Emory

Students looking to apply for a part-time job will have to fill out an application form.

As upperclassmen reach their first major accomplishment of getting a driver’s license, most might start working for the next goal – a part-time job. Whether the reason is because of their parent’s demands, an experience to put on their resume, or free items at whatever establishment they choose to work at, it can be overwhelming when not knowing where to start. The initial job application process – finding the desired establishment and drafting a resume – can be explained through these steps. 

Crumbl, Brandy Melville, Nekter – wherever the desired place of work may be, you must first check their website for the required age to apply. Most part-time places accept job applications starting at 16; however, there are a few cases where they start accepting at 17, like Blue Scoop Creamery, or 18, like Petco. Then once you do get hired, you must get a working permit signed from your school. Also, keep in mind to not apply at every establishment that is hiring teenagers. Consider the location from your house, your desired work environment, and what you wish to get out of the experience. Getting hired from a job is a real responsibility and commitment that you cannot easily back out of. 

Once you have a list of establishments that you want and can apply to, the actual application process begins. While some places might have a list of questions they want you to answer, like Clean Juice, some simply require a resume. Whether a resume is required or not, it is a great idea for high school students to start drafting one. Not only is it saving time for future use, it can be used for applying to other extracurricular activities, or just serve as practice. Once you start a resume, you will not have to continually make a new document; you can simply remove or add new experiences as you see fit. 

Writing a resume is not as daunting as it sounds. Google Docs provides a multitude of resume templates you can choose and modify from. However, make sure that headings are bolded and the content is in concise bullet point form; employers do not want – or have the time – to be reading an essay. 

Firstly, a resume should include your name, address, phone number, and email at the top. Next, include a list of skills and abilities. No matter who you are, you have a list of skills or abilities that will prove beneficial to employers. Skills can be divided into two categories – technical and soft skills. Technical, also called hard skills, would resemble something like being bilingual, customer service, or social media(Investopedia). Soft skills, which will very likely comprise most of a high school student’s resume, would be something like organizational skills, teamwork, or time management.

Then, include experiences and education. Experiences for students can include volunteering, being a club board member, or tutoring. (And if you think your experience was too short or minimal to be written on a resume, make sure to bring it up in your interview!) For education, add the school name and your class year. If you have taken other out-of-school classes, feel free to include it under this category. Add brief explanations for what you did with these activities, and don’t forget to add the place and time period you have done these tasks. 

Finally, the extracurricular activities and awards/recognition section. Being part of a sports team or the student council would be a great addition to the extracurriculars section. Most students will not have a list of awards/recognition to be put on resumes, but if you do, include the date and place. Once you have drafted your first resume, do not forget to read it over multiple times and ask others to proofread it. Nothing deters employers from applicants like typos on resumes. 

After submitting your application along with your resume (which you have proofread multiple times), keep your eye out for emails, phone calls, or voicemails. What you think was an annoying spam call could have been an employer asking for an interview. 

Though putting your first step forth into the “adult world” seems unnerving, many students feel excitement and eagerness. Faith Alam (11), for example, thinks, “For a while now, I have been looking forward to getting a job. Even though others might disagree, having a job sounds very exciting, and I feel that I would gain plenty of valuable experience from it. That being said, the application process has always seemed overbearing to me.” Getting a job as a high school student is hugely beneficial in terms of real-world skills you will earn; do not be discouraged by the intimidating appearance of the application process.