WHAT TO ASK AT A JOB INTERVIEW

It’s a good idea to ask questions about safety when you go for a job interview. It’s hard to do when you’re nervous, but you need to hear the answers to find out if the employer cares about your safety. Some questions to ask are:

• Will I get job safety training? When will I get it? (It has to be before you do the work.)

• Will I be working with any chemicals? If I’m working with any chemicals, will I get training before I start to use the chemicals?

• Is there any safety gear, like safety glasses, that I’ll have to wear? Do I have to buy the gear or will you give it to me?

• Will I receive training so I know how to wear the safety gear properly and make sure it’s in good condition?

• Will I be told about emergency procedures, what to do if I get hurt, etc.?

WHAT TO DO ON YOUR FIRST DAY OR WHEN ASSIGNED A NEW TASK?

The most important thing is to ask questions. There is no such thing as a dumb question, especially when you’re asking how to do a job that you’ve never done before. ASK until you’re out of questions to make sure you understand clearly the task that needs to be done and

how to do it safely.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON’T THINK YOUR WORK IS SAFE?

The OHSA says that if you see something at work that you don’t think is safe, you must tell your supervisor. Do it right away. If you have talked to your supervisor and still think something is

unsafe, you may have certain rights under the OHSA to refuse to do that work until the issue has been resolved. The OHSA says your supervisor must try to resolve the problem before you start working again. In cases in which the supervisor says it’s safe and you still feel it is not, you may still have a right to refuse to work, and a Ministry of Labour inspector must be called to investigate and decide if it’s safe for you to      back to work.

CAN YOU BE FIRED FOR REFUSING TO WORK OR ASKING ABOUT SAFETY?

It is against the law for your employer to punish or fire you for refusing work that you think is unsafe or for expressing a concern about a safety issue. If you feel you have been punished (e.g., were sent home without pay, had your hours drastically cut, were fired), you can report it to the

Ministry of Labour. The ministry will guide you either to your union (if there is one) or

to the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE INJURED AT WORK

Get first aid right away and tell your supervisor too. Make sure someone tells your supervisor if you can’t. Get medical help. Also, your employer may need to file a notice of the injury with the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) as soon as possible. You might be eligible to receive benefits from the WSIB for any time you miss from work because you got hurt.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/brochures/OP2009_english.pdf

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Job Fair

DATE:     THURS. MARCH 11, 2010

PLACE:   CENTENNIAL COLLEGE RESIDENCE and CONFERENCE CENTRE

940 Progress Ave, Toronto, ON M1G3T5

(HWY 401 and Markham Rd)

Closest Subway: McCowan Subway, then bus 134 Progress to Centennial College

TIME:     10:00AM – 3:00PM

Jobseeker FREE REGISTRATION:  http://www.nappcanada.com/attendeeregistration.php

ADMISSION:    FREE

PARKING:       FREE

Partial List of Companies Participating:

• PEEL REGIONAL POLICE

• Greyhound Canada/Grey Line

• RBC

• Virtual Engineers – VE Collective Inc. recruiting for engineers: Electrical, Structural, Managers, Systems, Technical

• Recruiting in Motion

• Fox Wireless/ Fox Digital

• G4 Box

• Gardena Food Corporation

• ITW Construction Products/ Paslode Canada

• K7 Marketplace

• Korean Consulate

• Spring Masters

• West Star Printing Ltd.

• Vpi Inc

• Avon Canada

• BIZTECH

• CAF

• Canadian Payroll Association

• Centennial College

• CICS

• Contemporary Computers

• Debt Freedom

• DEVIK PHARMA

• ENS Inc

• Express Personnel

• Ridgestone Construction

• RS and Associates

• Sedna Globe

• Silantia

• Global Financial Associates Inc.

• Heritage Education Funds

• Investors Group

• Marca College

• Jobbeam

• Oxford College

• Primerica

• SunLife Financial

• Sutherland-Chan

• Toronto Jobs
• Zip Graphix
• TRG Field Solutions Canada
• DBA Engineering
• PPL Legal Care of Canada Corp.
• triOS
• Shalom Health Care hiring RN, PSW, RPN, Health aid, Support workers
• CJ Health Care College
• TriCom Security Services
• Uwin Pro

Ever heard your parents say, “What are you going to do with a degree in History or English?” Ever faced the difficult junction of choosing between your passion and your parent’s South Asian advice to go for a degree in science as it gets you the money? Well, here’s the news for those who are passionate about the humanities, you do get a job and you do get a job that pays well.

