How are students supposed to get jobs?

Question

I'm a senior this school year but I'm also a Running Start student which means that I went to a community college my junior and now senior year. I am also a hostess at a rest. and I want to change my job. Problem is, no one will take me because I'm 17 with no experiance and degree. So what, am I supposed to whipe tables and maybe become a waitress until I'm 50 and then get a front desk job?!!

Answer 1

No, but a lot of "entry-level" jobs these days require from one to three years of experience, so you can't really expect to be running the company at 17. Think about it; you will probably reach the peak of your career sometime in your fifties; that means that you have about 30 years to go until then. If you assume that there are maybe five-seven steps to go to get there, you may still be wiping tables, or the equivalent, for a while. I teach at a university, and I occasionally face the student whose plan is to graduate into a high-level executive job, rather than the standard entry-level job, in a corporation. It just isn't realistic. Even the boss' kid usually starts at the bottom. The things you do can determine whether it takes you three years or five to move up to the next stage, but everyone pays some dues. Look at any list of CEO's; they are in their late 40's and 50's. That's a few years off for you.

Part of being able to move up is knowing what you want to do and preparing for it. You are currently in community college; are you preparing for a trade, or is this supposed to prepare you to move into a 4-year college? With each credential, you will be able to choose from a broader spectrum of opportunities. Very few college graduates are wiping tables, unless they choose to do so or have restrictions which keep them from taking other jobs.

The only way of bypassing all of this is to become an entrepreneur. If you have your own business ideas, you can run your own company at 17 or 18, and while it can be difficult to gain credibility, you don't have to rely on anyone else to hire you or promote you to a more interesting position.

Answer 2

What kind of job are you looking for? As a high school student, there are thousands of jobs that you don't have the qualifications for, hundreds that you do. Are you planning to go to college after graduation? Or maybe get some sort of associate's degree at the community college?

Employers are looking for people with either education or experience, usually both. You lack either, so your employment options are limited until you get one or the other. At seventeen, you can't expect to be given a job that requires specific knowledge or training, no matter how smart or responsible you are. But you won't be stuck there forever: figure out what you want to do with your life and get the education you need. Then you can move up.

I make a six-figure salary today, but I didn't when I was in college. When I was 18, I delivered pizza. When I was 19, I wiped tables at a resturant. When I was 20, I started tutoring other students. When I was 21, I got a job in the college computer lab. When I was 22, I got a part-time job at a local software company. When I was 23, I graduated from college and got a $35,000/yr professional job, my own office, and all the benefits that come with it.

It's called working your way up. Try it, it works.

Answer 3

There are plenty of jobs out there, but you're probably not going to make more than $12 an hour without some solid experience or some kind of training/degree.

Being a student means having a crappy job.

At least once you get into college, you'll have the opportunity to try and work AT the college. Bosses there understand your schedule constraints and issues, and are understanding and cool!

Answer 4

What job won't take you?! Plenty of places hire teens.

If you go to college, you hopefully settle on a major and decide what business field to go into. If you just get a job right out of high school, your best bet is to get a job and work your way up. Example: start as a cashier at Staples (they hire 16 yr olds)... advance to a salesperson, move on to assistant manager, then higher... while doing this, invest in a retirement fund (say, Staples stock)

Unfortunately... you are limited on how high you get in ANY company... you'll never make CEO with a H.S. education... get a associates degree in business while you work your way up in a company. Then do night school or online education and get a bachelors or masters degree.

FINALLY - if you are REALLY hard up.. start your OWN business. As dumb as it sounds, flea markets are a great way to start! I personally know people that sell products at flea markets who make $50-75 thousand a year! You can make your own products or get a vendor license and buy wholesale and sell for great profits! I work a regular job mon-fri, and I sell at flea markets on weekends and I make about $500 or so every weekend selling sunglasses!

HTH - good luck!