Professionalism Day

Professionalism Day is an event hosted by community partners during which students get feedback about their resume, practice interviewing, and network with professionals.

Partners agree to host 25 students and 2 chaperones for a morning of professional development, similar to the agenda outlined below. Aside from securing the volunteers to lead the various sessions, partners are asked to provide breakfast and/or lunch to the participating students during the course of the event.

Washington Leadership Academy (WLA) provides the resources for Professionalism Day (see pages 2-11 of this document).

Organizations interested in partnering with WLA for Professionalism Day should contact Anthony Guyton: aguyton@wlapcs.org. The 2019 Professionalism Day is scheduled for Friday, September 27th.

Contents of Document

Sample Professionalism Day Agenda

Session #1: Making a First Impression Agenda

Resume Grading Checklist

Resume Writing Tips

Sample Student Resume

Interview Attire Guidelines

Session #2: Getting the Job Agenda

Securing an Interview

Interview Process

Mock Interview Questions

Sample Professionalism Day Agenda

*NOTE: The agenda can be adjusted to meet the needs of the community organization, but the start and end times must remain the same. WLA dismisses students @ 12:30pm every Friday.*

9:30-10am	Volunteer Arrival (additional training time, if needed)
10-10:15am	Student Arrival & Networking Breakfast: Students have breakfast as they wait for others to arrive and are tasked with meeting at least three volunteers during breakfast
10:15-10:20am	Welcome Introduction of volunteers Overview of day’s activities
10:20-10:25am	Students and volunteers transition to session #1
10:25-11am	Session #1: Students will be divided and assigned to volunteers to review resumes Making a First Impression: Volunteers review students’ resumes and provide feedback, as well as discuss the importance of professional dress and guidelines to follow in the workplace
11-11:05am	Students and volunteers transition to session #2
11:05-11:35am	Session #2: Students practice interviewing with their assigned volunteer Getting the Job: Volunteers are assigned a small group of students with whom to review guidelines before, during, and after an interview, as well as practice these guidelines with students through a mock interview
11:35-11:40am	Students and volunteers transition to session #3
11:40-12:15pm	Session #3: A session prepared by the community partner! Organizations can create a session that is relevant to their work to share with the students. Past partners have conducted sessions such as: Personal finance 101 Youth advocacy 101 College and career panel consisting of their co-workers
12:15-12:30pm	Closing 2-3 students share a reflection Dismissal

Session #1: Making a First Impression

Essential Questions: Why is reputation important? How do resumes and professional dress contribute to reputations?

Amount of Time	Activity	Details
5 mins	Introduction	Introduce yourself and have the student introduce him or herself to you Answer the following questions: What is your career? What do you like about it? What was your path to your career?
5-10 mins	The importance of first impressions	Answer the question: Why is reputation important Share a personal story about how resume writing skills or professional dress contributed to your career advancement
15-20 mins	Resume Workshop	Use the grading checklist (see below) to review the student’s resume and give feedback based on what you found!
5-10 mins	Professional Dress	Remind students why professional dress is important Review the professional dress guidelines for an interview
5 mins	Closing	Ask the student what his or her three next steps are to make a successful first impression at their Internship interviews (ie: revising his or her resume, acquiring professional clothing)

Session #1: Making a First Impression (cont.)

Resume Grading Checklist: Use the checklist below to review each student’s resume and then provide feedback, either individually or with the whole group, about areas of the resume that need improvement. You can leave general comments on this document for the student to review or make corrections directly on their resume.

Student: _________________________________________________________________________________

CRITERIA	Yes (1)	Kinda (0.5)	No (0)
Each statement on the resume emphasizes a skill
Each statement on the resume is concise
Statements on the resume include numbers when possible
The entire resume uses correct capitalization
The entire resume uses correct spelling
The entire resume uses correct punctuation
The resume is formatted effectively
The resume is formatted consistently
The entire resume uses the same font
The resume makes a good first impression on the reviewer
TOTAL	_____________/10
COMMENTS:

Session #1: Making a First Impression (cont.)

Resume Writing Tips!