In a career choosing series named From Backpacks to Briefcases at University of Toronto, three different speakers shared their tales of finding their glorified careers in the world of media.

Here are the Top 3 advices from the three speakers:

Aamer Haleem

Canadian TV and radio personality, Aamer Haleem earned his degree in History from UofT. With various experiences in broadcasting media, here is what Aamer had to share:

1. Talent vs. Perseverance

If you have the talent and you think that you will make it through then you are wrong. Talent alone won’t get you far. You need to be hard working and devote your hours and efforts to prove your worth. Perseverance and patience is always valued higher among employers. So, be thankful that you have the talent but prove your worth through your hard work.

1. Stick to your Principles

Aamer also advised that every time you take on a project, make sure that it stands by your principles, “I don’t smoke and I don’t endorse smoking either. I was given an opportunity to advertise a tobacco company and the amount they were paying me, really made the deal sound tempting. The money made it hard to decide but I had to ask myself, ‘what’s more important, the money or the principles?’ And let me tell you, stick to your principles and look at the long-term goals in your career. You don’t want to sell your principles for that tempting money deal.”

1. Get the Balance Right

In the world of media, your working hours are seldom 9 to 5. Your thoughts    revolve around your work and you are constantly thinking about various ideas to work on. But here is my final advice if you are considering that career path, “Make sure you know how to balance your life. Make sure your family is getting the time from you that they need and make sure you are making enough time for yourself to pursue other hobbies.”

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Stephanie Savage

Stephanie Savage is the co-creator and executive producer of Gossip Girl. She got into Hollywood when she least expected it. Here is her advice:

1. 1. Be Yourself!

Stephanie says that when she got into Flower Films, Drew Barrymore Production company, she did not match the glamorous environment of Hollywood. Her fashion sense and life style might have been out of place, but her education in Cinema Studies, passion for her work and her talents were right at home. She entered as an internee taking coffee orders and photocopying material and showed her seniors what she had got. Her talented suggestions in scripts got her to where she is now. She was appreciated for who she was.

1. 2. Show up, Shut-up and Shine

Stephanie also advises that once you enter the workforce, be patient and expect the worst. In her words, “Show up to work every day on time and let your superiors know that you are serious about this. No one wants to let go of someone who makes his or her life easy. Concentrate on your tasks, and take orders patiently when you are driven around. They are testing if you can survive under pressure. Your patience and persistence will finally give you a chance to shine.”

1. 3. Don’t Eat with your Cell Phone On the Table

Stephanie says that when she started work, cell phones were new in the market and they used to eat their lunches with their cell phones on the table, just to show off how important they were to their bosses. But don’t do that. Important people are not called, they call themselves. If you want to be high up there, then eat your lunch with others with your cell phone on the silent mode, which means, concentrate on the task at hand. Focus. Whosoever is calling, can wait a while.

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Sharon McAuley

Sharon McAuley, the Vice-President, Group Publisher at St. Joseph Media, graduated with a B.A (hons) in English. With over 23 years of experience as a marketer and publisher, Sharon specializes in strategic brand and new business development of both trade and consumer magazines. This is her advice:

1. Smaller is Better

Sharon said that don’t be scared to work for small companies and organizations. These places give you an opportunity to do more, be more responsible and learn at a faster pace. So, take that opportunity and develop the skills.

1. Put Yourself in Other People’s Shoes

To succeed in magazine publishing, Sharon says that you have to think from many different perspectives. Think from the point of view of the reader and develop a product they want to read. Think from the point of view of the advertiser and reach out to the audience they want to target. You are the conduit that connects these sources. So put yourself in their shoes and you will know what your job is.

1. Following the Money

She finally advised that following money and hoping that it would lead you to your career path is an outdated strategy. Find your passion, your interest and discover your talent, money will follow you. Be good at what you do and you will make a good living. But she also added with a laugh, but if money is your driving force, then go for it.

How Will You Pay For Your Education?

A college or university education is a big investment. If you want to attend college or university, but need financial help, you have a number of options.

