Finding a part-time job while you are a high school student can be both exciting and scary. Knowing where to start can be difficult.
While you may not be eligible for our support to find a job while you’re studying, we’ve put together some of our top tips and advice to help high school students searching for their first part-time job.
When you’re reaching the end of your school journey, and are starting to look for full-time work, make sure you get in touch with us.
Think before you start
Before you start applying for jobs it’s good to take your time to explore your options. Your first job might help to work out what you do (or don’t) want to do in the future.
Make a list of all the places you think you would love to work. Once you have made a list of places you think might work for you, you could visit their website or social media pages to see if they have any information about how they hire people.
Resume ready
Now that you have a list of the types of jobs or places you’d like to work, it’s time to draw up a resume. As this is your first job you will not have any prior experience to list on your resume, and that’s okay! Your resume should list your education, activities outside school or any volunteer work you have completed.
Try to highlight the kinds of skills and values your future boss might look for. Perhaps you’ve been involved in a sporting team? That show’s commitment. Perhaps you’ve volunteered with school? That shows that you are community-minded. Perhaps your neighbour asks you to look after their pets while they go on holidays? That shows that you’re responsible and can be trusted.
Clean up social media pages
Your boss will probably look at your social media accounts of people they’re thinking of hiring – so it’s important that your look responsible and hireable. Delete any photos or posts that may not make you look like a reliable and trustworthy person. You should also check your privacy settings to make sure that only your friends can see your content.
Use your connections
A lot of jobs are found through word-of-mouth, so it is a great idea to ask around. Teachers, family, friends, coaches, parents of friends are great people to ask. Be vocal about searching for a job, you never know who might be able to help you. If your parents buy their bread at the same bakery each week or visit a café regularly, perhaps they could ask if you could do a work trial there?
Online search
There are countless job search sites online. Student Edge is one website that has a job search board that specialises in jobs for secondary and tertiary students. It is also useful to use several different job search sites as each will have different job postings. Some big businesses will also have a careers portal on their website.
Approach the business
Some businesses, especially small businesses, really value meeting face-to-face. Stand out from the sea of online resumes and go and hand yours in person. Make sure you wear smart clothes and are looking neat and tidy. Ask to speak to the owner or manager and be prepared for a job interview on the spot!
