Just because you are a teen doesn’t mean you can’t find a good job to either help you through schooling or to get a few extra bucks for your various hobbies and needs. Here are a few tips on bagging a great teen job

Labor Laws
You, of course, have to follow the law. And there are various laws that govern teen employment across different states. Teens that are hired to do non-farm work will at least have to be fourteen years of age to be allowed to work. Here are a few other restrictions. You will have to do a little research in the state you are at to come up to date with the latest laws and regulations.

Teens that are aged 14 to 15 are only allowed to work three hours per day, and eighteen hours a wee. When there are no classes and during summer breaks, this amount may be increased to eight hours per day, 40 hours per week. Also work for teenagers of this age is limited to up to 7 o’clock p.m. within school days and 9 o’clock p.m. during summer breaks.

Employment Documents
In several states, when one has not reached the age of eighteen yet, it is required get working documents which are officially known as Certificate of Employment or Age to be allowed to work legally. Schools are good venues for one to acquire these important papers. The Department of Labor offers such service, too. Browse on the certification list for Age or Employment to know which rules apply to you. Your school’s Guidance Office can be of great help. One’s state office will assist greatly if one is directed to the Department of Labor. Particular states such as New York, for instance, have special web site sections on Youth Jobs, which will produce the information and documents you are required to have.

Fantasy Jobs
Make sure you take a job you can maintain interest in. You might want to consider after-school programs and working with kids. Or you may want to work part time on the beach, recreational facilities, zoos and other areas. The important thing is that you choose a job that you enjoy and can perform in with the best of your capabilities. It is very important that you do your best in your job and pick one you truly enjoy, as your experience with this job could very well dictate your future career.

Job Search
Your high school guidance counselor may be able to assist you with finding a part-time job that is just right for you. Aside from having contacts among local businesses, they may also help you evaluate which jobs you will enjoy and excel at.

It is also a good idea to tell everyone you know that you are looking for work. Don’t underestimate your network of acquaintances. They may very well have other networks of acquaintances that may help you find good jobs.

Skills refer to the things you do well. The key to finding the most appropriate jobs in the industry is recognizing your own skills and communicating the significance written and verbally to a probable employer.

Majority of the most viable skills are those that are used in a variety of work settings. What are these skills? Would matching your skills to find the right job be successful?

* Determine your skills. This would help you in becoming the lead candidate of landing the job. A skill does not necessarily mean it was adapted in a work environment. If this would be your first job hunt and you have no job experience to date, you still have a chance in the industry.

Majority of skills, including knowledge-based and transferable, could be absorbed and developed as a volunteer, a student, a homemaker, or in your other personal activities. The skills you have used for these activities can still be applied to your desired jobs.

Organizing and listing your personal skills could help you easily fill out job applications, provide useful information for job interviews, and prepare quality resumes.

First, you should categorize the skills by separating your interests and aptitudes from your work experience.

1) Aptitudes and interest. These include all of your hobbies, activities you have been involved in the past, and all the things that interest you. By listing all of these down, you could examine the skills it takes to achieve each item.

Skills from aptitude and interest may be homemaking, playing basketball, fixing cars and many more. All of these items could determine if you are capable of working with a team, able to handle multiple tasks, have viable knowledge of human development, knowledge of electronics and ability to diagnose mechanical and numerical problems. The list goes on, but make sure to consider the skills that would be beneficial for a working environment.

2) Work history. This includes volunteer, part-time, freelance, summer and full time jobs. Once you have listed all your past employment, examine the skills you do work each work duty.

* Ask for help. As soon as you have your list ready, you could now go to job services that could help you acquire your desired job. You could also search job yourself. However, always remember to match your skills and abilities in your list to the needed skills and abilities of various jobs.

In most cases, people who seek jobs are threatened with job titles. This should not be the case. As long as your skills and abilities could meet the requirements of the workload and job title, your possibility of acquiring your desired job increases.

Nowadays, finding a job can be very tedious. However, some people contend that trying to keep a job to avoid the risk of losing it is in even harder. This is because they are trying whatever viable means there is, in order not to lose their jobs.

Unemployment is a devastating condition in the society. It wrecks dreams and ambitions, and the goal to have a happy and decent life. In fact, unemployment had such an effect in the United States in 1990, where it only recorded 45% of its population working and from here; only 24% are working full time. That is why it is extremely important for a person to find a job and try harder not to lose it.

