how to land your first job (even as a teen)

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide on landing your first job, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted resume as your sales pitch. It advises on highlighting extracurricular activities to showcase traits like responsibility and teamwork, crucial for first-time job seekers. The script also covers resume formatting, using action verbs and numbers, and the importance of aligning with an applicant tracking system. Additionally, it suggests creating a portfolio website for a standout application and provides tips on job searching, application, and interview preparation, including the STAR method for answering behavioral questions.

Takeaways

• 👟 The video is a guide on how to land your first job, emphasizing the importance of a well-crafted resume as your 'sales pitch' to employers.
• 📝 A resume should include information about education, work experience, and skills, but for first-time job seekers, it should highlight extracurricular activities and personal traits like responsibility and teamwork.
• 🚫 Avoid listing every club or activity; keep the resume concise and to one page long to maintain focus and readability.
• 🔍 Use an applicant tracking system (ATS) friendly format for your resume, with clear, concise descriptions using action verbs and numbers to highlight your impact.
• 🌐 Create a portfolio website to showcase your personal brand, especially useful for roles in marketing or creative fields.
• 🛠️ Utilize tools like Hostinger's AI website builder to set up a professional-looking portfolio website without needing to know how to code.
• 🔎 When searching for jobs, consider factors like distance, job responsibilities, and how the job aligns with your academic interests or intended major.
• 🕒 Be mindful of the work-school balance, especially when dealing with college applications and standardized tests.
• 📋 Apply to multiple jobs and keep track of applications using tools like Google Sheets to stay organized and follow up effectively.
• 👔 Prepare for job interviews by dressing business casual, arriving early, and maintaining a friendly and energetic demeanor.
• 🗣️ Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure answers to common interview questions about challenges and leadership experiences.
• 🔄 Understand that job rejections are common and to keep applying and improving your application materials until you secure a position.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is providing guidance on how to land your first job, including creating a resume, searching for jobs, and preparing for interviews.

Why is a resume important for getting a job?

A resume is important because it serves as your sales pitch to potential employers, highlighting your education, prior work experience, skills, and extracurricular activities to convince them that you are qualified for the job.

What should a resume for a first-time job seeker emphasize if they lack work experience?

A resume for a first-time job seeker should emphasize their extracurricular activities, such as club sports or community service, to highlight traits like responsibility, organization, and teamwork.

What is the recommended length for a resume?

The recommended length for a resume is one page, unless the individual has extensive experience that cannot be condensed.

How can a job seeker use a job description to improve their resume?

A job seeker can use a job description by copying it into a word cloud generator to identify prominent words, which should be highlighted in their activity descriptions to signal to the applicant tracking system that they are a good fit for the position.

What is an applicant tracking system and why is it important to consider it when writing a resume?

An applicant tracking system is a software that automatically scans resumes to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the position. It's important to consider it because it can discard your resume before it reaches the employer if it doesn't recognize you as a potential candidate.

What is the purpose of a portfolio website in the context of job applications?

A portfolio website can help job seekers stand out by showcasing their personal brand, including headshots, project demos, and creative work, especially for roles that require a more personalized touch.

How can a job seeker find job opportunities that match their interests and skills?

A job seeker can use websites like LinkedIn or Indeed to search for jobs, focusing on categories like fast food or retail, and considering factors like distance, responsibilities, and hours to find opportunities that align with their interests and skills.

What are some tips for preparing for a job interview?

Tips for preparing for a job interview include arriving early, dressing business casual, maintaining a friendly and energetic demeanor, and practicing answers to common interview questions using the STAR method.

What is the STAR method and how can it be used in answering interview questions?

The STAR method is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. It helps structure responses to behavioral interview questions by starting with the situation, describing the task, explaining the actions taken, and concluding with the results.

What should a job seeker do if they haven't heard back after a job interview?

If a job seeker hasn't heard back after two weeks, they should follow up with a call to inquire about the status of their application and reiterate their interest in the position.

How can job seekers manage the balance between school, extracurricular activities, and a part-time job?

