Learning Lab
Getting Your First JobPrep for Teens.
An 8-week practical, hands-on course for ages 13–18 designed to help teens build confidence, develop real-world skills, and prepare for their first job and beyond.
Practical job prep
Learn what actually happens before the first day.
Students work through the parts of getting a first job that can feel unfamiliar: finding openings, building a resume, filling out applications, communicating with employers, interviewing, understanding a paycheck, and handling workplace expectations.
What students learn
Build the skills to apply with confidence.
- Identify realistic first-job opportunities and understand what employers look for.
- Build a clear resume or CV and organize references.
- Complete job applications accurately and professionally.
- Communicate with employers by email, phone, and in person.
- Prepare for interviews, practice answers, and complete mock interviews.
- Understand basic paycheck information, including gross pay, net pay, and common deductions.
- Practice workplace expectations, first-day situations, and professional decision-making.
Course structure
8 weeks of practical first-job preparation.
Week 1
Finding Your First Job
Learn where to look, how to compare entry-level opportunities, what employers notice, and how to decide which jobs are worth applying for.
Week 2
Resume Building
Turn school, activities, volunteering, skills, and experience into a clear first resume that an employer can quickly understand.
Week 3
Job Applications
Practice completing applications, organizing work and reference information, explaining availability, and avoiding common application mistakes.
Week 4
Professional Communication
Practice professional emails, phone calls, follow-ups, introductions, references, and how to communicate clearly with an employer.
Week 5
Interview Preparation
Prepare for common interview questions, build useful examples, practice first impressions, and learn what questions to ask an employer.
Week 6
Mock Interviews
Complete realistic practice interviews, receive direct feedback, make adjustments, and repeat the process with stronger answers and delivery.
Week 7
Understanding Your Paycheck
Read a basic pay stub and understand hourly pay, gross pay, net pay, deductions, and why the amount earned is not always the amount deposited.
Week 8
Workplace Success
Work through first-day expectations, workplace scenarios, communication problems, reliability, professionalism, and what to do when something goes wrong.
Pilot tuition
Tuition covers 8 hours of instruction and course materials. Boulders & Brews is an approved Arkansas Direct Pay EFA provider.
Course experience
Build it. Practice it. Use it.
Build real materials
Create and improve the documents students will actually use, including a resume, application information, and references.
Practice out loud
Use role-play, employer communication practice, interview preparation, and mock interviews instead of only talking about the process.
Handle real situations
Work through paychecks, first days, workplace expectations, and common scenarios so students know what to expect before they are on the job.
Questions?
Send us a question.
Ask us anything about Getting Your First Job: Prep for Teens. Enter your email so we can reply.