· Web viewDon’t waffle. Remember that employers don’t have time to read every word of your CV. Long paragraphs and sentences put people off, so try bullet-points to break

Sheffield College

Prince’s Trust Team 15

Career Planning – Level 1

Name:_____________________________

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Hi!

Team 15 is in an interesting period at the moment, but this doesn’t mean we can’t crack on with your qualification and do some good at the same time. Remember – Prince’s Trust Team members are the good guys!

We’re now going to be looking at the CAREER PLANNING unit. Now you may already have plenty of evidence for this (a CV or a completed application form), I which case just send these things to us and we can tick them off the list for the unit. Otherwise, work your way through this booklet and it will explain how to get the evidence to pass.

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Any questions – just ask – you know where we are!

Annette

The OBJECTIVES for this unit are:

- Be able to recognise suitable jobs or training opportunities- Understand how to apply for jobs or training opportunities- Be able to take part in an interview

Note: To pass this unit, we need to ‘interview’ you – but this can be done on Whatsapp, zoom, Facetime etc, and it can be between you and the Team Leader, not the full group. We don’t need to video it. Have a think NOW about the best way to do this!

Introduction: Selling YourselfImagine you have to put your friend up for sale! Use the first half of the page to

advertise them. Be as positive as possible and include all their strengths:

Now imagine you have to sell yourself. Do the same as about but for yourself:

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Which of the above posters did you find easier to complete? Why do you think this was?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Job Likes And DislikesIt’s important to be clear about what you like and don’t like doing as these can

have a big effect on your job choice. The quiz below will help you to sort out your likes and dislikes. Mark those you feel happy about with a 1 and those least

happy about with a 5:

Wearing a uniform 1 2 3 4 5 6Working with machines 1 2 3 4 5 6Being told what to do 1 2 3 4 5 6Meeting the public 1 2 3 4 5 6Getting up early 1 2 3 4 5 6Staying late at work 1 2 3 4 5 6Looking cheerful all the time 1 2 3 4 5 6Being outdoors 1 2 3 4 5 6Getting dirty 1 2 3 4 5 6Being the only boy/girl 1 2 3 4 5 6Being in a large group 1 2 3 4 5 6Being on your own 1 2 3 4 5 6Varity 1 2 3 4 5 6Staying in the same place 1 2 3 4 5 6Working with people 1 2 3 4 5 6Regular hours 1 2 3 4 5 6Having to be tidy 1 2 3 4 5 6Being the only young person 1 2 3 4 5 6Having to do extra training 1 2 3 4 5 6

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Noisy environment 1 2 3 4 5 6

Make a list of jobs you would like to do and fit with your likes and dislikes:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Remember these answers as they will help you with the tasks we need to do!

Task 1.2

Visit the National Careers Service website https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Using the Explore Careers pages, list two job categories (for example Engineering) that interest you – and explain why. I have put an example below to help you.

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Task 1.1 Where can you find advice and guidance about careers?

I can go to these websites:

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I can ask these people:

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2

I can also…

Example - My choice is: Emergency services

This is because: I have always wanted to be a paramedic and to help people. I have a friend who works in the Ambulance Service and she says it is a really good thing to do because you are helping people every day. I also like uniformed jobs – it changes what you do and how you are, and I think I would be good at that. I was good at science at school and have learned first aid already, and I am having driving lessons which would help.

Task 1.3 – Great! Now you need to think carefully about your chosen career options. What are the advantages (good things) and disadvantages (less good / bad / problem things) of these choices of career? Again, I have given you an example to help.

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My first choice is:

This is because:

My second choice is:

This is because:

My first choice is:

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Example - My choice is: Emergency services - Paramedic

Advantages: Job satisfaction – I think I would love the work and be part of a strong team. I would be rewarded every day by helping people who are hurt or who need support. I might be able to save a life. I know that there is lots of training and support and you would be taught what to do. I know there are jobs available locally and I live near an Ambulance Station so I wouldn’t need to travel far.

Disadvantages: I don’t think it pays as well as being a Doctor and I know the hours are very long and you have to work shifts. To be a proper Paramedic you have to do a degree and there is a lot of competition for places – you need top grades really. It might be dangerous and stressful – you are in emergency situations all the time. You might make mistakes. You have to be very responsible. Maybe I can start lower down and work up?

www.monster.co.uk

www.indeed.co.uk

www.reed.co.uk

www.jobs.nhs.uk

www.jobs.theguardian.com

Task 1.4 Identify job vacancies or training relevant to the career option.

Now let’s get real about it!

