JobDoggy

Summer Job Advice from Great Minds

kspence — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:43:17 +0000

Looking for some inspiration to fuel your summer job search – or maybe just a yearbook quote?

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

It was Benjamin Franklin who imparted this wisdom originally. That’s what they say, anyway, though there’s no proof. But, Ben, if it was you, thanks, man, because we needed an impactful quote to lead off this article and, more importantly, we needed a way to remind pupils of any age that student jobs and summer jobs, even when an internship, literally can yield a big payout if it teaches you something.

Flash forward from the “penny saved, penny earned” days of Ben Franklin. There’s this dude, Walker Percy, who said, “You can get all As and still flunk life.” And this chick, Lily Tomlin, who said, “I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.” And another dude named John Dewey who said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”

The conventional wisdom is that you learn how to live life by living it. While at school, learn everything you can about learning. Then when you’re let out of school for the day – or for the summer – or forever – take what you learned about learning and apply it to how you’re living your life.

And that’s where the summer job takes on a greater meaning.

We tell job seekers who are college or advanced-degree students seeking a job much the same thing we tell teenage job seekers, who are students, as well (or better be!). And that is, take what you’re interested in or what you love and build on it. If all else fails, bite the bullet in the name of character building. You learn more from mistakes than successes. And sometimes by doing something you hate, you’re able to validate what you love. Then begin to build on this new foundation.

When you work at something you love, or at least something that might ultimately lead you to work at something you love, you’re learning how to maximize your potential and live a more fulfilling life. As they say, do what you love and the money will follow. And that, as they say, you can take to the bank. It could begin with your next summer job…

The Five Best Campus Jobs

kspence — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:12:38 +0000

Depending on your state and your financial aid package, you may or may not be able to score a job on campus. If you’re lucky enough to get one, you’ll have an awesome job within walking distance from the dorm that pays a decent wage. Here are the best campus jobs for students.

Library: There has never been a time in history when anyone has checked out a book from a college campus and the person at the desk wasn’t 50 pages into their reading assignment for biology. This is the perfect job for multitaskers: all you do is scan barcodes with lasers and catch up on your homework.

Tour Guide: Incoming freshmen will worship the ground you walk on, because you’ll know the ins and outs of your entire campus. This student job might involve a lot of deodorant if you’re working during the summer months, but other than that, what could you complain about?

Tutoring: By your junior or senior year in college, tutoring opportunities might be an opportunity for you if you’re a teacher’s assistant. You’ll likely be in the lab of whatever your major is, helping out scared freshmen with research papers, math problems or photosynthesis equations.

Mascot: There are some pretty competitive auditions for this job, but if you get it, you’ll snag free admission to every game. Plus, it’s almost completely anonymous, so you don’t even have to tell people where you disappear to every Saturday afternoon.

Info Desk: Much like the library, you’ll be able to sneak in extra study time with the added benefit of being the most helpful face on campus. Also, depending on your mood, you could entertain yourself by giving difficult directions to people who are rude to you.

Entry-Level Seasonal Jobs

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:28:41 +0000

Who would have thought that the best job advice could come from one of the most ubiquitous songs in movie history. In 1965, Julie Andrews sung “let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.” If you’re stuck in a rut with your job search for a seasonal job, there’s no better advice than what Maria offered up to the children Von Trapp in “Do-Re-Mi” during the classic, “The Sound of Music.”

Start at the very beginning with an entry-level job, because it’s a very good place to start. Sometimes a successful job search means being willing to take two steps forward and one step back. Applying for positions slightly under your qualification level will make you shine among the competition. If you have lead cashier experience, think about applying for an entry-level cashier job. You’ll bring more experience than other applicants, which means you’ll need less training. Less training is extremely appealing to a hiring manager looking to hire and train a bunch of people in a short timeframe.

But be careful. You want to be sure you don’t apply for a job significantly under your skill set. If you have 15 years of management experience and you’re applying for a cashier job you probably won’t be considered. This is the dangerous “over-qualified” area some fall into during their job search. Being over-qualified means a hiring manager isn’t able to pay you what you’re worth, and that you’ll be bored in the job.

Job seekers often make excuses about being willing to take “any job,” but realistically someone significantly over-qualified for a job is much more likely to become restless and quit when something more attractive or higher paying comes around. Hiring and training new employees is costly, so hiring managers avoid hiring over-qualified candidates into entry-level jobs whenever possible.

