Teens: Finding Your First Job

If you’re a teenager looking for your first job, a good place to start is in your own neighborhood.  Many of your neighbors may have routine odd jobs like mowing the lawn, babysitting, even light housekeeping chores that you’d be perfect for.  You may also want to look into retail jobs, food services (yes, that’s a fancy term for flipping burgers), and errand services such as pizza delivery.  These jobs are good places to start a teen job search.

The trick is to act professionally, even if you’re only asking a neighbor if you can mow his or her lawn.  What does it mean to be professional?  Here are a few tips to help get you off on the right foot with any potential employer.

• Dress up, not down.  This is true whether you’re asking a neighbor for a job like babysitting or you’re trying to get that cool job at Abercrombie.  Leave the tongue rings and nose rings at home when applying for any type of job.
• Speak confidently.  You don’t have to have any experience to land your first job, but you do need to make an employer feel as if you can be trusted with responsibility.  So speak clearly and comfortably to show an employer you’re up to doing and trying anything.
• Look people in the eyes.  It’s hard to talk to strangers, especially when you’re nervous about applying for a job.  It doesn’t help that teenagers have a bad rep for being, well, less than reliable.  Looking people in the eyes will show that you’re confident and trustworthy.  This is easier said than done, so you may want to practice by looking in the mirror before going to apply for your first job.
• Take your time with any application you may have to fill out.  Definitely do not rush through and make a mess on an application.  When you’re anxious, it’s easy to rush and make mistakes that you have to cross out.  While this is entirely understandable, it can send a potential employer the wrong signal—that you don’t pay attention and will make mistakes on the job.
• Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver’s license, and any necessary work permits with you when you apply for your first job.  Many employers will want to see these to verify your age and eligibility for work.  They’re also necessary for an employer to make copies of if he or she decides to hire you—and hey, better to be prepared than not to be.  (Don’t you just hate it that Mom was right—again?)

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