My First Job

Dennis3003 on 11/10/2014 - 12:12
Last edited 17/10/2014 - 18:00 by 2 other users

Hi,

I'm 13 and 8 months years old and I would like to possibly get my first job. I have had a long hard think about this and have even listened to experience from fellow class mates.

I have 3 options in mind and I have listed them in priority:

  1. Woolworths (5min walk)
  2. McDonald's (10min walk)
  3. Dominos Pizza (10min walk)

I do understand that I'm not going to be earning more than $10 an hour. I have spoken to some of my teachers about this and they have given me some tips about the workforce.

My parents do know about this and so far are supporting it (I think), I just need a final Yes.

The reason I want to get a job is because I want to get some experience over the holidays, earn some money, and save it up for my future University fees or something like that. Plus it will give me some more things to do over the holidays.

So what are your thoughts and do you have any recommendations?

Update: All my local Woolies require you to be 14 and 10 months years old. Guess I'm going to have to go to Maccas.

Update 2: Applied for a job at Maccas and you need to be 14yrs old. So now applied at Dominos and will get a reply with 14 working days.

Poll Options expired

  • 214
    Woolworths
  • 18
    McDonald's
  • 2
    Domino's
Education & Work

Comments

        • noyesmaybeok on 12/10/2014 - 22:26

          @Dennis3003: It depends on what you want, for physical work, age will be a barrier. Have to build up your skills best you can (there's no shortage of people having trouble! And you'll be cheaper then local IT companies so will get bits & pieces easily [note: stick to residential only]).

          Online, age is irrelevant. If you can do the work most people don't care.

  • ironplus on 12/10/2014 - 05:41

    Woolworths had a commercial where many young aussie's first job was at Woolies. I think it is a great place to start. I'm about 20 and even I wouldn't mind working for woolies had I not have the job I have atm.

  • AlanHB on 12/10/2014 - 08:12
    +1

    I worked at Woolies. It was fun. Coles actually paid more at the time, but both paid well.

    You have to apply for both through an online portal where you fill in your details and complete an aptitude test and personality test. As a tip try to make the personality test match the job. If you are applying for a check out position you like working with numbers, whilst the guys stacking shelves like working with their hands.

    I reckon you should apply for all three, and see which one offers you a job. It could be that Wollies doesn't currectly have an opening for you.

    • dealman on 13/10/2014 - 16:25

      I worked at Woolies. It was fun. Coles actually paid more at the time, but both paid well.

      It's all good in the short term but not really that useful for your long term career. You need to ask yourself if immersing yourself in Study / Programming or other hobby might be more fruitful in the long run rather than working at a dead end job hoping to earn some experience. You say you want to improve on maths perhaps something you should take the time on working on.

      You already sound like a responsible kid, I'd recommend not taking up a job and instead focus on studies and some extracurricular activity that'll be relevant of interest in the future. Sure stacking shelves is good work and the money is handy but not really useful if you are already as responsible as you sound.

      At My stage in life I'd rather incentivise my child to study harder and try for scholarships or achieve other goals rather than dead end jobs.

      • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 16:57

        Thanks but I already spend 'most' nights studying.

  • DrStinge on 12/10/2014 - 08:43
    +1

    Despite one or two comments this is a lovely thread. Kudos OzBargain.

  • -.- on 12/10/2014 - 09:13
    +4

    Depending on what career path you want to go down, I'd wait till you're a little older and try getting work experience that's relevant. At your age, focusing on your studies is probably a better option, after all these early years are a good foundation for doing well in the HSC.

    I.e. for business, you'd want to get a high enough ATAR to get into one of the top Commerce courses, but also during Year 10-11 I'd say, go find a casual job at a small to medium financial firm. That'll serve your resume better than Woolies. There are plenty of internships/cadetships available for business (Accounting has lots, check the Charterd Accounting Website).

    Engineering also has cadetships, the best being in the UNSW Co-op Scholarship.

    You want to be trying to aim for those positions and think big, and the best way to prepare for them is to firstly get your good grades, and then find relevant work experience whilst still maintaining sport, music, charitable work, leadership and the like.

    • -.- on 12/10/2014 - 15:31
      +1

      If you're looking to go into IT, please please combine it with Commerce. As several other people have mentioned, the market is getting tougher and tougher.

      In regards to the cadetships above specific IT ones are:
      PCA (With Westpac): http://www.businesscadetships.com.au/etcad_about.asp
      UNSW Commerce Information Systems Co-op: http://www.coop.unsw.edu.au/future_students/programs/info_sy…
      Australian Government ICT Program: http://australia.gov.au/topics/ict-cadetship-program

      If you're truly set on that industry, the above cadetships/scholarships will be the best way for you to secure a graduate job in what is quite a cut throat market.