1. Ask your college or university
   The college or university you plan to attend may offer grants, loans and scholarships. You’ll often find these listed in the course calendars of colleges and universities.

Find information on the Ontario Student Assistance Program, check the status of your OSAP application, or even apply online at the OSAP website:

1. Apply for an OSAP grant or loan
   Students from lower- and middle-income families in Ontario may qualify for grants and loans from the government. These are offered through the Ontario Student Assistance Program, often called OSAP.

What’s the difference between OSAP grants and loans?

Some students may get OSAP grants, which do not need to be repaid. Students may also get loans to help pay for their education. You must start repaying your OSAP loans 6 months after you graduate, leave school, or stop being a full-time student.

Getting a loan from OSAP, or any other lender, is a big decision. Be sure you understand the total amount you are borrowing, and how and when you must repay the loan.

Grants, Bursaries and Other Forms of Non-Repayable Financial Assistance

In addition to student loans, OSAP also provides grant, bursary, scholarship and fellowship assistance, which students are not required to repay.

What is it?

Grant/Bursary: A grant or bursary is an amount of money you receive to help finance your education that you typically do not have to pay back. A grant or bursary is usually awarded based on financial need and other factors. Some are designed for special student groups, like students studying in French.

Scholarship/Fellowship: A scholarship or fellowship is money you receive that helps finance your education and that you typically do not have to pay back. It is usually awarded based on academic merit and other factors.

Is it taxable?

The full amount of scholarships, grants and bursaries that are received by students with respect to their enrolment in a program that entitles them to claim the education amount are not taxable and are no longer reported as income on tax returns.

Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, study grants, and artists’ project grants

If the scholarships, fellowships and bursaries you received do not include artists’ project grants, then the following applies.

The full amount of scholarships, fellowships, or bursaries that are received by you as a student with respect to your enrolment in a program that entitles you to claim the education amount are not taxable and are no longer reported as income on your tax return. See the section Tuition, education, and textbook amounts for details.

If you are not eligible for the education amount, and have no artists’ project grants, report on line 130 only the part of the post-secondary scholarships, fellowships or bursaries that is more than $500.

Note
For 2007 and subsequent years, elementary and secondary school scholarships and bursaries are not taxable and are not subject to the requirement that they be eligible for the education amount.

Source: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/postsec/studentassistance/

https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/not_secure/plan_grants_12.htm

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p105/p105-e.html#P109_7625

“Supporting Students: Serving Communities”

Canada Summer Jobs is a Government of Canada initiative that provides funding to help employers create summer job opportunities for students. It is designed to focus on local priorities, while achieving tangible results for both students and their communities.

Canada Summer Jobs is about:

• providing work experiences for students;
• supporting organizations, including those that provide important community services; and
• recognizing that local circumstances, community needs, and priorities vary widely.

Canada Summer Jobs is focused on encouraging not-for-profit organizations, public sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create jobs that not only meet their needs, but also benefit students looking to gain work experience.

The application period for Canada Summer Jobs 2010 is from February 1 to February 26, 2010.

Criteria to assess the proposals will focus on:

• service to local communities;
• jobs that support local priorities;
• jobs that provide career-related experience or early work experience;
• a salary that contributes to the student’s income;
• an employer who provides supervision and mentoring;
• project activities that are directed toward members of, and support the vitality of, an official language minority community; and
• an employer who intends to hire priority students (students with disabilities, Aboriginal students, and students who are members of visible minority groups).

How to apply for Canada Summer Jobs

Before completing an application, employers must consult the Canada Summer Jobs Applicant Guide and review the local priorities for their constituency. They are available on the Web site, by calling 1-800-935-5555, or by visiting a Service Canada Centre. The Applicant Guide contains the following information for employers:

• eligibility criteria;
• instructions for completing the Canada Summer Jobs application;
• the assessment process; and
• the approval process.

Employers can apply online, print an application form from the Web site to complete by hand, or get an application form by visiting any Service Canada Centre.

Apply online

The online application process makes applying quick and easy. An electronic confirmation number of successful receipt will be generated once the online application is submitted. Employers must keep this number for future reference.

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Starting a Business

Do you have a great business idea but aren’t sure where to start? Service Canada has compiled a list to help you start your own business.

