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 Have you ever had an adult tell you that your teenage years are the best of times? In some ways they might be right. On the other hand, their memories might be fading and they can't really remember what it was like to be a teenager. No doubt there are some pretty fun things that only teens can do, but a job search is not one of them.
That's because if you're a young adult, you've got certain limits - whether it's time, money or getting around. While your mom or dad might be able to drive 30 miles each way to work, you can't. It would take too much of your valuable time and more importantly, it would eat into your paycheck.
Finding a Teen Job in Seven Steps
What this means is that a teenager is going to search in different places for a job than an adult. And to help you jump start your new career, we've prepared kind of a "finding a teen job in seven easy steps" article that's tailored to teenagers.
Step 1 - Prepare a Resume
I know a lot of you are going to groan when you see that the first step involved something that looks a lot like homework. If you're serious about getting a job, you better keep reading. If you don't think we're right about putting together a resume, then you should stop reading right now. Just make sure you bookmark this page, because you'll want to remember where you read about resumes when you can't find a job.
If you're still reading, that's great. We've made putting together a resume for kids pretty easy in our article on Resumes for High School Students. It explains exactly how a teenager should put together a resume and even has an example resume you can download - for free.
Step 2 - Start Job Networking
The next step is to start networking. That means kissing up to your relatives and other adults you know to see if they have, or know of, a job. One of the best ways to get your job search network going is to ask your parents for their help. They know a lot of adults and getting them to help with your cause is a good way to get your parents working for you.
Tell them you're serious about finding a job and don't forget to tell them that you have put already a resume together. The light should be on by now about the importance of a resume. Putting together a resume is a sign for all the adults you'll contact that you're serious and responsible - even if you're only 15 years old.
Make sure to talk to anyone you know that might have job connections. Networking is a great way to find a job because it's like you've got all these people working for you out there - searching for your job. The more eyes and ears you have, the better your chances of snagging a job quickly.
Step 3 - Help Wanted
It's time to pull out the Sunday newspaper and skip the funnies this week. Get right to the classified section and start reading. You'll want to look at all those help wanted advertisements and see if anything catches your eye.
You're not qualified to work in a jet propulsion laboratory, but teens are qualified to do a lot of other work. If you find something you like, then you're probably going to make a telephone call to the advertiser.
Before you make any calls, make sure you understand when and where you can work. Go through this in your head or write it down before you call. The last think you want to do is have someone offer you a job that you can't work because you've got another obligation to a lacrosse team or violin lessons.
If you can, make sure there is an adult around when you make your calls. There are a lot of creeps out there and you want to make sure the offer is legitimate. If you have any questions or the person on the other end of the phone says something you don't understand, you can hand off to an adult.
In addition to checking out the local newspaper, you'll also want to check with your high school guidance counselor or township bulletin board. You might get some good job leads from these help wanted ads.
Step 4 - Local Retailing Jobs
If you've got a shopping mall nearby, or better yet a downtown area that's full of retail stores, then your next stop in your job search is to pay the mall a visit. (Sometimes trying to find a job can be fun for teens.) When you visit the mall, remember you're not shopping for clothes or a new boyfriend. You're on a job hunt, so you need to prepare for your visit.
Basically, you'll want to have copies of your resume with you and you'll want to dress for success. That means you'll want to dress like you're working in the stores you're targeting. First impressions are important and you'll want the store manager to think that you'll fit in well with the rest of the employees.
Step 5 - Online Job Search
We've got online job search sites as step number five for good reason. Large online websites that house millions of jobs get paid by recruiters and companies for finding workers. Most teens do not qualify for high paying jobs and therefore these websites are not the best place for teenagers to look for a job.
There are some specialized websites that cater to young adults, but they are often hooked up with larger companies or specialize in just a couple of job types - such as recreational camps. We've listed some of the better websites in our article on Job Listings for Teens.
Step 6 - Start a Business
Yeah that's right, start your own business. When all else fails, you need to put something together yourself. That could be delivering newspapers or walking dogs. It could be some serious babysitting or washing cars.
There are lots of jobs that are good for teenagers, but you need to be prepared to work hard. You've got youth on your side and you don't have a lot of education that qualifies you for a high paying job - yet. There are lots of neighbors that would pay you to wash their car once a month - right in their own driveway. Use your imagination and start your own company.
If you tell one of your friends that you're thinking of starting a company, then be prepared for the "you're crazy" line they are going to hand you. You're not crazy and you're not lazy. You can make it work if you stick to it. Maybe your friend will be working for you by the end of the summer.
Step 7 - Volunteer Work
This is the last of our seven easy steps for good reason. First off, you're probably looking for a job because you want some spare pocket change. Volunteering means working for free - that's the down side.
On the up side, you'll be out of the house and you'll be networking. All volunteer organizations have adults that are behind the scenes and that gives you a chance to get your name out there - because you never know if they can find you another job. That's where volunteering and networking come together. You're doing something good for others and maybe something good happens to you.
Another good thing about volunteering is that it looks good on your resume. It shows you're a responsible and hard working person. It will give you the edge when it come to job hunting in the future and is something that you can leave on your resume after graduating from school.
Finally, be prepared for rejection. Think about it, if you've got a 10% chance of finding a job, that means you might hear "no thank you" nine times before you hear a "when can you start working?" Oh yeah, and you better know the answer to that last question.
About the Author - Teen Job Search
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