Activities for Job Readiness Training Classes
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 14 million people are unemployed as of March, 2011. Finding a job is not easy, and job readiness training can be very helpful for job seekers who are looking to enter or re-enter the competitive job market. It will equip them with the necessary skills to find job opportunities, interview successfully and secure a job offer. There are plenty of activities that can be used during training to help participants practice what they have learned.
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Job Searching
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Give each participant a job title such as registered nurse, computer engineer, receptionist, or truck driver, and give them 20 minutes to find current job opportunities from three different sources for their job title and in a specific location. This will help them develop quick search skills and familiarize them with different job search websites.
Mock Interviews
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Many people find the interview process daunting. The more a job seeker practices his skills the more confident he will be during an actual interview. Get one participant to act as the interviewer and another to be the interviewee, and have them conduct an interview. The rest of the participants can observe, take notes, pick up tips and give suggestions. Repeat this exercise until everyone gets a chance to be interviewer and interviewee. Practice is key to honing interview skills.
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Communication Skills
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It is important to build the communication skills of participants in order that they can best sell themselves during job interviews. Divide the group into pairs and describe a job vacancy. Have each person tell their partner what attributes they have that makes them the best candidate for that job. The partner then tells the group what he heard the other person say, and whether or not he thinks he is a good match for that job. This helps participants understand that what they say may not necessarily be perceived in the manner they had hoped for.
Public Speaking
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Sitting for an interview in front of a panel can be daunting, and participants should practice speaking in front of the group to build their confidence. Give each person a simple object, such as a paperclip or a coffee mug, and have them talk about that item in front of the class for a time period of, say, two minutes.
Dress Code
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Cut pictures of a wide variety of clothing styles from magazines. These should include clothes suitable for work, as well as clothes that are not suitable for the workplace. Stick these to sheets of paper and mark each style with a different number. Give the participants a list of job titles and have them match what they consider to be the best style of work wear for each specific job. This helps to teach people about dress code in a fun way. You can discuss the importance of health and safety and business image in clothing choices. Young people, for example, may have difficulty in differentiating between what they look "cool" in and what is suitable apparel for the workplace.
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References
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