Making your Seasonal Job Last

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:13:40 +0000

Four tips to keep your holiday job all year

You may have set out on your seasonal job search knowing you were just looking for something to turn into a year-round job, or you might have discovered half-way through the season that you just really enjoy the work. It doesn’t matter what your reason for wanting to stay is, you’re going to need a strategy to make it happen. Strategy is important because many of the most popular companies out there still only plan to keep on around 10-percent of their seasonal employees after January.

Here are four tips that will keep you on the job long after the holidays are over.

Make time: When everyone is off for winter break, it’s not hard for managers to find people to work. When the vacation is over, day time shifts will be harder to fill. To keep your name in the running for a year-round position, you’ll need to make room in your schedule. Day-time availability is hard to come by, so if you’ve got it you’ll be a hot commodity.

Expand your horizons: Sometimes sticking around is just a matter of differentiating yourself from the competition. What better way than to give them two employees for the price of one. If you can learn how to do multiple positions by cross-training in other departments you’ll definitely stand out. You can start by answering simple questions for customers in the department closest to yours. Be sure not to stray too far, because you don’t want to neglect your actual job. Helping out other employees will get you on their good side and help you start the “so what else do I need to know” conversation. You’ll be able to demonstrate your ability to learn new skills quickly and make yourself look better in the process.

Play nice: Don’t let yourself become just another face in the crowd of seasonal employees. Make friends, get to know people, introduce yourself to managers. When the hiring managers are trying to make the difficult decision about who to keep around, they’ll ask the people who worked closest to you for their opinion. You want to make sure their opinion of you is a good one.

Plan B: No matter what you do, there’s always a chance you’ll come up short. Since there are no guarantees, you’ll want to have a back-up plan. You can start by scouting out the competition. You’ve already got valuable skills to add to your resume that are nearly identical to what similar companies will be working for. You can also keep in touch with former co-workers and managers, and check in with them periodically throughout the year about any available opportunities.

Tax Preparer Jobs

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:49:09 +0000

Every year there’s one job that tons of people write-off (pun intended) or just flat out forget about. Everyone belly aches from Jan. 1 until April 15 about the check they’ll be writing to Uncle Sam so it’s anyone’s guess why they overlook their neighborhood tax preparer. We’re not talking about accountants, that job requires a CPA certification. Tax preparers are awesome full-time jobs that can fill the gap between your seasonal job and whatever comes next.

Tax season may not be as big or popular as the holidays, but it’s a season all the same and every season brings some kind of job along with it. Tax preparers work for companies like Liberty Tax and H&R Block. They go through a brief training period with a general overview of tax law. Their main goal is to help every customer maximize their refund from the state and federal government.

Without tax preparers, nearly 100,000 Americans don’t file (or don’t file correctly) their tax returns every year. That’s unclaimed money, nearly $1.3 billion. Tax preparers help put that money back in the bank accounts of hard working Americans, and who doesn’t want to do that?

How to Tie a Tie

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:23:11 +0000

If someone asks you “what’s the most important part of your job interview attire?“, what would you answer? The suit? The shirt? The shoes? Perhaps. But did you know that the tie, to your outfit, is what the focal point is to a picture?

The shirt is the canvas and the suit is the frame. Change the frame on a picture and no one notices, change the picture in a frame and you can change the look of an entire room. That’s why it’s important for your tie to enhance your look, not detract from it.

Buying The Right tie

To begin with, you first need a quality tie made of 100% pure silk to accomplish that job. As a male, you are generally expected to wear a plain colored, non-distracting tie with your interview suit, e.g. in a dark red or dark blue color.

However, simply buying the most expensive tie you can find in town won’t just leave that ‘most-favorable’ impression you are looking for. People judge your capabilities by how you look. A crooked tie projects a sloppy look and says the same about your skills and abilities. Therefore, it’s important to focus on the tie knot as well.

Tying the Four in Hand Knot

The most useful tie knot to know for starters is the Four in Hand. It’s somewhat narrow and slightly asymmetrical in form and looks just about perfect with any standard button-down shirt.

To tie it, you would stand in front of a mirror with your tie hanging loosely around your neck. Now, there are two ends to a tie: One that’s wide that we’re going to call “A” and a rather narrow one that we’re going to call “B”. The wide end “A” should extend about 12 inches below narrow end “B”.

