Get a Job! (Or Rather, Help Someone Else To)

Remember your first job? Was it cutting lawns around the neighborhood, or doing an internship at a non-profit? Phillyist admits to doing time at the local Aeropostale, which is funny considering our complete lack of "fashion sense." Whatever job it was, you no doubt remember as we do that those initial forays into the working week weren’t always smooth sailing. Although most of us have probably gotten used to the job seeking circuit by now, there was a time not too long ago when things like dressing for an interview and knowing how to answer the question "why do you want this job?" seemed more than a bit daunting.

It was with this in mind that local teen Celeste Lavin, along with older brother Austin, launched My First Paycheck, a site devoted to guiding folks through the job seeking and application process. When Celeste started looking for her first job and realized she wasn’t sure where to begin, she sought guidance from her family and acquaintances; she and Austin designed the site as a way to share the wealth of advice that she received.

There are three main ways to get involved with this project. First, if you have an employment or volunteer opportunity that would be appropriate for the work-paper crowd, you can post it on the site (all posting is free). Second, if you have any insights to share, you can take their advice survey and, well, share them. Finally, if you have any teens in your life having a meltdown about job seeking, send them on over. Maybe they’ll even thank you with a cut of that first paycheck.

Image Credit: Flickr user AZAdam