Helping young people gain the skills they need to be successful at a job is only part of the total picture. Job hunters must also possess the skills to successfully apply for work. Education in job application skills is a step-by-step process that takes some time and effort, but that time and effort can definitely pay off.

Start by helping a young person create a resume. It may seem that, without any previous experience, there is nothing to actually put on that resume. However, by thinking about all of an individual’s activities, specific classes taken, awards won, grade point average, part-time working experiences such as lawn care and baby-sitting, special interests, even travel, it is possible to construct a resume which presents the employer with a clear picture of the individual. Young people should also learn the skill of customizing resumes for various jobs. An excellent site for learning about resume writing can be found at www.cvtips.com/resume_teen.html.

Teach the individual how to fill out an application. Obtain some applications either by picking them up from actual businesses or by downloading these from an on-line source. One you might use is the following:jobsearch.about.com/od/jobappsamples/a/sampleapp.htm

Help a young person type up and print out a wallet-size information sheet to use when filling out applications. This card should include the following information:Full nameDate of birthAddress (including zip code)Phone number(s) (including area code)e-mail addressNames and phone numbers (or e-mail addresses) of previous employersNames and phone numbers (or e-mail addresses) of referencesSocial Security number should NOT be included on this list for safety reasons; it should be memorized

Role play job interviewing. It is extremely helpful for young people, who have not been through the experience of an actual job interview, to experience some “practice interviews.” Simply decide ahead of time what kind of job “you” are hiring for and ask the young person to “come in” for an interview. Start with the initial handshake and talk about posture, as well.

Spend some time talking about suitable appearance for the interview. Your checklist might include the following: --neatly pressed clothes typical of the kind the individual would wear for the job--or what is now-called “business casual,” meaning a sports jacket and tie for men and a skirt (or pants) with a jacket for women.--no jewelry (women might go with conservative earrings; both men and women might wear watches.--polished shoes—no athletic shoes, sandals, or flip-flops.--no chewing gum—although a breath mint or two consumed before the interview might be a good idea.

Teach a young person how to write a thank you note to be sent after the interview. Also, talk about how to make a follow-up call.