How and when did you get your first job?

lazymoezy

Just curious as I am going job hunting tomorow with my mate. I did kind of have a saturday job, but the employers were related to me so I dont count that.

Looking for my first job really and Im 17 with no experience, just thought I'de open this thread and see how everyone else got their first jobs, what it was and how they got it.

Thanks,

-MoE-

The_Economist

Hi moe,
first thing is get a CV done, and give it to all potential employers. Keep your eyes peeled and look in every paper in the job section and shop windows etc. Sign up with agencies. Ask friends and family if there is any vacancies at there place of work. Dont be to fussy in the begining about it being partime or fulltime as it will all be experiance for you. What sort of work are you looking for.

celyn90

The_Economist is right, write a good CV first.

You can also write directly to large companies and ask them if they have positions vacant and if so ask them for an application form (my brother got his first job at 17 in Safeway by doing this). Lots of shops don't advertise, but will keep stack of applications forms around - pop in on a quiet day and ask at customer services (not saturday morning or 10 mins before closing!). Dress smartly when you do this!

I would put your previous saturday job down even if you were related to your empolyers as it still shows you have a work ethic, commitment and some experience of a work place environment. HTH and best of luck with your job hunting! cel x

dalumsden1

To get my first job as a paper boy I saw the job in the window, lasted 2 days as it was illegal the pay/hour/strain on me. Then I did a variety of jobs as a vet assistant and a farm hand in various places milking and lambing (did this for free for the xperience when I wanted to be a vet at the time).


For (almost) my current job I saw an add in the paper for a domestic job in the hospital 5 minutes away from me and I applied, turned up VERY well prepared for the interview, got the job, then when they were advertising jobs withing the hospital I got a better paid nightshift job doing absolutely no manual labout as a telephonist and alarm sitter (I normally sit and watch tv for 6 hours of it).

ANYHOW, your local newspaper is a great place to go. On your CV or in an application personal statement be sure to draw on leadership and teamwork skills you have learned in school as these are amazing! Don't put down anything remotely negative, modesty is bad, and flash every good thing about you at them. It's worked for me and friends who have had less experience.

Daibhidh

Savvy_Sue

It's a long time since I got my first job :eek: but it was advertised in a shop window.

DS1 and DS2 both did the free papers: DS1 then moved on to daily delivery of the local paper for a while, and DS2 does a Sunday morning paper round.

But once they were 17, they've both worked at the local cinema. It's small and friendly, and a real cushy number! I saw them advertising for staff when we went to a film, asked about it, they said to get DS1 to phone if he was interested. Eventually he did, they said to go for a chat, and only after that did he have to fill in the application form - jammy or what! Then he went off to Uni, and said that his brother would do some shifts if they needed someone. A few months later and they offered him Sundays.

so yes, look in your local paper, but also keep your eyes open wherever you go for jobs advertised in shop windows etc, because they often don't get widely advertised so your chances are stronger IYSWIM.

lazymoezy

I was thinking retail and supermarkets but my driving inspector who is a good friend advised me to go and work for companies like orange, '3', car companies, insurance related....he said not much experience needed, just go and have a go, no harm, which I think is a godo idea actually.

I dont mind really what I do...retail, wouldnt mind working at Heathrow airport either, do they have a lot fo jobs? e.g. cleaning the planes? not pilot or anything .

I have a CV and tomorow, well technically, later onI'm going with my mate to a few local shops and busiensses to hand out my CV and see if they got and vacant jobs.

Thanks for all the replies :T

-MoE-

Savvy_Sue

lazymoezy wrote: »

I dont mind really what I do...retail, wouldnt mind working at Heathrow airport either, do they have a lot fo jobs? e.g. cleaning the planes? not pilot or anything .

:rotfl:I'm quite sure they are a major employer in the area, but I imagine getting security clearance for cleaning planes might take a while these days ... in fact security clearance to work anywhere in the airport might take a while, but there should be a lot going on: all those shops (might have to apply to the store direct), toilets to clean, baggage handling, catering outlets ...

Tam_Lin

I temped in an office doing general admin stuff for a shipping company, and they took me on permanently. I stayed for a couple of years, then moved on. In my twenties, all my permanent jobs started as temping roles.

Jersy

big retail places.. tesco etc usually want some sort of experiance (or team work.. eg sports)

my first job was working in a menswear shop.. i was 16 with NO experiance what so ever, i left last august aged 20 still with no idea what it was all about lol

i only did the saturday in there, so things changed everyweek and it was very hard to get to grips with

if i had of been full time it wouldnt really have been a problem but 8.5 hours per week is really not an awful lots of time!

i hated it anyway, money was crap, boss was good i must admit, but trying to look busy killed me!

Myrna_Minkoff

My first job was with a legal publishng firm via an employment agency. I had found myself on a gap year as my grades weren't good enough for my first choice uni and I really didn't want to go to my second choice. Quite late on in the gap year I started to approach employment agencies and pretty quickly they found me a job. Thoroughly enjoyed it there too :j

[Deleted User]

My parents told me at 16 that if i wanted to get an allowance whilst at 6th form, i needed a saturday job.. so, i typed up a CV, popped into town, went around a load of shops asking about vacancies. Ended up working at Boots for 2 years... Mum loved my discount card!