The Hunt For Cool Work Requires Persistence And Intelligence
Swishing down the slopes, selling clothes or fixing electronics prove teenagers can have fun jobs. Students can have fun, get creative and earn money all at the same time.
Landing an interesting job takes time, skill and maturity. There are many ways to get a job.
Travis Ward, 18, loves to ski so he took a skiing test at 49 Degrees North to get a job as a ski patroller. He passed, so they interviewed him for the job. He also got a job as ski instructor. To prepare for this job he had to take a first aid class. He went to three-hour classes twice a week for three months to learn first aid, but committing this time allowed him to get paid to do what he loves.
Another way to earn money is through self-marketing. Matt Taylor, 18, keeps himself busy with landscaping, technical repair and house/child sitting. He must keep a good reputation so people will tell their friends about his services. Word of mouth advertising is crucial.
In between his odd jobs, Taylor also works at Tomato Street. He had to fill out an application, send in a resume and a cover letter and master the interview.
When you’re looking for a job, don’t overlook friends in high places.
Courtney Wilkerson, 17, used to work at Safeway. She worked there for a year when she decided it was time to find another job. One of the clerks she worked with was friends with the manager at TJ Maxx. Courtney had a connection. She filled out an application and was hired.
Parents in companies can have a lot of influence, too.
Colleen Smith, 17, worked as a secretary for a mining company based out of Venezuela. Her mom is a vice president of a mining company and helped Colleen find a job. Colleen filed lists, typed documents and took phone calls.
Job fairs are also helpful in finding jobs. Sara Clements, 17, applied at the Eddie Bauer store. They recommended she go to a company job fair to meet more people and learn about the jobs available.
She met managers, and made herself known to officials in the company. This helped her get hired.
Sondra Bailey, 16, started working at Wonderland when she was 15. She applied and earned the position of birthday party hostess. She has worked there since. She has also applied to other companies, such as Express where they were impressed wtih her resume, they asked her to check back when they begin hiring for the summer. Hard work can pay off.
Teens looking for jobs, shouldn’t give up easily. Job hunting takes time and effort. Teens should think about what they like to do and try to find jobs that complement their interests and skills.
Teens with jobs say the key to finding a good job is staying aware of what companies are hiring, letting friends, relatives and neighbors know you are looking and attending job fairs.
xxxx 1. The pitfalls of teen jobs Money. Experience. The chance to meet new people. Having a job has lots of obvious benefits. But experts are now quick to warn that jobs also have a lot of hidden pitfalls for teenagers. These pitfalls are especially apparent among teens who work more than 20 hours a week, and include the potential to have more health problems, get in trouble with police and be prone to use alcohol and drugs. Seattle-based career counselor Susan Quattrociocchi has studied the issue of teen work for several years. She wrote “Smart Choices! About Teen Jobs” a guidebook designed to help teens and parents when the job search begins, and in it she suggests teens and parents: * Limit the number of hours at work to 15 to 20 per week. * Make sure there is time for school and homework * Find a job that relates to skills learned in school. * Find a job that will teach a variety of new skills. * Find a job that allows employees to rotate tasks and relate the work to career interests. * Find a job that allows contact with more skilled workers and management. * Find a job that provides interaction with different-aged workers. * Find a job that provides mentors.
2. Career Fair The Spokesman-Review’s Career Fair is tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Convention Center. In addition to meeting employers who are looking to hire, you can attend several seminars that can help you polish your job search skills. Two panel discussions are specifically designed to help teens find jobs. The first panel will meet from 11 to 11:50 a.m. and the second will meet from 5 to 6 p.m. For more information, call 459-5095.