The most important jobs are the first ones

I often say that my journey started when I handed out flyers and got my first jobs in the neighbourhood.

But it wasn’t quite that simple. Because behind those first flyers was my dad.

He was the one who helped me print them. He encouraged me when I was nervous. And he got me to actually take those first steps: going out, handing out flyers and eventually even knocking on a few doors.

It might sound like a small thing. But for me, it became something big 🚀

There’s something special about those first jobs. Something happens. You learn to be on time. Take responsibility. Talk to adults. Take feedback. Do a good job even when no one is standing beside you.

Or, as many parents tell us, you start to stand a little taller. Because nothing beats the feeling of: “I did this myself.”

Those first jobs matter more than you might think

And this isn’t just how I feel. According to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, early work experience (between the ages of 15 and 20) is the strongest indicator of whether a young person will have a job later in life.

Having worked at some point during upper secondary school increases the chance of being employed at age 20 by more than 230%. Having a job at 20 increases the chance of having one at 25 by 67%. And having a job at 25 increases the chance of having one at 29 by 210%.

In other words: the first job lays the foundation for the next one 🥉 And the next 🥈 And the one after that 🥇

You don’t have to print flyers

I was lucky to have a dad who believed in me and encouraged me to take that first step. Not every parent has the time, energy or opportunity to do that themselves. And that’s exactly why Yepstr exists.

So far, almost 200,000 young people have used Yepstr to look for their first job. That’s 200,000 times someone has found the courage to knock on a door, write an application or make that first call.

But competition for jobs is tough. Too tough. Only around 10% of the young people who apply get an opportunity. There simply aren’t enough jobs to genuinely improve the prospects of young people on a broader scale.

That’s why this is just as much about us adults.

What recurring tasks take up your time and energy?

Maybe it’s the stressful preschool pick-up every Thursday, taking care of the recycling every week, or the Sunday household reset with cleaning, dishes, laundry and folding the kids’ clothes?

A small thing for you. But that small job could change a young person’s life for the better, forever.

Give a young person the chance to help you too. Because that first job, however small, could be the thing that truly changes a young person’s life. And through that, our entire society 🧡

Best regards,

Jacob Rudbäck

CEO & Founder, Yepstr