Career Essentials

The Career Essentials course prepares students to deal with the various aspects of the job search such as resume writing, job interviewing, thank you letters, and prospective job offers. The College and Career Competencies are taught as the course examines the social, personal, professional, and financial aspects of a career and is designed to focus students on the transition from an educational setting to a professional work environment. Interpersonal competencies are covered in connection with the various aspects of the job search, thank you letters, employee and employer working relationships, professional networking, communicating with coworkers, and teamwork. Cognitive competencies are covered in connection with resume writing, resume targeting, job interviewing, obtaining work credentials, employment training and education, job regulations, and employee paychecks and benefits. Intrapersonal competencies are covered with handling prospective job offers, self-management, and job search strategies.

The lessons in the Career Essentials course are divided into six units of study. These units are designed to guide the student through the process of a career search. The lessons identify the skills that are necessary to be successful in obtaining and keeping a job.
• Unit 1: Understanding the Employer-Employee Relationship (Interpersonal: communication, conflict management, social awareness, teamwork, assertiveness, adaptability)
• Unit 2: What Employers Want from Employees (Interpersonal: adaptability, assertiveness / Cognitive: learning schema, organization / Intrapersonal: integrity, ethics)
• Unit 3: Preparing for the Job Search (Intrapersonal: goal setting, self-awareness, self-regulation, perseverance, initiative)
• Unit 4: The Job Search and Interview Process (Interpersonal: networking, communication / Cognitive: critical thinking, creative thinking / Intrapersonal: sustained attention, self-efficacy)
• Unit 5: Keeping a Job and Building on Your Success (Interpersonal: conflict management / Cognitive: problem solving, organization / Intrapersonal: sustained attention, self-efficacy)
• Unit 6: Financial and Career Planning for the Future (Cognitive: organization, time management, problem solving, content and technical skills)