      Plan ahead, read their "Who are we looking for?" pages

      Get involved in a charity.
      Join your local army/navy/air cadets branch (Try to rise up the ranks. I know Army Cadet Under Officer is looked upon very favourably - Plus 2 Elite Athlete and Performers bonus points to UNSW)
      Get involved with Duke of Edinburgh. Your Gold Award gives you two bonus points to UNSW
      If you're not already playing sport at school, join a local club and try to be a vice captain or captain.
      If you're not already playing a musical instrument, go learn one; even singing counts.
      Go into drama productions and plays
      Join clubs and societies at school and around the place.
      Join your school debating team, history debating team, Mock trial team, MUNA team, Youth assembly whatever.
      Join rotary clubs
      Start doing courses in IT on the side and get some qualifications. Anyone can code!

      If you do at least some of the above, you'll be above the rest of your peers who come to realise it's too late in year 12 to start doing those things.

      The effort you put in now goes a long long way and employers notice!

      • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 16:05

        Thanks for the suggestions :)!

  • m2000 on 12/10/2014 - 09:41

    Be prepared to travel… You would be very lucky to be accepted at the one nearest to your home.

  • acersaurus on 12/10/2014 - 12:14

    Any of those places will be fine to work at. It is indeed a good idea to start work young, not only for the money but when you're older that experience on your resume will count for something, and it will help you get other jobs. Also its better to be working and saving money in the early/mid years of high school rather than yr 12 so in yr 12 you can just focus on your studies.

  • jacklynhydejr on 12/10/2014 - 12:22

    Work a LITTLE and earn some pocket money, but don't forget to save some time to enjoy your childhood! It doesn't last forever!!!

  • PoorStudent on 12/10/2014 - 12:32
    -3

    I hope you already know that OzBargain gives out monthly cash rewards as shown here.

    So what I think would benefit you most is trying to achieve an award for the following reasons.

    1. It'll look fabulous of your resume. Just imagine having in your resume "OzBargain is a website with hundreds of thousands of daily visitors with members posting deals benefiting the community. I managed to be the member of the month by achieving Most deals posted, highest amount of average votes per deal.

    2. Employers love people with great interpersonal skills. If you try to post as many useful deals, you'll be forced to talk to random strangers you would've never thought of talking to. It would greatly improve your confidence level which you can start doing at a young age.

    There are many more reasons so if you aren't convinced yet, I can continue telling you the benefits.

  • shazzaj98 on 12/10/2014 - 12:43
    +3

    I am currently 15 and work at the busiest maccas in my state, and it's not the best job, but it can be good
    I've been here a year and a half, and am now a crew trainer and have completed my cert 2 in retail, lots of opportunities :)

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 14:26

      How was the interview process?

      • exit on 12/10/2014 - 16:15

        im 15 and just did my interview last week. (mcdonalds)

        someone just came, took me to a table, and asked some common questions. All i can say is look happy and interested.

        Havent got my results back tho

        • shazzaj98 on 12/10/2014 - 18:53

          @Dennis3003 like shot said, really basic, just look interested and be motivated, which you obviously are, same for any job at this level.

  • commandershephard on 12/10/2014 - 13:25
    +6

    This kid is ridiculously switched on for a 13 year old.

    Whichever job you choose, do make sure that your studies remain your #1 priority if you intend to go to university.

    Even the way you type is impressive for your age. Well done!

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 14:25
      +1

      Thankyou. I like to take things seriously but not overboard.

  • Ughhh on 12/10/2014 - 13:48
    +3

    How long are you planning on working at Woolworths/Maccas etc? Unless you work for a number of years, I doubt your future employer (of your first proper job in your career) will care what you did when you were 14 yrs old. By the time you graduate from Uni, you'l be in your 20s, what you did 5-6 years ago is old and kind of irrelevant.

    I would go for supermarket cause its easier, but I heard that many employers would hire people who worked at McDonalds over other fastfood/supermarkets, because of their training system. Right now, I would say the skills you need to develop are (but not limited to) team working skills, being able to work at a fast paste and under pressure, time management, problem solving, being able to think quickly and make good decisions and communication skills. These skills are transferable and essential for any job/school and will definitely help develop you as a human being.

    Keeping education as #1 priority however. Being a dumbass who has worked at McDonalds for 50 years isn't gonna help.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 14:28

      Possibly considering at least a couple of years (2-3).

      • -.- on 12/10/2014 - 15:34

        Can't agree enough.

        Education is still no: 1. Don't loose sight of that.

        How are your grades at the moment, Dennis? (Relative to your grade?)
        What are your best subjects and your approximate marks in those?
        Same for your worst subjects?

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 18:07

          I'm in all the top classes for my year. English, History, Science, Geography and TAS are all great. Math is the only one pulling me down at the moment but I am trying to work on that. I recently participated in Gifted and Talented History project for the school. My Science teacher likes me alot (even called my parents and talked how great I was at Open Night). Also came 1st in DT last year (Me and my peers consider me a 'Tech Expert' at school) even though we have great IST teachers.

