STIC - Automotive:
Work Search (Module 2)
Filling Out a Job  Application
(Topic
3)
Content
The terminology in this lesson will be presented and practised within
a functional language context: answering illegal questions.
Delivery
Make as many copies as necessary of the following handouts  :
- Handout 1a, b - Application Forms
- Handout 2 - Questions
- Terminology List
Other Materials Needed: blank application forms Methodology
Introduction
(5 minutes)
1. Ask participants how many have actually filled
out application forms in Canada. Then tell them that there may have
been questions on those forms that they were not required by law
to fill out. Despite legislated and unlegislated employment equity
practices, illegal questions continue to appear on job application
forms, and that by answering them honestly, participants could be
hurting their chances of being hired.
Pre-Tasks
1. (20 minutes)
Pair participants and distribute
enough copies of Handout 1a and 1b for each pair. Have pairs compare
applications and choose which one they prefer and why.
2. (20 minutes)
Brainstorm with participants the
illegal questions on the application and make a list on the board.
You should come up with the following basis of discrimination under
the Ontario Human Rights Code:
- age
- race
- creed/religion
- ethnic background (except on applications
that state "employment equity")
- nationality
- country of origin
- marital status
- socioeconomic status
- family status
- sex
- sexual preference/orientation
- ability/disability
- record of offenses from which applicant
has been pardoned
- education
Add any extra questions they may have been asked in an interview
that have not been included on the application form and teach any
vocabulary that comes up as a result, e.g. "bondable," "sexual preference," etc.
See Terminology List.
3. (15 minutes)
Tell participants that they are
not required by law to answer any illegal questions. They have
two ways of handling this if illegal questions appear on the application. They may:
- write N/A for "not applicable" beside them.
- try to anticipate what information the employer
is really looking for, and address that.
- For the latter, brainstorm with participants what
exactly the employer is trying to find out in each of the illegal
questions. For example: immigration status - employer needs to
know if you hold a permit to work legally in Canada.
4. (30 minutes)
Distribute Handout 2 and ask participants
to come up with and write legal questions beside the illegal ones.
Take up as a class. 5. (30 minutes)
Drill participants on answering
the illegal questions (as in an interview) until they feel comfortable. Task
(30 minutes)
1. Have participants complete an application
they have obtained from an employer. Post Task
(10 minutes)
1. Correct the applications so that
participants have a Master Application they can take with them to
job sites, and can quickly and accurately copy the information onto
any application form (particularly for those employers who require
that applicants fill it out on-site). 2. Many applications include the question: "why do you want this
job?" Tell them that to answer it they can copy the past experience
portion of their "30-second commercial" from the previous lesson.  Downloads
All downloads are in Adobe Acrobat
PDF.
Download a print version of the above lesson plan and related
materials.
Work
Search: Topic 3 [120 KB, 12 pages]
Download the complete Facilitator's Guide and Participant's Workbook.
|
