Job Video Stresses Attitude, Grooming
Melinda McDonnell, a local hairstylist, cut 4 inches off 14-year-old Jennifer Sambrano’s hair and gave her wispy bangs, a look designed to give the teen an edge in the job market.
The make-over was done live for “A Touch of Spice,” a video taped Monday for the Boys and Girls Club of Fullerton as part of a 12-week job training program called “Get a Life: Leaders in Training.”
“It gives the kids an opportunity to hear first-hand from the people doing the hiring exactly what it takes to get a job,” Allyson Gold, a club spokeswoman, said of the program, which has been offered at clubs in Los Angeles County, Nevada and Utah with funds from a private foundation.
Gold said “Get a Life” focuses on boosting participants’ self-esteem and their ability to work with others, which in turn will help them land entry-level jobs.
“One of the things that’s not happening in the schools is kids are not learning how to get a job,” she said. “That’s why we’re preparing kids for the work force. The talk show is a good way to do it.
“This is, after all, the video generation.”
The tape will be available as a teaching tool to schools across Orange County.
During the taping, host Dash Spice, portrayed by local businessman Jeff Caltrider, introduced a panel of hiring experts who offered tips to a room full of Boys and Girls Club teenagers at the Fullerton Multi-Service Senior Center.
“You give it everything you’ve got, and don’t give up trying to look your best,” said Tim Gonzales, owner of Christopher’s hair salon in Fullerton.
Sandra Eckles, a career consultant, told them: “Preparation is very, very important. Find out something about the corporation you’re interviewing for, practice what you will tell the employer about yourself, and be enthusiastic.”
The one-hour show included make-overs for five teens from the audience.
At the end of the session, the teens took to the stage to show off their new looks and share their reflections on the experience.
Said haircut recipient Sambrano: “I feel like I can get a job.”