoughts they’d like to share
You’re encouraged to engage with other groups’ presentations by commenting with specific feedback on areas for improvement and elements that were done particularly well

File Organization and Submission

File Naming Convention

Use this format for all submissions:

LastNames_FinalPresentation.pptx (presentation slides)
LastNames_FinalReport.docx (written report)
LastNames_Recording.mp4 (presentation video)

Please zip all of these files together into a package called LastNames_FinalProject.zip and deliver this to the course assignment. One delivery per team please!

Organizing Your Work

Throughout your career, you will produce a lot of data. That said, being disciplined and establishing good file naming conventions are great practices to develop. As you work, we recommend organizing the files related to your project something like this:

ENG401_FinalProject_LastNames/
├── Presentation_Materials/
│   ├── Images/
│   │   ├── Image1.png
│   │   └── Image2.jpg
│   ├── TR35_FP_Presentation.pptx
│   ├── TR35_FP_PresentationOutline.docx
│   └── TR35_FP_Recording.mp4
├── Written_Report/
│   └── LastNames_Report.docx
├── Research_Sources/
│   └── [organized research materials]
└── Final_Delivery/
    └── [just the files you'll deliver for this class zipped together]

Quality Assurance Checklist

Before submission, verify:

Peer Evaluations (Optional but Recommended)

Evaluation Process

If you’re enrolled in a formal course, you may be assigned to review presentations from other groups and provide constructive feedback. If working independently, you can invite peers, colleagues, or mentors to evaluate your work using the provided criteria.

Evaluation Criteria

Focus your evaluations on:

Content quality and depth of job search analysis
Practical applicability of recommendations
Use of specialized vocabulary from course units
Presentation effectiveness and professional delivery
Research credibility and source integration
Relevance to translation/localization career contexts

Feedback Guidelines

Your peer evaluations should:

Acknowledge that the content represents draft work that could be refined
Be specific and detailed with concrete examples
Identify strengths that demonstrate effective practices
Suggest improvements with actionable recommendations
Demonstrate understanding of course concepts and professional standards
Maintain professional, respectful tone throughout

Professional Standards

Throughout this project, maintain the professional standards expected in international business environments:

Language precision with appropriate business terminology
Cultural sensitivity in your analysis and recommendations
Ethical considerations in your research and conclusions
Quality presentation in both visual design and delivery
Collaborative professionalism in your teamwork and peer evaluations

Your final project represents not just the culmination of this course, but the beginning of your professional journey as a business communication specialist equipped with the skills to bridge linguistic and cultural gaps in global business environments.

📥 Download this Content

Find this file on our repo and download it.

🤖 GAI Study Prompts

Copy the downloaded content and try it with these prompts:

“Help me create a project timeline with specific deadlines for each step over 3 weeks”
“Generate ideas for dividing responsibilities among 3 team members for a job search subtopic”
“Create a quality checklist specific to job search content accuracy”
“What are best practices for recording professional presentations about career development topics?”
“Help me develop evaluation criteria for assessing the credibility of job search advice sources”

All finished? Want peer feedback? Review the Evaluation Criteria to understand how your work can be assessed by peers, instructors, or professional colleagues.