Skip to content

Moving into Employment

“A job is the regular work a person does to earn money”

Everyone can work!

Having a paid job is an important part of most people’s lives and helps to make us who we are. People do all sorts of jobs. They look for jobs they like and they are good at. There are a lot of different jobs that you could learn to do. 

There are key skills that you need to be able to get a job and are useful when you are working.

These include:

Communication skills

Being able to explain what you mean in a clear and concise way, either in writing or when you speak. To listen to other people, and to act upon information or  instructions that they give you.

Problem solving skills

Being able to understand a problem by breaking it down into smaller parts and finding a solution to it.

Using your initiative

Having new ideas of your own that can be made into a reality. Being motivated- showing a commitment to doing things yourself and not waiting to be told to do things.

Organisational skills

Being able to plan work to meet deadlines and targets. Sometimes this might mean working under pressure.  Keeping an eye on your progress to ensure you are going to be able to meet a deadline.

Team working

Working well with people who have different professional backgrounds and expertise to accomplish a task or goal.

Resilience

Being able to learn from a difficult situation or a mistake you made, for the benefit of both you and your employer.

Numeracy

Being able to understand numbers and be confident in using them in everyday or work situations.

Valuing diversity and difference

Being able to understand and be considerate of the different needs of different people.

Negotiation skills

Being able to understand people’s feelings and express your own in a clear way so that others understand your point of view and together you can agree a way forward that is good for both of you.

These key skills often appear in a person specification, which accompanies a job description. These skills are those that the employer believes will help the person carry out their role to the best of their ability.

The Hampshire Futures Careers Service, which is part of Hampshire County Council's Children's Services department, offers a range of programmes to help you boost your employability skills.

The National Careers Service  also provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work.

The Personal Progress qualifications are for young people or adults with learning difficulties. There are no entry requirements.

There are key skills that you need to be able to get a job and are useful when you are working.

These include:

Communication skills

Being able to explain what you mean in a clear and concise way, either in writing or when you speak. To listen to other people, and to act upon information or  instructions that they give you.

Problem solving skills

Being able to understand a problem by breaking it down into smaller parts and finding a solution to it.

Using your initiative

Having new ideas of your own that can be made into a reality. Being motivated- showing a commitment to doing things yourself and not waiting to be told to do things.

Organisational skills

Being able to plan work to meet deadlines and targets. Sometimes this might mean working under pressure.  Keeping an eye on your progress to ensure you are going to be able to meet a deadline.

Team working

Working well with people who have different professional backgrounds and expertise to accomplish a task or goal.

Resilience

Being able to learn from a difficult situation or a mistake you made, for the benefit of both you and your employer.

Numeracy

Being able to understand numbers and be confident in using them in everyday or work situations.

Valuing diversity and difference

Being able to understand and be considerate of the different needs of different people.

Negotiation skills

Being able to understand people’s feelings and express your own in a clear way so that others understand your point of view and together you can agree a way forward that is good for both of you.

These key skills often appear in a person specification, which accompanies a job description. These skills are those that the employer believes will help the person carry out their role to the best of their ability.

The Hampshire Futures Careers Service, which is part of Hampshire County Council's Children's Services department, offers a range of programmes to help you boost your employability skills.

The National Careers Service  also provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work.

The Personal Progress qualifications are for young people or adults with learning difficulties. There are no entry requirements.

Our careers website has been developed to support young people with making career choices. Here you can find careers information and activities to help you with your future planning, and information, advice and activities to help improve your employability skills.

Hampshire Careers Service provides young people with careers advice, work experience, CV support and support with careers interviews.

The service offers:

  • Individual career interviews with a qualified career adviser, providing students with a safe and impartial framework for exploring options for their future, setting goals and defining career pathways
  • A personalised individual career action plan in a format appropriate to the needs of the student
  • With agreement, a provision for parents or carers to join the interview and receive structured feedback
  • Specialist advice and guidance for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • Support and attendance at parent evenings, result days and other events
  • Group career discussions involving generic career information and signposting
  • A range of work-related learning and enterprise activities, including employer engagement
  • Health and safety checks for work experience placements

Hampshire Futures has extensive links with employers, training providers and Higher Education institutions and a good knowledge of the local labour market. It works with you to develop a package of services specific to your needs.

