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's 16 not 26.

Yes he has applied for a lot. Supermarkets, cinema, retail, shoe shops, soft play places.

I'm not sure why that is hard to believe.

We are having exactly the same problems. DS wants to find a job that he can continue through 6th form. He has applied for so many. Most of the retail jobs seem to require too many hours to fit in around A Levels. I have said to him he probably needs to start looking once the university students go back (we are not in a university town).

Tescos here say a minimum of 16 hours. Most of their vacancies are all 18+ anyway.

Yes a lot of the supermarkets advertise 8-10 hour contracts but seem to want full flexibility.

My nephew walked into a shop he liked, asked if they had any hours going and he got a job there and then!

I recommend kids show initiative- call or go in. Prove you want it. Prove you’re mature. As application forms don’t show that

That's what I'm hopeful for. More jobs coming up in Sept once students have moved on etc.

@Cheetahcubs how long ago was this? Everywhere says apply online.

yes that was a typo

Was it an independent business or chain?

To be fair ds has been into a few places with his CV and they just said they'd pass his CV on, he didn't hear back.

But is it better to approach independent businesses?

This is how I got my first job but that was a very long time ago and things seem to have changed.

he’d need a dbs check for any role with children

how old and what kind of shop?!

McDonald's are big on recruiting teens. A lot of the stores are franchises so it's worth asking to speak to the franchisee, or get their number, if he rings stores. That would work for other fast food places. Of course he can use the HO recruitment channel also.
I think his age poses a bit of a barrier, simply as there's plenty of stuff he legally can't do.
I presume he's applied to all the big supermarkets? I'd say you'd be better off going via HO for those. Experience is always preferred, but it's not really expected among that age group.
Things like call centres and care work are always recruiting, but I think they might need to be 18 plus?

That's the experience in our area. On top of it, we have a large local college where students do p/t jobs all year round and just up the hours during the Summer break.

Other roles won't allow any time off, so no good for a family holiday.

And it is just easier to employ 18+ instead of 16.

Unless you have connections, it is really difficult.

It's really difficult. There just isn't the number of jobs out there and zero hours contracts don't help. Dc has struggled at Uni (age 19) to find work and now relies on his summer job to pay for his next year ahead. Its a tough market.

Mine couldn't get jobs at 16. Only when they turned 18. It was so frustrating (and we live in London so plenty of vacancies)

Honestly I think it’s the wrong time of year , all the year 11 kids are looking for something- having said that my daughter is the same age and has two jobs - cleaning and hair washing in a hairdressers and washing up in a pub .
we seem to have a lot of labourers being asked for locally

At 16 with no experience he would be better going for things things like KP in a pub / hotel / restaurant/ cafe etc. Waiter etc. Also fast food places like KFC, mcdonalds etc. Small cafe, local chippy, kebab shop etc. These kind of jobs tend to be walk in and ask of any hours going.

I think it's a numbers game - he'll get lucky eventually. DD just looked on Indeed daily and kept applying. Her interview was 15 mins long and mostly about what dates she was available, so she almost got it just by turning up.

This was a seasonal zero hours contract though. It suits her. A lot of "Saturday jobs" wanted a shift over the weekend plus an evening, which we thought might be a bit much for her personally in term time. With the zero hours the pay is rubbish by she can do just one shift a week in termtime and as many hours as she likes in the hols.

Sorry if I'm being thick what's the HO recruitment channel?

The one interview he did have, well he got the impression they just wanted someone a bit older. They told him there's a lot he can't do at 16.

It sounds like plan of action is simply.

Keep trying and hope for a lucky break
Try going in to some small businesses/independents.
Ring around as well as applying online
Hope for more of a chance later on in the year/when he's a bit older.

he will have more of a chance in september

what position was this for?

@Shortiepjs sorry, I meant through head office. Rather than contact individual franchisees.
Yeah, there are a few things he can't do due to age. How about the local authority? They might have admin jobs, gardening etc?

It’s a small chain of small department stores in the SW with homewares, toys and DIY. They pay above NMW too!

I think independents might be easier!?

although he was also offered a job at Farmfoods, applied online and they snapped him up almost immediately but he hated it and found something else! (I just asked him for the purpose of this thread!) he said it was too quiet and lonely as not many customers…

Sending luck to all the teens out there 🍀 you’ll find something! don’t give up!!

he was 16?