to think DD needs to try harder to get a job...

[postitgirl]

for those of you with teens, how did they get their first job? DD has tried - she walked round the town asking in shops and cafes. She got the app indeed.co.uk and applied for some jobs on there, but she's kinda given up now. I think she needs to try harder, but am I missing something here -what else could she be doing. She's 17 and has zero experience except a little bit of work experience from school :)

Jobs are hard to come by at the moment. She'd be better off doing a course or something along those lines that will help her get into a good uni.

Dd starts uni in Sept and ds starts college - literally has no impact on my expectation that they have a job. I think it's a really important lesson to learn where you get money from

Aside from keep trying, I'd say the best bet is the (ethically wrong but effective) old chestnut, "it's not what you know it's who you know". Do you have any friends or family with a business who might employ her, even on a casual or ad hoc basis so she has something to put on a CV?

I just got my almost 15 year old a job doing a couple of hour's childcare a week with someone who knows and trusts me. I'm pretty sure if a random 15 year old had put a card through her door offering to work for her she wouldn't have acted on it. Now if she applies for a job working in childcare she has experience to put on her CV.

Thanks she did the whole going round the town asking everywhere but she didn't have copies of her CV. Maybe I'll say to her to print some out and drop them into places. She has done some volunteering in a charity shop and 2 weeks in a cafe so I suppose volunteer work is the next thing.

I don't know anyone just moved here so that's a no-go.

I'll tell her to keep going with indeed she might be lucky.
It would be great for her to earn some money as it's costing me a fortune as I feel I have to give her money for coffees and bus fares and stuff for days out and then there's phone credit and clothes etc etc. Teenagers are expensive as we know!

I do think it helps to take a CV. Even if there isn't much on it, it helps to make them look serious and professional, and it enables them to leave their contact details for future reference. That definitely made a difference for dd.

It’s so hard at the moment. My sister worked at McDonald’s as a teen, they seemed quite good about shifts? Also, could she try phoning a few local cafes and just asking if there’s anything going?

Don't phone. You have to physically go in to be taken seriously, I think.

I think it was hard to get a part time job as a teen before covid, easier now (depending on where you live) as so many hospitality workers have moved to other sectors, brexit meant a lot of non-uk workers left the country, some people are still shielding/reluctant to go back to work, students haven't moved back to unis, etc. I've seen a lot more ads in windows/online for p/t positions than I used to a few years ago. I would suggest joining the local fb group/s and asking on there if there is anyone hiring.

It might be easier when she turns 18 because she can sell alcohol which makes it a lot easier working in pubs and even on the tills in supermarkets/corner shops etc.

My child walked round all the town centre pubs during the day and got a job as a glass collector from doing that. Pre COVID though. Could your daughter post on your local FB page asking if anyone knows of any jobs going?

I run a restaurant and I we have had SO many applications this year. Most years we will get one or two young people applying (16/17 yrs) for the waiter or pot wash positions. This year it must be about 50.
In a decent place that follows the rules there it is a bit of a slog taking on young people with zero experience. They need much more training obviously and are unlikely to stay into the the winter months/ long term. Employment law for youngsters also means extra breaks/ different shift patterns/ shift lengths all of which are doable but can be a nuisance so lots of places don't offer it. Then on top of that there are alcohol laws which affect cafes/ restaurants etc that are licensed. I do employ kids that are under 18 but they have to be extra special- keen, clever, common sense, energetic, fun. And tbh that's rare.

[quote Travielkapelka]@TheLovelinessOfDemons has your DD never had a job at all?[/quote]
Nice life to be at uni 4 years and never having had a job if that's the implication (barring disability or similar)

OP try posting on social media.. get eveyrone to share

So my top tips for anyone but especially young people with no experience wanting to get a job in hospitality:
A) take a CV with you as no one will remember you otherwise. Everyone is busy.
B) if your parents call on your behalf I'm definitely not going to give you the job.
C) most companies advertise on Indeed. You need to be fast, as the speed jobs go is within a few days.
D) answer all the questions
E) make sure CV is spell checked.
F) hospitality is physically hard work so anything that shows you are energetic and fast paced.
G) hospitality is about team work and everyone doing their part. So anything that shows you can do that - sports/ art projects/ DOE/ theatre/ band.
Care work and volunteering in charity shops are not generally skills that I think are transferable. Handling money/ using computers are.

