Work with Purpose: Exploring Successful Youth Employability Programming for High School and College Students

Exploring Successful Youth Employability Programming for High School and College

Students

Zeva R. LevineCoordinator of Academic Services

Philadelphia Futures

Background – Defining the Need

Youth Employability Programs - Goals

Ideas for Incorporation/Replication

Demonstration of Interactive Activity

Assessment & Evaluation

Q & A

What percentage of the population in the U.S. suffers from competitive selection interview anxiety (CSIA)?

BONUS: What is the most widely used and heavy relied upon tool in selection processes?

Competitive selection interview anxiety (CSIA) is a biological, normal fear response in all humans caused by the uniquely unpredictable situation that competitive interviews present.

Unpredictable Elements◦ Physical Space◦ People Present◦ Content◦ Expectations◦ Evaluation

CSIA as Amalgamation of 5 types of Performance Anxiety

◦ Performance Anxiety◦ Behavioral Anxiety◦ Communication Anxiety◦ Appearance Anxiety◦ Social Anxiety

Employer Implicit Biases

Concept: Applicants present their best selves and learn more about the institution, while employers observe to have more informed discussions in decision-making.

Reality: “Little correlation between interviewer ratings of job applicants and measured skills or job performance.”

Additional Factors: Job Search, Resume, Cover Letter, Common Interview Questions*, Public Speaking*, Etiquette - Attire & Conduct*, Follow-up Post-Interview, Understanding Evaluation

Goals:◦Manage CSIA

Define, Accept, Self-Guide, Set Goals

◦Rehearse Best and Worst of Mock Interviews

◦Write Provide Models and Develop Student Voice

◦Empower Discuss Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Implicit Biases

Timing◦ High School – focus on education & exposure◦ College – focus on internship experience

Funding & Execution◦ Fold into existing program as college admissions prep.

◦ Federal, state and local funds (e.g., WorkReady)

◦ Develop new or leverage existing relationships with volunteers, community partners, Board, and colleges

◦ Afterschool and/or Summer Programming

◦ Replicate and/or partner with existing programs*

MASI – Measure of Anxiety in Selection Interviews

Formative assessment◦ SurveyMonkey◦ Collect Feedback◦ Debrief and Reflect

Cumulative Evaluation◦ “Final Project”◦ Interviews – Rating System, # of Offers◦ Quality of Written Work◦ Self-Reported Successes/Challenges

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McCarthy, J., & Goffin, R. (2004). Measuring job interview anxiety: Beyond weak knees and sweaty palms. Personnel Psychology, 57, 607-637.

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Rosen, J., & Schulkin, J. (1998). From normal fear to pathological anxiety. Psychological Review, 105, 325-350

Blum, L. (2002). “I’m Not a Racist, But…”: A Moral Quandary of Race. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.

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Gutmann, A. & Appiah, K.A. (1996). Color Conscious: The Political Morality of Race. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Jussim, L., Coleman, L. M., & Learch, L. (1987). The nature of stereotypes: A comparison and integration of three theories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 536-545.

McIntosh, P. (1990). Essay excerpted from Working Paper 189, “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences through Work in Women’s Studies.” Independent School, Winter issue.

McNally, I. M. (2002). Contrasting concepts of competitive state-anxiety in sport: Multidimensional anxiety and catastrophe theories. Athletic Insight: The Online Journal of Sport Psychology, 4(2), 10-22.

Moss, P. & Tilly, C. (1995). Skills and race in hiring: Quantitative findings from face-to-face interviews. Eastern Economic Journal. 21, 357-375.

Stoll, M. A., Raphael, S., & Holzer, H. J. (2006). Black job applicants and the hiring officers race. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 57, 267-287.

Stoll, M. A., Raphael, S., & Holzer, H. J. (2006). Perceived Criminality, Criminal Background Checks, and the Racial Hiring Practices of Employers. Journal of Law and Economics. Vol. XLIX, © University of Chicago. p. 451-480.

Following slides include:◦Managing CSIA

◦Common Interview Questions

◦Public Speaking

◦Etiquette - Attire & Conduct

◦Existing Programs

Understanding Interview Anxiety: Biological brain response for ALL applicants

Verbal Self-Guidance: Converting negative self-talk into productive guidance

Accepting Bodily Response: Understanding, anticipating and accepting bodily response

Goal Setting: Creating 3-5 goals for desired outcomes of the interview; helps focus

To do:◦ Equally balanced weight (on feet, in way one sits, etc)◦ Eye contact◦ Face forward◦ Crisp voice, even if it is soft◦ Speak on your voice◦ Confidence, even if manufactured!

To avoid:◦ Mumbling◦ Breathiness◦ Side comments to yourself – side commentary◦ Too many apologies◦ Digressions that sidetrack overly much◦ Having the voice go up at the end of each sentence◦ Unavoidable mannerisms

Strike balance among “formal, comfortable, and confident” in attire◦ Goal: appropriate and non-distracting

Eat and hydrate ahead of time◦ Avoid bringing coffee, water, food, gum, etc.

Arrive early - time to rehearse or just breathe◦ If you’re going to be late, call.

Smile, and a firm handshake Cell phone on silent & out of sight (use watch) Bring: 2 copies of resume, paper and pen,

questions for employer, and “portfolio” of relevant materials (only if needed/helpful)

Best strategy: listening, thinking, speaking◦ Listen carefully & respond to what you can of the question asked◦ Don’t be afraid of 30 seconds of silence◦ It’s appropriate to ask interviewer to repeat Q

Thematic Areas of Common Questions◦ Your background and/or why you applied◦ Significant ways you’ll contribute to the work◦ Proudest achievement◦ Struggle you have overcome/weakness you’re working on◦ Time you had to think creatively/out of the box◦ How you work independently and/or as part of team◦ What motivates you and/or how you manage stress◦ Future goals (where does this fit in, ‘see yourself in 5 yrs’)◦ “Any questions for us?” (see next slide)

In general, helpful to research employer ahead of time (question might arise)

You can always be prepared to ask about the hiring process going forward◦ Note: They may tell you this in the interview, so have

other questions prepared.

Sometimes you may want to ask what qualities or strategies of past or other employees have contributed to whether or not they were successful at the company

You can ask about their vision for the company going forward (the position, the industry, etc.)

Most importantly: don’t say “no.” If you all have run out of time, just offer to email Qs to them.

Department of Laborhttp://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/youth/career.htm

Job Corpshttp://www.jobcorps.gov/youth.aspx

Jobs for the Futurehttp://www.jff.org/

Philadelphia Youth Networkhttp://www.pyninc.org/

Possehttp://www.possefoundation.org/our-career-program

YES Programhttp://yesprogram.info/yesprogram.html