1. Get to know the field

You can get essential start-up information from Canada Business, which has information from many sources, including the federal, provincial and territorial governments.

2. Prepare a Business Plan

Canada Business provides information and resources on the basics of business planning for starting a business, including guides and tools to help you develop a detailed business plan.

3. Register your Business

The Canada Revenue Agency provides registration requirements, guides and resources for registering a business as well as information and resources on the Business Number.

Online services are also available from provincial, territorial and federal governments.

4. Hiring and Managing Staff

If you are interested in hiring staff for your new business, Canada Business provides important information on a variety of topics, including hiring procedures, pay and benefits information and labour standards.

5. Apply for Benefits Available to You

As a new business owner in Canada, you may be eligible to apply for grants and financing to support you.

Self-employed people who register for the Employment Insurance (EI) program through Service Canada will be able to access EI special benefits. The four types of EI special benefits are maternity, parental, sickness, and compassionate care benefits.

Source: http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/

A job is more like a symbiotic relationship.  Employees are supposed to provide value to a company and get rewarded for it.  Employees receive a fair and steady paycheck for honest effort.  It is a company’s responsibility to honor their side; unfortunately their job is not to make you rich.  If you want to be rich, you’re going to have to do more than work a job…but that’s a story for another day.

If you act as though you are happy to have your job, you will be surprised how much you can accomplish.  You will get more done in one day than your peers and your boss will notice.  Eventually you should expect a raise or certainly have some irrefutable evidence when asking for one.  When you go to your next job interview, you’ll be able to talk about all of the extra things you accomplished or the awards you have received which will make it more likely for you to get hired and paid even more.

Above all, remember that if entrepreneurs didn’t take chances to start companies then we would never have job opportunities in the first place.  Working hard is how we tell the owners of our company, “thank you for putting your money, time, and future on the line to start your company so I can have a consistent income to feed my family.”  If the consistent salary isn’t enough, we’re free to quit our job and start our own company.  Sound too scary?  Appreciate the sacrifices others have made.

When you shift your priority from saying, “when I  get more, I’ll do more” to “I’ll do more now because I know I’ll get a lot more later”, you’ll notice much faster results.  The first option is a passive approach and basically means you’re waiting for someone to take a chance on you and say, “if I pay this person a little more, I bet he/she would be grateful and work a little extra.”  Just like everything else in life, if you take the initiative and show your boss why you’re worth more than everyone else, your chance of getting that raise just went up.  As you gain a proven track record of keeping your boss happy, he or she will start to go out of their way to make sure you are happy.  Good employees are hard to find after all.  Developing a group of folks who have the mission to keep you happy (because they want to, not have to) is another step towards infinite happiness.

Source: http://www.smartpathtohappiness.com/2009/06/your-job-is-a-gift-act-accordingly/

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How to Act on Your First Day at a New Job

Step 1

Dress nice. Even if it’s a business casual environment, there is an expectation that on the First Day the new employee will be overdressed. Meet that expectation. You can gradually work yourself down to a true business casual if that’s what you ultimately want to do. You may also discover that while the office is business casual, your direct supervisor prefers something above that.

Step 2

Don’t buddy up with any co-worker just yet. Just like in high school, you don’t want to make friends with someone who turns out to be the office nut job. If you have a true lunch time and can take the time, get out of the office by yourself. Of course, if you are invited out to lunch by your boss, you should probably go. Anyone else, don’t go. Not yet.

Step 3

Try not to ask too many questions. See what you can figure out on your own. Save your questions for the big stuff. Smile, be friendly when spoken to, observe your surroundings and your co-workers. Get the lay of the land before releasing your personality onto the office. You might discover your sense of humor won’t be appreciated. You might also discover your work station is in the middle of feuding women.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_5254168_act-first-day-new-job.html

Preparing your resume/CV

The first step on the road to working at Google is submitting your resume/CV. It’s important that your resume/CV accurately reflects your skills, experience and capabilities. If you graduated from a university within the last five years, include a copy of your transcripts (unofficial is okay), a list showing individual coursework completed and grades received, as well as the overall grade average. Please note that all resume/CVs must be submitted in English.

Submitting a resume/CV – General Information

To make it easier for Google team to determine where you might best fit within our organization, you can take a few simple steps to help us understand your qualifications.

