What's the most important part of a job application?

I'm thinking about applying for some part-time jobs during high school. What should I focus on as the most important component of my application to make sure I stand out to employers?

One of the key elements of any job application is the resume—it's often the first way you'll present yourself to potential employers. On your resume, you'll want to highlight any previous experience, skills, and accomplishments that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Even if you don't have any formal work experience, you might still have experience through your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or school projects that shows your ability to manage responsibilities or work well as part of a team.

Next, often very critical, is the cover letter. It's your opportunity to make a personalized case for why you're a strong fit for the job. Use it to draw a line between the job duties and your skills or experiences. Sharing a unique story or providing context to your resume can be really impactful here. For example, if you successfully managed a school project and see a lot of project work in the job posting, pinpoint that in your cover letter.

Finally, if your job application includes an interview stage, your communication skills and professionalism can take center stage. Remember, how you present yourself to the potential employer matters, and an interview is your chance to show them how you handle yourself in a professional environment.

Once you've got those pieces in place, the thing that really makes an applicant stand out is enthusiasm. Employers tend to prefer applicants who are enthusiastic about the job and the company. Show enthusiasm by doing your research to understand what the company does and how the job you're applying for fits into that, and then expressing genuine interest or excitement about it in your cover letter and interview.

Best of luck to you in your job search!