Helping Teens "Find" Summer Jobs

[MoniqueU]

I am going to pay my neighbors girls to dogsit for me. They are very responsible and know my dogs personalities and needs, if it weren't for them I wouldn't even consider going on vacation. I will pay them as much as I can.

 

[HunnyPots]

DS is having the same problem. He had a good thing at McDonald's for over a year but then when his senior year schedule caused him to need too much time off, he lost it. Now he is pounding the pavement everyday, trying to get on somewhere. For the first time I can remember, the fastfood places aren't even hiring. Nobody has any business so they've cut way back on staff.
He did get a lead today on doing some work for a landscape company. Maybe that will come through.

 

[eliza61]

The teens in South Jersey are having a horrible time this year. The shore used to be a main stay for college and high school students but because of the high unemployment from the casinoes and other places, adults are now taking jobs that use to go to teens.

I know quite a few families who have an adult working the supermarkets and fast food places.

My son 18 is not working this summer. He has a freshman orientation in the middle of July at college and then has to be back at school the middle of August. Not many places are going to hire him with a schedule like that. He decided to take a math class (his weakest subject) at the cc to brush up on his algebra.

My 16 year old has had absolutely no luck. I will hire him this summer. give him projects.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

MY DH runs a country club and they hire summer help every year.

A few tips:

A) Country clubs, lake clubs, etc. are a great place for summer employment. They have snack bars, pools, golf courses, etc. that need extra workers for summer only.

B) While my DH is extremely flexible with vacations, scheduling, etc., when he sees an application that lists under "times available" - Anytime, that person is more apt to get an interview and/or job than someone who lists - after 11:00 a.m. (unless they explain the reason - sports practice, etc.), that just looks like someone who is too lazy to get up early. If they can't get up early - will they be late for every shift? Just doesn't look good.

C) Start looking and applying for these types of jobs over Spring Break. My DH had all of his positions filled by May 1st. (Too late for this year, sorry.)

D) Networking. We have found some of our best employees from referrals from other employees. Very seldom do we even advertise for these types of positions anymore.

E) Special skills. If your child has time this summer, and enjoys the pook, have them get Red Cross Lifeguard certification. It seems to be getting harder and harder to find lifeguards.

I hope these help someone.

 

[DVCLiz]

UPDATE: Boy, if you pay a non-related teen to work for you, things get done!! He's cleaned out half the attic crawl space and moved several boxes to the garage. He also went to pick up our lunch order. The daughters have been studiously sorting junk all morning, too. We have a big pile to take to the thrift store, so after they finish eating lunch we are going on a field trip to the thrift store. I'm not letting this muscle power go to waste, and if he is here to help I can drive up to the side door, have the "young people" unload the stuff and take it in, and not have to move from my driver's seat - sweet!!

I think he is enjoying earning some money and it's really a huge help to me!!

 

[disneyeveryyear]

The true definition of a "symbiotic" relationship.

Glad it is all working so well for you.

 

[poohlover]

The same here in CT. I have an 18 yr old DS who has worked for MacDonalds all year. They have cut his hours each week, he is one of the last HS kids working. Right now he has 4 hours on Sat evenings.

He went to stand in line at an amausement park nearby, when he said he would have to tke one week off for a vacation in July (he already knew the dates) but he was willing to work weekends (other than HS graducation) begining in May, they said "we might call you if we need you"...we didn't get a call.

He would happily quit Macs if he could find something full time. He was looking since April, has been answering ads on Craigslist since the begining of the month. Someone looking to have a yard cleared of brush and weeded (a weeknds work) got over 100 responses! Needless to say my son never heard from him.

There are so many people out of work that for HS kids to get a job it's really hard this year. So he is picking up some dog sitting and walking.

My college daughter got a part time job at a restruant doing one or two deliveries a day, maybe 4 hours at the most. It's better than nothing she says.

Thanks to all those who help the teens out with jobs. I will be doing it when my are all gone.

 

[agnes!]

UPDATE: Boy, if you pay a non-related teen to work for you, things get done!! He's cleaned out half the attic crawl space and moved several boxes to the garage. He also went to pick up our lunch order. The daughters have been studiously sorting junk all morning, too. We have a big pile to take to the thrift store, so after they finish eating lunch we are going on a field trip to the thrift store. I'm not letting this muscle power go to waste, and if he is here to help I can drive up to the side door, have the "young people" unload the stuff and take it in, and not have to move from my driver's seat - sweet!!

