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Original poster

Do your teenagers have jobs?

75 replies

TheQueenOfDreams · 16/10/2021 10:00

My 16 yr old ds has been trying really hard to get a part time job but has had no luck whatsoever. Not even an interview. His cv isn’t bad for a 16 yr old. He has done quite a bit of voluntary work including working in a charity shop.
Does anyone hire 16 yr olds?

OP posts:
mbosnz · 16/10/2021 10:20

My 16 year old got a temporary part time contract with JL, and was also sub-contracted as a tutor. Now, as a 17 year old, she's doing 20 hours a week as wait staff in a restaurant.

mbosnz · 16/10/2021 10:21

One thing a friend's son has had quite a bit of success with, was he went door-knocking in the neighbourhood, and a number of people (especially the little old ladies apparently, lol) were very happy to pay for him to mow their lawns.

He's been coining around £100 a weekend, apparently. . .

DrMadelineMaxwell · 16/10/2021 10:26

Yes. She applied for lots of jobs in the summer as a 16yo and didnt get any interviews, then the local residential library/hotel reopened and were open to hiring 16 year olds on casual contracts. She earns 7.50 an hour there in their restaurant doing one evening and a Sunday full day shift and likes it.

toomuchlikemyusername · 16/10/2021 10:32

Yes they do. One got a part time job in a fast food franchise on her first attempt, very half hearted application and CV but did a good interview- definitely fell lucky there! The other tried for 4 months, good CV, put real effort in and came up with nothing. Has just got a part time temp shop job for over the Xmas period.
Both used the Indeed job app to find and eventually get their jobs.

Definitely keep trying, something will come up eventually...

DeJaDont · 16/10/2021 10:33

My 17 year old has had a few interviews this week, mostly it's seasonal staff they are looking for. Hopefully he will get one and then always have something to put on his cv. He's in an interview right now for hood favourite shop in the world and he's said that he will be them for the job. I said he had to stop before he got to tears but it's not a bad thing if he sows them how eager he is to work there. It's a very generic shop where I imagine very few people are actually passionate about it. It's a C minimum wage job but I think he would pay THEM for the honour of working there 😂🤷🏼‍♀️

MadMadMadamMim · 16/10/2021 10:35

Yes, but only in the summer as we are in a tourist area. They've worked for same employer since 14 (is 17 this year), but there's only work from Easter onwards. They are currently working weekends - but this will end at the end of half term.

BearSoFair · 16/10/2021 10:41

WHSmith might, we definitely had some 17 year olds in the branch I worked at and accepted CVs from 16 year olds.

DS1 started working in a local card shop while he was at college, only 8 hours a week but it was a good introduction.

BananaPB · 16/10/2021 10:44

My teens have jobs in retail and hospitality. National chains are handy because when they go to uni they can often have the employee work in their uni city during term time and home town during the holidays.

HadEnoughOfBears · 16/10/2021 11:17

My 17yr old has had a few interviews with high street shops in the past couple of days and is waiting to hear back from them.

waterlego · 16/10/2021 11:22

My DD is lucky as her uncle (DH’s brother) has a shop so she works there on Saturdays. She started when she was 15 and a half and is now 16.

PamDenick · 16/10/2021 11:25

Just a bit if info… The minimum wage for 16 year olds is £4.62 an hour. Lots of the National chains are quite happy to hire 16 year olds, especially fast food… Small versions of Suoermarkets (Tesco Express etc) seem to prefer 18 year olds do can sell booze and fags…

AlexaShutUp · 16/10/2021 11:29

My 16yo works in a cafe one day a week and also in a care home (zero hour contract). Plus she has a tutoring job.

Quite a few of her friends have jobs now too. How is he applying for stuff? At that age, the best approach seems to be proactively going into places with a CV and asking rather than just sending CVs or responding to ads etc.

Takingabreakagain · 16/10/2021 11:31

Hospitality are really struggling for staff across much of the country so where they would normally prefer over 18s they might take on 17yo for waiter jobs. Has your DS tried for this type of job as well as the retail ones?
My DD has been working in a restaurant since just after her 16th birthday last year and there's plenty of others there who aren't 18 yet

Hoppinggreen · 16/10/2021 11:32

No and I would rather she didn’t, although if she wanted to I would support it.
She does do some pet sitting to earn a bit of money

FAQs · 16/10/2021 11:35

My daughter does, found the job on Facebook where most independents advertise.

didireallysaythat · 16/10/2021 11:39

My 15 year old washes up at the pub in the village. 5-10 2 nights a week, sometimes Sundays 11-6. £6 an hour plus share of tips.

Ivy48 · 16/10/2021 11:39

If applying for a supermarket etc you’ll have more lucky applying to work within a department like chillers/veg/clothing if under 18 as being on the tills is tricky as you need approval for any age restricted item.

SockFluffInTheBath · 16/10/2021 11:41

Nope, but only 14 & 15. They can work in the summer break when they’re older. I want them to focus on school and get the best grades they can so they have more choices for uni. It helps build confidence and soft skills but as a teacher I’ve seen that most kids grades are affected when they do more than a just a couple of hours. It’s not worth the risk in my mind.

25yearsnhsworker · 16/10/2021 11:44

Now should be a good time for seasonal work.
Boots, m and s etc.
My Dd streted working in flying tiger at that age and still there now. Her contract is only 4 hours but often gets more hours and loves it. No alcohol to worry about in there so she was till trained on her first shift.

GoodnightGrandma · 16/10/2021 11:44

Mine has a job but she just does it in college holidays, not all the time, and I’d rather this one concentrates on her college work.
My others had jobs and studied, but they were that bit cleverer and could manage it all.

Gherkingreen · 16/10/2021 11:48

DS 17 started a Sunday job at a private pool when he was 16 and now works for a fast food place. It's hard work, learning lots of skills, not great money but important experience in our eyes.
He does about 14 hours a week (one evening/one weekend day) during term time and more in the holidays if he wants.

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 16/10/2021 11:49

My 16 year old tutors, but doesn't have an employed job. She was sought out as a tutor so she didn't even have to advertise or apply. She does have a fairly unusual status though as we live abroad and she tutors German children in English - she's been through the German school system from 3 years old and is fully bilingual and knows the syllabus as well as being on the school website for her good grades, so people actually call her/ come to the door asking her to tutor.

Not really transferable though! A lot of her friends are doing paid apprentiships on a pretty good wage, but that's normal here, and DD chose a full time college route because she wants to be an occupational therapist, so she has less money than her peers.

ODFOgrinch · 16/10/2021 11:49

My 17yo does one evening and a weekend shift at our village supermarket. She is really enjoying it but is exhausted so is thinking of cutting her hours so she can better cope with studying and a social life too.

clockover · 16/10/2021 11:52

McDonald's is the one for 16 year olds according to my teens.

TheChip · 16/10/2021 11:54

My ds has a job alongside an apprenticeship. The job is seasonal though on the beach, so quiet at the minute

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