Hawkeye High School Career Connections

Prepare for the Event

• Research the business and industry. Having a basic understanding of who is presenting, where you are going, and what you will be learning will make for a much more interesting event.
• Dress appropriately. If you are going on a tour and business asks you to wear certain attire, make sure you do! If not, you will not be allowed on the tour. If they do not indicate specific attire, jeans and nice shirts or even school attire are recommended. Closed toed shoes are also suggested.

Make the Most of the Event

• Respect your speaker or tour guide and follow directions. Give them your undivided attention. They have taken time out of their day to share their experience and knowledge with you.
• Some site tours may have safety or confidentiality restrictions that you will need to be aware of and observe.
• Keep an open mind. You may or may not be interested in the particular career field, but you never know what you may learn about the career or yourself.
• Ask questions! This is your opportunity to learn about a given career. If there is something that you would like to know about, feel free to ask.

Leave on a Good Note

• Thank the speaker or tour guide for their time and show your appreciation that they shared their knowledge with you. If possible, send a thank-you note either yourself or as a class/group.
• Keep their contact information. You never know when you may want a job shadow and this is a perfect connection.

One way to prepare for your call is to create a script and use it to practice. You don‘t need to follow the script word for word, but having something prepared will help you stick to the point and get the information you need. A script can also be helpful in case you are nervous or are worried about what to say during the call.

When calling a business, use a professional voice, not a conversational tone that you might use when talking to your friends on the phone. Unlike a friend, a potential business host has never met you. When you call to introduce yourself, you are making an important first impression.

Example Script

Hello, May I speak with [Name of Your Business Host], please?

When your business host comes to the phone, say the following:

Hello, my name is [Your Name]. I am calling from [Your High School] to confirm my job shadow on [Day of the Week], [Month and Date] from [Start Time] to [End Time].

Is there anything else I need to know upon arrival? (Confirm attire, parking, etc.)

Thank you. I look forward to seeing you soon. Goodbye.

Before going on a job shadow, review these tips to help you be successful. If you have any questions contact the work-based learning coordinator.

Dress to Impress

• Dress appropriately for the workplace. Most employers are looking for neat, clean clothes.
• If the employer suggests what to wear (may be more casual or more professional), do as they ask.
• Do not wear clothing that conveys a political or social statement.
• Do not wear your hat indoors.

The fact that you are sensitive to an employer’s concerns and that you are willing to comply with business expectations regarding appearance will make a lasting impression.

Prepare for a Successful Visit

• Turn off your cell phone—or better yet, leave it in your car.
• Leave gum, food, drinks, and candy in your car.
• Arrive a few minutes early to allow time for parking and locating your site host.
• Introduce yourself and offer a handshake and a smile.
• Be attentive and act interested the entire time.
• Apply general rules of courtesy. Say please, thank you, and excuse me. Don't use profanity or vulgarity.
• Use good posture and eye contact.
• Bring a folder, binder, or notebook with paper to take notes, your list of questions, etc. Listen carefully, observe, and take good notes.
• Ask for a business card. You will need a complete name, job title, and address for your thank-you letter. If they do not have a business card, write down the information. Add this person to your contact list.

Ask Your Host Questions

When you are on-site with your business host during your job shadow, it is appropriate to ask questions. They may ask you at different times throughout the day if you have any questions, so be prepared with a few questions you may want to ask. Here are several questions for you to consider.

1. What do you like about your job?
2. What do you dislike about your job?
3. What personal characteristics are required for someone to be successful in your job?
4. How much job security is there for people in this field?
5. What other jobs could a person do with the skills you have gained in this field?
6. What are the biggest challenges in your job?
7. What are the biggest rewards in your job?
8. What advice would you give someone?
9. What type of schooling or training is necessary for this job?
10. Other than what I observe while I am here what is a typical day in your life like in this position?

Write down a few questions of your own before you get to your site. Remember, the better prepared you are, the more valuable the experience will be.

Submit Your Request

1. Complete the school event request form.
2. Indicate if there are any special needs.
3. Your work-based learning coordinator will be in touch to schedule your event.

