Best way to gain a job as a teenager

[summerdip]

My 17 Yr old needs to find a part-time job. What should he do to maximise chances?

They seem so scarce on our first look.

He's open to any kind of job.

[BertieBotts]

Keep handing out CVs. What kind of places are you looking?

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

Write a good CV
Call around places himself (rather than you doing it for him)
Check company websites online

Best PT jobs for that age are waiting on - a lot of these places take on casual staff but they get offered evening/weekend work. Contact Hotels with banqueting facilities (always need saturday staff especially coming into the wedding season)

[twentyten]

Try seasonal,places- golf club restaurants/ pubs/ bars etc. think about any contacts you have he can talk to. Most jobs are not advertised- too many will apply!!

[MaureenMLove]

Get on Indeed.co.uk.

Upload a CV and all other things it asks for and just apply for anything and everything within your area.

It's really, really tough out there, but there are jobs if he's prepared to graft to get one!

DD finished a job on March and spent 3 months looking for anotherm until we found this site. We both spent an entire day applying for jobs during the half term holiday. It's mindnumbingly boring, to have to do all the aptitute tests, but if you want a job, you'll do what it takes!

She got 5 offers of interviews within about 2 weeks, which typically she didn't take up after all that! On the same day that we'd done all the filling in, she happened to go to Nandos with some friends, saw they were recruiting, asked what she needed to do and they gave her a trial day the next day! She got the job.

[Kaboomwillhappen]

Having spent years recruiting staff, usually teenagers, a few things I look for:

• not just a cv handed in but a covering letter, which includes why they want to work for us.
  
• include some interests on the cv, I like to know what you do in your spare time, as well as your qualifications
  
• make sure the cv is easily readable. so the text is not too small, spacings are used etc.
  
• if handing cv's into places by hand, look presentable, it's the companies first impression of you.
  
• if they are a smoker, make sure the application doesnt reek of smoke. (thats another story)

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Be enterprising, go door to door offering to mow the grass, was a car or whatever looks like it needs doing. (Know limits and the law: no driving other people, looking after their children with CRB checks, experience & references or anything unsafe).

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Consider part time voluntary work first.
Try cleaning companies and others which employ low skilled labour, for seasonal cover.

[summerdip]

Thanks.

Do keep the ideas coming.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

Make things to sell...could be cakes or bird tables or whatever he has the resources and abiliy for.

[YeGodsAndLittleFishes]

(The voluntary work qas separate to the cleaning btw...it is just to have something on the cv and to build up good experience for a couple of hours a week....cleaning companies can't get enough male cleaners.)

[ISingSoprano]

Look for cards in shop windows - even high street chains. Look out too for pubs,restaurants and cafes being refurbished as they may be hiring and training a new team - ds got his pib job that way when he was 17

[ToAvoidConversation]

Get him bar work ASAP when he's 18. Bar experience will give him loads of access to all kinds of job ime.

[Smugfearnleyshittingstool]

Start early, my dd has a job at. 13 washing up and helping out in a restaurant.
I would never employ somebody who's mum calls for them. The need to be confident to call in or pick up the phone.
My dd has a debit card and earns at least £30 a week. I know 18 year olds with less common sense and work ethic that her, largely due to not working from a young age I think, and being waited on hand and foot at home! .

[bruffin]

My DD 16 has got work from volunteering at an SN playscheme. She and friend have both been offered respite care for a few hours a week, although they both volunteered since they were 12 and well known at the club.

Both my DC also have lifeguard qualifications (a week course) and DS 18 has been working at the local leisure centre for the last two years

[Lunaballoon]

My dd did a course to become a lifeguard when she was about 16/17. That led to lots of work at our local sports centre and also led her to train to become a swimming teacher. She's now at uni but her swim teaching work is a nice earner in the holidays and at weekends.

