RECR 171 - Professional Job Search Skills & Techniques - Syllabus

• Semester Credit Hours: One credit
  

• Course Description: Professional Job Search Skills & Techniques covers topics such as resume writing, cover letter construction, interviewing, techniques for filling out employment applications such the federal and state forms, and job search techniques. The course also familiarizes the student with the requirements and procedure for successfully completing the supervised fieldwork experience (RECR 173-RECR 273).

• Course Prerequisites/Co-requisites: None.

The overall course goals are:

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. be prepared to successfully complete the Field Experience;
2. successfully perform the application and verification tasks needed to acquire a professional position in the field;
3. write personal and career objectives and evaluate progress on toward achieving them;
4. develop and maintain a curriculum vitae, correctly conduct a job inquiry by writing a professional cover letter and resume, and correctly completing a job application;
5. perform successful interviewing skills;
6. develop a professional portfolio;
7. locate possible choices of agencies for Directed Practice within his/her interest area, and
8. meet potential supervisors and/or employers for Directed Practice.

The topics covered in this course include:

• Assessment of personal and career interests
• Writing objectives and developing time lines
• Biographical (Curriculum) vitae development and maintenance
• Resume construction
• Writing letters of inquiry, cover letters
• Achieving emphasis and balance in typing presentation
• Techniques for completing employment applications
• The interview process
• Mock interviews
• Developing a professional portfolio
• Familiarization with the Directed Practice Process
• Evaluation of progress toward goals and objective achievement
  
  

Rationale for the course: Students are often taught the "what" of a career, but are rarely taught the "how" of acquiring a job in that career. This course teaches the student how to make a smashing impression from development of a dynamite resume to a confident, knowledgable presence in the interview.

 

Unit One Assignments	Point Value
Self-Confidence Assessment	5 points
Discussions (2)	10 points
Personal Philosophy Statement	10 points
Personal & Professional Assessment	5 points
Limitations/Weaknesses Assessment	10 points
Work & Learning Attitude Profile	10 points
Total Points	50 points

Unit	Points
Unit One	50
Unit Two	50
Unit Three	50
Unit Four	50
Unit Five	50
Unit Six	50
Unit Seven	50
Unit Eight	50
Unit Nine	50
Class Meeting - Mock Interviews & Sharing Portfolios	50
Total Points for RECR 171WW	500

Final Points	Letter Grade
500 - 450	A
449 - 400	B
399 - 350	C
349 - 300	D
299 - 000	F

 

Additional Requirements: Since this is a one-credit class, participation and turning in assignments on time is essential for class success.

Grading Policy: Grades are determined based on your accumulated point total. Extra credit is available.

Attendance Policy: Participation in Internet classes is essential. Click HERE to see information on the orientation session. If you have never taken an Internet class, this orientation is highly recommended.

Course Materials:

• Required Text: Seagle, Jr., E., et al. Internships in recreation and leisure services; a practical guide for students. State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc.

Special procedures: Please click on this link to view course policies!

Tentative list of dated assignments:

• See "Units of Study" on this site for the dates each unit will begin and end. Also on this site is a link to a sample unit.
  

Here are some tips you should follow which will help you to succeed in this course:

• Set aside a specific time each week to work on this course. The estimated amount of time you should spend is 3 to 5 hours/week.
• Keep in touch with me and your classmates by frequently checking your course e-mail, bulletin board, and calendar. This will help build a sense of community among us. Using the various communications tools provided in this course effectively is the same as "raising your hand" and participating in class discussions.
• Be aware of the time lag that is inherent in most on-line courses. Although the communications tools make it appear that the transfer of information such as assignments is "instantaneous", it does not mean that the reply will be instantaneous. One of the hardest things about an on-line course is becoming comfortable with its asynchronous nature. In general, expect assignments to be returned within 3 days (excluding holidays and weekends).
• Familiarize yourself with published deadlines.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• Remember that there are traditional ways for keeping in touch. Use the telephone, a fax, or make an appointment to meet with me on campus.
• Work off-line and save your assignments on your computer before submitting them electronically. You can use the saved version of your work to copy and paste to an on-line assignment or you can attach the saved file to an e-mail or bulletin board message. This will prevent a lot of frustration should your Internet connection or your system "fail".
• Be sure you check the course syllabus and other course material for instructions on how to submit assignments. In many cases your instructor will specify that you submit your assignments using a specific file format. If your instructor does not specify a particular format for text documents, it is suggested that you save your files in Rich Text Format (.rtf format). This will minimize the potential for inadvertently transmitting computer viruses.
• Be sure to install anti-virus software on your local system and check all downloaded files before opening them.

Smile! Even if your head is spinning!

Updated:November 22, 2007 Dr. Willa J. Brooks 410.455.-4174

The Community College of Baltimore County 800 South Rolling Road, Baltimore, MD 21228