An easy guide to writing your resume, nailing the interview and negotiating an offer.

Listen, everyone who currently has a job at one point had no job. Every employer who interviews you has hired someone with no experience. We all start at the same place, so let’s get right into how to negotiate that situation.

Resume
A resume isn’t just a list of your jobs. It’s a list of skills, traits and experiences — all of which you have. You just need to provide the evidence.

Include:

• School GPA (if above 3.0)
• Relevant classes taken
• Honors and awards
• Activities (sports and clubs)
• Volunteer work (even helping a neighbor)
• Teen jobs, like babysitting or starting a lemonade stand
• Skills (computer programs, languages, tools, driving)

Formatting tips:

• One page
• Simple layout
• Avoid unusual fonts and fancy graphics
• Use action verbs like “organized” and “assisted”
• Put most relevant skills at the top

You can definitely use a free template from Canva or Docs but avoid relying on AI to write your resume.

Job Search

The obvious places: Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter. Set up alerts for job titles and check daily.

The underrated places: In person. Retail stores, restaurants, warehouses and hotels will actually hire people who show up in person, dress neatly and ask to speak to a manager. Showing up in person demonstrates initiative that an online application cannot.

Word of mouth: Tell everyone you know. Seriously. Most entry-level jobs are filled through someone knowing someone.

Staffing and temp agencies: Adecco, Manpower and Kelly are underused by young people and shouldn’t be. Lots of temp jobs become permanent careers. You’re essentially getting paid to audition.

Apply more often than you think you need to: 10-20 applications per week. Most won’t respond but it’s a good idea to follow up anyway. Half of those who follow up get a response.

Interview

Almost every interview question is a version of “Are you reliable? Can you learn? Will you be easy to work with?” Your answers should always circle back to one of those three.

The most common questions are:

1. “Tell me about yourself.” Give a 60-second summary of where you’re from, what you did in school and why you’re interested in this job.

2. “What’s your biggest weakness?” Pick something real but follow it immediately with what you’re doing about it. Never say “I work too hard.”

3. “Why do you want this job?” Research the company for 15 minutes beforehand. Mention something specific: their reputation, a product you use or their growth.

Arrive 10 minutes early, with two printed copies of your resume. Silence your phone and have two questions ready. A good one to start with is: “What does success look like in the first 90 days?”. Be sure to send a thank-you email within 24 hours.

When you do get an offer, remember this: Take the job that gets you in the door. Your first job is not your final job. It’s the thing that gets "employed" on your resume, references in your corner and work habits built. All jobs can lead somewhere better if you’re reliable, show up and pay attention.