All advisors are qualified to a minimum of post graduate Level 6 and receive regular CPD to keep up-to-date with developments in education, training and employment.

You can contact the service at: careers.service@hants.gov.uk 

Our careers website has been developed to support young people with making career choices. Here you can find careers information and activities to help you with your future planning, and information, advice and activities to help improve your employability skills.

Hampshire Careers Service provides young people with careers advice, work experience, CV support and support with careers interviews.

The service offers:

  • Individual career interviews with a qualified career adviser, providing students with a safe and impartial framework for exploring options for their future, setting goals and defining career pathways
  • A personalised individual career action plan in a format appropriate to the needs of the student
  • With agreement, a provision for parents or carers to join the interview and receive structured feedback
  • Specialist advice and guidance for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
  • Support and attendance at parent evenings, result days and other events
  • Group career discussions involving generic career information and signposting
  • A range of work-related learning and enterprise activities, including employer engagement
  • Health and safety checks for work experience placements

Hampshire Futures has extensive links with employers, training providers and Higher Education institutions and a good knowledge of the local labour market. It works with you to develop a package of services specific to your needs.

All advisors are qualified to a minimum of post graduate Level 6 and receive regular CPD to keep up-to-date with developments in education, training and employment.

You can contact the service at: careers.service@hants.gov.uk 

How to get experience of work

Work Experience is where you can work for a short time to understand more about what it is like to have a job.

Work experience is a far more flexible term but normally refers to some form of temporary work placement within a company where you will work on junior-level tasks for the purpose of gaining experience and insight into the industry.  The work can vary hugely, from making the tea to offering administrative support or working on projects.  If you prepare well and are proactive, you may be able to make shape the placement to suit you and gain fantastic insight into an industry or role and a set of valuable contacts for the future.   

Work experience is far more common in smaller firms, charities, media, marketing and PR (where it's the accepted first step on the ladder).  Placements are often a short-term, lasting from several days to several weeks, but work is normally full time. 

You can find advice on getting work experience on Youth Employment and the National Careers Service.

Work experience opportunities are seldom advertised; you will need to create a placement for yourself through well targeted, speculative applications and persistence.

  • Read more about making speculative applications
  • Look at the specific internships page for the sector you are considering for detailed advice, application deadlines and interview information.
  • Make good use of your network to find out if they can suggest possible leads

Work experience opportunities are seldom advertised; you will need to create a placement for yourself through well targeted, speculative applications and persistence.

  • Read more about making speculative applications
  • Look at the specific internships page for the sector you are considering for detailed advice, application deadlines and interview information.
  • Make good use of your network to find out if they can suggest possible leads

Summer jobs

Casual, paid work during the summer holidays.

Part-time jobs

Paid work for up to 15 hours per week during term-time, which can sometimes continue over the holidays.

Work shadowing

A day or more observing a person in their role to gain real insight into the work.

Volunteering

Working with a charity or organisation on a voluntary, unpaid basis. 

Summer jobs

Casual, paid work during the summer holidays.

Part-time jobs

Paid work for up to 15 hours per week during term-time, which can sometimes continue over the holidays.

Work shadowing

A day or more observing a person in their role to gain real insight into the work.

Volunteering

Working with a charity or organisation on a voluntary, unpaid basis. 

Applying for a job

Normally when you apply for a job you will need to complete an application form and/or send a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Covering letter (sometimes called a Cover letter).

Filling in an application form

Many employers prefer application forms to CVs. Forms are easier to compare because they follow the same  format. You will be asked to complete a paper application form or an online application form.

On Line application forms

If the form is online, it is a good idea to write a draft of your application first – in a word processing package like Word – and save it to your computer. This way you’ll be able to run a spell check before you copy the information into the online system. It also means you’ll have a back-up if there’s a problem with the form.