• PDF, HTML, or Microsoft Word documents or text formats are acceptable or you can submit using plain text format.
• All resume/CV and related materials (transcripts, etc.) should be submitted in English.
• Only send essential personal information and be sure to include your name and how to contact you in the resume/CV not just your cover letter. Include your email, phone, and residence address. Do NOT include your gender, date of birth, age, family status, or personal identification numbers.

Educational Background

Your resume/CV should accurately reflect your academic achievements and accomplishments.

• Your resume/CV should show all post-secondary institutions attended, degrees conferred, and a cumulative grade point average (if available) for each degree received.
• Only report your secondary and university level education; do NOT include elementary schooling. However, if you completed a “year abroad” program as part of your pre-university education, feel free to include this in your resume/CV.
• Provide a brief description of any important projects you completed as part of your coursework.

Your Work Experience

You may be fresh out of a university, or have substantial work experience and a history of accomplishments. Either way, we want to know what skills you’ve acquired along the way. We’ll look closely at the work experience section of your resume/CV so the information you provide here is very important.

• List your experience and projects completed, accomplishments, etc. by your position with each employer.
• We also want to see concise, important details on your specific accomplishments and the impact your efforts had on your company.
• If you worked while attending a university, either during the summer or concurrent with your course work, be sure mention this even if it isn’t specifically related to a potential job at Google.

Additional Information

Google values talent and intelligence, group spirit and diversity, creativity and idealism. Googlers range from former neurosurgeons and puzzle champions to alligator wrestlers and Lego maniacs.

• Include the names and contact information of 2-3 references. These can include faculty advisors, co-workers, managers, or others who can talk knowledgeably about your skills and abilities. We don’t need copies of any written references you already have.
• Be sure to include any awards you’ve received, articles you’ve published, or conference presentations you’ve given. We don’t need to see copies of any awards or publications, just a reference to them.

____________________________________________________________________________

Preparing for Interview at Google

Preparing for your interview

Google’s interview process will vary by position but you can generally expect to have 1st round interviews over the phone or on-campus and 2nd round interviews on-site at Google.

Interview Process

1st round interviews will either take place on your college campus or via phone. Both phone and in-person interviews are 30–45minutes in length (depending on the role) and qualitative and open-ended in nature. The goal of the interview is to gain a better understanding of your problem solving abilities, communication style, leadership skills and passion for Google.

2nd round interviews will take place on-site at Google. Second rounds usually take the full day and consist of two to four back-to-back interviews with our Googlers, a lunch, and tour of the campus.

Who will you meet?

There are usually two contacts that will handle your candidacy throughout the interview process:

On-Campus interviews (University Programs): A member of the University Programs Team will meet you for your 1st round interviews on-campus. They are not interviewing you, but setting up and facilitating your on-campus interview experience. They will also communicate with you about your status after the 1st round interview.

Phone or On-Site interviews (Google Recruiter): If you are a PhD student or applied for a position that is not holding on-campus interviews, you will have your 1st round interviews via the phone. Your recruiter will set this up for you. For everyone (on-campus and phone interviewed candidates) that passes through to 2nd round interviews, a recruiter will become your main point of contact and handle your candidacy through to your final status.

Who will you interview with? Both 1st and 2nd round interviews will be conducted by Googlers from the function that you applied to. For example, if you are interviewing for an engineering role, you will be interviewed by an engineer.

Interview Content and Preparation

Your Background: Your interviewer may ask you a little bit about your work and academic background. Please prepare yourself for these questions beforehand.

Problem Solving: Google is interested in learning more about how you solve problems. These questions will require you to walk Google team through a complicated scenario and discuss how you concluded your answer. Don’t worry about being right or wrong–just answer to the best of your ability.

How to answer: Please be yourself. Google believes in bringing your whole self to work and making the best possible match for you and for Google. Be candid and active in your interview and to answer your questions clearly and concisely. If you need to take a moment and think through your answers, please do. It will help you and your interviewer understand your thoughts more clearly.

What to wear: At Google, you can be serious without a suit. While Google has no formal dress code, you should look presentable during the day of your interview. Business casual is fine.

What to bring: Please bring an extra copy of your resume/CV and your unofficial undergraduate/ graduate transcripts.

