Career Management (Assessment & Discovery) for Undergraduate Students

BUS 2101-01 (Spring 2025)

Instructor: Michael Estepp Office Hours:

Senior Director – Career Center Email Instructor directly to set-up appointment
Email: [email protected] Phone: (254) 710-7662

Course Description
BUS 2101: Career Management (Assessment & Discovery) consists of a variety of career exploration and
development experiences designed to help you identify your career interest, prioritize, and focus your job
search efforts as well as develop your leadership, communication, and personal marketability. The course
addresses many critical career topics including self-assessment, career passion discovery, career exploration
and resume development exercises, and training. BUS 2101 also includes career planning resources to assist in
the prioritization of the student’s respective internship, job, and career development. This course is designed
to enhance your ability to secure a rewarding internship and full-time job in the career area of choice, one that
is a satisfying fit based on your respective career interests. In addition, the skills you learn in this class will be
an important career survival tool as you navigate the ups and downs/highs and lows of your respective
professional field throughout your career.

As a Hankamer Business School student, you will have access to personal career coaches located in Suite 150
and a wide array of professional career resources; however, you are accountable for utilizing these items and
making your career development a priority and success. We are here to assist you, but you must take the
initiative and work diligently to achieve your career dreams. The professional job market is extremely
competitive, and your success is contingent upon your work ethic and personal commitment to become a
highly recruited, applicant for the professional position you are seeking.

Specifically, BUS 2101: Career Management (Assessment & Discovery) is designed to provide you with:
 An assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses
 The discovery of your career interests
 Understanding the impact of emotional intelligence
 Understanding the available career tools/resources and how to use them effectively
 Industry and job focusing exercises to aid in your career selection
 Professional development coaching for your career goals
 Successful brand management and personal marketability and enhancement of your communication
skills, and professional utilization of social media
 Experience confronting ethical and integrity issues in the workplace
 Basic understanding of how to begin the internship and job search process
 Basic understanding of connecting and networking to enhance your career traction
 Resume development and understanding of the “Fit” process for each opportunity
Learning Goals: To think critically, to solve problems effectively, and make decisions strategically across
functional areas within your career development

Objectives:
 Learn and apply techniques to position yourself for a successful internship and job placement
 Understand and apply principles to discover your career passion, to research career opportunities,
and to network to obtain a position commensurate with your interests and skills

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Coursework/Assignment: Understand and apply principles of fundamental career management techniques and
strategy to achieve measurable progress with regard to your personal marketability as a college graduate; as
you seek to secure and excel in an internship and ultimately make the most of your career potential.

Course Objectives

BUS 2101: Career Management (Assessment & Discovery) is intended to give you clarity about your career
interest and give you confidence to take ownership of your career progression. The course will build a base of
knowledge that will allow you to address the specific needs and skills to make the most of your career
potential. Those needs and skills will include career direction, personal development and branding, business
etiquette, resume production, career research, and interviewing skills. BUS 2101 and BUS 3101 will give you
an awareness of the value of emotional intelligence and hopefully push you to gain professional insight which
will give you an edge to position yourself to achieve your career dreams. To clarify, a rewarding professional
career does not come easily and the sooner you commit to exceptional work ethic and becoming the type of
impactful employee that is highly sought after by world-class and highly desirable employers, the sooner you
can build a credible resume to enhance your career trajectory. We want you to realize and fully embrace the
competitive nature of the job market. We also want you to recognize the benefits of strong internships and/or
positioning for graduate school to set yourself apart from other applicants and candidates in your field of
choice.

Required Course Materials, Textbooks, Readings and Online Engagement

1. Respondus Lockdown Browser – students will be required to download, install, and set-up Respondus
before their first class. Please see your class Canvas page for instructions on how to download the
software.
2. Textbook – College to the Career You Love - Kenneth Buckley, Michael Estepp and Jeffrey Stubbs,
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company -4th Edition ISBN # 9781-5249-7185-4 (E Book) – note that you will also
use this book for BUS 3101. You will cover the first 6 Chapters in BUS 2101 and the remaining 4 Chapters in
BUS 3101. You will be tested the chapters of the book throughout this course. You can access the book
through Canvas. Go to “Modules” then scroll down to the “Brytewave course materials” module to
access the book.

