CNS 220 Final Project

Part 1: Personal Action Plan

I enrolled in this course for this primary purpose or because:
I enrolled in CNS 220 to finish my senior year by capitalizing on the career resources here at Wake
Forest. What began as a way to fulfill credits for graduation became an eye opening self discovery
and analysis of purpose and goals.
When I started this class, I was considering this/these options in the world of work:
At the beginning of this class, I was considering consulting for a big 10 consulting firm.
At the beginning of our course, these were my initial assumptions/thoughts about myself and the world of
work as it related to me:
1.
2.
3.

I must conform to the ideals and personalities of those already hired in the jobs I desire.
My twenties will be the only time I am this elastic and able to grow so freely and outwardly.
All of my experiences are worthy of being unpacked and made available for interviews and the world
of work.

What are the key points you have learned about yourself as it relates to your current ideas related to career
goals? Which projects, experiences or readings provided this learning? List 3-5 key learnings and the
rationale/or sources for class that help clarify this self-assessment.
1.

According to the Strong Interest Inventory, I am Enterprising, Conventional, Artistic (ECA) which
makes sense, as I have a new interest in marketing and advertising (a top job listed under the
suggested career choices).

2.

Learning about the various career paths helped me understand that I am an open-ended explorer
who knows what she wants in the end but is open to how she gets there.

3.

The Strong Interest Inventory helped me understand how high I scored in enterprising compared to
others, even within my gender. This helped me better situate myself when applying for jobs and gave
me a sense of accomplishment and validity in my interests.

What has been the most valuable piece of information you have learned about yourself as it relates to
opportunities of value to you? How did you learn this as part of our course?
One of the most valuable pieces of information I have learned about myself, and truly have gained an
understanding of how to further develop it, is that goals do not have to be rigid, but can be flexible
and open and willing to take on many different facets and forms. I learned this through my
informational interviews, my restructuring of my bio in my LinkedIn profile, and through my OPCD
learning experiences of resume review, career coaching, and cover letter review.
How did you explore and research career-related opportunities and options? How would you summarize
the resources/experiences that have been most helpful?
1.

Through the three informational interviews I completed, I learned what worked for my lifestyle,
what was inspiring, and what I can take with me into the next phase of my life. Connecting with Ms.
Rachel Vass was one of the most enlightening and incredible connections I could have ever made, and
she has helped me better understand not only myself but also my positioning in this world. Utilizing
the resource of LinkedIn and all of its many facets has been one of the greatest takeaways this
semester.

 What do you need to be doing now based on your class year at Wake Forest and the options you are
currently

exploring? hint: take a look at the OPCD site (it lists activities by year and the explore careers
tab here: http://career.opcd.wfu.edu/explore-careers gives a timeline for specific career fields)
1.

As I am a senior, I need to be applying for jobs that are inspiring and the right fit (i.e. consulting and
advertising agencies), prepping interviews and questions, and growing my network to connect and
expand in the business world.

My list of key points and valuable personal learning is the following:

My experiences are worthy of being heard.

I am unique and that is necessary in the working world.
If I do not have a job that caters to at least one of the values I desire (power, prestige, balance, etc.), it
is not a job I should hold.
Life is a long time; my next step is not the end-all-be-all, so I should stop treating it as such.
My net worth is my network.

My plans for growth are:

Developing my confidence in speaking about myself.

Formulating several responses to the dreaded question so it does not sound overtly formulaic.
Continue to work with my mentor to capitalize on my personal artifacts and better sell my personal
brand.

Options in the World of Work: Career Action Plan

[December 2016]
Step 1: Self-Assessment
Based on what you have learned about yourself, the world of work, values and career related interests, list your
most important information about yourself (column 1). I also expect you to describe the rationale and source of
this learning (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory, Career Genogram, Values Lecture, journal entry, etc.).
Self-Assessment/Career Related Knowledge
I am an open-ended explorer; I know where I
would like to end up, but I am open to how I will get
there.
According to the Strong Interest Inventory
Enterprising, Conventional, Artistic (ECA), which
makes sense as I have a new interest in marketing
and advertising (a top job listed under the
suggested career choices).
I have more of a desire to be in negotiating or some
sort of fixing via consulting or coaching based off
the conversation I had with my father for journal
#3.

