Critique-a-thon!!
Cover letter CONTENT Critique (8:25)
Each group needs:
- At least 3 group members
- Tables pulled together
- Cover letters pulled up on laptops, copies of job descriptions, and scratch paper/pen(cils) for providing feedback
Process:
- Share your laptop with your cover letter on it and your job description with another member at your table.
- READ and PROVIDE FEEDBACK (10 minutes)
- Read the job description- note keywords and skills that are needed
- Read the cover letter once through without editing
- Read the cover letter again and comment on the CONTENT (comment on paper or add comments to the document)
- Is the letter formatted correctly?
- Dear Mr./Mrs. Last Name
- Size 11 or 12 font, easy to read font
- 3-4 paragraphs with intro, body and conclusion
- Sincerely, Name at the end
- What is the spicy opening sentence- does it grab you?
- How many references to the specific job do you see
- Where is the “proof” that they are an excellent candidate
- Is the letter clear and easy to read?
- Is there anything that should be cut or added?
- DISCUSS (5 minutes)
- Go over your comments with the person whose letter you read
- Talk to the person who read your letter about their comments
- REPEAT the process one more time with different cover letters
WORK TIME: Revise cover letter
Resume CONTENT Critique (10:10)
Each group needs:
- At least 3 group members
- Tables pulled together
- Resumes pulled up on laptops, copies of job descriptions, and scratch paper/pen(cils) for providing feedback
Process:
- Pass the resumes with their job descriptions to another member at your table
- READ and PROVIDE FEEDBACK (10 minutes)
- Read the job description, note keywords and skills that are needed
- Read the resume once through without comment
- Read the resume again and comment on the CONTENT
- Are the bullets reserved for verbs that show skills?
- Is everything described clearly?
- Do any questions pop up?
- Jot down any suggestions that you have
3. DISCUSS (5 minutes)
- Go over your comments with the person whose resume you read
- Talk to the person who read your resume about their comments
4. REPEAT the process one more time with different resumes
11:05-12:00 Interview Prep
Teacher prep: Load the following videos, prep projector and speakers
11:10 Review interview guidelines in student packets
11:30 Skits OR Work Time to Process/Brainstorm interview questions
12:45-1:30 Proofread Docs and Receive Transcripts and Grades
PERFECTION CRITIQUE
Cover letter and resume proofread:
- Create a group of at least three, share your refined cover letter and resume with another member at your table
- READ and ANNOTATE Cover Letter (5 minutes)
- Read the cover letter and comment on the SPELLING, GRAMMAR, and SYNTAX
- Comment on errors that you discover
- Jot down any suggestions that you have
- READ and ANNOTATE Resume (5 minutes)
- Read the resume and comment on the SPELLING, LAYOUT, ALIGNMENT, PARALLEL STRUCTURES and FORMATTING
- Comment on any errors that you discover
- Jot down any suggestions that you have
- REPEAT steps 2 and 3 with different resumes and cover letters
2:00-3:20 Mock Interviews
Mock Interview Practice
- In groups of three to four, take turns playing the following roles:
- Job Applicant
- 2-3 Interviewers
- Have the applicant give the interviewers their job description, cover letter and resume.
- Ask the applicant to step away for a moment while the interviewers glance at the documents for 2-3 minutes.
- Spend around 5-7 minutes interviewing the candidate. Ask them questions from the provided list of interview questions. Feel free to throw some curve balls as long as they are relevant to this interview process. (Expect such curve balls in your POL interview.)
- After the interview, the interviewers should share their observations with the candidate.
- Rotate roles and repeat.
Observations: Does the candidate...
- Use academic, appropriate language?
- Speak clearly, with appropriate volume and pacing and avoid saying “um” or “like”?
- Seem confident (mindful of eye contact, posture, fidgeting and intonation)?
- Answer questions with in-depth responses and specific examples or anecdotes?
- Seem authentic/genuine/honest?