Three full sections of a class that prepares college students for the working world speak to the increasing competitiveness of the job market.

Dusty Doddridge

MTSU’s career development course for juniors and seniors not only provides tips on resume writing and job seeking, it also encourages students to look deeply inside themselves to determine the future direction of their working lives.

For the first time this semester, a staffer from MTSU’s Career Development Center is teaching one of the sections.

“Some students don’t know what major to choose or what to do with the major they’ve chosen,” said Dusty Doddridge, the center’s assistant director and instructor of one of the classes.

“We have to focus on helping them choose.”

Doddridge uses exercises and workbooks to teach the course, using reflection exercises aimed at helping students assess their goals and desires.

He also asks students to fill out career-planning tools such as the Strong Interest Inventory, one of the most popular psychology-based assessments. It is designed to help students get in touch with their personal strengths.

In addition, Doddridge has students research their chosen careers and write papers on the results of that research.

Other issues discussed in the course include social media and workplace protocol.

Dr. Dianna Rust, an associate professor of university studies, and Sonja Burk, an adviser in the College of Liberal Arts, teach the other two sections of the course, which counts toward a degree in the professional studies major.

Although spring classes are full, the course will be taught again in the fall 2014 and spring 2015 semesters.

For more information, contact the University College at 615-494-7714 or the Career Development Center at 615-898-2500.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)