16 year old job hunting

[Pfpppl]

My 16 year old is desperate for a part time job as he wants to save up for driving lessons/ car/ insurance. I thought applying for Xmas jobs would be a good way to get an in somewhere, that might then turn into something more permanent if he did OK.

He is really struggling to even get an interview as everywhere seems to make you do a sort of competency screening first and he always fails. I appreciate that employers want good people working for them, but how is a 16 year old supposed to understand this stuff if they don't have any experience and nobody will take them on and give them training?

He's had one interview (no test first!) and didn't get the job. I wasn't surprised as the interview was over almost as soon as it began. DS has a real problem with his facial expressions - he generally looks moody and disinterested even when he's not, so I doubt anywhere would want to take him on in a customer facing role!

Does anyone have any suggestions of jobs that aren't the usual retail type roles?

Obviously I've tried to get him to let me help with the tests, but he just gets annoyed and says I'm interfering 🙄

We’re having the same problem in our house but 9/10 times it’s a rejection before more than any basic info is required.

Try local restaurants, cinema.

My ds got a job at the local farm- they do seasonal events, pick your own etc. He also does some umpiring at the weekend, which pays a little, but the best thing was training as a lifeguard. He juggles a couple of zero hour lifeguard jobs around school but could also pick up contracted hours if he wanted to. The initial outlay isn’t cheap but it pays pretty well for that age.

No specific industry suggestions as I know it’s a tough market, but do you have any friends/family who interview regularly as part of their job and can do a few mock interviews with him and give feedback? Particularly around body language if that’s an issue?

Work with body language?

My son did well at McD at that age, tutoring and babysitting.
His tutoring/babysitting was very much linked to being a voluntary youth leader for the 4-10 yo at his scouts' group.

Hate to say it but tap up anyone you know. Even if it is just really casual. It looks better to an employer if you can say I have had X job for 6 months.

My son has had the same issues, he’d applied for over 30 jobs. He’s managed to get a Christmas job in John Lewis which is great though

This is exactly what I was going to say. I was able to get my daughter a job where I work but I know her friends have struggled.

My ds took his National Pool Lifeguard Qualification at Easter. He started applying for lifeguard jobs in late July and got a job in the last week of August.

We made him a CV, printed it off and went into every leisure centre, private school and hotel within five miles. He asked for the email addresses for the centre or facilities managers, and followed up with an emailed CV.

NPLQ comes with 8 UCAS points which can be useful too.

The Xmas markets and associated “festivities” are advertising for seasonal staff here.
our Waitrose has a lot of younger staff
anywhere doing Xmas party nights that isn’t a hotel or restaurant e.g. football stadiums, tourist attractions type places
Next used to take on seasonal staff for the Xmas and summer sales
lifeguarding if he’s a decent swimmer, many gyms and sports centres will pay for their training
McDonalds
amazon warehouse or similar distribution centre

My daughter had the same issues. She
applied for about 30 jobs. Most didn't get back to her.
A doughnut company was even advertising 5 hours a week jobs and she was that desperate she applied but again heard nothing.
She didn't even get accepted at McDonald's after a trial and interview. She is just shy and lacks confidence.
In the end she got her lifeguard qualification and got a job through a family friend. Working at the local leisure centre though has enabled her to pick up other skills along the way so she can now do things like reception at the leisure centres across the town and after school clubs run by the council. It seems to work for her whilst at university.

Voluntary job in oxfam to get experience and a reference and then try and get something paid off that?

My DD17 has the same problem. She has easily applied for over 60 jobs, 99 percent dont even reply. Local shops want you to be over 18 or 21 to sell lotto tickets, alcohol and cigarettes. I really feel for her to be honsst.

My DD has volunteered at our local summer camp for the last three years and even had a part time job in a football club sweet shop, one Friday every second week. Unfortunately it hasn't made a difference to her finding a part time job.

If into sports then refereeing is a good shout, much like the life guarding and the like.

Our 17 year old, it took over 200 applications. He was not even being offered interviews.

And ask.. if I know someone needs a leg up I will do my very best. know a lot of people who are the same... We just need to know your baby is looking.. I am all for breaking the masonic handshake and the old boys club

Another vote for lifeguard. My DD did hers at our local pool in half term last year when she was 16. Has been able to consistently pick up casual shifts, and has a contract for every Saturday now. They are putting her through her swim teacher training in the new year.

You’re all saying lifeguard but all but one of our local pools have closed down. The one that is open had to go self funded via community donations so no option for kids to earn money there.

When my child did get an interview via video call the employer didn’t bother to turn up to it and it was so disheartening.

As PP have said it's often who you know rather than what you know. All the jobs my DS has had and currently has are through people he or we know and he contacted them about a job. Tap up anyone you can think of who might help!

It is incredibly hard at the moment. If he is still in Year 11 he stands little chance, there are so many restrictions on the hours young people can wotrk. If he is at 6th form/college it is still hard.

My daughter worked for 3 years between the ages of 18-21 in hospitality/with children/customer facing jobs then when she decided to go to university she applied for hundreds of jobs in her uni city and has got nothing. There are 200 applicants for each job!

Print out a CV and take it into local coffee shops, restaurants, independent shops etc. This is how dd got her first job at 16.

From our experience people won't take printed out CV's. Dd used to work in a coffee shop and they were not allowed to take them. More recently she tried this herself and was always directed to online portals.

Fair enough. Most of the young people I know managed to get first jobs this way though. A lot of smaller employers don't bother advertising jobs or using online portals at all, because they don't need to bother.

It may vary from one area to the next.

It has changed massively in the space of just a few years.

It’s much easier to get something at that age in independents by walking in and asking but you have to come across as being a bit of a go-getter and friendly and competent. You will get a lot of nos but sometimes you just get lucky. It’s a proper faff getting new people and every so often the stars align between a business owner thinking she could really do with someone extra on Fridays but cba advertising and interviewing and a friendly kid who just loves potwashing and wants to do it for a 6 hour stretch.

Edited to say my 16yo got a job this way for a national clothing chain less than a month ago and my 22 yo for a franchise hospitality business maybe 6 months ago. Not a first job for either which helps but even big companies still will give jobs to cheeky kids walking in off the street. About 95% won’t engage and whitter about GDPR but you only need one yes.

Not around here, it hasn't.