To begin, cross the wide end “A” over narrow the end “B”. Then turn the wide end “A” back underneath the narrow end “B”. Continue by bringing the wide end “A” back over in front of the narrow end “B” again. Afterwards, pull the wide end “A” up and through the loop around your neck.

Next, hold the front of the knot loosely with your index finger and bring the wide end “A” down through the front loop. Finally, remove your finger and tighten the knot carefully to your dress shirt’s collar by holding on to the narrow end “B” and sliding the knot up.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, don’t worry! Rather check out the colored diagrams at http://www.tie-a-tie.net/fourinhand.html which might be quite helpful to you!

Once you’ve tied the knot make sure that the widest part of your tie hangs roughly at the same height as the upper edge of your leather belt. And the belt, of course, should match the color of your shoes!

The Benefits of tie Accessories

Another item you should consider buying besides your tie is something called a tie accessory. tie accessories come in the form of tie bars, clips, tacks and chains. Their main purpose is to hold your tie in place at all times and prevent it from getting in your way when you eat, work or play. From my personal experience, I would recommend a classic silver tie bar.

During a job interview a tie accessory comes in especially handy. That’s because without one, your tie would move around as you greet your interviewer or when you shift in your seat. Subconsciously, you would reach down to adjust your tie and straighten it out but such little things would make you feel even more nervous than you already are.

Conclusion

So, here’s a quick summary of what I recommend you do before going to your next job interview:

Buy a quality, conservative, 100% pure silk tie.
Practice how to tie the Four in Hand tie knot and make sure that the tie’s widest end is roughly at the upper edge of your belt.
Use a tie bar to attach your tie to your dress shirt.

Remember – wearing a quality silk tie, properly tied and fastened, is probably the fastest way there is to improving your overall job interview appearance and doubling your chances of leaving a favorable impression. Enjoy the interview!

© 2003 by Caspar Isemer
Caspar Isemer is the founder and editor of http://www.tie-a-tie.net where he helps hundreds of college students and young professionals each and every day to master the skill of how to tie a tie.

Minimum Wage Laws

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:46:17 +0000

Note: Where Federal and state law have different minimum wage rates, the higher standard applies.

Minimum Wage and Overtime Premium Pay Standards Applicable to Nonsupervisory NONFARM Private Sector Employment Under State and Federal Laws January 1, 2008 ¹

Alabama

No state minimum wage laws.

Alaska

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 8; Weekly: 40

Under a voluntary flexible work hour plan approved by the Alaska Department of Labor, a 10 hour day, 40 hour workweek may be instituted with premium pay after 10 hours a day instead of after 8 hours.

The premium overtime pay requirement on either a daily or weekly basis is not applicable to employers of fewer than 4 employees.

American Samoa

American Samoa has special minimum wage rates.

Arizona

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.90

Rate is increased annually based upon a cost of living formula.

Arkansas

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.25
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Applicable to employers of 4 or more employees

California

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $8.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 8; Over 12 (double time); Weekly: 40; 7th day: First 8 hours (time and half); Over 8 hours (double time)

Overtime is due after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week unless an alternative workweek of no more than 4 days of 10 hours was established prior to 7/1/99.

Premium pay on 7th day not required for employee whose total weekly work hours do not exceed 30 and whose total hours in any one work day thereof do not exceed 6, in specific wage and hour orders.

Colorado

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.02
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 12; Weekly: 40

Minimum wage rate and overtime provisions applicable to retail and service, commercial support service, food and beverage, and health and medical industries.

Connecticut

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.65
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

In restaurants and hotel restaurants, for the 7th consecutive day of work, premium pay is required at time and one half the minimum rate.

The Connecticut minimum wage rate automatically increases to 1/2 of 1 percent above the rate set in the Fair Labor Standards Act if the Federal minimum wage rate equals or becomes higher than the State minimum.

Delaware

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15

The Delaware minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

Disctrict of Columbia

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

In the District of Columbia, the rate is automatically set at $1 above the Federal minimum wage rate if the District of Columbia rate is lower.

Florida

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.79

Georgia

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.15

Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act when the Federal rate is greater than the State rate.

Guam

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Hawaii

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

An employee earning a guaranteed monthly compensation of $2,000 or more is exempt from the State minimum wage and overtime law.

