English 293: Exploring Careers in English
What can you do with an English major?
English 293: Exploring Careers in English
Open to all English Majors and Minors (2 credits)
The Student of Literature in the Workplace: An in-depth exploration of the relationships
between education and work, work and life. We will explore the relationship between the
knowledge and skills English majors develop and the larger social world we inhabit.
Planning Education, Career, and Life: Students will be asked to think very consciously about
their futures and to map out plans for their educational, career, and life goals. Ultimately, the
course will provide students with the tools to make decisions and to act on those decisions.
Students will learn how to use the Occupational and Career Counseling Office library to locate
and evaluate relevant internships and/or grant opportunities, as well as professions and careers.
Guest speakers, many drawn from English Department alumni, will introduce students to the
wide range of career options available to them.
A Different Kind of Writing: Students will learn how to sell themselves on paper (in
application letters, résumés, grant and internship applications, and other job application
materials), and how to write out loud, that is how to interview. We will focus on how to
articulate the connections between their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills, the study of
literature, and the careers students wish to pursue.
English 295A, Exploring Careers in English
Fall 2002
M/W 1:25-2:15, Keezell 414
Professor Dabney A. Bankert
OFFICE: 206 Keezell
OFFICE: 568-3752 HOME: 887-6177 Staunton (not after 10pm please)
E-MAIL ADDRESS: bankerda@jmu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: W 2:30-4:30, F 10:00-11:00, or by appointment or coincidence.
Required Texts & Materials:
Bolles, Richard Nelson, What Color is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career
Changers. Ten Speed Press, 2002. ISBN: 1580082424
Course Description:
This class is atypical of English classes in a number of ways. Our goal is not to study literature but to study
ourselves as students of literature and as citizens in a social and professional culture. What kind of life do you want
to lead? What kind of work will satisfy you intellectually? How does one use the skills one learns in the study of
literature in one’s life and work? How does one define and pursue a satisfying career path? And how does one
respond to nervous parents and meddlesome, ill-informed friends and relatives who ask, “So how will you find a job
with an English major?” or more frequently, “What grade do you plan to teach?” We will firmly dispense with such
myths by researching and shaping academic and career interests, with particular attention to articulating the
relationship between the reading, writing, and analytical skills you develop as majors and the career options these
skills open to you. The course will cover three areas:
1. The Student of Literature in the Workplace: We will discuss the knowledge and skills English majors
develop, the value those skills hold in the larger social world, and how one communicates these skills and their value
to potential employers.
2. Planning Education, Career, and Life: You will be asked to think very consciously about your future and to
map out educational, career, and life goals. Ultimately, the course will provide students with the tools to make
decisions and to act on those decisions. You will learn how to use the resources of the Academic Advising and
Career Counseling Center to locate and evaluate relevant internships and/or grant opportunities, as well as
professions and careers. Guest speakers, many drawn from English Department alumni and current students, will
discuss their career and internship experiences.
3. A Different Kind of Writing: Students will learn how to sell themselves on paper (in application letters,
resumes, grant and internship applications, and other job application materials), and how to write out loud, that is
how to interview.
Student Obligations:
This class is the equivalent of your job this semester; this means attendance is obligatory as is promptness and
responsibility. You must complete the reading, writing, and workshop assignments when due. Unless otherwise
indicated, deadlines are NOT flexible, as they will not be in the internship, job, grant, or graduate school application
processes. Assignment details are appended to the syllabus. No “daily” assignments will be accepted late. The
work you will prepare—resume, application letter, graduate school statement—is critical to the successful pursuit of
gainful employment and further education. I will, therefore, hold you to rigorous grammar, syntax, format and
proofreading standards and guidelines. I will NOT be lenient about this. If you do not own a grammar and usage
handbook or the MLA Style Manual, I would strongly urge that you get both immediately and figure out how to use
them. If money is a concern, there are copies of both in the reference section of Carrier Library. [A secretarial
handbook is actually a good choice since it provides formats for business correspondence and other handy
information.] There is a heavy element of personal responsibility to this course; your gains will be directly
proportional to the amount of time and effort you put into your career research and preparation of documents.
