The tight labour market may be making things challenging for employers, but there’s a flip side – there’s plenty of opportunity for those looking to start careers.
Sectors such as hospitality and retail – both popular with people seeking their first job – are hungry for workers. Not only does this make it easier to land a job, but jobseekers might discover there are also more opportunities than expected to grow within the organisation.
But a first job doesn’t need to link to a future career, says Kate Furey, a career insights specialist at Indeed. “It’s about gaining experience, showing that you’re reliable, learning how to communicate well with your manager, colleagues and customers, and getting a sense of what a structured work environment is like,” Furey says.
Seventeen-year-old Jessica Findlay found her first job this year.
Applicants should consider their interests and passions as well as the type of environment they thrive in – whether they’re good at interacting with customers, working independently or doing physical work – and narrow their choices down from there, she says.
For 17-year-old Jessica Findlay, COVID lockdowns stopped her seeking her first job until this year.
“Everything seemed so uncertain, and the rules on what you could do kept changing, and I worried about working in a mask. I was nervous that we would go back into lockdown,” the Year 11 student says.
Findlay started by targeting a homewares store she liked, offering her resume over the counter.
“I talked briefly to a manager who said they had filled the floor positions. But she was keen to see if they could find something for me as she didn’t want to lose me,” Findlay says. “She asked me basic questions like ‘what’s your availability?’, ‘have you had any experience?’ and ‘why do you think you would be a suitable person for this role?’. She was interested in the fact that I had a food safety certificate, completed as part of a program at my school.”
By the time the formal interview followed a few days later, staff changes meant Findlay was offered a role on the floor of the homewares store – a good match given she is interested in a career in interior design. Findlay’s personality helped, too.
