Week 20 - Youth Into Jobs End of Year Celebration

What's a youth employment program without a little end of year party? We had food, drink, speeches and gave every a +1 to bring a friend. We also invited Momtaz Ajid, CEO of LiC and Helal Ahmed, Head of Spotlight Youth Centre & Youth Services for Poplar Harca.

We started with a little presentation on the 5 steps we took to making our young people employable. This step by step system was news to the participants as well as the guests. 

Step 1 - Get them to bond and unite

Step 2 - Build their CVs and interview skills

Step 3 - Turn them into professionals

Step 4 - Crank up the competition

Step 5 - Send them out into the big, wide world

It was a funny but emotional day for them, looking back on photos and videos of the journey they had all taken.

Afterwards, we presented them with their Youth Into Jobs t-shirts to remember it forevermore.

Helal Ahmed commented on how the enthusiasm from the participants was "second to none", which was great to hear coming from someone who oversees youth projects across the whole of Tower Hamlets. 

Congratulations and best of luck for the future for Youth Into Jobs graduating class of 2012! 

Week 19 - Y2J Round Up Day

Anhar took some time to get everyone to reflect on everything they have been learning in Youth Into Jobs over the whole program.

It was a very emotional time and we got to see how much they really bonded and got to know each other.

There was wide spread agreement that they all feel much more confident in their ability to find a job compared to before Youth Into Jobs.

We gave them a chance to tell us their plans and how they are going to use their new found skills in future. Several had plans to repeat the Westfield CV exercise from Week 16. One had been preparing for 2 interviews, one with Jaguar and the other with Transport for London. Another had an interview with Natwest, and a third was due for an assessment day with John Lewis.

Youth Into Jobs graduating class of 2012

Week 18 - Y2J Diary Room

Youth Into Jobs Diary Room

Following on from last weeks 'ripping off television programs' theme, we're allowing the group to give feedback on the entire Youth Into Jobs program through what we like to call:

The Youth Into Jobs Diary Room

They can choose to be filmed in pairs or individually, as long they really b**** and get everything off their chest that they didn't like about the program.

This was prompted by the pathetic answers received on the feedback forms for the following question:

"Is there anything you would add, change or remove to make Youth Into Jobs better?"

"No"

...this answer was given across the board by every one of them, independently and without knowing what the others had written.

As much as I'd like to believe that we've managed to create a perfect program first time around, it's a lot more likely that they are apprehensive about criticising the program on a form that they know we will read.

That, and they are probably too lazy to use up precious brain power in thinking up creative ways we could to improve it.

Having them in front of a camera with no one around created an atmosphere where they can really open up and tell us what wasn't so good. 

We were expecting the this total freedom of speech to result in the b****ing levels reaching epic proportions, but the actual results were surprisingly tame. 

One major point that came out through the diary room was that they all truly loved the program as well as the trainers (yay!)

Despite how it may look, we did not put them up to this. 

And it is by sheer coincidence, that we have a go karting trip organised for them next month.

Week 17 - John Lewis Factor

John Lewis Factor
This week we had special guest Terry Saunders, Community Liaison Coordinator at John Lewis, coming in to let our candidates know which four people had made it through the interviews to do a work placement.

Please don't tell Simon Cowell... we can't afford to get sued

We had envisaged it being like the last stage of boot camp on X Factor: Split them into two groups (one successful, one not), bring one group into the room, line them up (pause for dramatic effect) and tell them they've all made it through to the work placements (queue the screaming and hugging).

Instead, we've opted for the last stage of the judges houses. Terry will be taking them to the lounge room couches to give them feedback on their interviews before letting them know whether they are through.

Terry stayed true to the X Factor tradition of leading the successful ones on to believe they hadn't made it through, before giving them the good news. All unsuccessful candidates were given feedback on how improve and give a stronger interview in future.

Anhar enjoyed plagiarising The Matrix in telling candidates that what was said was said for them alone.

Week 16 - How to hand in your CV to a shop

As you can probably tell, it's been a busy week. Our approach for this next task comes from the teachings of the all wise Neil Strauss and his book The Game. 

We swapped the stuffy workshop room for a local shopping centre. First, one candidate picks out a shop where they want to work. Then we send everyone else into the shop in 2's and 3's to loiter near the counter. A minute after, the candidate approaches the counter alone and makes conversation with a member of staff, attempting to see the store manager to ask about vacancies and hand in their CV. 


I did the first approach and let them pick which shop I'd go into.


Handing in a CV to Polarn O. Pyret (kids clothes)
Peter: Hi, how you doing?


Acting Manager: Very good. You?


Peter: I'm great! I was hoping I could talk to the store manager. 


Acting Manager: She won't be in until tomorrow. 


Peter: Ah bummer. I was just out shopping today and I really wanted to talk to her about working here...


Acting Manager: ...well I'm acting manager today.


Peter: Great! So you're the person I need to speak to. Are you guys hiring at the moment?


Acting Manager: We have a recruitment freeze at the moment, but it should be over soon. Do you want to hand in your CV?


Peter: I do, but I don't want it to end up in the middle of a massive pile of CVs. I'll give it to you if you swear you'll get whoevers in charge of recruitment to see it. 


Acting Manager: (smiling) I swear I will! We don't even normally take CVs, but I'll make an exception for you since you're so nice and polite and friendly.


Peter: Great! I love getting special treatment (hands over CV). Hope I hear from you soon! Bye and my names Peter by the way. 


Acting Manager: See you. Take care Peter!


