You are finally old enough to get a job but you have no idea how to do it. Before you start filling out job applications at random places, let’s take a minute to think through a few things and make a plan. The job search process doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. Follow these job search tips for high school students and get hired fast!
These tips are designed to help you build strong job search habits today that will help you get better jobs in the future. For example, you can get a part-time job in high school without a resume and cover letter. But if you create those now, you will be set up in the future when you go for your next, higher-paying job!
1. Define what you want.
You get to choose what kind of job you want. There are many types of jobs that are perfect for high schoolers. Think through these details to help you narrow down your search.
Location. Do you have your own car or do you take public transportation? Or walk? This important detail will make part of the decision for you. Think about the commute time from school to the job to home. Obviously, if you have access to a car, this broadens the geography of your future job. If you have to take a bus or subway, you need to figure out routes, schedules, walk times, etc.
Interests or hobbies. Wouldn’t it be cool to get a job doing something that interests you? Why not?! Do you love soccer? Work at the local soccer park or a soccer store. Are you a swimmer? Become a lifeguard. Want to work outside? Work for a lawn mowing or landscaping business. Have a favorite store? Work retail to get the discount. You can research job postings in these areas to get an idea of what the jobs might be like.
It’s all about the money. If you just need to make money to pay your bills and don’t care what it is, some options pay better than others.
Babysitters, pet sitters, and dog walkers may get paid in cash on the side. The hours may be less dependable and you will have to hustle to find the gigs.
Waiter/Waitress jobs can earn a higher wage because of tips. The better you are with your speedy, friendly service and upselling drinks and appetizers, the higher the tips. Plus, meals may be included.
Remember that tips are based on a percentage of the total bill so look at the price of food on the menu. The more expensive the food, the higher the total bill, and hopefully, the more tips you earn.
Full-service car washes hire kids for the interior detailing of cars. My nephew made a ton of cash tips while working at a car wash. It was tough work, especially in the summer heat but it was also great money.
Golf caddy/Bagroom attendant are two more jobs that make a lot of money from tips. You may be able to make professional connections for future job opportunities too. Golf is not a cheap hobby, so the golfers are probably successful businesspeople! Some golf courses are open to the public but also check out country clubs.
How many hours can you work?
If you are still in high school and you are looking for a part-time job, you might only be looking for 10-16 hours a week. Maybe two nights at four hours each and all day (eight hours) on Saturday.
Or you might consider some summer jobs that have you work full-time when you are not in school and then part-time hours once school starts back up. Or just work a few weeks at summer camps.
Some schools offer a work experience program where you can earn school credits for working a certain amount of hours.
You may be finishing your senior year in high school and you are looking for an entry-level position or full-time job.
Still not sure?
Visit an online job board like Indeed, or Glassdoor and search for jobs on LinkedIn. Read the job description for all kinds of jobs and see what sounds interesting.
2. Create a resume
If you don’t have any job experience yet, that is ok. Think about skills you’ve gained from hobbies, sports, clubs, volunteer work, or helping out at home with your siblings if your parents work long hours. Are you a first-generation immigrant who speaks multiple languages? Highlight this on your resume!
Keep it simple and keep it to one page. Your first resume can be simple and highlight relevant experiences. I have a whole other blog post that will give you the steps to create your high school resume.
3. Set up a professional email address
You can set up a free email account on many platforms like Google, aka Gmail. Avoid using goofy, provocative, unrelated terms. Include your first initial, last name or first and last name. Keep it simple.
For example, yourname@gmail.com If you find that other people already have taken your name, you can try adding numbers to the end or using your first initial, plus your middle initial, plus your last name yourname11@gmail.com or yname11@gmail.com.
If you are not in the habit of checking email on a regular basis, make sure you have your email app on your phone. Start a new habit of checking this email a few times a day. It’s critical that the contact information on your resume is updated and that you check regularly. You don’t want to miss out when a hiring manager contacts you.
4. Clean up and lock down social media accounts
Your prospective employer will likely do a quick Google search or try to find you on Facebook, Instagram, etc. Remove inappropriate posts involving drinking, partying, profanity, nudity, etc.
You don’t want to give them a reason not to hire you before you’ve even had a chance to talk to them. Check your privacy settings. You can lock down some accounts so only your friends/connections can see your posts.
5. Create a list of references
Some companies have stopped checking references but you want to be prepared. I would suggest you ask three adults who can speak to your work ethic, skill sets, and personality traits.
Teachers, coaches, and adult family friends are good choices. Let them know you are starting your job search and want to be prepared with references.
I have interviewed entry-level candidates who listed their friends as references. This is a red flag to me. Of course, your friends are going to give you a good reference! Your future employer wants to hear from the adults in your life who have observed your work effort, attitude, and motivation.
Create a document with their name, company/title, phone, email, and possibly their relationship to you (coach, teacher, mentor, family friend, etc.) As you work your way through the interview process, follow up with your references and let them know if someone may be contacting them.
Give these people the highlights of the job and what information you want them to share with your prospective employer.
6. Write a cover letter
Depending on the kind of job you are looking for, you might be able to skip this step. With the current labor shortages and job market, many businesses are begging for workers! But if you want to create a good habit and stand out from the crowd, I would still suggest you write a simple cover letter to give the employer a few reasons to hire you that aren’t on your resume or application. Major brownie points if you write a cover letter!
