Job finding tips to start earning tips

PHOTO: Senior Avital Schwarz prepares a salad for a customer at Sourdough & Co.

By Lyah Fitzpatrick,

BlueDevilHUB.com Editor-In-Chief–

You hit that button. The one that reads “submit application.” And then, you wait. You wait for days, then weeks, without a response from the company. 

Finding a part time job as a high schooler can be like finding a needle in a haystack, and the pandemic worsens prospects.

“The best approach is to apply to as many places as possible!” said Julie Clayton, Davis High Career Center Coordinator and College and Career Specialist. 

Senior Avital Schwarz did just that. She drove around downtown and other parts of Davis to personally hand in her resume. 

“You should definitely go in person so they can put a face to the name,” Schwarz said.

Schwarz used the Google Docs resume template to draft a resume. However, platforms like Canva and Resume Now provide free resume building tools.

Schwarz also scoured the internet for hiring businesses. According to Clayton, students can find job opportunities using indeed.com, linkedin.com and websites by the California Department of Education, CalCareerCenter.org and CalCareerZone.org.

In the end, Schwarz applied to around 15 places and only heard back from one: Sourdough & Co.

Another method of singling out employment opportunities is to reach out to friends and family. Senior Rowan Keller’s friend, senior Ansel Tucker, informed him that Jack’s Urban Eats was hiring. Soon after, Keller applied online.

Keller recommends sharing any special skills to boost an application. 

“I put that I spoke Spanish, that I worked for a bakery before so I had some experience in the food world,” Keller said. 

Clayton also recommends including a cover letter – an introductory letter to the company – with an application. Cover letter advice can be found here.

Both Schwarz and Keller were interviewed before becoming official employees. 

“I’d say just be yourself,” Keller said. “Make sure to be friendly, make eye contact with the person and just answer the questions as truthfully as you can.”

Schwarz’s interview was “laid back.” Her employer asked her questions about availability and reasons for applying.

In the final stretch, both Schwarz and Keller received satisfying news: they were hired. But before beginning work, minors are often required to submit a work permit. Keller emailed his counselor to learn how to complete one virtually but information can also be found on the DHS website.

Schwarz’s final piece of advice is to “try to do something you can enjoy at least a little bit.”

This article was corrected on Oct. 15 to revise the last name of Avital Schwarz.