Learning outcomes:

The objective of the course is to improve business school students’ working life skills. The students learn to understand different workplace negotiations and interactions as well as their possibilities to influence these as experts or team leaders.

After completing the course, the students are familiar with the key elements of labor law and can act in professional negotiations and interactions. The students can follow discussions on working life matters. Furthermore, the students can reflect on different career options and their career directions. During the course, the students will learn, with the help of hands-on case assignments, how to succeed in job search and employment contract and salary negotiations. The students will acquire practical skills for real-life situations by exercising team leader roles in case assignments, in typical, challenging workplace situations.

The key course contents are:

• How to distinguish oneself in the labor market
• Key points of employment contracts and labor law
• How to negotiate your salary
• How to succeed in working life situations involving changing circumstances or conflict
• Working life flexibilities
• How to act as a team leader in different working life situations

Grading: Pass/ Fail

Successful completion:

• Online assignments returned in the Howspace workspace
• Participation in all Zoom sessions on March 20-21st, 2025.
  • Thursday, March 20th, 8:45-16:00
  • Friday, March 21st, 9:00-15:00

Teaching methods: Lectures and group discussions via Zoom, individual assignments on the Howspace workspace.

NB: Zoom sessions cannot be substituted. Passing the course requires 100% participation in Zoom sessions and group discussions, and approved submission of the online assignments.

Students who pass the course will be awarded an Open Badge digital credential from Suomen Ekonomit, which can be added to LinkedIn profiles. Read more about the Open Badge.

Literature: Students will receive a personal invitation to the Howspace workspace about one week before the start of the Zoom sessions. Check the unwanted folder and spam box if you haven't received it. Pre- and final assignments can be found in the workspace. The course material will be given in the Howspace workspace as soon as the course starts.

Trainers / The Finnish Business School Graduates:

• Ted Apter / Advisor, Labour market and social policy
• Tiina-Myöhänen-Astikainen / Career Coach
• Annika Pohjolainen / Legal Counsel

The course is open to University degree students. If you are not yet a member of Ekonomit, you can join here ekonomit.fi/en/membership.

ATTN: Students from the University of Jyväskylä, please register via Sisu (the course code: JSBY5510).

Find more information about the course via this link.

Please note, that this course is not eligible for exchange students. The course is open only to students of business schools (in Jyväskylä also to students of information systems). The course is especially recommended for bachelor students but it is open to all-year students. Please note that the course is also offered in Finnish and credits are awarded only once.