How to make the most of your work experienceGRACE ACADEMY YEAR 12S

Work Experience sketch video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKRmtJ03oMA (3 mins)

Take notes of what you notice and we will come back to it later.

- How does the employer treat the work experience?- What message does the work experience student give without

ever saying a word?

“”

Is a work experience automatically valuable?

Brief discussionWhat are some of the benefits? What could prevent the experience from being valuable?

It’s not valuable just because you did it, it’s

valuable because of the effect it has on you…

What makes it valuable?

Skills gained Chance to give evidence of your

skills/qualities Confidence from stepping outside

of your comfort zone Contacts to network with Opportunities gained

What could stop it being valuable?

Your attitude Employer not being fully

engaged with it (we will talk about solutions for this later on)

Forecasting problems and planning solutions

Task5 MinsIn your groups of 4 try to think of how you would react if you encountered these problems in your work experience.

You run out of work to do on your first day and you’re not quite sure what to do next.

You are asked to do a job that you don’t quite understand how to do. Your co-worker starts having a moan about their boss on your break

time. You’re running late.

Forecasting problems and planning solutions

You run out of work to do on your first day and you’re not quite sure what to do next. (Be PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE. Show initiative. Go to your employer and request more work but always bring a suggestion to the table, don’t wait to be spoon-fed work, that makes you a burden)

You are asked to do a job that you don’t quite understand how to do. (Always be honest, there is nothing worse than someone who just nods their head, you might end up causing more problems. Don’t be afraid to try new tasks but be honest about your competencies)

Your co-worker starts having a moan about their boss on your break time. (You never know who is listening. Avoid office politics)

You’re running late. (You can never over communicate…but you are an idiot for being late )

How to make a good impression? In your groups discuss what kind of things make a good impression.What are some of the first things you notice about someone? (2 mins)

What makes a good impression?

Be Positive: - Don’t produce a problem without offering some sort of solution. If you are asked to do a task you feel you are not able to do, acknowledge that you don’t know how to do it but show enthusiasm that you are willing to learn.  Network: Don’t be invisible. Talk to different people. At the very least you will be gaining insight into their job role. Introduce yourself. Don’t just be a wallflower. Collect contact details. Keep in touch.

LIFEHACK: Be interested in people. You will get more people to like you by trying to like them than you will by trying to get them to like you. 100% authenticity is not always needed e.g. if I’m telling you about my Gaelic football match I know deep down you don’t give a damn but it’s important to try and show interest without appearing false/fake. The way to have presence is to be PRESENT…

What makes a good impression?

Smile: You want to show people that you are happy to see them. Smiling is contagious and automatically produces happy hormones in you and in others…whether you like it or not.  Active listening. There is nothing worse than a blank canvas when you are talking to someone, give them indicators that you are listening.  Use people’s names (Instead of hello, say Hello Julie) Tone of voice has to be positive. You’re better than just “alright”. Pay attention to the language you use about yourself, it’s the language others will use about you too. Posture. Don’t hide. You want them to remember you and to notice you. There’s only one thing worse than being talked about and that’s not being talked about.

Speaking with confidence The voice is an instrument. You need to practice with it. Sing. Practice speaking loudly

rather than mumbling.

Breathe. The most powerful person in the room is the one with the calmest breathing. Everyone moves around the king, the king doesn’t fidget because he’s relaxed.

Tone of what you say is so much more important than what you say. I didn’t say you were stupid I didn’t say you were stupid I didn’t say you were stupid I didn’t say you were stupid I didn’t say you were stupid

Video on non verbal communication: 5 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOkrS1v7Ywk

Close study of non verbal communication: 3 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8LA10Tg1Os

90 second SPEED DATING TASK

10 Mins“The power is in the palm of your hand.”

The importance of the handshake.

Split up into two groups A and B. As come outside with me for a few minutes. We’re going to go into a roleplay of introducing yourself to your new employer on your first day of work experience.

Presentation, image and first impression

The way we present ourselves sends a message to the world…we are responsible and in control of that. What do you want that message to be?

Is judgement always a bad thing? Why do humans make judgements based on first impression?

We meet so many people in modern life. They all mean different things for us. We categorise them based on a visual. The visual takes on meaning based on previous experience or perceived experience.

Find Facebook

Find FacebookTwitter Youtube LinkedIn Google

Instagram Facebook Pintrest Flixstr

Apple Store Safari Tindr Gmail

Fitbit Messenger Google Maps Ryanair

Snapchat Spotify Dank Meme Generator

Was it a lot faster to find the Facebook image?Our image is linked to our impression. Make sure you are remembered for the right reasons.

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the image

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the image

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the images

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the images

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the images

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the images

Be honest

BUZZ WORD GAMESay the first words you associate with the images

Be honest

Same person…but do we have the same impression?

Say the first words you associate with the imagesBe honest

Are these outfits appropriate for work? What impression do they give?

Are women looked at differently to men?

Video: Are you wearing your future? Dress like you mean it. 10 minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE8i4_J-kyY

Outfits have the power to transform e.g. footballer who is shy and unassuming off the pitch.

When we were young we used to dress up as superheros and feel as if we assumed their power. Dress like who you want to be…and become them.