Exercise #3: personal qualities - use in connection with activities #8 & #9.

Have different groups look at want ads to identify personal qualities that are sought for various types of positions. For example, the Toronto Star has ads for Restaurant and Hotel Help, Office Help, Skilled and Technical Help, etc. Flip chart their answers and note themes.

Ask groups to identify personal qualities that they would seek for employees in the following fields: Nurse, Firefighter, Police Officer, Judge, Construction Worker, and Cook. Have the group choose some professions, then identify the personal qualities for these jobs. Flip chart their answers and note themes.

Arrange the group into pairs. One person will explain the type of work he or she is interested in to his or her partner. The partner will then think of a list of personal qualities that they would expect to see in that type of employee. The first person will respond to the list by providing examples of how they have demonstrated these qualities in the past. The partners will then switch roles.

Message: everyone has personal qualities that they can use for self-promotion. These qualities are vital employability traits.

Exercise #4: transferable skills - use in connection with activity #12.

Have the group(s) identify the transferable skills on the resume on page 68. Ask them to generate new types of work that this person could look for based on these transferable skills. Ask people to do the same with their own transferable skills worksheet. See if they can identify at least three new fields of work where they could apply these skills. Have them explain the rationale for each new field to the class.

This exercise could be expanded to demonstrate the value of volunteer work or an Ontario Works community placement. The instructor could provide examples of volunteer activities and ask the class to identify jobs that the learned skills could be transferred to.

Message: old skills can be used to open up new opportunities. Furthermore, you can use volunteer work to develop new skills while you are unemployed.

Exercise #5: study your way to work - use after completing activity #14.

Using all of the personal inventories in section two and using Lisa's Story (page 30) as an example, ask the group(s) to compile a list of skills, personal qualities, etc. that they have already demonstrated by being students at your learning centre. What jobs could they apply these attributes to?

Ask each group to present their answers to the class. Make a master list and give one to each participant for future reference.

Message: make the point that their current efforts will greatly enhance their employability. Students don't have to wait until their education is completed before applying for work.