General Studies 350D: Navigating Career Options

University of Washington (Seattle) Spring Quarter 2012

Lecture: Tuesdays, 3:00-4:40pm, Johnson 102; Instructors: Lynnea Erickson & Tim McCoy Section DB: Wednesdays, 3:30-4:50, MGH 284; Instructor: Vic Snyder Section DC: Thursdays, 10:30-11:50; MGH 234; Instructor: Christina Kerr Section DD: Thursdays, 1:30-2:50; MGH 085; Instructor: Patrick Chidsey Section DE: Thursdays 3:30-4:50; MGH 284; Instructor: Leah Panganiban & Daniel Feetham

SYLLABUS COURSE DESCRIPTION This course assists students with self-exploration as well as exploration of career and academic options, and provides a model for integrating academic and experiential skills into the career planning process. Course activities include individual self-assessment including identification of core strengths; group interaction/discussion; readings; assignments; and experiential learning. Emphasis is placed on better understanding ones own skills, strengths, values, and preferences and examining how these relate to career possibilities. Students are encouraged to apply this knowledge to make informed choices about courses of study, internships, jobs, careers, and volunteer/community service activities, while acquiring marketable skills. Students are also provided with practical tools for conducting successful job/internship searches. General Studies 350D, Navigating Career Options, is a 3-credit course which includes one Lecture class and one smaller Quiz section each week. This course is open to all undergraduate UW students. No pre-requisites are needed.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Gain deeper understanding and appreciation for ones strengths, skills, values, passions, personality, and interests Learn how to use this self-knowledge to make informed decisions when exploring and pursuing academic and career options Build skills to effectively research career options and learn how to be successful in todays job market Expand professional networking skills, including online, social media, and traditional networking strategies Learn how to develop effective resumes and cover letters Build interviewing skills and confidence

COURSE INSTRUCTORS/CONTACT INFORMATION Lecture Section: Lynnea Erickson, Ph.D.; The Career Center, 134 Mary Gates Hall; lerick@uw.edu; 206-685-4096 Tim McCoy, Ed.D., Undergraduate Academic Advising, 141M MGH; mccoytj@uw.edu; 206 543-1631

COURSE REQUIREMENTS Navigating Career Options is the type of course in which your success depends on your genuine effort. The more you invest, the greater your outcome. Your engagement, participation, and attendance are required. Credit for this course is based on successful completion of all assignments as well as class attendance and participation. Course topics and assignments build upon each other so attending every class and completing assignments on time are important. Each assignment must be completed and submitted by the assignment due date. Late assignments will not receive credit unless (a) arrangements have been made with the instructor prior to the due date or (b) a genuine emergency has occurred (instructor will be the judge of this). All assignments must be completed and submitted by their respective due dates in order to receive Credit for this course. In addition, students are expected to attend every lecture and quiz section meeting. Missing more than a total of two (2) class sessions (lecture and quiz combined) will result in receiving No Credit for this course. If you have a legitimate reason for having to miss class (the instructor will be the judge of this), notify your instructor beforehand, if possible. Attendance will be tracked in both lecture and quiz sections. Also, it is important to arrive at class on time. If you need to arrive late, please notify your instructor ahead of time; otherwise, your late arrival may be recorded as an absence. Finally, because reading email, checking Facebook, googling, and similar activities interfere with class participation, do not engage in these or other distracting activities during class. The textbook for this course is the UW Career Center Career Guide. Additional course readings may also be provided.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS (All Required) Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. In your quiz section, you will receive detailed instructions for each assignment. When the assignment involves a narrative, please use the following format: (a) one-inch margins all around; (b) 11- or 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman; (c) single-spaced or 1-1/2 spaced. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Dependable Strengths: Good Experiences Career Fair Report Ideal Position Description Personal & Contextual Influences Reflection Informational Interview Report Targeted Resume & Cover Letter Mock Interview Report Poster/Paper Presentation Due: Due: Due: Due: Due: Due: Due: Due:

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY: Career Assessments: Personality & Interests: Learn about how your personality and interests relate to careers. The Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator are available on-campus through the UW Counseling Center (http://counseling.uw.edu/) and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (http://depts.washington.edu/omad/).

