Maybe in '11...

*buys EF a "Team Jacob" T-shirt*

Are you in any clubs? Have you taken part in competitions? Helped set up for events? Made honor roll? Earned any awards? All of these are resume worthy!

Greetings, Torry!

First of all - I wish you the best of luck in achieving the goal of obtaining your first job. It is often said that the hardest job of all is finding and landing a job, and I can attest to that from too many personal experiences.

While I do wish the best for you, I don't believe that this forum is the best venue for offering unsolicited advice on job-seeking. But as we have come this far, I'll just offer a couple bits of knowledge from my own experience, and then butt out.

I tried to get a better idea of what you are facing by looking up the website for a Pizza Hut in Florien, LA - and the closest existing restaurants, at least as of the last website update, are in the communities to the north and south of you on hwy 171, namely in Many, and in Leesville. It may be that they are opening a new one in Florien - the website doesn't mention it, though - and if you wish to get in on the ground floor as it were, then do not dally.

I also tried to follow the generic, nation-wide Pizza Hut Website, and attempted to apply on-line, just to see what you are facing and what sort of questions and information which their job application form asks for...and kept getting dumped with a "browser unable to open page" message.

Now - generally, unless the Employer doing the hiring specifically directs you to apply on-line, it is best to go down to the pplace of work and apply in person, for a couple of reasons. One, it shows that you are eager for the opportunity. Two, it gives you a chance to place a name and face on your future employer - and a chance for him or her to associate a name and face to you. You are making an impression, here - so do your best to make it a good one! Even if you are politely rebuffed and again referred to the on-line site, you have now made an impression which will hopefully be recalled, when your application is reviewed.

A third reason is that when a nation-wide firm is collecting applications submitted by computer, they will get Hundreds, perhaps Thousands - and after a quick, superficial vetting, the Human Resources Department of the Main Office will typically forward the first 30 to 50 that qualify, and expect the local manager to narrow down the choices for interviews from that - and that's it. The 51st application may come from someone who has a Nobel Prize in Pizza baking, and it won't make any difference, because it came in after the first 50 - and the local manager will never know what he missed; so try to make a personal appearance and estabish a human connection at the work location, if at all possible.

Sometimes a local employer will submit his job needs to the local Employment Development Department (EDD in California). The EDD does its best to encourage employers to do this, and then the EDD will act as a Human Resource Department, pre-screening applicants and arranging interviews with the most promising.

Now - a job at a Pizza Hut is generally what would be categorized as a "starter" job for teenagers and others, making their first foray into the jobs market. You won't be expected to have a lot of work experience, though any that you can list will be a big help; It shows that you are used to the general ideas of reliability, punctuality, and responsibility that any labor requires. Even the volunteer work which you may have done, whether summer work, helping at the library, being an aid at school, working for the Parks Department, helping the Elderly, Meals on Wheels, counts. Just because you aren't paid for it doen't mean that it isn't "work", so if you have any sort of experience like that, be sure to list it in "Job" or "Work Experience".

"References" refers to a list of people who can attest to your general character; These can be former managers or supervisors who have direct working experience with you, or favored teachers, or neighbors. Just be sure to ask these folks for permission to list them as references, and explain why (to apply for a job), and advise them that they may get a call from a potential employer (this means you will need to collect phone numbers and possibly street addresses, and another reason why you need permission to list these folks as references in the first place). It helps a lot if some of the people listed have titles like "Doctor" or "Professor" or "Honorable Mayor" or "Councilman" or "Alderman", someone who is respected in the community. THis could include Scoutmasters (don't laugh)...though you might wish to avoid titles like "Officer" or "Judge". There's a story there, which is too long to relate here, and probably boring, but if you can, avoid listing a Judge or Police Officer as a reference.

Once you have filled out your application, either on-line or in dead-tree edition, make or print out a copy if you can, as your own reference to be able to elaborate during a personal interview on any points. Then click the "send" button, mail it to the specified address, or deliver it by hand to a receptionist, or drop it through the mail-slot at the place of employment if there is no receptionist or anyone else to take it from you; if ealing with a human, politely inquire as to when you might expect to hear back from them, and then make courtesy phone calls about once a week after that date to find out how your application is progressing (and to reinforce the impression that you are eager to start work).

There! Now, having done it once, don't sit back and wait for it to come to you - apply for more jobs, while you are waiting. Every application is like a baited line on a hook in the water - and the more that you have in the water, the better chance of getting a bite, and reeling in a job. Many companies don't have their own, custom-made job application forms, but use generic forms, bought in bulk from a local stationary outlet. You may notice similarities from one potential employer to another. See if you can get a copy of the form from the local stationer's, or get an extra copy when applying at one of your targets, and fill it out on a typewriter, leaving the job title you are seeking blank; make copies. And when you go to an employer who uses the same generic form, whip out one of your copies, fill out the "Applying For (job or position title)" part, and save time and frustration and stress. It might impress whoever has to go through the applications, too.

Good Luck!