Spring has sprung, and for many high school students, this marks the time of the year when lingering thoughts of summer jobs begin to settle in. Whether you are saving up for a car, looking for some extra spending money, or simply trying to gain some work experience, finding your first job can at times feel impossible. Many workplaces hesitate to hire teens without prior work experience, which can make the process of being hired for the first time feel like an uphill battle. However, as a senior who went through the process of getting hired at a part-time job with no work experience last year, it is safe to say I have learned a few key details that make all of the difference.

Around this time last year, I felt very discouraged in my ability to get hired. I wanted a job quickly but realized how hard it can be for companies to have interest in you – even as a cashier – without being hired at any job prior. When I began my quest to find a job, I would walk into different businesses, ask to speak with a manager and fill out an application on the spot. Although I was enthusiastic, I didn’t hear back from many places, and the ones I did hear back from told me to come back in a few weeks since they weren’t hiring at the time. The ongoing and repetitive cycle of finding new businesses to try and fill out the same applications over and over became excruciating and made me feel like I would never be hired anywhere.

After weeks of disappointment, I decided to adjust myself, putting a new emphasis on preparation and presentation. This is what I changed, and how it worked for me:

1. Creating a professional resume.

Despite never having been a company employee before, I still managed to put together an impressive resume and learned that so can anyone. In my resume, I included a list of my high school activities, such as being the ASB president, serving on our school’s Student Site Council, volunteer work, and more. Additionally, I listed relevant skills and certifications that me a qualified potential hireé, such as my GPA, being a licensed food handler, and having babysitting experience. These details, organized in a nicely designed, Canva-made document, showed potential employers that I was responsible and capable. Adding a professional-looking photo of myself as well as my contact information made it clear and easy to reach me, making me stand out even more.

2. Approaching each business with confidence

When I returned to some of the same businesses I had visited weeks prior, I didn’t simply ask to speak with a manager or if they were hiring. Instead, I introduced myself to the cashier, handed them my resume, and explained that I would be happy to interview and work as soon as possible. This extra bit of confidence showed those who would be taking my application to potential owners/managers of businesses that I was serious about being hired and willing to jump-start.

3. Acing the interview

Once I began getting called back for interviews, I knew that it was the last step that I had to nail. Through my experience being interviewed in ASB, I felt confident in this step from the start. Yet, some advice I would give to teenagers who might not have that experience is to be enthusiastic, friendly, and open, express your ability to work hard or be passionate about your work, and be flexible when asked about your availability. Casey Cho (12) explains that in her experience finding a job, it was a lot easier for her to get hired after her volleyball season was over, confessing that “when my availability changed from having bi-weekly practices to being completely free, that was when I started quickly hearing back from businesses.”

By making these changes, I landed my first job just over a week later and have remained working there for 8 months. Although my experience wasn’t always easy, it taught me a lot about persistence, preparation, and presentation. Natalia Soto (12) – another employed high school student – stated that “The best thing you can do when looking for a job is ‘focus on your locus’ and make sure you put your best foot forward,” and I couldn’t agree more.