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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

How did your teen find a part time job?

30 replies

temporarilyjerry · 24/08/2015 12:30

DS1(17) is looking for a weekend/holiday job. He has applied for a few and has handed in his CV to shops but so far, no luck.

What else could he do?

OP posts:

GasLIghtShining · 25/08/2015 14:02

Keep trying. A lot of the high street stores advertise on their websites so keep checking. Keep checking for signs in the windows and always have CVs with him so he can hand open in straightaway.

It is a case of keep persevering and eventually he will get one.

Don't forget a lot of places will start recruiting for Christmas.

Glitteryarse · 25/08/2015 14:05

Keep going back in.

Dd1 had a job at 15 just clearing tables at a restaurant. Although dd stayed for a few years while in school the teenage turn over was really high so there is always positions becoming available.

bruffin · 25/08/2015 14:12

Ds took his nplq and applied to local leisure centre and works p/t as lifeguard.
Dd volunteered at an SN playscheme since 12 and has been offered work several times doing some respite care. She will also get holiday/weekend work at playscheme when she is 18.
Friends dc just give iut cvs and look out online for major and sometimes hear word of mouth there are vaccancies

DurhamDurham · 25/08/2015 14:15

Both my daughters handed in CV's to shops and restaurants, they always asked to speak to the manager/supervisor and introduced themselves while handing them the CV. They have quite a good track record with regards to getting part time jobs.

dingit · 25/08/2015 14:21

Walked into the local bakery and asked. She just really lucked out. Starts this Saturday

Ragwort · 25/08/2015 14:22

Volunteer whilst he is waiting for a paid job? Agree that he must ask to speak to the manager/supervisor - no point just aimlessly handing a cv to another member of staff.

My teen has recently started doing an afterschool paper round.

Babysitting/car-washing/gardening/dog-walking? Years ago I had a teenager valet my car every saturday - was fab .

IHaveBrilloHair · 25/08/2015 14:25

Popped up on my fb that a local tearoom were looking for someone to fill in one weekend washing dishes, I put dd forward for it, then she did the rest, it's a permanent Saundby job now, just 3 hours but it earns her £10 plus tips which is ok for not quite 14.

dingit · 25/08/2015 14:29

nandos?

I can see that everyone has done the funnys

dingit · 25/08/2015 14:30

Oops wrong thread

Original poster

temporarilyjerry · 25/08/2015 15:36

Thanks for the replies. There is hope!

OP posts:

BackforGood · 25/08/2015 15:59

Yes, I'm afraid that CVs just get piled up and lost - there is an element of luck about seeing a vacancy as it occurs.

ds & dd Job 1. - delivering the free paper each week.... just had a look in the paper for the contact details and asked how to apply to deliver it

ds Job 2 - working in a local shop, cleaning..... happened to be with his mate on an errand for mate's Mum and chap behind the counter asked if either of them fancied a few hours work each week this is after much nagging from me saying a job wouldn't just come up and offer itself to him

ds Job 3 - A friend who manages a shop where they like to recruit people who know stuff about the product they sell (for example, thing if it were a fishing shop, they like to employ anglers) asked him if he was interested

dd was also asked for Job 3 on same basis, but turned that one down.

dd was asked by the company where she did her week's work experience at the end of Yr10, if she'd come back when she was 16

ds & dd Then took a lifeguards course and work at that now, for better pay (do have to pay for course up front, and, of course, have the swimming skills, pass the tests, etc)

All the teens I know who have work, have just 'happened' to be in the right place at the right time, (except where have a specialist qualification) tbh - just 'happened' to have been asking at the employers place when they needed someone, rather than handing in a CV and hoping.

You can sign up to Indeed.co.uk for your area which advertises PT jobs.

Original poster

temporarilyjerry · 25/08/2015 18:52

Thanks, BfG.

OP posts:

dementedma · 25/08/2015 18:54

Keeping at it! Took DD ages and loads of knock backs and being ignored but you just got to keep plugging away.

