Teens and jobs

[MichelleC69]

Am just curious as to how many of your 16+ yr olds have part time jobs, and what they do? My daughter has just turned 16 and is really keen to get part time job however she hasn't done anything about it yet as she's away for a lot of the summer, but I'm really keen to help her with it come September.

My stepson on the other hand is 18 and has no inclination to get a job, says he doesn't know where to start. This worries me for when he's at Uni as we can't afford to 100% support him through it financially.

Where is the best place to start looking? I thought of asking in our local pub to see if they need part time waitresses.

Thanks everyone, some really helpful advice. Am going to get her on the case when she's back from Florida with her dad!

Oh, and to the person who mentioned expensive beauty treatments- YES! We have had highlights, multiple piercings and acrylic nails in the last month! All paid for with birthday money but that'll soon run out!

First the kids need to do the asking, not you. And it’s getting late for a job now - all the uni kids will have bagged the majority - need to start looking before school gets out next time. Waitressing/ cafe work is a big one round here. My son isn’t 16 yet works in a golf club cafe. Tesco takes holiday staff.
Your stepson needs to get his butt in gear - he’ll need the money! Surely his mates are working? Most of the kids I know start at least part time at 16. It’s just leg work though some advertise on their Facebook page if looking for staff.

Our 17yo DD has a weekend job at a local place that holds weddings/balls/conferences etc. A friend of hers works there and they were short staffed so she offered to help which has turned into regular shifts. It should work well for when she's away at university as they seem to have previous 6th formers back in the holidays.

McDonald's hires from 16 and supports them to move branch for university returning in the holidays, hard work but lots of youngsters (dd liked it) look online for vacancies

DS who isn't 16 yet is doing paper round holiday cover for next month. He also volunteers at sports club helping with holiday clubs. Nothing in term-time.

DS worked at macdonalds and DD KFC, both applied online. They kept logging onto the sites for various chains that have outlets in our town and applied when vacancies were available

My dd was 16 on Thursday. Started her first job today in local cinema. She had 2 interviews for it in March they told her she was successful but could not start until she was 16 which is now the case for a lot of jobs. You really need to start looking around Easter for summer jobs. If they want money to socialise and you don't give it to them they will be quicker to find work.
My dd really wants to save for braces and a school trip so that gave her the motivation.
Good luck op

Got my first job aged 13, walked past McDonald's and they had a sign in the window. Walked in and asked to speak to the manager, had an interview right then and first shift the next afternoon. Fast food places will take anyone as long as you turn up on time and work hard and do as you're told. No one should have a problem getting a job if they actually want one (and are physically capable of the work)!

Even if no takeaway places are hiring, sticking up flyers for babysitting or lawn mowing or weeding or tutoring (and advertising on Facebook etc nowadays) should bring in plenty of money. I started maths tutoring aged 16 or so and am still going another 16 years later, just for a bit of cash here and there and cause it is fun. 16 years ago as a newbie at 16 I asked $15/hr ($8-$10/hr was the going rate for babysitting) now I ask $50. Maybe 16 year olds nowadays could ask about $25 when getting started (14 pounds?)

Got my first job aged 13, walked past McDonald's and they had a sign in the window. Walked in and asked to speak to the manager, had an interview right then and first shift the next afternoon.

Haha, as if that would ever happen in this day and age.

Fast food places will take anyone as long as you turn up on time and work hard and do as you're told.

DD once applied to McDonald's, she had to do an online things and was then invited to a 45 minute interview. She didn't go because she got a better offer before the interview came up. But it's not as easy as you think.

My older son worked at McDonalds through Sixth Form. He went away to a local university and returned home at weekends to do two shifts and worked full time through holidays.
He graduated last year and decided to get a bit of money in the bank and also have a break from education before starting training for his chosen profession so has worked there full time, he's on a fixed hour contract but has overtime every week. While at school and university though, a zero hours contract worked very well for him.

