CSO3001: CAREER LAB

INTERACTIVE WORKBOOK

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 Welcome to Career Lab - CS3001
You have embarked on a journey to transform your life.

About the Course

The goal of this course is to introduce a blended learning model to prepare students for the job market by
helping them internalize professional and business skills. Based on the frameworks of experiential learning
and facilitation techniques, the course aims to build the requisite skills for becoming seasoned professionals,
capable of independent thought and action, who work well with others and are influential in their
organizations.

Learning Outcomes

Apply effective professional interpersonal communication skills in business contexts.

Enhance technical writing skills through the development of effective resumes, cover letters, statement of
purpose, and e-etiquette.
Learn how to make appropriate occupational/educational choices and set realistic
occupational/educational goals.
Develop life-long skills associated with career decision-making and career management.
Recognize the qualities, skills, and abilities that employers are seeking in job candidates.
Comprehend the importance of networking and identify employment leads often overlooked by many job
seekers.
Course Themes

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Career
CAREER Readiness
READINESS

- Career Planning - Personal Pitch/Elevator Pitch

- Career Theories - Career Assessment
- Self Assessments - Professional Documentation
- Goal Setting - Personal Branding: LinkedIn

- Interview Strategies

- Job Application Process
- Networking

Career
CAREER Competencies
COMPETENCIES Career Plan
CAREER PLAN

- Critical thinking/Problem Solving Personal Marketing Plan (PMP)

- Oral/Written Communication jsjfskfks
- Teamwork/Collaboration
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- Time Management
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- Digital Technology
- Leadership fjsjjfsj
- Professionalism/Work Ethic mfkf
Course Timeline
Roadmap to Success
Week 1 Course Introduction & Career Planning

Week 2 Knowing Yourself & Time Management

Week 3 Business Communication & Presentation Skills

Week 4 Verbal Communication & Resume Writing

Week 5 Cover Letters, Job Research and Problem-Solving

Week 6 Job Application Process & Interviews

Week 7 Interviewing Skills

Course Timeline
Roadmap to Success
Week 8 Interview Practice

Week 9 Mock Interviews

Week 10 Exploring Possibilities: Entrepreneurship & Further Education

Week 11 The Power Of Mindset

Week 12 Final Presentations - Personal Marketing Plan

Week 13 Final Presentations - Personal Marketing Plan

Week 14 Assessment Center & Wrap Up

 Session 1
Introduction to Career Planning &
Knowing Yourself
Career Theories Key Takeaways

Krumboltz theory

Several factors have been highlighted as being helpful in career management, including:

the commitment to ongoing learning and skill development

ongoing self-assessment

assessment and feedback from others

effective networking

achieving work-life balance

financial planning to incorporate periods of unemployment

These attributes and tasks enable you to turn chance encounters and occurrences into career
opportunities.
Career Theories Key Takeaways

Parson's theory

Frank Parsons developed the idea of matching careers to talents, skills and personality.

Parsons states that occupational decision making occurs when people have achieved:

an accurate understanding of their individual traits (aptitudes, interests, personal abilities)

a knowledge of jobs and the labor market

rational and objective judgment about the relationship between their individual traits, and the
labor market.

This three-part theory still governs most current practice.

 Strengths & Weaknesses Key Takeaways

Being able to reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses is a key part of being a good leader, and
essential to continuing your development. However, making the time, or even knowing where to
start when it comes to reflecting on areas you could improve upon, can be difficult.

There are two general processes through which we can identify our strengths & weaknesses:

Self-reflection Self- assessment

Immerse in reflective exercises: Evaluating your personality through

tests/assessments:
Asking yourself targeted questions MBTI Test
Analyzing experiences EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence
Asking others (taking feedback from Assessment
peers) VIA Character Strengths Assessment
hhh TotalSDI
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 Strengths & Weaknesses Worksheet

From the BINGO activity conducted during the session, you were able to identify your strengths
and weaknesses. In the space below, list down your strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

Weaknesses
 MBTI Personality Test Worksheet

My MBTI Personality is: __________________________

A famous person who shares my personality type is: _____________________________

Ideal careers/job roles as per my personality

Qualities of my personality type:
type:

A Letter to My Future Self Worksheet

Write a letter to your future self, to be opened and read by you at the completion of this course. You may
answer questions related to how prepared are you for the future, what have you planned after you graduate,
how do you feel about your future planning, what do you expect from the course, or if you have any tip/advice
for your current self. When you finally open and read the letter, you will look back to see how much you have
grown throughout the course.
 Session 2
Knowing Yourself & Time Management
Recalling Strengths & Weaknesses Key Takeaways
Knowing our strengths and weaknesses is important for our career progression in several ways:

It is important to know both your strengths and weaknesses in order to self-evaluate.

