Lesson 17: The Model Job Application
About This Lesson: This lesson teaches students how to navigate the job-seeking process by completing job applications, preparing for interviews, and presenting themselves professionally to employers. Students learn how resumes, cover letters, applications, references, Social Security information, work experience, and follow-up communication all play a role in getting hired. The lesson also helps students understand how to search for entry-level jobs, make a positive first impression, answer interview questions, and demonstrate qualities such as punctuality, responsibility, professionalism, and a positive attitude. By the end of the lesson, students will be better prepared to apply for a job, interview successfully, and understand what it takes to keep employment once hired.
Lesson Plan & Other Important Documents
Do Now:
Imagine you are applying for your first part-time job. What information do you think an employer would want to know about you before deciding whether to hire you?
Follow-Up Discussion Questions
Follow-Up Discussion Questions
- Why do employers ask for personal information on a job application?
- What information should students already know before filling out an application?
- Why do references matter?
- What does it mean to make a good first impression?
- Why is professionalism important even before a person is hired?
Directions: Download the worksheet below. Then, watch the two videos below. After you watch the videos, answer the questions in the Lesson 17 worksheet. Once you complete the worksheet, attach it to Lesson 17 on Schoology. Please note that some of the answers could also be below each video.
Please Note: The first video has a quiz about Social Security.
Please Note: The first video has a quiz about Social Security.
Video 1: Model Job Application
Question 2: Should you tweak your resume for every job that you apply for?
Yes — you should always tweak your resume for every job you apply for. Each employer values slightly different skills, experiences, and keywords, so customizing your resume helps you match what that specific company is looking for. Tailoring your resume shows that you took the time to understand the job description and align your qualifications with the employer’s needs. Even small changes—like adjusting your professional summary, highlighting the most relevant achievements, and reordering bullet points—can make a big difference in helping your application stand out and pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Yes — you should always tweak your resume for every job you apply for. Each employer values slightly different skills, experiences, and keywords, so customizing your resume helps you match what that specific company is looking for. Tailoring your resume shows that you took the time to understand the job description and align your qualifications with the employer’s needs. Even small changes—like adjusting your professional summary, highlighting the most relevant achievements, and reordering bullet points—can make a big difference in helping your application stand out and pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Question 3: Should you tweak your cover letter for every job that you apply for?
Yes — you should definitely tweak your cover letter for every job you apply for. A cover letter is your chance to speak directly to the employer and show why you’re the right fit for that specific role, company, and culture. Using a generic letter makes you seem uninterested, while customizing it shows effort and genuine enthusiasm. You can reference the company’s mission, highlight the experiences that best match the job description, and explain how your skills will help their team succeed. A personalized cover letter makes a stronger impression and increases your chances of getting an interview.
Yes — you should definitely tweak your cover letter for every job you apply for. A cover letter is your chance to speak directly to the employer and show why you’re the right fit for that specific role, company, and culture. Using a generic letter makes you seem uninterested, while customizing it shows effort and genuine enthusiasm. You can reference the company’s mission, highlight the experiences that best match the job description, and explain how your skills will help their team succeed. A personalized cover letter makes a stronger impression and increases your chances of getting an interview.
Question 8: Who can serve as a job reference for you?
A good job reference is someone who can speak positively about your skills, attitude, and work ethic based on their direct experience with you. This could include a former employer, supervisor, coworker, coach, teacher, or mentor—anyone who has seen your abilities in action and can vouch for your reliability and character. If you don’t have much work experience yet, teachers or community leaders who know your strengths and responsibility can serve as excellent references. The key is to choose people who will describe you as dependable, hardworking, and capable of doing a good job.
A good job reference is someone who can speak positively about your skills, attitude, and work ethic based on their direct experience with you. This could include a former employer, supervisor, coworker, coach, teacher, or mentor—anyone who has seen your abilities in action and can vouch for your reliability and character. If you don’t have much work experience yet, teachers or community leaders who know your strengths and responsibility can serve as excellent references. The key is to choose people who will describe you as dependable, hardworking, and capable of doing a good job.
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Please Note That Video 1 Has A Multiple Choice Schoology Quiz |
Video 2: Getting A Job As A Teenager
Directions (Continued): This video will help you fill out the second part of your worksheet.
English |
Spanish |
Higher Level Question:
How can professionalism during the application, interview, and follow-up process influence an employer’s decision to hire a teenager, even if that applicant has little or no previous work experience?