Weekly agenda

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Weekly Agenda

Week 1 - Orientation + Social Media Importance LinkedIn: An Essential Job Search, Visibility and Networking Tool

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Tip: People search for, and connect with each other on LinkedIN. It is very important to have an up to date, professional LinkedIn profile. Feel free to connect with me. https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyfisher/


Objectives

  • To provide course intro, about instructor, syllabus review
  • To Review assignments, blog posting themes, grading

Multimedia, Readings

Discussions (Blog)

  • Introduce yourself (i.e., your full name, where you are from, what you art studying (major), why you've chosen your field of study, and HOW you think LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media can help you in your job search (200 words) and 2 substantive replies to your peers.

Review & Assignment

  • Find and keep handy / bring to class a job advertisement of interest to you
  • This will be important as you develop a resume and cover letter (customized for the job), as well as a LinkedIn profile, and research the specific employer / industry.
  • Submit Cover Letter / Resume (include the job posting / advertisement) -

== Unit XXXX - LinkedIn - An Essential Job Search, Visibility and Networking Tool

Unit XXXX Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • create a professional LinkedIn profile - and name it properly
  • put it on your resume
  • set up notifications, preferences and visiblity
  • incorporate resume into a LinkedIn profile;
  • discuss the importance of LinkedIn for job search, networking and visibility
  • incorporate best practices for developing and sharing a LinkedIn profile
  • identify methods for using other social media (Twitter) for sharing LinkedIn content
  • identify the difference between posts and blogs

It’s pretty simple, really: every single day, more and more of the world is coming online. As that trend continues, the internet is becoming our de facto first choice of where to go to find things, whether that means the closest deli to our apartment, a quality used car, or someone to fill the position that just opened up at our company. If you want to make sure that companies can find you quickly and easily, it is vital that you create a social media presence for yourself and have your resume accessible online. But what does “digital resume” mean, exactly?

This reading explains how to utilize the different social media sites to promote yourself online and post your resume or CV. After you have finished reading, take 20 minutes to create a free LinkedIn account and update your profile there according to your most current resume.

In today's job search and recruitment market, employers are increasingly relying on LinkedIn to search for qualified job applicants. If you want to be noticed by job recruiters, it is critical that you have your profile and resume on LinkedIn. This article is a brief overview of why your resume and profile should be on LinkedIn, and what type of information you should include.


New Learning

  • What is LinkedIn? How is it used?
  • Setting up preferences and notifications
  • Choosing a name (your name - visible and recognizable)
  • Using a personal email address


New Learning - OLD

  • Background, Skills, Experience & Transferable Skills
  • CAR Stories - how / why to use them
  • Importance of ACCOUNTABILITY, FOLLOW-THROUGH, CONSEQUENCES, BIG PICTURE

Activities

  • Complete Email Address / Phone Info & Bio via Google Drive Sign-up Sheet (to be provided)
  • Provide your LinkedIn profile (if you already have one; if not, you will add it here in the future)
  • Complete Mini-Bio + provide a photo
  • Who Are You (Introduce Yourself) & What Is the Job You Want to Do
  • Complete Transferable Skills worksheet

Homework

Readings

Prepare for Class

  • Complete Mini-Bio
  • Review ALL ASSIGNMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS for course
  • Find Advertised Job Description - (Comment.gif: Save a copy, as you will need to submit it for the Resume and Cover Letter + Final Assignment)
    • Write three of your Achievements for this Job from your experience - pay attention to Job Requirements, Roles and Responsibilities, Who the Job Reports to (Individual / Team)
  • Create blog on LMS
  • Write one (1) Blog post + substantive replies (before next class)

Week 2 - Resumes & Cover Letters

Introduction to the Resume

In this unit, you will learn about the function of a professional resume. You will also learn about various formats for presenting a resume (a conventional or functional or skills-based or chronological resume, etc.) in today's job market. Finally, you will gather information about your own professional skills and accomplishments to help prepare your own resume in this course.

Unit 1: Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • explain the purpose of a professional resume;
  • describe various types of professional resume formats and the function of each;
  • distinguish between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV).

The Purpose of a Resume

An effective resume is: (1) A summary of your skills and achievements; (2) a persuasive argument that you are worth hiring; and (3) a reflection of your uniqueness and individuality.

