First Job Survival Skills Complete

What It's About

Getting your first job can be daunting, but surviving and thriving in the workplace requires a lot more than just technical skills and hard work. Soft skills, like the ability to form interpersonal relationships, emotional intelligence, and teamwork abilities, are just as important –  if not more so!

According to job analyses in the US, soft skills are necessary to be successful in at least 85% of jobs. While technical skills may get you in the door, it’s these interpersonal skills that are essential to succeed and stand out.

At The Stanfield Company, we have developed a complete program that tackles these essential skills head-on. We created the First Job Survival Series to help students and employees strengthen the skills required to survive and thrive in the workplace.

Our program is designed to teach and develop essential social and emotional skills, including communication, teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving. This series uses a variety of methods, including interactive activities, simulations, and teacher guides, to help learners apply what they’ve learned in real-world situations.

The First Job Survival Skills Series is a comprehensive program that includes 15 hours of instruction and 17 modules.

Each module is designed to be self-contained and covers a specific aspect of soft skills development, making it easy for educators to incorporate into existing curriculums. The curriculum consists of sixteen Teacher’s Guides that include instructions on how to conduct the activities and assessments.

"With our budget we have been able to purchase First Job Survival Skills 1, 2, & 3. These videos provide social skills that are truly needed for this population, including the correct way to interact in the world of work. These videos also make it easy for students to understand needed work ethics. Please keep producing these great videos. James Stanfield understands kids and the world of work!"

Lynda Beland, vocational Counselor, James Shrove, Vocational Manager (Indian Oaks Academy)

What You Will Learn

The program comes complete with six modules, activities, and six teacher’s guides that lead your students through various scenarios designed to enhance their skills.

Your students will learn valuable lessons, such as:

• How to communicate effectively with colleagues and supervisors
• How to manage their time and prioritize tasks
• How to handle stress and stay composed under pressure
• How to solve problems and troubleshoot tricky situations
• How to take feedback constructively and improve their performance
• How to build professional relationships, network, and make allies in the workplace.

The program is broken down into three modules, or “units.” These are detailed below.

Unit 1: Surviving the 1st 90 Days®

The first 90 days of any job are critical. It’s the probationary period where your employer is watching your every move. Unit 1 of the program focuses on those soft job skills that are required to survive this period.

These skills include effective communication, time management, problem-solving, and more.

Your students will learn how to make a good first impression, avoid common mistakes, and exceed expectations. This will give them the confidence and knowledge they need to thrive at their new job.

Unit 2 Job Skills: Attaining Permanent Status

After surviving the first 90 days, the next step is to attain permanent status and get set up for long-term success.

Unit 2 of the program teaches students the 11 must-have attributes essential for long-term employment and consideration for promotion. These soft skills are what employers look for in their employees when it comes to job retention and promotion.

By honing these attributes, such as honesty, dependability, and teamwork, your students can position themselves as indispensable members of their organization.

Unit 3: Surviving Delusions of Grandeur®

Unit 3 of the First Job Survival Skills program focuses on correcting mistaken perceptions and expectations of entitlement that young people often bring to the workplace. This program is designed to help students develop realistic expectations of the workplace before they get there.

As we all know, the work environment is a much different place than other environments, like home and school. It has its own set of rules, expectations, and requirements that we must follow. It is essential to learn these nuances and develop realistic perceptions of the workplace to succeed in our careers.

Most young people assume that work will be like school, where they have endless second chances, or like the neighborhood, where personal freedom is exercised.

As we know, this is not the case. Work requires a different mindset and set of skills. This module helps students understand the realities of the work environment and develop the necessary work skills, so they don’t have to learn the hard way. This unit has five hours of instruction, five modules, countless activities to choose from, and a teacher’s guide to help you get started.

“Finally, someone has addressed this issue. The First Job Survival Series is a unique and highly innovative approach to preparing students for the shock of an environment where what they need, feel or desire does not come first and often doesn’t matter.”

Jim Graff, PhD

After Completion

A successful career takes more than just technical skills – soft skills are also essential.

The First Job Survival Skills program by The Stanfield Company enables students to develop the skills necessary to succeed in today’s job market. The program takes a personalized and practical approach by developing skills that will matter in the real world.

After completion, students will be equipped with crucial skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience, and more, setting them up for success in both their personal and professional lives.

“Students learned a lot from watching and role playing the videos. They learned “scripts” and skills to handle difficult social situations”

Sherry Yrigan, Special Education Teacher, Yerba Buena High School, San Jose, CA