Disclaimer: Everyone has their way of job searching. This is how I have done it and what I’ve learned. This information is geared toward the United States. If you’re not in the U.S., you may need to rely on family and community contacts to learn about career paths in your country. If the internet is available, that can be another way to learn.
The best way to earn money is by getting a job. How do you get one? If you keep reading, I’ll show you how to find a job, how to apply for it, and how to go through the interview.
How to find the job you want
Before finding a job, you must figure out what you want. Do you like fashion, web design, working with children, etc.? The best way to find out is to do an internet search.
Search using your interests. AI powers some of the web browsers so you will receive a breakdown of the career path within your interests. For example, working with children.
Side note: If you want in-depth info about a job, take a look at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It’s a book that is compiled and distributed by the United States (U.S.) Bureau of Labor Statistics, and covers an enormous amount of jobs.
Where Can I Find the Job I Want
There are many ways to find a job. Such as:
Word of Mouth: Let your family and friends know you’re looking. They might know someone who’s hiring.
School Guidance Office: Check out your school’s guidance office for part-time jobs or internships. This one I found out by accident when I was in high school.
Onsite Job Boards: Check out sites like Indeed.com and Snagajob.com. I use these places as leads. After I find a position I like, I go to the company’s website and search for careers (jobs) they have open.
The posting should tell you how to apply for the position. If not, try applying through the company’s website. A lot of companies are having applicants apply online.
Community Search: Explore what’s available in your community. Visit businesses with ‘Help Wanted’ or ‘Now Hiring’ signs.
Be aware that some places will have age restrictions on their positions. So do not be discouraged if you are turned down for a position you want. There will be others. Keep looking! Here is a list of companies that hire 14-17-year-olds.
Once you decide where to work, you can apply for the job.
How Do I Apply for a Job
There are two ways. Using a job application or a resume. A Job Application is a form or letter containing details of your qualifications, skills, and experience sent to an organization when applying for a position.
Side note: Nowadays most companies want you to apply online. Some of them will have a form for you to fill out, and you can also attach a resume if you have one. If you don’t have a resume, don’t worry; you can still apply.
Filling out the application
When filling out the application, answer all questions honestly. If you don’t know something, write ‘IDK,’ which means ‘I don’t know.’ If something doesn’t apply to you, write ‘NA,’ which means ‘non-applicable.’
Some applications may ask you for experience. In the Working World, anything related to the position you’re applying for can be seen as experience.
For example, if you’re applying for a Daycare Worker position at a local daycare, experience in babysitting your neighbor’s children or younger family members can be seen as experience in childcare. Add that to the experience section.
Tell everything you did while you babysat. Such as fixing snacks, acting as a referee during TV time, or even helping the little ones in the bathroom.
The application will ask where you worked. If your experience has been working for your uncle’s lawn care business during the summers, put down the name of the company. If the form asks for a person to contact, you would enter whoever was the person who was your boss.
If you did odd jobs for your neighbors or friends, add their names too. It can be as easy as The Jones Family or Robert and Sarah Jones.