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act unless the State wage rate is higher than the Federal.

Idaho

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

Illinois

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.50
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Applicable to employers of 4 or more employees, excluding family members

Indiana

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Applicable to employers of 2 or more employees

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Iowa

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.25

The Iowa minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

Kansas

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $2.65
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 46

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Kentucky

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40; 7th day

The 7th day overtime law, which is separate from the minimum wage law differs in coverage from that in the minimum wage law and requires premium pay on the seventh day for those employees who work seven days in any one workweek.

The state adopts the Federal minimum wage rate by reference if the Federal rate is greater than the State rate.

Compensating time in lieu of overtime is allowed upon written request by an employee of any county, charter county, consolidated local government, or urban-county government, including an employee of a county-elected official.

Louisiana

There is no state minimum wage law.

Maine

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The Maine minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum with the exception that any such increase is limited to no more than $1.00 per hour above the current legislated State rate.

Maryland

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The Maryland minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum wage rate.

Massachusetts

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $8.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The Massachusetts minimum wage rate automatically increases to 10 cents above the rate set in the Fair Labor Standards Act if the Federal minimum wage equals or becomes higher than the State minimum.

Michigan

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act unless the State wage rate is higher than the Federal.

Minnesota

For large employer (enterprise with annual receipts of $625,000 or more):

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 48

For small employer (enterprise with annual receipts of less than $625,000):

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.25
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 48

Mississippi

No state minimum wage law.

Missouri

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.65
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

In addition to the exemption for federally covered employment, the law exempts, among others, employees of a retail or service business with gross annual sales or business done of less than $500,000.

Premium pay required after 52 hours in seasonal amusement or recreation businesses.

Minimum wage is to be increased or decreased by a cost of living factor starting January 1, 2008 and every January 1 thereafter.

Montana

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.25
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Minimum wage is subject to a cost of living adjustment done by September 30 of each year and effective on January 1 of the following year.

Nebraska

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

Applicable to employers of 4 or more employees

Nevada

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.33
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 8; Weekly: 40

The premium overtime pay requirement on either a daily or weekly basis is not applicable to employees who are compensated at not less than one and one-half times the minimum rate or to employees of enterprises having a gross annual sales volume of less than $250,000.

The basic hourly rate may remain at $5.30 when the employer offers the employee a qualified health plan.

New Hampshire

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.50
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The New Hampshire minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

New Jersey

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

New Mexico

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.50
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

New York

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

The New York minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

North Carolina

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Premium pay is required after 45 hours a week in seasonal amusements or recreational establishments.

North Dakota

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Ohio

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.00
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Oklahoma

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

Employers of ten or more full time employees at any one location and employers with annual gross sales over $100,000 irrespective of number of full time employees.

The Oklahoma state minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the state adopts the Federal minimum wage rate by reference.

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Oregon

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.95
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Premium pay required after 10 hours a day in nonfarm canneries, driers, or packing plants and in mills, factories or manufacturing establishments (excluding sawmills, planning mills, shingle mills, and logging camps).

Beginning January 1, 2004, and annually thereafter, the rate will be adjusted for inflation by a calculation using the U.S. City Average Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for All Items. The wage amount established will be rounded to the nearest five cents.

Pennsylvania

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Puerto Rico

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $4.10
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 8; And on statutory rest day (double time); Weekly: 40; (double time)

Employers covered by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are subject only to the Federal minimum wage and all applicable regulations. Employers not covered by the FLSA will be subject to a minimum wage that is at least 70 percent of the Federal minimum wage or the applicable mandatory decree rate, whichever is higher. The Secretary of Labor and Human Resources may authorize a rate based on a lower percentage for any employer who can show that implementation of the 70 percent rate would substantially curtail employment in that business.

Puerto Rico also has minimum wage rates that vary according to the industry. These rates range from a minimum of $4.25 to $7.25 per hour.

Rhode Island

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.40
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Time and one-half premium pay for work on Sundays and holidays in retail and certain other businesses is required under two laws that are separate from the minimum wage law.

South Carolina

No state minimum wage law.

South Dakota

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

Tennessee

No state minimum wage law.

Texas

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Texas State minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the State adopts the Federal minimum wage rate by reference.

Utah

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

The Utah state minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the state law authorizes the adoption of the Federal minimum wage rate via administrative action.

