Job Navigator Worksheet
Job Navigator: Reading Job Listings
Group Activity
Team Name:
How to work together: Take turns reading the ads. One person can write, but everyone must find the facts!
Case #1: Store Help Main Street Shop
Shop Helper
$15.50 per hour
Work Mon to Fri, 9 am to 5 pm. You will help customers find items and keep the store neat. No experience needed!
Team Facts:
1. Circle the Job Title. What is it?
2. Underline the Pay. How much?
3. Need experience?
Yes
No
Case #2: Heavy Lifting Big Box Center
Truck Unloader
$18.00 per hour
Shift: 6 am to 2 pm. Must lift 50 pounds. You must have a car to get here. 1 year of work experience needed.
Team Facts:
1. Circle the Job Title. What is it?
2. Underline the Pay. How much?
3. Need experience?
Yes
No
Case #3: Night Owl Downtown Office
Office Cleaner
$16.00 per hour
Starts at 10 pm. Ends at 2 am. You will mop, sweep, and empty trash. No car needed. We will train you!
Team Facts:
1. Circle the Job Title. What is it?
2. Underline the Pay. How much?
3. Need experience?
Yes
No
Case #4: Busy Kitchen Pizza Palace
Kitchen Helper
$15.00 per hour
Sat and Sun only. 12 pm to 8 pm. You will wash dishes and cut vegetables. Must be fast and friendly!
Team Facts:
1. Circle the Job Title. What is it?
2. Underline the Pay. How much?
3. Need experience?
Yes
No
Team Vote
Talk with your team. Which of these 4 jobs is the BEST? Why?
Our Favorite Job:
CASE #
Why did the team pick this job?
Team Mission Accomplished!
Job Navigator Teacher Guide
Job Navigator: How do I read a job listing?
Teacher Guide
Employment Training
Target Audience
Entry-Level Job Seekers
Duration
90–120 Minutes
Materials
Slides, Decoder & Hunt Worksheets
Objectives
- • Find the 5 "Big Facts" in a job ad (Pay, Time, Location, Duties, Needs).
- • Work in teams to analyze and compare job listings.
- • Conduct collaborative online research to find real jobs.
- • Differentiate between "What you will do" and "What you need."
Group Work Focus
Both worksheets in this lesson are designed for teams of 4–6. This builds communication skills and allows students to help each other decode potentially confusing job terminology.
Lesson Flow
10 min
Warm-Up: Real Talk
Use Slides 1–3 to build the case for being a careful researcher.
Facilitation: Encourage students to share personal stories of "bad job fits" (e.g., commute was too long, pay was wrong). This builds buy-in for the decoding task.
25 min
Team Decoder Practice
Divide students into groups of 4–6 and distribute the Job Navigator Worksheet.
- • Groups analyze 4 sample "Cases" on the worksheet.
- • Ensure every team member participates in finding at least one fact.
- • Team Vote: Groups must agree on the best job for their imaginary team.
40-60 min
Team Job Hunt (Computers)
Teams use the Job Hunt Worksheet to search online.
The Search: Teams go to Indeed.com or Google Jobs. They should work together on 1-2 computers to find 4 unique listings and record the facts in their team logs.
15 min
Closing Debrief
Wrap up with Slide 15 and a team sharing session.
Debrief: Ask each group to share their "Best Match" from the hunt. Focus on why they chose it (e.g., "The pay was highest" or "It was close to the bus").
Group Decoder Answer Key
Case #1
Pay: $15.50 / Mon-Fri
Case #2
Pay: $18.00 / 6am-2pm
Case #3
Pay: $16.00 / 10pm-2am
Case #4
Pay: $15.00 / Weekends
Job Navigator Slides
Job Navigator: How do I read a job listing?
Find your perfect match
Real Talk
Have you ever applied for a job and then realized...
- You can't get there?
- The hours are impossible?
- The pay is too low?
Don't waste your time!
The 5 Big Facts
Job Title
Pay
Time
Location
What You Need
1. Job Title
Names can be tricky!
Sanitation Pro
Actually means...
Janitor / Cleaner
💡 Insight:
Don't just look at the name. Look at what they do.
2. Pay
You might see:
$15.50 / hour
Is this enough for you?
Ask yourself:
- Does it pay the rent?
- Is it more than my last job?
3. Time
Common Shifts:
1st Shift: 8 am - 4 pm
2nd Shift: 4 pm - Midnight
3rd Shift: Midnight - 8 am
Can you work weekends?
Some jobs say Must work Sundays.
4. Location
How will you get there?
- Is it on the bus line?
- Can you walk?
- Do you need a car?
"If the bus takes 2 hours each way, is it worth it?"
5. What you will do
Action Words:
Lift Clean Cook Talk Drive Stand
Check if your body can do the work. If you hate standing, don't pick a retail job!
6. What you need
Things you must have before you start:
- Valid ID / License
- HS Diploma
- Previous Work
"If it says 'No experience needed,' it is a great job for beginners!"
Team Work
Open your worksheet
Good Job or Bad Job?
Pizza Delivery
$18 / hour
Details:
- Night Shift
- Must have your own car
- Free dinner!
Vote!
👍
👎
Another One!
Park Cleaner
$16 / hour
Details:
