Vocational Education Curriculum Portfolio Home Page

Changing Jobs: How?

Objective:
The student will list at least three ways or steps that a person can take to make a job change.

Comments:
Once the decision to change jobs has been reached, it is then time to begin the job search all over again; however, there is one difference -- now the person has had at least one job and has experience! Even if the experience was negative and the person realizes that this is not the job for him or her, at least that is a starting point. In this lesson, students will complete paragraphs to indicate how to go about changing jobs by improving skills, getting additional training, or using other available resources to make that change.

Introductory Activities:

  1. Have students write a probable job they are capable of holding right now or perhaps work at part-time.
  2. Have students indicate by raising hands if they would like to keep that same job for the rest of their lives. Why or why not?

Activity:
Students are to complete the worksheet Changing Jobs: How? by filling in the blanks in paragraphs with words from the selection at the bottom of the page. When completed, the paragraphs will give ideas for ways to make a job change.
Answers: 1. experience; 2. training; 3. help; 4. recommendation; 5. job; 6. classifieds; 7. move; 8. consider; 9. night; 10. quit
Discussion: Changing jobs does not indicate that you are disloyal or hard to get along with -- it may only indicate that you are willing to move up or move on to something else that comes along that is better for you. Have students discuss the following questions.

  1. If you are happy with your present job, why even bother looking for something else? (it may not meet your needs for the future, you may want to earn more money, have more prestige, etc.)
  2. What are some jobs that have built-in advancement? (some entry-level jobs provide training, management positions, etc.)
  3. Do you think some companies would like to keep their good employees so they make arrangements for them to stay to have a better job? Why? (yes - good employees are hard to find!)
  4. If you knew that your boss could recommend you for a better position within the same company, how could you go about using this resource? (ask for an evaluation, talk to boss about your desire to change jobs, etc.)
  5. What are some ways to get additional skills that would qualify you for a better job within a company? (ask around, check with the personnel office, look for in-service opportunities, etc.)
  6. Sometimes factories or businesses close and the job goes with it. If your position is terminated because of those factors, how would this affect your looking for another job? (still use the references, explain that it was not your fault that you're out of a job, etc.)

Extension Activities:

  1. Have students check with their parents or other adults who work and bring in examples of on-the-job or in-service training that is available to employees. How does this help both the employee and the company?
  2. Find out what evening school courses are available at local community colleges. How could a person maintain a day job and still get training to help him or her advance to another position?

Evaluation:

  1. List two or three ways a person could change jobs once already employed.
  2. Write a paragraph explaining how satisfactory (or superior) job performance on a present job can benefit someone when they are changing jobs.

Teacher Notes:

Uploaded by: Jessica Soltesz/Kent State University/Deaf Education Major