Having this knowledge about yourself will also help you narrow down your job search to
Career Progression
specific jobs based on what you’re good at, and it will make employers’ decision to hire
you easier.

Your strengths are the skills you can leverage and use to push yourself further to achieve
Leveraging Your Strengths
your goals. Knowing what you excel in can help you grow and aim higher.

Having a strong self-awareness and ability to highlight your areas of weakness enables
you to proactively work on these, such as taking courses, seeking additional exposure to a
Developing Skills task you are less comfortable with, or working with a mentor to address a weakness. This
process of self-assessment will ultimately strengthen your skill set so that you can
overcome any limitations.

Every weakness has a hidden strength - all students have to do is accept them for what
Corresponding Strengths they are. They should leverage these associated strengths and ask other people for advice
to improve themselves and fix any gaps they might have.

It is important to understand (if you are in a leadership role/or an entrepreneur) your

Knowing What Skills to
weaknesses as it means you know what skill set you need to hire the right skills and build
Hire
a diverse team that can help you, and your organization, to achieve your goals.
Goal Setting Key Takeaways

The next skill in career management is goal setting; to have a look at our present
opportunities and create a tentative plan to acquire clarity. Goal-setting is the process of
taking active steps to achieve your desired outcome. Maybe your dream is to become a
teacher, lawyer, computer scientist or pharmacist. Each one of these dreams involves
setting and reaching small (and big!) goals.

In this course, we will be practicing two tools for goal-setting:

Purpose Map S.M.A.R.T Goals

Purpose Map Key Takeaways

You have a purpose. You have work that you want to do in this life, work that is meaningful to
you and to those who benefit from it. And yes, you have a career in you! Whoever you may be,
whatever field of work you may find yourself in, and whatever your situation right now, you can
have a career so long as you have a desire for one.

A simple but powerful tool helps you identify the opportunities you have right now to live more
purposefully and become the person you want to be. It helps us identify our Purpose and map
out possibilities to narrow down our career path.
Creating Your Purpose Map Worksheet
As attempted during the session, please fill in the template below:
S.M.A.R.T Goals Key Takeaways
Set goals intelligently with the S.M.A.R.T approach

S M A R T

SPECIFIC MEASURABLE ATTAINABLE RELEVANT TIME-BOUND

You need to The goals The goals The target Set a

be clear on should be should not be should align timeframe
what you quantifiable too easy or too with your and/or a clear
want to e.g., generate hard. Set personal/ deadline for
accomplish one lead per ambitious, but professional achieving your
month. realistic goals. goal.
targets.

What do I want to How will I know when How can the goal be Does this seem When can I
accomplish? it's accomplished? accomplished? worthwhile? accomplish this goal?
S.M.A.R.T Goal Setting Worksheet

GOAL:

SPECIFIC

MEASURABLE

ATTAINABLE

RELEVANT

TIME-BOUND

SMART GOAL:
Strategizing Strengths & Weaknesses Worksheet
List any two of the strengths and weaknesses you have identified in the previous activity. For strengths,
mention how they could help in your career progression. For your weaknesses, state how they could be a
hurdle and the steps you would take to overcome them.

Strengths Weaknesses

Strength 1: ________________________________ Weakness 1: __________________________

Explanation: Explanation:
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Strength 2: ______________________________ Weakness 2: _________________________

Explanation: Explanation:
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
Career Competency - Time Management Key Takeaways
Planning Your Time & Prioritizing Your Tasks
Time management—how we choose to use and organize our time—is something many of us struggle with. Effective time
management allows us to make the most of our day, accomplishing tasks more quickly and prioritizing those that will make the
most impact.

Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating your most efficient life. To help you improve
poor time management, we’ll explore two popular techniques to help us plan our time for effective management.
Time boxing helps us organize our time better, whereas Eisenhower helps us prioritize our tasks. Once we have prioritized our
tasks using Eisenhower, we may use timeboxing for the completion of each task.