Highlight your strengths

Highlight your strengths, and what is most relevant to the potential employer. In-coming resumes are typically reviewed in 10-30 seconds, so put forth the effort and determine which bullets most strongly support you. Put the strongest and most relevant points first where they are more apt to be read. This is your hook for the reader and the rest of your resume reels them in.

Use Bulleted Sentences

Use bullets with short sentences to structure the body of your resume. The main selling points of your resume should be clear and quick to scan.

Use Action Words

Use action words like prepared, managed, developed, championed, monitored, and presented will cause your resume to stand out. Avoid using the same verb over an over.

Formatting Guidelines

Make your resume visually attractive. Don't use intricate fonts that are hard to read. Keep text aligned. The length of your resume should be 1 page.

No slang

Slang should never be present in a resume. Choose words that will represent you well in the professional world. Your word choice should enhance your resume not detract from it.

Session #1: Making a First Impression (cont.)

Sample Student Resume: This is a resume for volunteers to review to have a sense of what a student resume may include and ultimately look like.

Jailand Harris

709 12th St, SE, Washington, DC

202-334-5678

jaharris14@wlapcs.org

EDUCATION

Washington Leadership Academy, Washington, DC 2012-Present

WORK EXPERIENCE

Harris Teeter, Washington, DC August 2012-Present

Cashier

Assist customers with finding items in the store
Greet customers when they enter the store
Sell items to customers when they leave the store

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Washington Leadership Academy, Washington, DC June 2013

10th grade Project Studio

Advocated for the DREAM Act by speaking to Congressmen and women in the US Senate
Collaborated with peers to develop an effective advertising campaign to raise awareness about the DREAM Act
Researched the history of immigration to the US to understand the impact of the DREAM Act

Washington Leadership Academy, Washington, DC June 2012

9th grade Project Studio

Created a flyer advertising the release of a book about juvenile incarceration for the Justice Policy Institute
Interviewed guest speakers about the juvenile justice system in Washington, DC to write an Op-Ed article

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Washington Leadership Academy, Washington, DC June 2013

Debate Team

Competed in local competitions organized by the Urban Debate League
Collaborated effectively with peers to prepare arguments for competitions

Session #1: Making a First Impression (cont.)

PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW DRESS GUIDELINES

Men’s Interview Attire

Dark colored full suit and tie, but exceptions may include a collared shirt, tie, and slacks
Business suit- jacket and pants combination is the norm.
Dark colors- black, navy, gray, etc.
Jacket should fit comfortably on shoulders and can either fit over your wrists or a little longer.
Pants should be fit and comfortable – not too long or too short. Solid or stripes (avoid flashy appearance).
Include a long-sleeved button down shirt that is solid and coordinates with suit.
A conservative solid color or even striped tie is a must.
Dark color belt should go with suit and match your shoes.

Women’s Interview Attire

Options:

Matched skirted suit- skirt and jacket in same color and fabric is traditional and the most formal choice.
Unmatched suit- skirt and jacket in coordinating colors and fabrics is only slightly less formal than a matched one.
Business dress- worn with a coordinated jacket creates a more relaxed, friendly message
Matched pant suit- trousers and jacket in same color and fabric is a popular choice

Skirt length should be a little below the knee
Blouse:

Should be clean, pressed, and well tailored
White, ivory, or light blue are best, solid colors or subtle patterns are acceptable
Fabric should be cotton or silk and avoid lace, ruffles, and shiny fabrics

Shoes

Should be leather, dark color and should match the suit.
“Dress shoe” or similar design

Shoes

Choose basic conservative pumps, no strappy sandals or extremely high heels
Should be closed toe and the heel should be between 1” to 3” high
Dark blue, brown, black or maroon. Should match the hemline or be darker.
Fashion colors such as red or purple are impractical because it only goes with one outfit.

Accessories

Jewelry should be kept at minimal or taken off
Briefcase or portfolio recommended

Accessories

Jewelry should be minimal and subtle (not too big)

Session #2: Getting the Job

Essential Questions: Why is reputation important? How do interviews contribute to your reputation?