General Expectations of students

Class participation and group interaction is a key requirement to maximize the effectiveness of this course.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to broaden your knowledge of your career strengths/weaknesses;
discover your career passion; learn about potential careers within the different industry areas and segments
within business school majors. As a student, your efforts throughout the semester will build a foundation to
achieve your career goals. You must make the most of your respective, career management assignments and
experiences in order to put yourself on the path to achieve your career dreams.

Within the class you will be asked at times to play a personal role as a peer coach as well as demonstrate
professional career maturity. You will also be asked to actively work on your leadership skills and to take
ownership in your personal career development so you can enhance your value to potential employers. This is
an opportunity that will boost your career potential and that of your peers. In building productive peer
coaching relationships, you will maximize the value of this course and develop critical learning and reflection
skills that will serve you throughout your career. You and your peers will hold each other accountable for doing
this important work. Success in this area will enhance your ability to have satisfying career choices and
excellent career management skills.

During the course, you will be required to complete multiple assignments to give you clarity and direction,
prepare an effective resume that clearly identifies your professional strengths, and understand how to modify
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your resume to support your job/internship search by showing a close fit between the opportunity
requirements and your capabilities. It is critical for your career success you understand the career role that
you are interested in and qualified for. It is also critical you fully understand the requirements that make up
the internships and full-time positions you seek. Your career progress is based on making a positive impact in
every role you fill. Look at each opportunity as an adventure to develop your professional skills and
networking capital. Your career consists of key variables in your career formula (location, compensation,
career potential, networking contacts, etc.) and you should take ownership of the research necessary to
position yourself for success. You must become proficient in articulating how you can make a positive impact
in an organization, and you must work diligently to build professional credibility and develop the type of work
ethic and attitude that prospective employers seek.

As part of this class, you must be able to accomplish and show proficiency in the following areas:
 Register for and effectively utilize Baylor University’s online career recruiting platform - Handshake
 Register for and create an effective profile to establish your professional brand via LinkedIn
 Register for and efficiently utilize our strategic internship, job, and networking search engine -
CareerShift
 Develop and maintain an effective resume and utilize our resume development resources
 Research and develop a personal career strategy that positions you for career success
 Demonstrate capabilities and efficiencies with the numerous career tools provided to you by the
Baylor University Career Center: including job /internship search, interview prep, salary availability
per position, resume development, resume fit via Jobscan, and your own personal student career
dashboard
 Comprehend and demonstrate how to effectively answer the “3 Whys” with respect to your career
area
 Understand and have a resolution plan for your career gap analysis
 Be prepared to deal effectively with conflict, integrity/ethics challenges, and build professional
maturity
During the semester you will also be required to complete a number of graded assignments, attend two
company information sessions, and attend the Baylor Career Day on Wednesday 2/26/2025. In addition, you
will be tested on course material in the form of class quizzes/tests and a comprehensive Final Exam at the end
of the semester.

NOTE: Attendance at the Baylor Career Day is mandatory. There is NO make-up option for this assignment.
This critical career event will take place on Wednesday, February 26th, from 12 pm to 5 pm. The five-hour
window should allow you enough flexibility to address any conflict with your other classes and activities. The
Baylor Career Day event gives you an opportunity to gain a unique and personal perspective on your career
direction. During the career fair you will be required to meet with at least four companies and complete a
written assignment of your activity. This is a critical assignment for your career development, be sure and
prepare accordingly.

These requirements in conjunction with the continued development of your career skills will allow you to
better represent yourself in a professional and articulate manner. An important aspect of the class is the
successful development and effective delivery of your professional introduction that you will use at career
events and when meeting with individuals that can have an influence in your career trajectory. Your self-
assessment and understanding of your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, as well as a clear
understanding of the major requirements of the career position you seek, will allow you to effectively build a
bridge from where you are today to where you want to be when you graduate.

