PSYC 123:

The Psychology of Getting Hired

Course Overview:
This course is designed to introduce you to the
science behind the hiring process and to prepare you
with the academic and practical training you will
need. To be competitive in the professional world it is
important to devote time and effort to developing
your professional credentials and materials. Together
we will explore psychological principles that
influence the selection process and how you can
apply them for the competitive edge that makes
others Fear the Turtle!

Mr. Kelley Bishop, M.S.

Course Director
Instructor University Career Center
& The Presidents Promise
Leslie Dow
Teaching Sections 101 & 201
Assistant PSYC123A@umd.edu

Course www.elms.umd.edu
Website

Emails:
Please use PSYC123A@umd.edu, instead of the ELMS comment fields or inbox messages. Be sure to
include the section number and the email purpose in the subject line. For example:

Good communication skills are important in both the professional and academic realm. For this it is
imperative to utilize proper email etiquette when communicating for this course, for example when
emailing the Teaching Assistant. Please review the guidelines for professional email communication at
ter.ps/email

Required Resources:
All required reading, viewing and learning assessments are provided for you free of additional charge on
www.elms.umd.edu. You will need access to a computer with speakers or headphones and a reliable
internet connection. If you have any technical problems please contact the Helpdesk (helpdesk.umd.edu).
You are not required to physically be on campus, though you will be interacting online directly with the
instructor, Center staff and your peers. During Module 04, you will be asked to meet with a Peer Career
Educator in the Center in Hornbake Library, South Wing. If you are not physically on campus,
arrangements can be made by contacting the Teaching Assistant (see contact information listed above).
Extra credit opportunities may be offered for participating in on-campus activities - see the course ELMS
page for announcements.

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Learning Objectives: Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
Describe the scientific methods by which scholars conduct research on career trends.
Explain the crucial research findings that inform our approach to evaluating ourselves and to creating
favorable impressions in other people.
Apply psychological theories to explain how materials and networks influence professional outcomes.
Detail the role that cultural competence and emotional intelligence play in selection and performance.
Identify specific, research-based recommendations for interview performance.
Summarize research-based negotiation strategies for compensation packages.

Practical Outcomes: Students who successfully complete this course will have:

Identified strengths, interest and professional development goals.

Learned how to use Careers4Terps to locate internships and professional positions.
Developed high-quality professional materials (e.g., cover letters, resumes, online portfolios).
Gained confidence in navigating the job search process.
Established an effective professional social media presence and network.
Practiced and refined crucial interview skills.

Course Format:
This course has been designed to leverage the best pedagogical techniques and approaches to engage you with
the Center, the course resources and your classmates while giving you the flexibility that an online
environment provides.

Content articles, videos and presentations that introduce you to some of the essential psychological
concepts related to part of the professional development, recruitment and selection process.
Assessments surveys and open-book quizzes that help you (and us) assess your learning.
Hands-On Activities practical exercises that will prepare you to pursue your professional goals and
provide you with crucial feedback from peers and Center professionals.
Reflections & Discussion Posts brief prompts on your experience and opinion.
Deliverables materials that you create and submit (e.g., resume, LinkedIn profile).
Peer & Professional Reviews opportunities to give and receive constructive feedback from peers
and professionals.

Student Assessment, Grades:

If students have questions or concerns about the grades/feedback they receive, or any other questions regarding an
assignment or activity, they should contact the TA via email.
Element
Learning Assessments
Deliverables
Hands-On Activities
Peer & Professional
Reviews
Reflections
Share Online

Weight
25%
25%
20%
20%
5%
5%

Letter Grades
+
A
-

97.0
%

87.0
%

84.0
%

80.0
%

77.0
%

74.0
%

70.0
%

67.0
%

64.0
%

60.0
%

<60
%

94.0
%

90.0
%

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Module Deadlines:
Due date (at 11:59p.m.)

Module/Assignment
Module 00
Pre-Course Survey & Assessment
Module 01
Career Research & Resources
Module 02
First Impressions

Thursday, February 11th, 2016

Thursday February 18th, 2016
Thursday, March 3rd, 2016

Spring Break
March 13th - March 20th
Module 03
Doing Your Research
Mid-Course Survey
Module 04
Networking
Module 05
Acing the Interview
Module 06
Skills for Workplace Success

Thursday, March 24th, 2016

Thursday, March 31st, 2016
Thursday, April 7th, 2016
Thursday, April 21st, 2016
Thursday, May 5th, 2016
Friday, May 6th, 2016

Post-Course Survey

Estimated Course Time:

Modules
Career
Research &
Resources
First
Impressions
Doing Your
Research
Networking
Acing the
Interviewing
Skills for
Workplace
Success

Sample Topics

Sample Activities

Informed consent
Survey methodology
Why experience matters
The science behind first impressions
Research on resumes
The power of a typo
What you should know
Informational interviews
Why a cover letter matters
Who you know matters
The danger of social media
Effective networking strategies
Internship search tools and advice
The most common questions
Body language
What gets you hired or fired
Negotiating salaries
Emotional and cultural intelligence

Hours*

Finding data on careers and industries

Using Careers4Terps to find internships and jobs
Taking a virtual tour of campus resources
Completing interest and personality surveys
Identifying errors in professional emails
Drafting a strong resume
Reviewing peer resumes
Conducting research on employers
Formatting a cover letter
Meeting with a Peer Career Educator (PCE)
Creating an effective LinkedIn profile
Finding alumni connections
Searching for internships
Completing a mock interview
Editing and completing a final resume
Researching alternative first job opportunities
Conducting major-specific research on careers
Creating a professional development plan

Total Course Time:

*

2.5

2.5

2.5

2.5

15 hrs.

Estimated time required to complete all course activity for the module. Each student is unique so your personal experience may
vary. If you have questions or concerns about the time estimates please contact the course instructor.
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Academic Integrity: Per the Student Honor Council's request to post this notice: "The University of
Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student
Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and
graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very
important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For
more information please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu."

Disability-Based Accommodations: Any class member who has a documented disability and
wishes to discuss academic accommodations should contact the instructor as soon as possible.

Religious Observances: Students will not be penalized because of observances of their religious

beliefs. Whenever possible, students will be given reasonable time to make up any academic assignment that is
missed due to participation in a religious observance. It is the student's responsibility to inform the instructor
as soon as possible of any intended absences for religious observances.

Medically-Necessitated Absences: Absences/missed assignments deadlines for illness will be

accommodated under the conditions specified in the university policy. For more information, see
(http://www.president.umd.edu/policies/v100g.html). Students should contact the TA if they miss an
assignment deadline for medical reasons to discuss how to document the medically-necessitated absences and
how to make-up the missed assignment.

PERSONAL PRIVACY:
You will never be required to provide your instructor or classmates access to confidential information or your
personal social media accounts. If you prefer you can satisfy all coursework with fictional information and
temporary accounts. Feedback and networking are intended to help advance your personal development.
FYI - ELMS collects site access and grade data - for questions about its maintenance, accuracy and security
please contact the Office of Information Technology (www.oit.umd.edu).

COURSE DEVELOPMENT:
This course was developed in 2014 with a grant from the Office of Student Affairs as a collaboration between
the University Career Center & The Presidents Promise (UCC/TPP) and the Department of Psychology.
Course Developers:
Scott Roberts, Ph.D.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Psychology

Kelley Bishop, M.S.

Director
The University Career Center & The Presidents Promise

Samantha Levy
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant

Caroline Lee
Center Teaching Assistant
Duane Wallace
Center Teaching Assistant

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