This chapter describes several types of resumes and offers samples of each type. If for example, you are applying for an academic position, you might be asked for a Curriculum Vitae (CV) rather than a conventional resume. To learn more about the difference between a CV and a resume, study "The Graduate Student and Post-Graduate Resume" section and view the sample of each type of resume. You will also benefit from the provided list of specific action words (verbs) to describe your job experience.

Types of Resumes

This article contains detailed information about ensuring your resume and cover letter meet the formatting and style requirements for many federal government jobs. This workshop guide provides many examples of federal resumes and cover letters and other types of resumes in the workforce.

What is a CV?

This section explains two additional types of resumes to use in certain situations: (1) the functional resume; and (2) the Curriculum Vitae (CV). This section also provides examples of functional-based resumes.

The Importance of Transferable Skills

Whether you are new to the workforce or an industry sector or even, a higher level job, you may not have all of the experience required in the qualifications. That's why it is important to highlight your transferable skills. These include: problem-solving, critical-thinking, communications, decision-making and teamwork. The resource below, allows you to quickly identify your transferable skills and integrate them into your resume, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles - even job interviews!

Homework

Readings

Prepare for Class / Assignments

Questions for Consideration

  1. Think about how you would construct your résumé in a functional format versus a chronological format.
  2. Decide which format works best for you: chronological or functional. Why?
  3. Review and critique this information with a classmate.
  4. Think about how you would use action words and you transferable skills (for any resume format)

Week 2: Key Components of the Resume and Cover Letter

Now that you have an understanding of the function of a professional resume, you can focus on the key components of a resume in greater detail.

In this unit, you will study the content and categories often included on a resume. You will learn how you can arrange these components based on the information and accomplishments you want to emphasize to a potential employer. You will consider which categories you would like to include on your own resume, and then you will draft your resume by listing your major accomplishments, professional skills, and other pertinent information in an organized manner.

In addition, you will draft a cover letter to accompany your resume. Finally, you will explore some common design elements frequently used on a resume and learn about simple techniques for effectively formatting and styling a resume. (Electronic versions have specific requirements - we will use electronic versions in this course.) By doing so, you will lay the groundwork for polishing your resume, using it online and creating your LinkedIn profile.

Unit 2: Learning Outcomes

  • identify and describe the components of a resume;
  • incorporate best practices in resume and cover letter writing;
  • create a professional resume that highlights your accomplishments and professional skills;
  • explain the purpose of a cover letter;
  • identify various cover letter types and formats and the function of each;
  • assess which resume and cover letter format is most effective in a specific situation;
  • explain the purpose of a portfolio; and
  • describe various documents, materials and websites that one might include in a portfolio.

Anatomy of a Resume

Read this article to get a better understanding of the type of information to help identify yourself on your resume and inform your reader of the specific purpose of your job search. Headers and objectives are essential because they help organize the resume; are consistent with other resumes; and is the information that the reader will see first.

This article provides guidance (and examples) on how to present your educational experiences in a resume. Some employers require that you possess a certain level of education in order to be considered for a job. When you customize your resume for a specific job, make sure that your experience matches the required qualifications - and doesn't leave any doubt in your reader's mind about your level of education.

This article describes how to describe your work experience on the resume - arguably the most important component. Most employers will look to this section to see if you have the skills and experience you need to be able to do the job. Your work experience should highlight the types of experiences (and accomplishments) that directly align with the type of job you are applying for.

This article will help you to understand how to highlight any specific accomplishments or skills that you possess to enhance your chances of getting hired and performing well on the job.

Cover Letters

This section describes the importance of including a cover letter with your resume. This reading will help you determine what type of information you should put in a cover letter. It will also help you assess your strengths and weaknesses and how you can match your cover letter to the job description.

Creating an audience-friendly cover letter is very important. This reading offers sample of cover letters and guidance on how to personalize your own cover letter.

Read the three (3) sample cover letters in this resource. Consider how well they apply (or not) to your circumstances. If not, what would you change / do differently?

What is a Portfolio?

Portfolios are a collection of documents and materials (for print and the web) that allow people to show actual examples of their work and skills as a way to indicate they will be able to perform well at the position they seek. Portfolios are more detailed than a resume and can be presented in different formats. I highly effective way is to have links (URLs) to specific projects and examples of your accomplishments. Read this short description of what a portfolio is and who uses them.