          I have already chosen my electives for Year 9 (next year) and they are, IST and Electronics though I'm considering changing Electronics to either Elective History or Commerce (recommended by you) next year.

        • -.- on 12/10/2014 - 19:16
          +2

          @Dennis3003: I did Elective History and Commerce in Year 8, and picked up IST for Year 9 and 10. At the end of the day do something that interests you and something that's useful for you. (Topped History and Commerce from 8-10, and 2nd in IST from 9-10. Thoroughly enjoyed all three courses)

          I would suggest Commerce over Electronics, but honestly, even if you don't do commerce, it has little impact on Year 11/12 Economics/Business Studies. I strongly suggest you taking SDD and Economics in Year 11 at least, and perhaps head away from the DT side of things if you're not looking to go into CAD Design/Architecture/Interior Design.

          But yes Maths is important, and so long as you've identified that's a weakness, then you're already halfway there to improving. At a minimum, you should be doing 2U Mathematics, ideally Extension 1 Maths. I highly suggest you try out some private tutoring if you're not doing too well in Maths. It's extremely important to maintain a good level of Maths right from the early years. Learning ahead with a tutor is a good way of doing things since school work then acts as revision.

          Seeing how you're good at English, make sure you join your school's debating team. Communication skills and learning to convey things logically and concisely will serve you well.

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 19:23

          @-.-:

          Yes, I hate DT it's boring (wood and plastic works). I'm choosing IST which is more computer related. I am convincing myself to do Extension 1 as that is a recommendation for UTS.

          What is SSD?

        • [Deactivated] on 12/10/2014 - 19:28
          +1

          @Dennis3003:

          I know this is going to sound strange, but when choosing subjects look at life skills and other skills you want in conjunction with your IT work.

          Your typing and grammar looks good so far but do you touch type on a computer. You may have already taught yourself this so ignore this if you have. Is Typing still an elective at your level? If you're going to program code fast a good typing and data entry speed would be useful.

          Will you be able to find a job and a degree close to home? Will you need to move out of home early in order to pursue the career you want? Consider taking up a unit of Home Economics/Cooking or whatever the subject is called now. You might be able to develop most of these skills at home but doing some basics at school might still be useful.

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 19:33

          @pointscrazy:

          Yes I can touch type.

        • -.- on 12/10/2014 - 19:34

          @Dennis3003: Software Design and Development (HSC Subject that primarily focuses on coding. You do a Major Project in Year 12 like making a program/game from scratch) The other computing subject in the HSC is IPT - Information Processes Technology (Which focuses on general computing like multimedia, networking, ethics etc.) however I wouldn't recommend choosing it because it's quite mundane and doesn't scale well. Even SDD Doesn't scale well, but it's good to have to develop your coding skills in a formal environment.

          In the HSC for Year 11 at least where you must do 12 units minimum, I recommend for you:

          2U English Advanced
          1U English Extension 1
          2U Mathematics
          1U Mathematics Extension 1
          2U Software Design and Development
          2U Economics
          2U Either Modern History or Business Studies (With the option of dropping these two units in Year 12. Keep in mind that Modern History scales better than Business Studies)

        • oringal on 13/10/2014 - 01:55

          @-.-: learning economics is really useful in life… really gets you to understand what work efficiency actually means… because in real life no one has the time and money to apply to one thing e.g. big projects etc…

        • tonka on 13/10/2014 - 15:33
          +1

          @Dennis3003:

          Just some comments on these.

          I took commerce & Economics thinking it was stuff I would need to know. turns out it is and you are often forced to study it at a tertiary level making learning it at high school redundant. Plus what you learn in a high school class you could probably pick up in an afternoon on Wikipedia.

          History you are also exposed to often through reading, magazines/travel and even gaming. You can watch history on TV.

          Wish I'd taken music and sport that teach skills and maybe physics. All nothing to do with my later career path so nowhere in tertiary education did I get to learn to sing or play golf.

          If a subject is prerequisite absolutely take it.

          The electronics subject sounds interesting and may cover stuff that I.T. doesn't.

          If you get the opportunity learn time management and motivation techniques. Also communication and influence/networking skills. If you have these you don't need anything else and whatever else you learn will be adding premium.

        • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 16:59

          @tonka:

          Thanks for sharing.

        • Cheap Steve on 15/10/2014 - 07:07

          Education is still no: 1. Don't loose sight of that.

          ^^^^This lol^^^^^

    • Tnetennba on 13/10/2014 - 03:06

      At the same time though, having 5 years of experience at 1 job shows you have good loyalty and such, it wouldn't be negative at all :)

    • phoenixx on 13/10/2014 - 16:59

      Perhaps not for the first proper job, but if he get a year or two under his belt now by the time he reaches 16 he will have a lot more chance in getting a better role.