Course Citation/Experiential Source

In-class exploration analysis/ Path Finding

Strong Interest Inventory

Journal Entry

Step 2: Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30) Days

In Step 2, Im going to ask you to set some short-term goals based on what youve learned about yourself above.
These goals may be based on information you received in an informational interview, from your job shadow,

perspective gained at an OPCD workshop, data you explored on particular career-related web sites or from our
readings or experiences. Example short-term goals might look like:
Apply for 10 different marketing related internships before April 30th. Rationale: I need to build
professional experience on my resume before junior year (source: informational interview with alumni
contacted through LinkedIn as part of Informational Interview Projects).
Arrange 2 Job Shadows in hometown for June. Rationale: increasing my network gives me more access to
hidden job market (source: Job Shadow Preparation Presentation).
In this table, list two (2) short-term goals for next thirty (30) days and action steps to reach them. Include a
date to complete the goals and action steps (column 1). You should support your goal with an appropriate
rationale/source from the course or your exploration that explains your reason or motivation for the short-term
goals (column 2).
Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30) Days
Goal 1: Apply for 10 different consulting or
advertising/marketing related careers before December
30th.
Action Step a. Use Handshake and the individual
company websites to research different marketing
and sales resources available by December 14th.
Action Step b. Look up deadlines in order to get
organized and start applying by December 23rd.

Goal 2: Schedule informational interviews with 5 people

in both consulting and advertising before December
30th.
Action Step a. Use LinkedIn to find new people to
speak with next.
Action Step b. Contact my previous information
interviewees and/or mentor for people to contact or
interview.

Potential Obstacles to Completing Short-Term

Goals
1.Time/emotional limitations during Christmas break,
as I will be spending Christmas in Washington D.C.
alone and traveling quite a bit between now and next
semester.
2. The places I would like to work may require
experience or value I do not currently have on my
resume.
3. There may not be an opening at the company I truly
wish to work for next year.

Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration

1. After speaking with Rachel Vass, my now-mentor, in an
informational interview, I know that a more client facing
career can also be in advertising or marketing. I can maintain
a fluidity in my first-career approach.
1a. Handshake has positions where businesses are specifically
looking for Wake Forest hires and where I know I can find
information or reach out to Dana to gain additional insight.
1b. I f I miss a deadline, I wont be able to apply for the job,
but I will need more than a week to comfortable prepare a
resume and cover letter for the position, so knowing my
deadlines ahead of time is important.
2. Consulting and advertising can take many different
forms when it comes to careers in the 21st century and the
more exposure I have to the ways these careers are positioned,
the better opportunities I can find when searching for jobs on
the career board (or being referred to one from my newly
made contact) [source: Mr. Chens presentation]
2a. LinkedIn has a wealth of WFU Alumni and connections to
gain insight into my desired field.
2b. Prior informational interviewers are friends with people
in their field that could have potential insight to share with
me if I make the time to listen.

Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles

1. My mentor, Rachel Vass, and my father. Both provide
insight, additional connections, and perspective.
2. Contact someone who works at the firm or company to see if
these are required qualities or if my alternative experience
could be just as applicable.
3. A lot of the time, positions are filled before they even go up
on the job board. By networking with employees or even people
who once held the position I desire, it might open up an
opportunity for me to fill the position I want.

Step 3: Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3) Months

Now, in Step 3, I want you to set two (2) long-term goals and actions steps to help you reach them. Example
long-term goals might look like:

 Join the Executive Committee of Wake and Shake. Rationale: recruiters like to see leadership on a resume
(source: Internship Presentation in Class & OPCD Job Search Workshop)
Conduct informational interview with attorneys in my county by end of August. Rationale: explore law
schools that may network or offer recruiting options within my home state/region to determine top choices
for law school applications (Source: Graduate/Professional School Panel information)
Take Computer Science course next semester. Rationale: basic programming important skill for one of my
industries of choice (Source: informational interview #2 with alumnus at Red Ventures)
Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3) Months
Goal 1: Get involved again with the Exec Board of
PREPARE in Spring 2017
Action Step a. Set up a meeting with Beth Montplaisir
before December 14th.
Action Step b. Reach out to the current exec board to
gain their insight before December 14th.

Goal 2: Join the Exec Committee of Wake and Shake

Action Step a. Contact previous board members like
Graham Gilliam to see how to get involved before
December 14th or January 16th (as time allows for
others).
Action Step b. Look into ways I can make an impact as
part of Wake and Shake by December 14th.

Potential Obstacles to Completing Long-Term

Goals
1. PREPARE might not want an additional board
member
2. My lack of involvement in the past may hinder my
involvement with Wake and Shake now

Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration

1. Recruiters like to see leadership on a resume and I am
passionate about PREPARE (source: OPCD)
1a. I have worked closely with her the past four years and
know she would help me find the right fit for me.
1b. By finding a space needing to be filled in the current
board, I could become a valuable asset instead of someone
just tagging along.
2. Recruiters like to see involvement on campus, and I could use
more involvement on my resume (source: OPCD)
2a. I can learn the ins and outs and how to best position
myself for involvement.
2b. Wake and Shake is such an important part of campus life
in the Spring and if I could help make an impact it would add
that much more value to the whole experience.

Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles

1. Again, talking to Beth to help me find my ideal placement
2. Reaching out to more than one individual on Wake and Shake
Exec Team to gain multiple perspectives.

Accountability Partner (with whom will you share

this plan): Ms. Rachel Vass
After you have completed the Action Plan and had it reviewed by a career coach in the OPCD, take some time to
write up your meta-reflection for the course using the prompts on the next page.
Reviewed by Amy Willard

Part 2: Meta-Reflection
Now that you have a clear action plan developed for yourself, the second part of your final project involves
taking a step back and thinking about all that youve learned, in class, as well as through your career research,
exploration and experiences.

To begin your meta-reflection: Review your progress

First, take a few minutes to review the readings we used from the beginning of our course
(Path Finding, Road Trip Nation, Luck Is No Accident). Now, think about the career beliefs and interests
you had as you entered the course.

What did you believe about the world of work and specifically, your engagement with or vision for
yourself in it? You have explored a host of perspectives, had real experiences and gained competencies
that may have been new or refined though this course. You have documented your progress and gained
skills with the construction of your ePortfolio.

Initially, I felt a mix of emotions and had multiple perspectives in regards to my place in the
working world. I felt confident with some pieces and absolutely insignificant in others. I felt I
must conform to the ideals and personalities of those already hired in the jobs I desired, but also
that my twenties will be the only time I am this elastic and able to grow so freely and outwardly
in my personal brand. This lack of cohesion in my mind was also met by trying to value all of my
experiences as worthy of being unpacked and made available for interviews and the world of
work. Rightfully, this was a confusing time. I thought back on Luck is No Accident and how we
create the outcomes we want by positioning ourselves best for success along with Road Trip
Nation outlining how non-linear our career paths can be in life. I know that I am far more
marketable after gaining the skills to present myself professionally as discussed in class and with
our guest lecturer. I also know how to answer the dreaded question so as to facilitate
connection and growth rather than pitying looks. In Path Finding, it truly helped me to
understand my current exploration process, and how I know where I ultimately hope to be in
career but am open to how I will navigate various jobs to get there. As I look for my first job, I
know it is not where I will be in 10, 20, or 30 years. Instead, it is simply where I will begin,
knowing that one day I hope to land as CEO or Partner of a company or firm.

What do you notice about your ePortfolio and what it says about your growth and preparation?

In regards to my ePortfolio, I notice my ePortfolio is written with pride rather than shying away
from accomplishment or activity. It does not focus on weakness or stress but on success and
moving forward and onward. I really appreciate this positive perspective and attitude. In doing
this, I find I look at my own events and experiences in a more positive light. I think finding value
in my own experiences allows me to rework them into experiences my future employers in
consulting or advertising or marketing would appreciate. It helps to formulate the STAR and
reflect how we will impact their company by bringing our past with us to our future position.

Then, look at your ePortfolio. R

eview your results from the Strong Interest Inventory, re-read your first
informational interview and compare it to your last. Review your job shadow or activities summaries.

What do you notice in the difference between the way you conducted or synthesized information early
in the course and how your thinking has evolved?

I definitely value my experiences more, as I know they are in some way shaping how I relate as a
future hire and am portrayed as a whole. They articulate who I am whereas before this class I
might not have linked them together, so as to keep distance between my many sides. I thought
that was interesting, because I have always thought my various interests could not be brought
together for one purpose. Between my first and last informational interview, I would say my
open-mindedness has greatly improved. I am far more interested in various perspectives than I
was even two months ago, and I am so eager to speak with anyone and everyone I can, whereas

before I stayed away from this. The Strong Interest Inventory made me value what I bring to the
table and companies that encourage that kind of skillset, which I attribute this to helping to
change my mindset as well.

What was the process you used to select your informational interview subjects or areas of exploration?

What kinds of activities items might you now be considering?

I honestly wanted to take advantage of these resources and truly use it for information on a wide
set of careers or activities that catch my interest; firms and agencies, men and women, corporate
and holistic, I wanted these interviews to truly be expansive rather than limiting. This is
definitely different than the path I took in prior counseling classes, being very restrictive of the
selection so as to create a closed network in one career field. I find this to be detrimental now and
significantly inhibiting of a fluid and growth-filled career.

