This workshop should in theory and ideally follow the Interview Skills Workshop. It is a more in depth coaching session and involves taking the students through the whole employability journey from choosing a job description, ranging from Sales assistants, Customer Service roles to management trainees and Pilots. Students practice applying for the job with application and covering letter, followed by a mock interview for that role. They are also given feedback on their performance by the trainer and their group peers. This is a very important part of the day as it enables the students to learn from each other and teaches them to critique each other’s work in a constructive manner.
'I feel it is vital that our youth get the right coaching to prepare them to write their CVs, excel in interviews and proactively look for jobs.'
- Selecting a job – Students choose the role they feel best fits their skills.
- CV Writing – Students will start to write their CV during this section in order to mirror the role they have applied for. [Computers are required for this session]
- Job Description – Coaching on what to look for in a job description, how to read between the lines and recognise what an employer is looking for.
- Application/Covering Letter – Students are taken through the process of writing their own covering letter based on the job description they have chosen. This will either be 250 words or one side of an A4 Sheet depending on the role. [Computers are required for this session]
- Internet Applications – A number of companies only ask for internet applications and it the first hurdle in the challenging process of finding a job. We will briefly touch on internet applications.
- Screening – Applications are screened and candidates are invited for interviews.
- Interviews – Interviews then take place with a panel of 2 students interviewing one candidate. Students each take a turn to be the interviewee with guidance and coaching from the trainer throughout.
- Feedback – Feedback is then given by their peers and coach as to whether they were successful.
Each workshop can also be bespoke according to your needs. They can be broken down into sections – for example, you could have a whole 5 hours on just CV writing and another 4 hour session on Interviews. Or you could have 5 X 1 Hour sessions to cover any of the above areas. These workshops are designed to be delivered to as many as 30 per session.
Lights, Camera, Role Play!
- Other Assessments
Presentations, Role plays and Group Discussions. These are being used more frequently during assessment days. Even a Saturday job at Waitrose requires you to go through a group discussion and nurses are now put through the paces of delivering a presentation during their interview day.
‘Most people think it is easy to stand up and talk about a subject for 5 minutes. However during my workshops I have highlighted to many a student that it is actually not as easy as it looks!’
- Presentations
Type of jobs involving presentations, the format and Top Tips covered. This type of assessment is being frequently used in roles where you need good communication skills and will be talking to a large number of people or a group of people. Examples include Sales, teaching, nurses, promotional work.
We also talk about all areas of presentations and students practice in groups giving their group a 5 minute presentation. Volunteers will be asked to deliver to the bigger group. Subjects include – Why is good communication important in the work place? What are the top 3 qualities that make a good leader? Is Equal Opportunity an out dated idea?
Students then feedback to each other hence encouraging learning from each other and it enables them to experience giving constructive criticism. Feedback also given from the coach.
- Role Plays
Type of jobs involving presentations, the format and Top Tips covered. Role plays are often used for jobs where they need to assess how candidates are actually going to perform when placed in a particular situation. Most customer service and sales roles will have role play as part of their day.
In their groups students role play scenarios which include sales, customer service scenarios and conflict management.
Feedback through group and coach.
- Group Discussions
These are becoming the most common format during interview days. Once again – type of jobs involving presentations, the format and Top Tips covered.
This is the last session of the day and is conducted with the whole group. 4 – 6 volunteers take part in the actual group discussion and the audience gives them feedback.
Examples of group discussions range from choosing products for a supermarket to deciding on teams of employees for a business.