      I had a friend who began working as an estimator at a timber and trusses place one day a week. Beat the hell out of the rest of us still at Coles - better money, conditions and for the CV once once out of high school.

  • drfuzzy on 12/10/2014 - 14:03

    Dennis3003, have you considered or have a Bunnings/Masters close to you? I got a start at McEwans/Bunnings many years back and learnt a lot of useful life skills there.

    I would like to commend you. Here you are just words on a page but in person I think you must be an awesome, motivated young man. Tackle whichever projects come your way with the kind of rigour you are using with your first job application and you will achieve extraordinary things.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 14:29

      I don't have any shops like that too close. I do have an IGA and Aldi close though.

      Thanks for the kind words. :)

  • p1 ama on 12/10/2014 - 14:54

    Also should mention that if you're considering a career in IT, it would be wise to reconsider your plans, given the current state of the market for IT jobs. There are so many people in IT, especially the technical side, who are now losing their jobs because all of the programming, testing and design jobs are moving to Asia and other countries where labour is simply just cheaper than here in Australia.

    If you do want to stay in Australia and work in IT, you'll be doing jobs that aren't really IT. I grew up loving computers, loving IT, I'm a good coder, I know VB.NET, C# and Java, I write Android Apps in my spare time and make websites and maintain small databases for friends and personal work, but I wouldn't make it my job. There's a reason why when I got to uni, I decided to not pursue IT.

    IT courses are some of the most easy to get into at uni simply because the demand for IT professionals is severely dropping in Australia. Of course, if you love it, if you're good at it and if you really want to do it, then all power to you, but definitely be aware of the risks too.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 15:57

      But as technology moves forward and advances, someone will still need to look after it and or manage it in the enterprise.

      • p1 ama on 12/10/2014 - 16:00

        Yeah, all those jobs will move to Asia. I'm not saying don't go for a job in IT, I'm just saying be aware of the risks involved. At 13, I know you're probably not aware of what the real world is like quite yet. We were all there once, we just wanted what we wanted to be.

        • TtiGeR on 13/10/2014 - 14:35
          +1

          Some IT jobs are moving back. Outsourcing isn't working so well as expected. Plus the wage gap is getting smaller and smaller.

        • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 17:02
          +1

          @TtiGeR:

          Exactly. I spoke with my IT teacher today he says that only office jobs like data entry is moveing out, but company's still need IT people. He gave some examples like Network Administrators are still needed and always will be.

      • scrimshaw on 12/10/2014 - 19:27
        +2

        the way it goes is that businesses don't want to train up young graduates because they are an investment — expensive at the beginning but only pays off when they are experienced.

        Nowadays businesses, even the new ones, want to start making money off the start because they have a short life cycle, and they want their websites built quickly, they want to have skilled developers and engineers right off the bat, they want to reach out to as many customers as possible and retain them as best as possible.

        The answer to their problems is offshoring (example Telstra - Phillipines call centers) and importing workers from overseas. This leaves a lot of graduates out of a full time job when they graduate from university, and they end up working in something that is completely unrelated to their field of study.

        This is why you need to start working early, it puts you in a much better position in the future because there are going to be a lot of unemployed grads who never had the chance to work, and they may even go up to 20+ years old with not much to write about in their resume. You'll be a lot more competitive against them.

        • p1 ama on 12/10/2014 - 20:17
          +1

          This is exactly what I'm trying to say.

          The IT sector is one that is so, so easy to offshore. If you're looking for a programmer, with the technology that is available now, it's so easy to get a competent programmer from anywhere in the world. You name a country where labour is cheaper than Australia and there are going to be heaps of programmers there. China and India, the world's two largest countries in terms of population both have a booming IT industry. Australia is almost insignificant when it comes to the global IT world. There are fields where Australia is a world leader and where there aren't competition from other countries, IT is not one of them, unfortunately.

          That said, I don't think a job when you were a kid is going to have any bearing on whether a company hires you or not. Saying that you worked at Woolworths for several years isn't likely to add anything credible to your resume.

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 20:23

          @paulsterio:

          OK then, so what your saying is that in a couple of years there is going to be less IT jobs. So then, what IT jobs are going to be left?

        • scrimshaw on 12/10/2014 - 20:35
          +1

          If you want a job in IT, be really, really good at what you do.

          That's how you get a job. Be the crème de la crème. A lot of graduates become jobless because they lack both the experience and skills — There is simply no place for mediocrity in the IT world, all the easy entry level jobs are being outsourced to Asia, if you don't have any talent in what you do then you're essentially just another graduate for companies to pick from. And there are many — there are more graduates than there are jobs available. Global youth unemployment is now a big problem (watch Youtube vids on this).

          If you don't want to be in this hopeless situation, then get some insurance and become skilled in other (additional) areas. That is why people are recommending that you also study commerce and not just CompSci, at least you will have something to fall back on. But we don't have a crystal ball, maybe you have the goods to become a successful IT person, maybe you don't, but you should have a Plan B just in case that IT is not the right field for you in the future.

