The Proposal vs. the The Proposal vs. the Letter of IntentLetter of Intent

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

10 February 201010 February 2010

What Is It?What Is It? The Project Proposal is a bullet-pointed outline The Project Proposal is a bullet-pointed outline

of your intentionsof your intentions The Letter of Intent is essentially the Project The Letter of Intent is essentially the Project

Proposal in narrative form Proposal in narrative form Both documents establish your basic Both documents establish your basic

expectations for this project - what you intend expectations for this project - what you intend to learn, what you fear you won't, what you to learn, what you fear you won't, what you think you'll need, how successful you think your think you'll need, how successful you think your efforts will be, etc. - and the schedule in efforts will be, etc. - and the schedule in particular will provide you with structure as we particular will provide you with structure as we head into March.head into March.

Example: Example: Anticipated ObstaclesAnticipated Obstacles

I don't have a driver's licenseI don't have a driver's license I struggle to memorize interview I struggle to memorize interview

questionsquestions I write slowlyI write slowly I have poor time-management skillsI have poor time-management skills How would these bullet points from How would these bullet points from

a Proposal look in prose form on a a Proposal look in prose form on a Letter of Intent?Letter of Intent?

Let’s look at a sample L.o.I.Let’s look at a sample L.o.I.

I've scheduled an interview with Kobe Bryant, a I've scheduled an interview with Kobe Bryant, a veteran shooting guard for the Los Angeles veteran shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. Mr. Bryant seems like an invaluable Lakers. Mr. Bryant seems like an invaluable resource because he, like me, plays resource because he, like me, plays shooting guard, so his position-specific shooting guard, so his position-specific knowledge pertains well to my chosen knowledge pertains well to my chosen profession. Moreover, Mr. Bryant has a wide profession. Moreover, Mr. Bryant has a wide range of both domestic and international range of both domestic and international basketball experience. I've always intended to basketball experience. I've always intended to speak with a professional whose experiences speak with a professional whose experiences are both interesting and varied, and Mr. are both interesting and varied, and Mr. Bryant's career meets both criteria handily. Bryant's career meets both criteria handily.

His flexible schedule makes him an ideal His flexible schedule makes him an ideal candidate for this interview because I'm usually candidate for this interview because I'm usually busy until 6 o'clock in the evening, and I can't busy until 6 o'clock in the evening, and I can't think of anyone else who can meet with me at think of anyone else who can meet with me at night. He's even offered to put me in touch with night. He's even offered to put me in touch with Phil Jackson, the Los Angeles Lakers' head Phil Jackson, the Los Angeles Lakers' head coach, in order to conduct my secondary coach, in order to conduct my secondary interview. I'm looking forward to drawing on Mr. interview. I'm looking forward to drawing on Mr. Bryant's knowledge and anecdotes, both while Bryant's knowledge and anecdotes, both while completing this project and while preparing to completing this project and while preparing to launch my own career.launch my own career.

However, I need to overcome a number of However, I need to overcome a number of obstacles in order to complete this project, not obstacles in order to complete this project, not the least of which is my inability to drive. I just the least of which is my inability to drive. I just never got around to earning my license; I can never got around to earning my license; I can basically walk wherever I need while traveling basically walk wherever I need while traveling in town, and I rarely leave city limits on my in town, and I rarely leave city limits on my own. Now I need to travel to downtown Los own. Now I need to travel to downtown Los Angeles during rush hour, and my parents work Angeles during rush hour, and my parents work until the late evening hours. I also tend to until the late evening hours. I also tend to freeze while speaking publicly, and I'm a little freeze while speaking publicly, and I'm a little intimidated by the idea of interviewing a intimidated by the idea of interviewing a professional of Mr. Bryant's stature. professional of Mr. Bryant's stature.

I don't want to be reading my questions off a I don't want to be reading my questions off a sheet while I'm conducting the interview - I'd sheet while I'm conducting the interview - I'd rather seem like I'm really conversing with him, rather seem like I'm really conversing with him, since I'll probably get better responses that way since I'll probably get better responses that way - but I'm afraid I'll forget what I'm saying and - but I'm afraid I'll forget what I'm saying and botch the whole thing early on. Plus, I'm a slow botch the whole thing early on. Plus, I'm a slow writer, and I don't think I'll be able to copy his writer, and I don't think I'll be able to copy his responses quickly enough. I'm terrified of responses quickly enough. I'm terrified of asking him to repeat himself after each asking him to repeat himself after each question, but that seems likely to happen. question, but that seems likely to happen. Finally, I'm a chronic procrastinator; not only do Finally, I'm a chronic procrastinator; not only do I work better under pressure, but I'm not really I work better under pressure, but I'm not really self-motivated, and I just can't foresee wanting self-motivated, and I just can't foresee wanting to start this project before April (let alone finish to start this project before April (let alone finish it)!it)!

As of late I have been interested in the As of late I have been interested in the ‘mystery’ that is dentistry, and how dental care ‘mystery’ that is dentistry, and how dental care has come to be perceived as a stable has come to be perceived as a stable occupation where work hours are set and all occupation where work hours are set and all care is focused on making a smile dazzling. In care is focused on making a smile dazzling. In reality, dentists face decaying teeth with reality, dentists face decaying teeth with cavities, root canal treatments, and various cavities, root canal treatments, and various fillings and cleanings, whereas other medical fillings and cleanings, whereas other medical careers involve all sorts of situations and get careers involve all sorts of situations and get paid much more than a dentist does. Despite all paid much more than a dentist does. Despite all that, I would prefer the more calm and humble that, I would prefer the more calm and humble occupation of dentistry (minus the kids occupation of dentistry (minus the kids screaming when they get their teeth pulled). screaming when they get their teeth pulled).

