LV EN RU DE FR

Employment and Job Searching II

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Peda6046, Employment and Job Searching I

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to deepen students’ understanding on legal regulation of employment and labor market, basic principles of labour relations, job searching, human resources management and realization of business activities. Within the framework of the course theoretical and practical aspects of career guidance within labour market are discussed and skills for developing job searching plan, preparing necessary applied writings (CV, letter of application) and conducting job interviews are developed.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge. Able to explain employment-related terminology, to describe psychological, social and economic issues of unemployment – first independent work.
Skills. Able to describe and analyse social, economical an psychological status of unemployed person, to analyse job searching process, to prepare necessary applied writings (CV, letter of application, advertisements, labour contracts); able to draw on classifications of skills/competences, qualifications, occupations and economic activities in career guidance – practical work and participation in role game.

Competency. Able to provide career guidance for the unemployed, job-searchers and for clients starting business activities; able to support persons coping with unemployment – second independent work and seminar.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Unemployment. Types of Unemployment. Unemployment rate and its calculation methods. (2h)
2. Unemployment as an economic, social and psychological problem of an individual and society. (2h)
3. The legal status of the unemployed person and the jobseeker. (2h)
4. Possibilities for a jobseeker: work on an employer or an economic activity. Start of economic activity. (2h)
First independent work – analyse of client social situation – previoud work experince, reasons of unemployment.
5. Job Search. Desires and needs of jobseekers. Job motivation. (2h)
6. Assessment of existing and attracting resources of the jobseeker. (2h)
7. Vacancy, types of vacancies. Employer's activity in attracting and evaluating the workforce. (2h)
8. Methods and techniques of job search. Work placement services. Passive job search methods. (3h)
Second independent work – creating social contact map for clients, realising client’s resources, potential job placement search, creating job searching strategy.
9. Active job search methods. Preparation of the required business application (job ad, CV, application letter). (2h)
10. Active job search methods. Activating the social network in the job search process. (2h)
11. Preparation for a job interview. Business etiquette for job interview. Job interview. The order of the interview and the range of questions. Interview process and evaluation of results. Role-play – job interview. Practical work – role play. Students recreate job interview using previously prepared CV and motivational letters. (3h)
12. Employee selection methods in the company. Assessment of CV and documents, use of tests and assignments. (2h)
13. Coaching – new way of improving, holding and developing individual employment. (2h)
14. Adaptation of the new employee to the company. Impact of psychosocial work environment on labor productivity, satisfaction with work. (4h)

Discussion (seminar) – students represent everything they achieved during individual work with clients (both independent works together) Discussions about process and outcomes.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Accumulative assessment consisting of participation of the student in at least 75% of lectures and practical classes (30%), timely completion and submission of independent practical work (60%) and presentation (10%). If the student has visited less than 75% of the lectures and practical classes, successful examination of the study course during the session means taking an examination on both parts of the study course.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The study course provides two independent works, practical task – role play and discussion (seminar). The performance of each individual work is evaluated in a 10-point system. Each individual assignment score is 1% of the maximum possible grade. Both independent practical works constitute a single entity, students must submit a joint written report, and the work done with the job seeker must be defended in the seminar. The student must be able to discuss the carried-out work and justify its results.
1. Work with a job seeker (at the student's discretion):
a) An assessment of the social, psychological and

economic situation of the jobseeker.
b) Identifying the advertiser's employer's advertisements (5 announcements) and evaluating the preparation of the employee's announcement.
c) CV of the employee (in two official EU languages) and preparation of the application letter.
d) Assessing the awareness and activation methods of the social network of the job seeker and creating a social networking card map
2. Practical tasks – role play – students recreate job interview using previously prepared CV and motivational letter.
3. Discussion (seminar) – students represent what they have achieved while preparing both independent works while working with client. Discussion in class room, sharing experince.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

An accumulation of all submitted work in the 10-point system

Compulsory reading

1. Boitmane I. Personāla atlase un novērtēšana. Rīga: SIA “Lietišķās informācijas dienests”, 2008. 186 lpp.
2. Vorončuka I. Personāla vadība. Rīga: Latvijas Universitāte, 2009. 399 lpp.
3. Greenhaus J., Callanan G. Encyclopaedia of Career Development. Vol. 1, 2, Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, 2006. 949 p.

4. Bolles R. N. What Colour is Your Parachute? Toronto: Ten Speed Press, 2005. 400 p.

Further reading

1. Forands I. Palīgs personāla speciālistam. Rīga: Latvijas izglītības fonds, 2007, 251.lpp.
2. Garleja R. Cilvēkpotenciāls sociālā vidē. Rīga: RAKA, 2006,199.lpp.
3. Džeja R. Spoža darba intervija.Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2005,152 lpp.
3. The World Bank Study. Scientific research: Latvia: “Who is Unemployed, Inactive or Needy? Assessing Post‐Crisis Policy Options”, 2013, 585 lpp.
4. Eurofound. Digital age. Platform work: Types and implications for work and employment –Literature review, 2018., 132 lpp.

5. H. Kimsey-House. Co-Active Coaching: The Proven Framework for Transformative Conversations at Work and in Life. 2018, Hodder & Stoughton Limited.

Periodicals and other sources

https://www.ncda.org/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/home_page
https://www.viaa.gov.lv/lv/karjeras-zinas

Notes

Professional Master’s study programme
Career Counsellor