Do teens still get Saturday jobs?

[JC03745]

I see so many threads- my 22yr old is going for their 1st interview, my 18yr old has never worked etc. I'm mid 40's and from 14, myself and friends all had some sort of Saturday/after school job- supermarket or retail etc which I continued until I'd finished uni.
I don't have kids. Is getting a part-time job no longer done, or is it just on MN it seems so uncommon?

My dd got her first job at 16. She was amongst the first of her friends but most of them had jobs by 17.

We are also in a tourist area. Endless opportunities for teens from 14 for waiting tables and potwashing.
Where we lived previously, despite being a fairly prosperous bit of the SE, less chances due to the lack of shops/ auto tills etc.

My 15 year old dd works in a play centre cafe on a Saturday. My 12 year old delivers leaflets for a local firm as and when on weekends too.

My teen works 8 hours a week. It went up to nearer 13/14 before Xmas which was too much.

Her standard is 4 hours a day which is a bit of a pain but luckily her Saturday shift is usually 4-8. So she likes that as it gives her time to revise/ do stuff in the day.

She doesn't really go out much so working into a Saturday evening doesn't bother her - occasionally she will request earlier hours if a party is happening but that's very rare. She can also ask to do her hours in just one day if ahead of time has plans. They are fairly good with accommodating changes.

I agree. DD1 set up an Etsy business selling quite niche animé inspired jewellery that she'd made. It did surprisingly well and she could manage it around homework.

Mine both started at 16, and now at 19 and 21 still have them during the uni holidays.
My 21 year old wasn't asked anything about his degree going for a graduate job, but lots about his part time work.

Mine had Sunday paper rounds at 13 which developed into a cafe pot wash and waiting in a chippy at 15 which turned into Tesco and River Island jobs at 18 & 16 respectively.

Start them as young as you’re able IMO, their work ethic now as young adults is fantastic.

My 14 year old is desperate for a job but no-one will take on a teen around here.

A lot of places won't take teens on until they are 16. Most teens I know get a job after GSCEs. Events work seems to be particularly popular as it gives flexibility and transport is generally provided.

My 18yo has just taken 4 A Levels and it was a lot of work, so no, getting a weekend job was not the best option for him.

My son is 15 and he works in a pharmacy on a Sunday for 4 hours. My nephew is the same age and he gets paid to be a referee at football matches. Both boys got their jobs by volunteering there first and then they got offered paid jobs.

I think a lot of places won't take on 15 year olds but both boys have a passion for what they are doing. My son wants to be a doctor or something in that field so working in the pharmacy means a lot to him so they probably thought they may as well keep him on because if they employed a 16 year old or older just for the sake of it they might not be as keen.
My nephew absolutely loves football and was there every weekend anyway playing matches and helping the younger kids.

My other son got a job in McDonald's when he was 16 and then joined the RAF at 16 and a half so he wasn't really bothered about work experience or a job before 16 but he knew doing nothing at 16 wasn't an option. If he had chosen to do something like particularly difficult A levels then I wouldn't have been bothered if he had a job or not.

My 16 yr old has handed out lots of CVs and applied to anywhere with an ad up in house or online, but got nothing. I think 16 yr old boys are not desirable for many roles. He is really frustrated by this. I am too. He has been off since early June and is doing nothing, it's not good for him.

DD has had 2 jobs since she was 16 as well as doing GCSEs then A levels. Most around here seem to work from 16.

My dd2 has been trying to get a job since she was 15 but had knockbacks from everywhere she applied. Shes 17 now, just had her level 2 in childcare and had a job offer from her local nursery and has just started there full time.

she did volunteer though in our local school and brownies just so she was doing something.

i think it’s harder for teens these days to get jobs

My children both worked in their teens before they went to Uni, where they also had pt jobs. They wanted money so they had to work.

My oldest got his first part time job at 18. Most places here seem to say 18, those that worked earlier got jobs through family/friends.

We were happy that he concentrated on his GCSEs and A levels before getting a part time job anyway. Along with studying and sports, he was fairly busy. He's at uni now and only works over the holidays.

DD is 23yo, graduate with a good degree, currently working in the area of her degree.

She worked p/t from 16yo, in a boarding kennels, then a barista.

She says a lot of her friends from uni can't get any sort of job, not office admin work, not shop work, etc. She says there are hardly any jobs. Surprised me.

Both my DD's had weekend jobs before leaving secondary school as did most of their friends.

My dad.

Well he would but the shop has stopped delivering. I'm not sure if he would pay a teen to go get the paper for him, I must ask.

Although I'm not sure he would want to pay much.

My sons friends all have jobs, but not before they turned 16. Lots of places wouldn't take them.

I'm almost 40 and have had a job since I was 16, part time ones while studying. There were few jobs for under 16s even when I was that age. Paper rounds maybe but a lot of work for bugger all pay. I got a part time Saturday job as soon as I was 16 though.

22 and 18 seem a bit older for first jobs

Maybe her friends are too picky with first jobs, and the older you get with no work experience the harder it is even for low level jobs. Some people expect too much straight from uni. Your daughter has done well

I had a magazine round from about 15. Then worked as a waitress from 17.

Both dds got jobs at 17, one in a shop and one at McDonald's

DD struggled till she was approaching 16, but I worked from 14 in retail and a cafe/restaurant. I think its different life lessons to be honest and actually as important as school - teaches them to deal with adults as bosses, colleagues and customers. Teaches them to handle money, even budgetting etc if you make them responsible for their own expenses etc. Mine has just done her first year at Uni on a course with mon to Fri timetabling and lots of out of hours work but she in the last 6 months has managed 2 shifts a week sat and sun in a cafe, saved 1K for her deposit on new place for next year, gigs and tattoos which are her two "things" although am glad no more tattoos at the moment due to budget constraints lol.

I get the need for some to focus on schooling BUT we don't want everyone to be complete academics and useless practically and without common sense. We owe it to our kids to create all rounders who can cope with responsibility and life in general.