Working in a Professional Environment

Topic outline

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  General

  • Announcements Forum

    Welcome to Working in a Professional Environment

    This free and open course curriculum was developed by more than 700 U.S. community colleges in partnership with local industries to prepare students for employment as part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s $1.9 billion  Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program.

    
    

    Expert-Designed Course

    This course was developed by subject matter experts, in partnership with local industries, to ensure the curriculum is aligned with the skills needed to gain employment. To ensure quality, this course was evaluated by third-party experts.

    
    

    Free and Open Materials

    As a student, you are free to explore and use these online materials to learn about the subject. As an instructor, you are free to adopt and adapt these online materials in your teaching of the subject. SkillsCommons materials have a  Creative Commons license, which means you can  download material directly from SkillsCommons to your computer. You are free to share, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format you choose in accordance with the terms of use.

  • Course Description and Weekly Syllabus File
  • The intent of this material is to help evaluate content files submitted to SkillsCommons.  The original submission may contain files in different formats. For example, a Microsoft Word document in the original may appear here as a PDF to facilitate previewing.  If the content here is promising, please visit the original submission in SkillsCommons.
    

  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) File

    Click here to view Frequently Asked Questions!

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  Attitude, Goal Setting, and Life Management

  
  

  • Lesson 1 Overview File
  • Lesson 1 Outline File
  • In-Class Discussions
  • How do you like to be rewarded? Forum
  • Why are goals important? Forum
  • On-line Discussions
  • I am... Forum
  • How can recognizing teammates' learning styles help a team's performance? Forum
  • Self-Assessments
  • VARK Learning Styles Assessment Assignment
  • Jung Typology Assignment
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 1 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 1 Activities
  • Assignment: Career Goal Setting
  • Videos
  • "Professional Image." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2000. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=10888>.
  • Video: Professional Image URL
  • Video: Attitude URL
  • "The Exceptional Employee: A Guide to Success on the Job." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 1998. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=8401>.
  • Video: Becoming Successful at Work URL
  • "Goal Setting and Action Planning." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2004. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=34514>.
  • Video: What Goals Do For Us URL
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  Time and Stress Management / Organization Skills

  
  

  • Lesson 2 Overview File
  • Lesson 2 Outline File
  • On-line Discussion
  • How do you manage stress? Forum
  • Assignments
    
  • Assignment: Chapter 3 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 3 Activities
  • Videos
  • "Doing The Job: Basic Job Skills." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2011. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=42288>.
  • Video: Organization and Time Management URL
  • "Help! I?m Stressed!" Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2012. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=48018>.
  • Video: Prevent Stress with Time Management URL
  • "Stress Management." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2000. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=10887>.
  • Video: Good Stress URL
  • Video: Review of Stress Management URL
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  Etiquette and Appearance

  
  

  • Lesson 3 Overview File
  • Lesson 3 Outline File
  • On-line Discussion
  • How can professional behavior and dress influence others’ perception of someone? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 4 Exercise
  • Assignment: Chapter 4 Activities
  • Videos
  • "10 Basics of Business Etiquette." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 1993. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=24575>.
  • Introduction Etiquette URL
  • Making an Entrance URL
  • "Doing The Job: Basic Job Skills." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2011. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=42288>.
  • Professional Behavior and Ethics URL
  • "Professional Image." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2000. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=10888>.
  • First Impressions URL
  • Maturity in Image URL
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  Ethics, Politics, and Diversity

  
  

  • Lesson 4 Overview File
  • Lesson 4 Outline File
  • On-line Discussion
    
  • Describe an unethical situation that you have been made aware of or experienced. Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 5 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 5 Activities
  • Videos
  • "Ethics: What Is Right?" Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 2004. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=32706>.
  • What is Ethics URL
  • Normative Ethics URL
  • Applied Ethics URL
  • "The Future Is Now: Celebrating Diversity." Films On Demand. Films Media Group, 1991. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://digital.films.com.hrt-proxy.libraries.vsc.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=6842&xtid=2582>.
  • America's Mosaic Workplace URL
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  Topic 5

  Week 5: Accountability and Relationships (Chapter 6)

  • On-line Discussion
  • How might nepotism affect workplace productivity? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 6 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 6 Activities
  • Videos
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  Public Communications

  
  

  • On-line Discussions
  • Why do you think communication ranks as one of the highest causes for organizational dysfunctions? Forum
  • What area(s) of communication might you improve in and what would be your first step? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 9 Exerices
  • Assignment: Chapter 9 Activities
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  Private and Social Communications

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • What do you feel is the place for social media in the workplace? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 10 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 10 Activities
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  Job Search Skills

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • Defend or refute the following statement: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know that will land you a job.” Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 13 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 13 Activities
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  Resume Packages

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • How can you “sell” your professionalism skills in a resume, cover letter, and an interview? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 14 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 14 Activities
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  Interview Techniques

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • How do you (or will you) prepare for an interview? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 15 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 15 Activities
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  Organizational Productivity

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • Give an example of when you received excellent customer service; what made it memorable? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 7 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 7 Activities
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  Human Resources and Policies

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • What attributes are important to you in identifying a mentor; what are the pros/cons of having a mentor within the same organization? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 8 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 8 Activities
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  Motivation, Leadership, and Teams

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • What is the difference between a team and a group? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 11 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 11 Activities
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  Conflict and Negotiation

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • Describe situations in which conflicts would be helpful to a workplace and an organization. Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 12 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 12 Activities
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  Career Changes

  
  

  • On-line Discussion
  • What were some of your serendipitous (pleasantly surprising) experiences during this course that you will take with you in your personal and professional journeys? Forum
  • Assignments
  • Assignment: Chapter 16 Exercises
  • Assignment: Chapter 16 Activities