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 20:59

          @scrimshaw:

          So basically a combined degree of IT and Commerce? I haven't found it on the UTS website yet. Not a bad idea though.

        • scrimshaw on 12/10/2014 - 21:04

          They can exist in the form of double degrees, E.g this

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 21:10

          @scrimshaw:

          Thanks but I wasn't looking for a degree in computer science. I don't want to go in depth into programming and etc. I want to learn the networking, server management, deployment of devices around a campus and just looking after and managing hardware and software in a business or campus of some sorts.

          I know I shouldn't be thinking negatively but I know a degree in computer science won't be my thing knowing that it has strong focus on mathematics. I read on Whirlpool Forums that a degree in computer science is really hard. I'm not saying I give up on hard things but this…

        • scrimshaw on 12/10/2014 - 21:15
          +1

          You might be interested in a Business Information Systems major then?.

          In the Business Information Systems Management major students learn how to use appropriate design approaches to design ICTs for all types of business activities, including customer-focused operations, maintaining relationships for knowledge sharing, business collaboration and strategic management. Students also learn about organisation theory, accounting and project management.

          http://handbook.uts.edu.au/directory/maj02080.html

          or

          http://courses.mq.edu.au/areas/undergraduate/business-inform…

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 21:21

          @scrimshaw:
          Yes along those lines. So basically its a degree in the field of business mixed with IT?

          http://courses.mq.edu.au/undergraduate/degree/bachelor-of-co…

          http://courses.mq.edu.au/undergraduate/degree/bachelor-of-in…

        • scrimshaw on 12/10/2014 - 21:23
          +1

          Yes, you will study a range of commerce subjects as the core subjects, and your major electives will be centred around stuff like programming, networking, project mgt and so on.

          Read the handbook for more info. http://www.handbook.uts.edu.au/it/area/ug.html

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 21:55

          @scrimshaw:

          So your recommendation would be to take a Business Degree with a IT Degree. I looked at some jobs in the IT industry online and here are the ones I personally like:

          Network/System Administrator
          Project Manager
          Web Dev
          TSO
          Consultants

          Am I missing something or are those just the main jobs. I have stated above that programming won't be on my list. I understand I'm still 13 and shouldn't be too worried, but that's all im interested in. Perhaps some ozbargainers could give me an insight on jobs in the business world?

          Also recently been interested in News and politics and I personally wouldn't mind being a journalist and or a News Anchor. And, lets just say myself and teachers and some of my friends have recently had some heated political discussions (started by me).

        • oringal on 13/10/2014 - 01:59
          +1

          @Dennis3003: you're toooooo young to be thinking this far ahead :P (you still have about 4-5 years to be thinking about this) but imo you should think about doing comp sci or software engineering (imo its actually better now cause they have a big emphasis on team work which you will not learn from comp sci) because in uni you can always change courses that suits you. You should always try to push yourself to do harder things.

        • Cyb3rGlitch on 14/10/2014 - 17:02
          +1

          @Dennis3003:
          Don't do any degree with 'IT' in the name. Do computer science at the very least, and pair it with a business degree.

        • Dennis3003 on 14/10/2014 - 19:53

          @Cyb3rGlitch:

          Computer science is more focused on Programming (Java, VB, C++, C# and etc) which I don't want to do. I want to do work involving data security or just looking after a network possibly at a bank.

        • p1 ama on 14/10/2014 - 22:15

          @Dennis3003: To be honest, with the job description you are looking for, you're almost better off not going to university at all. Perhaps look at a TAFE course you can do in one year and head off to work. You can also get in through vocational studies.

          You want to work with "data security" or "look after a network".

          Essentially what you want to do is called "network administration".

          You said before that:

          I want to learn the networking, server management, deployment of devices around a campus and just looking after and managing hardware and software in a business or campus of some sorts.

          This is essentially software deployment and installation, also falls under "network administration". If you genuinely want to go down this path, don't bother with university.

          You'll spend 3 years of your life learning about programming languages, algorithms, object oriented programming, drawing UML diagrams, playing around with SQL queries and writing lines and lines of code. That's what computer science or any IT degree, really, is all about at university.

          Look at something like this - https://www.tafensw.edu.au/howex/servlet/Course?Command=GetC…

        • Cyb3rGlitch on 15/10/2014 - 03:29

          @paulsterio:

          That's what a terrible computer science degree is all about. But I agree, if you don't want to learn how to reason about code and data, write proofs, or do any research, then don't bother with a computing degree at all.

        • Cyb3rGlitch on 15/10/2014 - 03:38

          @Dennis3003:

          There's a lot more to computer science than learning languages. I think you should keep your options open, you might find that your interests change as you explore.

