Within the United States, the unemployment rate is about eight percent.The competition for finding a summer job is higher here with adults, other high school kids, graduates and college students coming home for summer, therefore students looking for jobs need an edge to get one. Rocklin High School set out to teach students how to gain an edge at a job fair on March 13th. For a $10 admission fee, experts on human resources helped students by providing some of the following suggestions.
During your application process you should always pick up to applications so you can use one as the rough draft and the other as the final. The final draft should always be neat and organized. Research the company you want to work for too, don’t show up knowing nothing about it.
Write a cover letter to help you stand out and to give your potential boss information about yourself. After writing the cover letter make sure that there are no spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, and have friends or family reread it to ensure that there are no errors.
The cover letter and application are very important steps in the application process, employers also search your name on Google or Bing to see how you act. Posting anything condescending towards your teachers or other adults, this can reflect badly on you and ruin your chances of getting a job.
“Don’t speak (badly) about anyone during your job process. Chances are (the possible boss) knows someone who knows that person. The chances for you getting the job are gone, plus you’ll have problem with the person you spoke (badly) about,” Janet Cherry, Director of Human Resources at the Educational Media Foundation, who spoke at the job fair at RHS, said.
For the interview make sure you dress appropriately. Men should wear slacks and a dress shirt, while women should wear a dress or slacks and a nice shirt. Don’t put on too much cologne/perfume even if it smells good.
During the interview process make sure you are as professional as possible. Don’t be too casual or act like your potential boss is your best friend that you’ve known for ages. Don’t be rude and anxious to leave, they have taken the time to consider you be respectful.
“When you check-in for the interview don’t use your phone at all until you leave the building after the interview. It’s more professional and (your potential boss) could ask the person at the front about how you behaved,” Cherry said.
Throughout the interview the interviewer may ask questions that are related to your work experience.
“If they ask about a difficult customer service experience even if you haven’t ‘worked’ before chances are you have experienced something as a coach or a referee, (through) volunteer work with little kids or at fairs. Think about anything you’ve done and an experience where you’ve had to problem solve,” Randy Gregg, a representative of the Boosters Club at the job fair, said.
When interviewing listen attentively and answer to the best of your abilities. Don’t lie and say things like, “This is my dream job.”
After the interview ask for a business card so you can send a thank-you note immediately. Don’t friend them on Facebook and Twitter. When calling to find out if the job is filled call once a week not every day.
“I’d say filling out the application and always being respectful is the most important (part of the job process). I will be applying to Icing on the Cupcake and Sunsplash,” sophomore Ella Seltzer said.
by ARIELLA APPLEBY
