Are kids taught about how to apply for jobs?

heretolearn_2

Following on from my other thread re crappy applications and CVs...

I feel sorry for the youngsters who are making bad mistakes with their applications - maybe no-one's ever taught them what they should be doing. I hate just saying 'thanks but no thanks' and would love to give them more detailed feed back but do you think that would be appreciated or annoying. Or open us up to complaints and discrimination claims etc...actually we daren't do it just in case. Shame, because some of them are so in need of a bit of guidance.

The adults doing crappy applications and CVs are on their own as far as I'm concerned, they should have worked it out by now. But 17 year olds making basic mistakes out of ignorance...such a shame.

So what sort of training do kids get in these nowadays? When I was at school (20 odd years ago) our careers lessons in the last year also did a lot on writing cover letters, how to apply, filling out application forms and so on, and interview practise. Don't they do this any more at school? Most of the kids are clueless. (actually most people are clueless, but I'd have thought youngsters leaving school now would have been prepared better?)

flutterbyuk25

I work with unemployed 16-25 year old's (those not in education, employment or training) and to be honest some of their Basic Skills levels are shockingly bad, and that's not just the ones who have things like dyslexia.

I teach them how to apply for jobs and write CV's as part of what I do, and when they leave me they have a good standard CV and practise job applications to refer back to.

It's hard though as some don't even know how to write in block capitals.

x

Oldernotwiser

Careers education nowadays seems very vague compared to what I witnessed when I was a Careers Adviser 30 years ago.

Savvy_Sue

I don't think it is taught: my boys have never mentioned it, and I've had to explain to them how to do it (and how to resign, and the need for doing so!)

Is there any mileage in a sentence in your letter along the lines of

Successful applicants have followed all instructions, checked their applications to remove all spelling and grammar mistakes, and made it clear how their skills and experience match our requirements.

If you find a lot of people are applying without some essential qualification, you could add something like

We also needed someone with a qualification in XXX / at least 5 GCSEs or their equivalent including Maths and English and applications which did not show this have not been considered.

I'm not sure I would do this, however, because it could lead to more people phoning and trying to argue the point.

But I know what you mean about wanting to tell people how to do it: I find it's also a problem with people who weren't born in the UK: they sometimes have very different ideas to mine about what a 'good' application looks like.

terra_ferma

Some companies offer to provide feedback, normally verbally.

jamespir

i dont think they do it would be good if they did they should have lessons in live that teach them how to budget etc

PasturesNew

When I was at school 35 years ago, we had no careers lessons. Nor were we taught about applying for jobs. All we knew was "you buy the local paper on a Thursday and the jobs are at the back". I could lay out a CV purely because I was doing CSE Typing and copy-typing a CV was part of the syllabus.

Googlewhacker

I did about 10 years ago, a couple of lessons on writing a CV during General Studies and they were well worth their weight in gold.

SnowyOwl_2

OP - do you penalise bad grammar, bad punctuation etc in the selection process if otherwise the applicant has demonstrated that they meet the criteria you have asked for when advertising the job?

Savvy_Sue

I don't know about the OP, but we make it clear if the ability to write well is part of the requirements, eg writing fundraising applications / thank you letters / reports.

SnowyOwl_2

Savvy, yes, I think it's important for employers to be clear about what they want from applicants, and to stick to that criteria when shortlisting.