My daughter works 2 days a week in my cafe, but before that, at 16 she got a job at one our local farms in their cafe. She got the job through a school friend who worked there. My middle son worked in my friends garage after school, cleaning the yard and tools and my eldest son worked in a local hotel washing up. Ask anyone you know if they need a cleaner/ admin/ babysitter. People are more likely to hire someone they know or someone who an existing employee knows.

Hotels round here are desperate for staff.

It would be great for her to earn some money as it's costing me a fortune as I feel I have to give her money for coffees and bus fares and stuff for days out and then there's phone credit and clothes etc etc. Teenagers are expensive as we know!

I think not having enough money to spend on luxuries (coffees out, new clothes, etc) is actually FAR more of an incentive than having everything you could want to spend......

However, mine got their first regular, well paid jobs through going and getting themselves qualifications. Becoming lifeguards (which was a long week of training and assessments 8.30am - 5pm x 5 days) took some commitment, but they have all been able to pick up work throughout 6th form and University.
I know others who have qualified as referees or coaches for their own sport / interest. Ditto people who teach their music skills to beginners. I know some others doing A-levels earning money supporting younger teens who are struggling a bit through their GCSEs in their stronger subjects.
Mine have also done babysitting. One did work helping a woman who ran children's parties.
A friend who has his own gardening business employs youngsters across the Summer to help out in their busiest months.
I regularly see adverts on the local facebook groups.

Agency work for Hospitality. It might not be regular work but it gives a lot of different experience on a cv

Jobs seem to be on Facebook near us. She should follow local businesses and they put on they are recruiting. Is there a buy and sell or local gossip type Facebook page for your town she could ask on there.

@Iheartbaby

Has she tried going into and asking at care homes, they are always looking for people,

Not at 17 though. She’ll need to be 18

I suspect it depends where you live but I believe that hospitality have the biggest shortages as many EU workers have left permanently. Pubs hire 17 year olds to wash pots or collect glasses.

My dd has worked as a part-time barista for the past year. It's an independent cafe which is busier at weekends and school holidays due to location which suits her perfectly.

Our local council playschemes hire temporary workers for half terms and summer holidays (sixth form and above)

Are there any retail parks near you? The Sixth formers that I know work at places like Greggs and Primark who advertise vacancies online. If she's going to use social media then I recommend Facebook for job hunting. I've noticed a lot of teens offering dog walking and babysitting there.

@BackforGood makes a very valid point: qualifications help you get jobs.
DD1 through her riding has her EFAW (first aid), is DBS checked, and through Uni earned around £20/hour + schooling other peoples horses and teaching. She found it hard to get a job in her chosen field after Uni, but has got one now where she can use her knowledge of her sport & some of her Uni degree. It's not where she hoped to be (not recruiting) but it's a job from which she hopes to move on, and she had found even getting an interview difficult as so few jobs were advertised even applying for ones only asking for school leavers. I don't think companies take self employed people too seriously or feel they won't survive on the (significantly lower) earnings of PAYE vs self employed earnings.

Every cafe and restaurant i have passed, london, has posters looking for staff....my friend is a manager...they are desperate !

Does she do babysitting or mother's help work as they would give her a reference.

I don't know anyone just moved here so that's a no-go

That's where the next door app comes in handy. Not only can you get to know neighbours, lots of jobs are advertised on it and you can post on there about looking for one.

Just thinking of what my teens friends are doing

Waitressing
Working on summer camps
Assistant coaches for football teams
Mother’s helps after school
Tutoring
Working in shops
Dog walking

I’ve just got my 18yo a job in my pub, he starts today. So nepotism is always good.

Hospitality back of house (kitchen, porters, cleaners) are DESPERATE for staff.