Would you turn up to a job interview with a lollipop stuck in your mouth?Or what about taking a friend along with you and introducing them to your potential new employer as your spokesman? You could even take your mom along to speak up on your behalf.How about not bothering to check how to spell a company’s name for your covering letter or e-mailing your résumé en masse to a bunch of different companies to let them know you’re available for work?They may all sound like idiotic things to do if you’re serious about getting employed but all are real examples of mistakes made by young Bermudian job hunters, according to Youth on the Move president Carlton Simmons.Hearing from human resource professionals on how ill-prepared so many young people are to sell themselves as suitable employees has prompted the charity boss to devise a job readiness programme.The scheme launches this month and is for people under 40 looking for work. There are plenty of those, according to the Labour Force Survey 2009, which found that more than 53 percent of the Island’s unemployed were aged 16 to 24.“When we run programmes the mommas will call for the daughters or sons to sign them up,” said Mr Simmons. “It’s okay, I guess, for a programme but when you start talking about employment, it’s not a good look.“I remember one girl telling me the only question she asked at interview was about the pay. We hear all the time about the things you really just don’t do.”He said many young people who make it past the interview stage and land a job are clueless about how to keep it.“Again, there is a list of common mistakes from lateness, unauthorised time off, too much sick time and inappropriate behaviour, such as bad language or inappropriate use of cell phones. A lot of people don’t realise that staff can be monitored by employers.”The job readiness programme is broken down into five components and includes workshops, advice, grammar and comprehension tests, career guidance, mock interviews and work shadowing opportunities.A key element is figuring out what kind of work is suitable for participants.“What we believe is that in Bermuda there is not a culture of matching employment suited to the character of the person,” said Mr Simmons. “That’s one of the downfalls of [historically] having a very successful economy.“There are very few people following their passion. We want to start to introduce, as part of our training, the ability to actually test people and get feedback from them and make recommendations as to some of the job suggestions that they might want to follow.”Those taking part will receive a job readiness handbook and good employee checklist, as well as a certificate to prove they’ve completed the course.“We want to provide a minimum standard that employers can expect from new employees,” said Mr Simmons. “It’s in all our interests to make sure that all our young people can make their own living and have some dignity about the way they live.”l Anyone interested in taking part in the programme should call 292-9298, e-mail info[AT]yombermuda.com or visit www.yombermuda.com.