You may want to get a job but aren’t sure where and how to begin. There are a lot of ways and resources you can use when looking for jobs.
There are many methods used in job searching and the more methods you use, the better your chances of finding a job you’ll like.
Methods include:
Network—Tell everyone you’re looking for a job
School’s Career Center or Work Experience Office
Company Websites
Online Job Boards
In Person
Help Wanted ads
Job/Career Fairs
Volunteer
Call Companies (phone numbers are on the company websites and/or look them up in professional associations)
Organizing your job search! (Use Find and Get the Right Job [PDF])
Applying for lots of jobs
Starting your job hunt close to home
Checking out companies that hire young people
Checking out California's work permit rules
Looking for jobs that work around your class schedule
Making your first job something related to the career area you're interested in can help you decide whether or not you want to pursue that career.
Informational interviews can be a great job-hunting resource. They are like job interviews except you ask all the questions about an occupation, not a specific job opening. You have two goals during this interview. The first is to learn about the occupation to see if it might suit you. The second is to establish a connection with the person you’re interviewing.
Informational interviews can lead to job search suggestions, company contacts, and even job offers!
Informational interviews provide many benefits to help you.
Make a contact—a connection with someone.
Learn more about the company, industry, and job.
Gain confidence as you practice your interviewing skills.
Possibly learn about “hidden” (unadvertised) jobs or internships.
Interviews take time, so target only individuals who have occupations you really want to pursue.
You might ask:
Friends, family, neighbors, supervisors, coworkers, and anyone they know.
People listed in the yellow pages or association directories.
Here are some general guidelines for the interview:
Interview three people for each occupation of interest.
When you call, say how you got that person’s name.
Explain that you’re seeking information and guidance.
Ask to meet for 20 minutes and stick to it (wear a watch).
Bring paper and pen with you and take notes.
Research the occupations and organization beforehand as you would for a job interview.
Dress and act as you would at a job interview.
DON’T ask the person for a job in any way.
Since you probably don’t have much time, pick only a few important questions to ask.
Here are some ideas:
How did you get into this type of work? This job?
What type of preparation/education/training did you have? What is required?
What do you enjoy the most? The least?
What three skills do you use most often?
Describe a typical day or week.
What motivates you?
Describe difficulties you regularly face on the job.
What are the advancement opportunities and limits?
How does a person usually progress in this field?
What must a person know to stay competitive?
What’s the economic outlook for this career?
How does your job affect your home life?
What are typical entry-level job titles and duties?
How do you suggest I learn more about this field?
Here are my strengths. How do they fit in this field?
When your scheduled time is almost up, end the interview. Here are some important tips for ending your interview.
Thank the person before you leave.
Ask for referrals to others who might be available for an informational interview.
Ask for the person’s business card.
Immediately send a thank you note.
Evaluate how well you conducted the interview.
Decide how to weigh what the interviewee said. Take what you heard with a grain of salt and trust your own judgment.
Review the notes you took and decide on your next step.
When you eventually do get a job, tell your interviewees about it—they’ll want to know how your search ended!
Job shadowing is another great way to learn about a job. Job shadowing involves spending time with someone who’s actually doing the work and/or volunteering to help out in the workplace.
Job shadowing lets you learn about a job by walking you through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. It is a temporary, unpaid introduction to working in an occupation you are interested in learning more about. Shadowing lets you see the work environment, employability and occupational skills used, and potential career options.
A formal job shadow program requires an employee/company to partner with the school so check out the programs available through your school and/or district. You can also create job shadowing opportunities on your own by talking with family members and family friends.
Internships provide on-the-job training similar to apprenticeships. Some high school programs such as California Partnership Academies include internships as part of their required experiences, but they can also be found by an individual student.
Internships are opportunities to gain experience in a particular type of work. You can determine if you have an interest in that particular career, you can create a network of contacts, and/or gain school credit. Internships provide employers with cheap or free labor for (typically) low-level tasks. Some interns find permanent, paid employment with the companies in which they interned. Their value to the company may be increased by the fact that they need little to no training.
Internship positions can be found in most occupational areas including business, government, non-profit groups, and organizations.
Check with your school counselor, work experience coordinator, and/or teacher to learn if your school has an internship program.
One of the most successful ways to find a new job is using a job search network. And networking is an essential component for career success.
Business networks are a collection of people or organizations designed to cooperate with each other to work together, share ideas, and opportunities. Building a network takes getting to know people, helping them, and letting them help you.
Begin building your network by reaching out to people you already know. For example:
• Classmates
• Friends and neighbors
• School groups: student government, choir, debate/speech
• Members of clubs: Health club, sports teams, hiking club
• Former employers, including supervisors and co-workers
• Service organizations: Rotary, Kiwanis
• Volunteer associations: Past and present
Expand your network by making new contacts through professional associations. A professional association is a collection of people that supports the interests of their profession and people in that profession.
What Students Say about Professional Associations [WMV; 02:54]
Find Professional Associations
Searching for a job is like a marketing project: you’re selling your skills, abilities, and qualities to potential employers.
