You have landed your first job—congratulations! Now that you’re in, what can you do to make the most of it and develop your career?

Even if it’s not your dream job, your first position is an opportunity to develop your professional reputation. This reputation will follow you to your next job and beyond. And, you never know where the skills and connections that you develop now may lead in the future.

Develop a good professional relationship with your supervisor

• Read your job description, and understand your responsibilities, both daily and long-term. If you aren’t sure about some of your responsibilities, it’s a good idea to ask questions, especially early on in the new job. And then, be prepared to contribute beyond the job description.
• Ask your supervisor how frequently s/he would like to meet with you and respect that decision. If you mutually decide on weekly meetings, save as many questions as you can for those meetings. Take notes to keep track of any decisions that are made and of things to add to your “To Do” list.
• When you go to your supervisor with questions/concerns, be prepared to offer ideas/solutions. This is one way to show initiative.
• Be respectful of your supervisor’s supervisor; however do not go over your supervisor’s head unless it’s absolutely necessary, such as in an emergency.
• Own up to your mistakes—employers understand that you are not perfect and you will be judged based on how you work to fix your mistakes, not on how well you make excuses.
• Accept constructive criticism without being defensive. This will allow you to maximize your on the job learning.

Leave a good impression with everyone

• Maintain a positive attitude. It’s important to be seen as productive, professional and willing to learn.
• Learn the corporate culture—the true dress code, workplace philosophy and political climate. Find a colleague on your team or in your department that you trust and learn from them. Make it a point to observe how things get done and who has expertise in specific areas.
• Be a good team player. This means offering to help your colleagues when they need it and delivering on any promises you make. It will also help you make a unique contribution to the organization.
• Be on time every day, or better yet, 10-15 minutes early. Don’t mentally check out 30 minutes before your shift ends—keep working until it’s time to go home.
• Turn your cell phone off or on silent mode. Avoid texting during working hours and never during meetings. If you need to make a personal call, do this on your official breaks.
• Use your business computer as a business computer—don’t surf the net, even if everyone else does.
• No job is perfect and no co-worker is perfect. It’s important to avoid bad mouthing your colleagues to “look good” and/or complaining about the work. Keep your workplace discussions constructive and nonpersonal. You also need to be careful about “venting” about work/co-workers/clients—if you’re not careful, you can quickly be seen as a complainer.
• It’s OK to have fun—appropriately. There will be times when you will be having informal discussions with your colleagues such as on breaks or first thing in the morning. This is a normal part of any workplace; however, it’s important to avoid discussions that are very personal, political or unprofessional.
• Do maintain your sense of humour and enjoy your job—work can be fun! Being able to laugh at yourself and keeping a light touch as you encounter problems can also help to smooth over difficult situations.

Consider your long-term career development

• Find a mentor in the organization. This is someone who has been with the organization for a while, understands the corporate culture, and is willing to provide you with periodic advice.
• Invest in ongoing training. Determine which skills are required to excel in your current job and the next job you want and find ways to develop those skills/qualifications through courses, networking, volunteering.
• Say yes to office committees/work teams. Many organizations have internal committees/events and need volunteers. These can be excellent opportunities for you to develop skills and to network. Be mindful of how many committees you join as you will still need to complete your daily tasks.
• Join a professional association and attend the events. Keep up with trends in your area by reading trade publications, books and online research.
• Stay active in your community with volunteering/extra-curricular activities.

Take care of yourself

• Your career is important but remember to take care of your health, both physical and mental.
• Make time for friends and family, too. They are a great source of support and strength.
• Enjoy activities outside of work such as getting together with friends, working out or creative endeavours. These pastimes can help you do your job better by remaining balanced and developing a broader life perspective.
• Exercise, eat right and try to get a good night’s sleep.

Source:

Ron Wener, Employment Coach with U of T’s Career Centre on the St. George campus

Have a great idea for a product or service? That’s exciting! Need help getting your business started? Want some tips on business registration, financing and taxes? Listed below are several great sources of information on these and other business topics.

The Basics:

• Starting and running a business can be a lot of work. Are you ready to put in the time and effort? Can you handle the risks that go with a business’ ups and downs?
• Do some research to find out if there is a market for what you have to offer. Who will your customers be? Where will you sell your product? Who is the competition? What will you offer customers to make them choose your products over someone else’s?
• Think about financing. Where will you get money to set-up your business, create your product, pay staff, build inventory, and do marketing and sales? Can you support yourself while building your new business?
• Learn more about what it takes to set up your business. Among other things, you will need to know important things about federal and provincial licensing, local safety and health regulations, environmental protection rules, liability, employee deductions and labour standards.
• How will you structure your new company? Will it consist of just you as proprietor? Is it a partnership? A franchise? Will you incorporate? Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the type of business you choose to run.

