This week, we are going to begin to establish that positive online presence we discussed and worked on last week to begin our search for job placements, scholarships, and college applications. Almost every task we complete this week will require some sort of online publication, so we are going to take a good amount of time making sure what we produce is worthy of going public. Also, our interview transcript (the one in which you interview an industry professional) is due Friday, 9/2. See below for a breakdown of our weekly tasks:
Monday: Set Up Blogger & Introductory Blog Publication
Clear Target: We can create a positive online presence
***Please seat yourselves away from distractions so you can work as efficiently as possible***
Based on the fact that our excellent guest speaker was able to captivate you for longer than expected, we never really got a chance to work on our introductory blogs. On Monday, your main goal is to set up a Blogger Account specific to this course and publish your introductory entry. In this entry, you are going to obviously introduce yourself to the audience, tell them why you’re here, and really open up about what you would like to accomplish this year. I would like you to address the following topics:
- Who are you? Please don’t just state your name. Tell the reader about yourself:
- Where did you grow up?
- What are some of your favorite hobbies?
- Remember, this is the beginning of your journey in WBL, but you need to catch your readers up on how you got here and where you plan to go
- Don’t give us your life story, but don’t just address these topics with a single sentence
- Why are you here? How did you get here?
- Go beyond “because I have to write a blog for this class”
- Address your career goals and how being in WBL will help you achieve them
- Be genuine & proud of your affiliation with this academy
- What do you wish to get out of this course?
- Again, be genuine - are you looking for work experience? Exposure to different opportunities for your future? Time to work on your college and scholarship applications?
- Thank the reader for his/her time, welcome any comments/feedback, and invite him/her to check back or subscribe to the feed. Remember, this entry is just the beginning of this portion of your Senior Experience
This entry should be proofread and published once you have my permission. Understand that it is extremely important that you put your best foot forward on EVERY post you make, ESPECIALLY this one.
Tuesday: YouTube/Weebly Setup, Host Video, Publish Site
Clear Target: We can create a positive online presence
***Please seat yourselves away from distractions so you can work as efficiently as possible***
The sandbox time you had last week was a good start for you to begin working on your websites. On Tuesday, you’ll actually start putting together bits and pieces of your website. Please feel free to bring scanned versions of any certificates/awards you’ve received, letters of recommendation, and/or pictures of yourself that demonstrate your hard work and dedication. When class begins, you’ll set up your YouTube page and host your intro video. Make sure to describe your channel when you’re setting up the profile. You can use something like, “Hi my name is (insert name). Welcome to my channel where you can find videos from my Senior Experience in Work-Based Learning at Northwest High School in Clarksville, Tennessee.” You can obviously go into far more detail if you wish, but please have at least that in your channel description.
Once your video is hosted to your YouTube channel, go ahead and start working on your Weebly site. You’ll need tabs on your site for:
- “Home”
- “About Me”
- “My Awards/Certificates”
- “Contact Info”
- “Work Samples.”
I can go into further detail about what to enter on each page in class on Tuesday if you have any other questions. By the end of class, you should have your YouTube page and Weebly published.
Wednesday: Resume Lesson
Clear Target: We can analyze all elements of an effective resume
Today’s class will be all about making an effective resume. During lecture, we’ll go over all 7 elements of a strong resume, discuss how to make your resume stand out, and target the following areas of focus:
- Strong references
- Proper keywords that catch the reader’s eye
- How to stand out even with little to no work experience
After reviewing some previously created high school resumes and a quick resume I put together on Google Drive, you will have a solid understanding of what to include in your own resumes.
If we have extra time, I will allow you to write up a “data dump” in a Google Doc and just list as many things you think you can include in a resume. You’ll then work on making them sound professional, highlighting keywords and making good use of the right action verbs (redundant, I know) to appeal to the reader. If we don’t have time during Wednesday’s class, we can make good use of Thursday’s work day to get this done.
Thursday: Work Day - Resume Completion
Clear Target: We can create an effective resume
Today is a work day for you. Throughout class, your main objectives will be as follows:
- Finalize resume
- Add QR code (linking to your Weebly) to resume
- Host resume to your Weebly
- Submit hard copy of resume
I will be circulating throughout the room all period to tend to whomever needs assistance. I am more than happy to help as needed and know that most of you will be finished with this with about 30 minutes to spare during our block period. Once you finish this assignment, you will continue to work on your Weebly site and/or any assignments that you need to refine.
Friday: Professional Interview Reflection
Clear Target: We can create a positive online presence
Three weeks ago, I told you to complete an interview with an industry professional. I asked you to try your best to find a professional who works in the industry you wish to pursue, but fall back to something as close to your desired career as possible. Worst case scenario, most of you have a family member or friend of the family who is gainfully employed and can shed some light on what it’s like to have a job in the real world. Sample questions for this assignment, along with helpful tips regarding what to do before and after the interview, can be found in the Sample Interview Guide packet in the WBL Toolbox.
Now that you’ve completed your assignment, you are going to first write a Thank-You email and/or letter to the person you interviewed. This should only take about 10 minutes, so once you’re finished, you are going to review your transcript so that you can begin your reflection assignment, which will be in blog form. Your blog entry should have an appealing title and address what you learned from this experience. Begin your post by explaining that this past week, you conducted an interview with an industry professional and learned some very worthwhile information (or something along those lines… you’re all much better writers than Mr. Spinella). Some questions that can guide the rest of your writing can be found right in the Sample Interview Guide on page 6:
- What interests of mine would be satisfied in this career path?
- What personality traits do I have that would help me to be successful?
- What skills and special knowledge do I already have that will help me be successful?
- What skills and special knowledge will I need to develop?
- Where can I develop these new skills and/or knowledge?
- Overall, how has the information obtained helped me clarify or redefine my educational and career goals?
By no means are you forced to use these questions if you have a direction and purpose for your entry. However, if you need some help with where to go with this blog post, feel free to use the above questions. Please proofread the entry and show it to me before you post it. By the end of class, you should have this assignment published. Once finished, please continue to work on your Weebly page.
That’s it for this week. I look forward to getting a lot accomplished. See you all in class!
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