Assignments (* Instructions will be provided)
1. Resume*
(20%)
2. Application letter or Personal Statement*
(20%)
3. Career Report & Plan*
(15%)
4. Informational Interview*
(10%)
5.
6.
7.
Mock Interview*
(10%)
“Daily” Written Assignments (15-16 total)
(15%)
The following exercises from Parachute:
(10%)
Exercise #3, p. 134
Exercise #1, pp. 130-131
Traits exercise, pp. 346-349
Values and Goals exercise, pp. 357-362
Geography exercise, pp. 349-353
Working conditions exercise, pp. 363-364
Budget (from pp. 288-289/365-368)
Attendance: I will notice if you miss class, just as an employer would notice. Technically, no absence from class is
excused. I reserve the right to grant exceptions solely on my assessment; more than 2 absences may lower your
course grade substantially. Tardiness will be counted as absences at my discretion. I make announcements about
assignments, syllabus changes, etc. at the beginning of the period. I will not repeat them. You are responsible for
all course work, whether you have attended class or not.
Format for Written Work: Unless I specify otherwise, all written assignments must be typed. ALWAYS MAKE
A COPY OF WORK BEFORE TURNING IT IN. I reiterate the necessity of following specified formats and of
rigorous proofreading.
Grading Scale:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = 59 and below
Syllabus
[Written Assignments are indicated in bold]
Week 1: Introduction and Self-Assessment
Monday, August 26: Introductions and Introductory Matters – “Oh, you’re an English major? What are you
planning to teach?” and other stubborn myths and legends.
Wednesday, August 28:
Parachute, Chapter 7, “The Secret to Finding Your Dream Job,” pp. 125-150. Do exercise #3, p. 134 for
class.
Make a list of the skills, talents, etc. you feel you have learned and are learning by studying
literature. If you have other academic skills – a second major, a particular talent or skill – list these
also.
Week 2: Self-Assessment
Monday, September 2:
Parachute – (1) do exercise #1, pp. 130-131 for class; (2) search at least three of the internet sites
listed in Chapter 7 and bring in notes on which site you found most useful and why; and (3) do
exercise #2 or #4 or one of the exercises for identifying skills on pp. 174-175
Wednesday, September 4:
Parachute, Chapter 8, “When You Lose All Track of Time,” pp. 153-175
Discussion of transferable skills – bring completed list to class
Locate two job descriptions that look interesting and that specify skills in some detail on an internet
site such as <monster.com> or <hotjobs.com>. Bring copies to class.
Week 3: Graduate School – To go or not to go?
Monday, September 9:
Discussion of graduate school
Write an essay in which you discuss both what you imagine graduate school to be (what does one do
there as opposed to undergraduate study? Why function does a graduate degree serve?), and
whether you have considered applying for graduate programs and why or why not? In otherwords,
discuss what it is you think you know about graduate school and what kind of thought you’ve given
to it for yourself.
Wednesday, September 11:
Graduate school panel discussion
Week 4: Finding a Career, Job, or Internship – Introduction to JMU Resources
Monday, September 16:
Half of the class meets at Academic Advising and Career Center (Wilson Hall, Third Floor)
Bring a written list of careers that interest you and questions you have about those careers
Wednesday, September 18:
Half of the class meets at Academic Advising and Career Center (Wilson Hall, Third Floor)
Bring a written list of careers that interest you and questions you have about those careers
Week 5: Marketing Your Skills
Monday, September 23:
(1) Do Traits exercise on pp. 346-349 and Values and Goals exercise on pp. 357-362
(2) Write a serious advertisement for your dream job [no comedic versions please]: consider
carefully the results of the self-assessment exercises you have completed when preparing this.
(3) Bring two job ads you find interesting. Include the URL’s.
Wednesday, September 25:
Parachute, Chapter 1, “What are you Looking for?”
Chapter 2, “Job-Hunting at Warp Speed,” pp. 1-29
Resume Workshop
(1) Draft resume due – handout to be provided
(2) Locate one sample resume on the internet; critique it for appearance and content; bring it and
the critique to class.
