Career Exploration:

Job Search and Interview

Midterm

Winter 2019

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 1 OF 3 -
Career search simulation and mock interview
1) Use My Blueprint to create the documents and save in your portfolio in the end
2) Choose Occupation
3) Find Online Job Posting: You can search simplyhired.com, indeed.com, linked etc.
-Print out the posting and highlight important parts
4) Write resume and cover letter to fit with that job.
5) Find two schools that will give you the education for your occupation/the job
- Print out the programs that connect to this field
6) Fill out interview questions and interview with Ms. Gentile
7) Write Reflection on the process

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 1 OF 3 -
 PART 1: RESUME

HANDOUT [A]: ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

[A] WHAT IS A RESUME?

● A self-marketing tool where you highlight factual and marketable qualities, skills, experiences
with a goal to obtain an interview
● An employer’s first glimpse of you
● An integral part of the job searching process – you need a resume to get a job
● A work in progress – you should continually upgrade as you finish school, change jobs, win
awards, etc.

[B] EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

● Ability to manage and organize information
● Ability to problem solve
● Ability to work autonomously
● Adaptability and flexibility
● Communication (verbal and written)
● Computer savvy
● Creativity and innovation
● Decision making skills
● Goal orientation
● Honesty
● Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
● Leadership and management
● Listening skills
● Negotiation skills
● Participation in projects and tasks
● Positive attitude and behavior
● Reliability
● Sense of responsibility
● Strong work ethic
● Teamwork
● Willingness to keep learning
● Work safety

HELPFUL TIP: Listing skills and abilities that are relevant to the position are good, but keep that section
brief. An excessively long list of skills and abilities becomes meaningless!

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 1 OF 3 -
[C] RESUME GUIDELINES
● Before you begin, think about what type of job you would like to apply for and shape your
resume towards that type of industry
● Use action verbs to describe experiences. Examples: achieved, completed, developed, improved,
learned, researched, supervised, etc.
● Make sure your email address is not inappropriate
● NO spelling or grammar errors

[D] BRAINSTORMING
Before you begin making your resume, it is a good idea to start thinking about some of your skills, traits,
experiences, and interests.

List 4 positive traits or skills about yourself:

______________________________ ______________________________

______________________________ ______________________________

Choose an experience you had in the past and answer the following questions:

1. What kind of experience? (circle one): Work / Volunteer / Extra-curricular

2. Where was your experience? (location OR organization OR company):

_____________________________________________________________________________________

3. When did you start and finish? (Month/Year – Month/Year):

_____________________________________________________________________________________

4. What was your role or position?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

5. What did you do there? (Begin with a verb, i.e.: Served customers in a polite manner):

● _________________________________________________________________________________

● _________________________________________________________________________________

● _________________________________________________________________________________

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 2 OF 3 -
HANDOUT [B]: BUILDING A RESUME

1. Visit www.myBlueprint.ca and log into your myBlueprint account with your email and password.
2. In the left hand navigation menu, click Work and then select Resumes.
3. Add a resume by clicking on the green box Add Resume.
4. Complete each section of the resume (e.g., Contact Information, Objective, Extra-Curicular, Work
Experience, Education, Volunteer Experience, Skills and Abilities, etc.) and add at least ONE (1)
experience where applicable.
5. When you are ready, click Preview Resume at the bottom right of your screen.
6. When finished reviewing your Resume, click Add to Portfolio and select (or create) your My CLE
Portfolio

Part 3: INTERVIEW SKILLS

[A] IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN INTERVIEWING:

● Be prepared – Devise questions you think you may be asked along with possible answers and
remember to relate every answer to the job
● Be knowledgeable – Research the company website and any relevant news articles and have a
full understanding of the position you applied for
● Be proactive – Prep a list of any questions you may have before you interview and make note of
any questions that come up during the interview
● Be punctual – it is crucial to arrive at least 10 minutes early
● Be professional – dress professionally and maintain a professional attitude
● Be positive – turn every negative into a positive. E.g. not familiar with Microsoft Office and it’s a
requirement of the job? Tell the employer the truth but also let him/her know that you’re a
quick learner

PART 2: Cover Letter Writing

HANDOUT [A]: COVER LETTER GUIDELINES

Review the following cover letter guidelines below as a class or with a partner to help you complete
Handout [B] and [C] to create your own tailored cover letter for a specific job.