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Vermont

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $7.68
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Applicable to employers of two or more employees

The State overtime pay provision has very limited application because it exempts numerous types of establishments, such as retail and service; seasonal amusement/recreation; hotels, motels, restaurants; and transportation employees to whom the Federal (FLSA) overtime provision does not apply.

The Vermont minimum wage is automatically replaced with the Federal minimum wage rate if it is higher than the State minimum.

Beginning January 1, 2007, and on each subsequent January 1, the minimum wage rate shall be increased by five percent or the percentage increase of the Consumer Price Index, or city average, not seasonally adjusted.

Virginia

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.85

Applicable to employers of 4 or more employees

The Virginia state minimum wage law does not contain current dollar minimums. Instead the state adopts the Federal minimum wage rate by reference.

The State law excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Virgin Islands

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.15
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Daily: 8; Weekly: 40; On 6th and 7th consecutive days.

Washington

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $8.07
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Premium pay not applicable to employees who request compensating time off in lieu of premium pay.

Beginning January 1, 2001, and annually thereafter, the rate will be adjusted for inflation by a calculation using the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers for the prior year.

West Virginia

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.55
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Applicable to employers of 6 or more employees at one location

Wisconsin

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $6.50
Premium Pay After Designated Hours ²: Weekly: 40

Wyoming

Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $5.15

¹ Like the Federal wage and hour law, State law often exempts particular occupations or industries from the minimum labor standard generally applied to covered employment. Particular exemptions are not identified in this table. Users are encouraged to consult the laws of particular States in determining whether the State’s minimum wage applies to a particular employment. This information often may be found at the websites maintained by State labor departments. Links to these websites are available at www.dol.gov/esa/contacts/state_of.htm.

² The overtime premium rate is one and one-half times the employee’s regular rate, unless otherwise specified.

Sample Resume

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:44:40 +0000

Christopher Jobs

1234 West Street, Any town, AZ 85304 | (555) 555-5555 | resume@jobdoggy.com

Objective

I’m a high school student with great leadership skills and customer service experience who’s looking for a challenging summer job.

Experience

Summer 2008 | A&C Logistics | Any town, AZ
Call Center Representative

Provided excellent customer service in a high-volume call center.
Handled highest call volume 2 months in a row.

2008-Present | Any High School Student Council | Any town, AZ
Class Senator

Responsible for planning quarterly pep rallies for 2,000 students.
Led school-wide food donation drive that collected 1,000 pounds of food for the local food bank.

Education

2000-Present | Any High School | Any town, AZ

Maintaining a grade point average of 3.7
Active member of Student Council
DECA state winner

10 Hot Resume Tips

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:36:22 +0000

Creating a resume, especially if it’s your first, can be tough. We’ll answer the top 10 questions teens ask about resumes.

1. So… what is a resume anyway?
A resume is a list of your past work experience and skills. Your goal is to impress the hiring manager enough to give you an interview. Think of it as an advertisement for yourself.

2. How do I know what to put in my resume?
The essentials are: your name, address, phone number, email, education and relevant work experience. The key word is relevant. Don’t mention every babysitting job and basketball trophy you’ve ever gotten. Think about what the employer wants to see and focus on just those things. Your resume should fit on one page.

3. What if I’m still working on my high school or college degree?
You can say something like:

Currently a junior at Idlewild High School

Bachelor of Arts in English anticipated June 2011

4. What if I never had any “real” paid jobs to include?
Even odd jobs are real jobs! Include them and give yourself a job title.
For example:

Child care provider, self-employed
Landscaping services (self-employed)

Be sure to add “Customer references available on request” and be prepared to provide contact information for people you worked for. First ask your references if it’s okay to give out their phone number before applying for the job opening!

5. What if I don’t have any work experience?
If you’re applying for your first job, think about other relevant experience you may have. Have you ever volunteered for an organization? Helped out at your church? Watched your neighbors’ pets while they were on vacation? Anything that shows you’re responsible, motivated and hard-working.

6. No, seriously. I don’t have anything to put on my resume. What do I do?
First, don’t make anything up. That’s just shady and you’re going to get caught. The best way to get some quick experience is to do volunteer work. Pick an organization you’re interested in that will let you develop some career-related skills. For instance, nonprofits are always looking for help in the office with answering phones and updating computer records.

