Sociology of Work and Careers

As part of this course, students will also become familiar with the Rutgers-Camden Career Center and its on campus and e-recruiting services. Everyone is encouraged to work closely with the Career Center (CC) staff to learn career planning and job hunting strategies (including, resume writing, networking, and effective uses of the web in your job search); After selecting specific career fields and industries, students will research what it will take to enter their chosen careers. If more education is necessary, they will do research on graduate programs to find one that is best suited to their career goals, academic abilities, and financial resources. Most of the career planning work is done independently. Manage your time!

Attendance and Class Participation

Sociology of Work and Careers is an dynamic, interactive course, not a lecture class; it requires regular attendance and active participation by students in the classroom. We will do a lot of reading about the world of work and writing to facilitate your career planning efforts. We will also view film clips and documentaries to highlight major social changes that affect what kind of work we do and what skills and attitudes are necessary to launch a successful career. We will work with the staff from the Rutgers-Camden Career Center to utilize resources that are available on our campus and online. As part of your career planning work you will be required to attend at least two Career Center events in addition to our regularly scheduled class.

This class discussion will be much more meaningful if you come prepared to class. If it becomes evident that the class is not doing the assigned work, spot quizzes may be given in the beginning of the class. The class starts at 4:20pm. If you miss a quiz, there will be no make-up.

Required Reading
	Married to the Job : Why We Live to Work and What We Can Do About It by Ilene Philipson Publisher: The Free Press - September 2003 (Paperback) Required - available in the Rutgers bookstore and other local and online bookstores
	In addition to Ilene Philipson's book we will read weekly scholarly and/or newspaper articles that deal with career planning or the sociology of work. These articles may be available via links to our course schedule or to download in pdf format from the Robeson Library's Electronic Reserve Shelf.

Grading or Evaluation Criteria

Students will be evaluated on the basis of their performance in the following categories:

Career Planning Work

• Self Assessment.
  • You will be required to take three self assessment inventories independently (e.g., skills, values, and interests). After working through each of these questionnaires, write a short paper on each about what you have learned by taking these tests and reflecting on the results.
  • The MBTI will be taken online via the Career Center. (Log-in information will be provided for the MBTI.)
    
    
• Career Exploration.
  • Participation in CC Seminars. You are required to participate in and write short reaction papers about at least two Career Center seminar or programs;
  • Informational Interview. As part of your independent career work, you are required to write a short reaction paper on the informational interview you will have done with someone who works in a field you are interested in.
  • Poster Presentation. A final career exploration report is due in the form of a poster presentation at the end of the semester in which you will present what you have learned about the world of work and about yourself. The poster should demonstrate that you have been putting the pieces together to find a field that suits your interests, values, skills, and personality. On the poster you will have information about what skills/level of education/credentials are required for an entry level position; whether you need more education to advance; whether you need to move to a new location; and the overall outlook for that field. Also required is a list of your sources: websites, inventories or tests, informational interviews, career center, articles, books, etc.
    
    >>> more instructions for the content of your final project/poster (ppt) and
    
    >>> Website on how to make a good poster
    

Sociology of Work

• Two major examinations. Both exams will be comprised of combination multiple choice, T/F, matching, and short essay. (evaluation criteria for the essay section)
  
  
• Attendance and Class Participation. Regular attendance is required to pass this class. Class participation will make this course more meaningful to you as you try to learn about and get ready to find your place in the "real world."

 

Grading

Self Assessment work (three writing assignments)	30 %
2 Examinations on the reading (Midterm and Final) (Class participation will be factored into this grade)	40 %
2 Career Center seminars/events participation and reaction papers	10 %
Career Exploration Work (with report on informational interview) and Poster	20 %

A	=	90	-	100
B+	=	85	-	89
B	=	80	-	84
C+	=	75	-	79
C	=	70	-	74
D	=	65	-	69
F	=	64	-	0

Your final grade for the course is based on your overall participation in the course as outlined. Academic dishonesty will result in an automatic failing grade for the course as well as a possible expulsion from the University. Please make sure you familiarize yourself with the University's Plagiarism Policy on the Sociology Department's web site.

The question is not what work should I do,
but what constitutes the good life and how will my labor contribute to it.  
D.R. Hands

Rutgers-Camden Career Center
Tel: 856-225-6046