This month, SF YouthWorks interns are participating in a hands-on Resume and Interview workshop. In the first 
half of the workshop, interns work together to identify the characteristics of a good resume. Then they use a customized resume template to make or revise their own resumes. The focus is on creating a final product that clearly expresses the youth’s strengths and experience to potential employers. Many interns were proud of the final result: “It was very helpful leaning how to create a good resume,” one intern reported.
In the second half of the workshop, interns learn how to present themselves in a job interview. They learn typical interview questions and strategies for answering these questions and also talk about what makes a good first impression. Then they apply these best practices in mock interviews. Many interns found it rewarding to practice talking in detail about their experience and qualifications: “I liked how we did the role playing, because that really helps,” an intern said.
The workshop also covers job searching techniques, cover letters, references, and other elements of the job search process. Our goal is for every intern to gain the tools necessary to complete a successful job search.
For those readers out there who are currently mentoring a YouthWorks intern, please take minute to provide your intern with feedback about her / his resume or set up a mock interview with someone in your office. These are critical job readiness tools for youth to gain during their YouthWorks experience.