2019 NLA Conference

It can be daunting to look for -- and land -- a first job, especially when juggling the challenges of school and teen life in general. Teens Work! is the Sunrise Library's approach to helping teens learn the skills necessary to build this crucial bridge to adulthood. Our 4-part program, presented over the course of one month, consists of three one-hour programs plus a 90-minute job fair. The first program, "What's Out There?" introduces teens to the basics of job hunting (including library database exploration). "Who Am I?" tackles resume writing, covers information necessary to complete an online or paper application, and discusses the importance of a cover letter. The third program, "Dress and Impress for Success" contrasts appropriate with inappropriate interview dress and shares etiquette tips for a successful interview (e.g. write a thank-you email immediately!). The last program of the month is a 90-minute job fair, featuring local employers looking to hire young people for the summer and beyond. Teens come dressed to impress, fill out applications on the spot, and distribute resumes as appropriate. We devoted a month to this program series (our first time of a planned annual event), and 77 teens showed up for the job fair!