10 Tips To Help Your Children Land Their First Job
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Landing your first job is a huge challenge and a rite of passage. We all wish that we could hand that opportunity to our kids on a silver platter, but it isn’t always that easy. The good news is, we can help them do everything they can to be prepared when the right job comes along. With a few tips and tricks, you can help your child get hired for the best job possible.
10 Tips To Help Your Children Land Their First Job
1.Pump Up Their Resume
Resumes are mHelp Your Children Land Their First Jobore than just a list of past work experiences.
A thought out, well-designed resume is like an introduction video for employers. It gives them an idea of who you are, what you are capable of, and what you will bring to their company. Unfortunately, most entry-level positions available to young people only require a job application.
That doesn’t mean your kid shouldn’t start developing their resume! Help them find a simple, easily readable template to fill in. Until they get their first paid job, you’ll have to be creative with what you include.
Anything that shows work ethic and dedication is a good start. They should include extracurricular activities, like sports or music. Any kind of accolade or award should be included, as well. Once they have more experience, those types of entries can be weeded from their resume.
2. Clean Up Their Social Media Presence
Employers check social media before hiring someone. That’s just the reality of the digital age. Help your child control their digital reputation by cleaning up their social media accounts.
Social profiles should be clean, factual, and appropriate. If your kid doesn’t want to delete every questionable photo, help them change their privacy settings to control what the public sees, or doesn’t see.
3. Have Them Volunteer
Charity, in its many forms, is beneficial to us and our communities. For young people, it has the added perk of offering work experience. Volunteering will bulk up your child’s resume and teach them valuable skills. It’s also a great way to try a variety of career paths.
4. Create a Digital Portfolio
A digital portfolio will help your child elaborate on their resume. It is like a mini-interview, answering basic questions that may come up due to their lack of work experience. When your child applies to a job, they can follow up with their digital portfolio.
This can be in the form of a website, a Google presentation, or even a PDF. The key is to focus on specific projects or experiences that will make them a good fit for the job to which they are applying.
5. Teach Them Professionalism
Professionalism is a trait, but also a skill that must be learned. You can help your child by teaching them the meaning of professionalism, and why it matters, from a young age. Encourage them to shake hands when they meet a new adult.
Teach them how to dress for professional functions. Explain the difference between casual and formal language. If your kid has mastered professionalism, they will stand out in an interview
6. Teach Them to Network
Who we know can sometimes be more important than what we know. If you really want to help your teen get a job, teach them about networking.
They may want to reach to reach out to some of your professional contacts, or they may need advice on how to make those contacts for themselves. Remind them that “networking” isn’t about finding someone that will hand them a job.
It’s about knowing people who will think of you when a good opportunity arises. They will still have to work for it, but they will be more likely to be in the right place at the right time.
7. Do Mock Interviews
Speaking of interviews, a great way to help your child land a job is by preparing them for the interview process. Let’s be honest, interviews are stressful even for seasoned professionals. The more of them you do, the more comfortable they get.
Help prepare your kid by holding some mock interviews. Ask them common interview questions and help them prepare their answers. Even better, enlist a friend to interview your kid!
8. Play to Their Strengths
As your child builds up their resume, help them analyze their best attributes and skills. When they are looking at jobs, make sure they have the skills for that job.
A kid who can’t swim would probably not be hired as a lifeguard, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be a great camp counsellor!
Even little things like teaching your child to save their money can end up with them having an interest in banking or accounting. As your child looks for their first golden opportunity, make sure it makes sense for them.
9. Research Job Options
One of the most overlooked ways to help a child land a job is research. Just like their strengths, their personality and interests will make them better suited for some jobs over others.
If your kid finds a position that is a perfect fit, they will have a better chance of getting hired. Talk to them about their interests, values, and needs; then help them find matching opportunities.
There are so many jobs available for young people, a little research will open up a lot of doors. We’d say it makes sense to begin researching for jobs at 15 years old as that’s when many states allow teens to work with a permit.
10. Be a Cheerleader!
Your kid’s first job hunt may take a while. In the meantime, make sure that you are their number one supporter! Rejection will really slow their momentum, so be sure that you are ready to boost their confidence.
Help them reflect on interviews and missed opportunities to see how they have grown. Share your own job search experiences, too!
Getting your first job is both challenging and thrilling. You can help your child land that job with a little preparation and a lot of patience. With your love and support, your child will find the perfect job for them!
Byline:
Ron Stefanski is the founder of JobsForTeensHQ.com and has a passion for helping teenagers find jobs. He created the website because he feels that teenagers need to focus on their professional passions much earlier in life and aims to teach them how they can do that. When he’s not working on his website, Ron is a college professor and loves to travel the world.