[A] WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

 A letter that accompanies your resume when applying for a position
 An explanation of how you found out about the position and why you feel you are a good fit
 A way to sell yourself
 A way you set yourself apart from other applicants

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 2 OF 3 -
[B] COVER LETTER GUIDELINES
 ALWAYS include a cover letter
 Keep it brief - one-page maximum
 Tailor the letter to match the requirements of the position
 Stress how you will add to the organization
 Be specific and clear
 Focus on three qualities that distinguish who you are
 Project confidence and be positive
 Try to personalize your letter to a specific person and ensure correct spelling of their name
 Edit for spelling and grammar errors

Additional Notes:

HANDOUT [B]: PRE-WRITING ACTIVITY

Reflecting on a Job Position

1. Select Work from the menu navigation on the left hand side of your screen. Select the Job Search
tab.
2. Look for a job by entering a search keyword in the search field and click Search.
3. Choose a job of interest to you that you are qualified for (Tip: add the keyword “student” in your
search to find appropriate jobs).
4. Using the job posting you chose, answer the following reflection questions.

Job Title/Position: ___________________________________

Company/Organization: ______________________________

Why are you interested in this job? (Tip: Try looking for the job/position in the occupation planner!)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you want to work for this company/organization? (Tip: If you don’t know, do some research on
the company/organization!)
- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 2 OF 3 -
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

What are some skills, knowledge, or experience you have that are relevant to the job or position? (Tip:
look at the requirements of the job/position)

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Why would you be a good match for this job or company/organization?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 2 OF 3 -
HANDOUT C: CREATING A COVER LETTER

1. Select Work from the menu navigation on the left hand side of your screen and select Cover
Letters.
2. Complete each section from the left menu (Your Information, Employer Information, etc.) using
your answers in Handout A to guide you.
3. When you are ready, click on Preview Cover Letter
4. Review the layout and check for errors
5. When finished reviewing your Cover Letter, click Add to Portfolio and select (or create) your My
CLE Portfolio
6. When finished, you can either share your document or download it by clicking the Share or
Download button at the bottom right hand side of the page.
Use the space below to create a rough draft of your cover letter:
Paragraph 1 (Why do you want to work for this company? Why does this job appeal to you?):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: (Why should they hire you? What are some relevant skills or experience you possess?):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 3 (Why would you be a good match for this position/job?):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 3 OF 3 -
[B] STRUCTURING AN ANSWER
Answer each question below by giving specific examples of what is being asked, don’t make general
statements.
Interview Questions:

1. Tell me about yourself?

2. What are your strengths?

3. What are your weaknesses?

4. Why should we hire you? What Abilities or Qualities do you have that will be beneficial to this
job?

5. Why should we hire you? What skills do you have that will be beneficial to this job?

6. What responsibilities or duties do you expect to have if we hire you?

7. What are your top 3 values and how might they relate to this job?

8. What are your expectations from this job/company?

9. What are 3 things that your last employer (or fellow students or teacher) would say about you?

10. What motivates you to do your best on the job?

11. What irritates you about co-workers?

12. Tell me about a major disagreement you’ve had with someone (co-worker, teacher, student,
parent) and how did you resolve it?

13. Would you do anything differently next time about the disagreement?

14. Can you provide an example of a time when you were a team player or when you were a leader?

15. If you were hiring a person for this job, what would you look for?

16. What are your salary expectations?

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 3 OF 3 -
17. What questions do you have for us?

18. What is your favorite subject in school, and why?

19. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

20. Who inspires you and why?

21. If you were starting a company tomorrow, what would be its top three values?

22. Can you teach me something, as if I’ve never heard of it before? ( It can be anything: A skill, a
lesson or a puzzle)

23. How lucky are you and why?

24. EQ-Thinking on the spot- “If you were a pizza delivery man, how would you benefit from
scissors?”

b) Are you more of a hunter or gatherer?

c) If you were on an Island and could only bring three things , what would you bring?

d) What is your least favorite thing about humanity?

e) How honest are you?

f) If you were a new addition to crayon box, what color would you be and why?

g) What was the last gift that you gave someone?

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 3 OF 3 -
 Interview Assessment

Name of person being interviewed:__________________ Name of Interviewer:_________________

1. What kind of first impression did the person make regarding eye contact, addressing you by
name, confidence, and waiting for you to sit down first

2. Generally how did the person respond to the interview questions?

3. What did they do well?

4. What could they improve on?

5. How were their non-verbal signs during the interview? (ex. eye contact, posture in the chair, etc.)

6. Would you hire this person based on their interview? Why or why not?

THE END

When you come to the interview please bring this package as well as:

 Job Posting
 University programs
 Updated Resume and Cover Letter
 Professional dress

- STUDENT ACTIVITY: 3 OF 3 -