Career Prep Skills

Instructor Image

Teacher: Karen B. Holston
Date/Time: Wednesday - 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Recommended Grades: 10th, 11th, 12th
Department: Other Electives
Grade Level: High School (9th-12th)

Semester Course – (Offered Fall or Spring Semester) / 90-minute class

Cost: $300 for 4-month course (or $75 per month) + $25 supply fee

This Career Prep Skills course is the ideal opportunity to equip bright, motivated high school students with the essential tools to efficiently prepare for the job search process. These same skills can also be applied to the college application process. In this semester-long course (offered in fall or spring) the class participants will learn the four main “R’s” to gain a competitive edge as they launch into their career path as follows: 

  • Resume (first month) – how to put together a clear, concise resume and an impressive portfolio which captures an individual’s unique abilities and attributes.
  • Resources (second month) – how to research career fields and seek out available job resources while thinking outside the box.
  • Requirements for Interview (third month) – how to professionally present oneself to make a favorable impression in the interview process.
  • Relational & Management Skills (fourth month) – Leadership, Goal Setting, Communication, and Teamwork will be woven throughout the semester, reading a book per month on each topic (each book approximately 100 pages – see below reading list), with particular emphasis on these four topics during the fourth and final month of class. Allow 2 to 3 hours of homework per week.

Books Required

The Secret – What Great Leaders Know and Do – by Ken Blanchard & Mark Miller

Goal Setting – How to Create Action Plans & Achieve Your Goals (2nd ed) – by Susan B. Wilson & Michael S. Dobson

What More Can I Say? – Why Communication Fails and What to Do About It – by Dianna Booher

Teamwork 101 – What Every Leader Needs to Know – by John C. Maxwell

Career Prep Skills Workbook – by Karen B. Holston – [Provided by instructor]

With over 20 years of experience in the fields of Human Resources Management and Education combined, Karen B. Holston facilitates this compelling, highly interactive course on how to sharpen job-seeking and career-related skills with effective techniques to prepare students to successfully pursue their professional endeavors.