SPRING QUARTER 2012 CAREER EVENTS Check for details and updates about these (and additional) events on the Career Center Online Calendar: http://careers.washington.edu/Calendar On-Campus Career Fairs, Employer Panels, and Employer Information Sessions (Sampler): April 3 | 5:30 7:30 pm: Meet the Employer: Verizon Wireless, UW Career Center,134 MGH April 4 | 12 4 pm: Sales Career Fair (http://universitysalesgroup.weebly.com/career-fair-corporate.html) April 10 | 3 7 pm: UW Seattle Spring Career Fair, Alaska Airlines Arena (Hec Ed) April 11 and 12 | 1 4 pm: UW Tacoma Career & Internship Fair April 12 | 5:30 7:30 pm: Meet The Employer - Northwestern Mutual, UW Career Center, 134 MGH April 17 | 6 7 pm: Meet the Employer - Macy's, Inc.,UW Career Center, 134 MGH April 26 | 4:30 6:30 pm: Employer Conversations: Successful Interviews May 2 | 2 5 pm: Health Graduate School Fair, Mary Gates Hall Commons May 22 | 2 3:30 pm: Fame Fortune or Fun! Workshop (http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3126596735) **See Career Center Calendar for more! In addition to the events listed above, there are many more ways to learn about career and academic options, to connect with employers, and to find jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities. For example, see the Career Center calendar (http://www.careers.washington.edu/Calendar) and our Web Resources page http://careers.uw.edu/Resources/Web-Resources) and read your class emails from this class for additional career programming.

COURSE RESOURCES 2011-2012 Career Guide (textbook for this class) Career Center Calendar (events, workshops, career fairs): http://careers.washington.edu/Calendar HuskyJobs online internship and job database: http://careers.washington.edu/HuskyJobs Career Center: explore careers website: http://careers.washington.edu/Students/Explore-Careers What can I do with a major in? http://www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/Majors/ and http://careers.washington.edu/Students/What-Can-I-Do-With-a-Major-In Washington Occupational Information System (WOIS) website: http://careers.washington.edu/sites/default/files/all/admin/wois/woisinfobox.html Choosing a major information & UWAA website http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/majors/intro.php UW Counseling Center website: personal counseling, career assessments, workshops & more https://depts.washington.edu/counsels/ Student Activities Office: get involved! - http://depts.washington.edu/sao/ Center for Experiential Learning: volunteer, service learning, scholarships, undergraduate research, http://exp.washington.edu/ Roadtrip Nation website: define your own road in life http://roadtripnation.com/ Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Department of Labor: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Welcome!

3/27/2012 Introductions

Course Overview Career Fair Success Dependable Strengths

Introductions Syllabus Review Exercise: Career Fair Introductions Introduce Good Experiences Exercise: Good Experiences Exercise: Strengths Chart #1: Dependable StrengthsGood Experiences DUE:

4/3/2012

Informational Interviews

4/10/2012 UW Spring Career Fair

Career Fair Reflections Exercise: DS Reality Test Exercise: DS Pair & Prove Exercise: Resume-improving activities Exercise: Summary of Qualifications Practice Exploring Careers Exercise: Values Card Sort Exercise: Beliefs and Myths Exercise: Others Values & Beliefs Discussion re Panel

4/17/2012

Resumes & Cover Letters Exploring Careers

#2: Career Fair Report DUE:

Personal & Contextual

4/24/2012 Influences on Major & Career

Explorations & DecisionMaking Panel: Careers and Identity, Culture, and Diversity Successful Interviewing

#3: Ideal Position DUE:

Exercise: Interviewing Practice

5/1/2012
Finding Jobs & Internships Networking 1 Networking Practice Networking Etiquette Finding Jobs & Internships Exercises: Informational Interviews + In-Class Networking

#4: Personal & Contextual Influences Reflection DUE: #5: Informational Interview Report DUE: #6: Resume & Cover Letter DUE:

5/8/2012

5/15/2012

Internships Experiential Learning Panel: Students/Recent Grads Panel: Employer Perspectives

Student Presentations

5/22/2012

#8: Poster or Paper Presentations (A)

Networking 2: Social Media

Student Presentations

10

5/29/2012 Summary & Next Steps

#8: Poster or Paper Presentations (B) #7: Mock Interview DUE: