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Asker

To Sam

How to get a job or volunteering

Hey Sam

i was just wording if you know anything about finding a job , am 14 coming on 15 and iv never had a job before , me and Mam has been trying for a two or three of months now to find a job for me another has worked, to be honest I don't even know where to begain, I feel like with a job it will help me with experience for my futur and help me get further in life, am noting even in it for the money I suppose I would even do voliteering work just to help me get the little extra bit off experience

Ask Sam

Sam

Hi there,

Finding a job isn't always easy - it will depend on where you live, how old you are and what times you're available to work. Different jobs will have different requirements but there are some steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of finding a job that's right for you. You can get a part-time job as young as 13, but there are rules about how and when you can work.

The first thing to think about is when you're going to be available to work and what type of job you want to do. There are some jobs that are quite common for young people to take on as their first employment such as working in a shop or café, washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen or delivering newspapers. These all depend on you being able to work at the right time and being able to get to and from these places when they need you.

A good thing to have when you're looking for a job is a CV. This is a document that gives some basic information about you and lists your strengths and experience. If you don't have much experience in work then it's sometimes a good idea to list the skills you have and times when you've used those skills. This kind of experience can come from anywhere so you can use projects you've done at school and things you've done in clubs or sports.

Once you have a CV you can start giving it to employers in your local area. It's important to speak to an adult you trust and make sure they know you're doing this and help you because you need to be working somewhere safe and responsible. Before you go to any job, make sure that the people who look after you have checked out that it is a safe place to work.

If you're not having any luck with employers, you could always try working for yourself. Offering services like dog walking, garden work or babysitting might be a way to get some experience while earning some money. It's important to make sure an adult is involved in this too, as you should never go to a stranger's house alone.

Volunteering is a great way to get experience and learn new skills and looks really good on a CV. Do-it.org is a good way of finding volunteer roles near where you live.

I hope that's helped, thanks for sending the letter.

Sam

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