Week 5: Professions

Week of February 25, 2018 –   The Economy: Outlook & Prospects 

To stay on track, you should  1) be revising and resubmitting elements of your midterm career portfolio — objectives, resume and an elective piece.  Do NOT wait until the last-minute. Monday, March 5th  is the final day to submit rough drafts. Your midterm portfolio is due at the beginning of class on Friday, March 9th.  2) attend your first meeting. 

Preparatory Readings

• • Spencer Johnson. Who Moved My Cheese? — entire book.
  • Mark Jones. Criminal Justice Pioneers in U.S. History. — entire book .
  • Susan Takata and Jeanne Curran. Theory, Policy, Practice of a Career. [online] — Chapters 1 to 5 
  • J. Scott Harrs & Karen Hess. Careers in Criminal Justice and Other Related Fields –  Section 1
  • Randy Pausch. The Last Lecture.

Lecture related links:

• Dog Letters 
• Theory, Policy, Practice
• W.I. Thomas “Definition of the Situation

 Concepts to be covered:

• • anomie (Durkheim)
  • Merton’s anomie (cultural goals and institutionalized means)
  • alienation (Marx)
  • trends
  • “three waves” (Toffler)
  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook 
  • salaries & fringe benefits
  • generalist v. specialist
  • internships
  • Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs
  • self actualization 

Discussion Questions:

Note: In order to answer these discussion questions, you will need to read this week’s assigned readings. Due: Friday, March 2nd.   

         1.   Bring in a recent current event that presents an optimistic outlook on the economy. Then, bring in another current event that presents a pessimistic outlook. Which outlook do you agree with the most? Why.  

         2.  On page 1 of Careers in Criminal Justice and Related Fields, the authors include the following quote: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Why did the authors include this quote?  

3.   Imagine you have a crystal ball — what changes do you see in the world of work five years from now? Ten years from now? Fifty years from now? (from H&H, p. 13, Q.1)

4. Can you think of unique skills that could make a job candidate more attractive to a hiring agency? (from H&H, p. 70, Q.7)

 

Midterm Career Portfolio Self-Assessment Questions (due Friday, March 9th)

1. At midterm, what have you learned? Explain in depth and in details.

2. Based on the 6Cs, what grade have you earned on your midterm career portfolio? Why.

 

Suggestions for your Career Portfolio:

• •  How much education do you really need (now and later)? Why.
    What jobs do you think will become more necessary in the future? less necessary? (H&H, p. 14, Q.5)
    
  • What else can you do with a J.D. beyond the practice of law?
    At your workplace, examine the formal organization with its informal structure. How does the work get done?
  • Explore how dead-end career paths emerge. 
  • Go to the latest edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Look up your career goal. What does it say about your future career?
  • Trace the historical development and changes in your selected profession.
  • Read an autobiography about a prominent CRMJ professional.

 
Recommended Readings:

• • Deepak Malhotra. I Moved Your Cheese. 
  • Richard Bolles. What Color is Your Parachute?
  • Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers: The Story of Success.
  • Dennis W. Bakke. Joy at Work.
  • Megan Hustad. How to be Useful.

— Jurgen Habermas. Between Facts and Norms.
— Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Exclusion, Inclusion and American Law.

 

Email: takata@uwp.edu

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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: February 22, 2018