[upyourninja]

I'd recommend going to places with CV and even covering letter in hand. At 16 I got my first waitressing job by stopping by in person and I later took a second job at a golf club the same way. Much, much better than phoning or emailing, just tell him to make sure he is presentable, polite, and makes eye contact. Anyone can whizz off a CV from their email but many businesses still aren't geared up to deal with applications that way.

I had 5 years of waitressing, bar, and catering experience when I left university which then helped me to get admin and temp jobs until I was able to start working on my chosen profession.

[lljkk]

When I was 13 & again at 15 I wrote or photocopied (no printers in those days!) loads of little notes I put thru all the doors within a 15 minute walk offering to do various kinds of work (babysitting, gardening, housework). That was really productive, got loads of jobs. DS argues that what I did was insane & no one will respond (but really he's just lazy & lacks confidence).

[GemmaTeller]

Make a CV up, dress smart and give it ou personally to shops.

My DSD did this and went round all the shops in the Trafford Centre - she was offered a part time job by the end of the day!

[Mitzi50]

DC children both got jobs by putting on best clothes and asking. This is the way most of the local teenagers have managed to get jobs. DC are both waiter/ess. The pay seems better than shop work and they get tips.

[Alonglongway]

DD1 volunteered on the local library summer reading scheme and got a weekend paid role on the back of the experience. DD2 just signed up to volunteer in hope of following the same path

[flumperoo]

It might be worth looking on gumtree

[LaceyLitch]

I would always recommend to year 10's to take their work experience seriously. Nearly all of my friends 'worked' with their parents (read: 2 weeks holiday) and got nothing out of it. I got the piss took out of me because I went to work as a hotel maid. At the end of the two weeks I had a job and they still had to ask mummy and daddy for spends. Don't underestimate the value of work ex.

Other than that the best way is as other posters have said go around personally and hand out CV's. Attire is crucial, smart causal. Don't go with mates. Don't look like you are just out for the day shopping and thought you would chuck a CV to a few shops whilst there. Go with purpose. When I went to my uni town I was shocked to see the whole town centre swamped with gaggles of freshers wearing trainers and t shirts handing out CV's.

Have different CVs for different jobs i.e. one for retail, one for bar work etc.

[Rivercam]

Until recently, I worked I a outdoor shop. Those that got interviews ( of all ages), either had previous retail experience, or was interested in the shops business. Ie. scouts, Dof E, etc.

Therefore, do volunteer work in charity shops, at Brownies/guides if wanting to work with children, with local footballs team if wanting to work in sports centre etc.

We used to get cvs handed to us daily, even when not advertising for Jobs, and it was those with relevant experience, and who showed an interest in the job they were applying for, that didn't get binned straight away.

Also, if you want retail work, don't hand your cv out to the nearest person. Make a point of presenting it nicely, and introducing yourself to the manager. It was amazing how many teens would mumble something and. Not be outgoing, which you need in retail.

[Eleanor02]

My DCs have worked at temporary events/exhibitions - very long hours but plenty of young company. If you know of any shows (country shows/vintage events etc etc) coming up in your area (and Summer is usually quite fruitful), phone the HR departments. They may direct you to an agency but, either way, can be a shot of money (and experience and company) for a few days at least - and a foot in the door.

Round our way, Sainsburys seems to be recruiting lots, including a number of part time and temporary posts.

Summer activity staff, working with children on eg English Language courses. Not teaching them as such but helping with the social side of their trips. Actually, if your DC is at all interested in something like this, a first aid qual would be useful and/or something like a young leader's qualification. One of my DCs obtained one with the YHA (see their website for young leaders courses). Could come in useful in the future.

[hamptoncourt]

Definitely apply in person. My DS got a job age 13 by just rocking up and being bold.

DD 17 has had a variety of fashion retail jobs. A lot of them advertise online. If you have a big shopping mall near you sometimes all the jobs are advertised on the malls website.

What are his interests? If he likes skateboarding then he could ask at a skate shop etc etc.

Try smaller privately owned places who might not get hit up so often.

Good luck!