Paper application forms 

If you’re filling in a form by hand, write as neatly as you can in black ink. Use block capital letters if the form asks you to.

TOP TIPS: checking your application form

Get it right — whether your form is online or on paper you should:

  • read it over a few times to check for spelling and grammatical errors – these are one of the most common reasons applications are rejected
  • ask someone else to proof read it and check it for you
  • check you’ve filled in all the boxes you need to. If you leave an empty box the employer might think your form is incomplete. If a box isn’t relevant, put ‘N/A’ (not applicable) in the space provided
  • photocopy or print out the finished form, so that you have a record of what you’ve written. It will be useful to remind yourself if you get an interview
  • take note of the closing date and send your application form to arrive in good time.

“The best thing that I ever did was go out to work because along with a career there comes a social life as well you know, and I would dread to think of sitting at home all day. That would kill me off! I just couldn’t do that.” Young person.

Your job should change your life for the better.

There are lots of reasons why people want a job:

  • they want to make money to pay bills and buy things
  • they want to be more independent
  • they want to be a member of a team
  • they like to be busy. They don’t want to stay at home and be bored
  • they want to meet new people
  • they want to learn new skills
  • they want to feel useful and be helpful
  • some people feel more confident when they have a job. They are proud and their family are proud of them. They know other people respect them
  • other people may have told them that working is fun. 

“The best thing that I ever did was go out to work because along with a career there comes a social life as well you know, and I would dread to think of sitting at home all day. That would kill me off! I just couldn’t do that.” Young person.

Your job should change your life for the better.

There are lots of reasons why people want a job:

  • they want to make money to pay bills and buy things
  • they want to be more independent
  • they want to be a member of a team
  • they like to be busy. They don’t want to stay at home and be bored
  • they want to meet new people
  • they want to learn new skills
  • they want to feel useful and be helpful
  • some people feel more confident when they have a job. They are proud and their family are proud of them. They know other people respect them
  • other people may have told them that working is fun. 

Some people work full-time, other people work part-time. This might mean that they work for less hours in the week, for example 3 days a week or they might not work for 8 hours a day. Work can be flexible and you can find something that works for you.

Combining work and study

Although you must remain in either education or training until you turn 18, this does not mean that you cannot earn a wage or gain work experience at the same time.

Working part-time

Working part-time alongside study or training can help you to earn money, whilst continuing to work towards your qualifications.

As well as a wage, you’ll gain real-life experience of the workplace and can get a feel for whether this type of work would suit you in the future.

Some people work full-time, other people work part-time. This might mean that they work for less hours in the week, for example 3 days a week or they might not work for 8 hours a day. Work can be flexible and you can find something that works for you.

Combining work and study

Although you must remain in either education or training until you turn 18, this does not mean that you cannot earn a wage or gain work experience at the same time.

Working part-time

Working part-time alongside study or training can help you to earn money, whilst continuing to work towards your qualifications.

As well as a wage, you’ll gain real-life experience of the workplace and can get a feel for whether this type of work would suit you in the future.

When you leave education, whether you’re aged 16+ or 18+, you might want to find a job. But where to start? It really helps to have an idea of what careers you might be good at and enjoy.

Research jobs and areas of work

Take some time to research the different types of jobs out there. Build a bigger picture of the careers you could do.

If you have careers you’re interested in (like journalist, beauty therapist or sales manager),  find out more about them. You might also be interested in areas of work like marketing careers or digital careers. If so, you can find out more about the different jobs you could do in those areas.

Youth Employment careers hub have lots of great jobs to explore, all sorted into different sectors. For each job you’ll see useful skills you’ll need, along with qualifications, average UK pay rates, job descriptions and how to get started after school. It’s a great way to start thinking about different jobs – because everyone has more than one dream job inside them.

Take a career personality test

Career personality tests are also known as career aptitude tests or self-assessment tests. It doesn’t matter what they’re called, though. They ask you easy questions to figure out your likes and dislikes, then bring up a handy list of career ideas that match your interests.

