Employment Skills Student Handouts

Employment Skills Curriculum

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Student Handouts Employment Skills Curriculum

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Student Notebook – Page 1

Employment Skills Curriculum

Your Favorite Skills and Interests What Are Your Interests?

Write your answer to each question on a slip of paper or a sticky note. Make sure to write the question number on each note so you remember which answer goes with which question!

1. What’s your favorite subject in school?

2. When you’re in the magazine section of a library or bookstore, what type of magazine (computer, fashion, sports, etc.) will you pick up and read first?

3. What is the subject of your favorite blogs or websites?

4. Fill in the blank: When I’m ______, I lose track of time and don’t want anyone or anything to disturb me because I’m enjoying myself so much.

5. If someone asked you what your favorite interests are, what would you say?

6. What are your favorite hobbies, sports, or recreational activities?

7. What kinds of problems do you like to solve?

8. What kinds of questions do your friends or classmates bring to you for help?

9. If you could take a class that could teach you any skill, what would you want to learn?

After you’ve answered all the questions, put your answers in a list. Use sticky notes to make a new list in order of priority (your favorite interest first, second favorite next, and so on). Then write your top three interests below: 1.

2.

3.

What Is A Skill?  

  

A skill can range from a basic life skill (like turning on a faucet or driving a car) to something much more complex (like programming a computer).

A transferable skill is a type of skill that can be used in many contexts. Skateboarding is a skill; transferable skills that relate to skateboarding are balance, quick decision-making, and risk management. These skills would be valuable in a variety of jobs! Types of transferable skills include physical skills, mental skills, and interpersonal skills.

Using interpersonal skills involves working with people and helping them with their needs or problems.

A mental skill generally involves working with data, information, numbers, or ideas.

To use physical skills, you use your hands and/or body to work with materials, equipment, or objects.

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Student Notebook – Page 2

Employment Skills Curriculum Identifying Your Best Skills Brainstorm some challenges you’ve overcome in your life. (Another way to think about this is to come up with things you’ve achieved that you’re proud of). Make a list of all of these accomplishments. You can use the following categories to help you brainstorm: In the classroom: Outside of school: In my family or with my friends: In the Job Skills Program: Other: Once you’ve got a good list going, think about which of these experiences was your favorite. Which are you most proud of? Which were you the best at? You may want to work in a small group to help figure out which experience makes the most sense to make into a skill story.

Tell a Skill Story: Pick one of your favorite accomplishments (the one you’re most comfortable or excited to tell other people about), and write out the following: Goal or Problem: What was your goal? What was the problem you were trying to solve?

Obstacles: What made achieving your goal (or solving the problem) difficult? How did you overcome these obstacles?

Time Frame: How long did it take you to achieve your goal?

Outcome: What happened? Did things go as you expected, or did something unexpected happen?

Now, go around the group and share the story of your accomplishment. As you share, the group will help you brainstorm the transferable skills that show up in your story. Think about skills with people (interpersonal), skills with information (mental), and skills with things (physical). What skills were

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Student Notebook – Page 3

Employment Skills Curriculum mentioned for your story? Check them off on the Transferable Skills Checklist as they are mentioned, or write them below and transfer them to your checklist later:

Skill Story #2 Now, pick a skill from the Transferable Skills Checklist. It should be a skill you enjoy using! Once you’ve picked out a skill, find a partner and tell a story about a time you used that skill. Your partner should listen and give you feedback about your story. Was it a good story? Did it show you using your skill effectively? What other skills did your story show? Check off any skills that are mentioned in the second column of your Transferable Skills Checklist.

Job Skills Stories In the next activity, you’ll get a post-it note or small sheet of paper for each person in the group. Write down their name on the top of the sheet. Below that, write down a quality (or a couple!) that you really admire in that person. Make sure to be as detailed as you can in your description.

Once everyone is done writing, sort the notes so that everyone has a small stack with their name on it.

Sort through your stack and check off any skills that are mentioned in the third column of your Checklist.

Identifying Your Best Skills The final step is to look over your Transferable Skills Checklist and figure out which skills you most enjoy using. These will be your best skills – ones you are good at using and enjoy using over and over again.

Look at your list and see which skills are things you can do and which you also like to use. Then: 1. Lightly cross out any skills that you are pretty sure you don’t have – unless they were specifically mentioned by others when you were telling your stories.

2. Of the remaining skills on the page, cross out any that you don’t truly enjoy using.

3. Put the remaining skills in order from your most to your least favorite.

4. Look at your list of skills. The top five are your best transferable skills.

5. Write these down below.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Student Notebook – Page 4

Employment Skills Curriculum

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS CHECKLIST General Transferable Skills: 1. Meet deadlines 2. Results oriented 3. Accept responsibility 4. Desire to learn & improve 5. Good time management 6. Solve problems 7. Work independently 8. Computer Skills 9. Creative 10. High energy 11. Patient 12. Open-minded 13. Understand 14. Adaptable 15. Anticipate Needs Leadership and People Skills: 16. Arrange social functions 17. Motivate people 18. Negotiate agreements 19. Decisive 20. Run Meetings 21. Direct others 22. Explain things to others 23. Self-motivated 24. Share leadership 25. Think of others 26. Direct projects 27. Persuasive 28. Team player 29. Mediate problems 30. Take risks 31. Empower others 32. Listen 33. Help others 34. Counsel people Skills with Information: 35. Retrieve information or data; research

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36. Calculate, compute 37. Manage money 38. Analyze; break down into parts 39. Compare, inspect, or record facts 40. Count, observe, compile 41. Take inventory 42. Have a sharp memory 43. Keep track of details 44. Organize information 45. Create new ideas; innovate 46. Ability to Plan 47. Understand the big picture 48. Make recommendations Communication Skills: 49. Draw, sketch or render 50. Perform, act 51. Communicate verbally 52. Make presentations 53. Write Clearly 54. Edit Working with Things: 55. Use my hands 56. Agility, strength, or stamina 57. Assemble or make things 58. Safety conscious 59. Build, observe, inspect things 60. Construct or repair 61. Follow instructions 62. Operate tools and machinery 63. Drive or operate vehicles 64. Use equipment

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Student Notebook – Page 5

Job Skills Training

Choose Your Own Adventure: Next Steps in Career Planning Which of the following fits you best?