It’s simple for some and a pain in the butt for others. One look through a list of college programs may give students over 60 possible majors at 9 different schools. WHOA!!!

One of my students many years ago once told me that though she was interested in majoring in religion, that wouldn’t allow her to put food on the table. On the other hand, a friend reminded me recently that though he majored in philosophy he ended up becoming a computer programmer. If this is confusing, read on.

There are at least two pathways, probably several more.

A lawyer who assists hedge funds, on the other hand, told me that young people should follow their interests and something will work out for them. What the heck does that mean? Basically, if there is something that a person really likes to do and can find a way to apply it in the real world and make something out of it, then go for it. It is very fulfilling to have a job that you love. I have been in that position.

The other pathway is to follow a steady career. One might say this is a fulfillment of a different kind. This pathway may be less risky. Zenab Qureshi, a graduate of Forest Hills High School in Queens, New York and a student at City College, says that “I knew I didn’t want to spend more than eight years building my future, although I did want to become someone who could help patients who are in pain. Basically, second on the medical pyramid are physicians assistants.” The most well paying jobs are in medicine, pharmacy, and in banking. As a result, many young people (and their families) want to major in something to pursue such careers.

A few tips to navigating these two pathways.

1. Parents aren’t always wrong. Though many North American young people will constantly shake their heads       and say: “parents just don’t understand.” Moms and dads may have some valid suggestions, and nobody knows a child better than a parent. Zenab explained that “they didn’t care what I did as long as it was what I wanted to do.”
2. Internships help young people find out what they love doing. One may not get paid very much but interning or volunteering give students hands-on experience. Spending some time in an environment helps to really figure out what a person wants to do. For example, those students who volunteer at hospitals learn what it’s really like in that atmosphere. I will write more in another article about finding internships.
3. Do not Leave Declaring your major until the last minute. Technically, students do not need to declare a major until the end of the sophomore year of college. That may not leave enough time to complete all the requirements for the major and for the degree. It helps start working on the college’s basic requirements and taking a few classes during the course of the first and second years to find out what it is one wants to do.
4. Finally, it may not matter what your major is. As I mentioned earlier, a philosophy major became a very successful computer programmer and there are many whose majors do not really matter. There are a number of individuals who pick their majors based on the classes they like and the professors they have good relationships with. If you’re happy with your professors and classes, maybe that’s all that matters.What does happiness mean anyway?

Author: Muntasir Sattar

As a teenager, finding your first job may present many challenges. Unfortunately, newspapers and most job banks only supply employment information that caters to adults. This may seem quite discouraging, but there are jobs for teenagers available. Teenagers just need to know where they’ll be able to find them. What’s the greatest resource for the best online jobs for teens? Free internet job banks which are suited for teenagers.

A teenager doesn’t need to have previous employment experience. Nevertheless, they should create a resume which captures all of their best assets. Don’t know what to include on your resume? It’s simple. Think about all of the activities you enjoy doing. Are you a member of a club at school? Do you play any sports? What about talents? Maybe you’re an effective team leader that thrives on challenges. These are all important things that an employer will take into consideration. Always post a resume when you find online jobs for teens. It’s a professional decision that will make you stand out from the rest!

What online jobs for teens can you expect to find? Most teenagers find themselves working in retail positions until they build enough experience for more advanced positions. Retail jobs can put you in the position of a store clerk, a cashier, stock worker, sales representative, waiter/waitress, dishwasher and many other entry-level positions.

When you search for online jobs for teens, make sure that your search query is practical. Don’t apply for a job that’s located out of your vicinity or qualifications. This is a job that you’ll have to show up to regularly and demonstrate your skills. If a job is intended for college students, there’s a reason. These students probably have schedule that’s much more flexible than yours. They may also have a vehicle, whereas you may not.

Remember, looking for online jobs for teens and applying for them doesn’t guarantee you a position. Apply for several different positions to guarantee you’ll have several different interviews. If you have two or three interviews, you can choose from a position which best suits your financial needs and busy schedule.

The internet is a wonderful tool that helps teenagers around the world find online jobs for teens in their communities. It’s a cheap effective method of advertising open positions and that’s why most companies do it. You may find online jobs for teens that aren’t even advertised on your local newspaper.

