As many teens enter their sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school, they begin to look for jobs. As the summer is leaving and the holidays are quickly approaching, this is a perfect time to discuss the best times and comes when applying for jobs. 

Before Applying

Before applying for a job, you should make sure you have a consistent or steady way to get to work, be that a car, a bus, a bike, or even walking. By having reliable transportation, you can advocate during a job interview that you can make it to your shifts on time and can come in when asked. 

Another thing when applying for a job is to ensure you have a good availability. Having a good availability can let prospective employers know that you will be dedicated to your job and that you will be able to show up consistently. If, after the interviewing process, the employers are still unsure of who to hire, the employers may end up hiring the person with better availability as they can train them faster and schedule them more often. This is not to say you cannot get hired with inadequate availability. Getting hired will be a bit harder when your availability is lower.

Looking for a Job

When looking online for a job, many sites such as Indeed or LinkedIn help identify job positions and expectations clearly and concisely. However, you want to ensure that if this is your first job, you’re looking at jobs that specifically say ‘entry-level.’ This will ensure that your application isn’t competing with people who have experience, as employers will most likely hire that person as they will need less training. 

Indeed has a career guide that depicts the best ways to approach a job interview and the best jobs to apply to. A few of these include cashier, busser, usher, and server. Many entry-level positions are available at restaurants and fast food places, which makes them the target for teens looking for jobs. When creating a resume, don’t disregard any babysitting, lawn work, or other tasks you have performed for friends or neighbors, as you can put that on your resume as past job experiences.

The Best Time to Apply

The best time to apply for entry-level, part-time jobs is around spring and just before the holidays kick off. Because many companies hire seasonal workers, it is best to apply for jobs in September or October, as employers are most likely hiring part-time employees in anticipation of the busy holiday season. Places that would most likely employ seasonal employees are department and retail stores that experience more customers and products during the holiday season and may/will need more employees to keep everything running smoothly. However, depending on the position you are applying for can change; if you are applying for a leadership position or petitioning for a raise, the best time would most likely be around January and February, as that is when businesses get their budgets and begin to make the necessary adjustments for the upcoming year.

After applying for a job, if the company doesn’t get back to you within a week or two, email the HR department or call the business to ask about your application status. Don’t hesitate to email or call multiple times, as companies receive many online applications. By calling and asking after your application, you can help stand out and even speed up the time the company takes to process your application. 

Last but not least, don’t be disheartened or discouraged when you don’t hear back from a specific place you want to work; the job market is vast, and there will always be more opportunities in the future! If you have any anxiety or additional questions, don’t be afraid to talk to adults or friends who have gone through this process. Most people will be happy to help and remember that everyone will or has gone through this process at some point.