1 I have no idea what’s available to me or what I’d be good at, and I’m not sure where to begin.

2 I have a vague idea about what I want to do as a career because I know some of my best skills and interests, but I could use some help exploring various career paths.

3 I know what kinds of careers I’m interested in, but I’m not sure exactly what kinds of jobs are available, which ones fit me best, or what I need to do to qualify for them.

4 I know exactly what careers I’d like to explore and exactly what jobs I’m interested in. I know what qualifications and training I will need to get me there and I’m taking steps to make this a reality

In the next couple of sessions, we’re going to be coming up with a job searching plan and taking steps to make your career dreams a reality! This will include learning some tools for finding jobs, writing a resume and cover letter, and interviewing. At the end of this lesson, you will have the opportunity to write up a career plan that can help you more effectively tailor your resume and cover letter.

The Job(s) I Am Seeking: a. What industry is it in?

b. What do you do at the job?

c. What are some sample job titles?

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Student Notebook – Page 6

Job Skills Training

Holland Code Test The following is a personality test intended to help you understand yourself and what careers may be a good fit for you. The test is based on Dr. Holland’s theory that different people’s personalities may find different environments more to their liking. While you may have some interests in and similarities to several of the six groups, you may be attracted primarily to two or three of the areas. Keep in mind, though: It’s just a tool! If it’s not useful to you, no problem – you know you the best.

Directions: Imagine walking into a large cafeteria at your high school or a nearby community college. Different groups of students are eating lunch at different tables and talking. Read the descriptions of each group and list the group you would be drawn to first, then your second choice, and finally your third choice. These represent your 3 letter Holland Code.

CONVENTIONAL

ARTISTIC

“Organizers”

“Creators”

People who like to work with data, have administrative or numerical ability, carry out tasks in detail or follow through on others' instructions

People who have artistic, innovating or intuitional abilities and like to work in unstructured situations using their imagination and creativity.

ENTERPRISING

INVESTIGATIVE

“Persuaders”

“Thinkers”

People who like to work with people, influencing, persuading, performing, leading or managing for organizational goals or economic gain.

People who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate or solve problems

SOCIAL

REALISTIC

“Helpers”

“Doers”

People who like to work with people to enlighten, inform, help, train, or cure them, or are skilled with words

People who have athletic or mechanical ability, prefer to work with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or to be outdoors.

Circle the words or group of words from each group that appeals to you.

Write about when in the past you have used this word or group of words. Provide as much detail as you can recall. Include the situation, specific actions, and results you got from your past experience.

Project forward and write about how you would like to use these words or group of words in the future. Again, provide as much detail as you can. Include the situation, specific actions, and results you imagine for the future.

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Student Notebook – Page 7

Job Skills Training

Some Holland Code Career Clusters R-Realistic          

Agriculture, food and natural resources Architecture and construction Arts, A/V technology and communications Health science Hospitality and tourism Information technology Law, public safety, corrections and security Manufacturing Science, technology, engineering and mathematics Transportation, distribution and logistics

  

Human services Law, public safety, corrections and security Marketing, sales and service

  

E-Enterprising       

Arts, A/V technology and communications Business, management and administration Finance Government and public administration Hospitality and tourism Law, public safety, corrections and security Marketing, sales and service

Health science Human services Law, public safety, corrections and security R and E

 

Arts, A/V technology and communications Hospitality and tourism R and C

  

I-Investigative

Architecture and construction Manufacturing Transportation, distribution and logistics I and S

C-Conventional    

Health science Information technology Law, public safety, corrections and security Science, technology, engineering and mathematics A-Artistic

    

Arts, A/V technology and communications Education and training Hospitality and tourism Human services Marketing, sales and service

       

  

  





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Arts, A/V technology and communications S and E

Health science Information technology Science, technology, engineering and mathematics

 

R and A 

Education and training A and E



Arts, A/V technology and communications Education and training Government and public administration Health science

Health science A and S

R and I

S-Social 

Architecture and construction Business, management and administration Finance Health science Manufacturing Marketing, sales and service Transportation, distribution and logistics

Arts, A/V technology and communications R and S

Job Skills Training

Government and public administration Law, public safety, corrections and security Marketing, sales and service E and C

 

Finance Health science

Student Notebook – Page 8

Job Skills Training

The Job Search Process When you’re actually searching for a job, you’re going to use a combination of tools to find out about and apply for jobs. You may look for and apply for jobs online, hear about openings through word-of-mouth, or apply to companies directly. Although all of these tools can help you find a job, the most essential thing to know is that networking is the most important tool in helping you find a job.

Networking will guide you to openings, alert you to other companies you might want to look into, and help you become a better candidate.

Job Searching Strategy: 2. Do you know exactly what types of jobs you want? This is where to start – by identifying a basic type of job you want. Don’t know what type of job you want? Write down a couple of different possibilities on the first sheet of this handout!

3. Identify organizations and people who are doing the jobs you want! How? a. Look for job postings that fit your job titles, and write down the titles of the companies. (See the

worksheet on searching for jobs on the internet). b. Ask people you know if they know anyone – and make sure you ask anyone you meet with for more

names, too! c.