What You Can Expect

• Regular communication with your work-based learning coordinator regarding the on-going progress of your event.
• You will receive final confirmation at least a week before the event, including contact information of the speaker/tour host.
• Worksite tours are typically able to accommodate 10–25 students. Students will learn first-hand the variety of careers available in a community or industry.
• Interactive speakers are designed to last approximately 15–30 minutes (can be longer if requested) where students learn about what it takes to succeed in the workplace from an area professional.

What We Need From You

1. Prepare students for listening and learning. We will provide general information about the company and a bio about the speaker.
2. Make sure students have questions prepared for the speaker.
3. Make sure your school is prepared for the event. Do you have rooms available with needed AV or other equipment? Are all school personnel aware of the event? Will they help in welcoming guests in the building that day? It is our goal to be present at as many events as possible.
4. Complete an evaluation with your students after the event. This helps us keep track of program quality.
5. Send a thank you letter to the business host or speaker after the event.

• Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: The production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products/resources
• Architecture and Constructions: Careers in designing, planning, managing, building, and maintaining the built environment.
• Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications: Designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing multimedia content including visual and performing arts, design, journalism, and entertainment services.
• Business, Management, and Administration: Careers encompass planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating business functions essential to efficient and productive business operations. Career opportunities are available in every sector of the economy.
• Education and Training: Planning, managing, and providing education and training services, and related learning support services.
• Finance: Planning, services for financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management.
• Government and Public Administration: Executing governmental functions to include governance, national security, foreign service, planning, revenue, taxation, regulation, management, and administration at the local, state, and federal levels.
• Health Science: Planning, managing, and providing therapeutic services, diagnostic services, health informatics, support services, and biotechnology research and development.
• Hospitality and Tourism: Careers encompasses the management, marketing, and operations of restaurants and other food services, lodging, attractions, recreation events, and travel related services.
• Human Services: Preparing individuals for employment in career pathways that relate to families and human needs.
• Information Technology: Entry level, technical, and professional careers related to the design, development, support, and management of hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration services.
• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security: Planning, managing, and providing legal, public safety, protective services, and homeland security, including professional and technical support services.
• Manufacturing: Planning, managing, and performing the processing of materials into intermediate or final products and related professional and technical support activities such as production planning and control, maintenance, and manufacturing/process engineering.
• Marketing, Sales, and Service: Planning, managing, and performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Planning, managing, and providing scientific research and professional and technical services science, including laboratory and testing services, and research and development services.
• Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics: Planning, management, and movement of people, materials, and goods by road, pipeline, air, rail, and water and related professional and technical support services such as transportation infrastructure planning and management, logistics services, mobile equipment, and facility maintenance.

Student Role

• Students will create accounts in the Career Connections system and apply for a job shadow experience. Career Connections will not place any job shadows during the months of December and May.
• Students will receive a checklist of helpful information for their job shadows including site info, dress codes, logistic information, and tips for interacting with professionals at their shadow.
• Students will be expected to follow-up and confirm their job shadow with the business partner one week before their job shadow. A sample confirmation message will be provided to the student to help them with their call.
• If the student is unable to attend their scheduled job shadow for any reason, it is the student’s responsibility to contact both the business site and their Career Connections work-based learning coordinator. If the student does not contact the site and their coordinator, they may or may not be able to participate in future Career Connections job shadows.
• Upon completion of the shadow, students will be expected to send a thank you note to the business and complete an evaluation of their experience.

Career Connections Role

• Career Connections will come to the school to meet with classes and/or individual students about the job shadow application and process.
• Students will be placed in job shadows by their Career Connections work-based learning coordinator.
• Confirmation/permission messages will be sent to both parents and the coordinating teacher/counselor before final placement for job shadows.
• If your school is cancelled due to inclement weather, the student’s job shadow will be cancelled. The student should still follow-up with their site to let them know. The work-based learning coordinator will assist the student in rescheduling their job shadow.
• Both the student and the business contact will receive an evaluation of the experience.

School/Teacher Role

• Fill out the school release form for the student from Career Connections.
• If this is for a class/credit, you can require any additional components for the job shadow beyond the thank you note and survey.
• Results of the student and business surveys can be provided to you if you wish.

