EXPRL 220 Resume & Interviewing Strategies (2 credits)

Fall Quarter 2013

October 4, 5, 11, 12, 2013 - Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm

Bellevue College Main Campus, R210

Syllabus

 

Course Description & Learning Objectives:

In this course, you will develop a resume that represents your best qualifications for the job you are seeking. You will also practice answering common interview questions. Guest speakers will tell you what they really want to see on a resume and hear in the job interview. Class will include mock interviews.

 

You can expect to learn how to extract meaningful information from education and work experiences and write about them in your resume as well as speak about them in the interview. By taking this class, you will increase your confidence and understand the selection process from the employer’s perspective.

 

Instructor:

Jerry Bunce     jerry.bunce@bellevuecollege.edu       425-495-0294 (cell)               

 

Text (optional): Expert Resumes for People Returning to Work by Enelow and Kursmark

 

Date

Topic & In Class Activities

Homework

10/4
  • Class Introduction and Handouts, roll call, introduce out-line of course (topics, schedule, attendance, homework, outcomes, etc.) and tonight’s agenda
  • Where to begin? A look at hiring from employer’s perspective
  • HIRING PANEL
  • What do employers want on your resume and hear in your interview Employer Discussion
  • Work on Job target worksheets

 

 

 

Hand in Job Target worksheet.

 

Get a good night’s sleep and be ready to go at 9:00 am on Saturday.

10/5

TAKE ATTENDANCE

  • What came up as you thought about the hiring panel?
  • Review of Objective Statements
  • Job Objectives
  • WOIS
  • Identify your strongest qualifications
  • Should you include an Objective Statement in your resume?
  • The anatomy of the resume and how we’ll go about writing it
  • Writing the Work History Section of your resume.
  • Documenting work history evidence using the SAR Formula
  • Examples of resumes
  • Skills summary statements (profiles)
  • Styles of Resumes (functional vs. chronological)
  • Writing the contact information and education sections of your resume,  Look at contact & education section

examples

  • INTERVIEWING
  • The 60 second sell
  • Interview role play: Tell me about yourself/why should I hire you? What are your strengths?
  • What is your biggest weakness

 
  • Read pages 1 – 40 of the large packet
  • A draft resume must be e-mailed to Jerry by Tuesday midnight at:
  • jerry.bunce@bellevuecollege.edu
  • NO TEMPLATES, no TABLES

 

You will receive an “I got it” reply.

 

Jerry will make suggested changes to format. He will not change your words much. He will use the tracking changes feature in WORD so that you can see the changes made. 

You will receive your revised resume by Friday, noon.

 

Try to think of five (or more) of your success stories that you would like to tell in an interview.
What is the title (your memory trigger for this story)?
What behavior/soft skill area does this story answer/illustrate? (e.g. teamwork, customer satisfaction, reliability, flexibility, conflict resolution, etc.)
Look at the Questions you will be asked in the document to help you with this.
Bring your list of success stories to the mock interviews.

10/11

TAKE ATTENDANCE

  • Practice Interviewing in small groups

 

  • MOCK INTERVIEWS!

 

  • What questions were asked?

 

  • Good answers

 

 

Get a good night’s sleep and be ready to go at 9:00 am on Saturday.

10/12

TAKE ATTENDANCE

  • What came up as you thought about the mock interviews?
  • What are your strengths?
  • Difficult topics
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • Handling illegal questions

Read “F.A.Q.s About Illegal Interview Questions” and “Legal vs. Illegal Interviewing Questions”

  • Interview etiquette and tactics
  • More Interview Practice
  • 60 second sells in front of the class
  • Read and discuss, Do you have any questions? And Questions to ask the interviewer
  • Salary Negotiation
  • Cover Letters
  • Course Evaluations

Email your Resume and a Cover Letter for a job that you have applied to or would like to apply to Jerry by Tuesday midnight.

 

Please Note: THE FINAL RESUME & COVER LETTER SERVES AS THE FINAL EXAM OF THIS COURSE.

The resume is worth 100 points and the cover letter is worth 25.

 

Read any Interviewing section of the packet not covered in class.

 

 

                                                                                                    

 

 

 

 

HOMEWORK:

Your homework for this course will consist of reading the class handout, completing worksheets, working on your resume in sections, and preparing answers for interview questions.

 

Homework accounts for 50% of your grade. Resume drafts will only be accepted over email. Resume drafts should be emailed to your instructor. It will be critiqued using the “Track Changes” feature of Microsoft Word. Resumes created using a template or table formats will not be accepted.

 

Before turning in your homework, make sure you correct any spelling or grammar errors.  All graded homework is to be handed in on time. You will only receive 50% of the points for any homework handed in late.

 

The following assignments will be graded based on the completeness and timeliness. The maximum point value is listed beside each assignment:

Job Target Worksheet, completed in class (25 points)

Resume draft emailed by Tuesday midnight (50 points)

Participation in the Mock Interview (50 points)

60 Second Sell in front of the class (50 points)

Final draft of resume emailed by Tuesday midnight (100 points)

Cover Letter emailed by Tuesday midnight (25 points)

Homework Total = 300 points

 

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION:

Since this is a course in job search strategies, your attendance is vital to producing a winning resume and being prepared to answer tough questions in an interview. You will receive 50 points for each Friday that you come to class on-time and participate; 100 points for each Saturday that you come to class on time and participate. You will receive only half of the points for any day if you miss a portion of that day.

Each Friday 50 points

Each Saturday 100 points

Attendance and participation total = 300 points.

Please note: If you miss an entire day of class with no notification of the instructor prior to the class you will receive an F and Fail the course!

 

Your instructor recognizes that there may be extenuating circumstances that cause you to miss portions of a class. Please inform your instructor in advance of any absences.

 

GRADING:

A total of 600 points is possible for the course

A          576 – 600 points

A-       551 – 575 points

B+       526 – 550 points

B          501 – 525 points

C+       476 – 500 points

C         451 – 475 points

D+       426 – 450 points

D         401 – 425 points

F          400 or below – or if you miss an entire day of class with no prior notification to the instructor

 

Students with disabilities who have accommodation needs are required to meet with the Director of the Disability Resource Center (temporarily in the Library Media Center) to establish their eligibility for accommodation.   Telephone: (425) 564-2498 or TTY (425) 564-4110.