Employment application?

Question

I am currently 16 years old looking for a summer job specifically at a clothing store. I am having trouble completing the application because I am not sure what a couple of things mean.
1. If they ask for previous employments, and I don't have any, will that ruin my chances of getting a job there?
2. What is course of study for a high school student and what should I right down?
3. For the education column under high school, they ask Date From/To so should I put down when I started until I graduate (I am still a sophomore) or present?
4. Still under High school education, what is circle last year completed mean?
5. What if you just walked into the store and as you were checking out merchandise, you asked for an application, what do you put under reference?
If it makes any difference, I am an organized person and I am trying to work at AEROPOSTALE over the summer. What are the chances for me getting a partime job over the summer?

A Dad · Accepted Answer

Ok.  Here we go:

1.  No, it will not ruin your chances as long as you are looking for and they are looking to fill a position that doesn't require experience.  In fact, if they want to fill a job that doesn't require experience, they will probably prefer someone with no experience because people with no experience don't expect to be paid as much as people who have experience.

2.  "Course of study" is for college students, You can put "Not Applicable" or possibly better, "General Studies" if that's the case.

3.  Date From/To:  From is the date you started high school.  For "To" I would put the date I stopped before your summer break started and then in parenthesis put "Summer Break".

4. "Last year completed" is the last year of schooling that you graduated from.  "9" would be the 9th grade.  "10" would be the 10th grade, "13" would be the first year of college.

5.  "Reference" is referring to someone other than from your family, who can and would be willing to tell them what kind of person you are if they call.  The older and more reputable this person is, based on their job, and the more they like you, the better.  You should get this person's permission to use their name as a reference before putting their name and contact information on the application.

Last question:  What are your chances of getting a part time job?  That depends on how persistent you are, how many places you apply to, the quality of your reference (the ideal reference is someone who already works at the place you want to get your job at), how hard your city has been hit by this recession, and your personality.  If you went to a place and found out they were hiring, could you start a friendly conversation with people there in "Personnel" who as a result of them liking you as a result of the conversation and without you actually asking for it, cause them to recommend you?  Could you follow-up on each application in person rather than by phone or email at the same time of day at each place so you are most likely to see and talk to the same person each time so you become somewhat friends which could possibly cause them to put in a recommendation for you, without you asking?  How good are you at flirting?  Just an idea.

Good luck, Dangerous..  :-)

Employment application?

1 Answer