Take This Job and Love It

Challenge Career Web Page

http://members.aol.com/hcabru/eng.htm (Ninth Grade English Web Page)

I located the  majority of the following information from IBM: Take This Job and Love It

Activity #1: Forecasts for the future

How many times have you thought about or been asked "What are you going to be when you grow up?" Now that you're almost grown up, it's time to give it some serious thought. Before making any decisions, it might help you to do some research on the trends and forecasts of the job market. Visit the Web site "Job Outlook '98" at

Job Outlook     http://www.jobweb.org/Pubs/Pr/pr111397.htm#Job Outlook

• What does the job market look like for 1998 college graduates?

• What factors are influencing or contributing to this job market?

• What career areas are projected to be growing for 1998 college graduates?

According to the employer survey presented, what are employers looking for in job candidates?

• How is the Internet impacting the job search for job candidates and employers?

Where the Jobs Are http://www.excite.com/careers/career_hub/manage/caradv#Where The Jobs Are

• From the present to the year 2005, in what areas will jobs be more plentiful?

Activity #2: What's your job I.Q.?

Now that you have a better idea of where the jobs are, the question is - are any of these jobs for you? Taking a closer look at yourself, your personality and your skills can better enable you to find the perfect job. Go to the following Web sites which offer self- assessment opportunities to determine your Job I.Q.

Keirsey Personality Test http://www.keirsey.com/cgi-bin/keirsey/newkts.cgi#Keirsey Personality Test

After taking the Keirsey personality test:

• What personality type are you?

• What are the characteristics of your personality types?

• What famous person or people have your personality?

Kingdomality Personality Test http://www.cmi-lmi.com/kingdomality.html#Kingdomality Personality Test

• Describe your personality type.

What Is Your Work Style http://content.monster.com/tools/quizzes/workstyle/#Quiz: What Is Your Work Style

On this web site, answer the eight questions about what kind of work style you have.

• Select "Get your Results."

• What kind of work style do you have?

• What implications does this have if you are not the boss or if you are interviewing for a job?

Are You A Team Player http://content.monster.com/tools/quizzes/teamplayer/#Are You A Team Player?

Take the "Are you cut out for teamwork?" quiz.

Answer the ten questions on teamwork.

Select "Get your Results."

• How did you do?  Are you a team player? Why or Why not?

Read about the kind of information the questions solicit by selecting "Click here for an analysis of the answers you selected."

Gather all the results of the quizzes.

• What did you learn about yourself?

• Are you surprised by anything you learned?

• For what type of career(s) do you think you are best suited based on the quizzes' results?

Activity #3: Finding the right job

Knowing what kinds of jobs or careers suit your personality and skills is a good starting point. Now take a look at some tips for finding that job. Visit the Web site "Excite: Manage Your Career - Cool Tips for Finding the Hottest Jobs" at

Career Tips http://www.excite.com/careers/career_hub/manage/scenarios#Career Tips

Scenarios :

• You run into an ex-coworker at the local deli. You discuss your jobs, what's happening in your field, you exchange business cards. What's your next step?

• Your old boss calls you at your new job to have lunch. You are at a new job you like but realize your old company was better managed and there was more room for growth. You want to return. What do you do?

• You are introduced to someone at a party who works in a field you've always been interested in. You would like to hear all about his/her work and how s/he got his/her job. What do you do?

• You attend an industry conference and exchange business cards with a dozen people. These are all people you would like to work with at some point in the future. What do you do?

In addition to gathering tips for getting the job, it may also help to learn from other people's mistakes. Explore the site "Excite: Manage Your Career: Spring Job Hunting Techniques" at

Job Hunting Techniques http://www.excite.com/careers/career_hub/manage/spring#Spring Job Hunting Techniques

• What disqualified applicants from getting jobs?

• Taking the information you've learned, offer tips, techniques and helpful advice to job candidates.

Activity #4: Pick the employer

Wouldn't it be nice if you, as the job candidate, got to interview, review and select the employer of your choice instead of the opposite? Now is your chance to do just that! Research three companies for whom you think you would like to work. Remember the tables are turned. You are the interviewer.

• Determine ten criteria that make a good employer. Examples are vacation time provided, benefits, promotion possibilities, education opportunities and so on.

• Select three companies to research.

• Create a table in which to compare the companies. Place the names of the companies across the top and the ten criteria down the side.

