California Career and Technical Education Standards

• ANR.FS.3.6 Know key strategies for self-promotion in the hiring process, such as job applic...

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

• ELA.11-12.W.2.5a Write job applications and resumés that provide clear and purposeful information...
• ELA.9-10.LS.2.3c Apply appropriate interviewing techniques use language that conveys maturity, se...

• Welcome to HR - Hooks / Set

  Create a job fair atmosphere in the classroom. 

  Ideas to prepare classroom include:

  - Have sign in front of the room or use LCD projector to display one that says something like "Welcome to the XYZ Corporation Job Fair" or "Welcome to Human Resource Department".  Make it colorful and bright.

  - Have some balloons at door or near welcome sign.

  - Teacher dresses up (in your best interview clothes), much nicer than your normal school attire.  Men - suits, Women - dresses or really nice matching top/pants.  Suggestion - dress down for a few days before you do this, so kids will really notice a difference.

  Get blank job applications for students to fill out.  Have enough copies for all students plus a few extra in case they mess up.  Have a supply of pens ready for students.

  Day of Job Fair - stand at the door and formally greet each student with a handshake, hand them an application, ask them to find a seat and fill out the application.  Do not warn students ahead of time that you are doing this.  Collect applications. 

  You might be surprised to at the results.  Correct the applications for spelling and grammar and return them to students, but do not grade applications.

   

  • Sample Welcome Sign in PPT [ Download ]
  • Sample Job Application [ Download ]
• Discussion on applications/job interviews - Lecture

   Review with students on what a job application is and how it should be filled out.  Stress with them that this is often the first impression an employers has and may decide whether they get an interview.  Go over importance of using best handwriting (using a pen), checking their spelling, having complete information.  Point out common mistakes (or problems you observed from job fair applications)

  Ask if any students have gone through any type of interview, what kind of questions were asked.  Talk about why interviews are held – employers doing hiring and promotions, colleges making admissions decisions, and committees making scholarship/financial decisions.

  Talk about the importance of being a good salesperson during interview, impressions are very important, they are trying to convince the interviewer why they are the best person for the job.  Prepare to discuss their job skills, how to translate what they have learned in your class and other classes into job skills. (computer skills, leadership, teamwork, time management, etc) [handout on interview tips]

   
• What to Expect - Demo / Modeling

  Ideas:

  #1 - Bring in speaker from an HR department.  Ask them to discuss the do's and don'ts of interviews.  Have them give some stories of outrageous things they have experienced during interviews. (funny stories make your point and keep student interest)

  #2 - Discuss your own experiences with interviews.  Talk about a successful interview and a not-so successful interview.  Bring up specific questions you have been asked, like describing their technical experience, what certifications they have, how they keep their skills up-to-date.  Reminds students that technology constantly changes and employers want to know that they keep up with the industry.

  #3 - Have teacher and speaker act out good and bad behavior for interview.  If you don't have a speaker, get a student to play the interviewer and teacher acts out behavior.  Try it several times, acting different ways each time. (teacher can overexaggerate behavior to get point across, also helps keep student interest, makes them more comfortable with role-playing)

  Do quick assessments of students.  Act out behavior and then ask if its a good or bad, what could be improved.  If you have several interested students, let them participate by acting in roles.
• The Interview Process - Guided Practice

  Brainstorm some questions that might be asked during the interview, write them on the board. (teacher add a few of your own that students might miss)  Discuss which questions might be difficult to answer.  

  Discuss the importance of sending a thank you letter after the interview, what to put in such a letter, when it should be sent. (and if an email is acceptable replacement)  [handout of sample letter]
• Let's Practice - Independent Practice

  Break the class into partners.  To start, one person will be assigned the interviewer, one the interviewee.  They will be interviewing for an entry level position on the Geek Squad at a local electronics store.  Put all the interviewers on one side of the class, interviewees on the other side.  Have interviewers brainstorm five questions they would like to ask during the interview. (teacher will want to rotate around group to make sure they have appropriate questions)  Interviewees will want to brainstorm what skills they have and what responses they will give during the interview.

  After brainstorming sessions, have the class go back to the partners.  Give the class 10 minutes to do the interview.  They must go through the entire interview, from greeting/handshake to close.

  After the mock interviews, have the interviewers and interviewees go back to their groups.  Have them discuss the good and bad from their interviews.

  Then have the class switch roles.  Go through the process again.  At the end, ask the students what they learned by playing both roles.
• Writing thank you letter - Closure

  Have students write a thank you letter to their interviewer.  Have them type the letter in a word processor.  Each student will produce one letter, spelling and grammar corrected, addressed to their group partner, identifying the job they interviewed for and outlining their qualifications.

• Interview Tips handout [ Download ] Handout with tips for the interview - from preparation to follow-up
• Sample thank you letter [ Download ] Sample follow-up thank you letter