Name: ____________________________________

The Community of Discourse Project Assignment #4: Strategy for success
Due: Thursday, April 29th.

Question one: The specific job I want is:
I want to be a literary editor, as I stated before in the first community of discourse exercise. The more I learnt about this community, the more I wish to join. And I have confidence in this aspect.

Question two:  I can gain experience for this specific job by:
I worked in Associated Press in Hong Kong as an intern last summer. Although I worked in APTN (Associated Press Television News) not the newspaper department, I still learnt how a (kind of) publishing company (or more accurate, a press company) operates. Furthermore, to some extent, the work in APTN was related to my ideal job. I learnt how to get information I want accurately and efficiently, how to edit and transmit information (acted as a gatekeeper), and of course how to deal with cooperators and clients as well.
Currently, I served as a freelance writer in 450.com.hk, the company I want to work for in the future. I used the term “served” since I write columns only occasionally and it is for free. It is some kind of “unofficial” internship.

Question three: My “inside contact” at this company or organization is going to be:

My personal contact is K. Cheung, the assistant editor of 450.com.hk. She initially is my friend in NC State. She graduated from NC State last year and back to Hong Kong, and worked in 450.com.hk afterwards. J. Cheung, the executive editor and owner of 450.com.hk, will still be on my contact list, yet K. Cheung will be the one I contact more often.

Question four: I am going to take the following courses or training sessions here at State to increase my value in my community of discourse:
There are many great courses in NC State which are perfectly for those who want to be an editor, such as Introduction to Editing (ENG 214) and Technical Document Design and Editing (ENG 314). Although my aim is to be a Chinese editor, the norms and skills of editing are the same, no matter which language is going to be edited. I also found that Designing Web Communication (ENG 317) is a course which probably can expand my web knowledge and expertise.

Question five:  In my application letter, initial interview, and on my resume I am going to emphasize:
I am going to emphasize my experience of writing articles in 450.com.hk, and also my other writing experience in high school, my published articles in some Hong Kong magazines and chrestomathies. My working experience in APTN is going to be important as well, since it gave me the knowledge of cooperation.