Use your Holland Code to look up jobs on the internet or through social networking. You can look up your code on http://www.cacareerzone.org/quick or at

http://www.iseek.org/guide/counselors/counselorclustersholland.html for more detail about various fields.

4. Now, see if you can get appointment to talk to the people doing the jobs you want. Ask for their advice, not for a job. What kind of education do they think you need? Do they think you’d be a good fit for that kind of work? What other people should you talk to?

5. Make sure to follow-up with a thank you note!

6. Apply to jobs you find out about through any of this research.

7. Repeat

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Student Notebook – Page 9

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Networking: An Essential Part of Your Job Search!

Informal Networking is something we do all the time. If you have ever asked somebody where they got their shoes or what band they are listening, you’ve done informal networking. This is basically getting information from people!

Formal Networking is a process where the focus is to gather information about current conditions and trends in specific industries.

Most employers eliminate job-hunters based on the way they behave during the job hunt, thinking this is how they will most likely behave on the job. A lack of initiative, or a lack of attention to detail (i.e. a dirty mailing envelope or cover letter) or lack of persistence is a turn-off to most employers.

Exploring Career Paths Using Networking!

Do you know exactly what types of jobs you want? Setting up interviews with people who work in fields you are interested in can help you learn about what it’s really like to work in any given job or career.

Informational Interviewing is a meeting in which a job seeker asks for career and industry advice rather than employment. The job seeker uses the interview to gather information on the field, to find employment leads, and to expand their professional network. It is a key way to do research and find out what types of jobs you want!

Informational interviewing will also help you learn insider information about different industries – where people find out about jobs, what vocabulary and concepts they are expected to know, and how to go about landing jobs. This will be invaluable information when you are actually searching for a job!

Why Else Should I Network?

In short: It’s the most effective way to find out about and get jobs! The less work the employer will have to do to find you, the bigger the chance they’ll hire you. Employers have to do the least work when they use the following sources:     

Inside company: promote from within Colleagues – asking colleagues about employees, past or present Referrals – asking about employees they might know at other workplaces Drop-ins – interview initiated with job hunter Contacts – seek introduction to prospective employee

Many jobs are not advertised or advertised in places where only industry insiders can find them.

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Student Notebook – Page 10

Job Skills Training

Informational Interviews Remember:    

This is NOT the time to ask for a job – you are asking to find more about the job and the field This is also about meeting contact who might point you towards a job Realize that people want to give you information – both people you know and people you’ve never met! People like to talk about their careers If you say you are going to call, don’t miss the scheduled time you said you would call/meet. Keep your appointments.

Sample Informational Request Letter/E-mail Dear {Insert Mr. or Ms. Last Name} I recently graduated {or whatever your circumstances are i.e. I’ve recently moved… I’m looking to find a career… etc.} and am interested in a career in {insert field, for example marine engineering}. After much research, I have found it would be quite valuable to talk with you about breaking into this field. I’m not asking for a job, I’m just interested in learning as much as I can about this career and what it takes to be successful.

I can be reached at {insert information i.e. your e-mail and/or phone number}. I will also give you a call on {insert date and time, ex. February 2, 2012 at 9am} to confirm if you’d be willing to meet or talk via phone about your career and how I can get started.

Thank you in advance for your time and advice, Warmly, {Insert Your Name}

Be sure to tailor this letter to each job/career you are interested in.

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Student Notebook – Page 11

Job Skills Training Informational Interview Letter Form Your Name Your Contact Info Contact’s Name Contact’s Info

Date Greeting: (Use a : because it is more formal. Example – Dear Lucy Blue: ) Intro – Include who you are and what career path you are interested. You can also say something about why you are writing to this particular person. (Example – I know you’re company is a leader in diesel mechanics and I’m hoping you can tell me more about how to become a great mechanic.)

Use this paragraph to talk about why you are interested in the particular career – reasons you think you’d like to work in the job. (Example – I’m interested in diesel mechanics because I like working with my hands.) You can also put in information about how you first hear about this particular career or became interested in it.

In this paragraph, request to meet your contact (or to set up a telephone call) to ask them more information about the career and industry you are interested in. Include a sentence thanking them in advance for their time in helping your career search.

Sincerely, Your Name ============================================================================== Important things to remember:  You are not asking for a job! You just want information.  Be polite and professional; keep the letter neat and easy to read  Leave it up to them to suggest when (if) they want to meet  It doesn’t need to be super long – but be sure to include why you are interested in the career.

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Student Notebook – Page 12

Job Skills Training What Should I Ask the Person I’m Interviewing?

You may have other questions you want to ask, but here are a couple of ideas for questions you could ask: 1. How did you get into your job? What kind of training or education did you have?

2. What three to five tasks do you do most often? How often? What skills are necessary to do these tasks? Do you mind the repetition?

3. What do you like about your job? What don’t you like about your job?

4. What do you see happening in your field of work in the next five to ten years?

5. How long have you been doing this work?

6. What kind of training or education did you need for this job? How much did it cost?

7. What do you like about your job? What don’t you like about your job?

8. What are the main challenges in this industry?

9. What is your ultimate career goal?

10. What is the starting salary in this job or field? What is the salary range with three to six years’ experience?

11. Do you have any additional comments, suggestions, or advice?

12. Can you give me the names of two or three other people who do this same work?

When you’re in the interview, you should take notes and consider how well the job suits you. If it doesn’t fit well with your skills and interests, ask yourself, “What would have to be different about this job to make it fit better?” If you’re able to articulate this in the informational interview (politely!), ask if the interviewee knows someone whose job is more like what you’re looking for.

For The Job(s) I Am Seeking: a. Who are some people I could talk to that have the job titles I’m interested in?

b. Are there other questions I want to ask them?

