Dear SHS Today,

My first year of high school is almost over and I am planning to get a job for the summer. Where do I start my search?

Sincerely,

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

The biggest advice I can give you is start applying now! Most summer jobs are going to be booked pretty quickly due to many people out of state coming to work as well. Once you hit the age of 14, you can get a job. However, most jobs will require you to be 16 or older, so keep an open mind to any jobs that will hire you. A great place to start your search is Alexsys, a job search site specific to Alaska (URL: https://alexsys.dol.alaska.gov). Create an account and keep your username and password somewhere safe so you can remember it. Here are some tips that might help you get hired:

Find good references! They will be one of your biggest pushes to being accepted. If you had a job before, talk to your manager about using them as a reference. For the ones who are getting their first job, talk to your teachers or family friends you have worked for, such as babysitting. Always remember to get permission from your references BEFORE putting their information in the application! Your employer will most likely contact them, so it’s always nice to give your reference a heads up.

Think of skills you’ll need for the job. This can be a tough one for your first year of work because you won’t have skills learned from previous jobs. It might help to think of things you’ve done for the community. For example, if you babysat, think of skills you had to use to complete the job: patience, organization, problem solving, etc.. Make sure to mention these skills on your application and in your interview. If the skills correlate with the job description, this will show the employer you have what it takes to do the job.

As previously stated, keep an open mind. First time jobs are always harder to get and not always something you want to do, but once you get beyond the barrier of getting a job, future years of work are a lot easier. Getting your first year of experience will help you in the future, especially if you plan to work your way up in that field. For example, if you want to be a waiter/waitress, starting as a busser or dishwasher is not a bad idea. The more familiar you are to a certain field, the more you can work yourself up to a better job. Even though the beginner jobs aren’t as great, it can pay off as you get more advanced.

Finally, don’t stress! Seward has many summer jobs available, so apply everywhere you can and don’t let it get to you if some don’t give you the job. There can be various reasons behind why they didn’t, and it’s always good to apply for more than one place if this happens. Just keep a professional and positive attitude, and you’ll be able to find a job in no time. Good luck!

Sincerely,

SHS Today

Kendyl Morris (Staff Editor)

(If you have a question in need of advice email SHS Today at shstodaystaff@gmail.com)