YOU'RE just done with your O or N levels and are all set to enter the work force.

But how do you sift through thousands of job advertisements for a good career fit?

Human resource experts The New Paper spoke to provide some helpful tips to get you started.

Mr David Ang, executive director of the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) said young school leavers are usually hired in administrative and support jobs.

This, he said, was because fresh school leavers might not have the relevant skills or knowledge for other positions.

However, if office jobs aren't your cup of tea, don't despair.

Mr Ang added: "Enterprising teens could marry their special interest and skills in areas like information technology (IT) or gaming to a job that requires such skills."

Other industries these teenagers could look into are food and beverage, hospitality, service, logistics or even construction, he added.

During the job hunt, Mr Ang advises young people to research the companies they are interested in and the kinds of positions available.

He said: "They should look and see if there are opportunities to train them, for them to learn, rather than just stack papers."

Ms Dawn Plunkett, operations director for Kelly Services Singapore, suggested that young people could begin their foray into the working world via temporary or contract work.

As a temporary worker, they can experience what working for the company is like before deciding on a longer commitment.

Ms Plunkett added: "It also looks good on your resume, especially for school leavers with limited experience, to have the names of the companies they have worked with."

However both experts noted that being hired at a young age had potential challenges and problems.

For instance Ms Plunkett noted these young employers could find office politics a challenge.

Hence she advised: "To overcome this, you don't have to take every rumour and gossip personally. The best way to deal with office politics is to avoid it, it's a dangerous game which takes people's focus away from the job that they are doing."

Mr Ang added that one of the problems young school leavers might face is expressing themselves in the work place.

He said: "Ideally, young people should present themselves as being eager to learn and ask for interesting assignments, however some might find this difficult.

"So they should try to improve their communication skills and hopefully seek out a good colleague who can guide them and help them along."

Preparation for "REAL" world

Once in the work force, Ms Plunkett said, young people can better prepare themselves for their career ahead if they adopt a "never-say-die" attitude. She added that these teenage workers should be self-motivated and determined to improve themselves.

She said: "Attend a self-development programme or read a good self-development book. Employers generally like people who are self-motivated and pro-active in their own development."

Young people could also visit the SHRI Workplace and Career Advisory Centre along Serangoon Road to work out what kind of career suits them with the staff there.

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