For many adult learners, job applications, resume writing, and interviews can be overwhelming. Whether they’re entering the workforce for the first time, changing careers, or re-entering after a long gap, strong job-seeking skills are crucial. As tutors, we play a key role in helping students build confidence, clarity, and proficiency at any step in the job search process. 

Let’s look at ways we can support our students as they work to expand their job skills to build their careers! 

Crafting a Standout Resume

Resumes are the first impression a potential employer receives, so it is critical to teach strong resume writing skills. Many adult learners may find resume writing overwhelming due to different reasons like a language barrier or informal job training. Let’s look at helping students craft a stand-out resume! 

Key Elements of a Strong Resume

Clear, Professional Formatting

• Use simple fonts like Arial or Calibri in size 11 or 12.
• Use bold section headings like Work Experience, Skills, and Education.
• Keep it one page unless extensive experience warrants a second page.

Concise and Relevant Content

• Make sure students know to focus on relevant skills and not add too many unnecessary details. 
• Avoid lengthy descriptions, overuse of adjectives, and repetitive wording

Tailored to Each Job

• Encourage students to customize their resume to reflect the position they are applying for 
• Encourage students to use keywords from the job description to strengthen their resume.

Highlighting Transferable Skills

Many students worry they lack experience, but they may have relevant transferable skills from previous jobs, volunteering, or daily life.

Examples of Transferable Skills:

• Customer Service: Communication, problem-solving, working under pressure.
• Time Management: Balancing work, family, and education.
• Organization: Managing a household, and coordinating schedules.
• Leadership: Supervising children, and organizing community events.

A great activity to work into a lesson is having students list five skills they use daily. Have students sort those five skills into different job skills. 

Using Strong Action Verbs

When working on their resumes emphasize using strong action verbs in their resumes. Using action verbs showcases their accomplishments and skills. 

Weak: “Responsible for helping customers”
Strong: “Assisted customers by answering questions and resolving issues”

Weak: “Worked in an office”
Strong: “Managed daily administrative tasks and scheduled appointments”

It is helpful to provide students with a list of action verbs. An activity could be creating an example resume and having students identify where action verbs could be used and which verbs would fit best. 

 Acing the Job Interview

Job interviews can be intimidating for anyone, but our students may feel extra anxious about navigating a job interview. Here are some ways we can help students strengthen their job interview skills.  

Common Interview Questions & Strategies

Having students write down answers to commonly asked interview questions can help boost their confidence. You can build on this further by having students role-play through a mock job interview. 

Tell me about yourself.

• Keep it brief: Start by talking about past experiences and connect those past experiences to the current situation and how these are building blocks to future goals. 

What are your strengths?

• When discussing strengths remind students to relate strengths to the job they are interviewing for. 
• Example: “I am highly organized, which helps me meet deadlines efficiently.”

What is a challenge you’ve faced at work?

• Use the STAR Method:
  • Situation: Describe the challenge.
  • Task: What needed to be done?
  • Action: What did you do?
  • Result: What was the outcome?
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Have students use the STAR Method while role-playing mock interviews. Have students give each other feedback about their interviews for peer-to-peer learning. 

Body Language and First Impressions

One overlooked aspect of interviews is body language. The nonverbal cues we give during an interview may seem small but leave a big impact. It’s important to go over nonverbal communication with our students. 

Key nonverbal communication tips:

• Maintain eye contact to show confidence and engagement.
• Sit up straight to convey professionalism.
• Offer a firm but natural handshake.
• Smile and nod to show attentiveness.

Handling Difficult or Unexpected Questions

While we teach students to prepare for an interview it’s important to remember we cannot always prepare them for every question they may be asked. Let’s look at some ways to build student’s skills when they are faced with a difficult or unexpected question. 

Example Questions & Responses:

• “Why should we hire you?”
  
  
  • Have students practice taking a small pause and thinking before they answer. Coach students to relate their answers to the job description and how their skills match that position.
  • Example Answer: “You should hire me because I have strong communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and a customer-first mindset. In my previous role, I handled high-volume customer requests and quickly resolved customer issues. 

• “What do you know about our company?”
  
  
  • Coach students on how it is important to learn about the company they are interviewing for, what are the company values listed on their website, are there any recent awards or recognition the company has received, etc. 

Have students pick a job listing on Indeed or another job site, and have students research the company or business that listed the job. 

Final Thoughts

Resumes and interviews can feel overwhelming, but with the right support, adult learners can develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed. The job search process is a learning journey, and every student has the potential to find meaningful work.