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Student Notebook – Page 13

Job Skills Training Follow-Up: Writing a Thank-You Note After each informational interview, always send a thank-you note – people are giving you very valuable information, time and wisdom. During the interview, make sure to get a business card – or at least their job title, the correct spelling of their name, and the name of the company they work for. Some tips on writing a thank-you note:  

 

Buy some plain thank-you notes and some stamps Unless your handwriting is very good, type your thank you note and print it out. You can glue your note inside a card or create a card online to print out – and remember your card should make a professional impression!

Keep it simple – two or three sentences will do.

Write and send your note within 24 hours of your appointment.

Here’s an example: Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. ________: Thank you for talking with me yesterday about your work. The information you gave me was quite helpful. I very much appreciate that you were willing to take the time to meet with me.

If I decide to become a _______, I will probably have more questions for you.

Sincerely, Your Name

MY ELEVATOR SPEECH An Elevator Speech is a speech short enough to be given in an elevator ride that informs the listener who you are and what kind of work you’re looking for.

Sample: “Hello, my name is Ruth and I’m interested in working with youth to build boats. Do you know of any organizations that do that kind of work in the Seattle area? How about organizations that do other types of hands-on work with youth?”

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Student Notebook – Page 14

Job Skills Training

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Student Notebook – Page 15

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My Career Plan Define your needs and timeline. What’s your time frame? How long do you have until you need to find a job?

Here are some questions to think about: 

When do I plan to be working full time?



(If you’re still in school) What classes or internships should I do to help me reach my career goals? If I don’t have any idea what my career goals are, who should I talk to in order to start exploring them?

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Student Notebook – Page 16

Job Skills Training

Resume Essentials What is a Resume? A resume is a summary of what you can bring to your prospective employer based on your past experience, skills, and accomplishments. It is a self-promotional document that presents you in the best light possible.

What is the Purpose of a Resume? The purpose of a resume is to land you an interview. You won’t get an offer of employment with your resume. A good resume will lay the foundation for a good interview.

How Should My Resume Look?  



Categorize the information on your resume with relevant titles and headings.

Organize the information on your resume to draw attention to your strengths:  Clearly organize the information on your resume. Put the most important parts at the top. Most prospective employers won’t have the time to read your resume carefully. They will scan through it stopping to read thoroughly if something catches their attention Choose the right font and size.  

Choose one or two fonts that are easy to read and is professional. Curley or hard to read OR IN YOUR FACE fonts are probably not the way you want to present yourself.

Again it’s all about making it easy for the reader. Also being uniform. Don’t make one sentence a different size from a sentence somewhere else displaying similar information in the document.

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Make the formatting consistent.  See how all the bullet points on this handout line up and all the categories are the same format? For example, if you write one date as “December 2010” then write out the whole month and year for every date so everything of the same type matches.

Make your resume visually appealing.  Balance the content so that it is well spread out on the page. You don’t want the top of the page to look to empty and the bottom to full or vice versa. Try playing with the margins or font size to even out the appearance. Using columns can help spread information evenly side to side.

Do not staple your resume - It shouldn’t be more than 1 page.  Unless there is a VERY good reason your resume should not be more than one page. You can design a master resume that is greater than one page and then tailor it to specific jobs. But as a rule of thumb you DO NOT want to give employers resumes that are longer than a single page unless you have 10+ years of experience.

Try not to fold your resume.  If you are mailing it do so in a 9” by 12” envelope. If carrying it to an interview, get a file folder or hard case of some sort to keep your resume safe and professional looking.

Keep your verb tenses consistent.  Jobs and other activities that you are still doing should be discussed in the present tense (i.e. make, work, organize). Anything that happened in the past should be in the past tense (i.e. learned, organized, operated).

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Student Notebook – Page 17

Job Skills Training 

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Make sure to proofread!  You want your resume to be PERFECT and lots of times we can’t see our own mistakes. Have a friend, or two, proofread your resume for you. If you’re on your own read it out loud to yourself.

When you save your resume as a word document use your name in it.  Many employers will require you to e-mail an attached resume. When you do this you want the attachment the employer will download to contain your name. So instead of saving it as ‘resume.doc’ save it as ‘John_Doe_Resume.doc’. Then when it is downloaded to an employer’s computer it will be easy for them to find and it’ll get your name in their heads.

What should be in my Resume? 



Contact Info  Include an address or not? o Consider this: Employers may make judgments based on what address you list. If they think your commute would be too long, they may not even consider hiring you. Your commute is your decision, so it may be best to not even let the employer know where you’re living. o Plus people don’t often mail things anymore. If they want to contact you to schedule an interview, they just need your phone number and e-mail address E-mail Address - jane.doe@gmail.com vs. babygurl69@yahoo.com

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

Use a work-appropriate e-mail address, ideally just your name.

Objective  If you choose to put an Objective at the top of your resume, make sure it is specific and focuses on what you can do for them in addition to what you want for yourself. o Keep it Short: Use one or two sentences maximum. o Don’t be Generic: This is the first thing on your resume, so take advantage of the opportunity to see yourself. If possible, tailor your objective to each new position for which you apply  use the position description as a guide, use the specific position and company name. o Don’t make it all about you: Everyone wants good pay, a chance for advancement, and respect. This is NOT the place to talk about that. The employer’s main concern is what you can do for them. Your objective needs to meet their needs. o Make sure it’s true: if your objective says you’re looking for a full-time job and you’re applying for a part-time internship, you will likely be disqualified immediately.  Sample Objectives: o To use my strong fashion knowledge and positive communication skills in a retail sales position. Offering vocational skills in cashiering, window displays, sales positions, and merchandising math. o To obtain a position where I can optimize my skills in the IT industry and gain a high level of hands-on experience.