Today, the percentage of people who are employed gradually increases and the wage that they earn escalates as well, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The families that only earn from $10,000 to $50,000 in a year are already less common because the others are earning a lot more.

For people who already have a job and desire not to be jobless again, here are some tips that they must follow in order to stay on track:

1. Employees should always try their best to improve their performance

This entails a chain reaction within the work force in the company. The employee should, by all means try harder to do their job well as well as improve their performance in order to increase productivity.

Once productivity has been improved, the income of the company will grow, meaning there will be more funds for remuneration and more probabilities that the company will adhere to its employees’ cultivation and motivation.

2. Avoid procrastination

If a person does not want to lose his or her job, procrastination should be avoided. Making up lame excuses, even if there is the slightest truth in it, will never justify the work undone.

3. It is better for a person to find a job that he or she truly likes.

It would be harder to keep a job that a person does not like. This will only result to poor performance and everything. It is better for a person to find a job that would bring meaning to his or her life.

The main point here is that people should know how to turn failures into success in order to focus on one common goal: never to lose a job again.

Finding a job is such a daunting task. Here, there, and everywhere, job seekers tend to look for the best means in order to find the best jobs.

However, most of them are predisposed to neglect job fairs. This is because many job seekers get annoyed with the jam-packed, full of activity, and baffling series of events. Nevertheless, they are still the best place to land a job.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States, the employment status is likely to boost by 15%. That is why job fairs are the best places to find a job because many companies will be participating in the event.

Job fairs are not really that bustling. The important thing is to obtain the necessary requirements needed in job applications and the rest, as they say, is history.

Here are some of the things that a job seeker must have by the time he or she is at the job fair in order to make the most out of it:

1. Advance research can be very helpful.

Most job seekers aim to find the best employment possible. Hence, it is important to do some advance research before going to a job fair.

Usually, the organizers of this event will post the companies that will participate on the job fair. Obtaining some information about the companies and the position that is open for the job would be an edge over the others.

2. Job seekers should have enough resumes.

It would be better if job seekers have enough resumes, at least 25, before going to the job fair. In this way, the applicant will be able to provide resumes to all of the potential employers in the job fair. The more applications you deliver the better chances of landing a job.

3. Job seekers should know how important it is to dress for the occasion.

As they say, first impressions last. Hence, in order to cut above the rest of job seekers, an individual should learn how to impress his or her future employer by dressing for the best. It should project a professional outlook, enthusiasm, and the determination to get the job that he or she really wants.

4. Job seekers should be prepared for some on-the-spot interviews.

5. An applicant should have a list of the companies where he or she had given his or her resume.

Knowing these things can be very helpful especially if it is the applicants first time in a job fair. Hence, people should be more aware of the benefits they can derive from job fairs alone.

Job hunting abroad can be both an opportunity and an adventure. There are hurdles to overcome when searching for the right job abroad. Let’s take going to Madrid, Paris, Rome or London for example. It’s not enough to just send resumes, the idea should be “get the luggage and get on the plane.”

Getting a work permit is one obstacle in Europe. To stay there for an extended time, a residence permit is needed. This an only be granted once a working permit has been granted. Companies only provide non-European workers their work permits if they prove that there are no qualified European for the position. This is tough since the European Employment Services allows different companies to recruit prospects in eighteen European Economic Area countries. Remember that an ideal candidate is one who is able to speak the native language of a specific city other than English.

If you have your eye on Spain, a typed application letter with a resume must be prepared, including a recent photo and translated qualifications and/or copies of diplomas and other credentials. The letter must be written in a direct formal style citing the vacancy applying for. A must have for the closing should be “En espera de sus noticias, les saluda atentamente.”

In the United Kingdom, newspapers are good sources of job openings. Assorted prime papers offer complement of job vacancies like “The Guardian,” “The Daily Telegraph,” “The Times,” or the “The Independent” particularize vacancies daily. Companies are very particular regarding the reason you are applying. Research on their product offers, location of branches/offices, etc. There must be a reason why there is an interest to work for a specific company.

