Workplace Lesson Idea: Applying for a Job

Applying for a job can be a frightening experience for many adults especially those who have limited English. Practicing interviewing skills in a classroom setting can help students overcome their nervousness and gain confidence in applying for a job.

• Student Handout: Sample Application Form
• Additional sample job applications, resumes and interviewing questions.
• You may find helpful exercises in the following texts:
• You’re Hired! Book One: Charting Your Career Path (by Marilyn Clark and others).
• You’re Hired! Book Two: Getting the Right Job; Proven Resumes and Confidence Builders (by Marilyn Clark and others).

• Have students bring to class information they might need to place on a job application, such as licenses, past pay stubs, etc.
• Include a Warm-up Mixer: for five minutes, have students move around the room asking fellow students if they know of a company hiring for the job they are seeking.
• Target Vocabulary: Resume, application, social security number, previous employment, objective and qualifications.
• Model the process of filling out a job application. Discuss vocabulary terms that are new to the students. Have students fill out a simple job application.