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Teenagers

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

Original poster

Casual jobs for 18 year olds

43 replies

Forgotmyusername123 · 17/07/2025 04:37

DD finished her 'A' levels in June and is currently looking for a job. After hearing nothing from online applications, she has been going round pubs/restaurants/cafes with her CV. She has a very small amount of waitressing experience, baby fitting and play worker type roles. She's not been able to apply for play schemes as she doesn't have a paeds first aid certificate.

We live in London and she's been into 20+ places. A few 'we'll call you's, presumably to be kind, but nothing more. All her friends are out of the country for the whole summer, so she's bored and lonely.

What else does she need to do? She's not keen on working in retail, but would she have more chance with the big supermarkets? She's personable and comes across as sensible iykwim. Quite shy and I'm really impressed that she's doing this leg work, but she's getting down about not getting anywhere yet.

TIA

OP posts:
pucksack · 17/07/2025 05:41

I have some colleagues with teenagers who are struggling with this, they are trying supermarkets too. But what I have noticed myself is you just don't see teenagers working in supermarkets, restaurants, even shops nowadays.

EssentialDecluttering · 17/07/2025 05:48

20 isn't many IME, they've got to try online for chains, walk into every independent they can find and look on Indeed and individual business websites. Also get the word out amongst everyone you know locally, both mine have found casual jobs through networking as well as through the above. I agree it's hard. Lots of teens in supermarkets here but it is v competitive.

EssentialDecluttering · 17/07/2025 05:50

Also FB, small companies sometimes put posts up if they are looking for casual staff, lots of teens offering pet sitting and gardening there too

EssentialDecluttering · 17/07/2025 05:51

Oh and volunteering, I know they need money but it builds experience and networks.

Loveduppenguin · 17/07/2025 05:53

pucksack · 17/07/2025 05:41

I have some colleagues with teenagers who are struggling with this, they are trying supermarkets too. But what I have noticed myself is you just don't see teenagers working in supermarkets, restaurants, even shops nowadays.

I find this very sad, I’m in Ireland and young people work these positions ALL the time here. I was in my local chippy the other day and the guy serving me was about 17. I asked what age do you have to be in the town for a summer job now and he said 15. He said he had been working there just over a year now. I had my first job in a hotel restaurant serving daily at age 13.

mumonthehill · 17/07/2025 05:53

She needs to go to all the tourist attractions as they will be hiring for the summer but I suspect she may have left it a bit late. M and S etc will take time and if she is leaving for uni it mat not work. Ds has a job in the tourist industry and they interview for summer staff in May. She may need to keep banging on doors.

xanthomelana · 17/07/2025 06:25

pucksack · 17/07/2025 05:41

I have some colleagues with teenagers who are struggling with this, they are trying supermarkets too. But what I have noticed myself is you just don't see teenagers working in supermarkets, restaurants, even shops nowadays.

You won’t see many under 18’s working in retail because they are a ball ache to employ thanks to the extra breaks they are required to have and they can’t sell age restricted items without supervision so there’s not much point in employing them until they are 18. We’ve got plenty of 18 year olds though and they transfer stores when they go off to uni then transfer back in the summer when they come home.

pucksack · 17/07/2025 06:37

@Loveduppenguin I had my first retail job at 17 on Regent street, loads of my friends at uni had supermarket jobs. I don't see teenager workers at my local supermarkets & Waitrose seem to only employ over 60s. It is sad because I had part time work from 14 & it really helped my independence etc.

whatohwhattodo · 17/07/2025 06:42

I think it’s too late to be looking for this summer really. My dd started looking just after GCSEs at start of July (2 years ago) and I think a lot of the summer jobs get filled early. Is she going to uni? It would probably be hard to get something now anyway as by the time she’s onboarded and trained she’s probably only working a handful of weeks and then she’s off. She handed in about 15 cv’s locally and probably applied about another 25 online. Some of the online retail ones has 200 applicants. Supermarkets - she applied for one and she missed the call for interview and despite calling them back within 2 hours it was too late and she’s lost her chance. Another supermarket chain the jobs would only be up for about 2 days max as they obviously for so many applicants. If she’s not going away to uni then I think there will be recruitment in a month or so as they start recruiting to replace the ones who leave for uni.

Where she works certainly seem to only recruit twice a year one around July / August for permanent staff and then once September ish for Xmas temp staff.

JustGoClickLikeALightSwitch · 17/07/2025 06:47

Volunteering. Would also suggest she do a (£10 online and takes a day max) food hygiene level 2 certification - it’s a good thing to do if you want to work in food, and would help her stand out and feel that she is doing something proactive.

Original poster
Forgotmyusername123 · 17/07/2025 07:11

Thanks all. I did wonder if she'd left it too late. We went on holiday end of June and she was hoping that being around all summer now would be an advantage. Me and dh have already asked everyone we know.

She's been looking for voluntary work as well. I agree that 20+ isn't many, although she's also done about 30 online applications, but she's getting down about it. I'll mention a good hygiene certificate, thanks.

She has uni offers but doesn't really want to go/isn't ready this year. She doesn't really know what she wants to study. I'm concerned that her main reason for going this year will be because she has nothing else to do, rather than because she actively wants to.