As You Can See…As You Can See… The Project Proposal is The Project Proposal is muchmuch more more

detaileddetailed For anyone who’s written a cover letter along For anyone who’s written a cover letter along

with a resume, the relationship is similar with a resume, the relationship is similar (although not identical)(although not identical)

The L.o.I. allows you to offer a more The L.o.I. allows you to offer a more thorough explanation of what you expect thorough explanation of what you expect to face – which will help me help you!to face – which will help me help you!

Let’s look at a student sample from the Let’s look at a student sample from the Class of 2009Class of 2009

I have scheduled an interview with Dr. I have scheduled an interview with Dr. Wilson Long, a fairly young dentist who Wilson Long, a fairly young dentist who works at Dr. Cheng’s Dental Office in San works at Dr. Cheng’s Dental Office in San Gabriel. Dr. Long definitely has an Gabriel. Dr. Long definitely has an impressive resume. He’s already a dentist impressive resume. He’s already a dentist at such a young age, and I feel he would at such a young age, and I feel he would be a valuable resource for my project be a valuable resource for my project because his expertise in the profession of because his expertise in the profession of dentistry and knowledge in dental care dentistry and knowledge in dental care would provide me with sufficient would provide me with sufficient information in this career. information in this career.

Although Dr. Long’s hours are set, our Although Dr. Long’s hours are set, our schedules conflict greatly and it will be difficult schedules conflict greatly and it will be difficult to schedule an interview with him. On to schedule an interview with him. On weekdays he finishes work at around 8pm, but I weekdays he finishes work at around 8pm, but I usually finish tennis practice at 6 and have usually finish tennis practice at 6 and have tutor sessions at 8pm. However, it looks like tutor sessions at 8pm. However, it looks like we’ll be able to find time on Sunday evening, we’ll be able to find time on Sunday evening, since I finish work at 6pm, while he gets off that since I finish work at 6pm, while he gets off that day at 5pm. I’m interested to not only draw day at 5pm. I’m interested to not only draw information from Dr. Long’s knowledge and information from Dr. Long’s knowledge and expertise, but also learn how he was able to expertise, but also learn how he was able to successfully obtain a job at such a young age, successfully obtain a job at such a young age, and hopefully I can learn from him and and hopefully I can learn from him and potentially launch my career as successfully as potentially launch my career as successfully as he did.he did.

Unfortunately, I will have to face many Unfortunately, I will have to face many obstacles to complete this project, many obstacles to complete this project, many of which involve the interview process of which involve the interview process itself. For starters, I am a nervous itself. For starters, I am a nervous individual when it comes to conversation, individual when it comes to conversation, and an interview is no exception. I do and an interview is no exception. I do tend to have trouble memorizing tend to have trouble memorizing questions when conducting an interview, questions when conducting an interview, and during each response I have a hard and during each response I have a hard time catching everything on paper, so I time catching everything on paper, so I sometimes wind up with chopped sometimes wind up with chopped information. information.

In addition to my poor social skills, I also lack In addition to my poor social skills, I also lack proper time management, which causes me to proper time management, which causes me to fall behind on the assignment given to me and I fall behind on the assignment given to me and I spend even less time on the project itself, spend even less time on the project itself, harming the final product. To make matters harming the final product. To make matters worse, I’m human and I procrastinate on major worse, I’m human and I procrastinate on major assignments, and this project unfortunately assignments, and this project unfortunately might not be an exception. I cannot say I work might not be an exception. I cannot say I work well under pressure, but when the due date is well under pressure, but when the due date is far away I do not feel much incentive to start on far away I do not feel much incentive to start on this project. this project.

That said, there are just as many solutions as there are That said, there are just as many solutions as there are problems. To assist me in the interview without actually problems. To assist me in the interview without actually disrupting the interview process itself, I can use a disrupting the interview process itself, I can use a recorder to capture the entire interview so I can recorder to capture the entire interview so I can conveniently use all of Dr. Long’s responses and track conveniently use all of Dr. Long’s responses and track any information I missed on my written work. As I am any information I missed on my written work. As I am writing down his responses, I may need to resort to writing down his responses, I may need to resort to using abbreviations for commonly used words and using abbreviations for commonly used words and shorthand to keep up with the responses and maintain shorthand to keep up with the responses and maintain flow with the interview. Now as for the research paper flow with the interview. Now as for the research paper itself, I definitely need to stay on top of things and itself, I definitely need to stay on top of things and avoid procrastinating on a huge assignment such as avoid procrastinating on a huge assignment such as this. The proposal already outlined my schedule for me, this. The proposal already outlined my schedule for me, so I will be able to efficiently plan out my work and not so I will be able to efficiently plan out my work and not cram everything into the last week before the project is cram everything into the last week before the project is due.due.

Not Bad!Not Bad! Not perfect, but fairly solidNot perfect, but fairly solid It’s weakest when it looks exactly like It’s weakest when it looks exactly like mymy

sample, and strongest when it’s got its sample, and strongest when it’s got its own voice and purposeown voice and purpose

Try to avoid repeating yourself within the Try to avoid repeating yourself within the same Letter – you only have one single-same Letter – you only have one single-spaced page to work with, and you have spaced page to work with, and you have a lot to tell me!a lot to tell me!