Target Workplace Foundation Skills
Purpose
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This lesson prepares students for an authentic interview and can be used as a performance assessment for students to demonstrate the workplace skills learned throughout the curriculum. The instructor, as well as some students, will exhibit interviewing techniques through practice interviews. Students will learn how to rate other students on their interviewing skills, what skills are most important to consider when interviewing for a job and describe workplace skills in an interview setting.
Review
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Have students recall the Strive video in Lesson 1. Ask students to recall items identified in the video about important interview skills. Important items to note include appropriate dress at the interview, eye contact, a firm handshake, and a welcoming smile.
Learning Outcomes
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Students will demonstrate:
- Appropriate use of interview skills.
- The workplace skills of taking responsibility, teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and disclosure through the interview process.
Teaching Strategies
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- Students should treat this lesson as real-life practice for what awaits them on the job. They should approach the interview practice with peers, teachers, or business community partners in a respectful, professional manner.
- If they can prepare a résumé for the interview, it will make the experience even more realistic. If students have created a résumé or completed job applications as part of other coursework, these materials may be used during this lesson for students to use as props or reference materials. (Note: These are not needed but may be used if they were developed for other coursework.)
Required Materials
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- List of interview questions handout 14.1
- Peer rating forms for all students worksheet 14.2
Vocabulary
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Interviewer: The person who conducts the job interview. For example, the manager of a restaurant might interview potential employees.
Interviewee: The person who seeks the job and must answer questions in order to be evaluated by the interviewer. For example, a 17-year-old high school senior interviews for a job at a fast-food restaurant.
Greeting: The way an interviewee introduces themselves to an interviewer. For example, a strong greeting includes a firm handshake, eye contact, a smile, “Nice to meet you,...” good posture, and telling the interviewer your name.
Nonverbal Communication: What an individual says with their body, facial expressions, tone of voice, and posture. Slumped shoulders, no eye contact, crossed arms, a low voice, and fidgeting are examples of nonverbal communication that should be avoided during an interview. Eye contact, smiling, a clear voice, and good posture are examples of nonverbal communication that should be utilized during an interview.
Activity 14.1: Learning the Questions and the Forms (10 minutes)
This activity will prepare students to practice rating their peers and orient them to the interview skills you want them to learn.
- Show the first YouTube clip of a humorous interview:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/7W_qrc-TkR8
- Have students identify some of their observations from the YouTube video.
- Provide students with interview questions (handout 14.1). You may want to put the questions on the board or in a PowerPoint.
- Inform the students that the questions are structured in a way for them to highlight the workplace foundation skills learned in the Ready for WAGES program. Review these questions with the students, asking them for ideas on good strategies for answering the questions using examples from the workplace skills.
- Provide students with a peer rating form (worksheet 14.2). Review with students. Students are to check specific behaviors or characteristics that were included in the interviewee's responses to the questions and are required to provide an overall rating for each workplace skill covered.
- Explain the categories to the students, asking for their ideas about good strategies for achieving high scores. Refer to the vocabulary list as you explain these. Be sure they understand how to fill out the forms, with 4 being the most skilled and 1 being the least skilled.
Handout 14.1
Employer or Interviewer ________________________________________________
Student Interviewee ___________________________________________________
Directions:
Please ask the following questions during the interview. Each of the questions relates to a workplace skill the student has learned about throughout the Ready for WAGES curriculum.
- In this position, we are looking for an individual who is independent and accountable. Please describe how you have taken responsibility for completing a specific task in a work setting or in a different environment.
- In this position, the individual we hire must work with multiple people to complete a task. Please describe the important skills needed to work in a team effectively. Provide an example of how you work in a team.
- We need an individual with effective communication skills to help customers learn about our product. Describe how you would respond to a customer that was demanding.
- Often there are circumstances that arise on this job that you may need to figure out how to solve a problem. What are some steps that you would take to help solve a problem efficiently and effectively?
- I noticed that you did not answer the question on the application about prior felony convictions. Is there information that you are withholding that may affect your success on the job?
Activity 14.2: Practicing for the Interviews (30 minutes)
The purpose of this activity is to have students demonstrate their acquisition of the workplace skills by role-playing a job interview situation.
Depending on the size of your class, you may want to invite several prospective employers to conduct the actual interviews, setting up stations in the classroom for multiple interviews simultaneously. If it is not possible to have volunteer employers come to the classroom, you may want to invite a transition coordinator, guidance counselor, or school psychologist to assist you with this activity to give students an opportunity to make the situation more “high stakes.”
This activity will provide students with opportunities to practice and observe a variety of job interviews. Students also will be able to practice using the peer rating forms. Each interview should take approximately five minutes.
- Before beginning the practice interviews, show the second YouTube clip:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DbrfxRZr6D4
- Have students identify some of their observations from the clip.
- Ask for a volunteer to be the first interviewee. If no one volunteers, choose a student. Be sure to reinforce and praise those students who participate in the interviews. You should be the interviewer for the first one or two interviews to model appropriate interview behavior. However, emphasize that students will interview other students over the next three interviews.
- Make sure the student enters the interviewing area in a manner in which they can demonstrate their greeting skills.
- Ask as many of the questions from the interview question list as you want.
- Have the other students individually rate the student’s interviewing skills using the peer rating form.
- After the interview, evaluate the student’s interview as a group, pointing out first what went well and then asking for constructive criticism from the other students.
- Repeat this exercise for all students, asking each student to volunteer to be the interviewer at least one time.
- Clarify any questions or concerns the students have.
Worksheet 14.2
| Your Name: Interviewee: |
Score | Your Name: Interviewee: |
Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| On a scale of 1-4, rate the interviewee on the following (4 = very skilled, 1 = least skilled) | On a scale of 1-4, rate the interviewee on the following (4 = very skilled, 1 = least skilled) | ||
| 1. How confident was the interviewee in demonstrating the foundation skills during the interview? | 1. How confident was the interviewee in demonstrating the foundation skills during the interview? | ||
| 2. How well did the interviewee demonstrate their ability to take responsibility during the interview? | 2. How well did the interviewee demonstrate their ability to take responsibility during the interview? | ||
| 3. How well did the interviewee demonstrate effective teamwork skills during the interview? | 3. How well did the interviewee demonstrate effective teamwork skills during the interview? | ||
| 4. How well did the interviewee demonstrate effective communication skills during the interview? | 4. How well did the interviewee demonstrate effective communication skills during the interview? | ||
| 5. How well did the interviewee demonstrate problem-solving skills during the interview? | 5. How well did the interviewee demonstrate problem-solving skills during the interview? | ||
| Total Score | Total Score |
Check for Understanding
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Ask students the following questions after each interview concludes:
- What was the interviewee’s confidence level in demonstrating examples of workplace foundation skills (e.g., taking responsibility, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving) during the job interview?
- What were some good examples of demonstrating taking responsibility during the interview process?
- What were some good examples of demonstrating effective teamwork skills during the interview process?
- What were some good examples of demonstrating effective communication skills during the interview process?
- What were some good examples of demonstrating effective problem-solving skills during the interview process?
