20 and Never Had a Job? (Here’s Why You’re Ready!)

Are you 20 and never had a job?

You probably have a load of questions;

Is it too late to pursue your ideal career?

Are you feeling super anxious about entering the workforce?

Is it weird that you’ve never had a job at 20?

In this post, I’m going to answer all of these questions and more and hopefully put your mind at ease as to why it’s perfectly normal and fine to not have had a job at 20!

20 and Never Had a Job? Why It’s Not That Unusual!

Whatever you’ve been told or think, you’re not old at 20 when it comes to getting higher education or experience working.

Sure, most 20-year-olds have had some kind of job, like a part-time waiting role or helping out at a local shop.

But it’s really not a big deal if you haven’t worked a day in your life.

Plus, it’s really not unusual for a 20-year-old to not have worked.

In fact, it’s estimated that around 10% of 20-year-olds have never worked a day in their lives, and around 50% of people will never work!

If you’re at a stage in life where you don’t know what to do with yourself, don’t panic.

At 20 you’re still very young and can take your life in whatever direction you want.

You can pursue further education, professional qualifications, or enter the workforce and get yourself a job.

You can even do all of these things – in any order you want!

As long as you’re able to get any anxiety you’re feeling under control and start applying for jobs, you’ll be fine.

Related – Here is how to tell if a panel interview went well!

Are You Anxious About Having Your First Job?

It’s perfectly normal to feel anxious about your first job.

After all, it’s a big step in your life and can be daunting to think about.

If you’ve never worked this is only going to add to your anxiety, but you really don’t need to be.

As long as you have the right attitude and turn up to your first day at work in the frame of mind that you’re learning from scratch, you’ll be fine.

In fact, it’s quite exciting to start a new job and learn everything about how the business operates, what’s ‘behind the scenes’, and meeting a bunch of new people.

If you are anxious about finding or starting your first ever job, some tips you might find useful are:

• Talk to someone who has already had a job in the industry you’re interested in and pick their brains
• Use social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn to research companies you might want to work for
• Don’t be afraid to apply for roles even if you don’t think you’re qualified – you never know unless you try!
• Attend job fairs and network with people working in the industry you want to get into
• Practice breathing exercises and meditation if you’re struggling with anxious thoughts
• Work on your self-confidence, because that’s what is going to carry you through

I hope this post has helped to ease any anxiety you might have been feeling about being 20 and never having had a job.

Please keep in mind that it’s really not that unusual and there’s no need to feel like you’re behind in life.

You’ve got your whole life ahead of you!

Do You Need Experience to Get a Job?

This is probably the main reason people are anxious about trying to get their first job and actually knowing what to do.

There are a lot of job roles that require experience but don’t let that put you off applying.

For every job that requires experience, there are plenty of entry-level roles out there too.

It’s normal to start at the bottom, even if you’re well-educated.

Never feel bad about that, even the most successful businessmen started at the bottom once!

You should never feel anxious about not knowing what to do when you get a job either, any professional company will train you up when you first start.

I’ve been there a couple of times, starting a new job and not knowing where to look or what to do.

But as long as you are willing to learn and are proactive about asking what’s needed from you, you’ll hit the floor running.

Related – Reasons why you may have been rejected even though your interview went well.

Confidence Is Everything

The final thing I want to leave you with is that having confidence in yourself is key.

If you don’t believe in your own ability, how do you expect a potential employer to?

Work on your self-esteem and try to be the best version of yourself.

If you know you’re struggling with your self-esteem, you can get started working on your self-esteem and confidence by:

• Doing things that make you feel good about yourself
• Hanging around people who make you feel good about yourself
• Dressing in a way that makes you feel good about yourself
• Speaking kindly to yourself
• Practicing self-compassion
• Accepting compliments graciously
• Avoiding people who put you down

Confidence within the workplace is one of the most desirable traits you can have, and your boss will notice for sure.

If you’re ever feeling down about not having had a job, remember that you’re not alone and it’s not the end of the world.

I’m sure you’ll find something eventually!

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Image credits – Photo by jack atkinson on Unsplash