Challenges of Seeking a First Job and How to Overcome Them
The current financial crisis and the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have worsened the already stressful job-hunting process. As businesses have only recently resumed hiring, the level of competition may be stiff. Thus, getting a job becomes increasingly challenging, especially for former students without experience.
Whether you are submitting a CV, attending an interview, or beginning your first internship, it is essential to stand out. Instead of simply completing the test task, go above and beyond all expectations. From your first day at a new job, make yourself the team member everyone seeks to work with. Here are some insights to help you stand out and secure your first employment.
How to Make a Resume for First Job
When thinking of how to make a resume for the first job, a high school student should think of impressing the employer with the skills they have. Creating a curriculum vitae (CV) is a straightforward process that is easily accomplished with little effort and attention to detail. With the proper techniques, you can craft a compelling resume for the first job that showcases your skills and experience in the best possible light.
Although a well-written résumé will not guarantee an interview at every company you apply to, it will increase your odds of attracting the attention of the correct hiring personnel. A lot goes into creating a first job resume, especially if you don’t have much experience to highlight.
Crafting a résumé involves several key steps, including identifying relevant information, organizing it clearly and concisely, and tailoring the content to the targeted job or industry. It is also essential to adhere to established formatting guidelines and follow the available first job resume examples. Make sure to proofread the document thoroughly to ensure accuracy and professionalism. You can also search the Web specifically for student job resume examples and look for a resume for high school student first job to guide you on the compositional dos and don’ts.
Write a Convincing Cover Letter
Creating a cover letter is an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. With keen attention to detail, you can craft a compelling cover letter highlighting your strengths and making a solid impression. The first paragraph of your cover letter should introduce you, your goals, and your skills. Most students fail to indicate what role they’re applying for in their cover letters, leading to their applications being overlooked. Thus, you can train your self-presentation skill by becoming a student ambassador and composing a well-written student ambassador job description as part of your experience.
Another standard cover letter error young graduates make is talking more about what they want than what they can offer. Recruiters know your reasons for applying but look at what kind of asset you can be for the company. So, your second cover letter paragraph should showcase your skills, process improvements, and group project leadership skills to deliver the right message to the HR manager.
In your final section, be transparent about why you need the job. Recruiters know you want the job, but they’ll take you more seriously if you’re eager and excited to discuss it. Sound confident and appreciated, but not desperate. Following these simple rules and taking the time to customize your letter to each job application might enhance your chances of getting an invitation for a job interview.
Prepare Your LinkedIn Profile
As an ambitious student, consider having an active LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a professional social network that provides career advice, networking, and job postings. You can’t browse it sometimes and hope to land the right job. An active LinkedIn presence is necessary for success. First, get a professional headshot to use as a profile picture. Ensure your photo and profile are public—a private LinkedIn is like awkwardly hiding in the corner at a networking event, hoping no one approaches you. For instance, if you’ve been working as a student assistant in your school library, you can post the student assistant job description in your profile as part of your skill set. From summary to keywords, your profile should accurately reflect your experience.
Next, join interest groups to network. Meeting new people is challenging. However, utilizing LinkedIn as a social media platform and connecting with friends overlooks significant networking opportunities. Start with your networks—college, internships, high school—and expand organically by interacting with others’ updates, joining new LinkedIn groups, and commenting and liking posts. This activity will improve your visibility and networking. While connecting with new people, write them a personalized message explaining why you wish to connect. Personal conversations generate more meaningful ties than generic “join my network” messages.
Where to Conduct Job Searches
Whether you are a continuing student seeking internship opportunities or a graduating student searching for an entry-level job, you can use several platforms to jumpstart your career. Let’s explore a few that you can use to your advantage.
Student Job Board
You can visit the job corps student portal and search for the available opportunities that you can embrace to sharpen your skills and build your network and working experience.
Social Media Pages
As mentioned above, keeping a healthy network on social media and in real life is crucial. As you network, you strategically share your skills and talents, and one of your friends and connections might share a job opening that suits you. You can even join platforms that share job vacancies and enhance your chances of landing your first job.
The Internet
You might be surprised what a simple search with keywords like “job resume for high school student” can produce. Some employers use these keywords to target the type of employees they aim for to ease the headhunting process. Additionally, you can subscribe to job alerts for your preferred employment types by setting up specific search criteria like “fun job for college student.”
Local Job Boards
Job advertisement boards and platforms in nearly every city or town publicize entry jobs. Sometimes, job ads are displayed in the cafeteria and shop windows. So, keep a keen eye out for opportunities that suit your skills and talents.
Conclusion
Getting ready for a first job is thrilling, and there is no need to stress over the details if you follow the advice shared above. As you search for a first job, it is essential to ask yourself, “how many hours is a part-time job for a student?” Clarity about the optimal work-study balance will help you plan your routines well-scheduled so that they don’t overlap or affect your productivity.
Knowing what you want is crucial, but being realistic is also a plus. Think of the first job as a stepping stone to a future career. Even if it’s not your dream job, it will provide experience and transferable skills that can be utilized in any future endeavor.
