Employment Opportunities for Teenagers

Most people get their first job during their teenage years. This trend is evident during the summer months, when teenagers often work for approximately 8 to 10 weeks on their yearly vacation from classes. Some jobs are ideal for this group of workers, especially seasonal employment or jobs that do not require a lot of previous work experience. Though some of these jobs are not high paying, they do give valuable experience that will help teenagers find a wider variety of employment opportunities in the years to come. Teenagers who seek employment should investigate one of the following employment opportunities and pick the one to which they seem ideally suited.

Less Experience
Great Jobs for 13 14 15 and 16 year olds

• Baby Sitting Caring for younger children for a few hours while their parents are out is a great way to get experience and build positive contacts. The drawback to baby sitting is that CPR certification and/or official training in child care classes may be desired by some parents. Check with the local Red Cross or YMCA to find a local baby sitting class.
• Pet Sitting or Dog Walking Taking care of animals is another great way to build a contact base for later, more formal employment. Also, caring for pets is often less work than caring for young children. Unfortunately, this position may pay less money.
• Lawn Work or Yard Work Helping elderly neighbors with their lawns or working on your own can give great experience to eventually move into lawn care as a lucrative summer or after-school job. Check with clients to see whether they require you to bring your own equipment (like a lawn mower or rake) or will allow you to use theirs. If you use your own equipment, factor these costs into your overall charge.
• Shoveling Driveways or Raking Leaves Though school will likely be in session during the winter and fall seasons, occasional after-school or weekend work can help keep your cash flow steady. Working throughout the year can also lead to more opportunities for summer employment as your client base continually grows.
• Household Chores (ex. Cleaning) Though you probably already help your parents keep their home neat and clean, taking these skills into the work force can earn you some serious cash. As the overall population ages, more and more elderly people are living alone and need assistance. Contact your local senior center and post a flier advertising your household cleaning services.
• Homework Help and Tutoring The great thing of getting paid to give homework assistance to another student is that you have already been trained: at school. Ask your favorite teacher or guidance counselor for the contact information of parents or elementary school teachers who need tutors.

More Experience:
Great Jobs for 15 16 17 and 19 year olds

• Camp Counselor For teenagers who are a little older and already have experience with child care, assistant coaching or tutoring, becoming a camp counselor is a natural step. Many young children attend both day and overnight camps during the summer months and need responsible, fun teenagers to look up to. Especially if older teens have an area of expertise, such as arts and crafts or music, they should apply to be a camp counselor.
• Cashier Being a bagger or cashier at a local store will help get that first real job on your resume. Getting your foot in the door early will help you advance through the ranks and have a better job next summer. Making the move from bagger at a grocery store to cashier will also give you a raise.
• Child Care Assistant After acquiring some baby sitting experience, it might be possible to get a job at a local child care center or daycare. While these businesses will have older people with more experience in charge of the children, they always need more hands to help with activities and the occasional runny nose. If you like very young children, a job at a daycare center as an assistant may be for you.
• City or Town Summer Jobs Program Many towns throughout the country have created summer work programs for local teenagers. Check with your school principle or counselor to see if such a program exists. These programs often involve working outside in local parks or in the community recreation center.
• Fast Food or Restaurant Not everyone realizes it, but working in the fast food industry can yield great rewards. Once you have experience in the food industry, you are more likely to qualify for a job as a waiter or hostess at a nice restaurant. Think of your summer in the kitchen flipping burgers as a step in the right direction.
• Hospitality (Hotels or Resorts) If you are lucky enough to get a position in the hospitality industry, it will be hard work but will lead to lots of rewards later on. Not only will you gain valuable experience and probably earn some perks (maybe a free round of golf on the resort course) but these positions look great on a resume when you apply for more lucrative positions in college or after high school.
• Lifeguard Not only will you get a great tan as a lifeguard, you will probably have a lot of fun. Lifeguards often meet other young people who work at the pool, a perk of this position. If you enjoy swimming and you can take the required training courses to earn lifeguard certification, this position is definitely for you.
• Office Assistant Like so many of the jobs on this list, working as an office assistant can lead to great employment opportunities later in life. It will be much easier to land a job after high school with one of these jobs. Though you will have to be more professional while your friends spend the summer at the pool, you will earn more money and gain much more experience. Plus, working in an office may give you insight into potential career paths you could pursue.

To attain one of these coveted positions, teenagers should do one or all of the following. Ask your high school guidance counselor for job postings that may be sent to the school. This crucial step could also lead to a recommendation, which is an added bonus. Look at the local want ads in the newspaper or on a website like CareerBuilder.com. Walk around a local downtown center or the mall to try and spot “help wanted” signs. Inquire at local community pools. If you want to work for a private pool, resort or country club, ask members of these organizations whether they are hiring. Always be polite and presentable in your job search and send a thank you note to anyone who offers you guidance or assistance.