Employment Experience:  Prioritize including jobs you have held for more than 3 months and jobs that weren’t under-the-table.  List the job title, name of business, location, dates worked, and job duties.  Generally bullet points are easier for employers to scan than chunky paragraphs  Be specific about your skills and training. Include buzz words specific to that trade.

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Student Notebook – Page 18

Job Skills Training 



Skills: Include as much information as possible about specific skills.  Brainstorm a list of all the skills you can offer to an employer – both hard skills and soft skills. Then select the better ones and craft them into bullet points. (See resume worksheet and sample resumes.)  Technology and language are increasingly important in all fields. Be sure to list your computer skills and language abilities.

Education Details:  List the last school you went to, the date, and what degree you earned. If you are still in school, you can write “GED in progress” or “currently attending.”  Include any certifications, permits, licenses or trainings you’ve completed. List where you attended, what the title of the class/training/license/permit and the month/year completed. o

For example:

Food Handler’s Permit Seattle, WA

January 2012

Keep in mind…  



Concise:  Use clear, concise words. Eliminate words such as articles (a, an, the) and personal pronouns (I, my).

Descriptions  When writing about past jobs, don’t keep repeating the same things if you’ve done the same or similar tasks at each employer.  One way to cut down on this if you have limited job experience is to have a longer skills or qualifications section and limit your job descriptions to titles, locations, month/year worked, and one short bullet point about the general duties of the job.

Relevance  Don’t include irrelevant information. Don’t list hobbies or personal information. Keep it professional.

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Student Notebook – Page 19

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Resume Worksheet Work Experience Repeat this worksheet section for each job you have held. If possible, only include jobs you have held for more than 3 months, and jobs that weren’t under-the-table.

Name of Company/Business/Organization: ___________________________________________ City: ______________________________

State: _________

Job title: ___________________ Month you started: ________________________

Year: ___________

Month you ended: _________________________

Year: ___________

Tasks you performed (brainstorm this list): o

________________________________________________________________________

o

________________________________________________________________________

o

________________________________________________________________________

o

________________________________________________________________________

Now go back and prioritize each task. Which one do you think is most relevant to the jobs you are applying for? Are there any that are very similar and could be combined into one line? Re-write the tasks into resume bullet points, emphasizing your capabilities and skills when describing the tasks.

Example 1 Task: Threw out old food and put new food on the shelves Resume bullet point: Supervised the freshness of the dairy stock by constantly rotating old product out.

Example 2 Task: Learned to make drinks and food, took orders from customers.

Resume bullet point: Perfected drink presentation, customer care, stocking, till reconciliation and lunch menu food production and service.

1. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________________________________

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Job Skills Training

Education Name of last school you attended: __________________________________________________ Year you finished: __________________ Degree earned (GED, diploma, Associates Degree, etc): ________________________________ If you have not yet earned the degree, you can write “GED in progress” etc.

Skills The skills section at the top of a resume can be an easy and quick summary for the employer so read your greatest assets. If the skills are compelling, the employer will likely read further to find out the details of where you gained those skills and what work experience you have.

From all of the jobs and experiences listed on your resume, which ones do you most want to highlight for the employer? Which positive personality traits do you think are strongest in you? What are the best skills you can offer to prove that you will be worth hiring? Circle 5 skills:   

Customer service Communicating with coworkers Collaboration and teamwork

   

Multi-tasking Taking initiative Leadership Adapting to new work settings/flexibility



       

Respectful Punctual Motivated/driven/ determined Gets the job done Fast learner Independent worker Hard working

     



Creating solutions/strategies to improve work tasks Working with a sense of urgency

Circle 5 personality traits:       

Professional Kind Courteous/polite Outgoing/people person Organized Efficient Responsible

Honest Resourceful Patient Detail-oriented Decisive Level headed

Brainstorm any additional/unique skills you have that would make you shine on a resume: -

_______________________________

- _______________________________

-

_______________________________

- _______________________________

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Job Skills Training Choose the top 6 that you think will relate to the jobs you are applying for and be what the employer wants to hear. These lines can be phrases or include multiple related skills on one line: 1. ________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________________________________ 6. ________________________________________________________________________

Job Skills Training Program Example Resume Entries 9/04 – 12/04 Crew Member   

Job Skills Training Program

Seattle, WA

Completed class work covering maritime theory and safety.

On the job training both in a workshop environment and on the water.

Developed excellent customer service skills by assisting with boat rental.

Center for Wooden Boats - Seattle, Washington March – June, 2004 Crew Member Completed a twelve-week intensive maritime training course, including weekly on-the-water training. Gained comprehensive knowledge of on-the-water safety and procedures. Duties included assisting with boat rental, preparing boats for customers, and answering questions about maritime history for visitors.

J OB S KILLS T RAINING P ROGRAM

 Camano Island, WA

Crew Member September – December 2005 Twelve week training program including weekly training at a fully operational woodshop on Camano Island. Collaborated with co-workers and staff to build an 18-foot wooden skiff. Duties included: Preparation of surfaces for painting and varnishing, cutting wood to specifications, ensuring that safety procedures were followed effectively, and motivating fellow crew members.

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Job Skills Training [Street Address] _______________________________  [phone] ______________[e-mail]______________________

[Your Name] _________________________

Objective [Describe your career goal or ideal job.]______________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________

Experience [Dates of employment]

[Company Name]

___________________

________________________

[City, ST] ___________

[Job Title] _____________________ 

[Job responsibility/achievement]__________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

[Dates of employment]

[Company Name]

___________________

________________________

[City, ST] ___________

[Job Title] _____________________ 

[Job responsibility/achievement]__________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

Skills [Your strengths/abilities] 

[Include second languages, technical and computer skills]_____________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

Education [Dates of attendance]

[School Name]

__________________

_________________________

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Job Skills Training

[City, ST] ___________

Student Notebook – Page 22

Job Skills Training

Cover Letter Essentials What is a Cover Letter? A cover letter is a way of introducing yourself to potential employers and explaining your suitability for the desired position. Employers may look for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters as one method of screening out applicants who are not sufficiently interested in their position or who lack necessary basic skills.