Job seekers should prioritize their academics first, followed by extracurricular activities, and then their part-time job. It's important to be mindful of the time commitment each requires, especially during busy periods like college application season.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Navigating the Job Hunt as a Teenager

The script introduces the viewer to the challenges of finding a first job, especially when lacking work experience. It emphasizes the importance of a resume, which serves as a sales pitch to potential employers. The resume should highlight education, extracurricular activities, and skills, even if the applicant is young and inexperienced. The episode provides guidance on resume content, format, and length, suggesting that it should not exceed one page. It also introduces the concept of an applicant tracking system (ATS) and how to tailor resume descriptions to align with job descriptions for better chances of selection.

05:01

🛠️ Building a Portfolio Website to Stand Out

This section discusses the benefits of having a portfolio website to showcase one's personal brand, especially for marketing roles. The script provides a step-by-step guide on setting up a website using Hostinger's AI website builder, including choosing a plan, customizing the site, and using AI tools for content generation. It also touches on the importance of a professional email address and the support provided by Hostinger. The video script also briefly returns to the topic of job hunting, advising viewers on how to search for jobs on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, and how to consider factors like distance, job responsibilities, and alignment with academic interests or intended major.

10:03

🔍 Job Application and Interview Strategies

The final paragraph focuses on the application and interview process for first-time job seekers. It suggests keeping track of applications and waiting for responses, with advice on following up after two weeks without a reply. The script provides tips for interviews, such as arriving early, dressing appropriately, and maintaining a friendly and energetic demeanor. It introduces the STAR method for answering behavioral interview questions and encourages practicing with mock interviews. The video concludes with encouragement to persevere through job rejections and a teaser for potential future content on financial management for teens.

Keywords

💡Resume

A resume is a document used by individuals to present their skills, work experience, and education to potential employers. In the video, the resume is described as a 'sales pitch' that must convince an employer of the applicant's qualifications for a job. It is highlighted as the key to employment, with a focus on extracurricular activities and traits rather than professional experience, especially for first-time job seekers.

💡Budget

Budget refers to the monetary plan or the amount of money available for a specific purpose. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the financial constraints faced when shopping for items like sneakers, jackets, or t-shirts, which prompts the individual to seek employment.

💡Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are pursuits undertaken by students outside of their academic curriculum, often for personal enrichment or to develop new skills. The video emphasizes the importance of including these activities on a resume to showcase responsibility, teamwork, and other desirable traits to potential employers.

💡Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

An Applicant Tracking System is a software application used by employers to manage and filter job applications. The video explains that resumes must be formatted in a way that is easily parsed by ATS, using keywords from the job description to increase the chances of the application being considered by a human employer.

💡Action Verbs

Action verbs are words that describe actions or behaviors. In resume writing, as mentioned in the video, using action verbs in bullet points helps to clearly and concisely highlight the applicant's impact and responsibilities in their activities, which is crucial for making a strong impression on ATS and human reviewers.

💡Portfolio Website

A portfolio website is an online platform where individuals can showcase their work, skills, and achievements. The video suggests creating a portfolio website to stand out to employers, especially for more prestigious roles, by providing a dynamic and personalized presentation of one's qualifications beyond the resume.

💡Job Interview

A job interview is a meeting between a potential employer and a job seeker, where the employer assesses the candidate's suitability for a position. The video provides tips for preparing for and conducting oneself during an interview, emphasizing the importance of first impressions, attire, and communication skills.

💡Cover Letter

A cover letter is a document sent along with a resume that explains why the applicant is a good fit for a job. In the video, it is described as a one-page document that should be tailored to each job application, highlighting the applicant's relevant skills and experiences.

💡References

References are individuals who can provide a recommendation or testimonial about a job applicant's skills and character. The video mentions references as people who can vouch for the applicant's work ethic and personality, which can be former employers, teachers, or coaches.

💡STAR Method

The STAR method is a structured approach to answering behavioral interview questions, standing for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. The video advises using this method to prepare for common interview questions, allowing the applicant to provide clear and impactful responses about their experiences and accomplishments.

💡Job Rejection

Job rejection refers to the situation where a job applicant is not selected for a position. The video acknowledges that rejections are a common part of the job search process and encourages viewers to persevere and continue applying to roles until they find a suitable match.

Highlights

The importance of a resume as a sales pitch to convince employers of one's qualifications.

Resumes should emphasize extracurricular activities for those without work experience.