Helpful Web Sites:

1. Use the Business Start-up Assistant to find key information about business planning, market research, registration, financing, taxation, hiring and labour standards, importing and exporting, managing and promoting your business, and a lot more!
2. While focused on business finance and services, the Business Development Bank of Canada Web site also offers tips on starting a business through its My project: Start a business section.
3. Use the Sources of Financing section of the Canadabusiness.ca Web site to locate traditional or alternative resources for financing your small business, plus an extensive directory of Canadian financial providers, information on different types of financing, and tips to help you secure the financing you need.
4. How will your business use the Internet? Learn more about starting and running an e-business in a global environment on Industry Canada’s e-biz.enable Web site.

Valuable information, tools and resources for small and medium-sized businesses are available on Industry Canada’s Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Direct Web site. Source:

http://www.youth.gc.ca:80/eng/topics/jobs/business.shtml

Online applications appear more instant and casual when compared with the traditional alternative of showing up for a series of interviews. Even though applying for a  job online is fast, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. You need to consider several issues before rushing your application for a prospective project.

Learn how to read between the lines. Job ads often give away more information than most people see. Be diligent when it comes to finding any clues about the type of employee that best suits the job, as well as the best way to apply.

Know exactly what they are looking for. Spend some time researching the company (or the individual) that posted the ad. Doing this helps you choose the appropriate tone and approach for your application. When I applied as a blogger for a website, I knew from the tone of the blog that I shouldn’t be too formal or serious, so I kept my cover letter brief and casual. Also, your research can help you select the best items, case studies and web site links to include in your portfolio.

Follow directions. This might seem like common sense but, as someone who’s been on the hiring end, I’ve noticed that many applicants still fail to follow directions.  If you don’t follow directions from the ad, you’re telling your potential client that you will have a hard time following job instructions as well.

Get a name, if you can. “To whom it may concern” is never a good opening line. Most job ads include the name of the contact person, and it’s a mistake not to take advantage of that. If there’s no name attached to the ad, look at the company web site or call them to get the name of the person you’ll address the application to.

Keep it as short as possible. Even if you’re required to answer several questions, keep the text concise. You’re competing with dozens of applicants, most of them writing paragraph after paragraph about their unrelated work experience and maybe even their life story. As someone who prefers receiving short but clear messages, I do my best to keep outgoing messages that way as well. It pays off, too. Many of my clients have replied to my applications by saying, “What a breath of fresh air! I was getting tired of reading 40 long emails about this job.”

If you’re worried that you might not be saying enough about yourself, remember that your portfolio and work experience will speak for you.

Have a template ready, but always modify it before sending. Templates are useful, but sending these without customization gives off the wrong impression. Unmodified templates indicate that you’re sending the same application to several other potential clients, showing that you’re not that committed to a particular job or project. Whenever I hire contractors, the template applications go straight to the trash bin.

Know how to follow up. When I was looking for a researcher two years ago, one of the applicants immediately emailed me the day after, “Do I have the job?” I politely told her that I’m still going through applications and, as I mentioned in the ad, I will contact all applicants within the week. Again, she emailed me the day later, as well as the day after that. While I understand how excited and anxious one can be during the application process, it’s best to keep these feelings to yourself. Constantly following up on your application can drain your energy and annoy your potential client.

Still, you have to be responsive when you’re asked to submit additional requirements or to schedule a phone interview. One of my friends is so afraid of phone interviews that she doesn’t reply to such requests. If you’re not comfortable with some of the requirements, communicate with the prospective client. Don’t leave them hanging.

Although you have to keep several things in mind when responding to online job ads, it gets easier with practice. Don’t get intimidated by these things. After all, it’s still easier than wearing out your shoes by rushing from building to building and spending long hours in the waiting room for an interview.

Don’t worry, it is highly unlikely that you would ever get hung up on during a phone interview.  If you do though, please share.  Remember that the phone interview process is essentially the same as a normal interview, but without certain elements and benefits of in-person communication. Here are some ideas to review prior to a phone interview, which should help sharpen our telephone skills.

The person on the other end of the telephone may be just as uncomfortable as you. Concentrate less on any feelings of inadequacy and more on how to make the other person feel at ease. Many people generally do not like the telephone interview process – remember that it works both ways.