What do I do with a Cover Letter? Send it to potential employers along with your resume and application.

Even employers who don’t specifically request a cover letter expect to receive one. The only time you should turn in an application for employment without an accompanying cover letter and resume is if the employer specifically requests you do not submit said items, this is a rare occasion. Become accustomed to tailoring a cover letter to every position you apply for.

Basics of a Cover Letter 









Letterhead: Your resume and cover letter should match. Your name, email, addresses and phone number should look the same on both documents.  Date, Company Name & Address: Do some research if you don’t have this information. Try to include as much as possible, at the very least company full name.

Greeting: Personalize the greeting with a name if you have it, or use “Dear Recruiter”, “Dear Hiring Manager”, “Dear Search Committee”, or “Dear Sir/Madam.” Try to avoid “To Whom it May Concern”. If you know a name always use “Mr.” or “Ms.” (NEVER use “Mrs.” Unless you know the person is married.)

Paragraph #1: Why you’re writing, the name of the position, where you heard about the position. This is a good place to state your objective. Since you know the specific job being offered you can tailor your objective to suit the position.  If you have a name to drop, do it now. If you know an employee or have any sort of positive relationship with the company/organization mention that now.

Paragraph #2: Explain why you’re interested in this position. Describe how your education, experiences, and other personal qualifications support your capacity to succeed in this position. Emphasize specific skills and abilities that relate to the position for which you’re applying.  Match your cover letter to the job for which you’re applying. Read and re-read the job description being sure that the cover letter you’re writing directly address the skills and abilities being sought by the employer.  Show off your writing skills, proper grammar and sentence structure go a long way. Use professional language, and if possible language specific to the industry for which you’re applying.  This is also where you show that your cover letter is not generic and you do know what they are looking for in an employee.

Paragraph #3: The closing should be short and concise. Briefly restate your interest, let the reader know you are interested in a response. Close your letter with something like “I look forward to hearing from you soon” and “Thank you for your consideration”

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Student Notebook – Page 23

Job Skills Training Cover Letter… in depth. o

This letter is a small window into your personality that makes the employer feel they must get to know you better. Let some of your personality come through don’t just copy and paste sentences off of example cover letters.  Make it reflect who you are, what you can do and offer, and what you enjoy.  Don’t oversell yourself or beg - be confident and professional.

o

Update the letter for EVERY job you apply for.  Tailor your qualifications. Emphasize the skills, experience, and education MOST important to the particular position for which you are applying. Use the same keywords and concepts that appear in the job announcement.  Be sure all the company information is accurate, don’t just update the body of the letter without changing the headings to reflect the position you’re applying for.  PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD.

o

Showcase your knowledge about the company you’re applying for or industry you’re trying to get into.  Use any buzz words. Or job specific/industry specific words, phrases. o YouthTech examples; operating systems, troubleshooting hardware, finding and loading drivers, CPU, motherboard.  “While in the YouthTech program, I gained a knowledge base of operating systems including Linux and Microsoft Windows.”  “I have a comprehensive understanding of how to troubleshoot a variety of hardware problems, and know how to ask questions and try solutions to fix a computer system”

o

Research the company on-line a bit.  Find specific things to comment on. o “It would be an honor to work for ________________, a company that makes technology readily accessible to the public. I first became interested in repairing technology when in the YouthTech Program and ever since have been seeking a job opportunity that would allow me to learn more.”

Ask Yourself These Questions     

Knowing only what is on your resume and cover letter, would you hire you?

Is it obvious that you value this job and this company?

Is it obvious that this cover letter was written for this job?

Do you stand out in a stack of 100 cover letters?

Is everything perfect? This is a test of your writing skills, as well as your ability to pay attention to details. Always have a friend, teacher, advisor, case manager, someone or even two or three people proofread your finished letter.

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Student Notebook – Page 24

Job Skills Training

Cover Letter Worksheet The Bones: Three Paragraphs. Short, Detailed, Professional, and Direct Name ____________________ City, State ________________________ Email_______________________ Phone ________________________ Date ____________ Employer Address

Dear (name of hiring manager) #1 Why you are writing – who you are, what position you are applying for, how you found out about the job

#2 Why you are right for this job – your skills and experiences that relate to this job specifically

#3 How you plan to follow-up – when you will call, request an interview

Thanks again Sincerely,

Signature _____________________ Name _______________________

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Student Notebook – Page 25

Job Skills Training Your name Your e-mail Your phone # Date Company Address City, State, Zip Code Dear Mr. /Ms. Last Name, I am submitting the enclosed resume for consideration of the job opening of______________, which appeared in________________. I feel I would be a strong candidate for this position and I would be a positive addition to your organization. I have recently completed _______________ [or] graduated high school from a [well known school]. Now, I am looking for a position that will add experience to my building career. Here are some of my key strengths that I would bring to the position. I am: 1. A great self-starter.

2. Very well disciplined.

3. An exceptional communicator.

4. Very willing and eager to learn new things.

5. Brilliant at customer service 6. An outstanding team worker.

Accepting challenges is the foundation of my life experiences and something I do with confidence. You will find me a totally committed individual with pride in being direct, reliable, and communicative. I can maintain _________, perform __________ duties with accuracy and I need little direction to complete assigned tasks. These are the qualities that make an excellent candidate for this position. While I was in ________________ I was responsible for _____________________, as well as participated in ________________________. I have working knowledge of (examples‌) [MS Word, PowerPoint, MS Excel and Internet] or [how to use a manual espresso machine] or [the flow and responsibilities of food service] or [troubleshooting computer hardware problems] .

