Teen Jobsearch, CV help, & Keyskills

By Mark Else

"Your sitting at home bored and want to go bowling with your mates but can't because you have no money and your mum and dad have said they cant afford to keep giving you money whenever you feel, so you try and do a few extra jobs around the house but this only amounts to a bit of extra change in your pocket and simply is not enough to go out and enjoy yourself with your mates."

If the above statement sound like you then you could benefit from getting yourself a part-time job or a Saturday job.

Lets review you!

Get a pen and piece of paper and list all the skills that make you who you are, these can include things like;

* A good listener
This is when you are good at taking information in by reading something or listening carefully to what is being said. It also shows that you can provide accurate information either by speaking or producing a document.
* Application of number
This is when you are confident with numbers and can use them effectively. You will be comfortable about using them and able to solve problems quickly and accurately.
* You are good on computers (IT)
This is when you are able to deal with new technology, use computers and other technical equipment to produce and present accurate data.
* You are good at solving problems
This is when you can use your own initiative to work and solve problems. You will be able to provide information and describe the problem and be able to recognize a problem when it occurs.
* Your a quick learner
This is when you have the ability to learn new things quickly.
* Can speak other languages
This is when you have the ability to speak fluently in another language.
* Good written communication skills
* Good verbal communication skills
This is when you are good at taking information in by reading something or listening carefully to what is being said. It also shows that you can provide accurate information either by speaking or producing a document.
* The ability to work in a team
This is when you can show that you work well using your own initiative as well as being able to work well as part of a team. You will have great interpersonal skills, you are good with people from a wide range of backgrounds and will be able to manage your own workload and recognize when and where improvements can be made.
* The ability to work independently
This is when you can show that you work well using your own initiative.
* Prompt and reliability
This shows that your are always prompt (on-time) and you are reliable enough to do the job at hand.
* Improving own learning & performance
This is when you can recognize your weaknesses and make the appropriate steps to improve them. You will be learning throughout your time at school or college and the more you do the more you will improve

Now you know what skills you have, you can now make a list of what type(s) of jobs you would be willing to do. Here are some examples;

* Working at a fast-food restaurant
* Working as a clerk in a store
* Shelf-filling at a local supermarket
* Paper boy / Paper girl
* Baby-sitting
* Lawn or yard care
* Cleaning

So lets check, we have a list of your skills and now also have a rough idea of the kind of job that you want to do.

Lets move on . .

Now we have the basic information we need to put this on paper and present it this is often called a "Curriculum Vitae" or CV for short.
You have most probably heard about CV's in school, for those of you that hav'nt heres a quick introduction .

Your CV is a very important document; it is quick simply a story of your life telling the employer what kind of education you have had, what work experience you have had (If any), what your skills are, and why you would be suitable for the job.
Other information that can be found in CV's are your name, address, contact details, etc and quick often a little "about me" section where you can describe you as a person and the kind of things you enjoy doing, going out with mates, hobbies etc.
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Need help with writing your CV? Fear not heres a web site that was designed for helping teens write CV's.

Want to write your own CV? Great heres a site that can give you some CV writing tips.

So you your CV all nicely printed up what now?

Nows the part where you go from shop to shop handing out your CV, all you simply do is walk in the shop and ask the person working on the till if there is any jobs going if there is then great ask them if you can hand in your CV (some jobs might also require you to fill out a job application form), if there is not any jobs going then that is also ok because most shops will allow you to still hand in your CV and if a job ever pops-up they already have your contact details etc to contact you if you are suitable for the job.

Handed out all my CV's - Whats Next?

Well nows the wait, if your lucky enough then you will receive a phone call or letter asking for you to come in for an interview, the interview will be what makes the difference between getting the job and not getting the job. (I hope to write an article on interview tips & techniques soon)

The End

Hopefully now you have a nice part-time job and you are now making an income for yourself which means you can now go out with your mates and have some fun without having to ask mum or dad for money.