Struggling to Land Your First Job? Here's a Way to Creatively Earn and Gain Experience in a Tough Job Market

Let’s be honest: the job market is tough right now - especially if you’re a young person looking for your first job, your first rung on the career ladder, or simply trying to earn money during a gap year.

Hospitality and retail roles, traditionally the go-to options for 16–21 year olds, are no longer easy to land. Recent government policies, changes to employer costs, and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis have all had a knock-on effect. Many older workers are staying in roles for longer, and some are even coming back from retirement - meaning fewer entry-level opportunities are filtering down.

What advice do I give young people who are doing “all the right things” and still getting nowhere?

Not just in how you find and apply for jobs - but in how you define work, experience and success.

A career is no longer a neat, straight line. For many young people, the smartest move right now is not one job, but several.

George is on a gap year - and instead of holding out for one elusive full time role, he's built what is known as a portfolio career. He's combining:

Interestingly, they are helping him work out what he enjoys, what suits his personality, and what he doesn't want long-term. That information is gold when it comes to future career decisions. This approach works particularly well for someone sociable, curious, and energised by variety.

“Finding and applying for jobs was so challenging and time-consuming. In the end, I found talking to people was the most effective way to uncover these part time opportunities.

The benefit of having so many roles is being able to meet so many new people, learn and improve skills for the future, and stay open-minded. I’ve learnt work effectively with people in very different environments. It’s busy, so my organisational and time-management skills have improved massively. I’ve also learnt to be flexible - one morning I might be in tracksuit for a casual workplace, then that evening I’m dressed in a suit and interacting with guests in a high-end bar/restaurant.”

That’s employability in action.

Real, transferable skills being built daily.

The Bigger Point (And This Is the Bit People Miss)

Many young people - and parents - get stuck on the idea that “a proper job” must look a certain way.

But in today’s market: Experience, skills and attitude beats waiting.

A slightly wiggly route is not a failure. Often, it’s the smartest strategy available.

A portfolio career at 18 years old isn’t just a workaround - it’s stealth career education. Young people who do this often outperform peers later because they understand people, pace, pressure and professionalism far earlier than those who followed a single-track path or go to Uni. Not bad for a “stop-gap” year 😉