I would appreciate your consideration of my credentials. If you do think there is a shared interest, I would greet the chance to meet with you to hear more about your company, the requirements of the position, and how my skills would be a good fit. Thank you in advance for your consideration and I hope to speak with you in the near future.

Sincerely, Signature Your Typed Name

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Student Notebook – Page 26

Job Skills Training

Your Name Street Address City, State Zip Phone #: June 3, 2015 Contact or Manager Name Contact or Manager Title Name of Company Street Address City, State Zip Or as much of this information as you are able to get Dear Contact or Manager Name, First paragraph as introduction: state where you heard about the position, state which position you are applying for and indicate that you would like to be considered for the position.

I am writing to inform you that I would like to be considered for the barista position that you advertised on craigslist. Please consider my experience and skills while you make a decision about the best candidate.

State your strengths and interests in the second paragraph – indicate why you are interested in working for this company and why you are interested in the position – indicate why you are the best candidate for the job.

I show excellent customer service by making sure that customers are satisfied and that I know exactly what they want. I am a quick learner and that makes it easy for me to adapt to different settings and work places. When I make espresso, I make sure that my espresso shots are extracted in a minimum time of 20 seconds and a maximum time of 25 seconds.

In the final paragraph, thank the reader for their time and consideration. Indicate your availability and desire for an interview, or to speak further – leave your telephone number. Be sure to have an employment appropriate message on your voicemail/telephone!

I feel that I would be an excellent candidate for this position. Please feel free to contact me for further questions, or to discuss my qualifications.

Sincerely,

Your Name

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Student Notebook – Page 27

Job Skills Training

Interview Essentials Before the Interview o Prepare  Read the job description carefully a few times. If possible, check out the website for the company and talk to people about that place so you can learn as much as you can before the interview  Write out your answers to common interview questions with particular tailoring to this job. You can’t use the same answers for every job because the job duties/environment may be different.  Practice speaking your answers to yourself or a friend to get comfortable with them so you don’t need to read your notes from a page. o Clothes, hygiene  If you’re uncertain about wearing a certain item of clothing then go with your best conservative guess.  General rules of thumb: No logos, no sagging, no underwear/bras showing, clean clothes, slacks or skirts when possible instead of jeans.  Shower the day of whenever possible, or at least wash your face and if needed shave/clean up any facial hair. Remove piercings unless you are sure that the company doesn’t mind. o Get there early, don’t be late!!  Use www.googlemaps.com or metro trip planner to make sure you know where you are going.  Always plan for traffic, unsuspected events when heading to an interview. Better to be there ½ hour early and read a paper than arrive a ½ late and miss a job opportunity.

What is the Employer Looking For in an Interview? o o o o

Level of experience and skills—are you qualified?

Willingness and ability to learn Knowledge of and interest in the position/company/organization you are interviewing for Basic idea of:  Your personality  Are you going to fit into the company/organization? o Example: If it is a customer service position and you say you don’t really like talking to people…is the employer going to think you’re the best fit for the position?  Your level of professionalism  Do you conduct yourself in a way that fits in with the company/organization’s values/image? o Example: If you’re interviewing to work at the front desk of a sports or fitness club and you smell like a cigarette, are drinking a Pepsi, and talk about how

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Job Skills Training 



 

you hate to walk……are you representing the image they’re going to want greeting their customers?

Commitment  Are you going to be in it for the long haul? o Example: Employer interviewing for a full time position asks; where do you see yourself in six months? You answer “In Florida living with my cousin” do you think you’re going to get hired for this position?

Responsibility.  Are you capable of the responsibilities that come with the position for which you apply?

Ability to specifically and articulately answer questions  Particularly pertaining to what is on your resume and its legitimacy Availability  Are you able to work the times that they need you? Both start date and weekly schedule.

During the Interview o Come Prepared  Always bring at least 3 copies of your resume and cover letter to the interview and make sure the interviewer knows you have brought them.  Bring a notebook and pen to the interview and take notes. Taking notes shows you are genuinely interested in the position. o Body Language  Shake hands and greet them  Stay engaged, nod along, smile, professionally. lean forward. Be interested in  No slouching! what they’re saying.  Make eye contact when answering  Don’t fidget! Try not to say “um”, questions “like”, or other filler words too much. o Take notes  Prepare questions to ask at the end. Don’t interrupt when you have a question, write it down.  Ask your questions; show your interest.  Try to develop some questions that involve more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.  Be specific to job responsibilities, employer expectations, company values, work climate, etc.  Don’t ask questions that were already answered in the job description because that will show that you didn’t read it carefully o Speak from experience without getting too personal  You will be more memorable if you have a story to tell rather than stating how you think you might handle a situation.  Don’t get too personal. Use personal stories if relevant to the questions, but leave out taboo details.  Always try to avoid the following topics, or at the very least use extreme caution.

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Student Notebook – Page 29

Job Skills Training

o

o o o

o

 Marital Status  Age  Religion/Race/Ethnicity/  Housing situation Nationality  Mental health issues  Whether or not you have  Drugs children  Sexual orientation Stay positive and upbeat  Smile and speak positively and enthusiastically about the job, the company, the interviewer, yourself, and your past.  NEVER complain about a past job or employer; never use slang or profane language; don’t talk about your troubles.

Keep it Cool  Do not beg for a job or appear desperate.