You have heard it before, because it really does works. Smile over the telephone. Believe it or not, smiling while you are talking will actually help you to sound more friendly, confident, and open. Many telemarketers, salespeople, and others who do business over the phone have a mirror on their desk so they can remember to smile.

During the telephone interview, you are judged by the same criteria used in an in-person interview. Self-confidence is judged differently by telephone than in-person where eye contact, for example, can be an excellent barometer. Instead, you will be judged by a much more subtle set of factors such as the sound of your voice, sincerity, enthusiasm, etc. Remember, being very honest is a quality that will make a great impression on the interviewer. It is acceptable not to know everything, nobody does, so do not be afraid to say “I have never worked with that, but I am very interested in learning and I believe I have the skills to do it”.

The ability to speak succinctly about your past experiences and accomplishments will be critical. Many technical professionals launch into long, drawn out answers to telephone interview questions. Remember, you are not being judged on how well you speak, but how well you answer questions. Always stay very positive about your previous employers and managers.

Many people find that the most uncomfortable scenario in a telephone interview is the occasional dead air during the conversation. An occasional pause is natural and normal during a conversation, so do not be alarmed if it happens.  It is important to have a list of questions prepared so that you can refer to them when caught in a slow spot.

Although you are always judged on your ability to listen well, nowhere in the recruiting process do listening skills become more important than in the phone interview. We suggest that you close off all thoughts about whatever is going on around you and concentrate on the words and the voice of the interviewer. By listening intently, you will never have to be concerned with what to say next and the conversation will flow nicely.

Prepare for a phone interview just like you would an in-person meeting. Do not take a phone interview too lightly or casually. That would be a huge mistake.  Be prepared, do your homework, and give the phone interview your full attention.  Stop what you are doing, such as driving, prior to the call and review your notes and get into the correct mindset.  Being unprepared will shine through to the person you are speaking with.  Your goal is to get to the next step, which is meet, the hiring manager in person.  Nobody has ever gotten hired from a phone call, so you need to be invited for a formal interview.

Many will make their first interview and want to impress, but how do you behave in a job interview?
We are analyzed not only by our skills and experience, but also by appearance and way of communicating. Follow these simple tips to get through your job interview:

• Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the interview and take an updated resume.
• If you know the name of the company, do a search before and report on the activities that they exercise, which departments operates and which products they sell. Interviewers like when candidates show interest in the activities of the company.
• Dress professionally. Preferably in pants and shirt, that goes for both sexes.
• Wear clothes and accessories neutral, no bright colors and great jewelry and avoid piercing that show.
• Do not wear sunglasses indoors.
• And also avoid over-exaggerated makeup and perfume.
• Pay special attention to personal hygiene, hair cut and clean, nails idem.
• The interview starts even sooner than we imagine. It is in the waiting room we started to be observed. Body language counts a lot, it makes a good impression, so no exaggerated gestures.
• When the interviewer calls, hold your head up, avoid staring at the floor, tighten the interviewer’s hand firmly, look in the eyes and smile, it shows confidence.
• The vocabulary and communication skills count a lot, so nothing of slang, you may be talking to your future boss. Get strong and be dynamic.
• Be sure to answer any questions if you do not know the answer, tell the truth. It’s much better to say that do not know what to talk about something that they know.
• Do not speak ill of people who worked or former employment. That way you will not be a liar or arrogant, characteristics that a company is looking for in a prospective employee.

Everest College’s (Yonge and Eglinton location) Career Fair on 28^th April 2010 was a multicultural affair.  There were students from diverse cultures who had joined Everest College as a means to upgrade their careers, as well as, switch to a second career.  The college, which is known for offering hands on career training in Health Care, Business and Computer Technology, saw an influx of job-interested students from the business administration sector.  They were dressed up to their nines in hopes of garnering possible jobs from some of the recruiting companies at the fair in the areas of information technology and engineering, such as, Robert Half Technology, Onico Solutions and Manpower. There were also other companies there interested in promoting jobs in their sectors like SunLife Financial, Investor’s Group, Service Canada and Flight Center. The fair started out slow with a low trickling in of students, but eventually the turnout was commendable.

By: Staff Writer.

If you’ve got a winning idea for starting a new business and are a student who is not

afraid hard work, you should consider applying to our ‘Summer Company’ program.

Summer Company is a great opportunity for enterprising young people who want to start

and run their own summer businesses. The program provides hands-on business

coaching and mentoring from local community business leaders who will work with you

to make your Summer Company a reality.

