Graduation / First Job

Do these actions in order

1. ACTION 1Write your available days and times, including transport time. Decide how far you can travel and which tasks you can do or are willing to learn.
   I’m stuck — help with this action

   Your next small step

   Write your available days and times, including transport time. Decide how far you can travel and which tasks you can do or are willing to learn.

   Get ready

   Start with your school counselor, campus career center, or a local American Job Center in the U.S.

   • Your class schedule and realistic available hours.
   • A contact email you check and a voicemail greeting an employer can understand.
   • A list of things you have done reliably, even if nobody paid you.

   Make it manageable

   1. Find the office, website, document, or person named above.
   2. Work on this one action. If it needs a response, write down who you contacted and when.
   3. Check the result below before checking off the action. Pause and ask if a requirement is unclear.

   What finished looks like

   You have realistic availability and a draft résumé with truthful examples.

   Words explained

   “Requirement” means something you must provide or do. “Deadline” means the last date or time to complete it. “Follow up” means checking what happens next after your first contact.

   What you can say

   Do you help students find first jobs?

   Choose a call or message script

   Where to get more help

   If you get no replies, ask a career adviser to review one application and your target roles. If you are turned down, record it and continue with another suitable opening. It does not mean you cannot learn the work.

   Find American Job Center help (U.S. Department of Labor) · Use the official center-finder link to look for local employment help.

   Youth employment rules (U.S. Department of Labor) · Check youth-work guidance and ask about state requirements for your age and job.

2. ACTION 2List examples of reliability: finishing a group project, helping with a club event, caring for a family member, or showing up for volunteering. Describe what you actually did.
   I’m stuck — help with this action

   Your next small step

   List examples of reliability: finishing a group project, helping with a club event, caring for a family member, or showing up for volunteering. Describe what you actually did.

   Get ready

   Start with your school counselor, campus career center, or a local American Job Center in the U.S.

   • Your class schedule and realistic available hours.
   • A contact email you check and a voicemail greeting an employer can understand.
   • A list of things you have done reliably, even if nobody paid you.

   Make it manageable

   1. Find the office, website, document, or person named above.
   2. Work on this one action. If it needs a response, write down who you contacted and when.
   3. Check the result below before checking off the action. Pause and ask if a requirement is unclear.

   What finished looks like

   You have realistic availability and a draft résumé with truthful examples.

   Words explained

   “Requirement” means something you must provide or do. “Deadline” means the last date or time to complete it. “Follow up” means checking what happens next after your first contact.

   What you can say

   Do you help students find first jobs?

   Choose a call or message script

   Where to get more help

   If you get no replies, ask a career adviser to review one application and your target roles. If you are turned down, record it and continue with another suitable opening. It does not mean you cannot learn the work.

   Find American Job Center help (U.S. Department of Labor) · Use the official center-finder link to look for local employment help.

   Youth employment rules (U.S. Department of Labor) · Check youth-work guidance and ask about state requirements for your age and job.

3. ACTION 3Ask for help turning those examples into a simple résumé. A résumé is a short summary of your education, experience, and skills; it is not a story about your entire life.
   I’m stuck — help with this action

   Your next small step

   Ask for help turning those examples into a simple résumé. A résumé is a short summary of your education, experience, and skills; it is not a story about your entire life.

   Get ready

   Start with your school counselor, campus career center, or a local American Job Center in the U.S.

   • Your class schedule and realistic available hours.
   • A contact email you check and a voicemail greeting an employer can understand.
   • A list of things you have done reliably, even if nobody paid you.

   Make it manageable

   1. Find the office, website, document, or person named above.
   2. Work on this one action. If it needs a response, write down who you contacted and when.
   3. Check the result below before checking off the action. Pause and ask if a requirement is unclear.

   What finished looks like

   You have realistic availability and a draft résumé with truthful examples.

   Words explained

   “Requirement” means something you must provide or do. “Deadline” means the last date or time to complete it. “Follow up” means checking what happens next after your first contact.

   What you can say

   Do you help students find first jobs?

   Choose a call or message script

   Where to get more help

   If you get no replies, ask a career adviser to review one application and your target roles. If you are turned down, record it and continue with another suitable opening. It does not mean you cannot learn the work.

   Find American Job Center help (U.S. Department of Labor) · Use the official center-finder link to look for local employment help.

   Youth employment rules (U.S. Department of Labor) · Check youth-work guidance and ask about state requirements for your age and job.

You are ready to move on whenYou have realistic availability and a draft résumé with truthful examples.