Timeboxing Eisenhower Matrix

How it works:
From the moment you wake up, assign each time block in How it works:
your day to a task. These tasks can be anything from eating
breakfast to studying for a test. Organize your task list into four separate quadrants,
Divide a piece of paper into two columns. On the left, sorting them by important vs. unimportant and urgent
write down each hour of the day and create blocks of vs. not urgent.
time such as half-hour or hour chunks. Urgent tasks are those we feel need to get done
Estimate the time it’s going to take to complete each of immediately. Important tasks are those that contribute
your tasks and fit them into your time blocks. to your long-term goals or values. Ideally, you should
Add buffer times in between each time block to allow for only work on tasks in the top two quadrants—the other
adjustments during the day. tasks, you should delegate or delete.
Career Competency - Time Management Visual Aid

Eisenhower Matrix

Urgent Not Urgent

Do. Schedule.
Important

Tasks with Tasks with unclear

deadlines or deadlines that
consequences contribute to long-term
success

Delegate. Delete.
Not Important

Tasks that must get Distractions and

done but don't unnecessary tasks
require your skill-set
Time Management Worksheet 1

Using the list of tasks created during discussion, arrange the tasks based on the Timeboxing technique.

Timeboxing Technique
List of Tasks

00:00 00:30
Time Management Worksheet 2

Using the list of tasks created during discussion, arrange the tasks based on the Eisenhower Matrix:

List of Tasks Eisenhower Matrix

Do Schedule

Delegate Delete
 Session 3
Business Communication & Presentation Skills
Communication Skills - Verbal Key Takeaways
4 Ps of Vocal Delivery - Speaking with Impact
Voice is a powerful tool for presenters. Voice can make all the difference between success and failure when you’re aiming to
engage your audience. The use of 4 Ps is particularly important for prepared speech for more formal settings, where you are
addressing an audience. For example: giving a presentation, reading aloud reports and minutes for board meetings, debating,
telling a story, broadcasting etc.
Voice modulation is achieved by changing the pitch and power of your voice and pace of your speech. Voice modulation can be
improved by practicing phrases, amusing sentences, dialogues, prose passages, tongue twisters and poetry.

Power stands for the loudness of your voice, and all voices are breath, in order to increase the
Power power of your voice, you need to enlarge your lung capacity with breathing exercises.

Pitch refers to the ups and downs of your notes when you speak. Then you can variate your pitch
from high to low. For example, you use high pitch when you talk about something exciting and
Pitch positive, and low pitched voice when you talk about something serious or sad. We all have the
ability to speak from a vocal range – which includes higher notes and lower notes. However, it
takes great awareness and practice to notice your own pitch and to change it consciously.

Pace refers to the speed at which you speak. A good speaker knows the value of changing the
pace as they speak. You can also play with your pace, at times it could be slower, and at times
Pace faster. For example, when you are introducing a topic that is exciting you can speed up the pace
of your voice. On the other hand, when you want people to focus their attention you may slow
down for emphasis.

Pause involves stopping momentarily for effect in the middle of your remarks. It is a tool that is
Pause used hand in hand with variations of Pace. There is a pause for effect, pause between paragraphs,
etc. With pauses, you can bring an emphasis to a certain word or idea, separate ideas, etc.
Communication Skills - Verbal Key Takeaways
EPIC Framework

We talk a lot about communication but are never told about how to communicate and what to
communicate. EPIC framework is a holistic approach to communication that is applicable to a wide range of
interactions. EPIC helps to communicate those ideas in a way that inspires people to act and to implement
meaningful change.
The four elements that make up the EPIC framework are:

Empathy means putting yourself in other person’s shoes to understand their perspective. For
Empathy example, take the perspective of your audience in order to build a strong foundation for your
communications.

While communicating, define the purpose to include their needs and yours. This question “What
Purpose is the overall purpose of the project, and how does this interaction help us to move us towards
it?” can help you build your response.

Your message/ideas should be supported by insights and facts. You may use research, statistics
Insight and case studies.

In order to have a great conversation you need to plan and arrange the flow of an effective two-
Conversation way conversation. Use storytelling techniques to build memorable connection with your
audience.
Communication Skills - Non-Verbal Key Takeaways

Non-verbal communication is as important as verbal communication to make an impact. Below

are a few elements of non-verbal communication:

Eye contact Sitting posture Facial expressions

Gestures Dressing style Body Language

Communication Skills - Non-Verbal Worksheet

In the picture below, identify areas where non-verbal communication is not up to par.
Business Communication - Email Etiquette Key-Takeaways

Why is Email Etiquette Important?

