Your first job will teach you lessons about how to rely on yourself and interact with all sorts of people that you can’t learn anywhere else, but getting a job is not easy. It can be a lot of work, from prepping resumes to knocking an interview out of the park, and none of it is particularly appealing, but I’m here to give you advice based on my experience. I’ve had three jobs in the last three years, and have had to go through hard application processes for all of them. With that in mind, here are eight tips to land your first job:

1. Keep your eyes open

Once you decide that you are looking for a job, it is important to change your perspective as you go about your day-to-day life. Start paying attention to the places you frequent, and notice the skills required of workers at those spots. In particular, keep your eyes open for signs advertising open positions; applying to companies that badly need workers gives you the upper hand, even if you think you don’t meet all of the requirements.

2. Tell friends and family

In the same way that you should be on the lookout for job ideas, it can be incredibly helpful to get your close network thinking the same way. By telling friends and family that you are seeking employment, you may prompt novel ideas on where to look, or even a job offer. You never know what might happen when you get the people you know on your side.

3. Work on your resume

The resume is the thing that separates the people who get the job from those who don’t even get an interview. Even if you are the best person for the job, if you have a subpar resume, you can kiss your employment chances goodbye. That’s why a solid, concise resume is a must-have before you start sending applications in. A quick Google search will return thousands of tips and templates, but there are a few general principles that you should always focus on: keep the resume short (one page is the norm), readable (pay attention to the format and language), and informative (remember, it’s all about the skills and experiences that are relevant to the job).

4. Use sites like Indeed.com

In many ways, the job market is a numbers game, and employment websites are where the action’s at. These sites, indeed.com the chief among them, allow you to quickly filter for jobs in your area who are looking for candidates like you. These companies make a living connecting employees with employers as efficiently as possible, meaning that sending in a job application is usually as easy as importing in your resume and answering a few questions. In other words, using employment websites is one of the best ways to find a job, especially when you’re otherwise lost.

5. Look for the personal touch

As a wise man once said, the job market is a bit of a numbers game, meaning you should apply to lots of jobs where you have a chance of getting accepted. However, if employment websites make it super easy for you to apply to a bunch of jobs, they also make it as easy for other candidates just like you to do the exact same thing. While you should apply for as many of these online jobs as you can, you should keep in mind that your chance of standing out in such a crowded field is pretty low. That’s why you should also take other, more personal steps when applying. Applications on company websites themselves are often slightly harder to find, meaning you will be competing against a smaller pool. Additionally, consider going in-person, with your resume and a nice shirt, to businesses, especially those that are actively advertising openings. Some places will tell you they only accept online applications, which is discouraging for sure, but if you are successful, putting a face to a name will help you stand out.

6. Go through your school

While you should definitely include friends and family in the job search, don’t forget about teachers, guidance counselors, and coaches. Teachers and counselors, especially those who understand what you specifically bring to the table, have seen hundreds of students before in the same situation as you. And, with many high-school aged students working jobs at camps or as coaches for younger kids, your sports coaches may be able to connect you with opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to you.

7. Value connections

To put it bluntly, you have a much better chance of landing a job if you already have some sort of in with the company you are applying to. This makes sense; not only would the company be doing a favor to someone they know, but they would also be hiring someone they know to be trustworthy. So, if you have a friend or family member who has the ability to give you a job, or get you one, it can’t hurt to ask for that favor.

8. Pay attention to presentation

After all of this work, even if you are the best candidate for the jobs you apply to, if you interview poorly, you can kiss your employment chances goodbye. So, throughout the process, pay just a little more attention to how you present yourself to employers. Show up to your interview dressed a bit nicer than you think is necessary, bring a freshly printed copy of your resume, and take care to use the best language possible.

Having a job in high school taught me how to deal with difficult situations and helped me meet all sorts of new people. In addition, it taught me finance and personal responsibility skills, including managing my own checking account and showing up to work on time. In other words, getting a service job in high school was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. That’s why I hope these eight tips will help you in your search for your first job.