For some, the pressures of high school are hard enough without having to consider getting a part-time job. But for others, experiencing life in the work force (and getting a bit of cash for your efforts) is pretty appealing. So how should you go about finding work, and what can you do to make it fit your lifestyle? Read on to find out!
1. Make yourself marketable
Even if you’ve had no work experience whatsoever, you still need to assemble some kind of resume with your contact details and a bit of basic information. Perhaps you’ve won some awards at school, or you’ve been involved in a leadership position of some description? Or if you’ve done some extra-curricular activities like music and sport, note those down too. Assuming you’re aged between 15-17, it’s safe to assume you haven’t been in the workforce long, if at all, so most employers won’t mind that you’re inexperienced. But if you can showcase the best of yourself, you’re guaranteed to make a good first impression. Be honest, but draw attention to your most positive attributes and experiences.
Most students will just have a simple one or two-page document that they can print heaps of copies of to hand out to local businesses, but if you’re aiming for a particular company, perhaps add a few sentence about why you’re particularly keen on working there. You might bring up the fact that you and your family have been to that restaurant many times and that you were always impressed by the staff’s demeanour and proficiency, or that because you want to work in the health science industry, being a receptionist at your local dentist’s clinic would make for valuable experience. You don’t have to overdo it, especially if you’re just applying to a bunch of different places (so there’s no need to waste 200 words on why Maccas will always hold a special place in your heart) but that little bit of individuality can help you stand out amongst the piles of other generic applications.
2. Start looking for a job early
Even if you know you won’t be able to start work until the holidays, or until your next round of assessment is complete, start looking around your local shopping centre or ask around amongst family friends to see if you can find any viable options. Personal connections are always easiest (three cheers for nepotism!) so if you’ve got a friend from school who’s already found a job, perhaps get them to ask whether their workplace is looking for new recruits. Otherwise, many retail and hospitality places will have ads in the window for casual or part-time positions. If they specify that experience is required or that you must be able to work during school hours, then don’t bother, but if not, find a staff member and ask if you can talk to someone about the job on offer. Make sure your resume states that you are currently attending school and so will be unavailable between 9-4, excluding school holidays, or just let your boss know early on so they won’t call or roster you on for days when you can’t make it.
Also, it’s best to look for work earlier in the year. From about October onwards, it gets incredibly competitive because heaps of people start looking for summer jobs, and you’ll have a whole cohort of Year 12s who have finished school and won’t start their uni or TAFE courses until March. Many workplaces do employ extra staff over the Christmas break, especially in retail, but if you’re looking for something more permanent, start looking around as soon as you can. Settle in to school for the year and see if you can gage the workload. Then, once you’re comfortable, shop around and see what work is available.
3. Don’t be too fussy
Although you may have grand ambitions about working at your favourite store or business, the vast majority of teenagers and young adults will have to tolerate jobs that are a little less appealing. If you absolutely could not work at a place like KFC because you’re a vegetarian with a crippling fear of chicken grease, or if those clothes stores that play loud EDM tracks on repeat just give you migraines, then there’s no need to apply to such places. However, if you’ve only handed in your contact details to three places and are complaining about not having been offered a job yet… you may need to cast your net a little wider. Convenience is a big factor, particularly if you don’t have your licence and public transport options are limited, so aim for places close to your school or home first. Then, if a few weeks go by and you don’t get a call back, print off a stack of resumes and go to your nearest shopping complex. Most big chains like Maccas will frequently hire new people when their old staff turn 18 and have to be paid higher wages, and they’re also very used to dealing with high school students’ schedules, so they can be decent options. Smaller franchises are often more personal and inviting, so although they may not have the same kinds of training modules and rigid schedules, they can also be nice first-time introductions to the wonderful world of work.
4. Don’t be discouraged if you can’t find a job
When my friends and I first started trying to find work, one of us got a call within a day; I was lucky enough to get hired within a couple of weeks, but there were others who went months without finding anything. The point is, sometimes, it’s just the luck of the draw, so have patience! Provided you’re not being overly picky and refusing to apply somewhere just because you don’t like their logo, an opportunity will come your way eventually. Try and be proactive, but don’t get too disheartened if it takes a while for you to get your first job.
5. Decide whether the job is right for you
Okay, you’ve done everything right and landed an interview or a trial session. Now you have to decide whether you actually want to work here. Remember, don’t be too fussy; no minimum wage job is going to be totally ideal, but it should at least be tolerable. If you can tell you’ve got an awful manager or that your co-workers are horrible people, then you can simply let them know that you’ve had another offer from somewhere else that’s a bit closer to home or fits your schedule better. Try and at least part on good terms – this goes for any job you leave, even if you haven’t been there long – but don’t commit to a job that’s too demanding, inconvenient, or emotionally draining if you don’t think you can handle it.
6. Learn as much as you can
Best case scenario: you land yourself an awesome job that’s fun and rewarding, and maybe even slightly relevant to the career path you want to go down in the future. But for most of us, part-time work can be a bit of a chore. That said, I worked in a chicken and chip shop for 18 months, and to this day, I still know how cut a chook into eight perfect pieces in under ten seconds. I also worked in a florist (you know, to balance out the stench of chicken salt that stuck to my skin) and I ended up memorising a chart that had the symbolism of all sorts of different flowers. Granted, that probably won’t be at the top of my resume when I apply for jobs later in life, but those kinds of skills are still fun to acquire, and help you achieve that elusive ‘well-roundedness’ that so many employers look for.
Good workplaces will teach you about the skills you need to get by in that specific job, but great workplaces will give you the opportunity to succeed at work in general. Many bigger franchises offer training programs or even the chance to get some relevant qualifications like hospitality certification or to get your RSA (Responsible Serving of Alcohol) once you turn 18. Part-time jobs aren’t for life, but they can give you skills and experiences that kick-start your careers.
And most importantly, you will learn how to deal with people. For those of you who’ve had fairly sheltered lives, the practical knowledge of diffusing tense situations with customers demanding refunds and your ability to say the right thing to a co-worker going through a tough time are invaluable talents that you’re unlikely to acquire otherwise. You’ll make mistakes, you’ll lament the fact that you could’ve been sleeping instead of working, and you’ll probably get yelled at by an angry gentleman furious about how his chips weren’t cooked to his liking, but it’ll all be worth it. Nothing hardens you up and makes you more mature faster than a part-time job, and the added pocket money is a great incentive whether you’re saving for uni, or just looking for some extra disposable income.
Nevertheless, keep your schoolwork in mind, and prioritise your education. Taking a bit of extra time off around exams is a good idea, and make sure that both you and your employer know that your schooling is your primary commitment. Otherwise, enjoy your part-time venture into the realms of employment. Remember: patience is a virtue, and the customer is always right. Even when they’re super mad about their chips being the wrong colour.
