Some people say that your first job is the hardest to get. But this just isn’t true, so don’t worry. If you think the first job is the hardest to get, you are probably looking for the wrong jobs, but that’s where we can help.
Your first job is not the hardest to get. It’s an entry-level job that doesn’t require any prior experience. The purpose of your first job is to put some skills and credibility under your belt. Once you gain experience, it is much easier to find a better job later on as you develop your skills and employment history.
Where do you look and how long does it take to get your first job? With all these questions rushing through your head it can become overwhelming but we have some simple tips that make getting your first job easy.
Can your first job be the hardest to get?
Your first job can be hard to get as you simply don’t know how to look for a job, or what types of jobs to go for. For your first job, don’t aim for the sky. You just need to find a basic job so you can get some work experience and this will pave the way for more opportunities in the future. If you apply for entry level jobs, that match your life experience and interests it should not be too hard to find a job. Later on in life, as you progress in your career, other jobs may be harder to get – but you will have work experience by then that will help you achieve them.
Why is getting your first job so hard?
Getting your first job can be hard because you simply have very little experience. This means that competition can be more of a concern now than later in your career. That is because you have not yet had a job where you can prove your worth. So chances are, if there is any competition, you are not going to win the position.
To secure your first job, you need to convince an employer to give you a try even though you are young and have not got any work references. Employers like to be able to check things like whether you are reliable, are you organised? Without any work experience, taking you on is a risk. It is not a time to be picky. If you are finding it hard to get a first job, you may need to lower your expectations and make sure you are applying for true entry level jobs. If you go for jobs that require experience that you don’t have, your first job can be hard or even impossible to get.
Tips for getting a labour hire job
A great way to make getting a job for the first time easy, is to contact a Labour hire Company like us at Canberra Labour Hire. It allows you to ‘get your foot into the door’ and get some solid experience. A labour hire agency has a team of employees that go out and do temporary work for a range of employers. This means that instead of being in a single position, only learning one set of skills, you actually get to rotate around jobs, trying different things. It really gives you an advantage over other people in the field, as you will obtain a wider range of experiences compared to people in more standard jobs of a similar nature.
To get a good first job you need to be prepared, informed and enthusiastic. You are not going to get your dream job straight away but here are some ways to secure yourself a good entry level job. Check out our tips to help you secure your first job.
How to find a first job?
To find your first job you need to put yourself out there for employers to meet. If you only apply for jobs that are being advertised, your name will get lost amongst all the other applicants with more experience!
Create your own opportunities.
If you want to get hired for your first job, it’s time to dress up in tidy clothes and walk by businesses that you are interested in. Don’t rely solely on online applications – get out there are introduce yourself to your potential first employer and make a great impression. It is important to sell yourself to employers – even if they aren’t advertising for a job, show that you’re are interested.
Beat competition
For your first job, applying for an advertised position on the internet is not the best option. Internet advertised jobs generally put you up against more competition. So that strategy does not put you in a position of advantage. Managers at the labour hiring agency, or business will get dozens of applications. So even if you are superb, skills-wise, and have put in a ton of effort making a great resume, chances are that your resume will get lost in the tons of other resumes. This is because the managers have got a lot on their plate, and once they’ve found a few good ones, they just pick the one that seems the best.
Make the effort to stand out from the crowd
So the question is, how do you stand out from the crowd? By finding the contact information of people who can potentially be your boss and contact them ahead of time. The power of a drop in is real. If they are thinking of hiring, and you walk in the door, you have a much better chance of getting hired. It is just so convenient, it saves them time, advertising costs, and they know you are ready to start right away!
Walk in and introduce yourself to employers
It’s old fashioned but it works. It’s pretty simple. For most entry level jobs there is an office or shop front where you can just walk in. Get well dressed, and take your resume with you. Ask to speak to the manager on duty and make sure you have prepared some great reasons why you would love to work with them.