• Select the company you think comes out on top.
  • Use the following Web sites to gather information:

Career Mosaic http://www.careermosaic.com/cm/cm12.html#Career Mosaic Employers Page

Companies Online http://www.companiesonline.com/#Companies Online

Employer Profile

at http://www.jobweb.org/employer/index/#Employer Profile

Activity #5: Resume rapture

One of the most important components of your job search is your resume. A resume provides a snapshot of you - your personality, skills and potential as a candidate to employers. You've probably heard the saying, "You only have one chance to make a good first impression." Since you have one shot at getting the attention of potential employers, make the most of it by offering an accurate, concise and professional resume. To help you prepare this all- important document, visit the Web site "Jobsmart: Resumes & Cover Letters" at

What is a Resume? http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/res-def.htm#What Is A Resume

• What is a resume?

• What tips are offered regarding resumes?

• From what resume styles do you have to choose?

• Which style seems to suit your skills and background?

Find additional points for a successful resume at the Web site "Excite: Manage Your Career ResumeMaker's 25 Tips for a Better Electronic Resume" at

Resume Tips http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/yana24.htm#Resume Tips

• What is a resume?
• What's a resume about?
• What is the the fastest way to improve a resume?
• What is the commonest mistake made by resume writers?
• What is the first step in writing a resume?
• How far back should you go in your work history?
• What should you not include on a resume?
• What do employers hate concerning resumes?
• What if you don't have any experience in the kind of work you want to do?
• What if you have gaps in your work experience?
• What if you have a fragmented, scrambled-up work history, with lots of short-term jobs?
• How can students make their resume appear neater?
• What if the job title doesn't reflect your actual level of responsibility?
• What if you can't decide whether to use a chronological style resume or a functional one?
• What can you do to impress an employer?
• What if you have never had any "real" paid mainstream jobs or odd jobs?

More Resume Tips http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/yana24.htm#Resume Tips

Resume Styles http://jobsmart.org/tools/resume/res-what.htm#Resume Styles

• Name and describe the different types of resumes.

You will find tips for electronic resumes, which are resumes submitted or posted via the Internet.

Activity #6: Cover letter confidence

As you introduce yourself to potential employers, your resume is a vital part of your first impression. A successful job campaign not only includes a powerful resume, but also a cover letter which introduces you and your intentions. The cover letter should speak loud and clear while presenting a polished and professional image. To learn more about cover letters, visit the Web site "Career City: Ten Key Ingredients of the Cover Letter" at

Cover Letters http://www.careercity.com/content/cvlttr/index.asp#Cover Letters

http://www.careercity.com/content/cvlttr/details.asp

• What are the ten key ingredients of a cover letter?

Sample Resumes and Letters http://content.monster.com/rescov/#Sample Resumes and Letters

http://content.monster.com/resume/samples/coverletters/

You will find helpful tips and techniques for writing them. Review the tips.

Activity #7: Inside the interview

After sending out resumes to prospective employers, the best possible scenario is for you to be called for an interview. Companies typically require a series of interviews from prospective candidates. Each interview is a screening or narrowing down of the candidates. As with the resume, the first impression is crucial. But how can you get through this phase of the job process with flying colors?

Ace the Interview  http://www.excite.com/careers/career_hub/manage/ace#Ace The Interview

• What are some of the tips one should know in order to "Ace" the interview?
•  By looking at the rehearse section on the above link, you should be able to form some questions as an employer that would be important for your mock interview.

• Using the information you learned from the the web site above and the one below, create a checklist which can be used prior to an interview with quick reminders.  

Interviews Do' and Don'ts http://www.excite.com/careers/career_hub/manage/dodonts#Interviewing Do's and Don'ts

• List the ten do's and don't of an interview

During the mock interview, you will be graded for body language and if you apply the tips that are found on the above links.

Non-verbal Communication: http://www.collegegrad.com/book/15-7.shtml#Non-verbal Communication

During the interview there are several tips that one should know about body language.

• List and explain how the five non-verbal communications that are important in a job interview.

Mock Interview:

Everyone will take turns being an employer and a prospective employee.

Prospective Job Candidate:

• You will be critiqued on how you act while waiting in the reception room prior to the interview.  (There will be a receptionist with you in the room. Look at the check list that you created for prior to the interview).
• You will be critiqued on body language.
• You will be critiqued on how well you respond to the interview questions.

Employer:

• By looking at the questions that you have answered in this activity and notes that you have taken, you will create 12 - 15 questions to ask in the mock interview. Create these questions by looking at all your answers and notes pertaining to this activity.
• Choose a company that you have researched . You will pretend that this is the company that is interviewing job candidates.
• Go back and look at the notes that you took pertaining to this company.  Look at the items you have listed that you thought would make this company attractive as a job choice. Example: If you thought that this company would be attractive if it paid for further education, ask your job candidate if she or he would be willing to further his or her education in order to be a more qualified employee.    
• Be sure to ask follow up questions concerning questions that you have asked.   
• Discuss with the student that you are teamed with for the interview about the company that they are to be interviewed by and where you found your information on the internet. (They need to prepare for the interview by researching information on the company).