We have a whole list of free online career tests you can take. Make a note of your personality type and put all the career ideas into a list – yes, even the surprise ones! You can then research them on our careers hub to see if they’re a good fit for you.

Take a career personality test!

Add work experience and volunteering to your CV

Maybe you’ve never had a job before, but everyone has to start somewhere. Volunteering and work experience are great ways to find out more about a job from the inside, and find out if you’d like doing it. They’re also something you can put on your CV.

Volunteering ideas:

Vinspired has lots of local volunteering opportunities for 14-24 year olds. Take a look and see what you find.

More information about volunteering

Apprenticeships

Are apprenticeships worth it? The answer is a big YES.

You can get an apprenticeship for almost any career you can think of.

If you have an idea of what work area you’re interested in (like finance or technology or journalism, say) then employers all over the UK are offering apprenticeships in that work area. You’ll study towards a qualification while you build real work experience and earn a salary. Apprenticeships also sometimes give you the chance to try taster sessions in different departments, so you can see which part of the business you’d most enjoy working in.

If you need to do a bit more training before you can apply for an apprenticeship, a traineeship can be a great option for you.

More information about Apprenticeships

Get free Young Professional training

Aged 14-24? Become a Young Professional with Youth Employment UK to build up the five most important life and work skills you could ever have. The training is free, it only takes a few minutes to get started and looks great on your CV.

When looking at your career, you need to consider what’s going to be the best option for you personally. It’s natural to look to your friends and to want to make decisions based on what they’re doing next, but it’s important you choose for yourself.

When you leave education, whether you’re aged 16+ or 18+, you might want to find a job. But where to start? It really helps to have an idea of what careers you might be good at and enjoy.

Research jobs and areas of work

Take some time to research the different types of jobs out there. Build a bigger picture of the careers you could do.

If you have careers you’re interested in (like journalist, beauty therapist or sales manager),  find out more about them. You might also be interested in areas of work like marketing careers or digital careers. If so, you can find out more about the different jobs you could do in those areas.

Youth Employment careers hub have lots of great jobs to explore, all sorted into different sectors. For each job you’ll see useful skills you’ll need, along with qualifications, average UK pay rates, job descriptions and how to get started after school. It’s a great way to start thinking about different jobs – because everyone has more than one dream job inside them.

Take a career personality test

Career personality tests are also known as career aptitude tests or self-assessment tests. It doesn’t matter what they’re called, though. They ask you easy questions to figure out your likes and dislikes, then bring up a handy list of career ideas that match your interests.

We have a whole list of free online career tests you can take. Make a note of your personality type and put all the career ideas into a list – yes, even the surprise ones! You can then research them on our careers hub to see if they’re a good fit for you.

Take a career personality test!

Add work experience and volunteering to your CV

Maybe you’ve never had a job before, but everyone has to start somewhere. Volunteering and work experience are great ways to find out more about a job from the inside, and find out if you’d like doing it. They’re also something you can put on your CV.

Volunteering ideas:

Vinspired has lots of local volunteering opportunities for 14-24 year olds. Take a look and see what you find.

More information about volunteering

Apprenticeships

Are apprenticeships worth it? The answer is a big YES.

You can get an apprenticeship for almost any career you can think of.

If you have an idea of what work area you’re interested in (like finance or technology or journalism, say) then employers all over the UK are offering apprenticeships in that work area. You’ll study towards a qualification while you build real work experience and earn a salary. Apprenticeships also sometimes give you the chance to try taster sessions in different departments, so you can see which part of the business you’d most enjoy working in.

If you need to do a bit more training before you can apply for an apprenticeship, a traineeship can be a great option for you.

More information about Apprenticeships

Get free Young Professional training

Aged 14-24? Become a Young Professional with Youth Employment UK to build up the five most important life and work skills you could ever have. The training is free, it only takes a few minutes to get started and looks great on your CV.

When looking at your career, you need to consider what’s going to be the best option for you personally. It’s natural to look to your friends and to want to make decisions based on what they’re doing next, but it’s important you choose for yourself.

Useful links