Title: The Successful Job Search

Grade Level(s): 11, 12 and Post-secondary Students

Subject(s): Career Development, English Language Arts, Guidance, Vocational Technical, Business Communications

Learner Outcomes: The student will be able to:

Perform steps needed to locate a rewarding career using internet technology.

Perform the steps needed to utilize local resources in the job search.

Compose information about themselves contained on a resume

Produce a hard copy of an acceptable resume

Learn the proper way to master a job interview.

Type (in the correct form) a follow-up letter to submit to an employer after the interview has taken place.

Materials:

• Mid-Atlantic Guide to Information on Careers
• Printout of Power Point presentation Job Search
• Printout of Power Point presentation Interviewing Techniques
• Highlighters
• Pens
• Typing Book
• Communications book
• Writing materials
• Handouts ( a skeleton outline of a resume)
• Handout (Block and Modified Block Letters)

Technology Tools/Courseware:

• Computers with Internet, word processing and Power Point capabilities.

Signed Acceptable Use Policies for each student
Field trip permission
Out of Class forms
Dictionaries should be available

1.  Student will have attained the appropriate skills in their technical area prior to attempting job placement.
2.  Student will have a Goal Profile listing all mastered skills in their career area.
3.  The student will decide what position they are seeking and complete their objective.
4.  The student will be introduced to the importance and purpose of a resume.
5.  The student will be introduced to the parts of the resume.
6.  The student will decide what position they are seeking and complete their objective

• ESL students may need assistance in interpreting career titles.
• If the Internet would happen to be down, the students could use the Occupational Outlook Manual to look up jobs of their liking.
• Modify the workstations to accommodate all students.

• Field trip to WV Department of Employment Security
• Each student will interview for a job of their interest.

1.  Proficient use of the Internet and the selection of three jobs to apply to.
2.  Completion of skeleton form.
3.  Completion of rough draft.
4.  Completion and printout of final resume.
5.  The students would receive a grade from the interview portion of the unit.  This grade would be based on their dress, and how well they answered each question that was asked.  Also, they would receive a grade from the written test that would be given on Day 3.
6.  The students will receive a performance grade for the Follow-Up letter.  The grade will be determined by how well they formatted their letter, use of the correct spacing, and placement of letter parts.  For each mistake, 3 points will be taken away.  The grade will be based on a 100 point scale.
7.  Completion of skeleton form.
8.  Completion of rough draft.
9.  Completion and printout of final resume.

Standard 4:   Pursues specific jobs

1. Determines key contacts within a prospective employer's organization
2. Determines specific procedures for applying for a specific job
5. Identifies the procedures involved in applying for a job at a  company's personnel office

          8. Identifies and engages in necessary steps to prepare for a job interview.

Language Arts/Writing

         13. Uses appropriate strategies (e.g., organizational pattern, format, language, tone) to write personal and business    correspondence (e.g., informal letters, memos, job application letters, resumes).
 

 WV Workplace Processing Skills

Communication
PW.9    Use correct grammar when speaking and writing.
PW.10  Use correct punctuation, spelling, vocabulary and grammar in all written work.
PW.12  Compose correspondence for a variety of audiences that is grammatically correct, easily understood, and reflects all necessary information.
PW.14  Perform a task after listening to oral information

Working with Others
PW.17  Given an assignment with two or more individuals, use encouragement, persuasion, motivation, and other effective communication skills to complete the assignment.
PW.21  Provide effective, corrective, and positive feedback to others in the appropriate situation.

Technology
PW.26  Demonstrate the ability to obtain and exchange information by using on-line sources.
PW.27  Demonstrate the ability to operate computer equipment.
PW.30  Demonstrate the ability to use word processing
PW.31  Demonstrate the ability to use word processing.

Self Management
PW.36  Stay with an assignment or task to completion.
PW.37  Demonstrate self-motivation
PW.38  Work independently without direct supervision.
PW.42  Dress appropriately to maximize personal effectiveness and safety in various settings (e.g.,  work, school, community functions)
PW.44  Be able to check the details and quality of one's work and to take action to correct mistakes.