You never know, one day your summer experience may lead to an exciting

Career

If your application is accepted, you will be eligible to receive an upfront award of up to

$1,500 to put toward start-up costs and up to $1,500 upon successful completion of the

program. Successful completion requires that you:

• implement your project substantially in accordance with the business plan

• participate in coaching and training

• meet with a local business mentor as specified

• provide documents related to the experience and business operations as

required in the guidelines, and

• meet all program requirements for establishing and operating the business.

Where do I start?

You are invited to take advantage of business consulting services and resources

available through our network of program providers. A list of program providers is

available through our website at www.ontario.ca/summercompany. We strongly

recommend that you attend an orientation session at the program provider nearest you.

You are eligible for the Summer Company if you are:

• a student 15 to 29 years of age as of April 30, 2010. Note: applicants under 18

must have a parent or guardian sign the application

• proposing a new business (if you are unsure contact your Program Provider)

• attending school and returning to school in the fall

• a resident of Ontario

• a Canadian citizen or a landed immigrant

• not operating an existing or previously existing business venture or employed

elsewhere (working for more than 12 hours per week) during the term of the

operation of the Summer Company program, and

• prepared to commit to a minimum average of 35 hours a week, for a minimum of

8 consecutive weeks if you are in high-school or 12 consecutive weeks if you

are attending post-secondary school. This should be defined in the business

plan.

How does Summer Company Work?

Your application will be reviewed and evaluated by your local Program Provider and the

local business mentoring group—successful business people who volunteer their time to

assist you in making your summer experience a reality.

If your business plan is sound and meets the program’s criteria, you may qualify for the

next step. Leading candidates will be invited for an interview with the program provider

staff and local business mentors.

After the interview — if your application is recommended by the program provider and

approved by the Ministry, you will be required to:

• sign an agreement with the Ministry outlining each party’s rights and

Responsibilities

• agree to comply with the program guidelines and implement the business

substantially in accordance with the business plan included with your application

• show your business name registration and any required licensing documents to

your program provider for verification

• open and operate a separate business bank account for the business

• operate your business on a full-time basis a minimum average of 35 hours a

week for a minimum of 8 weeks for high school students or 12 weeks for post

secondary students.

• meet with your local program provider/mentors every two weeks for a minimum

of four structured meetings in an eight-week period to review and track your

progress

• agree to one site visit by the program provider

• maintain a journal, including time allocations, outlining business tasks, operations

and marketing activities

• maintain appropriate business records of income and expenditures including

receipts, and

• participate in business training provided by the program provider.

To be eligible to receive the second Summer Company award of up to $1,500 you

must:

• have implemented your project substantially in accordance with your business

plan and attended the exit interview at the end of the summer, and:

• submit a signed affirmation confirming your return to school

• in a professional and business-like manner submit to your program provider for

review:

a) a cash flow record of your business operations

b) copies of all your bank statements

c) copies of all business receipts and invoices organized,

totalled and reconciled to the cash flow and award allocation

d) a final report on your experience

e) satisfy the ministry and the program provider that you have

fulfilled all program requirements

Tax Treatment of Award

The Summer Company grant is considered taxable under the Canada and Ontario

Income Tax Acts. A T4A slip will be issued to the recipient of the award.

Source: http://www.ontariocanada.com/ontcan/1medt/smallbiz/en/sb_ye_summerco_en.jsp

What types of agencies are out there?

Executive search firms and employment agencies search for candidates in response to employer requests or the demands of the job market. They also serve very different client groups, so it is important to understand the difference before selecting a service.

Employment Agencies

The best option for recent graduates or those with limited experience is an employment agency, (also known as a staffing agency, personnel agency, placement firm, or employment firm). They are used by employers looking to fill short-term (temporary) vacancies and entry-to-mid level permanent jobs. Registering with them can be a useful way to access opportunities in companies that recruit through agencies instead of advertising their positions.

Executive search firms

Also called “headhunters”, these firms recruit candidates who are already employed or have significant work experience. They also negotiate the contract between the employee and employer. Sample positions include high-level positions from senior management to chief executive officers. Generally these services are not that helpful for new graduates (especially those with limited work experience).

What kind of work can I get through an agency?

Temporary Positions

Temporary work is not for everyone. You must be open-minded enough to try all sorts of different jobs, and flexible enough to take or lose work with little notice. However, because of its unique nature, temp work can help you:

• build skills and gain varied experience
• gain exposure to many different work environments
• make many new contacts for your network
• get considered for unadvertised permanent positions
• earn cash (you will be paid by the agency, who will invoice the employer)

Permanent positions

Permanent positions found through agencies are often in the financial and business industries. They typically include administrative, marketing, financial, IT, or engineering roles but there are also a wide variety of specializations. Some agencies focus on specific areas and you can use the resources listed below to find the best agencies for you.

