31016 Career Management for IT Professionals

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Handbook description

The aim of this subject is to enable students to understand the culture of the IT workplace, to identify work opportunities, to effectively market themselves to appropriate employers and to develop professional skills and behaviours sought by employers that enable students to transition effectively into the IT workplace. The subject focuses on using information from the workplace to understand typical entry-level IT graduate jobs available, the skills (both technical and generic) required to be competitive job seekers, an understanding of how to develop effective targeted applications and how to perform well in an interview. It prepares IT students to work effectively in groups, to manage meetings and to write well-structured professional reports. The subject supports the development of a skills-based e-portfolio for ongoing career management.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:

1. critically analyse a range of workplace requirements and functions in the IT labour market;

2. research and develop a full range of skills and strategies required to pursue career goals and projects;

3. identify and critically analyse project and management strategies in the IT industry;

4. critically analyse effectiveness of interpersonal skills in team work

5. prepare professional work documents and presentations for a range of audiences in the IT industry

develop employability skills required in the IT industry and appropriate self-marketing documents and interview skills;

6. develop professional behaviours and skills required to be successful in an IT career; and develop a

comprehensive effective e-portfolio for career planning and self-management purposes.

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

This subject focuses on career development and work readiness skills for undergraduate Information Technology (IT) students. The subject requires students to draw upon learning from all areas of the course to identify and enhance how their discipline related skills and personal attributes can best be utilised in the IT profession and how to market these skills and attributes to an employer. Students will be introduced to skills to critically analyse workplace cultures and work practices. They will research and develop skills for IT professionals in the Australian context to enhance their employability and use professional processes in the delivery of outcomes and tasks for the course. The subject will further prepare IT students to work effectively in groups, to run meetings and to prepare a range of professional documents including those specific to the IT industry. The subject also uses information from the workplace to review typical entry-level IT jobs available, the skills (both technical and generic) required to be competitive, an understanding of how to develop effective targeted documents and applications and how to perform well in meetings, workshops and interviews in the IT industry. The subject will also support the development of the students’ skills based e-portfolio for ongoing career management.

This Subject contributes to the following Graduate Attributes:
A1. Needs analysis, A2. Prioritize, B3. Synthesise, B4. Decision-making, 6. Research skills, D1. Manage self, D2. Lifelong learning, E1. Communicate effectively, E2. Teams, F1. Performance-review, F2. Ethics, F3. Cross-cultural, F4. Global perspectives

Teaching and learning strategies

Three hours a week delivered via a variety of methods of presentation will be used including lectures, guest speakers, workshops, tutorials and online modules.

Content

1. Trends and opportunities in the IT industry
2. Preparing resumes and marketing documents
3. Interviewing and networking skills
4. Organisational survival skills
5. Preparing and making effective presentations to different audiences
6. Contracting, consulting and entrepreneurship

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Assignment 1 (Individual)

Assessment Item 2: Assignment 2 (Individual)

Assessment Item 3: Assignment 3 (Individual)

References

Eunson, B., [2005] Communicating in the 21st century, Wiley, Melbourne.

Phillips D., & O’Bryan, R., [2004], It sounded good when it started, Wiley, New Jersey

Calvert et al., [1990], First find your hilltop, Hutchinson Business Books,

Charleston, P., [2002], Tap the hidden job market, ChoiceBooks

English, J., [2002], Going solo in your own small business, Allen & Unwin

Howarth, B., [2003], Innovation and emerging markets - where the next bulls will run, Wrightbooks

Stevens, P., [1995], How to network and select a mentor, Centre for Worklife Counselling

Tedesco, P., [2006], Common sense in project management, Thompson, Boston

White, L., [2008], Write a winning job application - a guide to responding to selection criteria, LLoyd White

Other resources

Soft copies of all outlines and assignments may be found at UTS Online