Above are the links to some excellent job search sites. Go on one or more of them and find a vacancy that matches a job you have said you are interested in! If you have a PC or laptop, you can use the snipping tool to cut and paste it below – otherwise tell me about what you have found! (Don’t worry – you don’t actually have to apply to pass the unit!)

Here’s mine:

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Either cut and paste into this box, or describe what you have found:

Where did you find this vacancy?

Job title?

Salary or rate of pay (How much £ per hour)?

My second choice is:

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Understand how to apply for jobs or training opportunities:

Task 2.1 Produce a personal CV in a format appropriate for seeking employment.

CV stands for Curriculum Vitae – basically a summary of important information about your work or professional life. Some professional CV writers will write one for you that’s 6 pages long (and expensive as well!) but most employers look for two sides of A4 and don’t read the rest. I tend to have different versions and they need updating frequently. Some vacancies and job sites will allow you to upload a CV and that’s great because it save so much time – but most jobs now have online or paper application forms – and it seems like

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Either cut and paste into this box, or describe what you have found:

Where did you find this vacancy?

Job title?

Salary or rate of pay (How much £ per hour)?

every employer uses a different type of form, so if you have to apply to a lot of employers it becomes very time consuming!

You have to be truthful and thorough when applying for jobs. They keep all of this on file and you can get into trouble later if you were found to not tell the truth. This is for safeguarding as well as other reasons. Expect to be asked about any criminal records or cautions, and to prove your qualifications by taking the actual certificates in. They will also ask you to explain any gaps in your work history – this is to make sure you aren’t hiding something they should know about.

So – your CV is important, but get it right and you can then easily adapt it.

The following pages have advice and a template for a simple CV. Use this or use a CV website (have a look – there are plenty around – but be careful as some will ask you to pay just before you have finished!)

YOUR CV (Curriculum Vitae)

When you send your CV off to a potential employer, remember that you won’t be the only one. Hundreds of other people could be applying for the job as well.

So what are you going to do to make you stand out from the crowd? Why should an employer take a chance on you instead of someone else?

Your CV is the first real chance to sell yourself to a potential employer. Most employers will scan through a CV in about 30 seconds so you need to grab their attention from the start – and make them want to invite you for an interview.

There are five main areas to consider when writing your CV:

Make sure your CV looks the part. Your CV should look clean and tidy – don’t scrawl it out on a piece of A4 paper. If you haven’t got access to a PC or printer, ask a friend, use the college Learning Centre or use your local library. Use a good quality paper and steer clear of fancy borders and front covers.

Watch out for silly spelling and grammar mistakes. They make you look lazy and show the employers that you don’t really care. It’s not difficult to do a spell check on your PC and if you’re really stuck then don’t just guess, reach for a dictionary. Get a teacher or friend to read through your CV for you – a second opinion is always useful.

Make sure your CV is well organised. When you list your previous jobs, make sure the dates are correct and try not to leave any gaps. If you took time out to go travelling then say so – employers won’t mark you down just because you’ve tried something new.

Don’t waffle. Remember that employers don’t have time to read every word of your CV. Long paragraphs and sentences put people off, so try bullet-points to break up text. Make sure your CV is no longer than two

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pages long – employers don’t want your life history, they just want to see that you’ve got what it takes to do the job.

Don’t list any failures. Employers have enough trouble finding someone who is right for the job – they don’t need help finding reasons not to employ you. If you have to include a mistake from the past, make sure you show the employer that you learnt something from the experience.

If you want more help, see the booklet I have also sent – “A Working Life” – it has simple ways of doing the same thing.

Keep it simple

Personal detailsStart off with your full name, address, date of birth, home and mobile phone numbers, e-mail address and nationality. If you are offered an interview, the employer will want to get hold of you so give him/her as many options as possible.

Summary/professional profileThis is the No1 area for selling yourself. Set out your main skills and personal qualities but keep it interesting and tight – one paragraph should do to cover everything.

Education and qualificationsList your qualifications and education history, with the most recent first. You don’t need to list the grades for each exam you have passed unless they were exceptional results – simply listing the number and type of exams you’ve passed is fine. Also list any relevant professional organisations you belong to and training courses you have been on.

Work experienceStart with your most recent position and work backwards, giving addresses along with start and finish dates. Set out your main responsibilities, duties and most importantly achievements, along with any skills you picked up or improvements you have made while you were there. This is a really important section in your CV so make it count – but don’t waffle.

If you have not had a full-time job before, detail any part-time jobs you may have held or any placement you have been on.

Other skillsSet out any computer skills you may have and the software you are most familiar with.Can you type, do shorthand or speak a foreign language fluently? If you have a driving license, let the employer know. If it’s clean, tell them.