I worked from being 13 and agreed that it's great for independence. Things are hard for young people these days.

OP posts:
NeedingCoffee · 17/07/2025 07:34

Has she signed up to all the "at your service" type companies in your area? They provide staff for events etc. I know it's patchy work but it's great experience and friends' kids have loved it. I'm getting my 17 year old to sign up ready for turning 18 as I think usually you need to be 18.

notyummy · 17/07/2025 07:42

I absolutely endorse the Facebook thing. Teens mostly don’t use it but she needs to get on it and join as many local groups as possible. There are probably ones that are just focussed on jobs. And she needs to post plus monitor. Some jobs come up there that you can then go in and express an interest in. The big sites (indeed etc) and big companies often use AI that screens out those with no (or v limited) experience so hard for teens. DD started at 14 with paper round and then got a summer job via friends waiting tables at 15. I think this has meant for future applications at 17/18 (Wetherspoon’s and now a sushi restaurant whilst at uni) she hasn’t been screened out.

So your yp must keep plugging away because not only is it important now, but it means she stands a chance of getting something at uni. To many show up at uni with no paid work experience and expect to get a student job…and then can’t. Please people - encourage them to get some paid work as early as possible. It really makes a difference.

wakeboarder · 17/07/2025 07:44

Wetherspoons will be recruiting, just apply on their website. They are always looking for staff, it's also possible to transfer location if she goes to Uni. It's likely to be a quick application process too from interview to start ( possibly within a week)

BastardesEverywhere · 17/07/2025 07:49

She's missed most opportunities by now. All of the temp summer, student-like jobs were being advertised end of May to mid June.

Search Facebook too. I've seen several advertised on local groups.

Ds1 is 17, just finished first year of A Levels. He's found work with a gardener through FB, obviously weather dependent. But it's the kind of seasonal work that may well need extra hands in the summer.

Original poster
Forgotmyusername123 · 17/07/2025 09:17

Thanks, yes she's applied for quite a few Weatherspoons roles. No experience is a problem agree. I've been trying to get her to get some for some years now....

OP posts:
Orangesandlemons77 · 17/07/2025 09:44

EssentialDecluttering · 17/07/2025 05:51

Oh and volunteering, I know they need money but it builds experience and networks.

Yes, DS did some in a local charity shop for his D of E and they wrote him a reference which came in handy later.

Orangesandlemons77 · 17/07/2025 09:46

If she is going to be off for the year that might increase her options if she isn't just looking for a summer job as well. In the Autumn will be Christmas jobs as well.

Original poster
Forgotmyusername123 · 17/07/2025 10:01

Yes, she's been telling them that she'll probably take a gap year. She would like to, if she can find a job or something else to do.

OP posts:
Orangesandlemons77 · 17/07/2025 10:05

Forgotmyusername123 · 17/07/2025 10:01

Yes, she's been telling them that she'll probably take a gap year. She would like to, if she can find a job or something else to do.

My son did this, last year as did a few of his friends. He got a job in a clothes shop in the stock room which he found very boring, but from there had anther shop job which didn't work out as it was too far away (he just liked the shop)

Anyway we do live in a touristy area so this might have helped but I think being available for the year will help, as students etc will go back after the summer.

His friends worked at Waitrose, at the swimming pool and e.g. in cafes / restaurants. There are jobs such as kitchen porter / washing dishes / glass collector which aren't great but don't require much experience and could be a foot in the door.

Also, she could try the website "Next Door" Best of luck

EssentialDecluttering · 17/07/2025 10:37

My DS volunteered in the local (small) museum to get some experience, he was on the till/shop and it gave him experience with cash, card machine, dealing with customer enquiries, locking up, fire safety training etc and it was very easy to get, they were always crying out for people. It also shows a good work ethic on the CV.

whatohwhattodo · 17/07/2025 12:48

@Forgotmyusername123if she’s taking a year out has she thought about doing a life guarding qualification. That pays well. My dd gf works in local leisure centre and works in their kids club as well in holidays.

YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME · 17/07/2025 13:08

A Paediatric First Aid course is £26 on line. Might be worth investing this money to get work.

MiddleAgedDread · 17/07/2025 13:13

Has she tried the temp agencies? I used to get a lot of work post A-level and in uni holidays through them. It wasn't always the most exciting work but it was experience and the money was decent.
Or holiday clubs / camps but it might be too late for this year.
If she's any good at swimming a lot of leisure centres round here are still short of lifeguards since lockdown and will pay for their training. A few of my friends teenagers do this and then ramp up their shifts over the summer.

Fizbosshoes · 17/07/2025 13:20

Dd is 18 and applied for 60-70 jobs before securing one at a chain. She's got an 8 hr/wk contract ....which isn't really enough but better than nothing and she occassionally gets extra shifts.
I'd probably say she didn't hear back from more than half, and only had a couple of interviews. She did volunteer in a charity shop last year which gave her some confidence but ideally she wanted to earn money before going back to uni.

Lots of people irl and on MN breezily say "get a job" but it's been pretty difficult in DDs experience (both in her uni city, and home town)