I now am considering becoming more involved with our campus and philanthropy; pursuing
marketing and advertising or positions revolving around sales; and not being so rigid in my idea
of the ideal first job.

Think about how youve changed. What changes do you notice in your thinking as a result of creating
your ePortfolio and your experiences in class? What do you notice in your ePortfolio? How do these
examples demonstrate that you have learned (made a measurable change) as a result of this process?

The ePortfolio is a truly tangible piece of evidence of what I have accomplished and contributed
to this world over the past four years but most importantly the past six months. It synthesizes my
time here at Wake Forest in a way I can be proud of, and tailoring this to fit the positions I am
most interested in is a helpful way to demonstrate who I am as a creative, analytical woman.

Now, here are the questions to guide your written reflection:

BIG PICTURE
Describe how focusing your attention on exploring the world of work, has impacted your thinking?
How do you see your own growth and changes in your perspective? How is your individual education
preparing you for your professional aspirations as you currently understand them? How will you use
the rest of your time at Wake Forest as a result? In other words, what is next for you in this process?
THE PROCESS
Look at your ePortfolio as a whole. How has the creation of the ePortfolio impacted your thinking
regarding yourself as a young professional, as a student engaged in preparing for a career and the
career development cycle?
GROWTH AND VALUE
What has surprised you in the process of completing informational interviews, networking, exploring
resources and evaluating your options? What has been most valuable in light of your goals? How can
this process be helpful to all undergraduates?

My written reflection is a synthesis of the above questions:

Initially, I felt a mix of emotions and had multiple perspectives in regards to my place in the working world. I
felt confident with some pieces and absolutely insignificant in others. I felt I must conform to the ideals and
personalities of those already hired in the jobs I desired, but also that my twenties will be the only time I am
this elastic and able to grow so freely and outwardly in my personal brand. This lack of cohesion in my mind
was also met by trying to value all of my experiences as worthy of being unpacked and made available for
interviews and the world of work. Rightfully, this was a confusing time. I thought back on Luck is No Accident
and how we create the outcomes we want by positioning ourselves best for success along with Road Trip
Nation outlining how non-linear our career paths can be in life. I know that I am far more marketable after

gaining the skills to present myself professionally as discussed in class and with our guest lecturer. I also
know how to answer the dreaded question so as to facilitate connection and growth rather than pitying
looks. In Path Finding, it truly helped me to understand my current exploration process, and how I know
where I ultimately hope to be in career but am open to how I will navigate various jobs to get there. As I look
for my first job, I know it is not where I will be in 10, 20, or 30 years. Instead, it is simply where I will begin,
knowing that one day I hope to land as CEO or Partner of a company or firm.
In regards to my ePortfolio, I notice my ePortfolio is written with pride rather than shying away from
accomplishment or activity. It does not focus on weakness or stress but on success and moving forward and
onward. I really appreciate this positive perspective and attitude. In doing this, I find I look at my own events
and experiences in a more positive light. I think finding value in my own experiences allows me to rework
them into experiences my future employers in consulting or advertising or marketing would appreciate. It
helps to formulate the STAR and reflect how we will impact their company by bringing our past with us to
our future position. The ePortfolio is a truly tangible piece of evidence of what I have accomplished and
contributed to this world over the past four years but most importantly, the past six months. It synthesizes my
time here at Wake Forest in a way I can be proud of, and tailoring this to fit the positions I am most interested
in is a helpful way to demonstrate who I am as a creative, analytical woman.
I definitely value my experiences more, as I know they are in some way shaping how I relate as a future hire
and am portrayed as a whole. They articulate who I am whereas before this class I might not have linked
them together, so as to keep distance between my many sides. I thought that was interesting, because I have
always thought my various interests could not be brought together for one purpose. Between my first and last
informational interview, I would say my open-mindedness has greatly improved. I am far more interested in
various perspectives than I was even two months ago, and I am so eager to speak with anyone and everyone I
can, whereas before I stayed away from this type of action. The Strong Interest Inventory made me value
what I bring to the table along with better understanding companies that encourage my kind of skillset. I
attribute this to helping to change my mindset as well.
I honestly wanted to take advantage of these informational interviews and resources to truly use it for
gaining perspective and knowledge on a wide set of careers or activities that catch my interest; firms and
agencies, men and women, corporate and holistic, I wanted these interviews to truly be expansive rather than
limiting. This is definitely different than the path I took in prior counseling classes, being very restrictive of
the selection so as to create a closed network in one career field. I find this to be detrimental now and
significantly inhibiting of a fluid and growth-filled career. At the close of this course, I now am considering
becoming more involved with our campus and philanthropy; pursuing marketing and advertising or
positions revolving around sales; and not being so rigid in my idea of the ideal first job.
Overall, I think this experience in CNS 220 has been a very tangible and growth-filled one. I have learned
more about myself through self-assessments like the Strong Interest Inventory than I ever imagined and am
more determined to find the best next step for me than ever. These hands on approaches to learning, coupled
with the constant reflection and self-check were some of my favorite aspects of the course. I look forward to
translating these skills to next semester and my place of work next year. Thank you so much for this
opportunity!

