Write an article based on this "Create a resume. Write an outstanding cover letter. Look for a job. Make calls. Go to an interview. Earn money now. Be positive. Go to college. Consider military or public service."
In order to showcase your skillsets, you will need to have a resume. However, creating one can be difficult if you have never had a job before. You will need to look at your soft skills, experiences and background to help you develop a strong resume despite these deficiencies. Also, check out creating a resume when you have no experience. Make sure you don't use distracting formats in your resume. Avoid fancy fonts and colors. Don't make your resume too longwork toward it being about the length of one page. Showcase your skills and background. The hiring manager wants to know about your potential to be successful with them. Since you don't have a lot of work experience, focus on things like your ability to meet deadlines, your customer service skills, professionalism, organization skills, teams and projects you have worked on successfully, fundraising work, hobbies, contests or competitions you have won. Don't forget school grades. When you don't have a lot of experience, your cover letter is one of the best tools you have to convince a hiring manager that they should interview you. Customize each cover letter to fit the requirements of the job position you want. Explain why you want the job and why you will excel at the position. If the job position calls for an organized administration assistant and you regularly organize everything on your desk at home in alphabetical order alongside a labeled file folder for finished work from each one of your classes, then go ahead and use this "hobby" as a selling point. No job means no money. No money means you'll be crawling back to your parents for a place to stay and a meal in your stomach. Understand that you may not get the first job you apply to but if you keep trying, you are bound to get something. If you are serious about living on your own, you need to be serious at looking for a job. Check local listings as well as online sites such as Monster.com, Linkedin or Indeed.com. Go in and drop off your resume. Fill out applications at places with open positions as well as those you'd like to work at. Do it every day of the week until you are offered a position. Call your contacts. Your friends, family members, neighbors, teachers and others may know someone hiring. Networking this way and letting everyone know you are in the market for a job can be a beneficial way to "get your foot in the door" somewhere. Look for a job doing something you're good at or that you can prove you'd be good at. You don't need to be a perfect match for the position but if you know you can take phone calls and talk to people, then a customer service job at a call center may be a good fit. After you submit a resume or fill out an application, you may want to increase your chances of getting a position by calling the company directly. Introduce yourself to a supervisor or hiring manager and let them know you submitted an application for the position. Connecting this way can make your application stand out when review time comes. The interview is an opportunity for you to convince the hiring manager that you have what it takes to do the job better than all the other applicants. You want to use your winning personality to help you get the job position. Remember, your goal is always to get an offer. Why do you think you'd be great at this job? If you don't have experience, think of personal traits you can bring to the job. Have stories of past experiences that demonstrate you can be successful, particularly with this job position. Be both confident and show humility. You need to convince them you can do the job but that you're willing to learn as well. Know your strengths and weaknesses but always paint weakness in a positive light. For example, maybe you used to be shy but now you understand the importance of making connections with people and make an effort to greet strangers, make new friends and be an engaged communicator. Making money allows you to live on your own, teaches you valuable new skillsets, shows you what you will and will not enjoy doing long-term and provides valuable references. So do whatever it takes to earn money today. Don't wait for that perfect job before making money. The job you get today does not have to be the job you're doing years later. Wait tables at night, clean houses, deliver pizza or newspapers early in the morning so you can look for a job during day hours. Start your own service doing jobs during your off hours. You can choose to do yardwork, wash cars, walk dogs, chores or babysitting. The goal is to do these things regularly enough to earn enough money to support yourself. Consider non-traditional jobs like trying out for roles in commercials, movies, theater, radio and TV. Actors and performers are usually paid well and can make royalties. Check out temporary jobs. Temporary employment firms often hire individuals to do jobs in many fields on a temporary basis. You will be told how long the position will need you so you can get an idea when to start looking for jobs again. Doing temporary work gives you an opportunity to earn skills and make connections. Do what it takes to get a job so you can take care of yourself. Job seeking can be stressful but you need to keep at it to be successful. Be confident that you can succeed at the positions you apply to. When you don't have a lot of work experience, job searching can be frustrating as well for other reasons. Recognize that you may be limited in some ways but that you have a lot to offer in other areas. Focus on what you have to offer. If a lack of experience is continually coming back to haunt you in your job search, you should think about ways to earn that experience. Examples might be part-time internships or volunteering. It can be a bummer to work for free for a while before you move out but everyone has to start somewhere. If you're having a hard time getting a job or you know what job you want to get and it requires a degree, then college is probably your best bet. It takes time and effort to get your degree or certificate but the end result will likely mean you are much more satisfied in the workforce than you would be without that education. Take a look at inexpensive, local colleges to see what programs are offered. Many colleges have dorms that can help you learn to live on your own. Meals are often provided as well. If you or your family can't afford college housing, financial aid can often cover some or all of it. Speak to your local college about your possibilities. Colleges also often offer work-study opportunities. These part-time jobs can give you the experience and references you need to get into higher level positions when you graduate. Work study is usually part of your financial aid package. Ask your financial aid department for details. The military and programs like AmeriCorps provide training, support and guidance for young people on how to live on your own. They can offer pathways for you to enter the workforce when you finish your term. Speak to your local recruiter for the branches you want to consider or check out nationalservice.gov for public service opportunities.