The contract between you and the employer is negotiated by the agency and is the same as a real job offer. The employer pays the agency an additional fee for interviewing you, checking your references, and making the match.

Selecting the right agency

There are over 700 employment agencies and search firms in Toronto alone. To find listings, use the resources and websites recommended on the right hand side of this page.

To protect yourself, and make sure you find the right agency for you:

• check the type of positions they fill and ensure that their clients are from fields you are interested in
• determine which type of work appeals to you — temporary or permanent — and find an agency that specialize in it
• gather information about an agency’s reputation, number of years in business, and job seekers’ satisfaction
• ensure that you are not providing any personal information such as your social insurance number before you have been placed in a job
• find out how they are going to circulate your information to employers
• verify that the service is free for job seekers — reputable agencies and firms make their profits from employers, not job-seekers

Registering with an agency

Apply to more than one agency. Each firm has only a certain number of clients, so the more firms you register with, the broader range of opportunities available to you. Here are the steps to take when registering:

1. Visit the agency’s website to learn more about them.
2. Send in your resume – most prefer you do this by e-mail. Indicate the types of roles and industries you are interested in. A cover letter is not necessary unless applying to a specific posted position.
3. Follow up with a phone call to ensure they have received your documents. Inquire if they have a specific recruiter for your industry of interest.
4. If the recruiter thinks you may be a good match for the agency’s clients, you will be invited for an interview. Dress professionally, bring a copy of your resume, and prepare appropriately. The interview will typically be followed by a testing session which may take a few hours.
5. Be prepared to discuss which positions would be suitable for you. The recruiter may not have a job for you right away, so be patient and keep in touch.

Source: http://www.careers.utoronto.ca

Many people think that the only way to get work experience is through a 9-to-5 paid job. In fact, there are other approaches you can take.

Internships, volunteering, summer, temporary, or part-time jobs in your field of interest, allow you to build your communication, time management, organizational, and networking skills.

Extra-curricular activities allow you to enhance skills, explore areas of interest, and add people to your network. There are many clubs, committees, and societies that you can join. You can also join a professional association in your field.

Academic activities including classes, papers, projects, presentations, and labs have helped you to build many technical and transferable skills in your field.

Co-op or a practicum, as part of your coursework, allows you to experience the work environment.

How Skills Are Built

It all starts with a goal. Establish what kind of job or industry best suits your personality, values and interest. Then identify the skills you will require. Most employers value interpersonal, teamwork, verbal and written communication, and leadership skills. Specific computer programming, technical, or job-related knowledge may also be required.

Once you have figured out what skills you need, it’s important to understand how to acquire them. It is like building a pyramid; each skill you have developed is a stepping stone to your next opportunity to acquire a new skill.

Making the Most of Your Experiences

Use these tactics to enhance the effectiveness of your experience:

• be professional
• arrive on time
• dress appropriately
• work hard to complete your tasks
• network with the people you meet — they will become part of your professional network that can provide great references or help you find hidden job opportunities
• pitch in whenever and wherever you can — the more skills you can develop in your chosen role, the better your resume
• keep a journal of the activities you undertake in your role in order to better market your newly acquired skills on your resume
• try to have many types of experiences to show potential employers that you are continually active in your field and that you have a broad skill-set

Making the Most of a Volunteer Position

Your volunteer experience will play an important role in convincing future employers that you’ve got the skills they’re looking for. To make sure it has the greatest impact, remember to:

• Set clear and realistic goals for your volunteer experiences. Are you trying to meet specific career exploration, skills development, or networking goals? Keep these in mind throughout the search.
• Conduct your search in the same way you would a paid position
• Be prompt and professional at all times. You never know how the people you meet in your volunteer job could help you later on, maybe even leading to a full-time job!

• Criminal reference checks (CRC) are required for some volunteer jobs. To obtain one, visit the police headquarters located at 40 College Street. Remember to bring ID, including your birth certificate, citizenship card, and social insurance number card. The cost is between $25 and $30 and it will be mailed to you within two weeks. Your CRC will not be considered official if it is photocopied, so order as many originals as you need.

