Senior High Job Skills Group
Kerrie Troseth Kristen Cooper
Professional School Counselor MSUM Intern 2001-2002
Shakopee High School Shakopee High School
Shakopee, MN Shakopee,
MN
Job skills such as resume writing, how to fill out an application correctly, job search strategies, and interview skills can be presented via a small group format. This small developmental guidance group was developed by Kristen Cooper and Lisa Treml, counseling interns at Shakopee High School. This group focused on seniors who will be graduating and seeking full-time employment upon graduation rather than pursuing post-secondary education. The lessons can be presented in five weekly meetings of one class period each. A summary of each lesson follows.
In lesson one, students will be introduced to the concept and purpose of a resume. Samples will be distributed as students are asked to identify the components of the resume. Students will learn about key action words that can be used to describe prior experience and skills. They will be given a homework assignment to complete a Personal Data Sheet on which they will record information on personal, educational, and employment/volunteer experience. They will also gather names and phone numbers of possible references.
In the second lesson students will have the opportunity to create their own resume using either ECOS or the resume wizard included in Microsoft Word. Both of these tools walk students through the process of entering basic personal information, educational data, previous work and volunteer experience, relevant courses, and extra-curricular activities. This information will be readily available on the Personal Data Sheets that they completed from last week. These programs then format this information into a resume format. Students will leave the session with a hard copy and an electronically saved version of a working resume.
The third lesson will incorporate a speaker form the local Minnesota Workforce Center site. This speaker will describe the services available at the Workforce Centers. The speaker will also bring materials on topics such as workforce rules and employee rights. Job search tools and resources will also be discussed.
Lesson four will cover successful completion of application forms. The video ŅThe Complete Job ApplicationÓ will be shown and discussed. Students will then practice filling out a sample application. The counselor will check each application for quality, paying attention to penmanship, spelling, completeness of information, and accuracy.
The fifth lesson will cover interviewing skills. The counselor will great each student as they arrive with a handshake and professional greeting. Once class begins, students will be asked to explain why the counselor did this. They will be told about the importance of eye contact and a firm grip. A student volunteer will participate in a brief mock interview with the counselor. The class will watch the video ŅYour First Job InterviewÓ, which highlights important interview etiquette and procedures. The class will then get into groups of three where each person has the role of interviewer, prospective employee, or observer. They will practice mock interview questions. The whole class will then discuss strengths and weaknesses of each otherÕs performances.
The Job Skills Group directly relates to Minnesota Graduation Standard Number Two, Write and Speak. Specifically, sessions 1, 2, and 4 relate to writing skills of a technical nature, and session 5 deals with speaking skills.
All of the lessons for the Job Skills Group are reflective of the Career developmental domain of the Minnesota School CounselorsÕ Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling. The lessons help equip students with tools necessary for transition from school to the world of work.
Additionally, these lessons correspond to the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee Standards for high school students. In the area of self-knowledge, students learn skills to positively interact with others. In educational and occupational exploration, students understand relationships between academics and career planning; they understand the need for positive attitudes about work and learning; they develop skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information; and they develop skills for seeking, obtaining, and maintaining a job. In the career planning, area, students understand the inter-relationship of life roles, gain understanding about male/female roles, and gain skills in career planning.
Farr, J. & Christophersen, S. (1999). Introduction to job applications (2nd ed.). Indianapolis, IN: JIST Works, Inc.
Fry, R. (9006). Your first rˇsumˇ. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press.
Alenaut, R. (Producer). (1995). The complete job application: Filling in the blanks. [Videotape]. Indianapolis, IN: JIST Works, Inc.
VGM Career Horizons (Eds.). (1999). Rˇsumˇs for high school graduates. Chicago: VGM Horizons.
Alenaut, R. (Producer). (1998). Your first job interview. [Videotape]. Venice, CA: TMW Media Group.