Career and Job Resources: Interactive Web Pages and Canvas Modules

Career and Job Resources: Interactive Web Pages and Faculty Canvas Modules

Would it be helpful to have an easy-to-use Career Exploration Module (in Canvas) including specific pages for academic majors and educational levels? 
 

Where the Idea Came From

This idea came from my students.  They are always asking about career advice.  I searched for resources that would be easy for them to navigate and understand yet would afford comprehensive and meaningful information toward their career development.  I could not find anything that provided a one-stop-solution, so I created my own. 

I created resources and aggregated much data to provide very intuitive career web pages for students.  It helps them to identify, research and prepare for careers and jobs (all on one page). 

 

How the Resources are Organized
To help students avoid becoming overwhelmed, I created prompts and videos to help them understand and navigate the resources for maximum benefit:

Introductory helper video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKXk6Y-4BsU  

Search Active Job Listings

This page allows you to search for active job listings immediately. You can specify the title of the job you seek ("sales" is the default), specify the U.S. city location (your city is the default), specify the distance from location, and specify when the job was posted:
Search Active Jobs Listings

 

Virtual & Work From Home Jobs

This page will help you identify, prepare, apply for, and obtain a "virtual" or "stay at home" job:
https://consultapedia.com/work_from_home/ 
Here is a 2-minute helper video: https://youtu.be/jqqK-ZDaJTw

 

If We’re Sure About Which Career We Want

If we already have a good idea about which career we seek, we may start our preparation by searching using specific keywords:

https://consultapedia.com/career/careers.php
Here is a 2-minute helper video: https://youtu.be/KjYosyykDFY


If We’re Not Sure About Which Career We Want, But Know The Academic Major

Selecting an academic major (over 66 are listed) can help us to identify specific types of careers. Some degree programs are very specific regarding employment opportunities, while others offer a multitude of career choices. Please select an academic major for details:
https://consultapedia.com/major_careers/
Here is a 2-minute helper video (for Accounting): https://youtu.be/JN_IW_m5Dk4


If We’re Not Sure About Which Career We Want, And Not Sure About The Academic Major - Explore Careers Based On A Level Of Educational Achievement

Browsing careers based on various levels of educational achievement can help us to discover careers that we might never have considered. This may help us to identify jobs that we qualify for now, or in the near future. We can also identify career ladder possibilities by checking "Similar Jobs" and "Similar Occupations - Change a Career" in the results area. We can explore careers and jobs predominantly filled by those with various levels of academic achievement:

https://consultapedia.com/career_by_education/
Here is a 2-minute helper video (for Bachelor’s Degree holders): https://youtu.be/8JyLyxxK8Wk


If We Would Like To Explore Careers Based On Categories (Soc)

Browsing careers based on categories (SOC Codes) can also help us to discover careers that we might never have considered. This tool provides a great way to explore careers from general to specific - using Standard Occupational Codes (SOC) as filters:

https://consultapedia.com/soc_codes/
Here is a 2-minute helper video: https://youtu.be/JQDQtZl4vhU



Career Canvas Modules

I developed class assignments in Canvas. To make this very easy for you, I have shared a sampling of my Career Discussion Assignments to the Canvas Commons as Modules.  The sample modules cover the following degrees: Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology , International Business, Management, Marketing and Sales, Nutrition, Paralegal and Law, Real Estate, Small Business Management , and Supply Chain Management. The modules can easily be modified (as appropriate) for your course(s).

These resources may be very valuable to staff and faculty across many disciplines. Please have a look.  If you feel that this may be useful, please feel free to let others know of them, so that they might also benefit.


Why Use These Modules? 

I use these modules in my courses to help students identify and prepare for a career. The Career web page will take students through 4 steps to (1) Select a career, (2) Find active job listings, (3) Prepare for a career, and (4) Provide job-specific resources.  The Discussion Assignment (in the Canvas Module) takes students through an introductory exploration of appropriate discipline-specific careers.  It guides them to begin preparations to gain employment for their selected career.  It is often an eye-opening activity for many of my students, especially those who have thus far not explored their career options in depth.  Student feedback has been very positive, so I am making this freely available to you. 

You can import any of the modules directly into your Canvas course or Sandbox.  Again, a module may easily be modified (as appropriate) for your course(s).

 

Importing the Canvas Commons Module 

To import from the Canvas Commons you will need to first log into Canvas and enter your course shell.  From your "Home" page, click on "Import from Commons" on the right-side menu. You will then be taken to the Canvas Commons page. 

Import using Search 

  1. Type "consultapedia" into the search box. 
  2. You will find a "Career Exploration Assignment" module.  Click on it. 
  3. Click (right-side menu) "Import/Download" 
  4. Select your course and click on "Import into Course" 
  5. Open your course and click on "Modules" - the Career module appears on the page. It contains three items: 
    1. Links to Visit:  This page contains many links to career resources designed to help students.  They are organized by student need. 
    2. Assignment Directions: This page contains an accessible PDF (with auto-open inline preview and download option) that explains step-by-step how to complete the assignment. Includes screenshots (with detailed Alt Text), directions, assignment outline and grading rubric. 
    3. Complete Career Exploration Assignment: This is a discussion assignment created for Canvas.  It includes the discussion page, and detailed grading rubric.  

 

Grading Your Assignment
To grade your discussion after the due date: 

  1. Click your assignment link 
  2. Click on the 3 dots menu (right of Edit) and select "Speed Grader" 
  3. Click on "View Rubric" 
  4. Click on appropriate cells of rubric for each section of the assignment as you grade the student post
  5. Click "Save" 
  6. Go to "Assignment Comments" (at bottom of page) 
  7. Add your comments and click "Submit" 
  8. The points, completed rubric and comments now appear in the student's  


Changing Assignment Point Values 

The discussion assignment is worth 50 points by default.  You can change the point awards for the assignment.  Complete the following steps: 

  1. Go to "Files" and download the career exploration PDF file to your computer 
  2. After downloading, delete the file from the Canvas files menu 
  3. Open in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (file is not protected and can be edited) 
  4. Use text tools to modify the rubric as needed 
  5. Save the file (same name) and upload to your course 
  6. Click on the Career Exploration Assignment link in Canvas 
  7. Click on the 3 dots menu (right of Edit) and select "Show Rubric" 
  8. Click on the pencil icon to Edit Rubric 
  9. Edit the rubric as appropriate  
  10. Be sure to click on "Update Rubric" when finished 
  11. Exit the rubric and click on "Edit" 
  12. Scroll down to Points Possible and check it/change it to correspond to your rubric 

 

Author Bio


I am a Professor of Business Management at Mt. San Antonio College, and teach Small Business Management (Entrepreneurship) and International Business. I am Vice Chairman of the United Abacus Arithmetic Association. I have many years of private sector experience across industries and countries. I was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the District Export Council of Southern California for a 4-year term.