Digital Projects / Portfolio

  • Any digital project / work that you do, may be used in your portfolio. This can be very impressive to employers.
  • Be sure to capture and organize all relevant documents, materials and links - (i.e., URLs, videos, tweets, screenshots, etc.)
  • A good practice is to organize them in a Google Doc - and make sure you share it with your personal and Rutgers email addresses.
  • This can serve as part of your portfolio for this course (and other digital projects) that will be impressive to employers and can showcase what you've done.

Examples of Strong Capstone Websites

  • Here are some examples of strong Capstone websites (the students from Rutgers School of Communications and Information have agreed to share them).

Week 3: Strengthening Your Resume and Cover Letter

In this unit, you will polish your resume and cover letter. Even if you are not technically skilled, you still can create an attractive resume by employing some freely available online resources.
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Tip: Make sure to review the Requirements for the Resume and Cover Letter assignment.


You will examine ways to enhance your resume and cover letter and learn about techniques to make your application to each job as competitive as possible. You will harness effective action verbs (i.e., active tense), keywords, transferable skills, and positioning (a formatting strategy for promoting your professional identity) to strengthen the language and organization of your resume. You also will learn how to edit and review your resume and cover letter to ensure high quality. Finally, you will learn how to tailor your application materials toward a specific job and avoid pitfalls when finalizing your resume and cover letter for print, email and online distribution.

Week 3 Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

  • incorporate elements that make a resume appear attractive, well-organized, and amenable to both print and email distribution;
  • discuss the importance of effective action words and keywords for a resume and cover letter;
  • explain how to tailor application materials toward a specific job and perform this task;
  • identify methods for distributing a resume via email and social media;
  • identify elements to avoid when finalizing and distributing a resume and cover letter; and
  • incorporate best practices for naming and saving one's resume.

Polishing Your Resume and Cover Letter

This article gives an overview of how to market yourself broadly, a process of which a well-crafted resume and cover letter are just two parts. This reading gives a preview of the process of putting your resume out there and approaching the next steps of the job search.

Many times you will need to make adjustments to your resume to account for gaps in you employment and jobs where you were employed for only a short time. This reading will show you how to cover your bases when this happens.

Read this article and take 20 minutes to apply these tips to your own resume and cover letter when you have finished.

Resume writing is both an art and a skill. One small mistake in your resume - gives the wrong impression - and can sometimes eliminate you from consideration for a position. Here is an article that will outline 10 common mistakes to avoid on your resume.

Read this article and follow its advice the next time you prepare a resume. Think about how you can incorporate the Transferable Skills you identified earlier in the course. What other suggestions have you heard for writing better resumes?

Post any other tips you have learned elsewhere on the discussion forums, along with a note asking for feedback from the community. Make sure to include the activity prompt/instructions, as well as you own comments, so your contribution can be as helpful as possible to other students.

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Tip: Share your knowledge on you classmates' posts as well, especially on those topics that you feel you have already mastered.


Tailoring Your Resume & Targeting Your Job Search

Understand how to identify and target specific industries and jobs in your job search. When deciding to apply for a job, its best to identify the industry, the position, and the geographic location in which you want to work.


  • Job Listings
  • Identify and connect with people of interest.
  • Networking
  • Learn about THEIR Career path.

Difference between Blogs and Posts

    • Job Description, Roles & Responsibilities
  • Researching Employers (Organizations, Hiring Managers, Decision-Makers)

Activities

  • (Comment.gif: Recommendation - Create a LinkedIn Profile - make sure to upload a photo, and use your personal email address. You can populate it with your resume information)

Week 4: Digital / Social Media to Research Jobs & Employers

  • Strategies for researching employers
  • Research Employers (pairs OR small groups)
    • What is the business, products, services, industry, growing / declining, issues / "Pain"
  • Lecturette: Researching Organizations & Desired Job / Role
    • Job Role / Description
    • Organization
    • Hiring Manager / Decision-Maker
    • "The Business" - customers, markets, competitors, revenues, profitability, etc.
    • Pain, Problems, Challenges
    • Info Sources - Library, LinkedIn, Website,
    • Connect the Dots
  • Following on LinkedIN, Twitter
  • Process

Activities

  • OPTIONAL: Conduct Information Interviews with target employer / competitor (as per advertised job description)

Homework

  • Complete Assignments

Activities

Prepare for Class

Week 5: Integration + Putting Into Practice

Activities

  • OPTIONAL: Conduct Information Interviews with target employer / competitor (as per advertised job description)

Homework

  • Complete Assignments

Activities

Prepare for Class

Follow Prof. Fisher on Facebook

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