Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	3/11/2026
Top Code	493012 - Job Seeking/Changing Skills
Units	2 Total Units
Hours	36 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 36)
Total Outside of Class Hours	72
Total Student Learning Hours	108
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S),  Pass/No Pass (B)

Course Description

Designed for any student preparing to enter or reenter the workforce, as well as any student considering a career transition or in need of career reinvention. This course will equip students with the necessary skills, helpful tools, and resilient mindsets to successfully prepare for and navigate today’s rapidly evolving world of work. Students will learn the most effective methods and strategies to utilize throughout the job search, networking, interviewing, and employment process. A comprehensive job search and personal branding package will be created, as well as an action-based career experience and networking plan. Workforce and industry changes, disruptions, and shifts will be examined, and accompanying skills will be developed such as career and learning agility, growth mindset, career recalculation, and overall professionalism. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Produce a professional Career Toolkit, including a resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, networking plan, and personalized action plan, that authentically represents the student's strengths, purpose, and career goals.
2. Conduct an informational interview with a professional in a field of interest, demonstrating the ability to initiate and build a professional relationship.

Course Objectives

• Assess personal career interests, values, and sense of purpose to identify the types of problems and challenges they want to work on in their careers.
• Articulate their unique value and career narrative in a labor market where AI is rapidly redefining what human contribution looks like.
• Use AI tools effectively and critically as a personalized learning and career development resource, including crafting useful prompts, evaluating AI-generated output, and making intentional decisions about how to integrate or revise that output.
• Develop a personalized action plan that identifies career goals and concrete pathways for building relevant experience, including options beyond traditional education.
• Implement a networking strategy by identifying relevant professionals, crafting outreach communications, and conducting an informational interview.
• Create professional job search materials that clearly and authentically communicate individual strengths, experience, and career narrative.
• Design a job search strategy that incorporates multiple pathways, including traditional employment, internships, volunteer work, and freelance or alternative experience, appropriate to the student's career stage and goals.
• Demonstrate preparation for job interviews through research, response development, and reflective practice in both virtual and in-person contexts.
• Reflect on personal growth as a learner and career planner, identifying transferable skills and strategies for navigating future career transitions in an AI-integrated workforce.

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Lecture Content

1. Career Agility & the AI-Integrated Labor Market

   • Growth mindset and learning agility as career skills
   • How AI is reshaping careers, employer expectations, and human value
   • Introduction to AI tools: effective and critical use
   • Crafting prompts and evaluating AI-generated output

2. Career Exploration, Purpose & Action Planning

   • Self-assessment of interests, values, skills, and personality
   • Clarifying purpose: identifying problems and challenges students want to work on
   • Articulating unique human value in an AI-shaped labor market
   • Researching career paths and labor market trends
   • Action planning: traditional and alternative experience pathways

3. Networking & Informational Interviewing

   • Why networking matters and how it works
   • Identifying professionals via LinkedIn, alumni networks, and industry groups
   • Crafting outreach messages for email and LinkedIn
   • Informational interview preparation, question development, and conversation strategy
   • Following up and building ongoing professional relationships

4. Personal Branding & LinkedIn

   • Identifying your unique value proposition
   • LinkedIn profile optimization: headline, summary, experience, and skills
   • Building a consistent professional narrative across career materials
   • Online presence beyond LinkedIn

5. Resume & Cover Letter Development

   • Resume formats, conventions, and what employers look for
   • Translating experience into compelling, results-oriented language
   • Tailoring materials to specific roles and industries
   • Cover letter structure and storytelling
   • Using AI as a writing and editing coach

6. Job Search Strategies & Alternative Experience Pathways

   • The modern job search: where opportunities actually come from
   • Job boards, company research, and application strategy
   • The hidden job market and the role of networking
   • Alternative pathways: internships, volunteer work, freelance, and independent projects
   • Tracking applications and evaluating opportunities beyond salary

7. Interview Preparation & Offer Evaluation

   • Types of interviews: phone screens, behavioral, technical, and panel
   • Researching employers and preparing smart questions
   • The STAR or CAR method and behavioral interview response development
   • Virtual vs. in-person interview best practices
   • Offer evaluation, negotiation basics, and decision-making

8. Course Synthesis & Ongoing Professional Development

   • Reflecting on the full learning journey and career narrative development
   • Building a continuous professional development habit
   • Staying current with labor market trends and lifelong learning strategies
   • Using AI as an ongoing career development resource
   • Next steps: immediate action items and 90-day goals

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

This course is delivered through a combination of instructor-curated content and AI-assisted personalized learning pathways. Students engage weekly with selected readings, videos, and resources, then apply their learning through hands-on career artifact development with AI as a thinking partner and writing tool. The instructor serves as learning architect and quality coach, providing asynchronous video guidance, structured feedback on student work, and individualized support throughout the course. Assessment emphasizes process and growth alongside final product quality, with students documenting their learning and AI collaboration through a running Career Development Journal.

Reading Assignments

Students will spend approximately one hour per week reading from assigned textbook, handouts, and online resources.

Writing Assignments

Approximately 1-2 hours per week on writing, including reflective journal entries documenting learning and AI use, professional career artifact development, and an informational interview reflection. All writing emphasizes critical thinking, authentic voice, and intentional integration of AI assistance.

Out-of-class Assignments

Approximately 2-3 hours per week on applied work, including AI-assisted career material development, networking and outreach activities, job search research, and interview preparation.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

72

Methods of Student Evaluation

• Written Assignments
• Projects (Individual/Group)
• Oral Presentations
• Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Students demonstrate critical thinking by evaluating AI-generated content, analyzing labor market trends, making intentional decisions about how to integrate or reject AI output, and reflecting on their own learning and growth through regular journal documentation.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Students demonstrate writing and problem-solving skills through the development of professional career materials, reflective journal writing, and the informational interview process. Skills demonstrated include professional communication, networking, resume and cover letter development, interview preparation, career planning, and critical evaluation of AI-generated content.

Resources Subscreen

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Eligible Discipline(s)

• Counseling: Master’s degree in counseling, rehabilitation counseling, clinical psychology, counseling psychology, guidance counseling, educational counseling, social work, or career development, marriage and family therapy, or marriage, family and child counseling, OR the equivalent. (NOTE: A bachelor’s degree in one of the above listed degrees and a license as a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) is an alternative qualification for this discipline.) Master's degree required. Title 5, section 53410.1