1 or 2 days with or without actors

Purpose

This workshop is aimed at those who want to review their transferable skills and abilities and identify positive strategies for presenting their capabilities and experience.

Style

• The workshop will be very participative, involving a mixture of group discussion, learning consultant input, personal exercises, review and reflection.
• There will be opportunity to discuss interview techniques and to practise responding to interview questions in a safe and constructive environment.

Pre-Work

Participants are requested to bring a current CV or record of work to the workshop.

Objectives

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Define competencies
• Assess their transferable skills and abilities
• Identify their achievements
• Construct an effective CV
• Provide evidence of their own skills, competencies, experience etc to demonstrate their capabilities
• Prepare for a successful interview
• Identify ways of presenting themselves positively during an interview
• Use effective interview skills and techniques to demonstrate competencies and capabilities

Timings

Start: 0930

• Morning break: 1100 - 1115
• Lunch: 1245 - 1315
• Finish: 1500

Optional

• 1500-1700: Interview practice sessions in evidencing skills/competencies

Outline

Introductions and objectives

• Introductions, programme outline and identifying personal learning objectives

Setting the Scene

• Change and its impact on people
• What are competencies? How are they used?
• Implications of ‘competency-based’ recruitment for job applications and interviews

Trainer input and group discussion

Who are you?

• What do you want from a job?
• What are your transferable skills, competencies and achievements?

Individual and small group exercises

Presenting yourself positively

• Keeping your CV up to date and presenting yourself positively
• Preparing a CV to sell yourself for different sectors.  Standard v. tailored
• Providing evidence of your own skills, abilities, experience, etc
• Maintaining a positive outlook
• Self-belief

Group discussion, individual and small group exercises

Preparing for an interview

• Purpose of the interview
• Providing evidence of core skills and describing behaviour
• Making the most of questions to sell yourself
• Focusing on success
• What do you want to know?
• Effective interview techniques

Individual and small group exercises

Action planning

• Action planning for the future

Optional: Interview practice sessions

• Participants will have the opportunity to practise answering interview questions with feedback

Individual/small group exercises