What's my 17 yr doing wrong? Can't get a holiday/weekend job

[PatsArrow]

Any advice or tips would be great.

My 17 yr old DS just can't seem to get a part time job. He's in college (just finished Y12). He's looking for Kitchen Porter, coffee shop type jobs. He has work experience from a cafe when he was 15.
We live in Bristol so it's not like there's not a lot of places to look. He's been around the city centre and surrounding areas 3 times with his cv. Most places tell him to look online instead. He's been filling in job applications with INDEED online. He had 2 nibbles. One as a food runner and he actually did an unpaid trial shift. He said it went well and the people say he did well but they never called him again. He also had a reply email about a kitchen Porter job asking him when he would be free. My DS he was free anytime and looking forward to hearing back from them. No response. He's feeling demoralised. I've told him to keep trying.

What is he doing/not doing? I hear from my friends all the time that their teens have jobs. HOW?

Careful with people who want free trials they usually do it to loads of kids to get free labour

Put a FB post on your FB for him. My friend has had some success for her daughter this way. Something like:

’Bob is looking for a summer job and hasn’t had much success on Indeed or going face to face with CVs. He has a good set of GCSEs including maths and English, and has experience in hospitality, admin, and working with different groups of people. He’s a hard worker and willing to learn so if anyone knows of anything can you let us know?’

Independent places are easier as you can speak to someone and if they like you get a trial shift. All the chains use indeed. Dsd had issues in Bristol as they seem to want experience everywhere but no one is willing to give you a chance

Volunteering at a lunch project or similar might be a way to get experience, I know of multiple projects in the Bristol area including mine who would love a young volunteer.

It doesn't get any easier when they are 18. My ds is 18, 19 in September. He has just completed 2 years at Lipa and is pursuing a career in music. He has been trying to get a job to support this for so long but there's nothing much out there. He is friendly and confident, adaptable and a hardworker. He has lots of skills and experience. He did a year as a retail assistant in our local music shop 2 years ago and worked at our local community cinema as a volunteer (all staffed by volunteers) for 2 years. He's apply for many jobs and mostly doesn't hear back Despite all this, he just can't seem to get a break.

Sports coaching is a good option if they have particular interests

It’s not a good time of year, summer jobs are taken by uni students. Indeed is rubbish. Apply directly through company websites.

Has he tried in the big shops like b and m and the range? What about tourist attractions? Has he got a car so could get to Cribbs?

OP, I could have written the same post over the last couple of years.

My eldest struggled to get a summer job but ended up registering with a hospitality event organiser and got some shifts there. She didn't get too many but it was something to put on her CV (more important than the money in my eyes!)

She applied for loads of jobs on Indeed last Easter onwards so she'd have something to come back to when she finished for the summer but none of them came to anything (I've heard that Indeed is indeed a bit crap and the employers often don't even receive the CVs uploaded via the Indeed website) Luckily she spotted a job in a local shop when she came home and worked there all summer which earnt her good money and kept her occupied!

She's now got a job in her Uni city but again, applied for loads on Indeed before she even got an interview. Everyone says 'supermarkets' or 'McDonalds' but after numerous applications to various locations, I can vouch it really isn't that easy!

My youngest has just got a job in a local cafe but through a friend so unfortunately, it is often who you know that helps.

If it's anything like in my area B & M only want people who can be fully flexible over the whole week (whilst only offering 8 hour or 24 hour contracts.)

But he is on holiday now so can be flexible which means come September if you are a good worker they will consider maybe making it a weekend job

Your son is doing nothing wrong, he is trying to find work but part-time jobs are hard to come by, particularly in the holidays. Something will turn up sooner or later, don't worry.

It's because he's 17 more than likely. All sorts of insurances/restrictions etc that affect how long they can work, what work they can do etc.

Took my dd2 a year to get a job offer. As soon as she left college and was able to work full time she got a job offer in a nursery, she’s just turned 17 and has her level2 in child care. She was totally put off going for level 3 as she needed the money.

Can he swim well? Are there council pools near you? Maybe a lifeguard course and then lifeguard? Our local pools appear to be staffed by teenagers for the main.