Professionalism Efficiency Respect

Show that you are Look efficient Avoid unnecessary
ready for your sending to-the- embellishments
future career point messages and small talk
Business Communication - Email Etiquette Key-Takeaways
Tips to Write a Professional Email
Using an unprofessional email address tends to be a common mistake among students.
Use a professional email
Make sure to make a professional email ID before sending important emails.
address A professional email would ideally only include your name or some number if need be.

The email's subject line informs the recipient of what they can expect to find in the email's
Use a direct subject line body. It may help them sort their emails or begin finding information for a response before
reading the full message. Make email subject lines clear and straightforward.

Use professional greetings Easy rule of thumb is to stick to modifying them according to the time of the day, such as:
Good morning, Good afternoon or Good evening.

Avoid using unprofessional Do not write (Roman Urdu) Urdu using English alphabets in your email. Stick to using
language English and avoid slang words.

Conclude your email with a short closing, such as “Thank you,” “Best regards” or
“Sincerely.” Include your full name at the bottom along with your title and essential
Closing of Email contact information, such as your phone number. This closing gives your recipient all the
details they need to respond.

It is always a good idea to take another look before pressing send. Spellcheck can catch
Review many errors but be sure to check for typos on your own, too.
 Session 4
Verbal Communication & Resume Writing
 Career Readiness - Elevator Pitch Key-Takeaways
"An elevator pitch is a short yet impressive introduction of yourself designed to market your experiences and skill
sets. You can also use it to create interest in a project, idea or product – or in yourself. A good elevator pitch should
last no longer than a short elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name."
Knowing how to write a good elevator pitch will be useful. Refer to the elements below for a good elevator pitch:

Start by thinking about the objective of your pitch.

Identify Your Goal For instance, are you a current student looking to get an internship over the summers? A fresh
graduate applying for jobs or an entrepreneur looking for investors?

It is important for the listener to have an idea of the person/product/idea they are being informed
about. If you are a student, your pitch will include your semester and major. If you are a fresh graduate,
Explain What You Do you will talk about your major and field of interest. In case you are pitching a business idea, you will
talk about your product.

Unique Selling Proposition to what makes a product unique, you should also know that people also
USP have USPs. A Unique Selling Proposition is any skill, idea or characteristic that makes you or your
product stand out from the rest.

After you communicate your USP, you need to engage your audience. To do this, ask questions to
Engage With a Question involve them in the conversation.

When you've completed each section of your pitch, put it all together.
Then, read it aloud and time how long it takes. It should be no longer than 20-30 seconds. Otherwise,
Put It All Together you risk losing the person's interest, or monopolizing the conversation.
Try to cut out anything that doesn't absolutely need to be there. Remember, your pitch needs to be
snappy and compelling, so the shorter it is, the better!
 Elevator Pitch - Sell a Product Worksheet
Draft an Elevator Pitch for your product in the 'Sell a product' activity using the template below:

Identify Your Goal

Explain What You Do

USP

Engage With a Question

Put It All Together

Career Readiness - Resume Writing Key-Takeaways

RESUME vs. CV

Resume CV

One to two pages long No length limit

Job hunting in all industries For jobs in Academia

Tailored to specific job A comprehensive overview

Emphasize skills Emphasizes academic accomplishments

Used when applying for a position in industry, Used when applying for positions in academia,
non-profit, and public sector fellowships and grants

After 1 year of industry experience, lead with work Always begins with education and can include
experience and place education section at the or name of advisor and dissertation title or summary
near the end, depending upon qualifications (see examples). Also used for merit/tenure review
and sabbatical leave
Career Readiness - Resume Writing Key-Takeaways
Components

Resume CV

Contact Information (Email, Contact Number, LinkedIn, City Contact Information

Name)

Resume Summary or Resume Objective (A one- to two- Research Objective, Professional Profile, or Personal
sentence overview of your short-term professional goals with Statement (Research objectives describe what your research is
an explanation of why you’re seeking employment.) trying to achieve. A personal statement is a brief personal
summary given to prospective employers or Universities.)