We've put together a list of questions to help guide you, the student, at work-based learning events. Review these questions before a speaker, tour, or job shadow to help prepare to interact with business professionals.

1. How did you learn about this job?
2. Why did you choose this career?
3. On average, how many hours do you work a week?
4. What is the primary product or service provided by this business?
5. What is a typical day like for you?
6. What do you like the best/least about your job?
7. When your company is hiring a new employee, what qualifications, skills, and/or experience are you looking for?
8. What is the interview process like for this particular job?
9. What educational qualifications or specialized training is required?
10. What skills are important to be successful in your career area?
11. What classes did you take in high school that helped prepare you for this career?
12. What types of technology or math do you use in this particular career?
13. What does the future look like for this type of job?
14. Do you travel often for your job?
15. What is your best advice for students planning for their futures in your career area?

Make It Personal

• Introduce yourself and your company.
• Tell your story of how you became interested in your profession and the path you took to get to your job.
• Describe your working conditions including hours, travel, pros/cons, etc.
• Describe a typical day at your job. Some jobs may not have a typical day, if that’s the case, be sure to mention that as well.
• Share a story of your favorite moment in your career.

Make It Interactive

• Ask questions of the students throughout your presentation.
• Provide visual materials and/or handouts if relevant.
• Have the students assist in a demonstration or get involved in the event.
• If you need assistance in developing interactive activities for the students, please contact your work-based learning coordinator.

Make It Concrete

• Give the students specifics such as the average salary for the job, the skills and/or education required, and the tools or equipment needed/used.
• Provide any career resources that may be helpful for the students interested in your industry.

Make It Fun

• Challenge the students to an activity or make a game for the group.
• Use prizes/giveaways that your company may have as reward for participation. Students love free stuff!

Make It Count

• Leave behind something that the students can follow up with—a next step or resources for individual students to discover his/her career path.

Career speakers open students’ minds to opportunities they may never have considered, as well as inform them about educational and experiential requirements for your particular career field. You’ll enhance your company’s reputation by positioning yourself high in the minds of local teachers, students and parents, plus you will have a positive influence on the link between education and employment.

Suggestions for a Successful Interactive Classroom Speaker

• Explain how you developed an interest in your career.
• Describe your job responsibilities and what personality types fit well with your specific job.
• Describe your workplace, work hours, and tools of your trade.
• Share the advantages/challenges of your job.
• List the qualifications or training skills necessary for your career.
• Talk about the impact that technology has had on your career and how it will continue to impact the future.
• Discuss the future growth of your profession. What will your job be like in ten years from now?
• Stress the importance of education and training as a means to obtain goals.
• Use as many personal anecdotes as possible. Students identify with stories.
• Emphasize the importance of teamwork in today's business environment.
• Discuss the importance of and strategies for problem solving.
• Give examples of how the student may prepare now for their future careers.

Please provide an interactive activity related to your career for the students. If you would like assistance with developing and activity, feel free to contact your work-based learning coordinator.

Most schools have access to Microsoft Office and the Internet in case you would like to use your company website or do a PowerPoint presentation.

Worksite tours are a great way to share your industry, business, and various career opportunities with high school students.

Share Your Job

1. Introduce yourself and your business.
2. Share your typical day on the job, including challenges and rewards.
3. Discuss your background and why your chose your career.
4. Explain what education and training is required to get started and to continue to develop professionally in your specific career.

Tour Your Business and Talk to the Team

• Point out the various careers available within your company, i.e. administrative, accounting, sales, manufacturing, technical, human resources, etc. and the education they require.
• Show where different people work in your business and what they do.
• Stress the importance of employability skills such as attire, attendance, punctuality and workplace manners.
• Discuss what you look for in a potential employee.
• Have other members of your work team briefly share their jobs and what they like most and least about their careers.
• Address what people in your office enjoy most and least about their careers.

Question and Answer

Students are just now beginning to think about their futures and are looking at your profession as a possible career choice. Students receive guidelines and suggested questions for use during the tours, but may still feel overwhelmed. Please do not be offended if they are quiet! Sometimes rewarding students for asking questions with candy or other small prizes helps encourage discussion.