Bootcamp — Field Experience BHS

Phase 2 of 4

Interview Prep

How do you actually earn the placement? This phase prepares you for the real interview — the pitch, the questions, the nerves, and the follow-through. Some of you may already have interviews scheduled. Good.

Plan for 3–4 class periods (90 min each) · Interviews should be scheduled or completed by end of Week 2

0 / 4 complete

What you'll have by the end of Phase 2

Elevator pitch (written + recorded)

Mock interview completed

Interview improvement plan

Elevator Pitch

Write it · Workshop it · Record it

~90 min

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Structure: hook → background → value → ask. Thirty seconds to tell someone exactly why they should hire you
Write your pitch in class — first draft, no judgment
Deliver it to three different partners. Get real feedback: was it clear? Did you sound confident? Did it sound rehearsed?
Refine and record your final video pitch — this becomes a portfolio piece and your capstone warmup

Skills practiced: Communication

Submit Your Elevator Pitch

Interview Skills

Real situations · What to wear · Body language · Communication

~90 min

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Situational practice: "Tell me about a time when…" — you'll work through real scenarios from actual workplaces. The goal is having your own stories ready, not memorizing scripts.
Common interview questions + how to prep honest answers without sounding rehearsed
What to wear: professional appearance varies by placement type — a hospital, a restaurant, and a law firm all look different
Body language: what nervous looks like from the outside and how to correct for it — eye contact, posture, what to do with your hands
Communication: how to handle a question you don't know, how to ask for clarification, what to do when the answer honestly is "I'm not sure yet"

Skills practiced: Communication Adaptability Cultural Competency

Two Quick Scenarios

If an interviewer asks you something you don't know the answer to, what do you actually say? What will you wear to your interview, based on your specific placement type?

Mock Interview

Peer speed interviews · Formal mock · Real feedback · Question bank

~90 min

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Step 1 — Peer speed interviews (whole class)

Class splits in half: one side interviews, the other answers. Each pair gets 2–3 questions from the interview question bank, then rotate down the line.
After 30 minutes, switch sides — the interviewers become interviewees. Everyone practices both roles.
Interviewees don't know which questions are coming. That's the point — you get comfortable answering live, unrehearsed, for a rotating set of people.

Step 2 — Formal mock interview (community partner)

1-on-1 with a business partner, chamber member, or administrator — ideally someone you don't know well
Your interviewer uses a structured feedback form. You receive written feedback immediately after — specific, honest, actionable.
Goal is two interviews each during this block. When you're not in the chair, review the feedback from your last one.
No one gets a perfect mock interview. That's the point. You find out what to fix before the real one.

Skills practiced: Communication Adaptability Critical Thinking

Confirm Mock Interview Completed

I completed Step 1 — the peer speed interview carousel I completed Step 2 — the formal mock interview with a community partner

Complete both checklist items above to unlock submission (0/2).

Interview Improvement Plan

Review feedback · Identify gaps · Write action steps · AI practice partner

~30–45 min

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What we do in class

Review the feedback from your mock interview — what did you do well, what needs work?
Identify 2–3 specific areas to improve before your real interview
Write concrete action steps: not "be more confident" — "practice answering the 'tell me about yourself' question out loud three times before my interview"
Use AI as a practice partner between now and your real interview: open a chat and say "Act as the hiring manager at [company name]. Interview me for [role] and give me real questions. Rate my answers and tell me what to improve." — repeat until you feel ready.

Skills practiced: Critical Thinking Initiative

Submit Your Improvement Plan

Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 (optional)

Phase 3 of 4

Workplace Readiness

You've applied. Interviews are happening. Now it's time to make sure you're ready for day one — not just to show up, but to show up right. Ethics, real scenarios, and the skills that make the difference between an employee people trust and one they don't.

Plan for 3–4 class periods (90 min each) · Placements should be confirmed before Phase 4

0 / 4 complete

What you'll have by the end of Phase 3

Workplace readiness self-assessment

Placement confirmed

Workplace Dilemma Stations

15 dilemmas · Carousel stations · Career clusters · Class debrief

~90 min

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Carousel activity: 15 dilemma stations set up around the room. Small groups rotate every few minutes, read the scenario, and discuss what they'd do.
Scenarios span all 7 career clusters — a healthcare confidentiality situation, a manufacturing safety shortcut, a supervisor asking something that feels wrong in an education setting, a customer conflict in retail, and more
After rotating, the class picks 2–3 scenarios to debrief together — groups share what they decided and why
You'll disagree with each other. That's the activity. There's often no single right answer — what matters is how you think it through.
If you were absent: all 15 dilemma scenarios are linked here so you can review them and mark complete

Skills practiced: Problem-Solving Decision-Making Teamwork Critical Thinking

Which Dilemma Stuck With You?