Work Experience (Relevant work experience tailored Education

accordingly)

Education (2-3 recent educational degree/courses) Teaching Experience (includes volunteership/internship or

TA/RAship) OR Research Experience / Lab Experience /
Graduate Fieldwork

Skills Languages and Skills

Additional Sections (Awards, Courses, Publications, Additional Sections: (Peer-Reviewed Publications, Awards and
Certificates, Conferences, etc.) Honors, Grants and Fellowships, Books)
Career Readiness - Resume Writing Key-Takeaways

How to Organize and Write a Resume

In all the sections, focus on the latest thing first. For example, in Education, mention the
Chronological order degree you are currently pursuing.

Action Verbs describe the impact of your work and make your resume more professional.

Action Verbs Trained my department vs. Created new training material and supervised a team of 30
employees.

By quantifying, we can make our work seem more credible and impactful. So, always add
numbers in your resume.
Quantification makes an impact on the job role statements in the resume. For example:
writing, 'mentored a class of 40 students on leadership and growth mindset skills' shows
Quantification the scale of your teaching practice and leaves an impact on the recruiter who might
consider you for the position as he/she will be aware that you are equipped to deal with a
large audience.
 Action Verbs & Quantification Worksheet

Using action verbs and quantification, revise the statements given below:

Created new training material and supervised a team of 30 employees.

Trained my department

Did a fellowship on professional

development

Did an internship at a digital

agency and made social media
content for them

President of debating society and

organized many competitions
Career Competency - Critical Thinking Key Takeaways

Are you looking to land the perfect job? Or an employee aiming to climb the next rung on the career
ladder? Developing your critical problem-solving skills will make you a better candidate for that new job
or promotion.
The words “critical thinking” frequently pops up in job descriptions and on adjective lists for resume-
writing, so it’s clearly a desirable characteristic. It’s such an important skill that some employers even
require candidates to pass a critical thinking test for employment with the company.

Here are some ways to improve and utilize your critical thinking skills:
Keep the goal in mind
Know your biases and try to look past them
Ask questions and gather information
Evaluate the facts of the situation and all available data
Collaborate and get feedback from others—especially people with different backgrounds than your
own
Generate possible solutions, particularly out-of-the-box ideas
Consider the short- and long-term consequences of implementing each solution
Make a decision or come to a conclusion
Present and communicate the decision or conclusion
 Session 5
Cover Letters, Job Research and Problem-Solving
 Job Description Key Takeaways
A job description contains the following components: job title, job purpose, job duties and responsibilities,
required qualifications, preferred qualifications, and working conditions.
When you find a job posting you like, look for these factors while you revise your professional documentation:

Role Match

Your "target job title" should match the title that is being advertised and go toward the top of your resume to catch the eye of
the hiring manager and any applicant tracking system (ATS) that's searching for a match.

Value Match

Find overlap between your previous responsibilities and qualifications to show what value you can bring to this organization.
Look beyond tangible skills and highlight your work ethic or personality traits that make you a great candidate.

Skill Match

Identify the hard and soft skills from the job ad and mirror the same language in your resume. Include your educational
background, work experiences and transferable skills that show you are equipped to perform the job with the skills you have
acquired through your career.
Career Readiness: Cover Letter Key Takeaways

A cover letter is a one-page document that you submit as part of your job application (alongside
your CV or Resume). Its purpose is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional
background. A good cover letter can spark the HR manager’s interest and get them to read your
resume.

Tips to write an effective cover-letter:

Step 1: Make it Personal

Step 2: Tell Them Why You Picked Them

Step 3: Tell Them Why They Should Pick You

Step 4: Show Passion

Step 5: Show Kindness

Career Readiness: Cover Letter Key Takeaways

The cover letter can be divided into 4 paragraphs:

Paragraph 1 Start by your introduction and write about the job you are applying
[Make it personal] for. You can mention your qualifications here.