She seemed genuine, so hopefully I wasn't deceived by her line about not usually taking CVs. 


After that, it was approach after approach for our Y2J candidates, with immediate feedback outside the shop afterwards. 

Bobby checking for vacancies in Nandos

Fokrul checking for vacancies in republic, with Anhar and Bobby strategically placed  to listen in and give feedback

Ruman checking for vacancies in Paperchase

Foot Asylum
In Foot Asylum...


1) Ruman goes in, hands in his CV and is told they will be recruiting next week.


2) Fokrul goes in, hand in his CV and is also told they will be recruiting next week. 



3) Bobby goes in...

Bobby: "I hear you're recruiting next week"



Store Manager: "How did you hear that?"



Bobby: "2 little birdies told me!"


She hands in her CV and leaves. 


Best approach I saw all day!

We debriefed at the end of the task and found that everyone was really pumped up after all these approaches. They had gone out of their comfort zones and found that it wasn't as bad as they imagined. 


They had simply built it up in their own heads. 


All have made a good start on their way to their 100 job applications. 

Sports Direct

The job interviews go so well on Monday that the deputy manager passes the next three on to the manager. 

On Wednesday the manager is so impressed, he passes it onto to the Area manager to interview them all next week. 

The deputy manager asked to hire one of our candidates on the day. Anhar quietly calmed her down and reminded her she has three more to see. 

Money 4 Life Winners
Our winners by a whopping margin (509 likes vs 216) was Bobby, Rahima and Rajina's group: 
If Money doesn't grow on Trees why do Banks have Branches?

http://www.facebook.com/pages/If-Money-Doesnt-Grow-On-Trees-Then-Why-Do-Banks-Have-Branches/291912810874406

They very graciously agreed to treat the whole group to an outing rather than spend the whole £400 prize on themselves. Should be such a fun day!

Week 16 - 3 Steps to working at Wagamama

Step 1

I approach any random worker and say...


Peter: Hi. Is Sarah still the store manager here?

Random worker 1: (puzzled) No, the store manager is called Boris.

Peter: Oh, ok. Thanks.

Step 2
Ten minutes I come back and talk to a different worker...

Peter: Hi, I'm here to see Boris. He's not expecting me, but I was passing by and was wondering if he had a minute to spare.

Random worker 2: Just a moment (goes and checks)... Boris is busy at the moment, can you come back in ten minutes?

Peter: Yes, that will be fine

Step 3
Ten minutes later...

Peter: Hi, I'm here to see Boris. He's expecting me. 

Random worker 3: Just a moment please

Boris walks over

Boris: Hi, how can I help you?

Peter: Hi Boris, my name's Peter. I was given your name by the store manager at the Canary Wharf branch. I know you're busy so I'm not going to take up much of your time, but I just wanted to hand deliver my CV to you so you could put a face to it and know that I'm not some lazy job seeker handing out a million CVs to anywhere that will take them. This is the only place I've come in today and I'd love it if you'd consider me for any vacancies you have. Are there any at the moment?

Boris scans my CV, skeptically.

Boris: You should know that we don't usually hire university students

Peter: I understand and I wouldn't usually get a job during university, but I would love to work if it means I can work at Wagamama. I love this restaurant and I'm such a big fan.

Boris: I can see you're enthusiastic, but your time schedule means it would be part time. The main problem is that training part-timers takes twice as long as normal

Peter: That's fine with me, I learn twice as fast as normal. Plus I eat here all the time so I already know most of your menu. I've seen how your employees work and I know I could do just as amazing a job as they do.

Boris: Okay Peter. I'll give you a call later this week so you can come in to show me what you've got on a day when we're less busy.

Peter: Great! (shakes hand) I'll see you soon!


Later that week I was called back and invited to an on the job trial session in store. Of course, not every approach went as well as this. We were constantly told things like:

• "We're not recruiting at the moment"
• "The store manager is not here / busy / doesn't see customers"
• "Leave your CV and we'll get back to you"
• "It's all done online"

The trick is getting around these autopilot responses whenever you can, which are designed to weed out the lazy job seekers. These are basically road blocks stopping you from getting to the destination of working at the store. The only way to keep thinking of ways to get around those road blocks. 

Week 15 - Interviews at John Lewis & Sports Direct

This week we watched them go off all by themselves to their John Lewis interviews.

The human equivalent of sending our kids to "the dropoff".

They are as prepared as they can be.

We used our free time off from leading the workshop to test out our 'CV handing out' session the following week.

I'd insisted we dumb down our CVs in an attempt to prove that we can find work relying solely on our attitude and personality instead of our skills and experience. 

As far as anyone who sees my CV is concerned, I am currently in my first year of university with 2 weeks work experience and currently doing volunteer work at a local youth charity called Leaders In Community!

After finding the clothes stores incredibly busy we decided to head for the food court. We agreed to only give out our CVs where we deemed we had a 70% chance or more of getting a call back. We based this on our own judgement of how much the store staff liked us.

Some good approaches including me getting tips from the girl behind the counter on how she got the job and getting a meeting with Wagamama store manager in 3 steps.

*For more information on the Wagamama aproach see "Week 16 - 3 Steps to working at Wagamama"

Anhar also had his moments: 

Store staff: "All our recruitment is done online. You'll have to register through our website"

Anhar: "But I'm right here in front of you now. I'm saving you time and money by cutting out the steps in between!"

And then again at Sports Direct, he'd gone in looking for a job and 15 minutes later, he'd come out with job interviews lined up the following week for our candidates to fill 3 vacancies.

This guy is a serious professional.