Starting your first job as a teenager can seem like an impossible step, especially if you have no prior work experience. With youth unemployment at 14.2% in the UK, competition for entry-level roles is fierce. Most desirable jobs specify requiring 1-3 years of experience even for applicants fresh out of school. This leaves many school and college leavers stuck in a frustrating catch-22 situation where they don’t have the experience, but also can’t get it.
However, don’t despair. With determination and clever marketing of your transferable skills, you can still persuade employers to take a chance on you. This article will explore practical tips to make yourself stand out when applying for roles, such as using a school leaver CV template, even if you’ve never worked a day in your life before.
With the right strategy, you can launch your career and get that crucial first foot on the jobs ladder. Read on to find out how you can convince employers you’re worth investing in.
Join School and Volunteer Programmes
Many schools and colleges offer work experience programmes that allow students to spend 1-2 weeks in a workplace to gain insight into a particular industry or role. Although brief, this shows initiative and gives you basic skills like timekeeping and communication.
You can also volunteer in your free time to gain useful experience. Animal shelters, charity shops, hospitals, and community centres often welcome volunteer help. Keep a record of your participation. Even if it’s just a few hours a week, it demonstrates responsibility and will likely involve key skills required in a potential role.
Always show a positive attitude
Okay, here is my top tip from being a hiring leader and conducting many interviews. Your covering letter and CV needs to be adapted to the job you apply for, and should match the key skills in the job advertisement. And be prepared to use examples of displaying these skills in any interview. And please use spell-check before sending anything, it can literally stop you getting short-listed.
The CV is just to get the interview, and a good interviewer should only be interested in what key skills you can bring to the role. Which determines how much training would be needed. But you can’t train the right attitude, and this above all else should shine through in any covering letter and interview. So be positive, own any gaps in your knowledge and show a desire to learn and be a valuable member of the team.
Someone with common sense, a positive attitude and a willingness to learn is actually more desirable than some experienced people. Because you can be shaped to do things the right way. And don’t lie that you have skills you don’t, it will just backfire when you are expected to know it.
If you do get an interview, dress smartly and arrive well in time. Take a bottle of water to limit a nervous dry throat, plus it makes for a very handy stalling technique to think about the question rather than babbling away.
And ask questions about the role, like how performance is measured, expectations for the successful candidate, career prospects, etc. Remember any job you get will involve training, and employers would be more inclined to invest in someone.
Most people my age assume all teenagers are lazy, work-shy and won’t work hard. Prove them wrong. Demonstrate personal attributes that can convince a potential employer to take a chance on you. Enthusiasm, motivation, confidence, maturity, positivity, adaptability, work ethic and passion are all appealing in a potential employee.
In the interview particularly, demonstrate these qualities through your body language (don’t slouch, lean forward and maintain eye contact), tone of voice and answers. Convey your genuine excitement about the opportunity and willingness to learn. This can make you stand out and be worth taking a risk on.
Highlight Transferable Skills
Most teenagers possess skills from school, sports, hobbies and home life that are valuable in the workplace. Good verbal and written communication, teamwork, organisation, leadership, problem-solving and customer service skills can all be gained without formal work experience.
Are you good with people, customer services would be ideal for you. Do a lot of team sports? This means you understand how a persons role is critical to success. Are you always on social media? That will mean you understand trends and how to talk to your target demographic, with is invaluable for any eccom business selling products to teenagers.
In your cover letter and interview, use clear examples to explain how you’ve gained these transferable skills already. Relate them directly to the role by explaining how they could be an asset to the employer. This helps make up for lack of direct experience.
Get Qualifications
Although you have no work history, getting qualifications can bolster your appeal to employers. Academic achievements like GCSEs and A-Levels show intellectual ability. Vocational qualifications in subjects like IT, finance, healthcare, childcare, beauty and construction give job-specific skills.
Even short courses in food hygiene, health and safety, first aid, software packages etc. prove you are committed to professional development before even starting a career. List all qualifications in your CV and discuss in interviews.
Use Social Media Wisely
Most employers check out applicants online, so ensure your social media presence paints you in a professional light. X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook profiles should be set to private or cleaned up. If your profile picture is you drinking at a festival, just think about how it can be perceived about how you spend your weekends, and how reliable you might be on a Monday morning.
LinkedIn is a platform you should use to your advantage. Create a detailed profile highlighting your school, qualifications, volunteering experience and skills. Connect with local employers. Be active by sharing industry news and content. This profiles you as ambitious and switched on.
Get References
While you won’t have former employers who can vouch for you, identify teachers, sports coaches, family friends or volunteer supervisors who can. Their endorsement of your character, skills and work ethic can provide reassurance.
Choose your referees carefully and ask their permission first. Brief them on the role so they can tailor their reference. Provide a copy of your CV to jog their memory before being contacted. Glowing references help offset lack of work history.
Show Initiative and Consistency
Applying for jobs itself demonstrates initiative but going above and beyond can impress potential employers. Attend school careers fairs and events to make industry contacts. Attend open days at companies you’re interested in. Gain insight from informational interviews with employees.
Follow up judiciously after submitting your CV. Check on the status of your application and politely ask for feedback after interviews. This shows persistence and determination.
Start Basic
You may need to begin with basic entry-level roles requiring no experience, but these still get you started. Examples include retail assistants, waiters, administration assistants, fast food workers, manual labour, cleaning and data entry. The skills and experience you gain will help secure better roles.
Take any interviews offered seriously, even for jobs you may consider unappealing. Employers often value attitude over experience at junior levels. If you impress them, better opportunities can follow.