        • p1 ama on 16/10/2014 - 14:06

          @Cyb3rGlitch:

          It's what a terrible computer science degree is all about, but it's what basically all universities teach in their computer science degrees (fortunately or unfortunately, depending on whether that's what you're aiming for).

        • Cyb3rGlitch on 16/10/2014 - 20:59

          @paulsterio:

          UNSW has a decent comp sci degree, but it hands you enough rope to hang yourself on garbage courses.

    • Cyb3rGlitch on 14/10/2014 - 17:00
      +1

      As a soon to be graduate, I haven't seen this deficit in jobs you're talking about. Every single person I know is employed, and had very little trouble getting into the industry. They're all computer scientists and engineers. The problem is 'Information Technology' degrees, which have limited utility in the real world.

  • pheasant_plucker on 12/10/2014 - 15:07

    Exceptional attitude. My advice would be to spend your first couple of pays on whatever you want (so that you have an opportunity to reap the rewards for your hard work). After that, settle down and set yourself a basic budget and you'll be well on track for when you hit the trials and tribulations of adulthood.

    I consider myself relatively successful in my field of choice and I can assure you that as a 13 year old in the maturity stakes you've got me covered in spades. Best of luck Dennis, let us know how you go.

  • revacious on 12/10/2014 - 15:51
    +1

    You. I like you. Someone employ this kid, he is going places!

    Ever considered the healthcare field? If so, don't underestimate the power of a volunteer job. You will meet much more interesting people and learn a lot more about the world around you volunteering than you ever will at McDonalds. It's good that you don't worry about money - money will come to those who are passionate and good at what they do!

  • heatseeker424 on 12/10/2014 - 15:52

    Got my first job at Woolworths when I was 16 and I've been there for over 3 years now. Originally wanted to work in Nightfill but got offered a position in the Deli so I began there and stayed there for 2 years. Recently I've changed over to Nightfill as it suits my uni schedule better but I've also worked in Liquor and Checkouts. They're incredibly flexible like that and if you've been there for a while and would like to try something new, you're able to. Furthermore, You're able to easily transfer stores if you eventually move out due to uni, even if you wanted to transfer to another brand within the group (Big W, Petrol, BWS etc.)

    Oh and (in NSW) they pay 1.5x on Sundays and pay the adult rate at 20 instead of 21. They don't do either of those things at McDonalds.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 15:58

      Do you remember if you applied online or did you visit a store and talked to the manager?

    • eatwell365 on 13/10/2014 - 07:04
      +1

      Oh..isn't it used to be 1.5x on Sat, 2x on Sun and Public Holiday.

  • ShamelessBargains on 12/10/2014 - 16:06

    I got totally messed around by Woolworths since Coles opened in the same centre. They stopped giving all casuals work and pretty much sacked half of the staff. I also had some terrible managers who were greedy and treated me poorly. The pay was good but I could never work in a supermarket again. The main thing is to just keep applying at lots of places and get used to rejection emails and not hearing back. Persistence is key when hunting for jobs these days. Seek and Gumtree are good outlets to look for jobs too.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 16:10
      +2

      I don't mean to be rude but, there will always be a rotten apple in a bunch. Different stores have different managers and staff. Some people experience might be fantastic while others not. Thanks for sharing though.

  • Arkmech on 12/10/2014 - 16:14

    Always good to start early. But in terms of where to work, if you had the option then don't go into fast food. I mean my first job was at pizza hut, it was pretty much hell, it was summer and the pizza oven took up half the shore. My advice is to print a few resume(remember to list your what day/time you can work) and then try to go in the stores and speak to the manager's personally. Also keep and eye out for online job ads e.g Woolworth career section and look for your local store.
    Best of luck!

  • arbok on 12/10/2014 - 17:25

    OP is 23. And even for 23 is quite mature. (/jk :p)

    Of the three, I would take woolies because its closer, but take whatever you can get for now. But have a think about what work you want to be doing there. Feel free to say you are happy to do anything, but tell them what you like best.

    Secondly you said you want to save up for uni fees which is a great attitude. I would recommend you do some budgetry planning so you can do your best to hit your targets. What I mean by this is - do some research and ask around how much uni fees for your course are going to cost you, and work out what you need to save every year. If you want to go one extra step, budget for all the other things you need later on too like a car and textbooks and whatever else you need.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 17:26
      +1

      OP is 13yrs old.

  • Geekomatic on 12/10/2014 - 17:43

    To the OP:

    Regardless the job, put together a savings plan now.

    Get a savings account. ANZ progress saver earns decent interest.

    For each pay, put half of it into your savings account- this is long-term, ie, uni, etc…

    Divide the other half you kept. Half of that (25% of the original total) is for you to spend freely & immediately on anything you care to spend it on.

    The final 25% is to be set aside for something you'd like to purchase, but it's more expensive than a few dollars (ie, Xbox, mobile, etc). How/where you set this aside is up to you.

