TIPS FOR GROWING: Edition 16- JOB SKILLS FOR TEENS
03.26.2024
TOPIC: Job Skills for Teens
Easy to Implement Strategies to Use During Therapy & In The Classroom
Welcome to the Sixteenth Edition of Tips For Growing! These blog posts will focus on important clinical topics that are regularly encountered when working with children.
Today’s "Tips For Growing" will focus on Job Skills for Teens and how Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy can help!.
We hope these seeds of information will help with the most important job there is . . . helping children grow.
Job Skills for Teens: How Occupational Therapy & Speech Therapy Can Help
Adolescence is a time when teenagers begin to think about getting a job. From the teen’s point of view, earning money is most likely their prime motivator, but there are many other benefits. Being successful at a part-time job offers a teenager the chance to build their independence and confidence. They will be exposed to opportunities to be reliable, accountable, and flexible. They will need to learn how to manage their time to accommodate the hours spent away from homework and duties at home. The teen will also have an opportunity to learn how to manage their money by balancing spending versus saving.
Therapists that work with teenagers can offer beneficial intervention if they provide experiences that build the skills that teens require to be successful at part time work.
What are some functional life skills and positive personal traits that are necessary for teen employment that can be incorporated into therapy sessions?
Social Skills &Manners
Plan therapy sessions that include an emphasis on teamwork, listening to others, and cooperating for a shared outcome. Regarding self-control, learning to manage one’s emotions when feeling frustrated or impatient is important when executing job duties and responding to co-workers, customers, or supervisors. Think about giving teens opportunities to practice taking another person’s perspective, not always an easy thing to do. Regarding basic manners, reinforce the basics. This includes using proper greetings, sitting upright, standing still, shaking hands, and waiting their turn to speak. Showing courtesy toward others is always welcome in any workplace.
Communication Skills
Although it seems obvious, teens may need reminders to speak clearly, make eye contact, and avoid using slang during work situations. While speech therapists with certainly focus on social communication skills such as observing personal space, staying on topic, and engaging in back-forth reciprocal conversations, Occupational Therapists can reinforce this as well. Consider incorporating mock interviews into a therapy session. This can include opportunities for the teen to share their strengths and interests.
Appearance
While there must be respect for individual differences in each person’s appearance and style, employers will expect the teen to be neat and clean. For an interview the clothing may need to be more formal. Get out the iron!
Integrity
Consider discussing the meaning of integrity at relevant times and why it is important to be honest, accountable for your actions, and to do the right thing. A teen with these attributes would be a welcome addition to any work setting.
Planning, Organizing & Prioritizing
Planning skills involve managing current or future tasks by setting goals and establishing the steps needed to complete the task. This requires that a teen employee prioritize which tasks should be done immediately or which can wait. It also requires that the teen learn to sequence or determine which order to complete tasks. Organization of materials involves keeping work materials neat and orderly so they are easy to access and can be used as needed.
Problem Solving
Regarding problem solving, while teen employees should be encouraged to take the initiative to persevere with challenging tasks, it is also very important for them to learn to ask for assistance or guidance when warranted. Incorrectly completed job tasks can be costly or even dangerous.
Time Management
Time management is an important life skill for teenagers to develop, especially when engaged in a teen job experience. These skills are necessary for prioritizing the steps needed to complete work tasks and scheduling the tasks with adequate timing. Poor timing can lead to tasks not being completed or completed poorly due to hastiness. Being punctual is part of time management. When punctual your employer sees that you are organized, dependable, and that you have respect for work rules.
To help therapists prepare teenagers with skills required to be more successful at interviews and teen employment, Tools To Grow is happy to share the following NEW resources!
Job Skills & Career Exploration Resources Include:
- Job Application
- Job Skills Crossword + Handwriting Activity
- Personal Hygiene - Cut + Paste Activity
- Job Exploration: Part One- Matching
- Job Exploration: Part Two- Fill in Blanks
- Create a Resume
- Headbands Career Game
- Interview Follow-Up: Using a Phone
- Interview Question Cards
- Interpret Body Language
Typing & Digital Fun!
1. Adobe PDF Resources:
2. Google Slides:
Executive Functioning Tools
Executive Function is a term used to describe the many tasks one's brain performs that are necessary to think, act, and solve problems. Executive functioning includes tasks that help us learn new information, remember and retrieve information we've learned in the past, and use this information to solve problems of everyday life.
Tools to Grow is pleased to offer many tools under the following Executive Functioning Categories:
- Educational Resources
- Executive Functioning Games
- Home Routines
- Map Skills
- Planning & Organizing
- Ruler Skills
- Time Management
- Working Memory
>> View Job Skills & Career Exploration Packet Here!
>> View Executive Functioning Resources Here!
>> View Emotional Control Resources Here!
We hope these seeds of information will help with the most important job there is . . . helping children grow.
Kind regards,
Patti & Shelley
Your Team at Tools to Grow, Inc.
Related Topics: Tips for Growing
