Participant Handbook. Trainee Associate. Career Skills

Transcription

1 Participant Handbook Trainee Associate Career Skills

2 Trainee Associate Table of Contents Career Skills Course 1 Resumeo Writing an Effective Resumeo Course 2 Interview Preparing for an Interview...373

3 360 Participant Handbook

4 Trainee Associate Course 1 Resume Sr. No. Module Name 1 Preparing Effective Resume Course Overview Resume is an important piece of document which your employer will refer to while conducting your interview. Resume is your golden chance to create a good impression on the interviewer and bag the job. Therefore, writing an effective resume is very important. In this course, we will learn the same. Course Objectives At the end of this course, you will be able to: T T Write an effective resume 361

5 Trainee Associate Course 1 Module 1 Writing Resume At the end of this module you will be able to: T T Prepare an effective resume Session Plan 1 Module Overview 2 What is a Resume An Introduction 3 Importance of an Effective Resume 4 How to Write a Resume? 5 Key Learnings 6 Worksheet Module Overview Sagar was waiting eagerly for a call regarding a job interview but he was never called. The reason given was that his resume did not qualify for the interview round. A good resume increases your chances for a job interview. It has to be effective enough to standout from the other resumes. In this module, we will learn how to prepare an effective resume. What is a Resume? A resume is a document containing your details like contact, education and work details. A resume is the first document that an employer will see to gauge your capabilities. It is often used to shortlist candidates for an interview. You must be thinking what the need for a resume is when you can always speak for yourself. The answer is Yes, most of the employers, today, first ask you for your resume rather than directly calling you for an interview. Therefore, your resume should be effective enough to hold the attention of the employer. It must be prepared in a manner that it makes your employer call you for an interview. When you apply for a job, there will be other people who will be doing the same thing. A resume helps you to project yourself positively, and thereby improve your chances of getting short listed for an interview. Importance of an Effective Resume 363

6 Participant Handbook The resume is a tool with one specific purpose, that is, to win an interview. A resume is like an advertisement of you. The better the advertisement, more the chances of getting short listed for an interview. A well written resume provides your potential employer information about your past achievements. It also highlights the benefits of hiring you. It presents you in the best light possible. An effective resume will convince the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in the position or career he/she is offering you. The resume should speak for itself, that is, it should be clearly written and highlight your skills. Let us take the example of two people who applied for the same position. Only one got the job simply because his resume was made better. First Candidate Mr. Raman had applied for a job in Rama stores. Let us see how his resume was written. Name: Raman Singh Incomplete Address Address: 131, J.B.Nagar Contact details missing Wife s name: No. of family members: Qualification: Experience: Sakshi Singh 2 child Unnecessary additional information Grammatical mistake 10th from Kendra vidyalaya, Mumbai, 12th from Kendra vidyalaya, Mumbai work experence of two yers Worked for Nalli s store from 15th January th march 2012 Year of passing not written Spelling mistakes Additinal Skills: I have computer knowledge Inadequate information The employer found many mistakes and misrepresentations in his resume, some of which are given below: T T There were a lot of spelling mistakes. T T Contact details were incomplete. T T Year of passing was missing. T T Date of birth was not mentioned. T T Total experience was written as 2 years, whereas from his resume it was clear that he had only 1 year and 2 months of experience. T T Information regarding computer skills was not mentioned clearly. He simply wrote I have computer knowledge. T T Information on language skills was missing. T T Unnecessary information like the number of family members - their names were mentioned. Second Candidate Mr. Girish had applied for the same job in the same company. 364

7 Trainee Associate Name: Girish Saxena Permanent Address: 123, Akal Colony, Adyar, Chennai, Contact No.: Address: Date of Birth: 10th January 1985 Qualification: Qualification 10th 12th Graduation B.A Hindi Name of School/College Vinay Nagar, Public School, New Delhi Vinay Nagar, Public School, New Delhi Marks Obtained 70% % 2002 Delhi University 65% 2005 Year of Passing Experience: T T Worked for Ashika stores as a Trainee Associate from 15th July th August T T Worked for Lifestyle group as a Cashier and Receiving Bay Executive from 1st September th March Additional Skills: Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and internet Good communication skills Co-curricular Activities: T T Reading novels T T Cooking Languages Known: English and Hindi, well-versed with both written and spoken abilities. Reference: Mr. Ashish Biswas Floor Manager, Hi -style Rajouri Garden, New Delhi Phone No.:

8 Participant Handbook The employer was impressed by his resume and called him for an interview. Some of the points that impressed the employer are given below: T T Clearly written resume with no spelling mistakes. T T Complete contact details including id and phone numbers given. T T Educational details covering year of passing, percentage and names of school, college, and university. T T Date of birth mentioned clearly. T T Total years of work experience matched with the work details mentioned. T T Proficiency in computer skills was elaborated clearly. It said, Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Internet. T T Language skills with regards to reading writing and speaking ability mentioned. T T Reference of previous Supervisor with whom verification could be done. Information about hobby and extra curricular activities mentioned. T T All the information was provided in bulleted points. T T No unnecessary information was included. How to Write a Resume? Here are some points that will help you prepare your resume: T T Write your resume in simple English. T T Do not add fancy designs or pictures in your resume. Keep it simple. T T Avoid multicoloured fonts. T T Make sure the font and font size are such that they are easy to read. T T Use bullet points instead of writing long paragraphs as the employer will not spend more than 5 minutes to glance through your resume. T T Put the most important information first like your name, address and contact details. T T Keywords like Date of Birth, Educational Qualifications and Work Experience should be in bold. T T If you have received a certificate after successful completion of a training programme, then it should be the highlight of your resume. Mention in great detail the knowledge and skill sets that you have gained during the course of the training programme. T T Mention technical skills such as working knowledge of computer applications like Microsoft Word, Excel and Internet clearly. T T Highlight your language skills, the languages that you can read, write and speak. T T Give brief information about your hobbies and extra curricular activities. T T Read and check your resume for mistakes or omissions before sending it. 366

