Have your older teens got a part time job?

[Daisychain1313]

If so how did they manage to get work?

Ds has got a part time lifeguard job. However he struggles to get shifts & it’s in quite a remote place so he’s completely reliant on us driving him there and back.

He’s really struggling to find alternative work, vacancies hardly ever come up and even when he does get an interview there will be 30+ candidates.

He applies online for everything from shops, supermarkets, cinema, soft play etc but literally never hears back.

We found online applications very unsuccessful due to the competition of presumably 18+ or people with experience. All the teenage jobs were found through ringing or writing to local pubs/ shops individually, regardless of whether they were advertising. Also letting neighbours/ friends know they were looking for odd jobs to eg save up for driving lessons. We live rurally and mine have done paper rounds/ garden centre/ pub washing up / babysitting/ mowing lawns for elderly- none of which were advertised. Once they are 18 look for local festivals on indeed etc by using search term events. Good luck!

One worked for JD Sports for four years from age 16. Was lucky enough that they kept his job open for him each time he came home from uni, so he only worked in the holidays. Applied online.
Another works for Papa Johns for three and an half years now. Also has his job held open and works in the uni holidays when home. Walked in speculatively for that one aged 16 too.

My son got jobs by physically going in to the café/shop. One place told him to check their FB page for a link to an application. The other took his CV. Then he went back every week. He was eventually hired at one place, made redundant during lockdown and got the other as soon as it was lifted. But going in person seemed to swing it.

DD17 got a weekend Christmas job at The Range last year and was then taken on permanently.

She had applied for so many jobs and had no replies. I asked on our towns FB group if any jobs were going and the manager kindly messaged me to say if she handed in her CV he would consider her for a Christmas job. She did and he took her on.

It's so hard to find PT work at this age, very few of her friends have a job but that's not for trying. DD has applied for endless jobs since getting this one but never hears back.

DD1 (18) cleans an air BnB (personal contact), Babysits (referrals) and works in a local garden centre cafe (website application)

DD2 (16) used to work at a Golf Club kitchen (speculative drop of CV) and now a cafe (went in and chatted to the owners)

We are quite rural so are less opportunities, but also less competition from other teens. A proactive approach helps too IMO.

DD (nearly 17) cleans holiday lets (with a friend’s mum), waitresses at weddings (I saw an add for bar staff on FB and messaged them to ask if they took under 18s, they said they do for waitressing & for DD to email them - which she did), and lifeguards. The lifeguarding is the best job IMO but we are only 10 mins drive from the leisure centre, and she can walk it if she needs to.

if you’re rural, are there any convenient locations to target?