What You Have to Offer
Start by asking yourself, “What can I offer this employer?” Make a list of your skills, abilities, and qualities. To get started, check out the ten top skills and qualities employers are looking for on the Skills for the 21st Century page and use the Succeed at Work (PDF) workbook to identify your strengths.
What Employers Want
Employers hire the people they need to achieve the company’s goals: Each employee fills a need. To find out what an employer needs, read the job announcement. Visit the company website. Knowing about the company helps you tailor your letter and resume to that position. And, you'll impress your interviewers.
Then, imagine you’re doing that job. What skills and abilities are you using to get the job done? Write them down on the job announcement. Then combine the list you wrote and the job description and use that information to write your resume and cover letter.
Matching What You’re Selling with What Employers’ Want = Success!
It increases your odds of getting an interview when your job application and resume show you have the skills and abilities to do the job. Think of the interview as the final step in your marketing project.
Prepare for it by writing down ideas on how you’d answer some common interview questions; see a list of common questions at Preparing for Your Interview. Practice the one question interviewers almost always ask, "Why should I hire you?" Use your interview to show you're the best the person for the job.
Good job searchers (marketers) know what they have to sell and what their potential customers (employers) want. Match your skills with their needs and you have success!
Social media is increasingly becoming a way that job seekers can look for work and employers can evaluate perspective employees.
Think about Managing Your Online Reputation from a career perspective using these tips from Princeton University Career Services:
1. Remember, what you post online becomes public information. It is no longer under your control.
2. Be strategic about what you share with the world. Consider the long term.
3. Think before you post: Today's rant, practical joke, or flame may come back to haunt you.
4. Think before you post: Your private video, photo, or Snapchat may go public.
5. Regularly review your contacts, circles, friends and followers. They may not be your BFFs.
6. Understand your privacy settings and terms of service. Service providers often change terms.
7. Monitor your name online. Google yourself and set alerts to avoid surprises.
8. Protect your online reputation and create your personal brand. Your future will thank you.
Check out these how-to ideas:
Using Social Media in Your Job Search
The San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science
How To Effectively Use Social Media in Your Job Search
The University of Buffalo School of Management
In addition to the resume and cover letter, your job application is one of the first impressions your potential employer will have of you.
Make a Master Job Application so you're ready to fill in any application at a moments notice. A Master Job Application:
Eliminates hunting down and recreating your information each time you need it.
Makes it easy to customize your job applications.
Lets you copy/paste your information into online application forms.
Lets you complete any job application, anywhere, at any time.
Use the My Stuff Job Central web and/or mobile app to develop your Master Job Application. Or, you can start with a paper copy, Master Job App Template & Instructions (PDF).
Use these strategies to create a job application that’ll make a good impression.
Before Filling It Out
Read the entire application.
Identify the job requirements—read the job announcement or description.
Identify the skills and qualifications the employer is looking for—read the job announcement or description.
Describe your skills, qualifications, and experiences using some of the keywords or phrases from the job announcement or description.
Filling It Out
Answer ALL questions. If a question doesn't apply to you, write N/A (not applicable).
List skills and qualifications related to the job you’re applying for.
For difficult questions, use a separate sheet of paper to draft an answer.
If you’re completing a job application on paper, use a black-ink pen and print clearly.
After Filling It Out
Proofread your application: fix spelling and grammar errors. Applications with errors are tossed out.
If you’re sending a résumé, make sure the information in it doesn’t contradict the information in your job application.
Example of a typical Job Application (PDF).
There are four basic business letters you’ll use when you're looking for a job:
Informational Interview
Cover
Reference Request
Thank you
An informational interview is a conversation with a person working in a field or industry you’re interested in exploring. These industry insiders can give you information and advice you can’t get anywhere else. Informational Interviews are great for helping you decide on a career path, making connections with industry professionals, and finding job opportunities.
Your Informational Interview letter should explain:
Who you are.
A student? A recent graduate? Experienced web designer? Game designer? etc.
Why you’re writing.
Be brief, to the point, and include specific details.
For example, “I am interested in your career field and am hoping to gather first-hand information about it.”
What you want (A meeting? A telephone conversation?).
Be direct, say exactly what you want.
For example, “Would it be possible to schedule 20 to 30 minutes with you to ask you a few questions about your work?”
How to contact you.
Provide an email address you use regularly.
Provide a telephone number where you can get messages.
Informational Interview Letter Example
Cover letters should always be included with any resume or job application you submit. Customize each cover letter to the job you’re applying for.
An excellent cover letter:
Is addressed to a specific person.
Identifies the job you are applying for and how you found out about it.
Describes the qualifications you have that meet the requirements of the job you’re applying for.
Explains why you’re interested in the job and/or the company and how you can help the company meet its goals.
Tells the employer when you are available for an interview and when you can start work.
Provides information on how they can contact you.
A reference letter is a letter written by someone who’s familiar with you. You may need a reference when applying for a job, college, a special program, or other reason.
