MURFREESBORO — Three
full sections of a class that prepares college students for the working world
speak to the increasing competitiveness of the job market.
MTSU’s career development course for juniors and seniors not
only provides tips on resume writing and job seeking, but it encourages
students to look deeply inside themselves to help them determine the future direction
of their working lives.
For the first time this semester, a staffer from MTSU’s
Career Development Center is teaching one of the sections.
“Some students don’t know what major to choose or what to do
with the major they’ve chosen,” said Dusty Doddridge, the center’s assistant
director and instructor of one of the classes. “We have to focus on helping
them choose.”
To facilitate this, Doddridge uses exercises and workbooks
and conducts reflection exercises aimed at helping students assess their own
goals and desires.
He also has students fill out career planning tools such as
the Strong Interest Inventory, a psychology-based assessment that has become
one of the most popular of its kind. It is designed to help students get in
touch with their personal strengths.
In addition, Doddridge has students research their chosen
careers and write papers on the results of that research.
Other issues discussed in the course include social media
and workplace protocol.
Dr. Dianna Rust, an associate professor of university
studies, and Sonja Burk, an adviser in the College of Liberal Arts, teach the
other two sections of the course, which counts toward a degree in the
professional studies major.
Although spring classes are full, the course will be taught
again in the fall 2014 and spring 2015 semesters.
For more information, contact University College at
615-494-7714 or the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500.
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