Stay confident yet humble  Believe in yourself and the employer will be more likely to believe in you! Speak up!

If you have any criminal background  Be prepared to answer questions about what you did.  Tell the employer that you made a mistake in your past and learned from it. Calmly convince them that you have changed and will not get into trouble again. If possible, give examples of productive things you have been doing with your life since then to be on track. Make eye contact.  Don’t be defensive. You want the employer to trust you, and to HIRE you!

Next Steps?  At the very end, thank the interviewer(s) and tell them that you are interested in the job and look forward to hearing from them.  Ask POLITELY when you can expect to hear back from them.  E.g. “What is the next step in the interview process?” (let them see you writing it down)  Don’t leave the interview without knowing what to do next!

After the Interview 

Follow up! Email the employer in the next 2 days to keep them fresh in your memory. Thank them for the opportunity to interview and let them know that you had a great time and you are still very interested in working for their organization. Call the employer about a week later if you haven’t heard from them to check about the decision-making timeline and to show that you are still interested. If the employer is undecided, this might be the little push they need to decide to hire you. Don’t call repeatedly, and prepare what you plan to say on the phone so you can be professional. Practice it beforehand with a friend or staff.

Illegal Interview Questions o There is a fine line between an illegal and a legal question. o Federal and state laws prohibit prospective employers from asking certain questions that are not related to the job for which they are hiring.

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Job Skills Training o Questions should be job-related and not used to find out personal information. o In general employers should not ask directly about:  Race  Disability  Gender  Ethnic background  Religion  National origin or birthplace  Marital/family status  Sexual orientation  Age o If you are asked an illegal question or an uncomfortable question, remember to stay polite and professional. o For some more concrete examples of illegal questions and their legal counterparts visit;  http://www.hrworld.com/features/30-interview-questions-111507/

Common Interview Questions o Tell me about yourself. (The 60-second elevator speech) o Explain why you are seeking this position? o What is your greatest weakness/strength? o Where do you see yourself in 3/5/10 years? o What motivates you? o Why are you interested in this particular field of work? o How do you define success in your job? o Describe your ideal job. o What is your greatest achievement? o Do you prefer working in a team or on your own? o Why should we hire you? o Why do you want to work here? o Why did you leave (or why are you leaving) your last job? o What do you like most/least about your current (or last) position? o How would you describe your previous manager/boss/supervisor?

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Job Skills Training

o How would your co-workers describe you? o What would your current (or last) manager say are your strengths/weaknesses? o Tell me about your previous work experience. o Tell me the most difficult work related situation you have faced. o How do you typically deal with conflict or communication problems? Give me an example. o Tell me about a time when you worked with people of different backgrounds. o Give an example of a time when you motivated others in a positive way. o Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead. o Tell me about a situation when you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker. o Tell me about a time you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.

Student Notebook – Page 31

Job Skills Training

Interview Worksheet In this worksheet, you will practice writing up excellent responses to various interview questions. The best responses will a) give true and specific examples of experiences you’ve had in a previous job, b) highlight your positive skills/qualities, and c) tell a compelling and interesting story. To practice telling such stories, start by writing up a story using the following prompts.

1. Circle one of these interview question to answer: o What is your experience in _____________ (insert relevant experience – food service or customer service)? Describe a situation where you were challenged to use those skills. o Describe a time when you were able to learn something complex in a short period of time.

How did you apply what you learned? o Tell me about a task or a project you worked on that was difficult to understand? What did you do? o Describe a situation when you saw a problem and took action to correct it rather than wait for someone else to do so. What prompted you to begin that project?

2. Write out your answer to the interview question using the questions below: Situation. What was the situation? This is a brief outline of the situation you faced and your role.

Task. What were the main issues involved in the situation? What needed to be done? What task/s needed to be achieved and what was the desired outcome? What obstacles had to be overcome?

Action. What were the steps you took to complete the task? (This will include physical actions, communication, people involved, etc.

Results. What was the outcome? How did it change things at work? What lessons did you learn from this event?

If you need more practice, write out responses to the following questions, using the questions above to help you tell a story (if applicable).

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Student Notebook – Page 32

Job Skills Training Job you are “interviewing” for: ________________________________________________________________

Tell me something about yourself.______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you want this job? ___________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

What are your strengths; why do you think you would be good at this job? ____________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

What is your previous work experience? Do you have experience in this kind of work? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did you leave your last job? ______________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Give an example of a time when you had a challenge at work and how you dealt with it. __________________________________________________________________________________________

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Job Skills Training __________________________________________________________________________________________ What are three adjectives that describe you? ____________________________________________________

What are your career goals? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the most important thing you are looking for in a job? ______________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Why should we hire you? ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you have any questions? __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

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Student Notebook – Page 34

Job Skills Training

Interview Evaluation Form Did the interviewee…

Not at all

Somewhat

Yes

Well

Very Well

Speak clearly?

1

2

3

4

5

Use appropriate professional behavior?

1

2

3

4

5

Give thoughtful and thorough responses to questions?

1

2

3

4

5

Skills and qualifications match the job they are interviewing for?

1

2

3

4

5

Appear confident?

1

2

3

4

5

Appear calm and sit still?

1

2

3

4

5

Would you hire this person?

1

2

3

4

5

Not at all

Somewhat

Yes

Well

Very Well

Speak clearly?

1

2

3

4

5

Use appropriate professional behavior?

1

2

3

4

5

Give thoughtful and thorough responses to questions?

1

2

3

4

5

Skills and qualifications match the job they are interviewing for?

1

2

3

4

5

Appear confident?

1

2

3

4

5

Appear calm and sit still?

1

2

3

4

5

Would you hire this person?

1

2

3

4

5

Did the interviewee…

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Student Notebook – Page 35