BUS 2101 Class Schedule - Spring 2025

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DATE Class Description and Topics Assignments

Week of MLK Holiday – No Class – Watch Video Watch Video – BUS2101 Class Intro
1/20  Career Center Introduction and  Review the course Syllabus and BUS2101 Class Intro
Capabilities Video
 Class Overview, Goals and Objectives,  Syllabus and BUS2101 Class Intro Video
and Making the most of this Class Virtual Quiz (Due 1/27)
 Placement History and Activity for  Handshake Profile Completion (DUE 1/26)
BBAs and Opportunities and Roles by
Major (current and trends)
 HANDSHAKE Introduction – Get
started
Class 1 Resume Development – Part 1 Bring your Laptop or iPad to Class – We will work on your
Week of  Resume Strategy and Tactics Resume in class (Career Profile Portion)
1/27  Baylor Resume Templates  College to the Career You Love - Chapters 1-3
 Career Profile Section (Virtual Quiz DUE 2/3)
 Career Profile – In Class  Register for Career Day - Handshake (DUE 2/9)
SYLLABUS / VIDEO SLIDE DECK –  HSB Resume Template Exercise (DUE 2/16)
VIRTUAL QUIZ  1st Information Session (DUE 2/23)
Class 2 Disney – College Program  College to the Career You Love - Chapters 1-3
Week of Career Panel – Assessment & Discovery (Virtual Quiz DUE 2/3)
2/3  Career Advice from Current Students
& Alumni
College to the Career You Love -Chapters
1-3 Virtual Quiz

Class 3 Resume Development – Part 2 Bring your Laptop or iPad to Class – We will work on your
Week of  Resume Section Review Resume in class (Experience Section Portion)
2/10  Experience Section  HSB Resume Template Exercise (DUE 2/16)
o Building the Experience Section  1st Information Session (DUE 2/23)
o Transferable Skills
o Effective Bullet Points / Resume
Action Statements
 Experience Section – In Class
Class 4 Business Abroad – McBride Center  1st Information Session (DUE 2/23)
Week of Career Day Prep & Personal Brand  2nd Information Session (DUE 4/6)
2/17 Message  Prepare and Research – Baylor Career Day 2/26
 Career Fair Preparation  Baylor Career Day Assignment (DUE 3/2)
 3 Why’s Research
 Review Career Day Assignment
Worksheet
 Elevator Pitch / Branding Message
Week of ATTEND BAYLOR CAREER DAY 2/26/2025 ATTEND BAYLOR CAREER DAY
2/24 12 PM – 5 PM Baylor Career Day Assignment (DUE 3/2)
Class 5 Consulting Day
Week of Credera
3/3 Mike Wright – Baylor
CGB – Consulting Group At Baylor

Week of SPRING BREAK  2nd Information Session (DUE 4/6)

3/10
Class 6 Resume FIT & Jobscan  Jobscan Resume Assignment (DUE 3/23)
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 Week of  Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and  2nd Information Session (DUE 4/6)
3/17 how they affect the Application
Process
 ATS Tips for Application Success
 Resume Fitting – Be the ideal
candidate
 Jobscan – Resume Optimizer
Resume FIT assignment and Jobscan
review – Critical for application
success and securing the initial
interview
Class 7 Career Calling – Assessment & Discovery  Read College to the Career You Love chapters 4-6
Week of  Career Day Review prior to Class 8
3/24  Career Calling-Passion, Journey,  SteppingBlocks/Career Discovery Worksheet (DUE
Options 3/30)
 What can you do to improve your  2nd Information Session (DUE 4/6)
chances of career success?
 SteppingBlocks Assessment/Review

Class 8 Internship Search  College to the Career You Love - Chapters 4-6
Week of  Strategic Internship Search (Virtual Quiz DUE 3/31)
3/31  What Is A Quality Internship  Gap Analysis Worksheet (DUE 4/7 @11:59 PM)
 The Power Of An Internship
 Internships in your Career Area
 Research & Action Plan
Applications And Tracking
College to the Career You Love -Chapters
4-6 Virtual Quiz
Class 9 Job Market & Gap Analysis  Final – Review Final Prep Review Video Before 4/21
Week of  Career Clarity and Focus
4/7  Job Market Analysis; Salaries &
Trends
 Gap Analysis and how to assess,
overcome and succeed, this is a VERY
important part of your role in taking
ownership in reaching your career
potential
Class 10 LinkedIn / Social Media / Handshake
Week of  LinkedIn Profile
4/14  The value of building professional
relationships
 Handshake and How Employers Use It
 Review Class Handshake activity
 Handshake Resources Review
 Careershift – Job Search / Networking
Tool
Week of You will be exempt from the Final Exam if you have
4/21 EASTER BREAK an A average in the class (92.5 or >) all those
FINAL EXAM – VIRTUAL exempt from the Final do not have to come to class
for the Final Exam Review

