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School + future

Getting your first job without knowing where to start

From a blank résumé to your first application, one simple step at a time.

Young coworkers gathered around a table
Keep this in mindA first employer is not expecting years of experience. They are looking for signs that you will show up and learn.

If this feels bigger than it should, that does not mean you are doing it wrong. Most hard things become more manageable when you stop trying to solve every part at once.

A simple plan

  1. List school, volunteer, family, and team responsibilities that show reliability.
  2. Ask one adult to be a reference and one friend to check your application for errors.
  3. Apply to a few places, record the date, and follow up once after about a week.

Make the next step smaller

Choose the easiest action on this page and give it ten minutes. You can stop, adjust, or ask someone to join you after that. Small progress still counts, especially on a hard day.

Want to talk it through with a real person before you decide what to do?

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