[CHAT] Work it
Whether:
- you are going for your first ever after school job at 14 & 9 months, or
- you've left school and looking for an apprenticeship/traineeship or
- you are trying to work to support your study at uni or tafe or
- you've finished your study and you want your first full time job or
- you haven't worked for a long time but it's time to get a job...
- you are working hard for the money...
Looking for a job and/or working can be a pretty nerve wrecking experience, especially trying to keep everything running smoothly!
You might be wondering how you can find the right kind of job that suits you; how to make it through the dreaded interview; how to make sure you are not taken advantage of; how to manage your pay & make it last the fortnight; and before any of that - resumes these days have become an art form!
Or what about this age old conundrum:
Here's a story from a forum member, Chonty
"The first job I ever had was working in a fast food joint after school and on weekends. I remember wanting to quit in the first week because it was all too new and I didn’t like the manager. I also remember how exciting it was to get my first pay, and I’m pretty sure I spent it immediately on new clothes and forgot all about wanting to leave. That’s pretty much how I spent every pay for two years straight, without a thought about saving for future things.
It wasn’t until schoolies came around that I realised I didn’t have enough saved to do all the things that had been planned! Luckily in the end my family were all able to chip in in and it all worked out, but they let me sweat it for a while. Being in a position where I realised I hadn’t managed my money as well as I should have wasn’t the best.""
@Bee Hey you work in retail, taking some time out to relax and stack shelves instead of dealing with crazy customers (i've heard a lot of stories from retail friends... :P) makes perfect sense to me!
@FItzChivalry i'm with you there. I didn't mention this but there's other more basic stuff that I do that's important too! Like getting a haircut beforehand if I need it, making sure I have a nice suit and shirt ready to wear. Presentation is def important!
@benjamin_ Yup for sure! It's not always about how you actually look too, if you feel like you are well-presented and are proud of how you look you will act more confident in turn and it will show through your body language and speech 🙂
@FItzChivalry that's so true. Whenever I put on a suit I go initiate James Bond mode which is ideal for interviews.
@benjamin_ Haha man I completely agree, that's why I love suiting up!
I've never really had a really job interview, but I think I would try practise answering questions I think woud pop up
Showing that you can commit to things that interest you such as enviro club at school/tafe/uni
Work experience/volunteer work
Being involved in the community (like being a part of the local footy club community)
I think volunteering is a great step in getting ready for work.
There's so much good stuff posted here guys! Thanks for contributing.
I'm gonna keep it rolling and move onto the next question!
- What kind of activities do you think people could participate in to help them get their first job?
I think we've touched on this a bit already, but I think doing stuff like volunteer work and participating in university or school social clubs or groups can be helpful too! Those kinda things give you stuff to add to your resume, but you also get to make connetions which might really help you get a job you want!
Volunteer work
Work experience (paid off for me)
Sports
etc
Also a bit off topic, but having a goal, a direction of where you want to go will help you get a foot in aswell!
thanks for joining us @Dreamer 95 🙂
@FItzChivalry Def agree with volunteering, regardless of what you might be doing! You also get to meet great people so socially it's awesome too.
@Bee good point. Having a direction of where you want to go would def help you - i'm sure employers would want someone who has some direction.
- What kind of activities do you think people could participate in to help them get their first job?
Definitely think volunteering is a great thing to do! Even if you can't volunteer in the field, volunteering in general shows a lot about your character! Also random things like travelling and playing sports can show you're an interesting person with a wide-range of experiences 🙂
Good night @Troy ! It was super helpful reading your contributions. I took some good tips to tuck away!
Goodnight to those that are leaving, thanks for your awesome contributions 🙂
Alright guys. Iv stayed back at work since 8. Im going to get going home to have dinner now. My motocycle seat is only getting wetter by the minute 😞
Today has been great! heaps more advice and knowledge that i have gained which I didnt expect.
I think I might make a linkdin when i get home haha!
Enjoy your nights! (dont forget to watch the new Game of Thrones which has come out tonight!!!!)
@Troy Enjoy your dinner. I will be jumping on to GOT later, haven't started the new season yet.
Dat wet motorcycle seat, I know the feel
@Troy Enjoy your dinner. I will be jumping on to GOT later, haven't started the new season yet.
Dat wet motorcycle seat, I know the feel
It's always disheartning to receive rejection notices after you've spent a lot of time applying for jobs. How can one not get (as) disappointed when you are unsuccessful?
How can I make my resume stand out from the 50 or so others people have sent?
May I just mention to you, that two years ago, I applied for 64 jobs in a four month period!!! And I landed only FOUR interviews. I was almost totally numb from applying for jobs! I ended up in a field I was in years earlier, but i wanted to get away from. Turns out it was the Best Job Ever getting back into that field.
