Purpose
This purpose of this assignment is to have you think about your specific Sociology Skills and how they can be used to improve your applications for employment/graduate school. Having the ability to speak strongly of your skillsets will make you a more competitive applicant.
Instructions
There are many examples out there for writing a Career Statement (you can google this). However, for this assignment I would like you to explain your work and life experiences, as well a few of your passions, as they relate to the workforce you plan to enter, your work ethic, your long-term goals in the specific career field, and why you are someone they should call for an interview.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Keep it short, no more than 2 pages. This is a firm requirement. Statements longer than two pages will not be read by others.
- Be honest, but not too honest. It’s okay to reveal that you have “experienced some hardships” in life, but you might not want to reveal items that might be too personally controversial (i.e. addictions, arrests, other illegal activities, etc.). I’ve had former students reveal challenges and show how they overcame those challenges. This makes you human! If you have questions about what to say or not to say, feel free to email me and ask.
- You want them to remember you. They need a reason to set your statement in the “Contender” pile. This can be from the style of your writing (creative, humor, descriptive) or from the content – but find at least one way to have something that makes a reader say “hmmm, this is interesting.” It might not guarantee you the job, but remember – you are trying to get a face-to-face interview first!
- ALWAYS use words that are in the job advertisement. Use the same words that the employer is using to advertise. Employers will search your documents to see how many “matches” it has to the job advertisement. For this assignment, try to use words you have seen in the job ads that we have shown you in class.
- You should have one paragraph devoted to your Sociology Skills. This should be based on each of your own unique education and training, but generally should be strengths that you bring to the job that other applications might not be describing. For each of you, it can begin like this….
“My education at UNLV in the Sociology Department gave me important skills that translate well to this career (or job). First, I …….
Second, I….. And third, I ……… ***This where you insert the skillsets from the ASA website shown in class and discussed in class. I should see very clear skill language here.
Grading Criteria
It should be typed, 12-point font, and no more than 2 pages.
This assignment is worth 100 points.
Grading will be based on how well you address each of my concerns above and how well you integrate the course materials into your career statements.
