There are many job opportunities that you can develop on your own if you know how and where to look.

Look at your friends, relatives and neighbors as potential employers. They may have a need for a babysitter or someone to do yardwork. Make a flyer and distribute it around your neighborhood.

Here are some ideas:

• Service Stations
• Automobile Lots (washing autos)
• Car Washes
• Construction Sites
• Landscaping Businesses
• Video Stores
• Bowling Alleys
• Skating Rings
• Movie Theaters
• Golf Courses
• Arcades
• Retail Stores
• Resorts
• Grocery Stores
• Food Service (fast food, pizza parlors, restaurants, donut and ice cream shops)

When you contact an employer, make sure you do the following:

1. Always ask to see the supervisor or manager. Tell them you are looking for work and would be very interested in working for them.

2. If the employer is not currently accepting application, leave your resume. One of their employees may quit tomorrow, and without your resume the employer will have no way to contact you for an interview.

3. Visit these employers regularly (about every two weeks, or so) letting the supervisor or manager know you are still interested in working for them. It will show the employer how motivated you are.

4. When applying for a job, always dress as if you would for an interview. Women should wear dresses or skirts with nylons. Men would wear slacks and shirt (ties are recommended, but optional). No T-shirts, tank tops, or shorts.

5. When considering places of employment, make sure you will have transportation to get to work, should you be hired.

Your application is the first impression an employer has of you, the applicant, and
it often will make crucial difference in whether or not an employer will interview you for a job.

Pick up two applications and use one as a rough draft. Applications should be typed or printed in pen. Use only black or blue ink. Print as neatly as possible. No erasures, cross outs, smudges, or spills. Fill out all blanks. If they do not apply, put in a dash mark or "N/A" Use care in sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. Never fold or crinkle application.

1. List phone numbers where you can be readily reached.

2. List all jobs held, including ROP, volunteer work, or working in your school office. Be as complete as possible, providing supervisor, address and phone number of employer.

3. When listing your skills be as specific as possible. If you have never worked before, you could still list such skills as: reliable, dependable, punctual, positive attitude, and learns quickly.

4. Be prepared with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three personal references. Never use family members. You may wish to list teachers, counselors, ministers, friends or former employers. Make sure that you have their permission before using them as a reference.

5. When listing reasons for leaving previous jobs, avoid using negatives, such as "terminated", "quit", "fired", "mutual agreement", "did not get along with co-workers", and "could not do the job". Instead, use phrases such as "laid-off", "career change", "relocated", "returned to school", "travel", "better opportunity", and "reorganization".

A good resume can be very effective in showing an employer that you are serious about your job search.
It can be the difference between you and the people you are competing against for a job.

Parts of a Good Resume

Personal: You need to include your full name, your complete address, and your telephone number. Make sure that the telephone number is one where you can be reached at all times. Do not include personal information, such as your age, marital status, height and weight, and hobbies.

Job Objectives: This is a statement of the type of work that you are seeking. Make it specific, such as "seeking a position as a cashier". If you are applying for a specific advertised position, use the employer's job title written word-for-word.

Assets/Qualifications and Experience: List skills you have that would show the employer that you are qualified for the position. Think back to school or previous jobs, and ask yourself what things you are good at. You may include specific machinery that you have operated, the fact that you are mechanically inclined, your leadership ability, organizational ability, good with detail, work well with people, etc.

Education and Training: List the schools you have attended and the dates, the main courses you took, and the degrees you received. You may also list scholarships or honors, and extracurricular activities related to the job for which you are applying (such as "worked on the school newspaper"). ROP may also be included.

View the Sample Resume

A resume... should be only one page. should not be too crowded should be easy to read. should be typed neatly - no errors or whiteout. Have someone else proofread your resume before submitting it to an employer!!!!!!