How does an 18 year old look for a job during a 'year out' these days?

[LimitIsUp]

Dd finished her A levels and started on an Art Foundation Diploma this September (its a one year course that you do prior to a Fine Arts Degree).

Its the end of week 4 and she has had an epiphany that its not for her, she has concluded that she doesn't want to do a Fine Art degree in future and in fact she wants breathing space to think really carefully about her future degree / qualification / job pathway. So, she's quitting (I think its the right choice - at least she has worked out what she doesn't want to do)

While she is taking breathing space and deciding what she wants to do in the longer term, in the mean time she needs to concentrate on learning to be an adult (her words - she isn't very independent right now), finding some paid work etc

The work she does this year is temporary and won't form the basis of her career plans so she is happy to do the traditional entry level stuff - e.g. casual Christmas staff at the Post office parcel sorting depot/ stack shelves in Tesco / etc etc

Where do people look for jobs these days? As an old gimmer when I was her age in late eighties / early 1990's we looked in the newspapers and in the job centre! Pretty sure that's not how it is done now. Where do people look now? (yes, I am that out of touch)

She could try emailing local independent schools - we’re always looking out for gap year assistants.

I'd really encourage her to stick at it, even if she doesn't want a fine art degree. But I have an 18 year old and know what they are like It's just such a tough time to get a job.

Indeed online, linkin, employment agencies. DS just spent a year making vegan 'chicken'. I think the key is the ability to stick at it, over the course of the year so many people left after a matter of hours. He has stuck at it, met so many people he would never inter act with in every day life and gone to uni with loads of money as (due to lockdown) no opportunity to spend.

John Lewis/Waitrose currently looking for Christmas staff. www.jlpjobs.com/search-jobs/

There are lots of healthcare assistant roles in our area at the moment. Definitely not for everyone though. Also get her to look at the Princes Trust website. My slightly older dd had a lot of help and support from there including cv writing, interview practice and being put in contact with prospective employers.

Good luck to her too, it is a blooming hard time for young adults at the moment.

Lots of it is online these days. Or ask around friends and family?

If she feels she needs some help with becoming more independent she could look at the princes trust for advice? www.princes-trust.org.uk/

She could do some free online courses which may help - things like a food hygiene certificate if she’s looking at hospitality roles etc?

Voluntary work to get a bit more experience and a reference?

And she could claim universal credit so she’ll have a bit of money coming in whilst she’s job searching? She can then potentially get help with interview costs etc.

Chain stores tend to advertise their vacancies on the careers section of their website, normally found in the small print at the bottom of the page.

Alternatively, go round local shops etc dressed nicely/well presented and ask if they're hiring/how to apply. When I worked in a shop we always had teenagers coming in to ask and we pointed them to our website/took in CVs if we were taking on staff.

Indeed, company websites - however for us the 'old fashioned approach' calling in with a CV (tailored to the company). My son now has a supermarket job - good hours, reasonable pay. He is happy in the work and saving for university (he deferred due to covid) - very glad he did. His friends did similar and are working in shops, cafes, leisure centre.

Good idea wowsaidtheowl - perhaps she should start with her old school which she left after GCSEs, that was a small independent school!

Janevaljane it is a tough time to get a job, but its also a tough time to do a course (online, isolated etc) especially when you realise that you were mistaken in starting it and its a poor fit. She has anxiety and just needs to get off the qualification train (GCSE's, A levels, Degree) and draw a breath, take stock etc

Can see why you might suggest her old school but maybe she should branch out a bit. My sons supermarket job is quite physical - he works for the online team putting together orders, loading the vans - he enjoys it after the school treadmill.

When I did something similar I looked at jobs that other 18 year olds might do if chose not to go to uni. Knowing I could always resign. But in covid times this might be tricky. It enabl d me to try being an adult not a student in waiting. To try and see the alternative path.

I'll also get her to look at the Princes trust - thanks

LinkedIn, walk around handing out CVs, career or job sections of supermarkets, big chains etc websites

Just look at supermarkets’ websites, most are recruiting at the moment. My DS has a supermarket job, the whole on-line questionnaires and then physical interview was quite time consuming, but I think it’s good life experience to get a job as well as the money side.

Walking around handing out CVs might not be the best strategy during a pandemic. My ds is currently looking to change his job- he is doing it online, got his present job online (KFC).

He left school a year ago, has now had time to think over his future and is applying for vocational training, hoping to learn plumbing or something similar.

Dd worked for 2 years at Costa before she finally got into drama school. Found it a really useful maturing experience and is sure she is benefitting more from her training being that little bit older.

Both of them had to keep trying before they got a job: I think dd said she sent off 50 applications before she got an interview, but then she did get that job.

Crikey, tenacity will be required then! 50 applications!

Pretty much all online. Any big retailer/chain restaurant/supermarket will have applications on their websites and through other mediums eg. Indeed.

All the big name brands will have careers/jobs sections on their websites.

Lots of job agencies in my area that recruit for temporary staff. You sign up and they give you short-term contracts. Varied work and a bit hit and miss though (at least it was when I used to use them).

Good luck to her though. It was in our local paper last week that a basic warehouse job had over 300 applicants. Times are very hard.

These indeed or she could maybe try posting on the local community sometimes people find jobs that way.

I think it's mostly online applications for big companies and supermarkets now. I worked in a supermarket for a year after I left school and it definitely helped me. I made some new friends, saved money and massively improved my people skills.

Is there a local Facebook page for your area? Might be worth posting a message on there enquiring about jobs too, you might get something with a small business that way. I've seen it done a few times recently.

Mine didn't want to pay £150 pe to sit in a room and learn online so took a gap year. She has work at the place she has been at since 15 and just got 12 hours in Morrison's. Supermarkets are recruiting.

We'll try the local Facebook page too

My 19 year old ds is taking a year out and hopefully going to Uni next year. He is currently doing two jobs, one in factory packing Christmas gift items which he got via a recruitment agency and a cleaning job which he did through college also.