Rubric
Personal Action Plan
25 points total

Sophisticated

Competent

Not Yet Competent

Action plan
demonstrates
short-term career
goals and
rationale
(7 points)

Action plan has two both

academic or career-related
goals listed for next 1-3
months (short and long
term) and includes, action
steps, rationale/source from
coursework

Action plan has both

academic and career-related
goals listed for next 1 or 3
months and has rationale for
some but not all or rationale
unrelated to coursework

Action plan has only

academic or career goals but
not both; rationale missing
or incomplete

Action plan
demonstrates use
of long-term goals
and rationale
(7 points)

Action plan has 2 goals,

time-bound action steps
created and cites more than
three references from
projects, experiences or
information gained as part
of course objectives

Action plan has 2-3 action

steps that created and citing
6-8 references from projects,
experiences or information
gained as part of course
objectives

Action plan has 1-2 goals or

action steps but does not
have both; or, does not cite
learning from course as
rationale for action steps

Action plan
includes name of
accountability
partner, potential
obstacles and
resources to
overcome
barriers/obstacles
(3.5 points)

Name of accountability
partner is listed,
obstacles/barriers and
resources to overcome
obstacles/barriers are listed.

Action plan
answers prompts
demonstrating
growth or
perspective from
start of course
(3 points)

Action plan includes

answers to prompts to
questions listed for
pre-planning for document

Action plan includes a few

but not all answers to
prompts/questions listed for
pre-planning for document

Action plan does not include

answers to
prompts/questions listed for
pre-planning for document

Student completes
career coaching
appointment to
review plan
(3 points)

Student attends coaching

session with career coach to
review action plan

N/A

N/A

Action plan added

to ePortfolio and
printed copy
turned in on time
(1.5 points)

Action plan added to

ePortfolio and turned into
class on time

N/A

N/A

Not located in ePortfolio

and/or does not have
accountability partner listed

Rubric
Meta-Reflection
25 points total

Sophisticated

Competent

Not Yet Competent

Reflection on
overall
experience of
ePortfolio
creation
(5 points)

Reflection includes 4-6

specific references of, and
reflections on, aspects of
ePortfolio creation

Reflection includes 3-4

references of, and
reflections on, aspects of
ePortfolio creation; lacks
specificity in terms of
examples or experiences

Reflection includes 1-2

references of, and
reflections on, aspects of
ePortfolio creation; lacks
specificity in terms of
examples or reflection

Reflection on
process
(5 points)

Reflection includes 3
references to actual process
of selecting artifacts,
creating ePortfolio and
editing portfolio for a
targeted audience

Reflection includes 2
references to actual process
of selecting artifacts,
creating ePortfolio and
editing portfolio for a
targeted audience

Reflection includes 1
reference to actual process
of selecting artifacts,
creating ePortfolio and
editing portfolio for a
targeted audience

Reflection on
growth and
progress
(5 points)

Reflection includes 3-5

examples of students
specific learning and growth
achieved during class
through specific experiences
and activities

Reflection includes 2-3

examples of students
specific personal learning
and growth achieved during
class through experiences
and activities, not specific

Reflection includes 1-2

examples of students
specific personal learning
and growth achieved during
class through experiences
and activities, not specific or
tied to projects, experiences
or activities

Overall reflection indicates

consideration of topic and
planning

Reflection indicates some

consideration of topic; feels
rushed

Reflection indicates
inadequate consideration of
topic and no planning;
rushed quality to writing
and thought

Reflection meets writing

conventions; virtually zero
punctuation, grammar,
formatting errors

Reflection meets some

writing conventions;
contains 2-4 punctuation,
grammar, formatting errors

Reflection does not meet

writing conventions; 5 or
more punctuation,
grammar, formatting errors

Meta-reflection added to
ePortfolio and turned into
class on time

N/A

N/A

Quality of
reflection
(5 points)

Writing
conventions
(2.5 points)
Timeliness
(2.5 points)