Job Success Skills

Discusses the serious issues of professional etiquette in a comical fashion that will both entertain and instruct students and employees in the vital areas of etiquette and protocol. Prepares students for many different situations where a knowledge of professional etiquette will be essential. Includes inter-office etiquette, meeting protocol, introductions, dining etiquette, travel, and handling potentially awkward situations with grace. (22 min.) A Meridian Production.

Success secrets vital to the newly employed or about-to-be employed person are discussed in this program. Work habits, wardrobe, grooming, communication, telephone etiquette, and courteous treatment of co-workers and customers are all emphasized to give employees and prospective employees the knowledge and skills needed to project a positive, successful business image. (21 min.) A Meridian Production.

A positive attitude is essential on the job. When Florence receives a negative performance review, she is forced to confront her weaknesses. Using humorous vignettes in the present and in her childhood, Flo demonstrates why she's in trouble. With a little help from an unseen narrator, Flo recognizes that attitude, responsibility, and communication are the key to her success on the job and takes steps to improve. Along the way, she learns that doing the job is just not enough anymore...the employee with a positive attitude is going to get ahead"-a valuable lesson for all students! (18 min.) A Meridian Production."

“Careers Have No Gender, Success Has No Limits” is a fun and interesting docudrama produced to empower students to remove barriers such as myths and stereotypes about gender when looking for a career. Sometimes real life challenges such as discrimination and harassment, extreme weather conditions, isolation, non-support of family and friends, and hazardous conditions are present and these challenges do not mean that people shouldn’t pursue the careers they want. This video helps viewers realize that women and men do not differ in their abilities to learn science, mathematics and mechanics. Furthermore equipment generally used for heavy lifting can be operated with equal efficacy by either sex. It also teaches while men are generally assumed to be stronger than women, with training most women can develop the upper body strength for most non-traditional jobs. In sum, choosing a career should have little or nothing to do with someone’s gender and everything to do with someone’s passion! This video features several real life examples of community college career pathways that lead to industries in which either gender can be equally successful. A Test & Review is embedded as a Bonus Feature in the DVD and a complimentary teacher’s guide is available here.

This educational video is set within a fictitious context of a college journalism major interviewing members of a chamber of commerce task force for her next article on Choosing A Career Goal. The presentation entertains while it advances viewer understanding of the importance of choosing a career goal that matches your passion in life. It discusses topics such as when researching careers one should find out educational requirements, salary ranges, working conditions, future outlook for employment, opportunities for job shadowing and types of personalities generally suited to individual choice. The movie contains an imbedded review of its salient points and makes it clear: “Your career should be something that you love so much you’d do it for free, but do so well that people are willing to pay you do it!”

Video version. Viewers meet two young managers who help workers with appropriate responses to feedback in different work situations. Whether feedback is true, unclear, or downright false, we discover how to respond in a way that enables us to develop confidence, separate our reactions from our feelings, and learn from the situation. Using live-action video, the CD-ROM program guides the user through a series of learning objectives and interactive testing to make sure the information is absorbed. After each section of the video, pertinent questions are asked. If viewers give the wrong answer, they will automatically be taken back to review the video component containing the answer. When they are finished, users can print out a certificate of completion which can be turned in to the course instructor. A Meridian Production. One 22-minute video. CD-ROM version also available.

A bad first impression is hard to shake...something Jason, Marita, and Chris are about to find out on their first day at work. This video will save your students from common workplace blunders by showing them how to present a polished appearance, use positive body language, and demonstrate a can-do work ethic. Donna Panko, a professional corporate image consultant, shares her knowledge while the Wall of Wasted Opportunities-an animated rogues' gallery of employees who blew their first impression-memorably drives the program's message home. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. Correlates to the career standards from the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. A Cambridge Educational Production. (22 minutes)

Every boss has unique expectations and every company has its own procedures and work environment. How can a new hire sort it all out? This program explores the crucial skills every new employee should develop in order to become a valued part of the team. Topics include logistical issues like punctuality and planning the best route to work as well as proper dress, orientation and training, asking questions, active listening, and how to deal with difficult coworkers or supervisors. Real-world advice comes from James Masini, a young Australian business owner whose company specializes in helping entry-level workers. Viewable/printable educational resources are available online. (19 minutes)

The relationship between supervisors and support staff members can often run off the smooth road of productivity. The major reason for problems between supervisors and staff is a lack of effective, open communication. This program is a dramatization of one employee's problems with his supervisor. The information he receives from the company's personnel manager gets him on track with how to cope with his supervisor's dramatically different work style. Basic tips for effective supervisor/employee relationships are also given, stressing that when support staff helps to make the supervisor look good, it reflects positively upon the staff as well. A Meridian Production. (20 minutes)

Whether you work on an assembly line in a factory or write computer programs for a company's accounting department, you have a right to a safe and drug-free work environment. This program is designed to help viewers of all ages understand their rights and responsibilities on the job, to increase their protection from coworkers whose critical thinking and decision-making skills may be impaired through substance abuse. A viewable/printable instructor's guide is available online. A Meridian Production. (20 minutes)

“PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET FIRED BECAUSE OF THIS CONVERSATION AREN’T THEY?!” Set
against the backdrop of the fictitious “JR THOMPSON COMPANY,” the organization faces a severe
downturn in sales and senior management has no choice but to reduce its workforce. The questions
that need to be resolved: WHO STAYS, WHO GOES AND WHY? This fun and insightful drama
explores the many facets of attitude and behavior that lead to keeping a job. It’s provocative and
provides generous substance for productive classroom dialogue. This video could spell the difference between keeping or losing a job for viewers because they gain the insight of seeing the future through the unique prism of their potential employers’ eyes!

A lot of people think the best way to keep a job is to just do what you are told. That is part of it, but not all of it, by far. Today's employers are looking for people who can truly contribute to the company-someone who can handle responsibility, be flexible, and adapt! This enlightening program explores common-sense rules to follow and exactly what employers are looking for in the next person they hire, such as: a can-do attitude; being punctual; adapting to any situation; respecting customers, supervisors, and co-workers; and many other unique characteristics and qualities that make a valuable employee. The Job Survival Kit creatively shows viewers how to strive to be as good at their job as they can, while making useful recommendations of how to keep a job diary, approach the annual review, and handle a disagreement in the office. This is a smart resource that should be viewed by anyone looking for a job or anyone who has just landed a job. A Cambridge Educational Production. (30 minutes)

The differences between knowledge, skills, and abilities are made clear in this video, which presents basic skills required by employers and identified by the U.S. Department of Labor SCANS Report. Real-life uses for this information are shown. (28 minutes)

No matter what your work is like, problem situations arise that require you to make decisions. In this program, Mary, a newly appointed Vice President, must solve the problem of improving the company's delivery system. Mary discovers the specific steps necessary to good problem solving. This program will train new and prospective workers to be good problem solvers-a must for today's workplace. A Meridian Production. 14-minute video.

As students take their places in the workforce, they will need to quickly acquire important work-related behaviors such as punctuality, respect for managers and coworkers, and a willingness to follow company guidelines. They must also develop good communication and time management skills, to help them work efficiently. This program shows how five teenagers successfully adjust to the workplace environment as they share their achievements as well as their fears and concerns. Keys to success are reinforced throughout as each of the new employees deals with job-related difficulties. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this video will speak volumes to students as they prepare to make their transition to the world of work. A Meridian Production. (21 minutes)