Paragraph 2
Talk about the company here, do your research, find out which
[Why you picked
specific projects the company is doing and what strikes your interest.
them]

Paragraph 3
Now, talk about yourself. Talk about all your relevant job experiences
[Why they should pick
or anything you have done to learn the skills the JD has mentioned.
you + Show passion]

End on a good note - talk about how you are looking forward to
Paragraph 4
meeting them and how thankful you are to them for taking out the
[Show kindness]
time.
 Career Readiness: Job Database Worksheet

From the job database create during the session with your facilitators, mention the
relevant sources that you plan to consult in the template below:

Websites Portals Additional Sources

 Career Readiness: Job Research Worksheet

Based on the company allotted to you during the session, fill in the job research
template below:

Company Name

Mission and Values

Key players of the organization

Clients, products & services

HR Team

Recent press release/Recent event

The skills and experience the company

values

Current Jobs Available in your field (Yes/No)

In case of yes, please list the positions.
Career Competency - Problem Solving & Team Building Key Takeaways

The Desert Survival Problem provides a unique opportunity to quickly and objectively
measure whether your groups are achieving synergy—as well as demonstrate this
otherwise elusive concept. Synergy occurs when the interactive efforts of two or more
people produce a solution that is superior to their independent solutions.

By measuring the quality of both individual and team performance on a single task,
this simulation allows groups to quickly calculate the extent to which they are fully
utilizing their resources—and doing so in a way that achieves synergy.
 Session 6
Job Application Process & Interviews
Career Readiness: Job Application Process Key Takeaways
In order to increase the chances of being successful at any task, it is crucial to know
the steps involved in that task. A thorough understanding of the hiring process will set
you on the right track and equip you to prepare for the job that they want.

General Process for Private Jobs

Panel
Online
Recruitment Gaming HR Interview/ Assessment
Application Job Offer
Drive Test Interview Technical Center
Form
Interview

General Process for Government Jobs

Online Application Test

[PPSC, FPSC, NTS, [English/Analytical, Medical
Interview Job Offer
National Job Quantitative/ Examination
Portal] Technical]
Career Readiness: Job Application Process Worksheet
Based on the discussion during the session and your research, write the stages of job
application process in your field:

Field: __________________________________

8
 Career Readiness: LinkedIn Profile Key Takeaways
LinkedIn will help you find a job faster because most hiring managers and recruiters are already using it. A
whopping 87% of recruiters find LinkedIn to be the most effective when vetting candidates during the hiring
process. Having an active and well put together LinkedIn profile will, thus, significantly increase the chances of
your discovery by various companies looking to hire people based on your skills and experience.

Here is checklist that you can refer to while updating your LinkedIn profiles:

Professional Photo

Headline (Student + Degree)

Profile Summary

Work and Experience: Short & Sweet

Recommendations
(From teachers and any managers you have worked with)

Contact Details

Customize your public profile URL

Skills & Endorsements

Career Readiness: Interview Preparation Key Takeaways
By now, you have prepared your professional documentation, understood the job
description and conducted company research. What comes next? The interview
process!
Breakdown of an Interview:
The interview process can be divided into 3 stages. These 3 stages are:

Pre-Interview During interview Post-interview

Understanding the hiring

process and job
requirements Professional Dressing
Doing company research Verbal communication - how
Thank-you email
Tailoring documents - they answer the interview
Reflection on interview
resume and cover letter questions
performance
Applying and appearing for Non-verbal communication -
Follow-up in 1 week
the interview on time - how confident and
punctuality can make or comfortable do they appear
break the deal
Career Readiness: Interview Preparation Worksheet
Unwritten Rules of Interviewing

What do I wear to an Interview? At a corporate

firm? At a start-up firm?

What should I bring to an interview?

What should I NOT bring to an interview?

When should I arrive for my interview? What if I

am running late?

Should I ask how much I’d be getting paid? If so,

how/when should I ask?

Should I ask other questions (not related to pay)?

What could those be?

Is following up necessary? If so, how/when do I

follow up?
Career Competency: Critical Thinking Key Takeaways

Critical thinking is one of the most highly sought-after skills in the workplace. Critical thinking skills allow a person to
analyze information, arrive at conclusions and make sound decisions. Applying critical thinking in the workplace is an
essential skill everyone should be trying to improve. It can set you apart as a leader, improve the quality of your work,
and the perception those higher up the chain have of you.

Critical thinking in the workplace is a deeper level of thinking where we question, analyze and draw conclusions about
information and evidence.

Critical thinking skills are valuable in all roles in an organization. These skills enhance communication, creativity and
problem-solving. Thinking critically in the workplace allows you to connect ideas, evaluate arguments, find errors and
solve complex issues. The workplace is packed with situations that require teams and individuals to approach complex
problems and solve them using new and innovative approaches. Employees who can communicate and relate with
coworkers, develop strategies and overcome issues are more likely to succeed.