I think he is enjoying earning some money and it's really a huge help to me!!

Will he travel to my neighborhood ?

Truly, I think you should ask around your circle of friends and ask if any of them need a "Helpful Strong Back for Hire"? This kid's sitting on a GOLD mine!

agns!

 

[onelilspark]

My brother had a terrible time. He was studying abroad this semester and came back after everyone had already started looking. He goes back to school early because of an honors program he's in.

It finally worked out that at my Dad's work, one of his people left on Maternity leave for 8 weeks. They just needed a temp for that time, so he contacted corporate about hiring his son/my brother. Lucky break, but when you're in a different country, how are you supposed to find work??

ETA: Though this thread gave me an idea for him to earn some extra cash...my parents live in an "active adult community" and since my brother goes to school most of the year, he's with them this summer...I bet he could earn a couple extra bucks doing some yard work!!

 

[HunnyPots]

One thing I forgot to mention though, my almost 22 year old daughter lives two hours away where she attends college and decided to stay and work through the summer; she started applying in mid May right before the end of the semester to various restaurants in town and had four job offers by the end of the day! It's good to know not every town is as depressed as ours is, plus her timing was just right.

 

[DVCLiz]

It can work the other way around, we have (luckily!) found. My DD20 spent the semester abroad, too - by the time she returned and knew whether she would be home or going to summer scool, she was too late to apply for the usual positions. Everything had been filled. But, we were visiting a friend's retail shop and she had just found out she was going to be short on weekends for the summer. DD was hired on the spot to work about 10 to 15 hours a week. She said, "I'd love to but I'll be gone these three weeks for previously planned trips." It was fine - the manager has another college age employee who will work those weekneds. DD was VERY lucky!! That and some babysitting will fill her coffers for the school year.

That was just a case of being in the right place at the right time AND knowing the manager personally so she didn't have to really apply, have references checked, etc.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

it makes sense that places prefer to hire 18 yo and up when possible. right now they can usually do that. There are restrictions on what hours and what jobs those under 18 can do. It all depends on whether there are a ton of applicants or if employees are hard to come by.

 

[Anne34]

I've been really surprised by all the teens who DO seem to be able to get jobs AND take summer vacations with their families. Back when I had summer jobs that wasn't a possibility. My 16 year old is sticking with yardwork this summer, but we already have plans to eliminate summer vacations from our family plans for the next several years because we assume he WON'T be able to get time off work.

I'm kind of hoping he'll get a job sometime during this next school year and then stick with the SAME employer through high school. Then I figure vacations might be a possibility.

My DD15 got a job at the local park district concession stand. She told them she will be gone for a week in June and they are fine with it. She has also put down a weekend where we will be out of town. They are great about the kids trading and helping find a worker when something comes up! This is the type of job she will be asked back to next year if she does a good job. I hope she keeps it!

 

[Handbag Lady]

My 19-year old nice just landed a part-time/full-time job for the Summer. She's in college and works part-time during the school year.

She just was given a full-time position working with the CEO where she works part-time, but just for the Summer until her college starts again. It is really cool how they worked it out. He needed a full-time temporary person, she is already covered by her mom's insurance (she works at the same company), so they waived insurance coverage for the full-time position. The CEO has his needs filled, my niece gets full-time, pay, and the business doesn't have to pay extra to carry insurance for a full-timer. (I guess their insurance is covered for the employee and then you pay extra for your dependents).

And, she gets experience working for a CEO. Everyone wins.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

No. I'm not helping a teen find a job. Heck. I need a job.

 

[scrapquilter]

When I was a teenager, I had a part time job as a cashier at the grocery store (where there were at least 35-40 cashiers). I only worked about 12-15 hours a week, but I ALWAYS was willing to work whenever they called me in and asked me to fill in for someone else who called in sick, I never called in sick or did a no-show. I was a good employee. Then I was chosen to work on a committee for a national church youth gathering, it was a great opportunity for me. But the church youth gathering was halfway across the country, and it happend to fall the same week as 4th of July. I told the manager I needed that week off to attend this youth gathering (in January!), she immediately said, forget it. You can't have that whole week off....nevermind that I probably only would have worked two days the whole week anyway. SO I had to quit my job. Now really, would it have killed them to let me take two days off?

