At the end of the school year, students typically start planning out their summer as well as trying to figure out if they want to work. Finding the perfect summer job for you results in those decisions like knowing whether they want to work part-time or full-time or what type of job they are interested in doing.
Getting a job means getting some work done beforehand. When applying, businesses look for 16-year-olds and older with or without work experience depending on the place. Those who are actively looking for jobs must have a valid work permit and must meet the skill criteria the industries are looking for in a candidate.
“I’m 16, so I just applied for one job and I got it,” Braeden Walsh said. “I mean, the application took like 10 minutes, then I had to wait a day for a response back. Then I went to an interview later and signed paperwork to confirm that I was officially going to work [at Sunsplash]. I’m looking forward to gaining new skills because I have no previous work experience.”
One of the most crucial steps into getting a job is creating a resume. A resume is a brief account of a person’s education, qualifications, and previous experience, typically sent with a job application. In order to create a strong resume, all individuals have to include the following; soft skills, hard skills, previous work and experience. Soft skills are skills that are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively with other people, while hard skills are abilities that are learned through education or hands-on experience.
“All the things you do in a job takes a skill, and it’s either a soft skill or a hard skill. So, on your resume, take all the things you do and turn them into skills,” Ms. Bridget Bonnell said. Bonnell runs the College and Career Center. “Your resume and what you write down has to express your paper personality, so use creative words [where you’d] want to showcase your people skills. Mirror back what they’re looking for if those qualities are applicable to you.”
Many students struggle with finding the perfect place to work at that would best suit their needs. Luckily, students have resources that can help soothe and speed up the process of finding a job that they’d enjoy; one of these being the ZipRecruiter app and website. ZipRecruiter is a dedicated job finding website that you can customize things such as your previous work experience, how many hours you can work and how far you want to commute to work.
“I’m looking for a job that allows me to help other people and play an active role in my community. I want to be able to help others and be involved while developing new work ethic skills and conversational skills,” Kylie Smith said.
While most people are tempted to get a job just for money, others are planning on learning new skills and helping others by being involved with the community to give them the work experience they need to set them up for future success. Depending on the job people get and for whatever reason, it could be gearing them towards and preparing them for their future career or trying something new and interesting.
“Everyone has a goal when they are looking for a job, some people just want experience, others want a job that is geared towards their future career goal so grasp what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” Bonnell said.
According to recent data from asking students what their dream high school job is, Sunsplash is one of the most desired summer jobs. Sunsplash is a waterpark that is home to over 30 rides and attractions, mini golf, race cars, and laser tag all in one location. The opportunity to work with a team, interact with visitors, and contribute to everyone’s sunsplash experience peaks the interest of students.
“I want to get a job somewhere where I can have a good relationship with my coworkers and have fun,” Elias Barquet said. “I’d most likely find that at Sunsplash.The process included filling out an application online then getting an online interview. At that point after I had an in-person group discussion and got drug tested, then found out if I was accepted into my position or not.”
There are usually questions asking if they have ever had a job before and if not, have they ever volunteered anywhere or done any work-related activities like community service or anything that has to do with handling children. Finding places in your community to volunteer at is a good way to get ready for having a job to prepare and teach you skills that you can apply in interviews and doing the actual job.
“I have volunteered at a cat shelter and it taught me how to manage my time and always be ready to work,” Smith said. “I did it for a week and my job was to sweep and mop the floors. I also played with the kitties and made sure they had food and water. I got the skills of managing time because I had to show up on time and be able to sweep and mop the floors but still have enough time to make sure all the cats were fed at the end of the day.”
On the school home page on the College And Career tab, it gives ideas of places teens can work nearby with the link to filling out an application. Students can explore the recommendations and start the process of getting a work permit.
“Go online to the website under college and career center and it drops down to where you can click on Work Permits, then you can actually print it off and bring it to your employer to sign,” Bonnell said. “Then you fill out the top portion and get one of your parents’ signatures. Afterwards, you bring it to me and I have the responsibility of checking your grades and your attendance then giving you the yes or no, then you take it to your counselor and they can sign off on it or not. Last, I process it and print off two copies of the actual work permit, one for our record and one for your employer so that they can legally employ you,”
Resources are available to many students including the ones that are given to them by the school. Making sure you follow the steps and meet the requirements, as it’s the best thing you can do to get ready to apply for a job and start the process of working over the summer. Also, consider balancing your job and other commitments or activities meeting a brief standard of responsibility. Remember to acknowledge your skills and make the decisions of what type of job you want to smoothly fit your industry desire.
by IZZY HERNANDEZ & MATEO MARINEZ
