MIAMI DADE COLLEGE, WOLFSON CAMPUS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Course: Employability Skills (Career Development)
Meeting Time: Wednesdays, 5:40 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. Room 5308
Semester: Spring 2007
Instructor: Felix Etti
Phone: 305-491-9977
E-mail: Fetti@mdc.edu
Website: http://faculty.mdc.edu/fetti
Course Description
Career Development is a course in which students develop sophisticated career planning and job
search skills. Thorough, relevant job search preparation is required to compete successfully for
jobs in today's market. To prepare the student, the course will address four areas:
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Career planning and self-assessment
Job search techniques and procedures
Resume development
Interviewing skills
Extensive research activities and the creation of a personal career portfolio are required for the
successful completion of this course.
Textbooks
Farr, Michael. The Very Quick Job Search, 3rd edition. Indianapolis, Ind.: lIST Works, 2004.
Farr, Michael. The Very Quick Job Search Activity Book, 3rd edition. Indianapolis, Ind.: lIST
Works, 2004.
The Very Quick Job Search Instructor's Curriculum
Learning Objectives for SLS0341
1. Through self-exploration research, students will assess their occupational qualifications
including educational background, work experience, strengths and weaknesses, accomplishments, skills, abilities, interests, values, and personal qualities.. Students will
understand that the first rule of marketing is product knowledge. Self-knowledge
develops a pride and confidence in their product.
2. Students will apply self-exploration research to the development of job targets and career
goals, planning and confirming both jobs and career choices.
3. Students will identify positive, planned steps in organizing their job search, including
locating and utilizing resources and researching prospective companies and employers. In
marketing, this entails targeting prospective buyers of your product and researching the
market in your career field.
4. Students will have an understanding of the application process. Students will develop
effective sales brochures for their product-the resume. Students will also spend some time
working on the various types of correspondence that will be required in their marketing
campaign.
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5. The students will develop effective sales presentations for their product-interviewing
skills. They will learn the various types of interviews, including the behavioral interview.
They will become familiar with the seven phases of an interview, how to respond to
questions asked, and follow up to an interview.
6. The students will identify techniques for adjusting to and succeeding in a new job,
techniques that result in meaningful professional growth, career advancement, career
management, and making job or career changes.
Students will need to attend every class session in order to meet the objectives of this course.
Course Information
Attendance
Regular class attendance is important to your grade.
Assignments
Assignments are to be handed in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Unless
previous arrangements with me are made, late assignments will be dropped one letter grade for
each day late. Assignments that are more than one week late will not be accepted. Neatness,
accuracy, and the proper use of grammar will be scrutinized, even though this is not an English
course. The first hour of class will generally be devoted to discussions, video presentations,
and/or lectures. The second hour of class will consist of tests or exercises completed individually
or in groups. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss readings from the text as
assigned.
If you do not understand something from class or the reading assignments, do not leave the
classroom until you have asked for clarification.
Grades
Students should treat this course as though it is their job. Students are expected to be on
time and prepared for class discussion.
Grading Scale
100 – 90 = A
80 – 89 = B
70 – 79 = C
60 – 69 = D
Less than 60 = F
Exams and Major Assignments
Total Points
7 quizzes (3 points each)
Final exam
Attendance/Participation
Resume and correspondence
Mock interview
21
40
20
10
9
100
Total
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Course Assignments for SLS0341
Date
Jan 3, 2007
Activities
Course Orientation
Homework
Online: Employability
Skills Assessment
Jan 10, 2007
Presentation of course and syllabus review
Topics:
Labor market trends
The hidden job market
Job search methods: active and passive
Attitude, self-talk, and goal setting
Read Chapters 1, 2, and 8
Jan 17, 2007
Test on Chapters 1, 2, and 8
Topics:
Video, The Very Quick Job Search
Sales and product knowledge
Skills identification
Holland personality types
Read Chapters 3 and 9
Complete exercises in
Chapter 9 Informational
interviews
Jan 24, 2007
Test on Chapters 3 and 9
Topics:
Skills identification continued
Your ideal job
Documentation, "Prove It"
Read Chapter 10
Complete exercises in
Chapter 10 OOH and other
career reference books
assignment
Jan 31, 2007
Test on Chapter 10
Topics: Profile exercise
JIST Cards and "tell me about yourself"
Read Chapter 6
JIST Cards
Feb 7, 3007
Test on Chapter 6
Topics:
Sales and the market analysis
Company research
Read Chapters 11 and 12
Resume preparation
worksheets Bring a disc
for resume writing
and electronic resumes
Microsoft Word
Feb 14, 3007
Resume writing: your sales brochure!
Held in the computer lab – bring your disc
Read Chapter 13
Finished resume due
Feb 21, 3007
Test on Chapters 11, 12, and 13
Topics:
Dress for success presentation
Job search correspondence
Temporary agencies
JIST Cards and "tell me about yourself"
Portfolio preparation
Mock interview handouts
Prepare to present
Your sales pitch!
Correspondence practice
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Date
Feb 28, 3007
Activities
"Tell me about yourself" presentations
Topics: Interviewing
Types of interviews
10 key questions
Video on interview preparation
Homework
Read Chapters 4 and 5
March 7, 2007
Test on Chapters 4 and 5
Topics: Problem interview questions
Video on difficult interview questions
"Tell me about yourself"
Read Chapter 16,
March 14, 2007
Test on Chapters 16
Topic: Odds and ends
Read Chapter 17
March 21, 2007
Test on Chapter 17
Read Chapter 18
March 28, 2007
Test on Chapter 18
Evaluations of course and materials
April 4, 2997
Review for Final
April 11, 2007
Final
Portfolio due
Mock interviews due
April 18, 2007
Results and Grades
No exceptions!
Note: This syllabus is subject to change and will change when new or more current information
reaches my desk. I will advise you of changes and/or print a new syllabus.
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