Syllabus for Career Decision Making, Spring 2003
 
 

OBJECTIVES:

1. To help develop a clear sense of what would be personally satisfying career choices using available resources.
 
 

2. To focus on one proposed career and investigate its feasibility in the current job market, using campus resources.
 
 

3. To develop as thoroughly as can be, the next step in personal career development. If further education is required, then a search of colleges that would be appropriate based on personal preferences and major availability will be completed. If further education is not required, then appropriate career development strategies will be initiated. ( For example, targeting companies and developing and tailoring resumes and cover letters for those organizations.)
 
 

 AGENDA:
 
 

STEP ONE- Complete and turn in the personal career history to me. The rationale for this exercise is to have you reflect on your experience and interests at the beginning of the career selection process. Complete by Monday, March 31st.

  Click here to get the personal history questions.

STEP TWO- We will be using Sigi + as a career exploration inventory. Please download and use the following two files, one you should read before starting Sigi + (click here) and the other you should read once you have initially completed Sigi + (click here). Sigi + is available through the internet. The address that you will need to go to is http://www.eiccd.net/sigi.
(You will need to contact me to get the id and password to access that site.) Once you are there you will need to register with Sigi+ using any id and password that you want. So essentially there are two sets of id's and passwords to use, one to reach the site and another to enter it and work on information relevant to you. In Sigi+ you need to start with Self Assessment looking at your values, interests, and activities. Follow Self-Assessment with Search, that allows you to make a list of occupations to explore. Then go to Information to get a clear idea about what the occupations on your list are like. Next, go to Skills and Preparing for additional details about jobs that are still of interest to you. Then I want you to look at Coping, Deciding, and Next Steps (in that order) for more information that will assist you in making a career selection. You need to have information from this program by April 9th.

STEP THREE- Look at the information that you have gotten from Sigi+, from the Occupational Outlooks Handbook, from other sources in the reference section of the Library, or from personal sources and narrow your field of choices down to 3. You can use the enclosed sheet to define the three. This step needs to be completed by April 21st.

The 3 choices worksheet
 
 

STEP FOUR- Review the information on the three that you have selected and make a choice of one to pursue in further detail. Please do a narrative analysis as to why this is your choice as opposed to the others.This step needs to be completed by April 28.

 Final choice worksheet

STEP FIVE- Interview someone working in the field that you have selected. (If you have trouble locating someone please contact me) Write a narrative of what you have learned in the interview. Include the name, title, and address of the person that you have interviewed. You will find a sheet enclosed with suggested interview questions. This step needs to be completed by May 5th.

 Sample interview questions
 
 
 
 

STEP SIX- Use the college selection sheet and complete the information requested there. You need to list why you have selected a specific college, what the costs are, how you will pay for them, what curriculum is appropriate to follow here at MCC in pursuit of your goal, and finally what the required courses in your major are at the school you will attend. You can find a great deal of information about colleges and scholarships at the entry page for Sigi+, access CollegeNet and Petersons. This step needs to be completed by May 12  http://www.eiccd.net/sigi.

Transfer worksheet
 
 

Final Step....................You should have a completed personal plan including a career objective, and a written description of why it is appropriate for you. You should also have the text of your interview with notes on the insight that you gained from the meeting. You should have a comprehensive academic schedule showing all the relevant courses at both MCC and the school you plan on transferring to--also include a plan for meeting your expenses, a time line for application to the other school and a list of your reasons for selecting that school. Bring these in to me for evaluation and completion of the course. This should be completed by May 19th
 
 
 
 

GRADING: The primary assignments for a grade are performance based-- completion of the steps outlined above.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sigi+, Selection of 3 occupations, selection of one occupation, interview, College Selection, and development of a personal curriculum will all need to be completed. Each will count as 25 points, 150 points possible total
 
 
 
 

Your grade will be based on the 150 points possible, 135 +will be an A, 120-134 will be a B, 105-119 will be a C. If you do not perform at least at this level you should not take the class at this time.
 
 

Performance will be based on completion and acceptance by me of each component. I may ask you to redo or amplify a particular unit--credit for the assignment will only be granted after the assignment is accepted.
 
 

Facilitator:
 

Tom Savage
Office:
Advising Center, Student Services Building
Hours: 8:15-12, 1-5 Monday through Friday
Phone: office 288-6010, home 263-7419
email: tsavage@eiccd.cc.ia.us

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