Grading Overview *
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Your grade will be determined by the following:

32% - Quizzes/Tests: You will be graded on quizzes/tests from reading assignments and class discussion. You
will have a Syllabus Quiz that will cover the syllabus and the BUS2101 class intro video. There are 2 Book
Virtual Quizzes. The quizzes will cover Chapters 1-6 from the book College to the Career You Love – 4th Edition
(E book). The Final Exam is comprehensive and will be comprised of all the learning activities from the
semester. You will be exempt from the Final Exam if you have an A average in the class prior to the Final
Exam (92.5 or >).

68% - Class Assignments include having an up to date and active Handshake profile, Career Event
registration/attendance/worksheet, preparing an effective resume(s) in the approved format,
SteppingBlocks/Career Discovery Worksheet, Jobscan resume fitting process, Gap Analysis, perfecting your
interviewing skills and showing proficiency to professionally answer the “3 Whys”, searching for and
identifying quality opportunities, and your understanding and demonstration of proficiency with the Career
Resources at your disposal. Gaining clarity and confidence in your career development is critical and in
addition to meeting with 4 employers at the Baylor Career Day event you are required to attend 2 Information
Sessions from an employer. To qualify as an Information Session the event must be led by an employer, who is
speaking of specific opportunities in their firm/industry, must be business-related and target BUSINESS
majors, and posted in Handshake. You will need to register for the event in Handshake. Please review all
the individual assignments and rubrics in Canvas, they will have clear instructions on how to excel and make
the most of your effort.

In class, your work will be evaluated and graded in part, based upon the effectiveness of your efforts as if it
was delivered in an employment-evaluation setting. It is important that your work in and out of class reflects a
professional commitment to your career management success. We expect your best effort on every
assignment. Our evaluation of your work will be assessed not only from the perspective as your course
instructor but also from the perspective of a potential employer and hiring manager.

There may be modifications to this syllabus as required to best support the career needs of the class. The
syllabus represents a basic overview of the course but may be modified to address the needs of the class and
or the changes in the employment market. You will be notified in class and by email if there are assignment
changes or major modifications to the syllabus.

NOTE - Grade Required for BUS 2101:

BUS 2101 as one of the requirements for admission to the Hankamer School of Business. Students who do not
earn a minimum grade of “C” may retake the course or they may choose a new degree program outside of the
Business School. A student is limited to one retake of BUS 2101 as they work to complete the requirement for
admission to the Hankamer School of Business.

BUS 2101 Assignments and their respective weighted values and due dates
Quizzes/Test (32%) Class Assignments (68%)
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Task % Due Assignments % Due
Syllabus/Video Quiz 3% 1/27 Handshake Profile Completion 5% 1/26
College to the Career You Love Registration for Career Day Assignment 5% 2/9
Quiz – Chapters 1-3 7% 2/3 HSB Resume Template 5% 2/16
College to the Career You Love Info Session #1 Worksheet 5% 2/23
Quiz– Chapters 4-6 7% 3/31 Baylor Career Day Worksheet 8% 3/2
Final Exam 15% 4/25 Jobscan/ Resume Assignment 15% 3/23
SteppingBlocks/Career Discovery Worksheet 12% 3/30
Info Session #2 Worksheet 5% 4/6
Gap Analysis 8% 4/7

Grading scale:

A 100-92.5 C 77.4-70.0
A- 92.4-90.0 D+ 69.9-67.5
B+ 89.9-87.5 D 67.4-62.5
B 87.4-82.5 D- 62.4-60.0
B- 82.4-80.0 F 59.9-0
C+ 79.9-77.5

Late Work Policy:

We want you to give your best effort in our 2101 course and learn and apply the material, so late work will be
considered on a case-by-case basis determined by your Instructor. (Not All Assignments Eligible)

**All assignments must be submitted in the Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF, or .JPG format.
Assignments that are submitted in .pages, .numbers, HEIC, .zip formats are not readable and will not receive
credit for that submission**

CLASSROOM & UNIVERSITY POLICIES & RESOURCES FOR WELLBEING & SUCCESS
Please refer to the below document to review the policies:

CLASSROOM & UNIVERSITY POLICIES.docx