He's found them to be a really good employer but I do think it depends on which restaurant they work at as our younger son worked at another local one which his brother warned him was notorious for not being a very good place to work due to poor management. He wasn't given a shift for over two months last Summer due to returning students, and on one occasion he turned up only to be told that his shift was cancelled but the manager hadn't got around to calling him to let him know.
He now works part time in a supermarket.

taylorowmu I agree, we know of a few teenagers who haven't. managed to get jobs at McDonalds.

Fast food places will take anyone as long as you turn up on time and work hard and do as you're told.

Not as easy as you think, we are in a town with 2 McDonalds, 1 BK and 1 KFC and with 100's of school/college kids looking for part-time flexible hours the jobs are very sought after.

I have two working as lifeguards at the local holiday parks. One also has a job at the local curry house, she washes up, cleans tables and serves drinks. She is now being trained up to waitress.

I wonder if those jobs pay better in the UK than here? Or maybe there's just less of those sorts of places per population? My 15 year old cousin just got her first job walking into hungry jack's recently. Just as easily as I did. If you're older than 17 or 18 or so you get looked down on a little for working in fast food here, since they'll hand the jobs out to just anyone.

19yo runs kids summer reading programme at the library (uni hols) but has been slide attendant/ lifeguard/ dance teacher since 15. Term time she runs STEM after school club.
17yo is a lifeguard training to be swim teacher (has been slide attendant/ lifeguard since 15, at 13 he was dishwasher in hotel).
15yo is summer program assistant for a disability sports org (ft in summer hols).
In all honesty, we were keen they qualified in something they can fall back on to earn money during uni if/ when they need to, so we made sure they went through the full swim quals/ standard first aid etc. Dd2 doesn’t have that luxury as she has a disability which also rules out waitressing/ dishwashing etc. It’s also unlikely that she would get a retail job. It’s hard.

All my teens have jobs this summer, and the younger ones are planning on keeping theirs into the school year. My 18 year old is working as in intern, 16 year old is a camp counselor and 15 year old is clearing dishes in local restaurant. 15yo is taking his lifeguarding course next month so that next summer he can, apparently, "live the life in the sunshine with everyone checking out my abs". He's a bit of a dickhead sometimes :D

Working as a Lifeguard is a good job part-time /summer job. However you have to be sixteen to take the qualification - I am afraid you can't be a lifeguard/qualify to be a lifeguard at 15 (as suggested in a couple of previous posts).

Thanks...she is 16 but when I looked into the qualification and what would be required she would not meet the speed requirement for swimming. She's a strong swimmer, but not very fast.

DS (15) works as a trained football referee every other Sunday in the season. £20-25 for just over an hour's work. Also as a children's football coach on Saturday mornings in the season.

16yo works at the local tourist attraction

Ds (15) is doing voluntary work at our local library this summer, he worked there for work experience earlier in the year, he can't do paid work there until he is 16 so hopefully next summer should be able to pick up some hours when he has done with exams.

Bobbie, We're non UK where you can. It's a half year course in High School (14-18 yo) too here, if you choose to take it in school.

DS 17 is coaching summer camps at his cricket club - he has a regular coaching job there on Sunday mornings. £10 an hour, which seems excellent to me.

DD15 is doing a few whole days looking after children who she regularly babysits. She has a week helping out on a tennis coaching camp in August, too.

Both are saving for school trips next year.

My dd is 14 and works one 5hr shift a week clearing tables at the restaurant side of a bar. She loves it and thinks shes loaded at the end of the month. They also give her a free choice of anything off the menu for lunch which has helped her get over being so bloody fussy with food. She got the job by calling them as she knew a friend worked there.

dD - 17 - mother’s help. She’s tried to get a job in shop etc but not that easy tbh. You’d think it would be but she’s passed interviews then no offer has come through. Can’t get job in supermarket until 18 due to alcohol sales.