Savagebeauty · 25/08/2015 18:57

Sheer bloody persistence!
He was 16 in March and applied online, giving CVS to about 30 shops etc in local town.
Finally got one 3 weeks ago 45 minutes travelling away..then landed an interview at a major UK retailer where he starts next week.

blibblobblub · 25/08/2015 19:05

Think outside the box.

I always worked in shops that weren't the first places you'd think of applying - B&Q for instance.

Certain high street shops you can be sure everyone will go for. If he looks a little further afield he might find something.

circular · 25/08/2015 23:57

Registered on websites of various large retailers to get emailed when p/t vacancies in local branches came up. Applied online as soon as emails received.

Clara66 · 26/08/2015 13:42

The Entertainer toy shop near us has a notice up now for Christmas part time jobs. Argos and Boots tend to employ early for Christmas. Greggs regularly seem to employ. Waitrose pay youngsters well and employ several local teens - more than Sainsburys. Tesco also good for teens.

My dd emailed a cafe which had just opened locally and got lucky. She also worked at a local farm park. She did drop cvs into local cafés and shops but nobody responded (probably didn't hand to management though!).

Good luck.

GasLIghtShining · 26/08/2015 17:15

Clara I got a job when I saw a new company opening locally - they were advertising in the local paper for staff. I rang and asked if they needed a secretary and got a job

Tatti · 27/08/2015 16:12

As soon as my boys were 16 I put them on a NLP lifeguarding course and they very quickly got work at local pools once they were qualified (intensive course was 10 days I think). One ds liked it and kept going for a good few years and one didn't but by then had enough work experience to find something else. Pros: Its really good for fitness, makes them sensible in the water and gives them life saving skills. Cons: Pay is poor and they are often used as 'pool attendants' which seemed very close to cleaner to me! All in it was a good decision though. You do have to pay for the course but for us it was worth it. Good luck!

BestIsWest · 27/08/2015 17:58

DS has just got his first job via the old CV route. I He wrote a really nice covering letter to go with it.

He trawled around all the shops in town handing out his CV about two months ago and only got a call about two weeks ago so some shops do hold on to them. It is with a national chain although many of them said that they only recruit via websites.

He also made a list of every shop he could think of and went through their websites looking for vacancies.

Also indeed.co.uk is a good search website for jobs. Words like retail, coffee, assistant are good search terms.

Original poster

temporarilyjerry · 27/08/2015 19:44

Thank you for the advice.

OP posts:

Snowfilledsky · 27/08/2015 19:48

DS1 emailed all the local businesses and asked if they were recruiting. One place was and they asked him to go for a chat, then an interview, and he started within the week.

No CV was involved.

dottygamekeeper · 27/08/2015 20:01

DS stayed on after his work experience in a local shop at the end of Yr 10, initially just doing a few hours on a Saturday, now does all day Saturday plus holiday cover. He has just finished Yr13 and is going on to do Foundation Art at local college - his old high school have just offered him a part time temporary job as an Art technician.

DD applied for a cleaning job at her old High School (having just left to go to 6th form elsewhere) which was advertised on their website - most of the local high schools have current or ex-students as part time cleaners, she does a couple of hours after school every day. She also went round handing out CVs and covering letters and got a seasonal waiting job over Christmas at a local Golf Club.

BackforGood · 29/08/2015 20:42

Tatti - I'm surpised you said Lifeguard pay is poor. My 16 yr old was offered a job in a shop at NMW (for U18s) which is something like £3.79 and hour. She works as a lifeguard for £6.79 an hour - heading towards double what she could earn most places that will employ a 16 yr old. She loves it apart from the shift that starts at 6am

The other great thing about lifeguarding is she can fit shifts around other activities that she does - shops / cafes/ etc want you at weekends usually which often clash with camps and other activities she wants to do. Lifeguarding she can pick up evening shifts in term time, as well as all the holiday work.

bruffin · 29/08/2015 21:02

I agree BackforGood ds as always been paid full adult nmw for life guarding since 16. Shifts are 6 hours plus (not on poolside all that time obviously). He got offered work at the White Water Centre last week which is more money but he cant do that until he has had training, and the uni pool is better pay as well.
My dd gets better pay for respite care which i think is over £9 an hour.

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