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jobs as a y11

hellooo! so im not quite there yet, but im turning 16 in june so i wanted to start to looking into jobs i can do around that time. i just have some questions like do i look for vacancies specifically online? and do you need to make something like a CV when ur 16 w/ no experience? things like that, thank youu!

Reply 1

MindMax2000

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by mai.s

Looking for vacancies online tend to be really difficult and competitive. Usually the jobs that are posted online tend to be posted after the company have resorted to most of the free and effective avenues.

I would probably start off with networking with friends who already work in companies that you want to work at. It's usually a more effective way of getting the sort of work that you want to do.
The second most effective way in my opinion is speculative CVs or applying straight to the company. I woudl check to see if they have any vacancies prior to submitting the CV though.
The third preferable way that I have found effective is to job a recruitment agency. They would have already done the legwork. However, not all would get back to you or always have work suited at entry level.

The sort of go to sectors for part time work at 16 tend to be in catering, supermarkets, and retail. Work in catering tend to be relatively easy to get if you approach the company directly. Supermarkets tend to be the most difficult. Retail is not particularly easy to get, but there are more available and they should be OK to get if you network properly.

I would have a CV irrespective of whether you have no experience or a lot. You need a CV in order to give them your contact details, so it's not like you don't give them anything.

Whilst it's not impossible to get roles in the public sector, they tend not to be for part time roles. If they are, you often need to work during the weekdays.

If the sort of job that you want involve some sort of professional certification and it doesn't take long to qualify (a few days/weeks) or cost a lot (less than £300 say), it might be worth doing the certification just in case it helps. For example, for kitchen work, you often need a level 2 hygiene certificate (costs £25 if you shop online) for compliance purposes. For lifeguarding, you need either NPLQ, level 2 in pool lifeguarding, or NVBLQ. Adding this to your CV can help make it stand out.

The stuff on volunteering, awards, etc. are nice, but they are not directly relevant to the role (unless you intend to work for a charity, school, etc.). They serve as good talking points to show that you're a well rounded applicant, but it does little more than that. Relevant experience and skills still are more important than anything else.

When applying, you want to be as available and flexible as much as you can. You usually can't afford to be picky, and those who do apply tend to be applying for weekend roles as well i.e. you have a lot of competition for specific shifts.