Stand Out or Sit Down: Stories and Lessons for Teens and Young Adults to Find a Job They Love

Teens and young adults face unique challenges when searching for a job while still in school: balancing school-work-home commitments, overcoming a perceived lack of work experience, managing various levels of parental involvement, and using and misusing technology, just to name a few. Stand Out or Sit Down offers time-tested techniques that have helped thousands of young jobseekers overcome these obstacles and avoid common mistakes that will bring an early end to their efforts. What are these mistakes?

• Inappropriate voice mail greetings and social media posts
• Dressing too casually even when picking up an application
• Empty or incomplete sections on an application
• Waiting for a phone call after applying

A fun and easy read, Stand Out or Sit Down encompasses true stories of those who have enjoyed rewarding successes but also endured disappointing failures. Succeeding in a job begins by finding the right job for them-not just any job. Self-assessment, networking, researching job opportunities, using technology to their advantage, properly completing job applications, resume writing, and interviewing are all taught with the young job seeker in mind. They will learn how to:

• Sell themselves with no prior work history
• Solicit an appropriate level of parental involvement
• Present themselves in person to a hiring manager
• Harness the power of social media to build their network
• Develop a compelling 30-second "commercial" about themselves
• Properly quit their current job without burning their bridges.

Stand Out or Sit Down also gives a voice to the thousands of employers whose businesses depend on the youth labor force. Most are happy to employ and mentor young workers but have serious concerns about their lack of preparation for the working world. Their stories are also told to convey their expectations, concerns, and insider advice.