The application for jobs in Italy should also consist of a typed application letter. This should be formal and conventional in form. Using the Italian language is a must when explaining the intriguing reason for application. Diplomas and other credentials including impressive list of references should be handy during the initial interview. There are three to four expected follow-up interviews including a psychometric test. Put emphasis on personal appearance before the interview especially how the dress as this shows the concern in getting the job being applied for.

The average job search abroad ranges between six to twelve months. Experts consider searching for a job a full time job itself. Attending career counseling is helpful if unsure on what to do. There are a lot of great career resources who can give advise that best fits ones interests and passion.

According to a recent survey by Job Outlook, for the third year now there is a positive increase in hiring fresh college graduates for 2006. Business owners plan on hiring more from the class of 2005-06 than they did from the 2004-05 class as well as offering higher compensation and benefits for the new hires.

In the annual survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nine out of ten companies describe the new job market as good, very good, and excellent. Public accounting and consulting firms narrated the brightest prospect for the future graduates, while engineering and construction firms supported the idea by saying they’ll also be hiring.

There is a growing demand for new graduates in the job market as a result of the also growing products and services they offer and to keep up with the retiring HR staff.

Who are in demand?

Job search engines use state-of-the-art technology to assist people in their job quest. Here you could enter all the relevant information to reduce the lists of sought after jobs to get more accurate results.

Because new jobs are being added daily or even hours after, the tendency to see the results you had yesterday may be different from what you see today. This is where job search engines come in handy.

After some trial and error there are a few job search engines that could yield better results. They allow searchers to see major job sites, companies and even its associations by entering a keyword and location. Results can be seen in different ways, it could be in a browser list and some sent thru e-mail.

SimplyHired.com, America’s Job Bank, Jobster, and Indeed.com are just a few of the search engines that can give you more accurate results. These sites include over 500 job listings with job boards, prime newspapers, and numerous companies with career pages.

Indeed.com even has an advance search option that could be used to search company names, positions, and even the distance for commuters.

America’s Job Bank let’s you enter the job category you would like to search, then you can enter either the city or the zip code and state you would like to find the job and it gives the list of job openings. If you’re lucky, you can even get the quoted salary from each of the companies you’re eyeing on.

In SimplyHired.com aside from the list of jobs open, applicants are also given a short description of the job you’re about to handle including the responsibilities to be met even during application. It also includes the type of company, location and date when the job was posted.

Jobster provides the latest job postings from today up to the last 7 days wherein you can also choose the distance you prefer. This site gives you the ability to see the list of the freshly posted jobs from a variety of sources.

How Well Are They?

These sites give listings that are relevant and timely, compared to other search engines that generate results a little longer than the others. Some would even provide results that are far from the location picked out.

So far the best among the search engines used is the Simplyhired.Com. It showed the job title, a link was also provided for posting, a summary of the job description, where the exact current location and where it originated. The produced results are easy to read, non-confusing with bits and pieces more of information plus the getting around is user friendly

Hunting for the perfect job for an individual requires time, effort and knowledge.

For stress free job-hunting, every individual must first consider the following pointers before starting your job hunting process:

1. Know what type of job you would like to apply for. Gate crashing job fairs that offer work not related to one’s degree or work preference would be a waste of time.

Consider your interests, preference of work location and job shifts (to be especially considered by professionals who have family members to take care of). If all these fit the category of the job opening available, it would be best to proceed with the application process.

2. Prepare possible needed documents or career portfolio. Have several copies of your resume, transcript of records and any certifications ready for immediate submission if needed.

3. Know where to look for job postings. There are various forms that offer listing of jobs. Below are some of these sites:

3.1 Internet. One of most widely used searching options is the Internet. Aside from the fact that browsing the Internet for available jobs is less time consuming than personal appearances to inquire at the offices, this can also be the least expensive form of job hunting.

You would not need to buy newspapers to browse through the ads for vacancies nor spend gas money to go to the offices.

Not only local or national vacancies can be browsed through the net, international job openings could likewise be easily accessed by the user, thus, offering one a much wider perspective in choosing the right job.

3.2 Newspapers. One of the most commonly used searching medium. Local newspapers advertise jobs that are within an applicant’s commuting distance. Available jobs are usually printed on a regular basis.