Employers are looking for traits such as responsibility, organization, and teamwork rather than specific skills.

The recommendation to keep resumes to one page in length.

The use of action verbs and numbers in activity descriptions to stand out to applicant tracking systems.

The suggestion to create a portfolio website to showcase personal projects and creative work.

How to set up a portfolio website using Hostinger's AI website builder.

The benefits of a personal website for job applications, especially in marketing roles.

Job search strategies, including using LinkedIn or Indeed and focusing on fast food or retail jobs for students.

Factors to consider when choosing a job, such as distance, responsibilities, and alignment with academic interests.

The importance of balancing work hours with academic and extracurricular commitments, especially for juniors.

The application process, including the components typically required like resumes, cover letters, and references.

Tracking job applications using tools like Google Sheets to monitor responses and follow-ups.

Preparing for job interviews by arriving early, dressing appropriately, and maintaining good body language.

Using the STAR method to structure answers to common interview questions about challenges and leadership.

The expectation that job rejections are common and should not discourage job seekers from continuing their search.

The suggestion to save and invest a portion of the income earned from a new job.

Offering to create a follow-up video on financial management topics such as banking, investing, and understanding credit cards.

Transcripts

you're shopping at the mall when you

spot a pair of sneakers you've always

wanted to buy but once you pick it up to

look at the price tag you realize it's a

bit out of your budget well what about a

new jacket still out of your budget what

about a new t-shirt also out of your

budget so you go home pull out your

laptop and start applying to jobs but

there's one problem you don't know how

to do that welcome to episode one of

stuff they should have taught you in

school today's episode how to land your

first job so this piece of paper right

here is the key to employment can you

guess what it is is I'm going to turn it

around in 3 seconds 3 2 1 it's your

resume this is your sales pitch and the

stuff you put on this paper has to

convince an employer that you are

qualified for a job but what do you put

on it information about your education

prior work experience and skills but I

can already imagine what you're thinking

gohart I'm only 17 I don't really have

any work experience plus the only skills

that I have are procrastinating on my

homework look employers aren't dumb

they're not expecting 17-year-olds to

have years of work experience or any

experience at all that's why your resume

will instead highlight your

extracurricular activities for example

things like club sports or community

service no employer is expecting you to

know how to use a cash register or serve

customers if you have relevant

experience great but for your first job

all you have to do is convince the

employer that you have the traits not

necessarily the skills in other words

prove that you're responsible organized

and work well on teams because chances

are you will learn everything else on

the the job now don't go crazy with your

resume I know you might feel tempted to

list down every single Club you've been

part of throughout your high school

career but look unless you're Bill Gates

Elon Musk or Sam Alman there is

absolutely no reason your resume should

be more than one page long now

16-year-old goar had a hard time

internalizing this I remember the first

resume I made was about two pages long

maybe it was even three it was it was

rough okay but how should you format

your resume instead of yapping away let

me show you an example from none other

than harv University I will also link

this template in the description below

so the typical student resume consists

of four sections education experience

activities and skills at the top you're

going to list your name your contact

information and your website if you have

one it's nice to make one just in case

and the education section list the high

school or college you attend along with

your GPA and maybe even your sat or ACT

score now the experience and activity

sections are structured pretty much

identically if you don't have any

experiences that's fine just get rid of

the section and fill out the activity

section so for each activity you're

going to list the organization name your

position the location and the duration

underneath this you're going to describe

your activity but how you describe it is

critical because these descriptions can

make or break your decision but why okay

I need you to understand something very

important when you apply to a job your

resume goes to something called an

applicant tracking system this system

automatically scans your resume to see

if you're a good fit for the position if

it thinks you're not it's going to

discard your resume even before it ever

reaches the employer so your

descriptions need to signal to the

system that you are a good potential

candidate and here's how you're going to

trick it well not trick it but convince

it that that's the case you're going to

copy the job description paste it into a

word cloud generator and observe which

words are the most prominent these are

the words you need to highlight in your

activity descriptions and your

descriptions must be clear and concise

don't use full paragraphs don't even

useful sentences use bullets that start

with crisp action verbs that highlight

your impact and use numbers whenever you