 

[lacy1101]

Reading some of these posts, I'm beginning to realize just how fortunate DS-17 is. He got his first summer job last year (summer before junior year in high school) working part-time in a local orthodontist's office, in the lab. He actually got the job because of shadowing through the 4-H program when he was in 4th or 5th grade! While still a patient, one of the lab techs who he always visited when there for an appointment (one of his favorites from shadowing) mentioned that they might be looking for some part-time help during the summer. He stayed on it, calling and dropping by at least once a week, until they hired him. He is working there again this summer and, just like last year, they are giving him one week off for church camp. Both times, he had another youth group trip planned, but they were only willing to give him the one week off and he was perfectly fine with that.

He is also working as a batboy for a local minor league baseball team. Again, he requested that one week off to go to church camp and they are letting him have it. I guess he's pretty lucky, huh?

There have been a few times that I've felt a little guilty for the fact that he's working not only one, but two part-time jobs (in addition to mowing our yard and his uncle's yard). He's really only complained a couple of times - once when a friend invited him to go on vacation with his family to Gulf Shores and he had to turn him down because of work and a couple of days when he has started at 8:00 a.m. at the orthodontist's office, left at 5:00 p.m. and had to be at the baseball stadium at 5:30 p.m. to work a night game - not getting home 'til 11:00 p.m. He has a vehicle payment to make, though, and he understands that it was his choice to have his own set of wheels and that choice comes with the responsibility of making that payment (we actually gave him DH's truck when he first started driving, but he wrecked it after a year and then bought his current vehicle when a co-worker of DH made one of those "too-good-to-pass-up offers"!). He's a great kid and I am very proud of him!

BTW, my DD-14 is also working this summer babysitting 2-3 days week. Aren't I just the worst mom?!?

 

[jme829]

dd16 got hired at our local YMCA about 2 months ago. She works in Kidstuff (babysit while parents work ou) and birthday parties. Her boss is very flexible. she sends out a calendar for the following month, you fill in when you are available and thats it. She has had no problem getting time off for volleyball, family activities, etc. Her boss told her going in that she is very flexible and will work around her availability.

SHe also picks up extra hours here and there, when someone calls off or if they are doing community events, etc... Its only 10 hours a week or so, but for a 16 year old who is on the Varsity vball team, it works well for her. She can make some extra money without totally bogging herself down.

THis was the first and only job she had applied for.

 

[MoniqueU]

I just wish my DS had the time to work. Between Summer School and Football there aren't many hours left over to work. Not that I think there would be anyone around here hiring. We have a 13 percent unemployment rate and people I know that have degrees and open availability can't even get hired on at Mcdonalds. I don't know one person that has been laid off in the last 2 or so years that has found a job, any job.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

A lot of the time off in the middle of the week depends on why. I just applied for a seasonal job with Worlds of Fun which is a Cedar Fair owned theme park where my boyfriend works. On their application they falt out state that they will not give you Fourth of July or Labor Day Weekends off. That is their absolute busiest time. If you can't work it, don't bother applying.

I interviewed with them on Saturday. I felt bad for the girl interviewing me. Some poor 15 year old who showed up in jean shorts and a tight tee. She was sweet enough, but had absolutely no self presentation skills. When asked why she wanted to work at WoF her response was "I need a job." It's honest, but companies are looking for passion. When asked about her favorite subjects in school her answers were, "Reading because I know how to read, English because they teach you how to talk proper and stuff, and Gym because it's easy to pass." When asked about three words to describe her, I forget the first one she said, but she followed it up with "smart, and intelligent." She then tried to backtrack but decided that was what she wanted to say. She was not hired.

I felt very bad for her. She seemed nice enough, but she obviously needed to be taught interviewing skills. If you want your teens to get a job, that is one thing you can really help them with. Teach them how to dress for an interview, practice answering questions and have answers ready for common questions. I have been in a position to see lots of teens and college students interview, and so many wipe out because they have never been taught how, or they engage in stupid antics that they are written off before they can open their mouths. Like the girl in Taco Bell who sat at a table with her friends loudly making very rude comments about guests and their perceived weight issues and literally shouting back and forth with the employees (who must have been friends) very lewd and frankly offensive remarks. She never had a prayer of getting that job.