| Employment opportunities have to be handled with | | | | look an interviewer in the eye, you just lost. You must |
| special attention when you're a high school or college | | | | be prepared to speak with authority. |
| student job seeker. For example, no matter what your | | | | 3. Practice what to say with friends. Let them ask you |
| age, a hiring decision about you is made only after a | | | | tough questions so you can learn to respond |
| face-to-face meeting. | | | | intelligently without getting rattled. |
| So employment opportunities require you to master a | | | | 4. When you've done all your prep work, then you can |
| few basic communication skills. | | | | write a resume recapping what you've done in the first |
| First, you have to look employable. If this is your first | | | | three steps. It has to be brief and to the point |
| job, you have to make absolutely everything work to | | | | (maximum one page.) Remember--your resume won't |
| your advantage. Since you don't have a work history | | | | get you a job. Only a face-to-face meeting results in |
| or at best a thin resume, much more credibility will be | | | | serious consideration. |
| placed on how you come across when you meet with | | | | 5. Dress appropriate to the position and according to |
| a decision-maker. There, it's up to you to represent | | | | company standards. Be polite. Have an opening |
| yourself assertively and with enthusiasm. | | | | comment to make so you can be the first to speak. |
| Here are 6 tips that can move you toward success | | | | Prepare in advance some intelligent questions to ask. |
| with your employment opportunities: | | | | 6. Be open to employment options. For example, an |
| 1. Get your ducks in a row. Write down the specific | | | | internship, starting out part-time, offering to work free |
| talents and capabilities your bring to the table. For | | | | for a week, a probation period, etc. Incidentally, the |
| example any work experience including volunteer | | | | holiday season is a great time to get your foot in the |
| work, school and church projects, family projects, | | | | door with retail businesses. Very often part-time |
| athletic prowess . . . anything that demonstrates that | | | | holiday employment turns into full-time after the |
| you have contributed to helping another organization or | | | | holidays. |
| individual. Be sure to include any work for neighbors | | | | Employment opportunities at the high school and |
| including raking leaves, baby-sitting, shoveling snow, etc. | | | | college level can be exciting and enriching experiences. |
| 2. Write a script that details how you'll present yourself | | | | They can seriously prepare you for a lifetime of |
| to a prospective employer. Remember, first | | | | satisfying and lucrative work. |
| impressions count BIG! If you stumble around and can't | | | | |