Careers lesson resources
Careers lesson resources for schools:
Job applications and CVs
This is the most comprehensive set of resources covering how to understand what you offer employers and communicate that on CVs and job application forms.
Summary of learning outcomes
- Awareness of how job applications work and why they are important.
- Identify what YOU have to offer employers.
- Learn how to communicate that to your chosen employer.
The three lesson programme
Lesson 1
What is a job application and how does it work?
Lesson 2
Finding and understanding the requirements of a job
Lesson 3
Develop a compelling CV
Why I developed these resources
All students should leave school with the life skills needed for job applications. This is a key component of an effective careers programme and contributes to several of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
I have developed my own approach to CV writing and job applications based on recruitment and management experience and 12 years of helping hundreds of people get selected for the jobs they want. It involves understanding and communicating your value in a way that suits your goals.
It uses proven marketing principles and involves balancing the goals of giving the employer what they want and differentiating you meaningfully from others.
Career and CV lesson plans
Each of the above lessons comes with an accompanying lesson plan that includes additional resources:
- Lesson overviews
- Guidance on adapting to school career stages and being responsive to students’ prior attainment
- Clear aims and outcomes
- Activities
- Extended activities
- Links to additional resources
CV and job application resources that meet Gatsby benchmarks
The specific benchmarks that these resources directly address are:
- Addressing the needs of each student
This is not a one-size-fits-all, template approach to job applications. Rather, it helps each student to appreciate and communicate their strengths. These resources work best when students have already had careers guidance. It helps them to apply their developing knowledge of who they are and why that is valuable to employers. And, how, specifically to obtain the opportunities they are targeting.
- Encounters with employers and employees
I am an employer of two people in my business plus collaborating with freelancers and other businesses. My business is an SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) – which constitute 99% of all businesses and employ 61% of the workforce.
I can also directly represent various growing careers areas (self-employment, business ownership, freelancing, copy and content writing). I specifically address the need to learn about ‘employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace’. There is an added advantage that I speak objectively from a cross-sector perspective, not just about my industry.
The resources also support other benchmarks including:
- A stable careers programme
A complete and well-understood careers programme can be enhanced by including elements on job applications. These are highly tangible and practical life – to be able to identify employer needs and match them to obtain your chosen job.
- Learning from career and labour market information
These resources support students to access their chosen options and appreciate the possibilities open to them.
I support this by ensuring that students understand that there is more to it than just ‘How many jobs are there?’ They only need one job at a time.
As a Job Applications and CV Consultant, I am currently helping people to get jobs that didn’t exist a few years ago. Influencer Marketing, Crypto Currency sales and advice, directors of online challenger banks, Conversion Rate Optimisation specialists.
I ensure that people understand the vital question of ‘How will I get selected?’ for whichever job they choose.
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
I help students to identify the impressive things that ALL of them have already done. That way, they can link their ‘offering’ to the jobs of their choice.
- Personal guidance
It enhances this by allowing students to put their decisions into practice.
These resources align with the CDI Learning Outcomes
This series of lessons covers aspects of all 6 of the Learning Areas in the CDI’s Career Development Framework Learning Areas and associated learning outcomes.
This is outlined in the accompanying lesson plans.
Reviews of my delivery
The lesson resources are delivered entirely by me based on 12 years of helping people succeed in job applications and previous line management and recruitment consultant work. The key points are outlined in the embedded video.
“Graeme was able to adapt his message seamlessly to younger people and worked with our 16-18 year-old students to help them feel positive about the workplace and give them practical tips about how to focus their job search. Thank you.”
“The session was pitched perfectly to meet the needs and requirements of our learners. It gave them tips and hints; inspiring them to believe in their own abilities and raise their self-esteem. An invaluable workshop not to be missed.”