Living as a high school student in NYC has its perks but also its downsides: it’s expensive out here! During the summers between school season and on the weekends, many high school students scramble to find a place of employment. However, many students spend most of their time perfecting their grades, just to find out that employers are looking for qualities beyond academics. But now, how can students apply to jobs with no experience? 

Leverage Your School Extracurriculars

Any extracurricular at school can be used as working experience, as long as you can leverage it onto your resume. For instance, school clubs are opportunities for students to show initiative and develop transferable skills that can later be useful in any industry. Sport teams, Student Council or other in-school involvement can show employers that you have the ability to learn, adapt and grow!

 If you were an active member in a volunteering club or a robotics club or had leadership roles in either, those activities can be included on your resume to show your related expertise.

Here is a template for students to use in their resume when describing school extracurriculars: 

[Your Role/Title] | [Club/Organization Name] | [Duration of involvement] 

[Optional: Description of the club or organization, so that employers can understand the club’s purpose] 

• Your responsibilities in this club
• Your accomplishments in this club (Does not have to be extravagant!) 

Examples:

Co-President | Sending Sunshine School Club | February 2024 – Present 

Members of the club create handwritten cards for senior citizens to lessen their loneliness.

• Design engaging presentations for biweekly meetings to discuss future events and club announcements, and to teach new card-making and origami designs. 
• Organized and coordinated a fundraiser for club supplies in honor of National Cookie Day, raising $192 through the sale of cookies and handwritten cards.

Treasurer | Tech Team | September 2023 – Present 

• Managed the Tech Team’s budget, tracking expenses for equipment, software, and events.
• Oversaw purchases of tech supplies (cables, tools, software licenses) and ensured cost-efficiency.

Visit Club Fairs & Job Fairs

There is an annual club fair every September in BCCHS’s gym, where all Baruch clubs and their presidents gather to showcase themselves. It’s an excellent opportunity for anyone to learn information about joining a club. There are more than 20+ clubs at Baruch, so finding anything that piques your interest won’t be difficult! If anything, you can always start a brand new club with a Baruch faculty member.  

Additionally, a job fair is an event where employers are seeking out any potential candidates to give interviews to. It is recommended to bring your resume or cover letter, dress professionally and ask questions to employers or peers. 

There are several job fairs in the city for the youth! You can use websites such as Job Events, and NYC Job Fairs to register and make sure to keep on a lookout for job fairs specifically for the youth! Common Point has always had a youth job fair every first few months of the year and has a diverse amount of employers from all different industries. 

Apply to State Or Federal Youth Programs

SYEP, or otherwise known as the Summer Youth Employment Program, is the largest youth employment program in New York City–equipping thousands of teens and young adults aging from 14 to 24 with paid opportunities. The application opens in February and closes in March or April and there is a lottery system in order to be placed into the program. 

Besides SYEP, there are summer programs that hire the youth or high school students as interns or volunteers. A federal opportunity locator is the best, accessible place to discover your next job. 

General Tips:

• Research and start to periodically look for opportunities in January! Many summer programs or internships applications open at the beginning of the year. 
• When navigating the application process, have someone that you trust look over your responses and make sure to proofread everything you type–including your basic information. 
• When asking for letters of recommendation, please give your recommender an ample amount of time to write it! The recommended time you should give is around two-three weeks before the deadline.
• Value and showcase your school coursework and extracurriculars in your resume more, since students most likely don’t have prior work experience. 
• Update your resume and include activities that are most relevant to the job you are applying to.
• Ask questions! Employers want to see you engaged and interested in the conversation, rather than staying quiet and reserved. 
• Do not exaggerate and lie on your resume–it will hurt your reputation in the long run.