Looking for a Summer Job? [ArticleImageHyperLink] Thursday, June 07, 2012 By Alyssa Derma Advertising Are you looking for a summer job? Many high school teens have a hard time finding a job during the summer for a few different reasons. One reason is that teens don’t always know where to look. Sarah McBride, the youth program counselor for a program called ‘Pathways’, down at the Port Angeles WorkSource Center, said the best place to begin your search is online. Begin your job search by looking at the classified jobs section of The Peninsula Daily News website: (http://www.peninsuladailynews.com), the Port Angeles WorkSource website: (https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/) for available jobs, and even Craigslist – all have many ways to help people find jobs. However, if you do choose to look or apply for a job found on Craigslist, McBride specifically said to be, “very careful about giving out personal information.” There are always scams, especially when it comes to hiring teens. Although the Internet is very helpful, it’s not available to everyone. Another way to find a job would be to either go directly to the business and talk to the manager or visit the WorkSource Center. The Work Source Center is located at: 228 West 1st Street, Suite A in downtown Port Angeles, WA 98362-2639. Make sure to work on your resume as well. During the months of July and August, the WorkSource Center provides classes to help with creating resumes. If attending these classes seems almost impossible to you, you can also use the Internet. Myfirstpaycheck.com is a website that provides a, “RésuméBuilder that will dynamically create a template to give you an idea of what your resume should look like.” Microsoft Office also provides many different resume templates to choose from. If you do not have Microsoft Office you can use a Google Docs account and download Google Docs resume templates. Another reason that it’s difficult for some teens to get a job is simply because they’re not sure how to act. While looking for a job it’s important that if you’re with a group of people, you go in by yourself. After asking McBride if there’s anything that could increase someone’s chances of getting a job, she explained, “After filling out an application, ask for the manager and personally hand it to them. Oh and be nice and smile.” Along with talking to the manager, the WorkSource Center has programs to help 16-21 year olds have a better chance of getting a job. If you are a junior or a senior in high school and you receive a free or reduced lunch, you are eligible to be in the program. The program is called The Opportunity Internship Program and after completing the 90 hours of hands – on experience, you will be more eligible to qualify for a $300 needs grant, which is extra funding for college. Some of the hands – on experience include: high demand healthcare, advance manufacturing (welding, etc.), green occupations (Habitat For Humanity, etc.), and a natural resources program for the Olympic National Park. The Opportunity Internship Program helps students link their high school interests into possible career choices for college. There are only five spots available this summer. For more information about the program you can call Sarah McBride at: (360).457.2108 or Stephanie McDonald: at (360).565.2001. The WorkSource Center is open Monday – Friday from: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Keep in mind that when you make the decision to get a job, you have to actually work hard and put in the time and effort. If a student or teen shows that they are very interested in a certain job, they are more likely to get the job they want because the manager will see them as someone who will work hard. It’s difficult to maintain a job when you show how badly you don’t want to be there. Therefore pick a job that you might actually enjoy. If you do get a summer job, it may be only for the summer, but it may also be for much longer. It all depends on where you decide to work. Local restaurants tend to focus more on just hiring teens for the summer. There is also a program called Aramark that focuses more on outdoor jobs all throughout the country, however those jobs vary from seasonal to year – round. You have to be 18 or older to apply for Aramark, but if you think you might be interested when you’re older, visit the website: http://www.coolworks.com/; there are many different options to think about. If you are going to apply, it’s as easy as going on Google, typing Aramark, finding the ‘Apply now’ link, filling out the online application, and acoording to McBride, someone should be giving you a call very shortly. Some of the Aramark opportunities in the Port Angeles area include working at the Olympic National Park and at the Lake Crescent Lodge. Along with certain jobs, Aramark will provide you a place to stay as well. Finding the right job for the summer, or even longer, can be tough when you’re not too sure what to look for. After looking online or talking to someone at the WorkSource Center, it will be much easier to find out what exactly you’re looking for in a job. Be sure to pay attention to everything from what is appropriate to wear to an interview, to the details of your resume.

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