Critical thinking is especially important in three areas of business:

leadership
problem-solving
communication
 Session 7
Interviewing Skills
Interview: Question Behind Questions Key Takeaways
Three Core Themes:

Skills Passion Fit

includes the right qualification and indicates how well a person will
seeks to explore if a candidate is
prowess essential to perform a job. The integrate within a company. A
actually ambitious about the role and
qualifications, necessary technical company seeks to have a team
the work that comes with it.
skills, soft skills and practical expertise that empowers others and creates
all come under the umbrella of skills.

a strong support system.

Compatibility can be assessed in a

number of ways:
An interviewer will assess a candidate’s General behavior and
passion in the following ways: demeanor before, during, and
An interviewer will assess a candidate’s
Manner in which a person talks about even after the interview
skills in the following ways:
the role and the work Companies can also look up a
Degree
Deeper knowledge and person’s social media handles
Courses/Certifications
understanding of the job, that which to
Internships
surpassed surface-level knowledge Questions related to social
Communication
Knowledge of recent developments in issues can be asked to assess if
Extracurricular and leadership
related fields a person possesses extreme or
activities
Volunteer/internship experience moderate ideas

Ideas and visions to contribute to the Questions related to past

discipline conflicts indicate how a person
reacts in face of an unfavorable
situation
Interview: 5 Categories of Interview Questions Key Takeaways
Tell me about yourself.
Personal Assessment Questions What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
How do you handle stressful situations?

Describe a time when you disagreed with a team member.

Tell me about a time when you failed.
Behavioral Questions Give me an example of when you had to assume leadership for a team.
What is the most difficult/ challenging situation you've ever had to resolved
in the workplace?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Personal Goal Questions How do you plan to achieve your goals in life?
What is your objective in life? (Or “What is your aim in life?”)

Why are you switching your job?

What are the two most significant achievements you had in your last job?
Can you share more about the XYZ task in ABC project you listed on your
Experience based Questions
resume?
What about your last job did you like least and most?
Do you have experience in leading a team?

Why should we hire you?

Fit for Company/Position
What do you know about the role?

Tricky/Difficult Questions How many golf balls can fit into a bus?
 Session 10
Exploring Possibilities:
Entrepreneurship & Further Education
Herd Mentality Key Takeaways
"Following actions of a bigger group, without any critical thinking or self-awareness."

When it comes to planning our future, we tend to have the herd mentality; doing what the
majority of the people are doing. For example, we generally believe that only medical and
engineering fields are most rewarding ones.

Social factors lead us towards herding and making career and educational choices regardless of
knowing our personal interests and faculties.

Find your own career path that’s right for you. Think of what you’re good at, where your skills
best lie and what exactly you enjoy doing. Then, go for it!
Career Readiness: Further Education Key Takeaways
Why should you pursue higher education?

Earning a master’s degree helps you gain specialized knowledge to advance in

your field. As the workforce evolves, a graduate degree shows you’re dedicated to
Specialized Knowledge enhancing your industry expertise and credibility. You can focus on a particular
field of study, which helps you become more competitive in your field.

A master’s degree can make it easier to transition into more senior positions, such

as management and leadership. Many organizations not only recognize the

Career Advancement benefits of a master’s degree, but even prefer their employees to have one.

By earning a master’s degree, you can significantly increase your income by

landing into specialized roles.
Increased Earning Potential

Whether you take courses online or in-person, your fellow classmates come from a

wide variety of industries and backgrounds. As a graduate student, you are

connected to numerous professionals—many of whom are successful in their

Enhanced Professional Network careers.

As you go around the globe you will be able to engage on multiple platforms with

a great number of people while being exposed to multicultural growth for
Cultural experiences & exposure professional and personal grooming
Career Readiness: Further Education Key Takeaways
The steps involved in applying for a Higher Education degree are mentioned below:

Step 1 Step 2

Finding the Right Finding the Right

Country University

Step 3 Step 4

Choosing the The Application

Relevant Program Process
Design Your Graduate Plan Worksheet

Undergraduate Major

Preferable Country/Countries

Preferable University/Universities

Preferable Program(s)
(For each program, mention the
duration of degree.)

