We always encourage kids to be creative when applying for summer jobs, find opportunities that will allow them to take advantage of their skills, and even possibly starting their own companies - but this article in the WSJ highlights 7 young people who took this to an entirely new level.
It just goes to show you that the possibilities for summer jobs are endless
One of the great things about our site is that we managed to keep it so flexible. So while, our name seems to imply that we only allow job postings, feel feel to post (and search) for internships and volunteer opportunities as well.
That being said, I wanted to pass on this article by Tara Weiss on Forbes.com with advice on how to take advantage of a summer internship and turn int into a job offer.
Basically, "Treat it as a 10-to-12-week job interview," says Alex Taylor, a vice president of university relations at Bank of America.
And while this was written for internships, all of the advice is applicable to any entry level job. Especially this one, Don't be shy about asking
questions, especially if you need clarification on an assignment. No
one wants to be a pest, but it's best to get it right the first time.
Teens often encounter challenges while searching for summer jobs due to their lack of experience in the job world. To help their peers, the teenage job experts at Myfirstpaycheck.com put together five tips to make the job search a little easier.
1. Be Brave. Even in this economy, there are plenty of employers out there looking for the affordable, enthusiastic, and energetic help that teenagers provide, but you have to go out and ask for it. Don't be afraid to apply for jobs.
2. Be Polite. You are applying for a job; dress up, make eye contact, shake hands, and avoid using slang. First impressions matter - make sure you are remembered for your application and not your attitude.
3. Be Prepared. Bring a resume and a cover letter whenever you apply for a job. Having a good resume is essential. It shows that you are serious about the position, and that you are mature and responsible. If you need help writing a resume, myfirstpaycheck.com provides a dynamic free resume for teens
that is very helpful.
4. Be Persistent. It would be nice if you were immediately offered every job that you ever applied for, unfortunately this is not the case for anybody. Persistence pays off; send a thank you note to interviewers, follow-up if you do not hear about the job after a week, and keep applying.
5. Be Creative. Look for work in places other than the mall. The weakening economy means that people are going to be looking to cut costs in areas such as lawn and child care. Get a few friends together and start a landscaping or a babysitting business. Working for yourself is a great way to earn money and develop skills that will help you find your next job.
Learning how to apply for jobs isn't something we always learn in school, but it's an important skill. It's especially important as a teen applying for your first job to make a good first impression, and Myfirstpaycheck.com can help.
In any economy, but particularly now when jobs are a little harder to come by - persistence and follow ups pay off.
3 basic follow up tips to help you stand out from the competition
* Send a thank you note to the interviewer within 48 hours
* Follow the interviewer's directions completely regarding follow-up to the interview
* Call the employer to reiterate your interest in the position if you haven't heard about the employment decision, but wait at least a week after the interview.
Stewart Allyn wrote a nice post on his blog a few days ago about his son's first job. Stew's 16-year-old son got a job as a hockey referee, and Stew seems to be pretty happy about his son entering the workforce. Stew writes, "Becoming a referee has taught him many valuable lessons in both life and in his chosen sport."
It seems like it's worked out well for both him and his son, and If you are still looking for a spring/summer job - maybe you can look into being a referee too. Hockey season is over but is your local little league/soccer league looking for refs?
John Tesh posts some good tips so we'll forgive him for not mentioning myfirstpaycheck.com in his list of job boards for teens.
He also writes, "Encourage your teen to spend the majority of his time networking not just looking for jobs on his laptop. Why? Because 90% of job openings are not advertised and 90% of job candidates only apply for advertised work opportunities."
I'm not sure where he gets these numbers from, but I believe them. One of the things I spend most of my time on is convincing businesses to post their job openings on myfirstpaycheck.com. Unfortunately, many companies don't put in a lot of effort into hiring and managing part-time employees, but would you rather put a sign in your store window and hire the first kid who comes in or put a sign in your window and spend 5 minutes and $20 to post on myfirstpaycheck.com allowing you to collect many more applicants and promoting your company to a valuable customer base at the same time? The more time you put into hiring good employees, the less time (and money) you will have to spend in the future dealing with turnover and training.
A lot of people have been calling us to ask how the current economic downturn is going to impact teens search for summer jobs, I tell them that it's always hard to find a job but there are plenty of employers out there looking for the affordable, enthusiastic, and energetic help that teenagers provide, but teenagers have to know how to find them and how to present themselves.
Be creative, persistent, and polite and you will find a summer job.
We created myfirstpaycheck.com to help teens find summer jobs. Even if we don't have local job listings by you yet, our advice section is a great resource - make a resume with our dynamic resume builder for teens learn how to write a cover letter and get out there and start applying!
And please let us know if you have any suggestions for other teenagers out there.
Fran Hendrick wrote the following great piece about The Cincinnati Enquirer about the benefits of summer jobs. Fran writes, a "real job" can benefit teens by helping them develop the ability to say, "This is who I am, and this is what I can do," working alongside others gives teens a sense of their own competence, The "real world" experience of a job, where their parents cannot intervene on their behalf if they fail to meet expectations, teaches teens a "no excuses" work ethic, collecting a paycheck helps teens understand financial realities, on-the-job experience teaches teamwork, and having a job can clarify for your teen what he doesn't want to do as a career - as much as clarifying what he does want.
These are all great pieces of advice that every teenager, parent, and potential employer should remember this summer. Thanks Fran!
read more | digg story
After we started myfirstpaycheck.com, we quickly learned that there is a big need a job information and job listings for teens - especially right now with the hunt for summer jobs in full swing. So to meet the growing demand nationwide we've been working hard on updating our site. Our 'beta' version should be live soon but we've encountered a few glitches when going live. Please let me know if you have experienced a problem on myfirstpaycheck.com and please come back soon to see what we've done.
We plan on being the number one place for teens to go to find summer jobs, and we'll get there. As always, please let us know if you have any suggestion or advice
Shawn Boyer turned an idea he had as a lawyer into an online success. A Henrico County businessman who at times wasn't sure he could make payroll was named the National Small Business Person of the Year yesterday. SnagAJob.com President and Chief Executive Shawn Boyer was honored at a Small Business Administration luncheon in Washington.
Congrats Shawn! You are an inspiration to myfirstpycheck.com and all other small businesses out there.
read more | digg story
