“Cuz we’re young, dumb … young, dumb and broke … young, dumb, broke high school kids.”

– Khalid

There you are, a broke high school student. You’ve finally hit rock bottom. Your parents are yelling at you because you’re out of gas and spent the money they gave you on McDonald’s instead. What can you say? You were hungry.

They’ve told you around a million times that you need a job if you’re going to burn rubber in the parking lot or a hole in their wallets, you were eventually going to pay for it. And that time has finally come.

There are many local businesses willing to hire high school students. Some of these places include fast food restaurants, grocery stores, the Powell Aquatic Center, coffee shops or huts, the American Dream Drive-In and the Vali Twin Cinema.

Local businesses hiring high school students have a few suggestions to help high school students become more employable.

“Some pointers [would include] mature individuals prepared to work as a team,” Powell Aquatic Center supervisor Tanya Bonner said. “Flexibility is an advantage. We look for reliability. [It’s] a must as is time management.”

From lifeguarding to concessions, the PAC can help you gain more experience while still attending school.

Blair’s Supermarket is also hiring high school students as courtesy clerks to bag groceries, carry them out for the shoppers and put them into the shopper’s vehicles.

“We realize they (high school students) are often times shy and unsure of what to do or say or how to handle an interview,” Store Director Kyle Foulger said. “Practicing those things are important. Be accountable.

“Make sure if you get a job, you are looked at the same as somebody that’s been there for 10, 15 or 20 years. As adults and minors alike, in the eyes of a business, everyone is considered the same and we expect the same out of our high school students as we do our adults.”

Foulger has numerous pointers for high school students to potentially make them more employable.

“Take your job seriously and take pride in your work,” Foulger said. “Treat it as something you are working for to present yourself. The one thing we don’t see as much as we’d like is a potential employee or applicant trying to sell themselves.

“We want to know why it is you want to come be a part of our team and why you are the best choice. What are your good traits? What are your strengths? What do you bring to the table? [These] are things we want to know about you.”

Beneficial qualities by hiring high school students include filling in time slots where it’s busy, gaining experience, skills and knowledge for the future.

“It gives them some exposure in the workplace and hopefully they learn some valuable skills as far as responsibility, time management, social skills and learn how to be a good employee going forward being a team member, whether it’s for us or somebody else,” Foulger said. “As you get into adulthood, hopefully you learn some of those good traits and good habits now when you’re young.”

In order to get a job, students need to make themselves look employable, so here are five tips to help you get that job:

1. Volunteer for experience. Community service adds to your resume because there’s a  high chance that employers will decipher between hiring you or the next person based on if  you give back to your community.
2. Learn how to ace the interview. In order to get the job, you may have to be interviewed first. You may look qualified for the job on your resume, but the interview can make or break you in terms of being hired. Practice answering questions employers may ask you. There are also teachers in the building who are willing to help you with this as well.
3. Add variety to your application. If you bring a positive skill to the table, chances are you might be praised for it. This could include speaking fluently in another language.
4. Be flexible. I’m sorry to break it to you, stretching your hamstrings or calves doesn’t count. Try to be flexible with hours you’re available to work; it can be a major deal-breaker for employers looking at your application.
5. Believe in yourself. Confidence is key to success. And by success, I mean nailing that job interview or even willing to submit the application. If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?