You can ask someone to be your reference in person, by phone, with a letter, or email. Let them know up front that you understand if they can’t give you a reference at the current time.
You are asking someone to do you a favor so make their job as easy as possible by providing a draft letter they can start from.
Reference Request Letter Example
When someone agrees to be a reference for you, you should give them a draft letter so they have a place to start. Things to include in your draft reference letter:
Activities, awards, or certifications you’ve earned. Describe the positive attributes you exhibited through those activities.
Say something about how your skills match the job you’re applying for.
In the last paragraph, summarize the recommendation: restate why you’re qualified and why you should be selected.
Include a final statement about the recommendation. For example, "Hayden has been my assistant for three years and, in that time, always exhibited an excellent work ethic, organizational, communication, and teamwork skills. Hayden has the skills necessary to succeed in this position and has my highest recommendation."
Give your recommender a copy of the job posting and a copy of your resume.
It’s important to thank people for things they do for you. You can send a thank you to anyone for any reason. Here are a few examples where you'd want to send a thank you letter:
Referred you to someone else for help.
Took the time to meet with you.
Wrote you a reference letter.
Anything anyone did that helped you move toward your goals.
Email address: Use an appropriate, professional address. If you don’t have one, create one. Your email address should be recognizable as yours so will work best if it includes your name.
Don’t include pets, sports, hobbies, or your interests. These types of addresses don’t identify you and could be considered offensive.
Telephone: Check your voice message greeting to make sure it’s appropriate for business calls. If it isn’t, change it. Message examples:
Good: Hello, this is [Your First and Last Name]. Sorry I wasn’t able to take your call, but please leave your name and a detailed message and I’ll get back to you. Have a great day.
Not good: Thanks for calling, leave me a message.
A resume is a one-page summary of your skills, experiences, and education. It’s designed to grab your reader’s attention and get you an interview. Your resume is your personal marketing device, or webpage, telling others why you're qualified for the job. You need to have a resume when applying for work or volunteer opportunities.
Use My Stuff Job Central Resume Builder to create your resume. You can choose any of 3 the styles: Style 1 | Style 2 | Style 3
Some resume-writing tips:
Include your best attributes and skills so the person will want to meet you.
Focus on your experience and education that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Be honest.
Have someone read your draft and give you suggestions. Some people you might want to ask are school counselors, career center technicians, and teachers.
Make sure your resume is error free: check for spelling and grammar. Have someone else proofread it.
You need references. Ask your teacher, school counselor, club advisor, or coach to be a reference.
For an easy and quick start, go to the My Stuff Job Central Resume builder.
It is critical to be prepared when you are called to go on an interview. Check off these items as you prepare for your interview:
Know your employer—learn about the organization in general and specific office if possible.
Be prepared to emphasize your strengths and how they fit the job.
Arrive early and call if you are delayed or need to reschedule.
References—bring a list of three references; do not use family members.
Portfolios—prepare a sample of documents, projects, and pictures representing your skills and achievements in a notebook or portfolio binder.
Dress up—first impressions are lasting.
Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer.
Bring several copies of your resume, a pad of paper and pen to make notes.
Have a positive attitude and a friendly smile.
Practice interviewing with a friend or family member until the process seems natural.
Check out this list of common interview questions from the U.S. Department of Labor CareerOneStop.
You really want that job and have prepared for the interview. Now you have to:
Keep calm. Try not to be nervous.
Listen carefully to the interviewer.
Repeat the question to confirm you understand what is being asked.
Answer questions directly, honestly, and with facts and examples.
Emphasize your strengths.
Be polite and considerate by not interrupting the interviewer.
Never say anything negative about a former employer or teacher.
Ask any questions you may have about the job (leave salary questions until after you are offered the job).
Ask for the job.
Inquire as to when you will be notified about the results of the interview.
Thank the interviewer for spending time with you.
When your interview is completed, evaluate your success and areas for improvement. Send any requested items to the company and a thank you e-mail the same day.
Tools for developing cover letters are highlighted on this site.
This site allows you to shadow real people’s jobs online.
Learn how to create a resume to protect your privacy and identity.
This site provides high school and college students with the fundamentals of safety in the workplace including OSHA certification.
Quintessential Careers—Job and Career Resources
This website provides numerous resources on how to find jobs.
The California Department of Education provides frequently asked questions with answers about work permits on this site.
California's online resource to help job seekers navigate the state's workforce services. You can search for jobs, create résumés, education, training, and more.
California One-Stop Career Centers
This locator will direct you to the closest One-Stop Career Center by you.
Indeed is the #1 job site with millions of job listings from thousands of websites, including company career sites, job boards, newspaper classifieds, associations, and other online sources of job postings.
LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network online.
Monster is one of the original job boards and has expanded to include a variety of other resources and apps for job seekers.
This site offers leads for jobs around the world by location and by industry.résumésv
*Information on this page was taken from California Career Center https://www.calcareercenter.org/