Dr. Gregory Neidert
PAPERS & PROJECTS FOR SPRING 2013
PARTIAL LISTING
Working Document
The current document includes SOME OF THE Pass/Fail assignments for the semester [through those due by 04/29/13]. Additional Pass/Fail and extra credit assignments may be added to this list and appear on the course website at www.asu.edu/courses/pgs394 Please check the website weekly for any updates.]
[Last Revised 03/21/13 -- Due date changed for Information Interview Final Paper Assignment.]
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Please note that I have placed a link to a sample cover page [in an MS Word document format] both here and in the Intake/Ideal Job Exercise Assignment description.
LETTER GRADED TESTS & ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE SEMESTER
[This is a tentative point allocation we will discuss this more in class]:
Test(s) = 100 - 125 points,
Resume (final draft) = 50 points,
Revised Intake/Ideal Job Exercise = 30 points,
Career Action Plan + Presentation = 70 points.
PSYCHOLOGY OF CAREERS
PGS 394
Spring 2013
Dr. Neidert
JOB TITLES LISTING IN-CLASS EXERCISE
Due Date: In-class exercise 01/07/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: List as many job titles as you can think of and submit the list to me.
WOWI DIRECT ASSESSMENT PROJECT
Due Dates: 01/13/13 [Sunday]- 10:00pm (completion of the assessment)
01/13/13- 11:59pm (critique emailed to instructor)
01/14/13- 4:30pm (hard copies of critique and assessment results handed in to instructor)
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: You must complete the web-based assessment by no later than 01/13/13 [Sunday] at 10:00pm. It may be taken on any computer with internet access and is available 24 hours a day at www.wowidirect.com [To get a discounted price on the assessment ($25.00) use the promotional code Neidert when paying for it]. Your starting time and completion time automatically will be noted by the system. A 1-2 page critique of the assessment (3 things you liked most about the assessment and 3 things you liked least about the assessment) will be due on 01/13/13 at 11:59pm (critique emailed to instructor) and your critique, as well as a hard copy of your profile report, will be handed in on 01/14/13 at 4:30pm.
INTAKE/ IDEAL JOB EXERCISE
Due Date: Emailed to Dr. Neidert on 01/20/13 [Sunday]- 11:59pm; hard copy handed in on 01/28/13.
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: A career is not a job. A career includes everything you do throughout your personal and professional life. In the following exercise, identify the factors you feel are important in creating the best possible career for yourself....including an ideal job that is compatible with all of the other elements. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover
page to your 3 - 5 page paper to get credit for the assignment.
Minimum Criteria for a Pass:
Paper Contents:
Conceptually and operationally define, in a typed, outline format:
- Your core values (3 - 5) and explain them.
- Your life goals (3 - 5) and explain them.
- The critical parameters for defining your ideal job and explain them.
- The critical parameters for living a fulfilling personal life and explain them.
- What are the "non-neogotiables" in your life? Prioritize the following:
- Pay - minimum
- Family time - minimum
- Vacation time - minimum
- Leisure time - maximum number of hours at work each week
- Location - states, regions, etc.
- Status - define minimum level
- Recognition - type of recognition
- Physical Work Environment - important features
- Social Work Environment - qualities of others with whom you have regular contact
- Impact - type of impact you want to have
- Are there other non-negotiables not mentioned above? If so, what are they and how important are they to you
- Do you want to retire? If so, when?
- If you want to retire, what kind of retirement do you want?
- At the end of your life, what do you want to be able to say about yourself?
- Satisfiers
- List two jobs you have had (including volunteer work) that you liked most and explain why you liked them.
- Dissatisfiers
- List two jobs you have had that you liked least and explain why you did not like them.
- Themes about yourself
- Think about your life. What are the basic themes that define who you are and what you value most? Please list at least five and explain (or expand on) each.
- What have you learned from this exercise?
O*Net/O.O.H PROJECT
Due Date: 01/28/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Find and print from the O*Net
website the detailed reports of at least three (3), to no more than five (5), different jobs/occupations you are considering (they should be compatible with your WOWI Direct career assessement results). In addition, find and print the relevant occupational areas from the OOH. Hand in only the 1st page of each of the O*Net and OOH reports. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the copies to get credit for the assignment.
