A first job is where so many young people learn what interests them (and what doesn't!) helping them craft a career they will hopefully enjoy for the rest of their working lives.
To get an idea of why getting teens and young adult's first jobs are so important, we got in touch with Emily Mitchinson at GoThinkBig to help explain why, as a parent, you should encourage your teenager to get out into the world and experience what working is really like.
GoThinkBig is an online digital hub that gives valuable career advice, as well as amazing work experience opportunities, encouraging young adults to plan for their future.
Why it’s important for teenagers to get their first part time job
Emily says: “Getting a part-time job is so important for teenagers because working gives you a whole new set of skills and responsibilities to show off about on your CV.
“No matter how hard you work at school or what amazing grades you get, if an employer can’t see that you’ve braved the working world and done things outside of the classroom, you’ll find it way harder to get a job further down the line.”
So what can your first job give you in order to show employers you’re right for the job?
“Whether you’re working in a café, a shop or somewhere else, part time work can give you transferable skills like communication, confidence and teamwork that will be relevant to applications for all sorts of full time jobs, and will stand out on apprenticeship and university applications too,” Emily explained.
“Plus, they’re a great way to make new friends and a bit of cash!”
Great advice from Emily - well worth putting forward to your children.
Reaching out to teens, former Union J singer George Shelley has also highlighted how his first job shaped his worth ethic.
WATCH: George Shelley reveals all about his first job
Costa Coffee - who gives 110 young people (16-24) their first job each week – has teamed up with I’m A Celebrity star George Shelley to create a video showing how important their first job can be.
George’s first job was as a barista in the beloved coffee shop, and in the short video the singer heads back to the coffee chain to meet his old boss.
He says in the video: “Before I worked at Costa, I wasn’t very sociable and I didn’t have great communication skills, but working there really worked upon it.”
Watch the clip for yourself here:
Their research revealed that two in five employees admit they would like to go back and see their first boss to show them just how far they have come in their career, demonstrating just how much of an impact it has.
And it also showed that two thirds of employers believe that working well in a team is the skill that they are most impressed by.
To find more information about careers and opportunities at Costa, click here.
And look how far George has come now!
Starting as a Costa Barista during university, George took the decision to apply for The X Factor in 2012 and follow his dreams of being a singer.
George didn’t make it through to the live finals as a solo artist, but he joined boy band Triple J to form a four-piece Union J. The group finished fourth that series and went on to produce several singles and two albums.
The 22 year old then went on to appear in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and finished in second place. Since then George has had success in radio and television presenting.
And who knows what the future holds for the rising star now!
How can you help young adults appeal to employers?
So, how can young adults make themselves stand out to future employers?
Emily at GoThinkBIg explains that doing something outside of school or college, like volunteering, being part of a sports club or even blogging is a great way to show your personality.
She says to hopeful teens:
“When you apply for jobs, make sure that rather than just listing off a load of generic skills like leadership or social media, you need to prove how great you are.
“Demonstrate how you’ve used these skills in the past, whether that’s managing the twitter page for a local club and increasing their followers by 20% in three months, or leading a team to put on a community event. Then say how you could put these skills into practice if you were to get a job with the employer.”
Another way of explaining how you would be great for the job is to explain what could you do for them to make their lives easier, how you could make their business better or even help their team be more efficient.
Make sure you research the company
Emily explains: “When approaching employers, make sure you tell them why you love their company.
“Pick out a recent project they’ve done, or find out what their latest success was and talk about that when you meet employers to prove that you’re looking for a job specifically with them, rather than whoever has the best perks and pay!”
Get some work experience under your belt
“Work experience, insight days, internships and events are a great way to meet potential employers and network with like-minded people, and is the perfect thing to talk about in interviews and applications to prove that you’re actively seeking to learn things and improve,” Emily reveals.
“Make sure you ask questions to show your interest and demonstrate an eagerness to learn, people respond much more to people than are excited to learn and willing to work hard, than people who think they know it all.”
GoThinkBig has loads of opportunities with some top brands in many different hard-to-reach industries; so point your budding son or daughter their way on their website website and your teen could even end up working here at Closer!
Advice of helping people settle in their first job
Great news, they’ve landed their first job! But now the worries have started to set in about what to expect.
Going into a new workplace is scary for anyone at any age, so it’s perfectly fine for your teen to feel like that.
To help them feel more comfortable about starting their job, suggest some of these tips from Emily:
Suggest they find a mentor
“If you can, try and find a mentor or someone who can help you get to grips with the role and the company.
“Approach younger members of the team, as they’re less likely to have scary deadlines and responsibilities to deal with, and they’ll remember what it’s like to be in your shoes too!”
Let them know that it’s OK to ask questions!
“It can be scary bothering people when it looks like they’re really busy, but no one expects you to know everything from day one.
“Make sure you ask if you’re not sure, as it will show you’ve got bags of initiative and are interested in how everything works.”
Advise them to have fun!
“Sometimes you can end up spending more time at work than you do with your friends and family, so get to know your teammates and colleagues, work hard and enjoy yourself.”
READ MORE:
This is what men think if you wear make-up to a job interview.
What was your first job? Do you think it helped you in life?
Let us know via Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline).