The key to your first job
Tuesday 24 April 2007
If you decide that you want to work when you leave school, you should prepare a CV and start looking for a job.
There are loads of things to consider: how to start your search, what to out on your CV, and what to say in an interview.
Skills are the key
There's more to getting a job than just having qualifications, you also need to be able to develop and increase your key skills, which will make you stand out to potential employers.
Employers need people that will be good communicators, number and IT literate, reliable and willing to improve on the skills they already have. You probably already have a lot of these skills without realising it.
You might want to think about what you can do to get or improve on some of these key skills before you start looking for a job.
Job searching
Looking for a job can be a long process, but there are many ways of making the search easier.
Many jobs are advertised in local or national newspapers, with some newspapers even having special pullout supplement on a particular day of the week. Your local newsagent will be able to tell you which days certain newspapers publish their job adverts.
There are also specialist newspapers and magazines dedicated to helping you find a job. They usually come out weekly, and your newsagent might be able to suggest some for you.
Work on the web
There are many job search web sites that have details of vacancies updated daily, and can even search for jobs on your behalf when you're not online.
Recruitment agencies can also help you in the search for a job. As well as search for jobs on your behalf, they might ask you to do certain tests for things such as typing speed or knowledge of software packages, they'll help you with your CV and may even go through mock interviews with you.
Slick CV
A CV is a document that tells potential employers about you and your experience. This should always be typed, and should include the dates you were at school, as well as any details of jobs you've had.
You'll also need to give details of at least one referee; this is someone who can say what sort of person you are if asked by a potential employer.
Simple does it
Getting started can be difficult, and you may feel like you haven't done enough to put on a CV. You can list any skills or achievements that you think are relevant, but it's actually best if the CV isn't too long and is kept simple.
It's important to be honest in your CV; anything you say will have to be backed up in your interview. Your careers teacher should be able to help you.
Interviews
If a potential employer is interested in you, you'll be invited for an interview. These can be nerve-wracking, but it's important to remain calm and make sure you're well prepared.
Plan ahead
Make sure you do some research on the company before you go to the interview; potential employers will be impressed that you've made the effort. Read through your CV and covering letter and try to think what you might be asked.
If you don't have much actual working experience, try and think about other situations were you have used skills that would be relevant to the job.