Volunteer Listings

Once you have a sense of what you are looking for in a volunteer experience, your next step should be to explore the listings. Here are some of the most popular sites for postings:

National

Volunteer Centre of Toronto offers volunteer postings, resources, workshops and more. You can search the website by activity, type of organization, postal code or keyword.

Charity Village provides volunteer postings, plus profiles of organizations involved in the charitable and not-for-profit sector. Postings are searchable by geographic area.

Planet Friendly offers volunteer opportunities in a variety of industries all across North America, including many in Toronto.

Volunteerism in Canada includes a directory of organizations as well as general information on volunteering.

Finding Hidden Opportunities

While looking at listed volunteer opportunities, remember that up to 80% of opportunities are never listed! You can uncover many more by approaching organizations directly to inquire about availability.

Start by consulting our extensive collection of company directories in the Career Resource Library. Two of the most popular directories for students seeking volunteer opportunities are:

The Blue Book: Directory of Community Services in Metro Toronto lists organizations in the community services industry THAT are frequently open to accepting volunteers, and in many cases, depend on them to keep their services running.

Associations Canada lists professional associations that can be a great source of information on organizations and trends in a field of interest, and an excellent way to make contacts through various events or directories.

Schools out soon and guess what?  The parental units say you’re not going to lie around the house all summer long.  That’s got you starting to think that finding a summer job wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.  You could use the extra money to help pay for college.  Even better, you could get some new clothes!

But how do you get started searching for a summer job?  It’s not like you’ve got five offers sitting on the kitchen table.  If you’ve got this job thing covered this summer, then great.  Otherwise you might want to take a look at some of the job finding tips we’re offering – read on.

Benefits of Summer Jobs

Some of you might be thinking that Mom and Dad have enough pocket change to keep you good through the summer.  But even if this is true, the benefits of a finding and working a summer job go well beyond the monetary rewards.

Summer jobs are a great learning experience for those that are new to the roles and responsibilities of the workplace.  It helps you to realize that others will depend on you to show up at work on time.  You might even figure out what kind of work you like to do. Here is a real life example:

“I worked for my Dad one summer, helping to maintain the facilities at his work location.  This was not a desk job; it was six days a week outside around the grounds.

I helped build a retaining wall that summer.  I shoveled entire truckloads of gravel for days – mountains of gravel greeted me each morning.  I was as strong as an ox by the end of the summer, but I made up my mind that I didn’t want to do that kind of job forever.”

Summer jobs also help you build the interpersonal skills you’ll need later in life.  You’ll learn to deal with your boss.  You might even learn how to deal with inpatient customers.  At the end of the summer you’ll be a little bit smarter, a bit richer and you might even have some work experience that looks good on your resume.

Getting Started Finding a Summer Job

Now that you’re convinced that a summer job will help you to build character and will teach you every one of life’s lessons, one big question still remains.  How to get started finding a summer job?  Like most things, you start at the beginning and that means putting a resume together.

Summer Jobs and Resumes

Now it might seem like a waste of time to put together a resume just for a summer job, but the time spent putting one together might just give you the edge when it comes to actually getting a job.

Job Networking

Now that you’ve got your resume together, you can start to hone your job networking skills.  This means talking to your relatives and letting them know you’re looking for work this summer.  Since you’ve got a resume together, it’s easy to send them a copy so they can shop it around at their company.

Friends, neighbors and relatives are a great network that might be able to open doors for you this summer.  Don’t forget to talk to your school counselors; they might have a good lead or two to share with you.  But just in case, let’s look at some other ways of finding that dream job this summer.

Help Wanted Ads

Your local newspaper is another great source of job leads.  Some of the best summer jobs can be found right near your home.  Check the local newspaper’s classified section or help wanted ads.  The Sunday edition of your paper usually has a much larger selection of help wanted ads.

In the local newspaper you should find ads for summer camp counselors, retail store jobs and the like.  Just be careful about those get rich this summer schemes.  These ads usually start to appear in the newspaper and stapled to utility poles starting in May.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.  If you need to satisfy your curiosity, then give them a call.  If you don’t get paid, then at least you’ll have a good story to tell everyone when you get back to school.

Volunteering

If you really don’t need the money, then volunteering is a great summer job – especially for those that are 14 or 15 years old.  You will very likely gain quality work experience and this type of work really shines on your resume.

You can find volunteer work by calling local state and national parks.  Local hospitals often look for volunteers all year round.  Your township officials may also be a great source of volunteer work.

At the very least they should be able to direct you to a listing of volunteer activities in your community.  There are also national organizations such as Habitat for Humanity that are always looking for a helping hand.