Advanced I Job Fair

Family literacy students prepare for jobs and careers

How do I get a job in DC? After a recent job preparation unit, students in Briya’s Advanced I family literacy class are well-equipped to answer that question.

The students began by thinking about their skills and past experience to decide what types of jobs they’d like to pursue. In English class, students studied the vocabulary necessary for those jobs, which include teacher, waitress and housekeeper. They also learned about interviews and practiced interviewing skills.

In digital literacy class, students wrote, formatted and edited their resumes using Google Docs. They learned the importance of using action verbs on a resume, researched jobs, and practiced filling out online applications.

The group also visited the public library, where a librarian showed them online job databases they can access with their library card. The students then toured areas of the library that have career-related books and other resources.

The unit ended with a practice job fair. Printed resumes in hand, the students interviewed with staff members posing as potential employers in their fields.

Some students were nervous about speaking English throughout an entire interview; others had never interviewed before. At the end of the job fair, staff gave students feedback on what they did well and what they could improve.

“The mock job fair helped students be more aware of how to prepare for the emotions that will come up in future job interviews,” said Grace Parker, digital literacy instructor. “Overall, I think it was most successful because the students supported each other as they faced their own questions, uncertainties and insecurities about finding a job.”