Narrow down your search by looking for employment in your immediate area. Don’t rely on others to bring you to and from work. Make sure that you can get to work on your own if your parents aren’t able to take you. This will be your job and your responsibility. Make sure that you can live up to your potential employer’s expectations of you.

Computers and high-speed Internet access mean new, better-paying choices for people who want the flexibility and convenience of careers that don’t require an office-building cubicle.

A call center in your home

In recent years, you’ve heard a lot about companies routing their customer-service calls to workers overseas, but a less-noticed trend is the growth in home-based call-center workers.

Thanks to the Internet and better call-routing technology, more companies are finding they can outsource their order-taking, sales and problem-solving calls to home-based workers , said LiveOps board member Bill Trenchard. LiveOps not only runs an outsource operation, Trenchard said, but it also provides technology for companies that want to set up their own home-based call centers.

Home-based workers tend to be better educated and more loyal than their counterparts at traditional call centers, according to Trenchard. Most of LiveOps ‘ workers have college degrees and turnover is low.

Call centers usually have no tolerance for audible distractions, so a crying baby, barking dog or ringing doorbell could get you fired. (Some companies require their workers have dedicated offices with doors to minimize potential distractions.) An operator also needs a dedicated phone line, a computer and high-speed Internet access.

Some call centers that employ home-based workers:

• Alpine Access
• LiveOps
• Arise
• West at Home

Start a Web business

Working from home is a dream for many — and a reality for a few. Turn something you now do for fun into something you do for a living.

If you find a concept that works, you might make additional money teaching other people what you know. Tamaira Sandifer of Sacramento, Calif., launched a service called Fun Mail for Kids that sends customized packets, complete with stickers, personalized letters and crafts projects, to kids.

Online auctions

Online auction sites have helped people do more than empty their attics (or fill them up again). The largest online auction site, eBay, says it is home to more than a million “professional sellers” who report the site as a primary or secondary source of income.

Continued: Be a mystery shopper

Auction sites have “how to” sections to familiarize beginners with the selling process, and a little research can help you determine the best way to market your offerings, said Webb, the author of “The Mom’s Guide to Earning and Saving Thousands on the Internet.”

Sellers also need to be mindful of their reputations because bad feedback from buyers can hurt future sales, she said. Staying organized, using truthful descriptions and shipping items promptly are essential to a profitable auction business.

Webb also advises newbies to start slowly, particularly if they’re buying items with the intent to sell them at auction rather than selling off what they already own. It can be easy to misjudge what people will want to buy, she said, and the costs of listing, the site’s commissions and buyers who don’t pay can eat into profits.

“The best way is to bank some (profits) and then reinvest some,” Webb said.

Mystery shopping, survey taking and ‘piece work’

Mystery shopping and survey-taking opportunities have been around for a while, but the Internet has made finding them easier, Webb said.

“Mystery shoppers” are typically paid $5 to $100 per assignment to pose as average customers and then critique a store or service, Webb said. The range for filling out surveys or participating in focus groups can be even wider, from a few dollars to a few hundred bucks a shot.

As with other work-at-home jobs, applicants need to be prepared to start small and work their way up. Research companies look for reliable, articulate, detail-oriented people and tend to reward the ones who consistently perform well, Webb said.

Both jobs tend to come with freebies as well as cash. Webb said she’s been given such products as free laundry detergent and free diapers in exchange for her opinion on surveys.

Mystery shopping tends to take more time and effort but generally pays more. Webb said she makes about $6,000 a year in cash, plus free goods and services worth $3,000 to $4,000.

“I work it in with our schedule. I look at the week ahead and think, ‘Where do we want to go? What do we want to do?’ ” she said. “If I need to buy clothes, I’ll look to see if they need a mystery shopper.”

Some Internet-based mystery-shopping services include:

• Corporate Research International Mystery Shops
• Mystery Guest
• Service Intelligence Experience Exchange

National survey companies with an Internet presence include:

• National Family Opinion
• Survey Savvy

“Piece work” is an age-old concept that’s been updated by the Internet, most visibly on Amazon.com’s Mechanical Turk. The site pays people to perform tasks that computers can’t easily do, such as fill out opinion surveys, transcribe audiotapes and see whether items for sale have been correctly “tagged,” or classified.