Week 6: Career Planning
Monday, September 30:
Application Letter/Personal Statement Workshop. Using the handout provided, draft three paragraphs of
an application letter as follows: (1) a discussion of your academic experience; and (2) a discussion of
your work experience, and (3) a brief description of one experience that indicates something
significant about you that an employer would find revealing [in a positive way goes without saying]
Wednesday, October 2:
Parachute, Chapter 3, “But What if that Doesn’t Work?” pp. 31-57
Informational Interview Workshop: (1) Make a list of people you might interview about their careers –
these need not be people you know.
(2) Do Geography exercise, pp. 349-353 and Working Conditions exercise, pp. 363-364
Week 7: Panel Discussions
Monday, October 14:
Panel Discussion – Writing as a Career (Lucy Corin, Chris Bolgiano, Michelle Hite)
Submit a list of questions you plan to ask in your informational interview
Wednesday, October 16:
Panel Discussion – Library Careers (Rebecca Feind & Cathy Clark)
Week 8: From the Employer’s Perspective
Monday, October 21:
Parachute, Chapter 4, “How Employers Hunt for Job-Hunters,” pp. 53-68
Wednesday, October 23:
Panel Discussion – Students on internships
Week 9: Panel Discussions
Monday, October 28
Panel Discussion – Stockbroker, City Assessor, lawyer
Informational Interviews due
Wednesday, October 30:
Panel Discussion – newspaper writing, editing
Week 10: How to Find an Internship or a Job
Monday, November 4:
Reflections Discussion: What have I learned so far? Where am I going next? Write a short response to
these questions for class discussion.
Parachute, Chapter 10, “Getting into Impossible Places,” pp. 223-238
Wednesday, November 6:
Revised Resume and Application Letter due
Week 11: Interviewing
Monday, November 11:
Parachute, Chapter 11, “Interviewing Tips for Smarties,” pp. 239-278
Interviewing Workshop: Write out 2 difficult interview questions you have been asked or are afraid
you will be asked – write a response for each question.
Wednesday, November 13:
Mock Interview Workshop
Locate an advertisement for a position that interests you. Imagine you must interview candidates for
the position and hire one. Write a list of 5 questions you would ask prospective candidates for the
position. Bring this the ad and list to class
Week 12: Mock Interviews
Monday, November 18:
Mock Interviews
Wednesday, November 20:
Mock Interviews
Week 13: Panels and Presentations
Monday, November 25:
Mock Interviews
Career Report Due
Wednesday, November 27: Thanksgiving Holiday. No Class.
Week 14: Resume and Letter Workshop
Monday, December 2:
Resume and job letter/personal statement workshop – peer review
Prepare specific questions about the effectiveness of your resume and letter/personal statement
Wednesday, December 4:
Last day of class. Due: (1) Self-evaluation (form to be provided); (2) Polished Resume &
Application Letter. There is no final exam in this class.
English 295A: Exploring Careers in English
Bankert/Fall 2002
Assignments
* Instructions will be provided
8. Resume*
9. Application letter or Personal Statement*
10. Career Report & Plan*
11. Informational Interview*
12. Mock Interview*
13. Written Assignments (15-16 total)
14. The following exercises from Parachute:
Exercise #3, p. 134
Exercise #1, pp. 130-131
Traits exercise, pp. 346-349
Values and Goals exercise, pp. 357-362
Geography exercise, pp. 349-353
Working conditions exercise, pp. 363-364
Budget (from pp. 288-289/365-368)
(20%)
(20%)
(15%)
(10%)
(10%)
(15%)
(10%)
List of Careers to research:
Foreign Service
Law Enforcement & Federal law enforcement
Law
Editorial work – magazines, books, newspaper
Writing – creative, drama, screen, nonfiction
Dramaturge
Art (gallery manager, critic, corporate relations for museums)
Human resources
CIA/FBI/NSA, etc.
Airline – publicity, customer service
Sales
Advertising
PR – Publicity
Events/Convention organizer for resorts, municipalities, cities, etc.
Civil Service
Marketing
Stockbroker
Government agencies – management, information dissemination, tech writing
Speechwriter
NonProfit Management
Researcher for television, films, documentaries, etc.
Curatorial work
Library work – rare books, archives, academic, public, etc.
Public Radio and Television
Fundraiser
Lobbyist