Part One

Barrier; anything that prevents progress; anything that separates or hinders union

SCHOOL STUDENTS ENTERING THE WORKFORCE

Welcome to Part Two of our ‘Career Barrier Series’.   This week I would like to talk about students entering the workforce and starting out on their career journey.

I often meet exasberated parents who have no clue how to help their adolescent children work through the school to work transition.  It’s a valid concern – how do you market someone to a potential employer who seem to have no or little experience?  How can you place value on the inexperienced?

Well, there are ways! And most importantly, you should remember that most employers (who are looking to employ a recently graduated student) will do so with the full knowledge that they have little or no experience.  The employer usually won’t expect great things (unrealistic achievements) but they will expect some level of commitment and will look for a point of difference. 

If you are a student reading this, I would say that your volunteer work, your involvement in the community, your participation in school events, your commitment to a sport and ANY part time job is vitally important.  This is best demonstrated by showing you have committed to something, and therefore achieved!  Talk up what you have achieved, describe each of these as a paid role! and present it as though it was a great opportunity for which you were eternally grateful and as a result you developed some very worthwhile skills.  

Remember you are selling a product which is YOU!  The employer is the customer who is buying.  So you need to find out what the customer wants and market yourself to suit what it is they are looking for!

At the time you are graduating from school or college, so too, are thousands of others.  These are your competitors.  So if you are to stand out from the crowd, present with a different story and employ a different strategy to finding that job.  Be creative! Here are some suggestions:

• Employ the services of a Professional Resume Writer
• Master the art of interviews - engage in some ‘Interview Coaching’ 
• Practice your body language techniques (consider that your tone, your facial expressions, the way you sit and your dress sense is much more important that the words you say)  
• Don’t limit your job search to the newspaper and the internet – door knock and ask around
• Attend networking events -  a great way to directly meet the owner of a business
• Offer to work on a no-strings-attached trial basis
• Let your referees speak for you – offer these early 
• Take money off the table – don’t ask about money and don’t be put off by low pay!
• Demonstrate you are willing to commit to your own self development (enrol in a course or offer to do something in line with the employers business)
• Express interest and be enthusiastic – make sure you well liked, no one will hire you if you are not a likeable character

In summary, you may use one or many of these strategies.  Some will work for you, others won’t.  But if don’t try, you will never know! 

Remember, there is a job out there for everyone!
Good luck with the job hunt!