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Interests & hobbiesBriefly list what you get up to in your spare time. Put down any positions you hold in clubs or associations, along with any responsibilities and achievements.

ReferencesMake sure you have at least two people (including one from your previous or current job) who will tell an employer what a thoroughly nice person you are and what a potential asset to the company you would be.If you want to list them now make sure you include their name, job title, postal and e-mail address and contact phone numbers. Alternatively, just put “Available on request” so the employer knows to follow up references at a later date.

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Summary - A quick paragraph introducing yourself

Personal details

Education and qualifications – start with most recent and go back to GCSEs

Place - qualification - grades

Work Experience including voluntary work – and the Prince’s Trust! if you do not have any formal work experience explain what you have done that matches the job and shows you can do it. Start

with current or most recent - Date – Employer – what you did – skills used

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Work Experience including voluntary work – and the Prince’s Trust! if you do not have any formal work experience explain what you have done that matches the job and shows you can do it. Start

with current or most recent - Date – Employer – what you did – skills used

Other skills – mention things your employer can use – sell yourself!

Hobbies and interests – keep this positive and relevant

References – name, position (role) and contact details:

1)

2)

Well done! Task 2.2 Complete an application form to an appropriate standard for submission:Pretend that you are applying for the job YOU IDENTIFIED in task 1.4

Application formName:Address:Postcode:Phone:Email:

Education – School:Address:Subjects and grades:

Training, courses and qualifications – subject and date -

Personal qualities that are relevant to this job -

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References – name, position (role) and contact details:

1)

2)

Information in support of your application - Please include any skills or experience you have acquired that can support this application.

Continued –

Why do you want this job?

Do you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes / No Please tell us if there are any ‘reasonable adjustments’ we can make to assist you in your application or with our recruitment processDetails:

Do you need a work permit to work in the UK? Yes / No

When can you start work for us?Details:

ReferencesPlease give the names and addresses of two persons as referees - other than your present employer or relatives - who we can approach now for references. No approach will be made to your present or previous employers before an offer of employment is made.1:

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2:

I confirm that to the best of my knowledge the information I have provided on this form is correct and I accept that providing deliberately false information could result in my dismissal.Name:Signature .......................................... Date ……………………

Part 3 – Be able to take part in an interview.

Formal Vs. Casual Business Dress

The pictures below show formal and casual business dress:

Which do you think would be most appropriate for wearing to a job interview? Explain your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Which features of the outfit makes you think it’s a good choice for an interview? Explain your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Interview PreparationTask 3.1 – What do you need to consider when preparing for an interview? List:

Example – When and where it is… . . . . . . .

Let’s see how you did

There are a few things you should do before your interview to properly prepare:1. Research the company

2. Plan for the interview – Find out who will be interviewing you, how many people there will be on the panel and whether you need to prepare a presentation

3. Plan your journey4. Decide what to wear

5. Think out the questions they may ask you and think through your answers6. Think of suitable questions you can ask the panel about the job

Task 3.2 – Prepare responses to potential interview questions – have a go! Imagine you are being interviewed for the job you identified in task 1.4

What questions might you want to ask the interview panel?

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Why do you want this job?

I want this job because

What makes you the best candidate for this job?

Fantastic!

Now the final part of the whole unit. The interview.Honestly – do NOT worry about this part! We are going to do it by phone or online. The easiest thing to do would be to arrange it by Whatsapp or Zoom. Don’t be nervous! We will have a chat first and you can tell us which ‘job’ you want to be interviewed for. You might want to dress smartly for it (hint – we probably won’t be able to see what trousers you are wearing!) – and it doesn’t have to be recorded. Let’s go!

Task 3.3 – Take part in a real or simulated interview.

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Here’s my evidence!

Job I interviewed for:

When I was interviewed:

Who by:

A feedback quote from them (I will email or otherwise give you feedback and you can get this from

Tell us about something that has gone wrong for you – what did you do about it?

What do you want to be doing in 5 years time?

Do you have any questions you want us to answer?

Task 3.4

Identify personal strengths and areas for improvement following the interview

What went well?

What was the best thing about what you did? Why?

How did the interviewer respond to what you did or said?

What was the trickiest bit to get right? Why?

Even better if?

How can you improve on what you did?

What would you need to do it better?

What have you learned from completing this unit?

CONGRATULATIONS on completing this version of the unit!

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Here’s my evidence!

Job I interviewed for:

When I was interviewed:

Who by:

A feedback quote from them (I will email or otherwise give you feedback and you can get this from

I am very proud of you!

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