3.3 Career or Job Centers. These usually offer jobs for ages 16-18 and rarely above 21 years of age. Though fully loaded with vacancies, it caters mostly to the younger applicants.

Job listings are frequently updated; therefore regular visits would ensure the applicants of new job postings.

3.4 Periodicals or magazines. Professionals are best advised to look for jobs on magazines since employers that would want to hire the same would advertise on such journals.

3.5 Offices. Most offices have postings of job openings on their Vacancy Boards. Applicants may directly go to the office to look for vacancies and then directly submit the resume or other pertinent documents to the respective division that receives such documents.

Though some employers would prefer a younger workforce, the older applicants still have a wide variety of career choices to choose from.

Employers are starting to see the potential of older and much-experienced applicants as can be seen by the statistics below:

q In Australia, Bureau of Statistics showed that between the period of August of 1989 to that of August of 2003, the workforce aged 15-24 lost more than 380,000 jobs to older workers.

Aside from the fact that most of Australia’s younger generation became full-time students, employers favored the older applicants.

q In Netherlands on the other hand (by December of 2000), over 500,000 thousand of their employees are 55 years old and above. This figure had been increasing steadily since 1995.

To have a head start from the younger applicants, one has to take into consideration the following:

1. In writing one’s resume, put more weight in highlighting the accomplishments without necessarily bragging about it.

One could have these lists of accomplishments and previous posts held work for one’s advantage over younger applicants who may not even have any experience on the same field.

An individual’s employment history receives as much scrutiny as the applicant itself. While employers tend to look for gaps or lapses of time when the applicant has been unemployed, they also tend to focus on the length of service one had rendered for their previous employers.

Frequent change of work (usually within very short time frames) can be alarming for prospective employers.

2. Read and enroll in programs that will refresh your knowledge on certain fields especially if engaged in professional sectors. This will keep you individual abreast of the latest trend in such fields.

3. Search the Internet for vacancies. A lot of agencies place ads on the net that advertises help for senior citizens in looking for jobs. Various search engines made easier and specific (can choose the following categories: career, location and field of interest) are also available.

Jobs that do not usually look into the age of the applicant are the following:

1. Professional work that are into specialization. For applicants in the medical field (i.e. Doctors) experience is the basic determinant of being hired.

2. Lectures or speaking engagements. Speakers that are invited to discuss certain topics do not really have an age requirement. Rather, qualification focuses more on first hand knowledge and experience.

3. Writers. Writing novels, plays or children’s books are one of those professions whose only requirement is good writing skills. Also, one can do the job at the comfort of their own homes, a plus factor for those in their advanced years.

The best source to look for jobs related to Information Technology (most commonly known as IT) is, obviously, the Internet.

Various sites offer listings of job openings for specific fields. The key for a fruitful search is to know how and where to look for the best possible jobs available.

To have access on a certain site’s listing, an individual must first accomplish the following:

1. Register at the chosen site

2. After registration confirmation (via an email from the moderator of the site), the individual may now have access to the list

3. In searching for the preferred or suitable job vacancy, you may be asked to fill out a form (online) that states an individual’s profile.

This is usually used for easier browsing of related work since IT has various fields of specialties. Other sites automatically match an individual’s profile with the available or suited vacancy based on the information given by the person.

4. The applicant has the option to choose from contractual, full-time, part-time, trainee or temporary jobs category.

5. If the individual prefers work that is currently not listed on the site, he or she may have the option of posting his or her resume, from which prospective employers may browse through at some other time.

To avoid frustration while browsing through the numerous listings of IT openings on the Internet, take into consideration the following pointers:

1. Determine the following:

1.1 Organize your career portfolio in soft and hard copies. While most employers will ask for a copy of you resume through the net (email), there are some that still require hard copies for submission at their respective offices.

1.2 Determine preferred location of work. Is the individual willing to be relocated should a good position be offered in another city or state? Does he or she prefer work within commuting distance?

1.3 Salary. Though it would not be wise to make demands on one’s salary especially during the interview process, an individual must have a predetermined range of salary that he or she would be willing to accept, whoever the employer would be or wherever it may be located.

2. Rank the items listed above based on one’s priority.

3. Search the Internet for various sites with listings of IT job openings.

4. Register on a number of sites for a wider access to various lists.

5. Submit resume based on the predetermined priorities.