Lesson Plan: Interview

Lesson Plan

Interviewing for a Job

Course: Speech & Forensics (Grades 10-12)

Unit: Interpersonal Communication

Overview: This lesson teaches students how to look for jobs, apply for jobs, write a resume and cover letter, and ace an interview for a job. It is the last lesson in a unit on Interpersonal Communication, in which students learn the facts, skills, and strategies of speaking with people. A job interview was chosen as the project because so many students want jobs, and often ask teachers how to get them, so it kills two birds with one stone: (1) building students' interpersonal communication skills and (2) having the practical purpose of helping students get real jobs.

Objectives: Students will (a) self-assess their personalities, interests, and skills as they relate to various careers, (b) search for part-time jobs or internships that would in some way prepare them for a job in the future, (c) actually apply for a position and/or schedule an interview, (d) write a cover letter, resume, and list of references to mail and/or bring to an interview, and (e) experience a mock interview.

Georgia Professional Standards: ELA10LSV1, ELA10LSV2

Materials:

- Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Communication Test
- The 5-Part Interview
- Job Interview Project: Steps for Students
- Why People Aren't Hired
- How You're Rated During the Interview
- Work Interest Quiz
- Resume Format
- Resume Action Verbs
- Cover Letter Format
- Thank-You Letter Format
- Sample Resumes & Cover Letters
- 100 Potential Interview Questions
- What NOT to Wear: Top 20 Wardrobe Malfuctions
- Interview Checklist
- Mock Interview Evaluation (Rubric)

Procedures:

1.	Activate students' prior knowledge. First review the interpersonal communication skills discussed in previous lessons. See Interpersonal Communication Skills. Then, distribute a student self-assessment so they can test their pre-existing communication skills. See Communication Test.
2.	Discuss situations in real life that require students to have interpersonal communication skills, and identify job interviews as probably the most important.
3.	Ask students who have a job to raise their hands, and then ask those who want a job to raise their hands. Chances are that all students' hands will be raised. Conducting this survey gets students self-motivated to be interested and do well on this lesson/project.
4.	Outline the steps to follow when trying to get a job. See Steps for Students. Instruct students to follow these steps for their Job Interview Project.
5.	Distribute supplemental materials to students as needed and guide them through the remaining process of the project.

Evaluation:

Communication Test
Mock Interview Evaluation (Rubric)

T.A.P.P. Outcome(s):

#5: Teacher will demonstrate effective instructional skills using variety of teaching strategies. In the way that lesson is structured to be student-focused, beginning with students' self-assessment of communication skills and work interests through the teacher's one-on-one guidance throughout the process of the project itself, in addition to the range of supplemental materials provided, it demonstrates my use of a variety of effective instructional skills and strategies.

#7: Teacher will demonstrate appropriate evaluative techniques for the purpose of diagnosing and prescribing teaching strategies. This lesson included the pre-assessment of students prior knowledge of communication skills as well as their current career interests. The results of these evaluative activities governed the process of the project.

#14: Teacher will demonstrate effective oral and written
communication skills. To show students how to properly construct a resume and cover, I included a mock-up of the actual resume and cover letter I submitted to the principle of Stone Mountain High School when applying for my job. These documents not only provide the students with good examples of a resume and cover letter, they also exemplify my own effective communication skills.

#15: Teacher will demonstrate appropriate use of technology. Insofar as this lesson plan is online and contains a varietry of links to useful resources related to the project, it demonstrates an appropriate use of technology.