Lesson Plan I

TOPIC:       Exploring Careers On Line—The Job Hunt

AIM:          Can we gather information on careers by using the World Wide Web?

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:            Students will be able to:

 MOTIVATION:

What are employer expectations?

What are employers looking for in a prospective employee?

Where do we look for job vacancies?

 With all the jobs out there, how do you decide on the right job for you?

VOCABULARY:       decision-making process, brainstorming, classified ad, job guide,  employment agencies, networking

 DEVELOPMENT:

  1. Students are asked to list a variety of job search resources.  Some possible resources might be: classified ads, school career and college center, word of mouth, trade or industry publications, networking, employment agencies.

  2. Upon completion of their lists, students should read them aloud  and discussion should ensue in terms of the most time-efficient method of searching for a job—the World Wide Web.

 ACTIVITIES: 

  1. Students will surf the Internet to identify various categories of career clusters (at least 6).  Examples:  Arts and Humanities, Business and Office Communications and Media, Health, Marketing and Distribution.  Within each career cluster they have chosen, they will list the many types of jobs and create a descriptive profile of their target job.

2.                Students may work in cooperative learning groups based on the job/career they have chosen.  In their groups, they will collaborate on the advantages, disadvantages, and skills necessary for their chosen career.

3.                  In their groups of approximately six students, members will “brainstorm” and discuss how their skills and interests match the needs of prospective employers through on-line research of job guides such as:  http://careercity.com, http://bestjobsusa.com, http://hotjobs.com, http://occupationaloutlookhandbook.com, http://flipdog.com, http://monster.com, and http://jobs.com . 

4.                  A one-page report keyed in a word processing program will be submitted critiquing their job search experience and comparing and contrasting the Internet sites accessed.

HOMEWORK:          Create a brief, descriptive profile of your target job.

EVALUATION:         

  1. Submission of keyed report comparing and contrasting the on line research experience of various job guides with appropriate illustrations, clipart, and graphics

  2. Submission of descriptive profile of their target job

 

Lesson Plan II

TOPIC:             Exploring Careers On Line—The Job Hunt

 AIM:                How important is the application letter and resume?

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:            Students will be able to:

MOTIVATION:

1.                  What do we have to do to impress the employer so that we will be invited for an interview?  Elicit from students—produce an appropriate cover letter and resume.

 

VOCABULARY:        application/cover letter, resume, data sheet, qualifications, interview, links, URL

DEVELOPMENT:     

1.                  How do you let a prospective employer know you are interested in a job?  Discussion among students should take place about the importance of writing to get the job in order to create the necessary job search tools (cover letter and resume). 

2.                  Why do employers contact one person for an interview over another?  Elicit the form and content of the application materials sent to the company.

3.                  What’s the difference between a covering letter and a resume, and what items should be included in each?

ACTIVITIES:

1.                  The class will go on-line to view sample resumes and covering letters. New sites to try are:  http://Americanjobs.com, http://headhunter.com, http://careerresumes.com.  By now, students should be sufficiently motivated to explore different search engines such as Google and AskJeeves in order to access some job guide sites of their own that they can share with fellow classmates.

4.                  A blank, draft sample resume form will be distributed so that students can itemize their specific knowledge, skills, and abilities as applies to the job they are interested in.

5.                  Working with their individual draft resumes and the Microsoft Word resume templates, each class member can compose at their computer an effective application letter and resume.

6.                  Students will work again in their respective groups to critique each other’s resumes and provide feedback, support, and reinforcement.

EVALUATION:         Students printed application letter and resume from the Word Program using appropriate templates.

 

Lesson Plan III

TOPIC:           Exploring Careers On Line—The Job Hunt

 

AIM:             Can we simplify the process of filling out the employment application form, resume, and cover letter by submitting them directly to employers on line?

 

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:            Students will be able to:

MOTIVATION:          What are some things you need to know when completing 
                            an employment application form for the job interview?

 

VOCABULARY:       qualifications, salary, salary range, references, social security number

DEVELOPMENT:

1.                  Students will come prepared to class with names and addresses of schools attended, names, addresses, and dates of previous employment, social security number, and names of references.

2.                  A discussion about the timesaving features of posting resumes and employment application forms on line will take place after the class has had sufficient time to read related articles on the Internet.  http://usatoday.com/careers/ask/askarch9.htm http://usatoday.com/careers/resource/resume/.htm

ACTIVITIES:

1.                  Students will fill out a variety of sample job application forms supplied by the teacher.

2.                  After distributing to students the graded resumes submitted by them yesterday, we will access Internet job search sites that allow for on line submission of the completed resume and employment application.  Sites that have an on-line posting feature are: http://flipdog.com, http://careerbuilder.com, and the career browser at http://nytimes.com among others.

EVALUATION:            Completed on-line employment application forms and 
                                resumes

Lesson Plan IV

TOPIC:         Exploring Careers On Line—The Job Hunt

AIM:             What factors influence the applicant choice of the employer on an interview?

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:            Students will be able to:

VOCABULARY:         role-playing, career interests, interview, dress for success

DEVELOPMENT:

1.                  Share with students what it is like to engage in career-related tasks that require proficiency in speaking, listening, and providing feedback.

2.                  Determine the purpose of the role playing scenario, and divide the class into their groups in order for them to choose the role they will play and clearly define their participation.  Some suggested roles:  interviewer, applicant, receptionist.

ACTIVITIES:

1.                  Using a list of The 10 Most Frequently Asked Job Interview Questions distributed by the teacher, groups will have to compose 10 more interview questions of their own. (This handout can be found in The 10 Most Frequently Asked Job Interview Questions)

2.                  Research on the job interview process will be conducted at http://jobweb.com or another site of their choice.

3.                  In their groups, students will compose dialogue for a role-playing interview skit and rehearse their respective roles within their groups.

EVALUATION:

1.                  Did interviewee make a favorable impression?

2.                  Did applicant and other role players speak courteously and distinctly?

3.                  Was the dialogue groups created appropriate to the job interview situation?

4.        Employment unit test (This handout is in SAMPLE TEST QUESTIONS.