No one is made of money these days, particularly college students like myself who are looking to build up their savings accounts and pay off some loans.  As a 20-year-old experiencing her first 'adult' summer away from home in the Big Apple, I knew I needed at least one (if not two) steady jobs this summer.  But if you’re anything like me, your resume looks like a bunch of eclectic part-time jobs (theatre usher, music theory tutor, cupcake bakery employee), and it’s hard to walk into a store and say, 'Hire me, I’m universally employable!'

Unofficial lesson #1? Don’t let that stop you!  It’s important to remember that a lot of people don’t come in with the specific experience a business is looking for, but that everyone has skill sets that are valuable to any job.  With that in mind, my roommates and I hit the pavement, resumes in hand, and learned quite a few valuable lessons along the way.

6.26.TW.3
 

So to debunk the nerves, here are some job-hunting tips for the 20-something looking to get hired.

Go for the personal touch

It’s always best to connect with people, person to person. Walking into stores to hand in resumes or ask for applications, or even a phone call, is preferable to the alternative.  Emails are convenient — and a lot less stressful when you can hide behind your keyboard like me — but you don’t make any kind of connection.  Just as it is expedient for you to email them, it’s just as easy for them to discard the email. Walk in there and make an impression!

Always carry a resume

With purses, it becomes a bit more tricky to keep the resumes looking nice, but it’s worth it.  Just the other day a roommate of mine decided to go into a boutique on a whim and hand in a resume he’d been carrying, and he ended up having a ten-minute conversation with the manager.  You never know when you’ll stumble upon the 'HELP WANTED' sign, and being prepared to walk in at a moment’s notice will pay off.

Person behind the counter is a person

When you walk into a store, you don’t know if the person behind the counter is the manager or not, but it shouldn’t matter!  Any employee you talk to will be important when you’re looking to get hired.  If you’re friendly and polite to the person you speak to, even if they aren’t the manager, they could file your application somewhere unique or even put in a good word!  The same goes in the reverse —if you're rude and snobbish to the “lower”position employee, that will spread to higher-ups like wildfire.  Be a kind, respectful person to everyone you meet, and your life will be a lot easier. (That’s a general life-lesson.)

Keep an open mind

Whether this is a job you think is below you, or one that you think you are under qualified for.  Don’t limit your options.  If the company/industry is promising, but the job is not, apply anyway! At least then you’ll have your foot in the door and your ears peeled for chances to take that next step up. If you think you aren’t qualified, apply anyway! There’s no harm in it, and nine times out of ten, you were being too harsh on yourself and your qualifications are perfectly suitable.

bSmart Tip: Never wait to apply for a more opportune time.  If you’re out of a job before the holidays, don’t wait until after the season to start applying. You never know what a certain business needs, and they constantly have to fill new positions.

Don’t waste your time with follow-ups

If you apply for a job, and they never call/email you back, move on.  It’s usually a sign that they don’t invest much effort in communication, and it may be a bad place for you anyway.  In addition to showing them you're right for the job, make sure it's right for you.  How they communicate with potential employees is a good gauge for how happy you’d be as one of them.

Don’t lie about your qualifications

We’ve all been taught to say, 'Yes!' to everything. Yes, I can horseback ride! Typing 100 words per minute, no problem! Of course I can perform brain surgery! It is a slippery slope, particularly if you’re asked to deliver on these skills. It’s acceptable to exaggerate certain experiences to better define your qualities, but keep it in the realm of realism. (If you can’t operate an espresso machine, don’t tell the cafe manager you’re a barista.) Especially as a college student, don’t apologize for inexperience. You have strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else, so use them to your advantage.

Opening lines

This one is more technical. 'What do I say when I go in there?!' Having a plan, or at least an opening line, takes away the stress of breaking that first barrier. Here are some options I’ve heard or used:

  • Hi there! Are you hiring?
  • I was wondering if there was a manager in today, or someone I could speak to about an application?
  • Hello! My name is (blah blah blah), and I’m out and about looking for a summer job.  Are you looking to fill any positions?

Smile!

Last but not least, smile! No one is looking to hire a sour-puss. This is an exciting and scary time of life, why not enjoy it? It’s also not a bad idea to laugh at an interviewer’s bad jokes and buddy up. Throw out a few corny lines of your own! Anything to build rapport can only help you.

And finally, a lesson from my dad that I always keep with me: Do what you love, the money will follow. 'Just for now' jobs are valuable and often times necessary, but never lose sight of that goal on the mountain top. As long as you keep reaching for it, you’re still on your way.

 

Comments (0)

There are no comments posted here yet

Leave your comments

Posting comment as a guest. Sign up or login to your account.
Attachments (0 / 3)
Share Your Location