Three Things All Students should know about: How to Get a Job

1) Most effective methods of “looking” for jobs?

2) Develop a 5-Second Sales Pitch Introduction

3) Tips on Teaching “Interview Skills”

Warm Up Q?s1) Which fruit has its seeds on the outside?2) Name the only vegetable that is NEVER sold

frozen, canned, cooked, or in any other form except FRESH.

3) Name the only sport where the defense always has possession of the ball .

4) What are the only three words that start with the letters “dw”?

Speaker’s Background: Miguel A. Bueso, MS

(301) 942-1115 ext. 104mbueso@pathwayschools.org

‘81 - BS Business Administration 10 Years - Corporate Experience Marketing/Finance ‘93 - MS Transition Specialist 6 Years - Adjunct Professor at Montgomery College20 Years - Teaching Students with EB/D20 Years - Job Placement ExperienceCertifications – Teaching “AP”, GCDF, DSAP

51.4 % Drop Out of School

40.1 % Graduate Standard Diploma

8.5 % Age Out

(US Dept. of Education 2002 – Students with E/BD)

59 % Unemployed 2-Years after leaving school!

53 % Unemployed 5-Years after leaving school!

These were the highest unemployment rates for any disability group noted!

78 % of regular education graduates are pursuing some type of continuing education

Less than 20 % of students with EB/D are participating in any type of post-secondary education or training

These were the lowest enrollment statistics of any disability group noted

65 % fail at least one course in high school (U.S. Department of Education, 1994)

20 % of ED students are arrested before leaving school (Malmgren, Edger, & Neel, 1998) and 19 % have been arrested by the time they have been out of school for two years (National Longitudinal Transition Study)

36 % of all youths admitted to psychiatric hospitals have ED (Singh, 1994)

Students with ED experience higher rates of social isolation and involvement in crime as adults, than do any other category of people with disabilities. (Frank and Sitlington, 1997)

Students with ED are fairing far worse than those with more severe disabilities (physically impaired) and those who function at lower intellectual and functional levels (MR). (Maag & Katsiyannis, 1998)

My Philosophy regarding the Importance of Teaching

Job-Hunting Skills:

Place a Student in a “Job Experience,” Feed Him for a Day

Teach a Student How to Hunt for a Job Feed Him for the Rest of

His Life

Job Search Strategies: The 4 Major Types of Job Leads:

Job Lead Types

1) Advertised Job Leads

2) Employment Agencies

3) Networking

4) Cold-Calling

Pros

Lots of Job Openings Easy to Find & Apply Lots of Info

Exclusive Job Listings Motivated to Place You

Others “Connections” “Hidden Job Market”

Can Create Job Openings “Hidden Job Market”

Cons

If you found it… Too Much Competition Limits your Choices

Commission-Motivated Limits Your choices

Takes Time & Effort Takes Courage & Humility

Takes Time & Effort Difficulty Hearing “NO”

Two Measures of Effectiveness:

Hidden Job Market

Advertised Jobs 30%

"Hidden Job Market" 70%

Recent Hires

Employment Agencies 10%

Advertised Jobs 20%

Cold Calling 30%

Networking 40%

Principles of a “Cold Calling”

1) Develop and Rehearse a 4-sentence Sales Pitch Intro

2) Ask for a “Manager on Duty”

3) “Offer ” Skills BEFORE “Asking” for a Job

4) Rehearse handling “No”

Writing Out a "Winning” Introduction

•  

Circle the two (2) statements below which are MOST true about you: “I am available to work any day of the week.” “I follow directions well.”“I am on-time and dependable.” “I take pride in my work.”“I get along well with others.” “I am a hard worker.” “I would like to gain more work experience.” “I am an honor-roll student”

• “Hello, my name is ___________________________.”•  • “I _______________________________________.”

• (Give one of your best selling points from above)• “I _______________________________________.”

• (Give another one of your best selling points from above)

• “Are you in need of someone with my skills?”

Offering Skills vs. Asking for Help

• “Hello, my name is Fred Barnes.

• I am available to work any day of the week.

• I am a hard worker.

• Are you in need of someone with my skills?”

• Oh Yeah, Now that is an Introduction managers remember!!!

Teaching Interviewing Skills• Introduce Do’s and Don’t about Interviewing

• Break Interview down into different parts

• Define Goals for each of the different parts

• Review Commonly Asked Interview

Questions

• Hold Realistic “Rehearsal Interviews”

Top 30 Reasons Why People are NOT Hired

• Lacked experience • Did not seem serious about working • Poor work record• Did not ask questions about the

job/company• Did not say “Thank you” for the

interviewers time• Poor school record• Did not look the interviewer in the eye • Poor appearance• Late to the interview without good

reason• Lack of interest in the job • Not courteous• Disliked school• Poor attitude• Limp handshake

• Could not take criticism• Wanted too much money• Does not always try to do what is right• Could not answer questions• No career goals• Not sure of the kind of work they want• Seemed “lazy”• Criticized past employers• Does not seem to know right from wrong• Made excuses• Poor use of English• Critical of others• No interest in the company• Only wanted to work for a short time• Did not get along well with parents• Not tactful• Sloppy application/resume

Top 10 Reasons Why People are NOT Hired:

• Poor Appearance

• Poor Attitude

• Poor Use of English

• No Career Goals

• Lack of Interest in the Job

• Not sure of which Job Wanted

• Wanted too much Money

• Poor School Record

• Made Excuses

• Poor Work Record

The Five Parts to an Interview

1) Opening

2) Questions and Answers

3) Job Description

4) Salary Negotiation

5) Closing

Make a great First Impression

Sell Relevant Skills Give Examples

Listen Carefully Ask “Good” Questions

Research your Market Value Give a Range not a Firm Figure

Thank the Interviewer for His/Her Time Make a Positive Exit Statement

Practice Answering the Most Commonly Asked Interview Questions

Why do you feel that you would be good at this job?

What are your overall Greatest Strengths?

As an employee what is your Greatest Weakness?

How would you handle a very angry customer/client who is upset and being rude to YOU?

Where do you hope to be 5 – 10 years from now?

Do you have any questions for me?

Developing a Realistic Rehearsal Interview Experience

• Have students pick any entry-level job that he/she is interested in

• Help Students identify 3-5 skills that are most important for that job

• Help Students write out and rehearse answers to 5-6 interview questions

• Find a “Stranger” (local manager, parent or colleague) to act as interviewer

• Set Up Video/Digital Camera on Tripod in office and tape interviews

• Interviewer asks questions and ad-libs related discussions (10-15 mins.)

• Review/debrief each students be reviewing interview immediately afterwards

Research suggests that students with E/BD that successfully hold a job during HS are most likely to find and stay employed years after leaving school

Students who attend programs that provide them with effective classroom Job-Hunting lessons have the best chances of successfully achieving desired “outcomes” after leaving school

If you only have a few hours to teach your students effective Job-Hunting Skills then be sure you teach them the:

Three Things All Students should know about: How to Get a Job!

Session Code for this Workshop:

S K H J