Helping Your Teenager Find and Prepare for their First Job

An important transition that will have your teenager feel like part of the adult world is their first job. It allows your daughter/son independence, teaches them about responsibilities and money management and is a really good idea so long as they have the time to continue focusing on their studies and social life. Working through your teens also provides you with valuable work experience which can be invaluable for future job searches e.g. to help them through university and beyond. Here are a few tips to ease you and your teenager into the search.

Helpful sites

A good way to help your teenager understand what his/her options are is looking online. You can use a jobsite like Jobrapido to find a comprehensive list of local job vacancies where you can filter the hours your child is available to work, and the distance they are willing to travel. By doing so, your teenager will also be able to see which ones they are most interested in, and which are realistically doable considering their other commitments.

CV prep

An important piece of paper that will help your teenager into the world ofo work is their CV. The CV does not necessarily have to have big names or activities on it, especially if they’re looking for their first job. Focus on thinking along with your teenager what roles they have held that called for responsibility on their part; both scholastically and not. Include hobbies, passions, and projects that your son/daughter has and pursues, highlighting their soft skills and what they can bring to the job. Keep it to 1-2 sides and think about what you can say the help your child stand out in the crowd (in a positive way of course!)

Mock interviews

Any job interview is nerve wracking, no matter the age or position. So imagine what your teenager must be feeling going into his/her first interview! A good way of lessening the anxiety is practicing beforehand, and presenting your interviewee with some scenarios and questions that could come up. Help them pick out a professional outfit that they will feel comfortable in, and explain how important it is to be punctual. Remind them to be confident, speak up, and that everybody goes through it! You can find hundreds of potential interview questions online, so select the most likely and go through them together.

The “No” scenario

It may not be the easiest conversation, but it’s definitely an important one. Like any “no”, receiving one while looking for your first job may hurt a bit more than others. Therefore, it is a definite must for you to have that conversation with your teenager when you start the search. Explain that the “no” does not define them as a person, must not be taken personally, and must absolutely not let them give up on the job hunt. That “no” just means that the job was not right for them, and that the search will continue; no harm done!

The follow-up

A useful tip that will help your teenager in future job-related moments is the follow-up. Explain that it is a way to keep in touch with the employer, and a smart way of showing their interest with the company they interviewed with. Wait about a week to call or email the employer back, and make sure they get on the phone with the person in charge of hiring! Indeed, even if they receive an email informing them the job application was not successful, it’s worth sending a gracious reply and requesting they be considered for any future role- you never know what might happen in the future.

Finally, keep an eye on your child so they don’t end up burning the candle at both ends. Your teenage years are really the last freedom before the responsibility of a full-time job or university so they need time to let off steam, focus on their final exams and spend time with their friends before they all move off to new places. Don’t let the job become too much for them to handle!