Youth Bureau July Newsletter

5 Reasons to Look For A Summer Job

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

It may be tempting to take the summer off and relax, but looking for a job will give you helpful life skills. Finding a job may be hard, but the search will be worth it. Jobs are out there.

Even if you don't land the job you want, you'll still gain these skills from the process:

You'll develop your interview skills. The more jobs you apply for, the better you'll get at interviewing. Learning to interview well is an important lifelong skill. It can help you get into college and even land a full-time job.
You'll get better at coping with rejection. You may not get the first job you interview for. Rejection happens in life and it can be hard to handle. The more we face rejection, the easier it becomes to move forward and bounce back.
You'll learn something about yourself. If you get a job that wasn't your first choice, you might discover a new skill or interest. If you need to save money, you may learn that commitment is necessary to reach your goals. If nothing works out? You may decide to start your own business.
You'll push the limits of your comfort zone. It's a lot easier to sit at home doing the same things. But job-hunting can push you out of your comfort zone. Experiencing new things can make you more productive and you might even have fun!
You'll feel good about yourself. The self-confidence you can build at work will help when you are back in school, applying for college, and getting a job after high school.

If you're thinking about a summer job, apply. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. And if you don't get a job, volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience. It looks favorable on résumés for college applications or future jobs.

If you need help writing a résumé to apply for a job, search online. A number of websites offer free tips.

View article HERE

First Resume With No Work Experience

By: Alison Doyle

Writing your first-ever resume is a challenge. How do you sell yourself to an employer when you’re a student who doesn’t have any experience in your targeted field?

When writing your first resume with no work experience, it's appropriate to include casual jobs like babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, and shoveling snow. You can also include volunteering, internships, and school and community activities.

All experience counts, and the best way you present yourself, your skills, and your assets to a hiring manager is to provide them with a strong resume that showcases your own unique talents.

Writing Your First Resume

To get started, review information on the different parts of a resume and what is included in each element. It's a good idea to review high school resume examples to get an idea of what is appropriate. Even if you've never held a formal job, you still have important life experience that's applicable to the job search.

Don't forget to look at volunteer work, civic groups, and youth organizations (for example, the Scouts or 4-H). The skills you have developed doing these things have given you valuable experience that will impress employers.

The bottom line is that you actually have a lot more experience than you think you have. Writing your first resume can seem intimidating, but if you take it step-by-step, you will be able to put together a document that will highlight your abilities and show the hiring manager that you're worth calling for an interview.

How To Get Your Resume Noticed

Start by mining your life experience and academic achievements to show that you'll be an asset to the company, despite the fact that you don't have any related job titles to show off at this stage in your career.

For your first resume, take the soft skills (also known as “people skills”) you have and show how they translate into success where you choose to apply them. Include volunteer experience, school achievements, sports, clubs, and organizations you belong to.

Scan the job descriptions for the positions to which you're applying. Look for keywords that indicate what the hiring manager values in a candidate.

For example, the job listing might say, "Successful candidate will be a self-starter who delivers on time and on budget." In that case, despite the fact that you don't have relevant work experience in the same field, you can get the hiring manager's attention by being sure to include (and emphasize) projects that you've successfully led, such as high school clubs in which you held a leadership role that required you to manage both your time and the team's money.

Other “people skills” that employers often seek in entry-level job applicants include traits like dependability, good communication and organizational skills, a solid work ethic, and teamwork.

If you start with the job listings instead of with the blank page, the hiring manager's keywords will guide you, and help you focus on which of your academic or after-school experiences have prepared you for this first step in your career.

Tips Preparing Your First Resume

Don't lie. No matter how tempting it might be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a bad idea. You might make it through this round of interviews and even get the job, but you won't be able to deliver on the promises your resume offered. Plus, you'll probably be caught—and fired.2
Don't pad. You don't need to include the line "references upon request," or personal information beyond your contact information, or a bunch of unrelated hobbies. In fact, there's a lot of stuff you don't need to put on your resume, even when it's your first one.
Proofread. Nothing is less persuasive than a resume full of typos and inconsistencies. Have a trusted friend or family member proofread your resume before you submit it.

Click HERE to read full article and access resume template

Do you work with youth in St. Lawrence County and would like to be able to network with other youth-serving organizations, programs, and professionals? We offer virtual quarterly meetings which offer great networking opportunities. Email Alexa Backus Chase for more information ABackus@stlawco.org or call the Youth Bureau at 315.379.9464.