Many high school seniors look for after school jobs to help pay for graduation expenses. Use these tips to help get an edge on the competition.
Senior year of high school can be a very expensive year. There are senior pictures, prom, senior trip, graduation invitations and a host of other expenses. If the student is college bound, there is also the expense of the ACT/SAT exams and college applications. Many high school students decide to work or their parents require that they work to help pay for these added expenses.
High school seniors are typically 17 or 18 years old and qualified to work many places. Nevertheless, competition can be stiff for part-time evening work. Students are competing not just with other high school students, but also college students and maybe even adults looking for a second job. So how can one get an edge on the competition?
- Have a resume - Many students are not aware that they need a resume or they don’t think it’s necessary for an after school job. Having a resume will let the potential employer know that you are serious about your job search and make it easier for him/her to get to know you and your qualifications for the job. Many students are intimated by resumes; however, creating a resume is not as difficult as you might think.
- Get others involved in your job search. - Some of the best jobs are found through “networking”. Networking is simply talking with people you know about your interest in finding an after school job. Begin by making a list of people you know - church members, mom and dad’s co-workers, neighbors, coaches and teachers. Now think of what you might say to them. If you say, “I’m looking for an after school job, do you know about any openings”, their response might simply be - no. But if you say, ‘This is my first time really looking for a job, do you have any suggestions or ideas to help me”, people will be more apt to help and actually develop an interest in your search. You’ll be surprised at the number of calls you’ll get telling you about potential job opportunities.
- Conduct informational interviews - So you really want to work at the library but you don’t think their hiring. Don’t give up just yet. An informational interview may help you get in the door. An informational interview is simply a conversation with a potential employer with the objective of gaining information about that organization and what potential opportunities might be available for you. This is not the same as calling to see if the company is hiring and/or accepting applications. If you say, “are you hiring”, the response will be yes or no, but if you say “I’m a high school student wanting to learn more about your organization”, someone will probably be willing to talk to you. Be sure to prepare your questions in advance and don’t be nervous. Most people are very friendly and eager to help. Some questions you might ask are - what’s a typical day like, what positions do high school students hold in your company, what would he/she look for in a candidate, and lastly, do they have anyone else they’d recommend you talk with. End with thanking them for taking the time to talk with you. Hopefully you will have learned quite a bit about the organization and potentially made another “networking” contact.
- Dress appropriately - Most students know to dress nicely for an interview, but many make the error of wearing the wrong thing when they go to pick up and/or drop off an application. For a job with McDonald’s you don’t need to wear your Sunday best, but make sure that you are clean, your clothes are neat and business casual (khakis - no jeans, nice shirt or blouse - no t-shirts, and casual shoes - no old sneakers).
- Send thank you notes - After an interview, and even an informational interview, be sure to send a simple thank you letter or note. Everyone considers their time to be valuable and your saying thank you will set you apart from the rest.
Remember, whether you’re looking for a part-time or a full-time job, be sure to put your best foot forward.
