Created: March 2017
Last Updated: April 2020
This learning experience is part of a playlist — two or more learning experiences focused on specific areas of the digital world. You can find this playlist, Crafting a Successful Resume, here. This particular learning experience is the third in a sequence of six. Learning experiences in a playlist build off of each other, but they were designed so that they can also be completed on their own!
| Estimated time: | 40 minutes
|
| Group or individual activity: | Individual |
| Ages: | 13-18 years old |
| Grades: | Grades 8-12 |
| Online / offline elements: | This learning experience contains an offline activity and challenge that requires a computer or mobile device with Internet access. |
| Areas: | Main area: Digital Economy Additional areas: Identity Exploration and Formation |
| License: | This learning experience has been created by Youth and Media and is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionShareAlike 4.0 International license. For more information, please visit http://dcrp.berkman.harvard.edu/about |
Learning Goal
Identify your ideal job (which can be vocational or professional) and specific skills needed for this position.
Materials
Computer or mobile device with Internet access
[Optional] Paper
[Optional] Pen or pencil
Resources
Article: Write Job Descriptions and Ads - by Business Victoria
Article: 9 Simple Steps to Writing a Compelling Job Advertisement - by Paul Slezak (RecruitLoop)
Database: Occupation Profile - by CareerOneStop
Activity
We all have dreams about the type of work that we would like to do one day. Some of us get excited about playing a professional sport or being a musician, while others may be happier dreaming about becoming a doctor or a teacher. There are tons of different kinds of jobs out there. Jobs don't have to be boring. Often, they can be fun ways to turn our favorite activities — like shooting basketballs, creating new beats, helping others in need, or teaching — into a career that can assist us in supporting ourselves and our families. Now, we'd like you to think about what kinds of jobs make you the most excited when you imagine yourself doing them.
When companies want to hire someone, they often release job advertisements so that prospective employees can send in their resume or CV. In the “How to Start a Resume” learning experience, you can learn about what a resume and CV are, how to start writing them, and why they are so important for your long-term goals.
Challenge
First, think of three possible jobs you’re interested in. To learn about the skills and requirements for each job, explore the Occupation Profiles from CareerOneStop, a site such as LinkedIn, or search for some combination of “[job title]” + “skills” + “qualifications.” Then, select one of the three jobs and create a job ad for it, including at least three specific skills you need to do this job effectively. As you design your ad, feel free to be creative! The advertisement you create could be a short video, collage, written ad, or something else of your choosing.
Finally, write down the three jobs that interest you most and describe the advertisement that you created. Additionally, note why you chose to advertise this career in particular, and which skills seemed most important to highlight in the ad.
Next Steps
Congratulations on finishing this challenge! We are positive that others would love to see what you learned! If possible, please share your job advertisement and write-up with an educator, mentor, or advisor, or a family member or friend. You are also welcome to share your job ad and write-up with the Youth and Media team via email (youthandmedia@cyber.harvard.edu). If you have created a print ad, feel free to scan it, or take a photo, and email us the image! Please designate the title of the learning experience in the subject line of the email.