California Career and Technical Education Standards

• ED.FS.3.1 Know the personal qualifications, interests, aptitudes, knowledge, and skills ne...
• ED.FS.3.2 Understand the scope of career opportunities and know the requirements for educa...
• ED.FS.3.6 Know the main strategies for self-promotion in the hiring process, such as job a...

• The origins of the interview - Hooks / Set

  Before the students enter the room place these two questions on the front board or projector for the students to answer when the video is played.

  Show this video.

  Would you hire the caveman?

  Why or why not?

  Discuss the answers with the class.

  • The Origin of Job Interviews -.mp4 [ Watch Video ] [ Download Original Video ] Cave man interview
• What do you know about interviews? - Hooks / Set

  How many of you have had an interview?  Usually several hands are raised.

  Where was it, how was it, did you get the job?

  Have students who have had an interview share their experience.

  Did you always get the job?

  What could have made the difference getting the job?

  More information, being prepared, knowing what they expect?
• Group Activity-Business owner - Group Work

  1.  Have students count off 1-8, break them into eight teams (or groups of 3-4 students). Give each team one minute to choose a recorder and a reporter. Tell them that today they are going to be a hiring committee for a company and need to decide on what they want to know about someone before hiring them for a job. Give the students chart paper, markers and colored dots to use during the lesson.

  2.  Tell the teams that they have five minutes to choose a type of business for their company, create a company name and decide what position they are filling. The recorder will write this information on a sheet of chart paper.

  3. Ask the reporter of each team to hold up the chart paper and tell the class their company name, type of business and position being filled.

  4. Tell the students that they now have 10 minutes to create a list of 10 or more things they want to know about their candidates that will help them decide on who is best for the job.

  5.  Call time and have each reporter take turns reading one item off their list until all ideas been shared. Recorders are invited to add to their list anything they hear and like.

  6.  Teams are now asked to use their list to help them write interview questions. On the top of a fresh piece of chart paper the teams list their company name, business type and job opening. Then, the teams are directed to take up to 15 minutes to write eight interview questions they think will help them decide on whom to hire. Once the questions are written on their paper, the reporter will tape the chart to the designated area on the classroom wall.

  7. Once the charts are posted, each reporter is asked to read the questions on their chart. Then each reporter will take their dots and place one dot beside each question on their chart each time that question is read. (The purpose is to see which are the most often asked questions).

  8.  Discuss which questions have the most dots and write them on the board. Then give the students the "What Questions will I be asked during an interview" handout and give them 5 minutes to share with their team which questions are the same and which are different from the ones created by the class (on the charts). Students may highlight the duplicate questions on their sheet.

  9. Tell the students that they will begin learning how to answer interview questions tomorrow.

  Prepare them to think about the most universal interview question, Tell me about yourself.

  
  Their task is to decide which answers tell the employer something that would help in hiring decision called work-related and which answers do not help, called personal.  Use the first chart as a demonstration:

  The question"Tell me about yourself"

  Which answers would be appropriate?

  a. I used to live in Sacramento before coming to Chico - no

  b. I was the captain of the basketball team- yes

  c.  I get good grades- yes

  d. I have 3 dogs- no, except if applying at a pet store

  Discuss why each is a good or poor choice. What is the employer learning that helps him/her make a good decision about hiring you?
• Introduction-cartoon - Hooks / Set

  While roll is being taken, direct students to write a paragraph answering the  most universal interview question: Tell about yourself. Have several students share aloud their answers, discuss how the employer might perceive them.

  Show the cartoon attached.

  • First Impression Cartoon [ View Image ] [ Download Original ] null
• The interview - Lecture

  See attachment #A, power point for typical interview questions. Go over questions and possible answers. You may add other questions to the list.

  Have students get in 2 equal lines facing each other, if odd number, one person at end of line can join the closest group. Put attachment #B (List of questions) on overhead projector. Explain this is speed interviews, when you say go, one side of line (which you have previously identified) asks any interview question to the person he/she is facing, that person has one minute to answer, ask if anyone had any great answers, have them share aloud. The front person on one side only, moves to the end of the line, this causes the pairing to be changed with each question. You say go again, the other side now asks the question, and so on.

  At the end of this activity students will journal their own answers to 10 questions they would like to practice.

  • Attachment #A [ Download ] Typical interview questions and answers
  • Attachment B [ Download ] 1 slide with typical questions-use with lightening round questions
• Role playing - Guided Practice

  Students choose from three colors of paper strips, colored markers or other type of group division. Have them get into groups with one of each color. One color is then designated the interviewer, one color the interviewee, the other the recorder. Students will role play interviewing, the recorder jotting down the question and answers. Students have 5 minutes to role play, then 3 minutes to talk about the answers. You then call time and tell everyone to now get into a different group, again with the three colors. Go through process three times until all have had a chance to participate in all roles.

  Example-1st time-Red interviewer, green interviewee, blue recorder

  2nd time- green interviewer, blue interviewee, red recorder

  3rd time- blue interviewer, red interviewee, green recorder

  Talk as a large group after activity, about best answers to questions.
• Follow up-Thank you for the interview - Guided Practice

  Employers are generally very impressed with interviewee who go the extra mile to send a thank you note for their time and effort.

  Thank you notes may be hand written or for more professional positions, typed. Note cards should be a professional plain note card. Thank you cards may be hand delivered especially if they are making a decision soon. Thank you letters may be faxed or mailed if time allows. Make sure you have the correct spelling of all interviewers.

  Use the following powerpoint to give an example of a thank you for the interview letter.

  This may be typed or hand written.

  If hand written, use professional thank you cards.

  Address it to the interviewer:

  Dear Mr/Ms. ________________,

  Thank you for your time to interview me this morning. I just want to tell you how excited I am at the posibility of working for your organization. I believe my skills and experience will be a great match for your company. I look forward to hearing from you soon and again want to say how much I appreciate the time you spent with me today. I can be reached at 111-111-1111. Sincerely, Anita Job

  • Sample thank you interview letter [ Download ] Power point sample of a thank you for the interview letter
• Thank you letters - Check Understanding

  Students will write a thank you for a pretend interview in their journal.