How to help teenagers land their first job

As a career coach, I understand the importance of helping teenagers get their first job. A first job can set the tone for a young person's career and instill valuable life skills such as responsibility, time management, and financial independence. And equally, I regularly hear from teenagers and recent graduates that they found out in their first job what they definitely don't want to do in their future careers.

How did you get your first job? 

When I was 14 I walked into a retail store, and waited for the owner to finish serving a customer, before walking up to him and telling him why I wanted to work in his shop.  Primarily, it was my interest in sport and I also wanted to get a job so that I could avoid the farm work that my dad would find for me to do during the summer!

I introduced myself and told the shop owner what time I could start / finish work at (had to get public transport) and that I’d happily work for three trial days for free.  Within 24 hours, he called me to come in the following day. 

Many students and graduates get their first job over the summer holidays, and each summer I hear from parents who would love their children to start working, if only for just a few hours every week.  Those who take action and get talking with others will find that, opportunities open up and they will land a job, even if it’s for just a few hours a week initially.  Luck happens when you get out there and are visible. 

Start with some key questions

Help them start thinking about what kind of work they would you like to do? 

How many hours, and what hours, can they commit to? 

Is location an issue (especially if they are reliant on public transport or lifts to get to / from work)?  Encourage them to check out bus times so that they know what they can feasibly do.

Look ahead

Encourage them to identify jobs that they would like to do, and help them explore the type of skills needed to do those jobs.  Think about what they are going to do, or are doing, in college and what kind of work will develop their skills.  First jobs help showcase their skills and are often the basis for many internship or graduate interviews and a super way to create networks for future work.

Create a cv

Support teenagers to create a simple cv that showcases what they have done to date.  It doesn't need to be more than one page, but let it highlight their energy, interests, and initiative. Use templates in Microsoft Word or Canva to get started.

Ensure a good online presence

It's important to ensure that students have a clean and appropriate social media presence.  Tidy up any posts or comments that you are not proud of a future employer reviewing.  Make sure their WhatsApp image is appropriate.

Research

Keep an eye on job boards, Instagram, Facebook, and other advertisements, but don’t let them hide behind a phone or laptop. Most people get their first job through contacts or by putting themselves directly in front of business owners and managers.

Ask for help

Talk to family, uncles, aunts, friends, and neighbours to see if they know of opportunities at their workplace or have contacts that are worth checking in with.  If you have identified workplaces that regularly hire part-time staff, then encourage teenagers to talk with those that work there already and find out how they got their job and who is the best manager to talk with. Referrals for current staff are a great way to open the door.

Prepare a pitch

Help them prepare a short 10- to 15-second pitch that they can use, when walking into shops and businesses and handing in your CV. This is really important so that they can show how well they can communicate with others. Managers are much more willing to hire students without a work track record when they can show how great they communicate.   

Be persistent

Finding a first job can be challenging, but persistence is key. It's important to encourage them to apply for multiple opportunities, follow up with contacts, and stay positive throughout the process. Keeping themselves visible is also really important, as is following up and regularly letting others know that you are seeking work.  If they don't receive a positive response from an employer, its important to encourage them to ask for referrals or to be kept on file for future opportunities.

Check your phone, messages and email regularly

During my time as a Recruiter, it was amazing the number of students who only responded to phone messages and emails every few days. Employers and managers tend to hire young people quickly, so be responsive. Typically, managers will call a few people at a time, and if you don't respond quickly, then they'll move on.

Please share in the comments how you got your first, paying job so that you can inspire teenagers and students.