Anyone else's teen struggling to find a job?

[Shortiepjs]

Mine is 16 and has recently left school. I helped him to do his CV. There wasn't much to go on it but he's done some volunteering with Scouts, plays sports, has done babysitting, won some awards at school. So we included all of that and tried to adapt it to the roles.

He's applied for probably 50 jobs. He got one interview and they said no, not enough experience, that they'd found someone with experience, but they are still advertising the role.

Do teens still go round handing out their CVs? I got him to go into a few small shops but they just took his CV and he never heard back.

he will be competing with uni students back for the very long holidays who will have secured most of the summer jobs already

For a summer job/part time?

Or a permanent full time role?

For the latter I’d expect most 16 year olds to be in some sort of apprenticeship role or further education. I’d expect the number of opportunities straight from school outside of that to be very small tbh
If the former, I’d be surprised if it were difficult tbh - but I do live in an area with seasonal jobs/lots of hospitality etc so maybe that changes things

Same here. He got a "I'll get back to you about a trial shift" chat from a local place he walked in with his cv to but heard nothing again. Contacted them after a week and got told that they will get back to him soon and still nothing.
He's got two lots of volunteering on his cv and was involved with a charity. Plays a sport.
Can't have much more for a 16 yr old.

Part time/weekend/holiday hours.

Some seem to walk into jobs. Wondering where he's going wrong.

@Shortiepjs it's not your ds. My older ds and his cousins all went through the same issue at 16 but were able to get jobs at 18.

I still get my 16 yr old to apply. My 18 yr old can do a fab job application in his sleep now.

My DD was in the same boat. Found that applying on Indeed was useless - she had better luck applying directly via websites and she started her new retail job a few weeks ago 🤩

i can’t think that many employers would happily employ a 16 year old with no experience whatsoever

when they have probably been inundated with school leavers aged 18 saving for gap years and uni students who have been back for 8 weeks already!

But how is anyone supposed to get their first job, how can you get experience if no one will give you the chance?

Or is it a case of employers are more willing to take a chance on older teens.

Has he tried applying for apprenticeships? He might have more luck that way.

He's going to sixth form in September so he looking for part time.

We had a single shelf stacking role that garnered over 200 applications, and a part time school cleaner role that had around 140. It's tough out there. My SIL is a restaurant manager and they were hiring a lot of teens as no one really wanted to work restaurant work, maybe that will be better?

I don't know where you are but DS and most of his friends/school mates went to fast food places or supermarkets - so McDonald's/KFC/Nandos and Tesco (as that's our local).

This was all to work whilst at college though, is he looking for full time? (Not going to college).

but they do get first jobs! just not at 16

at 18 and uni student

i got my first job post a levels

If he wants it enough, he can do it. Stand on a corner with a sign with his CVs - to prove his dedication. Stuff like that. It might take a hit on pride, but employers notice people who are willing to go that "extra mile".

Did they apply online or go in?

What course will he be starting at college? It helps to add this to the CV as shows interests. Include a covering letter, again shows interest. Has he applied for housekeeping roles in hotels, hospitality lates and early shifts, fast food - all those areas are more willing to take a chance on an untried teenager and many roles will have gone to those that applied well before the end of Year 11, as competitions for part-time jobs is huge! Once he has a job, easier to find a better one and the best roles to aim for are those you can fit in with college.

might be worth him posting on the local fb group saying his skills and that he’s looking for his first foot in the door, our local one has teens posting fairly regularly over the holidays and they quite regularly get replies from a variety of more independent businesses

Most applications are on-line, but go direct to the companies you are interested in and not via Indeed!

He'll be doing A Levels in Sept.

So on his CV he's included GCSE predicted grades, what he'll be studying in September. What he's looking for ie willing to work evening/weekend and school holidays. Willing to do everything on the job description and how he meets the person spec.

He's included volunteer work, awards he's won at school for going above and beyond, sports he plays and how he's reliable, a team player., good timekeeping.

He's applied directly to every company that has been advertising within reasonable distance.

My daughter got a job at that age but her friends struggled the only thing I can think of which made her stand out is she phoned the businesses a couple a days after applying/dropping CV off to follow it up, the job she was offered, the first one she tried said they had so many applications she was the only one interviewed because she phoned them up, it showed she was keen and they were impressed with her on the phone.

Thanks, did she ring the stores or recruitment line?

DS applied online for both McDonalds and Tesco. He took McDonald's because Tesco was a seasonal post.

50 local jobs being advertised for very part time work that would be suitable for a 26 year old with no experience… what kind of jobs?

he will have much more luck come september when students return to university

how old was he?