can I'm actually going to include a link

to some action verbs in the description

of this video but unfortunately even

with the right keywords the ATS might

turn your resumé away another mistake

many students make is Mis formatting or

even designing their résumés maybe

they'll add a head shot maybe they'll

use fancy fonts and colors but this just

makes it harder for the ATS to parse the

resumés that's why I recommend that you

also build a portfolio website now a

resume is great and all but it's a

little lifeless if you want to stand out

to employers especially if you're

applying to a fancier role it's great to

have a portfolio website this is where

you can bring in those head shots those

project demos and even a gallery if you

have creative work but I know you don't

know how to code so let me show you how

you can set up a portfolio website in

just a few clicks using hostinger's AI

website builder here's how it works

first we're going to head to

hostinger.com goar now if you click on

claim deal you'll see that they offer

two options both are fairly priced but

the main difference is that the business

plan offers you AI tools like the AI

writer which can help populate your

website for the resume it's definitely

up to you I'm going to pick the business

plan for the sake of this demo now

you'll also have to pick the length I

recommend going with 12 months minimum

so you can also get a free domain next

you need to add your details and if you

add code gohar you'll get an extra 10%

off now once you click on build a

website with AI all you have to do is

select the website type in this case

we'll choose portfolio then we'll enter

our name and describe the kind of

website we're trying to build now this

is where you can mention specific Pages

fonts and colors once we click generate

the AI starts writing content picking

images choosing a layout and look we

already have a full-fledged website and

customizing our portfolio is a breeze

click on edit site to update anything on

the website including text colors and

images you can even enhance your

portfolio using hosting or Suite of AI

tools for example we can use the AI page

generator to add an about me page that

highlights your background and hobbies

or you can generate an extracurriculars

page that highlights the different clubs

that you're part of once happy with your

website go ahead and click on go live oh

but that's not all the business plan

also comes with a free domain name and a

free email so now you can have a really

professional email address like contact

goar.com that is not my email by the way

and if you run into any technical issues

or need help upgrading your website

hostinger provides 24/7 support if you

want to get started I recommend you

check out their Business website builder

which only cost $3.99 a month and comes

with 2 months free and again use code

goart for 10% off off on all yearly

plans I've seen quite a few recruiters

say that a personal website really moved

the needle for them when making a

decision and this is especially the case

for a marketing role as it shows how

well you can sell your personal brand

thanks again to hostinger for sponsoring

and now back to the video all right so

now you've got your resume and your

portfolio website ready to go now it's

time to actually start searching for

jobs now this is the super super fun

part not really but I'm going to try to

make it as easy as possible for you for

this you're going to use a website like

LinkedIn or indeed to search for jobs

and if you're a student you're most

likely going to narrow your search to

one of two categories fast food or

retail think places like McDonald's Taco

Bell Chipotle or Walmart Target and

Staples now as you're hunting for these

jobs be mindful of three things first

look at distance because trust me if

you're in high school you do not want to

commute more than 15 to 25 minutes to

work maybe 30 at Max but commuting 45

minutes or an hour is completely

unreasonable unless you're working a

full-time job even in that case it's

kind of reasonable second pay attention

to the responsibilities yes money is

nice but don't fling yourself at any job

opportunity that you can find make sure

it's something that you're okay with

doing just make sure the role is not

something completely against your

personality or your preferences for

example if you're super shy and

introverted you don't want a job where

you're talking to people all the time or

if you want something more active and

where you're moving around a secretary

job is probably going to bore you out of

your mind and ideally now this won't

happen for most students but if you can

find a job that aligns with your

intended major or or your academic

interest that is a huge plus because

when you apply to college you are going

to list the jobs that you did in high

school and if these jobs are unrelated

to your intended major that's fine

ultimately colleges are more interested

in the characteristics these jobs

highlight so things like responsibility

leadership and teamwork but let's say

you're interested in medicine and find a

job as a secretary at a clinic or better

yet maybe you get the opportunity to job

shadow an actual doctor that's probably

going to help your college application

just a bit more than becoming a

lifeguard or a babysitter and finally I

want you to look at the hours if you're

an underclassman sure maybe you can

dedicate 10 to 15 hours a week to a

part-time job especially if you're

working longer shifts on the weekends

but if you're a junior and you're

dealing with college essays and

extracurriculars and standardized tests

be very mindful of work school balance