I have a whole other blog that will break this down for you and give you an easy-to-use cover letter template.
7. Get your documents ready
Most businesses will require some sort of identification when they hire you. This could include your birth certificate, passport, or driver's license. If you don’t have these, you can order replacements. The process is different in each state. Replace vital records here. Get these ordered while you work on your resume to have everything you need.
If you are undocumented, you may still be able to apply for an ID. This resource lists the states offering driver’s licenses to immigrants.
8. Set up your LinkedIn Profile
I am giving you bonus points if you actually do this! Even if you don’t have a lot of experience yet, this will help you stand out from other candidates. This will also give you a huge head start for later in life when you start networking for your bigger, full-time jobs.
Use your new, professional email address to create your new LinkedIn account. You can start by transferring the information from your resume into your LinkedIn profile. Add a good headshot and background graphic. Write a headline. You could even start with something simple like “Motivated high school student seeking my first job!”
If you make the effort to create a LinkedIn profile, be sure to include the URL on your resume. I would also download the LinkedIn app to your phone. If you start applying for jobs via LinkedIn, you can get notifications via the app.
I created a helpful blog post that will walk you through the steps of creating your LinkedIn account and building your profile.
9. Let everyone know
As you start your job search, let people know what you are looking for. Talk to your extended family members. Include the friends of your parents, teachers, coaches, your own friends, teammates, etc. Lots of jobs are filled by word-of-mouth. That’s ok! Use any connection you can find! You never know who might be able to connect you with a potential employer.
10. Search in person
Depending on how you answered the first question about what you want, I suggest you do a job search in person. Many local businesses put a simple “Help Wanted” sign in their window hoping to attract job seekers.
Dress respectively. Avoid torn jeans, provocative clothing, inappropriate graphic t-shirts, etc.
Be polite and smile. Patiently wait in line. Tell the employee you saw the “Help Wanted” sign and you would like to apply. If the business is on your target list and they don’t have a “Help Wanted” sign, you can still walk in and ask if they are hiring and speak with the hiring manager.
Bring printed copies of your resume and references. Bring your own pen as well in case it’s a paper application! Some companies may also have signs with QR codes that take you to an online applicant system. Filling out the application will be much easier with your two main resource documents handy.
11. Search online
An online job search is a great use of your time. You can cover a lot of ground from home and save time driving, walking, or bussing around. You can check the company’s website to see if they have any job openings. These are typically under the “About Us” section in the navigation. Sometimes they may have a “Careers” link in the website footer. If you can’t find the jobs section of their website, you might try the site search.
You can also do a general Google search for “Company name jobs” to see online postings and job descriptions. Be sure to check out the main job search sites like Indeed and Glassdoor for local listings. You can search for terms like “lifeguard” or “waitress” to see many open jobs.
If you are the over-achiever I hope you are and you created a LinkedIn profile, you can also search for jobs on LinkedIn. Try terms like “high school intern” or “entry-level position.”
Each job and website may have a different form to complete or an applicant tracking system to apply for a job. Be patient. These can be very time-consuming. Take your time and be careful looking for typos as you enter your information. You might open your resume document on your computer so you can copy and paste it into the online application.
12. Get ready for the interviews
It’s a good idea to start thinking about the job interview experience before you actually get called for the interview. You never know when someone may surprise you with an on-the-spot interview when you drop off a resume in person. You want to be prepared.
Research questions and write up your answers. One of my nerdiest pieces of advice is to research the most common interview questions and take the time to write out your answers. Find a job posting for the type of job you want, and then you can search for related questions and answers.
Be thoughtful and use your best vocabulary. Make this your cheat sheet and print it out so you can quickly review it at any time. And by “write out the answers” you can type them in a Google or Word doc or hand write them out. Your choice.
How will you answer the question “Tell me about yourself?” What are your strengths? Or weaknesses? What are your career goals? Why should we hire you? How has school prepared you to enter the workforce? Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
I have many more tips on how to prepare for an interview in this article.
Conduct a mock interview. Another nerdy suggestion is to ask an adult to help you with a mock interview. Practice your answers out loud while sitting across from someone. Think about your body language, tone of voice, and eye contact.
Ask for an informational interview. A baby step before a real job interview is an informational interview. This is when you ask someone to meet with you to talk about their job or company to help you learn more about what’s out there. Maybe your friend’s parent has an interesting job. Ask them to meet you for coffee so you can learn more about it. What kind of college degree did they get? What are their job responsibilities? Learning to have a professional conversation will be good practice and you won’t have the pressure of a regular interview.
There are a few more job interview tips for high school students in this article.
13. Keep a positive attitude
Looking for a job is a tough task. Many adults stay in jobs they hate for many years because they are afraid of the job search. So, my last piece of advice for you is to dig deep and find a way to keep a positive attitude. Believe in yourself. Practice positive thinking exercises. Repeat affirmations in your mind. Read more of my blog posts! You will find that dream job!
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13 Job Search Tips for High School Students
Define what you want.
Create a resume.
Set up a professional email address.
Clean up and lock down social media.
Create a list of references.
Write a cover letter.
Get your documents ready.
Set up your LinkedIn profile.
Let everyone know.
Search in person.
Search online.
Get ready for the interviews
Keep a positive attitude.
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