    This is a very good plan that tackles wanting that instant-gratification & money-freedom, short-term savings goals, + long-term goals.

    HTH & good luck!

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 21:03

      Thanks, but isn't it that the more you have in the bank, the more interest they pay?

      • Geekomatic on 12/10/2014 - 23:26

        Hi Dennis,

        The Progress Saver account pays no real interest- it only pays a "bonus interest" if you put $10 per month in & leave it alone. If you touch it, you lose that months interest.

        Hence, I say that if you put aside 25% of a pay for a short "long-term" purchase, don't do it within an account such as this one. Put in the $10 per month, to get the bonus, & leave it be.

        Sorry, I should have explained it in more detail! Go to the banks & see what they all offer. I found this one to be pretty good for a local bank.

        :)

        • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 23:44

          I was actually considering Commonwealth Bank.

          More info: https://www.commbank.com.au/personal/accounts/savings-accoun…

        • Geekomatic on 12/10/2014 - 23:58

          @Dennis3003:

          It may not matter to you, but…

          I had an account with Commbank in my name only.

          I allowed a partner access, at one point.

          When we split, I went to Commbank, in person, to have that access removed. Which they supposedly did.

          A month later, money was removed from "my" net account, by my ex, with their card (apparently never removed even though I went in to do so).

          When I approached the Commbank bank manager, he said, "you'll have to initiate a legal proceeding— go to police, etc…in order to address this"— at YOUR expense.

          I simply removed all of my money & went to ANZ.

          FYI

  • beatwixkid on 12/10/2014 - 17:48

    Great to hear you're thinking ahead about your future. I agree with tonka in that you should apply for Woolies and maccas.

    My first job was McDonalds in high school - it basically gave some good work experience & a foundation for my future jobs (I'm now a doctor). No matter what customer service job you pick, you will cop crap from customers. At maccas, you will learn to work efficiently, be part of a team and can build leadership skills (e.g. by becoming a crew trainer). I made a lot of friends, had lots of fun and met my (now) husband there. Also, they seemed to be flexible with my school and uni timetable - shame there are no longer penalty rates (?).

    From maccas I went on to work at Priceline (my most fav customer service job), then the Virgin Megastore through uni. In all my job interviews (and medicine entry interview) I used my team work and leadership experience from McDonalds as specific examples.

    Good luck! You've got a bright future ahead of you.

  • mateh on 12/10/2014 - 18:22

    Not to be a buzz kill, but you will most likely end up applying for every job you can. Just because you focus on one doesn't mean you are going to get that job.
    It's often hard to get a job in life, it's just a bit easier when you are younger.

    Apply for your preferences first, but apply for the others as well. There is nothing wrong with Dominos or McDonalds, they are jobs, they have good training programs and future employers will recognise this. You can always switch jobs after you're in as well, it's not like you're making a rock solid decision for the rest of your life.

    It's good that you are looking at this though. I was eager to work at your age too (I'm now 20). The biggest mistake people in my year level had was not getting a job when they were cheap to employee. They struggled for years after high school because they were lazy and didn't want the commitment during school. Not only that, but when you're 18+, you compete with everybody else in the same situation and those who may be more qualified than you. So, well done.

    PS - With NSW, the lawstuff page and NSW gov page contradict, but I can't see many employers taking you on if you're under 15, especially the larger organisation, Woolworths.

    • p1 ama on 12/10/2014 - 20:21

      The biggest mistake people in my year level had was not getting a job when they were cheap to employee. They struggled for years after high school because they were lazy and didn't want the commitment during school.

      An even bigger mistake I've seen are people who work too hard during high school, end up spending more time and effort on their job rather than their studies, get a crap HSC/VCE/SACE…etc. (wherever you're located) and end up getting into a crap uni course and being truly set back for life.

      It's a double edged sword.

  • goosegog on 12/10/2014 - 20:56

    Go for woollies Dennis. However don't let the pressure of earning a little now over ride the big picture of your future career wants. That involves more input into your maths. skills. Hopefully your Mum & Dad are behind you all the way & will support you in your endeavours to succeed in your chosen field. Go for it but make sure you get enough sleep to enable your concentration at school & studies to follow your dream. Good luck. Also agree with "maraco" above re Bunnings/Masters. As you are obviously a forward thinker - one day young man you will be married & a property owner which will need maintenance - you could learn the skills now for future use & get paid for the knowledge.

    • Dennis3003 on 12/10/2014 - 21:01

      Thankyou. Yeah, my dad has tought me a few tips and tricks around the house and the car.

      • eatwell365 on 13/10/2014 - 07:07
        +1

        Did 4 unit Maths 3 unit Engineering - All because parents looked after me in their shop when I was toddler and I started counting money and gave change when I was young.

  • Satellite on 13/10/2014 - 01:43
    -1

    no mACCAS …GO for WoLLIES but do not do filling…ask for SERVICE only…

  • goku on 13/10/2014 - 13:04
    +1

    It's great to see so many ozbargainers guiding and mentoring a young man. Really shows the spirit of the forum.