Criteria
(Please list down the general
application process)
Career Readiness: Entrepreneurship Key Takeaways

"Entrepreneurship is starting and developing a company, delivering something new

to the market, or organizing the means of production superiorly."

"Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources you currently

control” - (Stevenson, Business School- Harvard)
Career Readiness: Entrepreneurial Mindset Key Takeaways

People with an Entrepreneurial Mindset tend to:

1. Take ownership 2. Be action-oriented

3. Be highly resilient and resourceful 4. Be lifelong learners

5. Create value for others 6. Have high-level reliability

Entrepreneurship: Business Model Canvas Key Takeaways
"A tool for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. A pre-structured canvas of 9 building
blocks to help you map, discuss, design the new business model/idea."

The 9 building blocks of the business model canvas are mentioned below:

Customer Segments Who are the customers? What do they think? See? Feel? Do?

Value Propositions What’s compelling about the proposition? Why do customers buy, use?

Channels How are these propositions promoted, sold and delivered? Why? Is it working?

Customer Relationships How do you interact with the customer through their journey?

Revenue Streams How does the business earn revenue from the value propositions?

Key Activities What uniquely strategic things does the business do to deliver its proposition?

Key Resources What unique strategic assets must the business have to compete?

Key Partnerships What can the company not do so it can focus on its Key Activities?

Cost Structure What are the business major cost drivers? How are they linked to revenue?
Entrepreneurship: Business Model Canvas Worksheet

Key Partners Key Activities Value Propositions Customer Relationships Customer Segments

Key Resources Channels

Cost Structure Revenue Streams

Mash-Up Innovation Worksheet

Brainstorming Mashup!

Mashup Concepts Concept Names

Global
Technologies Human Needs
Challenges
 Session 11
The Power Of Mindset
Mindset Overview Key Takeaways

“A set of attitudes or beliefs that you hold which shapes how you make sense of the
world and yourself. It affects how you think, feel and react in a specific situation"

How we react in the face of adversity or in a challenging situation has a lot to do with
our mindset. Our mindset can reinforce our beliefs related to ourselves and our
surroundings. Having the right mindset can increase our likelihood of realizing our
potential and achieving long-term success.
Mindset Theory Key Takeaways

This theory was developed by renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol

Dweck. It argues that it's not intelligence, talent or education that makes people
successful. It's their mindset or the way that they approach life's challenges.

She has divided mindset into two distinct types, growth mindset and fixed mindset.

Fixed Mindset Growth Mindset

"Intelligence is malleable and can be "Intelligence is something you are

developed over time through hard born with, and you cannot do much
work and persistence." to change it.
Mindset Quiz Worksheet

As part of your class activity, you attempted a mindset quiz. Based on the result of the quiz,
please fill in the following information.

Before the quiz, what mindset did you think you have? ________________________

What were the results of your mindset quiz?

_____________ _____________
Growth Mindset Fixed Mindset

To improve your results and achieve a greater percentage of growth mindset, what strategies
do you plan to take?
 Mindset Statements Worksheet
As part of your group activity, you converted statements representing a fixed mindset into
growth mindset. Re-write the statements below:

Fixed Mindset Reflection Question Growth Mindset

Example: Example:
Example: Could I try a different strategy or Failure is a part of the process and in fact
“I tried; I failed. It’s just beyond me." approach? a learning point. I should try a new

technique and hopefully it will work

“I didn’t achieve what I set out to do; I

failed.”

“I just wasn’t born smart:"

“I can’t do it; I’ll never be able to do it.”

“I don’t know how or if I’ll get there…

ever.”

“This course is way too challenging for

me”
 Rose, Bud & Thorn Key Takeaways

How many of you regularly take time out and ponder, what has been going well for you, what
challenges are you facing and how can you improve?

In order to do a pulse-check with ourselves, to see how we have been doing lately and strategize
to improve, a reflective exercise 'rose, bud and thorn' has proven to be effective.

Rose a highlight, success, small win, or something positive that happened

new ideas that have bloomed or something you are looking forward
Bud
to knowing more about or experiencing

a challenge you experienced or something you can use more

Thorn
support with
 Rose, Bud & Thorn Worksheet

Reflect on any situation in your life, and identify the rose, bud & thorn in the situation.

Situation:

Rose

Bud

Thorn

List down the strategies through which you can change your thorns into roses OR for the thorn(s) mentioned,
identify the buds that could be a result of it helping you grow.