Leah got her first job at 16 - two years later, she's completed 152 assignments

Leah was 16 when she started to feel it was time to get her first job. Her friends had started earning their own money for lunches, trips and other fun things — and she wanted to do the same.

The only problem was her schedule. Leah went to a school where the timetable changed every six weeks, which made a regular part-time job with fixed hours hard to fit in.

Then a friend told her about Yepstr.

Today Leah is 18, in her final year of high school, and has completed 152 assignments. She's Level 9 of 10 on Yepstr and has done everything from babysitting and kids' birthday parties to christenings and street interviews.

But it all started with a nervous 16-year-old, a mum and her five-year-old son.

Her first interview became her first job

Leah's very first job came from the first family she interviewed with.

"I was really lucky! I remember being nervous before I went over, but when they welcomed me into their home and we got to talk, everything just felt right."

The family was a mum and her then five-year-old son. What started as a first babysitting job soon became something recurring.

Two years later, Leah still works for the same family.

"I say 'works' because I get paid, but now that I know the family so well it feels more like I'm there to have fun."

For the mum, it meant having someone she could trust and reliable help with everyday life. For Leah, it became the beginning of something bigger.

"They will always be my most valuable family. Not just because I have fun when I'm there, but because the mum gave me the opportunity for the enormous growth I've gone through since then."

"You were the only one who treated the interview like a conversation"

Leah later found out she hadn't been the only one who applied. The mum had interviewed four girls before making up her mind.

Leah asked why she chose her.

She hasn't forgotten the answer:

"You were the only one who treated the interview like a conversation rather than a one-sided interrogation."

It has shaped how Leah herself thinks about what it takes to succeed in a first job.

"If I had to give one key piece of advice to other young people about their first babysitting job, I think engagement is the most important thing. Show that you're interested in the job, show that you want to build a relationship with the child, and show that you're there to learn."

And above all: no one is expected to know everything from the start.

"You won't get everything right the first, second or even third time. But with time, you learn."

From babysitting to birthday parties, christenings and street interviews

Once the first job was done, it became easier to keep going.

"What I love about Yepstr is that after the first job, everything went so smoothly from there."

And the jobs have become far more varied than Leah ever imagined.

"I've organised kids' birthday parties focused on spa and hair braiding. I've worked at christenings where I served food and made coffee."

She's also started working on Yepstr's social media content, where she and other young people do things like street interviews.

All in all: 152 completed assignments in two years.

The time Leah fell asleep on the job

152 assignments also means 152 chances for things not to go entirely to plan.

One evening, Leah was babysitting for a family she had recently met. The shift was from 4 to 10 pm, and by eight o'clock she had put the kids to bed.

Then she sat down in front of the TV to wait for the parents to come home.

"When the parents got home, I had accidentally fallen asleep on the sofa! I was a bit embarrassed, but we all laughed about it together."

It's a story she can laugh at today — and maybe also a pretty good example of what starting work is actually like.

Not everything goes perfectly. It doesn't have to, either.

"From a nervous 16-year-old to an 18-year-old who knows exactly how to ace the next one"

Starting work gave Leah her own money, but she noticed pretty quickly that she got other things out of it too.

"Starting work at a young age made me grow up fast, but not in a bad way. I suddenly had more opportunity to do things with friends, go out to eat with my partner and manage my schedule more efficiently."

Now she's about to begin her final year of high school.

"When I look back at the past few years, I can see how much I've grown. From being a nervous, brand-new 16-year-old heading to her first interview, to an 18-year-old who now knows exactly how to ace the next one."

If she could give one piece of advice to her 16-year-old self, it would be to relax a little.

"Don't stress, but still do your best. As long as you do your best, it doesn't matter whether you get the job or not. If you don't get it, it wasn't meant for you — and there are a hundred other jobs waiting."

Leah's advice for those taking their first job

After 152 assignments, there are a few things Leah thinks are especially worth keeping in mind.

• Show engagement. Be curious about the job and the person you're helping.
• Make the interview a conversation. Ask your own questions instead of just answering the client's.
• Be open to learning. No one expects you to know everything from the start.
• Don't be afraid of mistakes. What matters is that you learn and improve next time.
• Don't stress about a no. A job that doesn't become yours doesn't mean the next one won't.

Leah's advice for those hiring a young Yepp

After two years on the other side, Leah also has a clear message for adults who hire young people.

"Be clear about your needs in relation to what the Yepp can offer. Have open conversations where you can build a relationship of trust and care together."

For Leah, trust is everything.

"When a young person feels that the adult trusts them, it becomes easier to take responsibility and make everyday life run more smoothly. And hopefully you as a parent can also feel safe knowing your child is in good hands."

It's easy to see a babysitting shift as a few hours of help for a parent trying to get through the week.

But for the person who comes to that family's home, the same shift might be their first job interview, their first pay cheque and their first real experience to put on a CV.

In Leah's case, that first family's trust led to another 151 assignments.

"It was my first step into working life"

When Leah joined Yepstr, the goal was fairly simple: she wanted to earn a bit of extra money.

Two years later, she describes the value differently.

"For me, Yepstr has been so much more than just a way to earn extra money. It was my first step into working life, but it has also given me experiences, relationships and above all a confidence in myself that I think will stay with me long after high school is over."

And perhaps that's exactly where the first family's booking had the greatest impact.

A mum needed help with her five-year-old.

A 16-year-old needed someone willing to give her her first job.

Two years later, they're still helping each other.

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