Career Development
PW.46  Identify multiple career options and establish goals toward the pursuit of the selected career path
PW.47  Prepare a job or college application, resume, and write appropriate cover and follow-up letters.
PW.48  Practice interview strategies concentrating on speaking clearly and correctly, speaking with confidence about one's own skills and qualifications as they relate to the specific situation.

Problem Solving
PW.2  Given a set of rules, directions, or instructions, apply them to solve a problem or accomplish a task.
PW.3 given multiple tasks, prioritize them according to importance and prepare a time frame and schedule to accomplish the tasks
PW.5  Given an event or activity, identify the resources needed and develop a plan of action.
PW.8  Demonstrate an understanding of oral, visual, and written information by summarizing it and following through with appropriate action.

West Virginia Instructional Goals & Objectives:

Computer/Technology
11.97, 12.93 select and use appropriate technologies to locate and use reference sources

Reading Comprehension
11.25 demonstrate use of reading strategies necessary for various reading purposes (e.g., literary experience, information and task  performance)
11.30 identify consequences for not properly following a specific set of instructions (e.g., applying for a job, college, or financial aid or following directions on a test)

Study Skills
12.84 use available primary sources when gathering information, taking into consideration the motives and perspective of those sources following directions on a test)
12.85 consult various career information sources (e.g., Occupational Outlooks Handbook, community resources, college/training center catalogs)

English/Language Arts
9.83 practice notetaking skills to process and organize information (e.g., listening and recording from teacher or text; interviewing)
10.1 review appropriate classroom speaking and listening skills (e.g., asking questions, answering questions and following directions)
10.41 use prewriting strategies to generate topics and plan approaches to writing tasks (e.g., brainstorming, mapping, outlining)

Family and Consumer Sciences
ADC6 Design a checklist for the preparation and delivery of oral presentations (e.g., determining audience, becoming familiar with physical setting, gestures, eye contact)
ADC21 Review appropriate interpersonal communication skills (e.g., one-to-one situations, small group situations, public speaking, mass media)
ADC35 Retrieve information from electronic media (e.g., CD Rom, Internet)
ADC37 Use a variety of audiovisual and multimedia materials to create and deliver presentations (e.g.,video, Power Point, Hyper-Studio, Internet)

Marketing
MRK 12 Complete the procedures for obtaining employment (resume, letter of application, job application, job search, interview, follow-up letters).
MRK 13 Using a computer, prepare a portfolio of sample work to be utilized in an interview.
MRK 14 Role play an interview for a potential job.

Office Technology
OFT 56 - develop and update a resume

Marketing
MRK 12 -  Complete the procedures for obtaining employment (resume, letter of application, job application, job search, interview, follow-up letters).
 

Job/Career Clusters:   Business and Marketing
                                        Engineering and Technical
                                        Fine Arts and Humanities
                                        Health Services
                                        Human Services
                                        Science and Natural Resources

Keywords:  Jobs, Resume, Interview, Employment, Career

Lesson Plan URLs (new Window):
 http://www.job-hunt.org/
 http://www.state.wv.us/bep/
 http://www.careers.org/
 http://www.ajb.dni.us/index.html
www.andrews.edu/CPPS/cho/choint.html
http://www.neu.edu/career-services/interview.html
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/
http://www.studentadvantage.com
 
 

Reference:
University of Delaware Career Development Division
The Resume Writes Workbook by Delmar Publishers
West Virginia State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. West Virginia Careers.  pgs. 48-49, 1999-2000.
Century 21 Keyboarding & Information Processing.  South Western Educational Publishing, pg. 129, 1997.
West Virginia State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee.  West Virginia Careers, pgs. 49, 1999-2000.
 

Author:
Kathy Kolar, Marion County Technical Center
Gary Rinehart, Marion County Technical Center
Lisa Wayne, Marion County Technical Center
 
 
 

Unit Plan

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lesson 5