The Mechanical Turk for which the Web site was named was a 1700s and 1800s hoax in which a supposed machine played chess (the Turk actually concealed a human chess ace). Amazon started the site to find humans to help fix problems that its automated systems couldn’t. The Mechanical Turk is now used by an array of “requestors” who want people to help them with various small tasks.

The problem here is that the pay is often literally pennies — sometimes just a single penny to perform a task that might take a few seconds or minutes. Only you can determine whether the time you spend is worth the payoff.

Other home-based businesses

There’s not much high-tech about home-based businesses such as child care, house-sitting, dog walking and errand running. But classified advertising sites such as Craigslist can help you easily and cheaply connect with potential customers.

And old-school businesses, if properly run, can provide a decent living, said Steve Damato, who operates a licensed day-care center with his wife, Jodi, at their home.

The Damatos inherited the day-care business from Jodi’s mother after she retired. The Damatos moved into the mother-in-law’s home to look after her and the business. Previously, Steve had worked as a flight attendant while Jodi had been a stay-at-home mother for their daughter. Besides the opportunity to be a full-time father, he likes the fact that he no longer has to work nights, weekends or holidays.

    Author: Liz Pulliam Weston

• Step 1

Tell everyone you know. I was once offered a job by the brother of a friend that I had talked to about part time work. He just happened to be thinking about hiring someone part time.

• Step 2

Check out every business within walking distance of your home. Working a job you don’t especially like or for low pay is more attractive if you are not spending time and money commuting.

• Step 3

Ask at any small retail store that you frequent. A fashion boutique, a hobby related store, anywhere that they recognize your face. Many small business owners can use part time help and do not have the time to advertise and sort through the applicants.

• Step 4

If you have a skill to offer, get the word out. Hang advertisements on bulletin boards everywhere you can find one. Gyms, public meeting rooms, pet and feed stores, craft stores, grocery stores. Many communities have local newsletters with free advertising for individuals. If you are good at something like scrapbooking, tell people about it, go to retirement homes, churches, tell all of your friends. Make your skills available.

• Step 5

Apply at retail stores that are geared toward an interest or hobby of yours. You have your knowledge and ability to relate to their customers to offer.

• Step 6

Generally part time jobs are not a career move, but if you find the right niche it can develop into more than just a part time job.

How to Find Part Time Jobs for a 16 Year Old

1. Step 1

Read local newspapers. Often times, the classified jobs section will contain several part time job postings for teenagers.

1. Step 2

Visit the part time job section on Craigslist.com. Be sure to search within the appropriate city and call ahead to ensure that the employer is legitimate before scheduling an interview.

1. Step 3

Search internet job sites. Many large cities have their own employment websites where part time job postings can be found. Avoid professional job websites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com, as they are geared toward older applicants.

1. Step 4

Check bulletin boards in local gyms and community centers, where part-time job postings can sometimes be found.

1. Step 5

Talk with the area’s high school counselor. He or she may be in contact with local employers that seek part time teenage help.

1. Step 6

Take the initiative to call businesses in your area that hire teenagers. Swimming pools, community centers, and golf courses all traditionally employ 16 year olds. If a 16 year old can have a driver’s license in your state, you can also try businesses that hire drivers.

1. Step 7

Ask relatives if they need help around the house. Offer to do it for free–they will probably insist on paying you anyway. While you won’t technically be working for a company, you can still earn a good amount of money performing odd jobs like cutting grass or cleaning pools.

How to Find a Job as a 16 Year Old

• Step 1

As a 16 year old, your job search is going to be very limited. Stick with retail, or fast food jobs. You don’t want to set your expectations too high, because most jobs that you’re going to like are going to involve a lot of work, and some sort of education. Try the Internet with websites like SnagAJob, that deal with hourly work.

• Step 2

If you don’t want to work for someone else, you may want to consider working for yourself. Think of some things that you can do around the block. Things like tutoring, lawn care, snow removal, and more, are in demand during the peak season, and you can make some great money at it.

• Step 3

If you don’t want to leave the house, you may want to try smaller gigs online, such as freelancing work, or even doing paid surveys. There are so many ways to make online, and who knows? It may turn into a lucrative career for you. Try freelance jobs, paid surveys, or gather stuff to sell on eBay.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/