Christmas jobs for 16 year olds?

[ginnystonic]

My DS16 would like to gain some experience and earn some extra money. I suggested he find a Christmas job, that may open the door to some more regular hours in the future.

Does anyone have any advice, as we don't really know where to start. Which shops hire students and how to approach them (email? In person?) any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

Is it specifically Christmas work he is looking for? Most of the major retailers will start their recruitment process in September if located in a mall and October if not. The Arcadia group (burtons river island etc) hire 16 year olds and offer 4 hour contracts. I work for a major jewellery company and we only hire over 18s. There are strict laws about the amount of hours worked/hours in education.
The malls I live near all have their own versions of job centres inside them so that's a good place to start with a CV.
The best bet would be to get a CV written up and just handing them out.
Good luck

Thanks for your response. No he's not only interested in Christmas hours, he's ready to work now. On your advice I think I'll get him to write a cv and start approaching businesses.

Unfortunately no malls around us, but we do have a retail park so that may be a good start. Thanks again.

Can't advise on Christmas jobs specificaly however in terms of work for 16 yr olds there's a variety of options.
I have two sons - one is 18 and since he was 16 has worked in a soft play warehouse - doing kids parties, working in the cafe etc.
My other son is currently 16 and is working in the kitchen of a pub washing up. Not particularly glamorous but it's good experience.
The other option is retail - Christmas time all retailers need extra workers - my elder son's girlfriend got work with Top Shop last year over the Christmas season.

The main supermarket chains do all their recruitment online. Just google "Asda jobs" "Tesco jobs" etc and the relevant websites come up. They list all the current vacancies.

I worked for Asda fairly recently part time and they were ok to work for. They also pay the full adult minimum wage plus a bit extra regardless of age, so it's relatively well paid for the youngsters who could legally be paid less elsewhere.

McDonalds also advertise their vacancies online.

McDonalds hire 16 year olds... they are pretty flexible with their hours too!

Thanks for all the suggestions, we have a great started by point now, that's been a great help.

Definitely try Marks & Spencer - DS started just after his 16th birthday. Pay is also very good - just over £8 ph regardless of age. Lots of different work patterns and often extra hours available. They usually start recruiting for Xmas temps in the autumn - they often keep them on or take them back on permanently when a vacancy arises. A word of warning though Xmas temps are usually required to do shifts later on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day so you do need to think if this works with any family arrangements - we had to have visitors staying rather than travelling away that year as once DS started work they wouldn't make any changes to his hours.

Thanks @mumstaxi2 did your DS find application details online for M&S or did he approach them in person?

DS1 used the scatterbomb approach of emailing local smaller businesses and asking if they were recruiting. One just happened to be and asked him to go in for a chat. He has been there for 2 years now, working weekends and holidays.

No application form or CV needed.

DS applied online when he saw a vacancy. There is quite a longwinded application - lots of multiple choice scenario questions. DS2 did this by himself and got the offer of an interview without telling me. DS1 asked me for help a few months earlier when he was looking - I helped him and thought I knew all the answers (worked for M &S when i was a student!) but managed to help him fail the selection process. Three years on our family still joke that its best not to let mum help!

As well as the big retailers, he could consider a local pub. My DS started at 16 as a glass collector at the weekends. It's hard work and unsociable hours (evenings until closing time) but when he turned 18 they trained him as a barman. He's hopeful he'll be able to pick up bar work when he goes away to uni, it's a fairly transferrable skill. It's also made him less shy with strangers, done wonders for his self-confidence.

As a bonus, having seen drunk people whilst soberly serving them, he has gained a decent attitude towards drunkenness, and handles the temptation better than many of his friends .