Meet Your 10 Employability Skills

Quick overview · What each one actually means · Why you'll see them all semester

~45–60 min

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What we do in class

This is your quick shot — a fast walkthrough of all 10 Illinois Essential Employability Skills before you rate yourself again in the post-assessment. We're going for breadth, not depth.
For each skill, you'll write one sentence in your own words: what does it actually mean, and where did you see it show up in Phase 1 or 2?
We'll clarify the ones that get confused with each other — critical thinking vs. problem-solving vs. decision-making are not the same thing, and the difference matters when you're in the field
By the end, you should be able to name all 10 and describe each one without looking at the list. You'll go deeper into each one throughout the semester — this is the foundation.

Skills covered: All 10 Employability Skills

One Sentence, Each Skill

In your own words: what does it mean, and where did you see it show up in Phase 1 or 2?

Post-Assessment

Re-rate your 10 employability skills · See your growth since Phase 1

~30–45 min

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What we do in class

Re-rate yourself on all 10 Illinois Essential Employability Skills using the same 1–4 scale from Phase 1
Compare your scores: where did you grow? Where are you still working?
This isn't about being perfect — it's about being honest so your placement experience can be intentional
Write a short reflection: what surprised you about your growth? What do you want to focus on during your 60 hours?

Skills practiced: Critical Thinking Initiative Reliability

Post-Assessment

Re-rate all 10 skills and see your growth compared to your Phase 1 baseline, side by side.

Take the Post-Assessment →

Placement Confirmed

Confirm your employer · Training agreement · Onboarding paperwork

Complete as soon as your offer is accepted

To Do ▾

What this means

You've accepted an offer from a placement employer — congratulations
Confirm your employer here so your teacher can start the hiring paperwork process
The earlier this is confirmed, the more time your employer has to complete all required documents before your start date
Your employer may also have their own onboarding paperwork — especially if you're getting paid. This can include tax forms, direct deposit info, and ID verification. Sit down with a parent or guardian to complete these. Don't guess on legal documents.
Don't have a confirmed placement yet? Keep at it. Talk to your teacher about next steps.

Required Before Day 1 — No Exceptions

Your Training Agreement must be signed by all four parties — you, a parent or guardian, your placement employer, and your teacher — and returned before your first day at your placement. This is a legal requirement. If you haven't received your agreement yet, contact your teacher immediately. You cannot start until this is in hand.

Skills practiced: Reliability Planning & Organizing

Confirm Your Placement

Phase 4 of 4 — Final Phase

Launch

This is the send-off. You've built your resume, practiced your pitch, nailed the interview, and confirmed your placement. Now you set your intentions, make your commitment, and walk out ready. Your Launch Card generates when you complete this phase.

Plan for 2–3 class periods (90 min each) · Goal conferences run across 1–2 days

0 / 3 complete

What you'll have by the end of Phase 4

Internship plan of success

Your Launch Card

Goal Conference

Prep your goals · One-on-one with your teacher · Get expectations cleared

5–10 min per student · Runs across 1–2 class days

To Do ▾

Come prepared

Before your conference, draft your 2–3 goals. Your teacher shouldn't be the one prompting you to come up with them — arrive with answers ready.
Think through: What do you want to get out of this placement? What skill do you most want to improve? What would make this semester feel worth it?
Come with any questions or concerns too. What are you nervous about? What's still unclear? This is the place to name it — not Day 1 at your placement.

What we do in class

5–10 minute one-on-one with your teacher — not a check-in, a real conversation about your placement and what you want from it
Set 2–3 goals for your semester: specific, achievable, and tied to what you actually care about
Review the time log and reflection process one more time — everyone does a test submission so there are no surprises

While you wait for your conference

Conferences run 1–2 full class days. When you're not in the chair, you'll get started on the first in-depth employability skill lesson or continue refining your elevator pitch for the capstone.

Skills practiced: Planning & Organizing Initiative Communication

Come Prepared — Draft Your Goals

Fill this in before your conference so your teacher can see it going in. Mark complete after you've actually met.

Internship Plan of Success

Your roadmap for the semester · Professional intro email

~45–60 min

To Do ▾

What we do in class

Write your internship plan of success — your schedule, your goals, how you'll handle challenges, and how you'll track your 60 hours
Draft a professional introduction or thank you email to your placement supervisor — your first real professional communication with them
Review: what does logging hours look like on the site? What does a good weekly reflection look like? We'll do a live test submission together so everyone knows the process before it counts.

Skills practiced: Planning & Organizing Reliability

Submit Your Internship Plan

Your weekly schedule Your 2-3 goals for the semester How you'll handle challenges Your plan for hitting 60 hours

Launch Day

Set your #1 goal · Submit & Launch · Receive your Launch Card

To Do ▾

What this moment is

You've done the work. Resume built. Pitch practiced. Interview survived. Placement confirmed. Goals set.
Write your single most important goal for this semester — one sentence, honest and specific
Hit Submit & Launch. Your Launch Card generates and lives on your dashboard permanently
You are no longer a student preparing for a job. You're a student employee. Go make it count.

Skills practiced: Initiative Reliability

Your #1 Goal This Semester

The Bootcamp

Professional Identity & Course Launch

Interview Prep

Workplace Readiness

Launch