Does your 16 year old have a part time job?

[SK1973]

And if so, what do they do?

DD16 left school last week and will go to college in September.

She is desperate to get a weekend/summer job but my goodness they are so difficult to come across. When I was that age (many, many years ago) weekend jobs were so easy to get and I could leave one on a Friday and start a new one Monday.

Dd1 has worked since she was 14, clearing plates at the local pub on a Sunday. She is now 28 and one of the most independent people I know. She has never been out of work.

I really do think all teens should be encouraged to get a little part time job as it helps them deal with many many types of people and situations.

DD does 2/3 hours a week helping at a swim school. Hopefully she will do her lifeguard training this summer. She also does some ad hoc holiday let cleaning.

I have to agree. My (now 19 year old) ds tried all of those things when he was younger, even purchasing an old lawn mower but he gained little work as most people employed adult professionals to do those jobs.

Totally agree, for self confidence more than anything.

100% regarding confidence.

Makes me chuckle when some parents don’t expect their kids to work even in uni! 😁

Yes DS works in a cafe - a short four hour shift on Saturdays. He’s 15. It’s been so good for him, social skills, responsibilities, and earning.

Have a 16 year old in the same boat, desperate for a job and can't get one. My older DD found similar, the restrictions on hours a 16 year old can work, the fact they can't serve alcohol and that they need longer breaks mean that many of the restaurant and coffee shop chains just don't bother. She eventually found a job at Next who were very good to her - set shift of 6 hours on a Sunday, she was never kept late and didn't have to do the ridiculous early openings at sale time.

You can get lots of self-confidence by volunteering, it doesn't have to be a paid job.

DD is a Young Leader and helps with the Beavers for 3 years now. She looked into volunteering at a local English Heritage site but timing doesn't fit with her needing to write a history essay throughout the Summer holidays.

I would prefer my child does something which brings skills and is in relation to her chosen field than earning money as a priority.

None of mine worked until after school exams finished
They were involved in youth organisation ,sports teams and music groups
They have their whole lives to work

I would prefer my child does something which brings skills and is in relation to her chosen field than earning money as a priority.

I think it would be pretty rare to find a part time job that didn't involve learning any skills. Working with others, time management, prioritising, communication ... are ones that jump to mind but there are lots more.

There are limited opportunities for 16 year olds to do things "in relation with their chosen field" even if they know what that is, which many won't.

And many 16 year olds actually just like the idea of having some of their own money to spend on what they want :)

Another thing to say about part time jobs, is that having some actual work experience is also useful for gaining apprenticeships or jobs once they get to 18.

DS works as front of house in a local theatre. He got the role when he was 16 - it was advertised on Indeed I think.

dd volunteered at an animal rescue from 14.5.

She got offered a job in a high street store the month before she turned 16 and started after her birthday.

It took her about 2 months and maybe 20 applications to get it. Harder for her as she was not 16 until end of holidays.

You need to be fast - she missed a call from Asda in her first week off applying for jobs and when she finally managed to call them 2 hours later (engaged / no answer until then) they told her to late all interview slots had gone and she was too late!

She has been lucky - her employer pays well and also seems to treat her well. She is planning to stay as long as she can.

As a recruiter and a manager in a professional and competitive sector I really value and can see the difference in applicants and young staff members who have work experience dating back to early teens.

It’s not only social skills, it’s ability to navigate awkward conversations with customers / clients who are “always right”, and need to be handled diplomatically, it’s learning a hard (physical and mental) work ethic even when the work they’re asked to do is boring or feels pointless or they disagree with management’s strategy.

They show up and work all their hours, they plug away, they get on with team mates even if they’re annoying, they are more humble, and they are more solutions oriented than young people who don’t do any paid work urnil they’re in their twenties. They’re also she ones I tend to promote. And more likely to value as a self starter.

Each to their own but I’m a big advocate for a Saturday job starting as young as possible!

Agree with all of this

Agree with all of this , too.

Sorry this has happened to your dc, but I don't think it is fair to say "All" places.
Between them, my dc have probably had probably 20 + jobs over the 6th form and university years, and there has only been one that treated them poorly.

Things like they have played in the football team for 5 years - shows commitment.
Same with being Grade 5 pianist - shows commitment to practising.
Being in an orchestra / jazz band again shows commitment
Having a Queen's Guide or Chief Scout Award, shows commitment over just 'going along', and that they have 'stepped up' and completed things
First Aid Qualifications - even if not needed for the role, shows the YP has given time to gain it (and you never know when it might be needed!)
Coach or Assistant Teacher in their swimming club / rugby Team / Netball club etc - shows they have committed their time and stepped up to help others
Young Leader in Scouts (and I presume other Youth organisations have similar schemes)
Other volunteering that maybe started through DofE, but they then kept on after the minimum 3 months.
Babysitting - may well have been family or good friends, but people who know you have trusted you with their dc
Some schools have 'prefect' or 'house captain' type roles for Yr 11s or below, most will have some kind of school council under one name or another.

There's probably hundreds more, but it is about making yourself look a bit more reliable, and showing that you have a bit more initiative than the next person.

Completely disagree with this advice. Every single place will tell her that the vacancies are online. Times have changed.

McDonald's,. Morrisons, Sainsbury's and local restaurants/ cafes and wildlife park all employed my DC and their friends at that age - very recently.
However it can be really hard, some employers won't look at under18s, we live near a university city and zero chance of 16 year old being employed there as too competitive but smaller nearby towns are more likely.
Most employers give zero hour contracts but expect employees to be available 24/7 at the drop of a hat and do not like it if they they say no I can't do that shift. Makes planning for anything even something simple like a dental checkup really hard/ impossible. Employers are now also very fond of unpaid trial shifts - particularly at weekends or bank holidays!
Definitely not as easy as when I was that age in late 80s early 90s.
But the right job can really boost they self esteem and confidence and make them grow up as well as given some money!

bendmeoverbackwards
unless they’re in a city you’ll actually find most places will deal with you one to one. In the last few years I worked in two big franchises that were part of giant stores and they still hired that way when they had an immediate vacancy (One last year) The hotel near us, the petrol stations, book shops, nearly the only ones that didn’t have signs in the window at one stage or another would be Tesco and McDonald’s

If your DD is having a hard time getting around the 'no experience' problem, maybe she could volunteer in a charity shop while continuing to look elsewhere. Shop experience (especially cash register) can lead to work elsewhere.

My DCs mainly babysat, though DS joined a local odd job crew and made more per hour. At 16 they all found office gofer work.

All work develops skills - don't underestimate the value of showing up on time and ready to work, dealing with difficult people, and generally getting over yourself are all solid elements of growth that pretty much every job offers for teens.

Not round here they haven't - not for really young workers with no experience.

It's mostly online applications for the big chains etc but the majority of 16yos around here tend to end up working in small independent shops, cafes and restaurants etc, which mostly tend to rely more on f2f approaches. Just about the only ones in dd's friendship group that managed to find jobs at that age did so by going in to places in person. And the ones who started off sending in online applications soon changed tactics!

Agree especially independent shops take walk in applications- that brief conversation the cafe / shop / business owner has with the teen as they hand over their short CV also serves as an informal interview, shows the teen has gumption and can make a good first impression.

Another who agrees with @stayathomer
Sainsburys / Tesco etc want you to apply on line, but with the small businesses, turn up in person and it is the luck of if they have a vacancy at that time.

But also for them to let their friends know they are looking. Many employers will say to their employees - anyone know anyone who wants a job? When you are talking about an extra person over the Summer type jobs.