7. What information do I include for each job?
Resume formats vary, but you should always include the position you held, name of employer, location of employer, and dates of employment. Like this:
Server
Crab House, Baltimore, Md.
January 2008-June 2009

Also list your job responsibilities and accomplishments, especially things you were in charge of. But be brief; don’t write a book! Here’s an example:

Provided excellent customer service in a fast-paced restaurant environment
Oversaw prep work for busy weekend dinner shift
Trained and mentored new hires

8. What if I got fired from my last job?
There’s no need to mention it on the resume. Just be prepared to explain when you get to the interview. (And when that happens, don’t talk trash about your old boss. Just say you didn’t see eye-to-eye with the management.)

9. Do I need an objective on my resume?
Many people head their resume with a career objective that talks about their professional goals. Do teen job seekers need an objective? No. They really aren’t necessary when you’re applying for entry-level jobs. You can, however, use that space to say a little about yourself.

10. Do I need to print my resume on fancy paper?
Plain white paper will do. No colored inks or crazy fonts! Too much “creativity” gets you noticed – and sent straight to the “No” pile.

Take a look at this sample resume for teens.

Great Seasonal & Summer Jobs

kspence — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 16:24:10 +0000

Let’s say that you are a teenager, either in high school or college, and you are sitting around thinking, “It sure would be nice to have a job this summer…” You have a lot of options. In fact, you have a “bewildering array of options.” You can work in restaurants, small businesses, retail stores, amusement parks, summer camps and so on. There is a job out there to fit almost any personality.

The important thing to recognize is that you do have options. In recognizing them you gain the ability to explore your options. Here are a variety of things to think about during your exploration:

You can do the normal thing–you can go apply for a job at the local fast food restaurant. This may not be a bad thing to do, depending on your attitude going into the job. If your attitude is, “I hate this job,” then obviously you will get nothing out of it. If, on the other hand, you look at it as an opportunity to learn how a business works from the inside out, then you can get a lot out of it. Many of the millionaires in this country are owners of franchise and private restaurants. Owning a restaurant is not an easy business and requires quite a bit of knowledge and skill to be successful. Start gathering the knowledge and skill with your summer job. Try as many positions as possible and ask lots of questions about cash flow, staffing, inventory, etc. Keep in mind that there are lots of different kinds of restaurants: fast food, family dining, elegant dining, etc. They pay differently and appeal to different people. Look around at the options before making up your mind.
You can work at a place like an amusement park that hires a zillion people in the summer. Again, attitude will control what you learn. You can learn an incredible amount about business and human nature in a job like this.
You can work at a summer camp, resort, or vacation spot that hires lots of people in the summer. Ditto on the attitude. The advantage here is that you might have the chance to travel.
You can volunteer at any number of places: hospitals, shelters, clinics, summer youth programs, etc. You won’t make any money, but the experience can be invaluable.
You can get an entry-level job with a small business and learn the business. Options are endless. Just open the business section of the phone book or drive around and see what is out there. Drive through small industrial and office centers and knock on doors. It will be helpful if you have a skill the business can use such as typing, computer skills, etc., but that is not necessarily a requirement. Again, make learning the key. What you are looking for is a small business that is interested in hiring an eager “gofer-type” employee and then showing you how the business works. Take what you can get and learn, learn, learn.
You can enter a summer educational program. Many colleges and community colleges run summer classes. Go take some. Many also run summer programs for high school students either sponsored by a large company or a federal agency like the NSF, or run by the college to attract promising students. Write around (or talk to your guidance counselor at school) and see what is out there. If nothing else you could join a “continuing education program” at a college or university and get a jump-start on college.
You can look for summer intern programs at local companies.
You can call your local or state government and see what you can find. Many states and municipalities offer summer job programs.
You can get a job anywhere and then spend the money to do something you really enjoy. For example, work at night and take pilot lessons during the day. Or work at night and explore a hobby or sport during the day.
You can work for yourself. Create a summer job mowing lawns, taking care of kids, painting houses or whatever.
You can think about “what you would really like to do if you could do anything…” Really dream. You might like to work in a movie studio, or in a certain type of lab or business, or in a political office. Or you might have a sport that you really enjoy (skiing, hiking, swimming). Go out and see if you can find a job in this area. You might be surprised where your dreams can take you.