your academics should be priority number

one followed by extracurriculars and

then your work of course for some

students depending on their financial

situation this may vary but this is what

I think it should be for most students

all right once you have search for jobs

the next stage is applying for jobs now

this is the most timeconsuming part

because you might have to apply to

dozens of different roles until you land

something I'm not going to walk you

through the actual application process

because it varies by job plus it's

pretty straightforward they're probably

just going to ask for your resume maybe

a brief cover letter and maybe even some

references a cover letter is usually a

one-page document that explains to an

employer why you are a good fit for the

job and you can think of a reference as

someone that can vouch for you it's

someone who can provide a potential

employer with more information about

your work and your characteristics and

this for example can be a former

employer a teacher a coach and so on now

once You' submitted your applications I

recommend keeping track of them in

Google Sheets so you can see where

you've applied and where you're waiting

to hear back from I've included a

template in the description of this

video and then you wait most places will

just email you your decision but some

might throw in an extra step the

interview job interviews aren't that

stressful or at least they shouldn't be

the goal isn't to grill you on technical

skills or your knowledge again this is

assuming you're applying to your first

job and not a place like Google the

interview is just a way for a potential

employer to get a sense of your

personality how many hours you can work

and it also gives you the chance to ask

any questions now just to make sure you

leave the best impression possible let

me give you some tips first show up 10

to 15 minutes early it is a terrible

terrible look if you are just pulling up

and running in 2 minutes before the

interview or even worse after it has

already started though I trust none of

you are going to make that mistake dress

business casual no need to put on a suit

or a tie wear something nice like a polo

or a buttonup or if you're a girl just a

nice dress and once you're at the

interview maintain a friendly and

energetic composure you don't want to be

too laid-back and chill to the point

where it seems like you don't care about

the role but you don't want to be too

formal and rigid either just be relaxed

maintain good posture eye contact and

open and confident body language now

once the interview begins chances are

the first question you're going to get

is tell me about yourself prepare your

answer beforehand on the screen now

you'll see an example structure that you

can follow and at some point in the

inter interview they're probably going

to ask you about a challenge or some

time that you had to demonstrate

leadership answering these questions

sounds tricky but it's not as hard as

you think use the star method let me

give you a breakdown so star is an

acronym s stands for situation T stands

for task a stands for action and R

stands for result you want to start off

with s the situation provide the

interviewer with background and help

them understand the details surrounding

the event then you want to transition

into the task bring up what you had to

do to address the situation then talk

about your actions hi highlight what you

actually did and finally weave that into

the result talk about the impact that

you left and whether or not you

succeeded and throw in some numbers if

you can as you're preparing these

responses I recommend that you do some

mock interviews with family members just

practice answering these questions a few

times over and over so you get into the

general Rhythm and feel comfortable by

the time the interview rolls around all

right and the next part of this process

is landing the position after the

interview it's time for you to go home

and wait months and months and months

for a response just kidding sometimes

you'll get a response back within the

same day but usually you'll hear back

within a week or two but if you don't

hear back 2 weeks after you've applied

be sure to follow up give them a call

just ask about the status of your

application and reiterate your

excitement but I'm going to let you in

on a harsh truth if you don't end up

hearing back a couple weeks after the

interview chances are you might have

gotten rejected but don't let that get

you down job rejections are extremely

extremely common there is not a single

person who gets more job acceptances

than rejections well that's probably a

lie but you get my point back in college

for example I had had a few friends who

had to apply to dozens and dozens of

roles until they landed something just

keep pushing through and I promise you

will eventually find the role that's

right for you and make enough money to

buy that pair of sneakers of course

don't blow all of that money into

clothes and sneakers you want to put

some of it into savings and Investments

as well which I have talked about in a

couple shorts of mine let me know if you

want a part two of this I can go ahead

and talk about how to open up a bank

account next and how to do some basic

investing and even cover the differences

between debit cards and credit cards I'm

happy to dive into those money tips but

I just want to hear from you first and

see if it's something that you're

interested in but with that we have

wrapped up today's video I hope this

video helps you get the job that you

want I believe in you you got this

subscribe if you haven't already and

I'll see you again next week