    Dennis, I would like to give you my two cents. I was like you when I was young, very tech orientated ( Back then it was using 5.5" floppy disks, learning BASIC etc… Windows only became popular when I was about to finish school) and was quite intrigued in the digital world. I even wanted to become an ethical hacker at one point.

    But then priorities and interests change. I am now an economist.

    I agree with the other commentators above on the importance of math and economics. If you feel you are good at tech now, it will come naturally for you later, do the due diligence but don't worry too much about it. But math and economics are very important and will help you in all aspects of your life. Doing my degree in economics made me see the world in a very different way.

    In regards to your job, out of the choices listed Woolies appear to be the best. Fast food is very hard work. Besides corporations are slightly better and more consistent than owner managed franchisees in providing a decent work environment. But then you could have a really nice guy managing the franchisee as well.

    Whatever you do, keep education at the front of your priorities.

    I wish you all the best for your future and your job search. :)

    • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 17:04

      Thanks. I have had way more replies here, unlike Whirlpool.

    • p1 ama on 13/10/2014 - 20:01
      +1

      It's great to see so many ozbargainers guiding and mentoring a young man.

      He'll go much further in life if you teach him the Kamehameha.

    • dealman on 14/10/2014 - 10:34

      Whatever you do, keep education at the front of your priorities.

      Second that, Dead end jobs are temporary, listen to the economist. And do a lot of extracurricular reading, Join Toasmasters, and other places like that.

  • Darkpulsar on 13/10/2014 - 13:13

    Maccas will probably be easier to get in to though, and while the work is pretty bad, there'll be a lot of people around your own age working there. Depending on how large the Woolies is, you might have a lot of older staff there, which can be boring since you're so young.

  • IIGnomeII on 13/10/2014 - 15:58

    I want to say first of all, good on you OP! Nice to see a kid that is going for it rather than waiting for it to come to you.

    Now back to your questions, I started doing a paper run when I was around 10 which game me about $50 a month. After doing that for a while I picked up work at the local Franklins (supermarket) and was there until Woolworths bought out their space.
    I actually enjoyed working for Woolies TBH, most of the people that work there are pretty good to work with. The pay is alright, a lot of people opt to be part of a union when they start their employment with Woolies so you will be looked after.
    Woolies for me was the best job to have until I finished my HSC, I even went back later on and did nightfill while I was studying.
    So I would wholeheartedly endorse Woolies over the others.

    With the money side of things, if it is not something that you need to use and is actually going to be used for your uni fees then I think you should start reading up about compound interest. Have a read of the same great book I did back in school from a guy named Scott Pape - The Barefoot Investor, it will be easy to understand and will give you some of the best advice you will ever receive.
    http://barefootinvestor.com/about/
    http://www.dymocks.com.au/book/barefoot-investor-by-scott-pa…
    Part of the book can be read here: http://barefootinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Barefoot-…

    • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 17:06
      +1

      Thanks for your opinion.

    • dashmacad on 13/10/2014 - 23:12

      how do you become a paper run guy?

      • IIGnomeII on 14/10/2014 - 12:10

        It was for our local paper, check who your local newspaper is and then get in contact with them to see if they have jobs for paper runs.

  • dealman on 13/10/2014 - 16:27

    I'm 13 and 8 months years old and I would like to possibly get my first job.

    What's up with you ? Haven't you discovered Girls yet?

    I have had a long hard…. think

    hmmmm Think again

    • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 17:08
      +2

      1. Yes I have discovered girls. I do go to a boys school that has the girl school directly next door. I socialize with the girls every now and then thank you very much!

      2. I do a lot of hard thinking everyday Mr.

  • Heizenberg on 13/10/2014 - 16:43

    Great that ur interested but I personally would say you should wait a couple of years. This is purely based on the fact that at your age you will get paid very little compared to how hard you will have to work. You literally may get paid $8 an hour. Its really not worth your time.

    From experience I started working at Coles at about 16-17 and my pay wasnt great at about $14 but guys I worked with who were younger and got paid far less, even though they did just as much work as me and the older guys.

    So if your desperate to work now, try Woolworths otherwise wait till ur a bit older and get paid a fair amount.

    • Dennis3003 on 13/10/2014 - 17:09
      -1

      I'm not desperate its simply just for experience and some money. A few friends of mine have landed a job at Maccas. And no, I'm not jealous!

  • samboread on 13/10/2014 - 17:33

    I'm gonna say woolies. They were my first job in high school, I'm still with them while I'm at university now. Pay is much better at woolies (or any supermarket) than at a fast-food chain, and work conditions are probably better. Good Luck! :)

    also while I do agree with some people to wait a while, having a job is very rewarding, you will socialize with people you wouldn't normally do so, and make some unexpected friends.

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