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I am not 18 yet?

I am currently 17 years old and will turn 18 this year, i love exploring new options for career, volunteering and utilising my free time but majority of the entrepries or volunteering firms have age limits of being atleast 18.
I am unable to explore my career opportunites and decide if i really want to pursue them due to lack of experience.

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Will’s Answer

hi Tvisha,

Enjoy your time before turning 18 which is the min age for most jobs for legal reasons.

I'd recommend getting yourself more prepared within a year. It seems like culinary arts/event management is something interests you per previous questions. If so, a few things to consider to get more knowledge and experience.

- Take online courses and gain certificate on topic you are interested in.
- Make connections (or simply follow) to professionals via platforms like LinkedIn or Ins.
- Read some books about/by the big names in the industry.
- Help prepare or organize events starting from your inner circle like families and friends. Document those (pics/videos) and build up your portfolio to showcase for your first job interview.

Good luck!🤞
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much Will, it really helped me a lot into getting more clarity and sugesstions. Really appreciate your time, efforts and expertise for the answer. Have a good day :) Tvisha
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Nathaniel’s Answer

Believe it or not, I can still remember being 17 and wondering what I would do since I was not thrilled to follow in my dad's career. My career counselor was as helpful as a wet paper bag, so I really felt I was on my own. All I did at your age was mow 10 lawns a week and I couldn't imagine doing that for the rest of my life. I did my senior year become a camp counselor which built a lot of character and it provided me the opportunity to be around about 90 other counselors that were struggling as well with this dilemma. So I at least didn't feel alone, but it did not bring the clarity I really needed. What I did discover was I enjoyed helping others which you might not think was all that helpful, but I am now a chiropractor and helping people is the main-stay of my entire day and I love it as it gives me purpose and insight.

So, although it is great to find your direction don't beat yourself up for not knowing your path. My friend worked at Montgomery Wards through HS and just retired as divisional manager of the LG brand "Signature". That part-time position taught him lessons in customer service, quality control, and how to fix a boatload of appliances. That helped him tremendously. I would ask you not to focus on how much you will be making but what is it about the job that brings you the most joy
Thank you comment icon Thank you Nathaniel for your words, your personal story surely gave me more motivation and clarity:) Thank you for taking out time, efforts and expertise for this question. Have a good day ! Tvisha
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. I am glad to hear that you would like to do more volunteer work.
Your questions is on exploring career options and time management.
Below are my suggestions :
1. You can explore what you have interest, e.g. your hobbies, favorite subjects, etc. and find out the related careers
2. Explore more on these careers and find out what you have interest
3. You can find a time management tool, e.g. your phone calendar, Microsoft outlook, etc.
4. Put down your school time and time for your revision and assignment
5. You may see what time you are free for your volunteer work. You may also need to reserve some time for leisure, friend & family gathering, etc.
For volunteer work, it usually does not require working experience. Many NGOs offer volunteer opportunities. You can identify what suits you.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
Thank you comment icon Thank you rebecca for your advice, i found some really helpful tips :) Have a good day ! Tvisha
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Diya’s Answer

Hi!
All the answers here are great. One thing I would add is reaching out to local colleges and universities in your area and asking if you can be a student volunteer, or volunteer researcher, or student intern.

Make a list of jobs/careers you're interested in. If it's the culinary arts, then find a university or institute that specializes in that field and try to find someone who works there on their website or on LinkedIn. Reach out and explain why you're interested, what you already know about the field, and ask to volunteer to work there to gain experience. Academic institutions may be more willing to offer opportunities to students younger than 18. I've visited Pune before and I know the city has a good reputation for education so there might be a lot of resources in universities there.

Hope this helps. Good luck and thanks for asking!
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Kimberly’s Answer

Take some time to really think about what you enjoy doing. Be mindful about your choice. There's a reason why it is said "Find a job that you enjoy, and you'll never work a day in your life." Start out by checking out the job requirements of the things that you enjoy doing. Do they still sound like something you would like? Also, your tastes for a career may change throughout your life, and there's no shame in following your passions. Just be sure that you're not job hopping too much. That puts employers off, especially if they are looking for career minded folks. Take whatever you do seriously, do your best, and take charge of your own career. Start that early, as very few folks have jobs just land in their laps, so you will need to work hard and show your skills and determination. I wish you the best of luck as you work through this exciting journey!
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Olivia’s Answer


Experience is important when you graduate from a university but there are some trainee programs in almost every company. that you can join when you graduate from university or be 18+.
I think in this moment it is important that you study a lot. certifications exams or Bootcamps are as important as Professional experience, I think it will be a good idea in focus your time in studies.
Thank you comment icon Thank you Olivia, it's a great advice :) Have a good day ! Tvisha
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Jimil’s Answer

Hi! I ran into the same issue when I was 17. In my case I chose to start my own business, which paid better than any job I could have gotten at the time with my given experience. There are certain types of positions such as software engineering and blue collar work, that you are able pursue prior to reaching 18. Doing side work for your own business is a great way to get experience before you are qualified. There are a lot of free and cheap resources online through udemy and other online schools where you can learn hard skills that are applicable to various positions. They can be completed quickly, at your own pace, and without grades to worry about.
Thank you comment icon Thank you Jimil for your thoughtful response, that's indeed some great and unqiue advice :) Hope we are able to connect in the future too, Have a good day ! Tvisha
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NIKHIL’s Answer

Hi

Below is my advice

1. Look for options what you want to do and like to do.
2. Be little wise in choosing, in long run you need to earn money also.
3. try to find options which are common across above 2 points.
4. If you are still confused, try to find how you can help the community example: by doing social work or by creating technology or may something specific to an industry (medical, financial etc)
5. Pick up a journey of learning to achieve something from point number 4.
6. Plan your journey and start learning from books, courses, online content , from institute etc.
7. Review your journey again and again are still aligned with point number 4, if yes then you know what you want to do. If you still not sure, start from point number 1 again.
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Lance’s Answer

Hi Tvisha,
Yes, there are legal requirements to many positions, but that should n9t hold you back from being able to explore certain careers. There are many great resources as basic as YouTube for certain jobs to looking at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While you may not get the exact hands on, it should give you an idea of what you may or may not want to pursue. Best of luck!
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