9 Trainee Associate Tips: Your name can be written in a slightly larger font as compared to the other information. Your educational qualifications and work experience should be in reverse order with the most recent ones mentioned first followed by earlier ones. Your resume should not look cluttered. Leave white space on the paper. Avoid mentioning unwanted personal information such as marital status and religious beliefs. Always use good quality paper and take good quality printout. Key Learnings Summarise your learning here. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. What is a resume? 2. To prepare an effective resume: a. 5 things that I will mention b. 5 things that I will not mention 367

10 Participant Handbook Worksheet 1. Prepare a resume for yourself that you will present to your future employer. 368

11 Trainee Associate Notes 369

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13 Trainee Associate Course 2 Interview Sr. No. Module Name 1 Preparing for an Interview Course Overview Interview is a one on one interaction with the interviewer. It is a chance for you to present yourself and your view point in front of the interviewer. There is a certain code of conduct that you must follow while giving an interview. This will help you to give an effective interview. This course will take you through how and what you should do in an interview. Course Objectives At the end of this course, you will be able to: T T Give an effective interview 371

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15 Trainee Associate Course 2 Module 1 Preparing for an Interview At the end of this module you will be able to: T T Prepare for an interview T T Face an interview effectively 1 Module Overview 2 Interview An Introduction 3 Why to Prepare? 4 How to Face the Interview? 5 Key Learnings 6 Worksheet Session Plan Module Overview This module will help you to prepare for an interview. It lists the dos and don ts that you must remember before and during an interview. Interview An Introduction For you to understand what an interview is, assume that you are going to attend one. So you become the interviewee or the candidate for interview. Your future employer will assess you to check if you are suitable for the job that he has to offer. There are two parties you, the interviewee or the candidate and the employer. Most interviews are oral. It means that your employer will ask you questions to test your knowledge, skills and attitude. Sometimes, there could be a practical test too. Since you are aspiring to become a Trainee Associate in a store, during your interview, your future employer is most likely to test you on these: T T Your language skills fluency in both regional language as well as the English language T T Your ability to work under pressure if you can work under pressing circumstances. Your interviewer is likely to give you some situations and ask you as to how you would handle them. T T Your ability to articulate how well, you connect with your customers and understand their needs. 373

16 Participant Handbook Why to Prepare? An interview is a two way communication in which both the employer and you have some common goals. The employer wants to know: T T Can you do the job offered? T T Will you fit the position for which you have applied? T T Are you the best candidate for this position? You as a candidate want to know: T T Do I need this job? T T Can I do this job efficiently? T T Does this job offer me the opportunity that I want? Let us now understand the importance of being prepared for an interview through an example: Hemant had applied for the post of a Trainee Associate. Here is what happened. His interview was scheduled at 10 am. He reached the venue at am. He forgot to carry his resume. He was wearing fancy coloured clothes. During the interview his mobile started ringing. He kept looking at the clock. He did not see eye to eye with the interviewer. He did not pay attention to what the interviewer asked or said. His hands were shaking and he was tapping his feet. He didn t thank the interviewer after the interview was over and left in a hurry. On the same day, in the same office another interview was scheduled for Jayesh. Here is what happened: Jayesh reached the venue at am whereas the interview was scheduled at am. He was carrying his updated resume. His clothing was decent and formal. Before attending the interview he switched off his mobile. He was relaxed and calm during the interview and had a smiling face. He paid attention to what the interviewer had to say and maintained eye contact with the interviewer. He shook hands with the interviewer and thanked him before leaving. Who do you think got selected? How to Face an Interview? TT Before the interview Ensure that your resume is updated and without any mistakes. Learn more about the company (you may find the information from the company s website). Practise your body language, what you want to say and how you want to say in front of a mirror. Keep all your documents including the resume neatly in a file. Always carry extra copies of your resume. Carry a pen and a writing pad. Wear formal clothes and formal shoes. Sleep well the night before the interview. 374

17 Trainee Associate TT TT During the interview Stay focused and forget about your worries. Switch off your mobile phone before the interview starts. Gently knock at the door before entering the interview room. Greet the interviewer by saying Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening depending on the time of the day. Be comfortable. Take a seat facing the interviewer. Introduce yourself clearly and audibly when asked. Listen carefully before you respond. Frame your thoughts in correct grammatical sentences in a friendly tone avoiding slang. Never answer just yes or no to a question. Answer to the point. Smile at appropriate times. Never lie. If you do not know the answer, be frank and admit it. Sit with an upright posture and do not lean on the table. Always speak politely. After the interview Thank the interviewer by saying Thank You. Give a handshake. Smile and ask for leave. Tips: Try to reach the venue atleast minutes before the interview. Ask questions about your job. This shows your interest in the job. Be prepared for this question - Tell me something about yourself. You may say: Your full name About your family members About your education and work experience About your career goals Do not discuss personal issues. If you are unable to answer a certain question, gently ask for the correct answer from the interviewer. This shows your urge to learn. 375

18 Participant Handbook Key Learnings Summarise your learning here. Write your answers in the space provided. 1. List 5 things you must do before going for an interview. 2. During an interview, what are the things you must do and NOT do? I must Do I must NOT do Worksheet 1. A job interview involves two-way communication. List five questions that you might want to ask the interviewer: a. b. c. d. e. 376

19 Trainee Associate Notes 377

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