For teenagers, finding a job can require the skills of a detective, a bit of luck and the right relationships.

As you begin the search, imagine that you are a clever investigator on one of the hit CSI television shows. In order to solve the puzzle, you must follow the rules of evidence, probe the background of potential employers, do independent research and investigations, and look for clues that help you close in on the right job.
With the economy in critical condition, first-time job hunters will find they are competing against senior citizens who are coming out of retirement, displaced workers and fully-employed individuals looking for a second job.

Your competition has experience, skills, and good connections because they’ve been at this longer than you. But you have lots of things going for you as well. Today’s market is driven by worker creativity and innovation so your tech-savvy skills and knowledge of youth lingo and culture are attractive assets for many potential employers.

To compete against these seasoned workers, you have to identify the things you do well, get to know yourself and promote yourself as you would a favorite song or CD. This article helps us debut the theRealLifeZone, which is designed to help young people as they start the transition to the world of generating wealth.

Clue Number One: Put together a resume and a cover letter highlighting your special skills, even if you have never held a job. A resume is a calling card that lets potential employers know a little bit about you and your interests. You might include that you teach a Sunday school class (presentation skills), your web page (tech skills), play football or basketball (discipline and teamwork), volunteer at your school library (filing skills), write a blog (writing skills) or baby-sit (critical thinking skills). Many major companies such FedEx only accept applications online. Some of these programs can lift basic information directly from your uploaded resume (name, address, phone number, etc.) So if you have a resume, you reduce the time it takes to complete the application.

If you need help writing a resume, check out these Web sites:

•Myfirstpaycheck.com is designed for young people by young people. It helps teens develop that first resume.

•http://www.jobdoggy.com — This is another site by teens for teens. Check out the information on writing resumes and interviews.

•http://www.usajobs.gov  — This Web site run by the U.S. government offers help on creating a resume and access to hundreds of thousands of jobs. The federal government is the largest employer in the United States.

•http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumes/u/resumesandletters.htm — This site has lots of information on the correspondence you are going to need, including resume writing, cover letter writing, resume and cover letter samples, thank you letters, resignation letters, reference letters and other job search letters.

•http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/index.php — You can find free resume samples, templates, cover letters, and other valuable documents to help you started.

•Tennessee Teens 2 Work at  http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/youth/ is designed to help teenagers find jobs. The site offers a number of valuable tools:  you can take a test to assess your career interests and check out career profiles. A PowerPoint presentation is available to offer resume tips.

If you don’t have access to a computer at home, visit the Job & Career Center located within the Business and Science Department on the third floor of the Central Library. You’ll find an extensive collection of materials on career selection, educational opportunities, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing and test preparation. You can also use the computers.

The Job & Career computers include special features such as:

•LearnATest, a test preparation and practice service.

 •Microsoft Word templates, which can be used to create professional-looking resumes.

You can also visit the JOBLINC Bus, a mobile job center that visits locations throughout the city.

Clue Number Two: Make certain you have a few life stories that display critical thinking skills or speak to your good attitude.  A manager at a national coffee shop told me once the resume was less important to him than a prospective worker’s problem solving ability and attitude. He asks potential employees to describe a difficult challenge and explain how they responded to it. Get feedback from family and friends before you decide on your stories. Ask them to recall a situation and get their feedback on which you might share with prospective employers.

Clue Number Three: Before you hit the streets, call for backup. Good detectives always have someone in the office and in the field as backup. There’s safety in numbers. In the job hunting arena, the more people you know, the more ground you can cover. Ask your friends, family members, teachers and ministers if they know of any openings for which you might qualify. Ask them to serve as references.

Clue Number Four: Figure out who you are and what you want to do in five years. In order to identify the strengths you offer a company, you have to take time to get to know yourself. Look at yourself through the lens a prospective employer might use. There are many good Web sites to help you get started:

The state of Tennessee offers resources for teams on Tennessee Teens @ Work, http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/youth.  This site has a free test that will help you identify careers that match your interests and talents. In addition you will find one of the best sources of jobs leads at http://www.sourcetn.org (See details in the next clue.)

Clue Number Five: Now you are ready to become a job scene investigator. This is the fun part. Think of this as a competition.The goal is to reach the finish line before your competitors. The first task is to identify job leads. Which local companies and industries are hiring.

The State of Tennessee offers a free Web site that will give you background information on major employers in the state. In addition, you can search the database for a list of jobs available in your area. It is called The Source: http://www.sourcetn.org/

For Federal jobs, check out http://www.usajobs.gov. This site is run by the U.S. government and it offers access to hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Other sources for job leads:

•Local newspapers

•Social networking sites

•Youth job sites such as myfirstpaycheck.com, http://www.gotajob.com, which offers listings of part-time jobs; and http://www.jobdoggy.com, which has resources and articles written by teens.

Clue Number Six: After you’ve found the right job, prepare for the interview. Here’s where the legwork comes in. Try to conduct research on the company. Go below the surface. Read the latest press releases on the Web site. Google the company to see what the industry bloggers say. See what’s out there on YouTube or other popular sites. Research will help you gain insights into their youth marketing strategy. Let them know how you can help and contribute.

If possible, get the name of the person who will be asking you questions and Google them. Try to learn something about him or her. Did they win any recent awards or honors? Have they written any papers or articles? Are they active in the PTA or other associations? Don’t share this information during the interview. Rather, use it to help you make a personal connection. If you find the person’s son or daughter is an athlete, you might talk about your interest in athletics and the skills you’ve learned from it.