Your first CV

[stender]

My daughter is 16 and starting her A levels in Sept. She's been applying for some casual jobs, supermarkets etc but not had much joy. There is very little she can put on her cv and even for a casual 8 hr a week job she's having to fill out details as if she's applying for a ceo role. So rather than her sitting at home and to help on her cv she is currently volunteering at a charity shop on a sunday. Any suggestions on other things she could do to make her cv stand out against all the others? She does like english and thinking about some form of writing career, journalist etc so i have suggested she write some articles which she can submit to newspapers/websites etc. If she is lucky enough to get something published she can add that to her cv.
Any ideas on places to send articles to or any competitions she could enter? or any general ideas appreciated.

 

[JustGettingOnWithIt]

Just a thought... We have a student at the moment writing blog articles for us. She gets half a day a week in a work environment. Something she can show to a potential employer and reference. We get website content that never seems to make it to the top of the to do list.

I hope your daughter finds something soon

 

[Lisa Thomas]

Try Linked In.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Whats a CV ?

 

[Mark T Jones]

First answer to sping to mind was 'lie'

TBH I very much doubt lack of content is the issue - either the CV isn't reaching the right person or they simply aren't recruiting casual labour

There are lots of casual jobs in hospitality!

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

Is she applying by email/online? I suspect most of these jobs are advertised in shop windows asking for applicants to pop in and speak to the manager?

As Mark says, plenty of opportunity in hospitality! I know she is 16 so cannot serve behind the bar etc, but should still be plenty of roles there.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Make the CV interesting. No one wants to employ a boring person.

 

[cjd]

I remember my kid applying for supermarket jobs - what a nightmare processionals that was! Complete garbage. It's not her CV that's the problem it's their dreadful processes.

In the end both my kids got good part time jobs in small local businesses one in retail the other in a cafe. I'd say put together a short - absolutely no more than one page of well spaced out writing - CV. Then walk around town handing them to places she likes the look of. Jobs in those places are sometimes posted in windows and also in local newspapers. There's a shortage of casual fruit and veg pickers now too.

Writing as a career is difficult, very few writers make any money unless it's very specific - creative ad writing, technical writing for big tech (mostly UX, User Experience). Journalism has had the stuffing kicked out of it by the internet.

 

[IanSuth]

Apr last year my just 18 daughter was looking for work - all her mates were telling her to look on Indeed as "that is where all the jobs were", she saw a job come up at a local pub and put together a cv (with my help which as an ex recruitment consultant I like to think was a decent cv), she was then about to email it - instead I told her to put her smart clothes on and walk the 10 minutes to the bar at a lunchtime and hand it in in person that day.

She did and got the job - the bar manager said he would have glanced at her cv and seen no prior experience and rejected her, but her turning up and speaking to him and him seeing she had the confidence to cope with the tradesmen who make up a fair amount of his regulars meant he rejected the 80+ cv's in his inbox without reading them. She has worked there around covid and uni terms ever since

Her cv said all about her ability to deal with all sorts gained as a rugby referee etc etc BUT what will make your daughter stand out for a service job is her presence - and a cv can't portray that. Tell her when she has that cv, print off a bunch, put her best front on and go knock some doors (yes she will get knocked back by big chains saying she has to apply online but she can always do that afterwards)

 

[stender]

She had an interview with waitrose. She was given 10 different scenarios which she had to prioritise and give reasons as to why, when the store would be opening in 2 hrs time. included things like dairy fridge needed emptying so it could be cleaned, customer waiting on phone call, advertising stand and signs had to be put up, Person in bakery in charge of pastries had called in sick etc. They dont want much for a schoolkid. Didnt realise the shelf stackers were oxford grads.

 

[sminter1st]

I second targeting local businesses face to face. I get about 100+ CVs at the beginning of every summer holidays for summer jobs for waiters etc, and I very rarely actually employ anyone from those. If someone walks in and is fairly confident, can look me in the eye when I talk to them, good hygiene/presentation and a friendly personality, I am much, much more likely to invite them for a trial evening. Luckily my own twins are now getting to the age where they can help out, although CV/life skill-wise they've been encouraged to take part in a variety of activities they enjoy too, eg taekwondo, scouts, drama club etc for future applications.

For writing experience, perhaps she can start to think about what area of journalism or writing she is interested in and start writing her own regular blog on that subject, with a spin on a young person's view on it, eg environment, health, technology, current news... It will get her into the habit of writing regularly and researching, show she has commitment and interest, and she can direct employers towards it, and list it on her digital CV.

If she's involved in any clubs or activities, she could ask to be involved in the digital write-ups, I know our Scouts group/sports clubs are always asking for someone to contribute to newsletters etc.

If she's confident in English, or another subject, are there any younger children in your network she could tutor?

I've had a quick google and she might be interested in any of these? https://youthjournalism.org/join/
https://twitter.com/wannabehacks https://www.shoutoutuk.org/ https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience/journalism-work-experience Prince's Trust activities?

 

[WaveJumper]

I was once told the job market is like an iceberg you just see the tip the rest are under the surface. I have never ever got a position by sending in a CV as others have said leg work is the name of the game, she needs to get out there around local business’s, shops, offices start with whatever takes your fancy and widen your search from there. You will be surprised.

 

[Deleted member 335660]

My daughter is 16 and starting her A levels in Sept. She's been applying for some casual jobs, supermarkets etc but not had much joy. There is very little she can put on her cv and even for a casual 8 hr a week job she's having to fill out details as if she's applying for a ceo role. So rather than her sitting at home and to help on her cv she is currently volunteering at a charity shop on a sunday. Any suggestions on other things she could do to make her cv stand out against all the others? She does like english and thinking about some form of writing career, journalist etc so i have suggested she write some articles which she can submit to newspapers/websites etc. If she is lucky enough to get something published she can add that to her cv.
Any ideas on places to send articles to or any competitions she could enter? or any general ideas appreciated.

Basically employers want to see what experiences you have and what values you have.
You mentioned the charity work which is good. Did she represent the school in athletics? Was she a Prefect? Any clubs she is a member of? Hobbies and interests could just be listed.

 

[Frank the Insurance guy]

In the end both my kids got good part time jobs in small local businesses one in retail the other in a cafe. I'd say put together a short - absolutely no more than one page of well spaced out writing - CV. Then walk around town handing them to places she likes the look of.

THIS!!

My daughter did that at 16 - walked round the local shopping centre going into every shop she liked and went up to the counter to as if they had vacancies - she got a job in an upmarket shoe shop that wasn't even advertising for a role!

Turnover of staff in retail is high, so they are always on the lookout for staff!

 

[K91]

I remember the first few jobs I got was by googling local companies I liked the look of, ringing them up and explaining that I was looking for a job and if there were any positions available. A lot of them said not at the moment but I got a few jobs that way. The places where I did get a job explained they liked the fact I used my initiative and liked my confidence. So as above really, walking or ringing up is always better for these types of jobs.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

In 27 years of having my business on an industrial estate with 9 other businesses I had one, just one, young man knock on the door asking for work. We always needed someone extra during the summer holiday period.