Since almost no one is using this approach, it’ll give you an advantage over almost everyone. So go ahead, do your research and have a good time in making a great first impression. And always remember, don’t be disheartened. Not everyone is looking for employees. You make have to ‘kiss a few frogs’ before you get an offer.
Where to get your first job?
Look at local supermarkets, takeaway restaurants, cafes, and retail. The more you think outside the box, the easier it can be to get a job. Most people will go for the most obvious jobs. So, if you take a few minutes to look at the businesses that exist in your town, there are likely plenty of opportunities that you don’t even know exist yet. For example, think about cleaning opportunities. Maybe you can sign up with a cleaning company, or just be hired by any business to do cleaning of their premises such as hairdressers and pubs.
When can you get your first job?
The earlier you can get your first job the better. In Australia there is no standard minimum working age across all states and territories. The minimum working age depends on the state or territory that you live in. But generally, you can start getting basic work for a few hours a week at 14 years old. The hours allowed at this age is probably capped, as school is still compulsory.
If you are focussed on going to University, you might not think that work experience is that important for you. But there are plenty of people who finish University who are unable to get a job, despite all the knowledge they have gained from their studies. To beat the competition, you are always better off having a part time job during University to help you secure your first professional job.
How to apply for your first job?
Most jobs are found on online job seeking sites nowadays and they often give you the chance to choose if you want to write a cover letter. You should always write a cover letter but pay special attention to it, if this is your first job application.
Nothing is more impressive than a prospective employee who puts the effort in to making a great cover letter. If you are just relying on your resume, you are not showing that you are happy to make that extra effort in personalising your application.
Make sure you address the cover letter to the company that you are dropping in to. Explain why you are specifically interested in THEIR JOB. This is where you should include information about why their company interests you. It only needs to be a couple of paragraphs, but can go a long way in landing you a job.
How to write a good resume for your first job?
Your prospective employer knows nothing about you. All they have to judge you by, is the way you present yourself on your resume. The problem is, many people do not spend enough time making sure their resume is up to scratch. Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and formatting issues create a negative impression no matter how great a worker you are.
Your resume need to tell the employer how you will benefit THEM. Don’t tell them you like to spend time on the weekend with your kids, your employer does not care. You need to tell them why you are good and the evidence for it. So many resumes we see say, “I have great <INSERT SKILLS>.” This just creates an eye-roll from your prospective employer…. sure you do, says who?
If you want to say you have great communication skills the best thing to do is to include an example of a situation where you had to communicate effectively to achieve a result. Similarly, if you want to say you are organised, give some examples of your organisation and how it has benefited you or someone else.
This is how you can raise your resume, above people with potentially more experience than you. This is where most candidates don’t really shine. If you can explain to an employer how you will help them, then your resume will connect better and they will be more likely to take the chance on you.
How do I prepare for my first job interview?
If you don’t nail the interview, but your competition does, you’re done. Basically,
for an entry level job, the employer is checking whether you are the right type of person to suit their company. The employer is just another a human being. If you’re able to make a great face-to-face impression, they’ll have no choice but to favour you subconsciously.
Similar to when you wrote your resume, keep your examples factual and evidence based. Brush up your storytelling skills and use anecdotal evidence. This stuff helps a lot with making a great impression. Also, do your homework and become familiar with the company’s values. Add them to your stories and you’ll create an even better impression.
So Really, Is Your First Job Hardest to Get?
Landing your first job can be hard, but no it should not be the hardest job to get. As you progress up through your career you will be applying for higher level jobs. These jobs will be harder to get, as the competition will be fierce, and you really need to have a solid set of skills behind you.
For your first job, make sure you go for an entry level job. Something that interests you, but is not too hard to get into. Some fields to consider are:
- general labouring in construction
- office administration
- waiter / waitress
- retail clerk
Choose the right type of job, and approach it correctly, you should have your new job in no time!
But here at Canberra Labour Hire we can always help you so just give us a call at 0433704567 or check out our other blogs to answer any more questions!