Job Ranking Assignment - Part I
Due Date: 01/28/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: After reviewing the data available in O*Net on each of your top jobs, rank order them from the most to the least appealing/suitable. Be prepared to discuss in class your reasons for the rankings and your inclusion/exclusion of jobs from your first tentative list. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the list [or include the cover page information on the list] to get credit for the assignment. You may combine this with the Information Interview Prospect Assignment below.
Information Interview Prospect Assignment - Part I
Due Date: 02/04/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Identify and print out, for each of your top 3 career choices, organizations in which those jobs exist and individuals in those positions with whom you might conduct your information interviews. Here is a link to Neidert's (1978-2013) Guidelines for Conducting Information Interviews. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the list [or include the cover page information on the list] to get credit for the assignment. Here
is a sample of how you might want to set up your assignment. You may combine this with the Job Ranking Assignment above.
Rough Draft of Resume -- Part I
Due Dates: 02/04/13 [Bring your rough draft to class for a class activity]; 02/18/13 [Revision due]
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Construct a rough draft of a resume that is consistent with the career areas you will be exploring in your Information Interviews by, at minimum, placing statements of your experience [work and/or volunteer] in operational terms under appropriate [to the job(s) you are writing the resume for] functional categories [e.g., Customer Service, Sales, Leadership, etc.]. (Look to some of the links on the left hand side of the course home page for websites that give excellent advice on constructing Resumes and Vitas.) Remember to use O*Net as a source for identifying and listing experience from jobs you have previously held. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the Resume/ Lists of Experience to get credit for the assignment.
ANNUAL CREDIT REPORT PROJECT
Due Date: 02/04/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Go to Annual Credit Report website and print a copy of the first page of your credit report [it is free] with your credit score [it will cost you $7.00 to $10.00 to get your credit score] from one of the 3 major credit reporting organizations [Experian, Equifax, & TransUnion]. [Please insure you black out your social security number and account numbers]. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the document to get credit for the assignment. In addition, please go to the following pages on Wikipedia's website and read the entries on Credit Reports/History, Credit Scores, FICO, and Credit Risk. You will be tested on this information in your next test. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the document to get credit for the assignment.
Please Read the following Documents for 02/11/13
Employment Projections 2008-2018
Employment Projections 2010-2020
About the New GRE® revised General Test
Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process
Information Interview Prospect Assignment - Part II
Due Date: 02/11/13 [hard copy handed in]
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Contact and gain agreement from at least 3 individuals you have identified for Information Interviews in Part I of this assignment. Print out the contact information for all who have agreed [minimum of 3]. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the list [or include the cover page information on the list] to get credit for the assignment.
Rough Draft of Resume - Part II
Due Date: 02/18/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Refer to the following link on my critiques of last year's students resumes. Construct a rough draft of your entire resume that is consistent with the career areas you will be exploring in your Information Interviews. Make sure that statements of your experience [work and/or volunteer] are expressed in operational terms under the appropriate functional categories [e.g., Customer Service, Sales, Leadership, etc.]. (Look to some of the links on the left hand side of the course home page for websites that give excellent advice on constructing Resumes and Vitas.) You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the Resume/ Lists of Experience to get credit for the assignment.
Information Interview Prospect Assignment - Part III
Due Date: 02/18/13
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Contact and gain agreement from at least 3 more individuals you have identified for Information Interviews in Part I of this assignment [for a total of at least 6 individuals]. Print out the contact information for all who have agreed [minimum of 3]. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to the list [or include the cover page information on the list] to get credit for the assignment.
INFORMATION INTERVIEW PROJECT
Due Dates:
02/24/13 - First 3 Interviews completed [hand in a hard copy of that list on 02/25/13];
03/10/13 - Next 3 Interviews completed [hand in a hard copy of that list on 03/18/13];
03/25/13, changed to 04/01/13 - Last 3 Interviews completed and paper on all 9 is due.
Page Length: 5-10 pgs. (absolutely no more than 10 pages).
Points: Pass/Fail
Task: Complete at least NINE (9) information interviews with individuals who are in the job(s) you want to obtain when you get out of school (or people in positions above that). Conduct at least three (3) interviews in each of the three highest ranking jobs/careers in which you are interested. You must attach each of their business cards and copies of the thank you letters you sent them to the end of your paper.
Minimum Criteria for a Pass:
Paper contents:
- Who did you talk to?
- What positions did they hold in their organizations?
- What did you learn about the job(s)?
- Pay
- Required work experience and academic training
- Etc.
- Is each job more or less appealing to you as a result of what you learned?
- Was this a positive experience for you?
- Precisely, in operational terms, what effect(s) did the experience have on your academic and career direction?
- Precisely, in operational terms, what steps are you going to take next to prepare yourself for your career?
RESUME & COVER LETTER or VITAE & STATEMENT OF PURPOSE PROJECT
Due Dates:
04/01/13 1st "graded" draft of Resume due in class.
04/15/13 2nd and final graded draft of Resume due in class.
Page Length: 3 pgs. (absolutely no more than 4 pages).
Points: Pass/Fail for 1st draft. Final draft is graded and worth 50 points.
Task: Use the criterion established in class and feedback on your previous drafts to construct a cover letter, resume, and list of references.
Minimum Criteria for a Pass:
Paper Contents:
Pages
- Cover letter
- Resume
- References (at least 3, no more than 5)
- Name
- Title
- Organization Name
- Organization Address
- Business Telephone Number
- E-mail address (optional)
Documents must be:
- Visually appealing (Visuals)
- Error-free (Errors)
- On high quality - not standard xerox - paper (Paper)
- In a high quality, laser-printed font (no smaller than 10 pt., no larger than 12 pt. font) (Font, Print Quality)
- Organized in a meaningful way, with experience being operationally defined [in terms of behavioral evidence supporting qualitative assertions] and relevant to the job being sought (Organization, Content, Relevance)
- Delivered on or before 4:30pm, 04/15/13(L)
Due Date: 04/29/13 [no later than 4:30pm on 04/29/13]
Page Length: minimum 5 pages
Points: 30 points [Remember, this activity feeds directly in to the creation of your Career Action Plan or includes your Career Action Plan [worth an additional 70 points]. If you wish, you can combine into one document the Revision of the Intake/Ideal Job Exercise with the Career Action Plan. That document would be worth 100 points. Do what works best for you.]
Task: Based on your assessment results, e-research and information gained from your Information Interviews, revise your Intake and reorder any of your priorities, according to the specifications discussed in class. In addition, edit and create a more fully operationalized set of responses to the Intake questions, especially in the Non-negotiables area of the document. The paper must be written in an outline format, with any changes in bold and in a different color font, and a copy of the original document attached to the new, revised Intake. You must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to your paper to get credit for the assignment.
CAREER ACTION PLAN PROJECT
Due Date: 04/29/13 [no later than 4:30pm on 04/29/13]
Page Length: minimum between 8 and 10 pages
Points: 70 points
Task: According to the specifications discussed in class, create a fully operationalized Career Action Plan that details your academic, work, family, liesure, and other plans to the end of your life. Remember to incorporate the barriers to achieving your goals and your methods for overcoming those barriers. Remember also, in addition to Plan A, you must include a Plan B [and optionally, a Plan C] as alternative courses of action, if your Plan A does not work out. I strongly suggest you write your paper in an elaborated outline format. I also strongly recommend, before you start writing it out, that you graphically represent your CAP in a time line format with nodal life and career events and decision points included in the diagram. Please include this diagram at the beginning of your document as a guide to the reader. As always, you must STAPLE a TYPED cover page to your 8-10+ page paper to get credit for the assignment.
CAREER ACTION PLAN TIME LINE & KEY LEARNINGS PROJECT
Due Date: 04/28/13 [PowerPoint emailed to Dr. Neidert no later than 11:30pm on Sunday 04/28/13], Hard copies handed in on 04/29/12
Page Length: about 2-3 pages, not including the PowerPoint
Task: According to the specifications discussed in class, in MS PowerPoint, create a time line to graphically represent your CAP with nodal life and career events and decision points included in the diagram [it should be the diagram included at the beginning of your CAP in the assignment above]. You will have about 5 minutes to present your CAP and a brief summary of the things you learned from this class [especially from the Information Interviews] to your classmates. As always, you must have a cover page with the assignment name, your name, etc. preceding your time line in order to get credit for the assignment.