Hi, my name is Lolita Jenkins. I'm a student from Youth Radio and the topic I am talking about today is my struggle to find a job.

My struggle started at 16. I wanted a job and I was in high school so asked all my teachers "Can you help me get a job?" They told me that all I have to do is just go down to where I want to work and ask for an application.

It wasn't that simple. I went to get a application and the person who I asked for an application said that I was to young to work. At the time, I wasn’t trippin. I planned to go on about my days until I got to be 18.

But now that I am past 18 it’s still hard even though I want to be independent. It is hard because I'm shy. But the biggest difficulty is that I feel like I should be further along than I am, instead of asking people for help to filling out an application to get a job.

Peep our very first episode of "Outta Pocket!" In this series of video shorts, we'll be showing you just what happens when 'keeping it real goes wrong.' Most of us know someone who might have great knowledge (computer skills, nunchuk skills, bowfighting skills), but can't ever seem to keep a job! That's usually because the person has a hard time switching things up for the workplace- the fancy professional name for this is called "soft skills."

We didn't only name this series "Outta Pocket" because the characters are acting outta pocket (the east coast homies might call this buggin!). When we forget to change things up depending on where we are, it could literally take money out our pockets because we can't get the jobs we need.

So if you recognize some of your own mistakes... let's just say you've come to the right place. We'll always follow up our what NOT to do segments with our parallel series- "Act Right." 

Side Hustlin'- The first episode of Youth Radio's series about those extra money getting hustles we get into when our pockets get empty. New Options Host Venus Morris interviews Howard University Senior Pendarvis Harshaw about what he did to make ends meet during the last school year.