Twelve Steps to Writing a Placement Report

Mary Jane reports:

"A placement report is a report written by students or individuals who have been working for a company for a specific period of time, whether it is a temporary student position or an agreed placement position designed to broaden perspectives and views...It should be detailed and well[-]written, so anyone without prior knowledge of the placement can understand and grasp the ideas presented...Write an introduction to the placement report. The introduction should focus on the company or organization where the placement will take place and a brief mention of the position the placement covers. An outline of the main responsibilities is also required in the introduction...Outline the history and development of the company or corporation in which the placement is taking place. This should be the first section after the introduction to teach the reader about the company itself. Information could include the history of the company, its internal organization and structure, and the functions of different departments, if applicable. Include statistics and number of employees if possible...Write the current mission and goal of the company. Discuss who its target audiences are and describe how the market is looking. Discuss the company's features, such as website, blogs, presentations and community involvement...Use several paragraphs to outline the student’s role. This should include a basic job description and a brief outline of the expectations and responsibilities of the student. Also include a social perspective of the position, including employee lunches, internal events or company days or events. If possible, document this section with pictures from the experiences outlined in the report...Write a detailed paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the student. This should include expected daily duties and outline any projects, training or development that the student may be part of...Outline the student's previous experiences that relate to the particular placement job. Although a similar position may not have been obtained previously, many jobs can teach beneficial skills that can be used in other work situations. Outline skills, abilities, previous employers and achievements...Write a short paragraph on the basic expectations for a permanent job position that mirrors the placement position...If possible, tie in personal experience with the expected experience of a full-time employee...Compose a log book which outlines duties completed on a daily basis. This is to demonstrate the progress made while at the placement position...Write a section detailing how things learned in the placement position could be used in a future full-time position. This should reflect the things outlined in the report, such as expectations, experiences and skills learned and honed...Outline specific skills and abilities gained while at the company as an extension of the previous section. Include things such as communication skills, time management and customer service, expectations of different [departments and] personal developments...and connect these benefits to potential academic and career plans...Edit and reread the report. Have someone else judge the report on its objectivity and readability. The person should be unaware of the placement requirements and responsibilities. Address any concerns this person may have with understanding the content...Create a title page that reflects the placement position. Make sure to include the proper name of the company, along with their logo and student number. Include page numbers, headers and footers where appropriate and images that support the information in the placement report."