Amount of Time	Activity	Details
5 mins	Introduction	Introduce yourself and have the student introduce him or herself to you Answer the following questions: What is your career? What do you like about it? What was your path to your career?
5-10 mins	The importance of interviewing well	Answer the question: “Why is reputation important?” Share a personal story about how interviewing skills contributed to your career advancement
5-10 mins	Interview basics	Review how to request an interview (see below) Review interview tips & common interview questions (see below) Discuss the importance of thank you emails after an interview
15-20 mins	Mock interviews	Practice having students request an interview via phone Practice by asking students some of the common interview questions. Provide positive feedback as well as advice on how they could improve their answers or demeanor.
5 mins	Closing	Ask the student what his or her three next steps are to prepare for their interviews (ie: calling to set- up their interviews, practicing answers to common questions).

Session #2: Getting the Job (cont.)

Checklist for requesting an interview via email

Formal Salutation (ex. Dear Ms., Mr., Dr.)
Appropriate capitalization
Descriptive Subject
Formal, academic language (complete sentences, proper punctuation, no slang, no abbreviations)
Closing (ex. Thank you for your time, etc.)
Formal Closure (ex. Sincerely)
Your full name (first and last) and Contact information (phone and email)
Spell check

Mock phone call to request an interview

“Hello, this is the Heritage Foundation.”

Hi, this is _____________________________ from Washington Leadership Academy. I’m calling to speak to _________________________. Is s/he available?

“Yes, I will transfer your call. One moment.”

**Call transferred**

“Hello, this is _____________________”

Hi, this is _______________________calling from Washington Leadership Academy. I’m calling to set up an appointment to interview for a student internship position.

“Great. When are you available to interview?”

I am available Friday, September 28th, October 12th, and October 19th anytime 9:30am or later. Is there a time within that schedule that works for you?”

“Friday, September 28th at 10am would work for me. Can you be here then?”

Yes. I am available to interview at 10am on Friday, September 28th. I will meet you at your office.

“Great. I will see you then. Thank you.”

Session #2: Getting the Job (cont.)

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

Print your resume out on professional resume paper
Research your organization’s mission statement and location
Think about what questions an interviewer may ask you and prepare your answers
Determine what you are going to wear before the interview. Make sure that you have a professional outfit that represents you and WLA well.

DURING THE INTERVIEW

Show up to your interview about 15 minutes early. If you are running late, call them to let them know.
At the beginning of the interview, shake their hand firmly and give them your resume (they will not have it ahead of time).
Act professional and courteous throughout the entire interview.
Keep eye contact throughout the interview. This is a sign of confidence!
Thank your interviewer for their time at the end of the interview.

AFTER THE INTERVIEW

Within a day or two of your interview, send a thank you email. Be as specific as possible.
Make sure to CC your advisor on this email because it’s worth a GRADE!!! YOUR INTERVIEW DOES NOT COUNT IF YOUR ADVISOR DOES NOT GET THE EMAIL- EACH INTERVIEW IS WORTH 5 POINTS!!!
Reflect on what you did well and what you want to improve for your next interview

Session #2: Getting the Job (cont.)

Internship Interview Questions: Use the questions below to conduct a mock interview with each of your WLA students during Professionalism Day. Be sure to have students practice entering and shaking hands, before starting the interview. Provide the student with actionable feedback and practice again so the student can incorporate the feedback!

Tell me about yourself.

What do you know about our organization?

Why do you want to work with this organization?

If I asked your favorite teacher about you, what words would they use to describe you?

What are your strongest skills or strengths?

What is one of your weaknesses?

What other jobs have you had and how did they prepare you for this internship?

You don’t have much work experience on your resume. Why not?

Where do you see yourself in five years?

What are your goals for college?

What are your career goals?

What are your hobbies?

What is your favorite subject in school and why?

Give me an example of a challenge that you have faced in the past and explain how you have worked to overcome that challenge.

How do you deal with conflict?

What questions do you have about our organization?

What are you hoping to get out of this internship experience?

We are interviewing several students. Why should we choose you for this internship?