Getting a Part Time Job for High School Students, Part 1
When you don’t have work experience, it’s hard to know how to get a job. In part 1, Stever gives several tips on how to pursue and land a real job.
Listener Andrew is a high school student who’s thinking ahead. He Tweeted, asking about finding a part-time job.
In this economy, decent jobs are hard to find. Technology has been replacing all the low-skill jobs, and now it’s starting to replace the high-skill jobs too. That means that there aren’t enough jobs for people with proven track records, much less new job entrants like you, Andrew. Welcome to the future.
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People with no qualifications or knowledge about such things say that these technology advances will make enough new jobs available so we can all have decent jobs. Of course, there’s no economic, scientific, or religious theory that explains why or how this will happen. We call it “magical thinking.” If you write novels about magical thinking, you might be able to get those novels made into movies about sparkly vampires, and buy your own private island by the age of 25… Or not.
Just in case that doesn’t pan out, you should probably start pounding the pavement now, to find yourself a part-time job. So Andrew, even though you’re still in high school, I advise you to treat this like a real, full-time job search. And if you’re listening/reading this and you’re already a graduate, these tips will still help.
Tip #1: Find Companies That Meet Your Goals
Even if you just want a part-time job, narrow the field by going after companies that meet your goals. Sometimes you’ll want a job for the money. The latest laser-based toe fungus removal system is hitting the stores next Tuesday, and you want to be first in line, with enough money to ensure sweet-smelling toes for life. In that case, you want to identify companies that will pay money now.
If you’re thinking about setting yourself up for later success, you might take a job for the learning experience. If you’re really smart and insightful at such a young age, you might even consider a in which you can interact with successful local businesspeople who, five years from now, can help with career advice, introductions, and contacts.
Tip #2: Research the Company
If you’re out at a dance and you see someone who makes your blood boil and your hair stand on end, you don’t just walk up and say, “Hey, let’s go steady.” No, you get out your smartphone and Google them. Then you read their Facebook page. Then you check out those dating web sites that destroy people’s lives by having angry ex’s write what it was really like to date them.
Then once you’re sure they’re not a psycho, and their parents are rich, and they like the same Pokeman as you do, then you walk over and ask them to go steady.
Approaching a company for a job is no different. A quick web search will tell you what the company has been up to. What have they done? What are their major products? What’s on the horizon? Then, when you’re talking to someone from the company, if it seems appropriate, you can ask smart questions, based on what you’ve read. “I understand you’re thinking of branching out from pizzas and burgers into ball bearing manufacturing. What prompted that decision?”
Tip #3: Present Yourself as a Valuable Asset
Even though you don’t have much work experience, you presumably want to do a good job. If your research turned up specific ways you think you can help, highlight that. If nothing else, you’re part of different communities than they are. You know how you and your friends think. If you were working at a deli that wasn’t getting business from high school students, you might suggest, “I read you were trying to attract more high school students. My friends eat at Buzzy’s Roast Beef because it’s more convenient. Maybe you could run a shuttle van here and back at lunchtime, and give a discount to groups of 4 or more kids who come here for lunch?”
If nothing else, you can honestly say “I haven’t had much experience, yet—but I’ll work as hard as I possibly can to help the company succeed.”
Tip #4: Sell!
One of the simplest ways to show that you’re valuable is to bring in more business. If I could tell teenaged me one thing to do differently, I’d tell me to take a sales job for a year. No matter what job you eventually do, you’ll either be selling a product or selling your ideas.
This may be a scary idea for some people, but you’re young. Your mind hasn’t yet been turned into a quivering mass of jelly by local news, political pundits, and abusive corporate bosses. You can jump in and get over your fears quickly.
Before approaching a business, think about ways to gather customers for them. Then if you want to be really ballsy, walk in with a dozen new customers. While the customers are shopping, ask to speak with the manager. Say, “I just brought you a dozen new customers. You can see them—I asked them all to wear spandex superhero costumes so you could spot them easily. Yeah, they do need to work out more. But all the money they save on not going to the gym, they’re spending here! I’m looking for a job where I can bring in thousands of dollars in sales every week. Would you like to hire me?”
Hopefully, these tips will get you started on your part-time job hunt. Stay tuned for part 2, where we’ll continue to address this very-important topic.
I’m Stever Robbins. I help successful people in build exceptional lives, business, and careers by uncovering the forces keeping them stuck, and helping them find ways to change so they can pursue their dreams. If you want to know more, visit Stever Robbins.
Work Less, Do More, and have a Great Life!
Teen Employee image courtesy of Shutterstock
About the Author
Stever Robbins was the host of the podcast Get-it-Done Guy from 2007 to 2019. He is a graduate of W. Edward Deming’s Total Quality Management training program and a Certified Master Trainer Elite of NLP. He holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BS in Computer Sciences from MIT.
