How is a 17 year old expected to find a job?

[KAMKIM]

DS won't be 18 until July. He has a car he needs to put gas in, pay insurance (the highest in the nation) and maintenance. We went to the mall yesterday so he could put in some applications for Christmas work. You need to be 18 to work at the Disney Store, Macy's... He put an application in on line for the movie theater. How do they expect these kids to get a job?

I've had a job since I was 16. Most places like Target, Walmart etc you only need to be 16

 

[Nancy]

My 16 year old just got hired at JC Penneys and so did her friend. It is just seasonal but they were both told if they do a good job they might be kept on after the holidays are over. Either way..she now has a job and if they don't keep her on when she does apply for other jobs she will now have experience to list on the applications

 

[Nancy]

I actually had that same problem when I was 17 and I will be honest and say that I did LIE and make myself a year older on the application--they never checked and I got hired as an 18 year old.

wow, you were lucky they never checked...my daughter had to bring in her birth certificate for this job even though she had her working papers...which to get you need to show proof of age.

 

[Anne34]

I've seen a couple people mention working papers -- what are they? Around here you just fill out an application. If you get the job you bring in a copy of your Social security card and another form of ID (Drivers license, etc).

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I've seen a couple people mention working papers -- what are they? Around here you just fill out an application. If you get the job you bring in a copy of your Social security card and another form of ID (Drivers license, etc).

They were just a form saying you could work. I think my doctor and my principal both had to sign mine.

 

[Nancy]

working papers here in NY are basically just a form that gets filled out at the school and it is for 15,16 and 17 year old kids. Parents have to sign, you have to have proof of a physical in the last 12 months and you have to show SSN and birth certificate to get the little card to take to your employer. You get one if you are 15 and when you turn 16 you have to get a new one because they have different employment rules. The employer has to keep the cards on file until the minor turns 18 or leaves employment...at that time they have to return the card

 

[eliza61]

DS won't be 18 until July. He has a car he needs to put gas in, pay insurance (the highest in the nation) and maintenance. We went to the mall yesterday so he could put in some applications for Christmas work. You need to be 18 to work at the Disney Store, Macy's... He put an application in on line for the movie theater. How do they expect these kids to get a job?

I haven't read all the replies just another sympathetic mom from NJ. My son is 18 and having a difficult time finding a job also.
With unemployment so high all the jobs in the mall that normally go to young adults are being gobbled up by the unemployed. It's really difficult.

 

[starwood]

Shop-Rite is one place that hires kids under 18, Whole Foods, pizza restaurants, Chuck-E-Cheese, and if you are in the Morristown area, he could always stand on the corner across from the train station with the illegal day laborers. Most of them make over $100+ per day under the table while the rest of us stupid people pay taxes on what we earn.

Unfortunately, there are so many professionals out of work in NJ that they are applying for the same jobs.

Whole Foods said you need to be 18 because they sell alcohol.

 

[fall08CP]

Whole Foods said you need to be 18 because they sell alcohol.

They don't require this at our local grocery store that sells liquor The under 18 clerks have to flag over someone over 18 to pick the liquor up, scan it, and place it in a bag, but they can ring up anything else.

I started working at 14 for the park district as a sports coach. At 17 I worked in food service, nanny at 18, and tons of jobs since then. Gotta pay for college somehow.

 

[minkydog]

Well, i'm 53, with good work ethic, never had a bad review and i can't seem to land a job. i retired from nursing this year, after 32 years. I have no desire to go back. All I want is some little part time job to keep me occupied. I've applied to every large and small store in my area, including Walmart, Target, Kroger and Publix and got nary a nibble. I'm frustrated. I don't need benefits. I can work evenings and weekends. So I'm frustrated that all these 16, 17,18 year olds can seem to land a job and I am ten times more experienced and can't even get a look.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Does he have any friends working somewhere that's hiring?

I got my job at 19 by pure luck. It was weeks of applications that yielded no response. Then mom found out from a friend that the store her daughter worked at was hiring. She told her daughter about me, and gave mom her daughter's hours and where to find her. I went in, introduced myself to her, and she walked me into the HR office and introduced me as her friend. I filled out the app, gave it to the HR guy and the response was "The next open training will be in 2 weeks. Are you available then?". I've worked there seasonally (school breaks) since then. Most teens I know get jobs through their friends. The one big exception is when it's a brand new location and they're hired before the place opens.

 

[lillygator]

here you can be 14-15 BUT only allowed x amount of hours if you are in school, so many employers don't bother.

 

[Planogirl]

I see some here talk about 14-15 year olds and even younger having jobs. How do you get around when you're that young?

 

[daisyduck123]

I see some here talk about 14-15 year olds and even younger having jobs. How do you get around when you're that young?

My DD15 has been a swimming coach's assistant since she was 14yo. We didn't have to "get around anything". She was offered the position, & she took it.

I have told her that she's lucky to have that position. Most kids her age are working fast food. She gets to walk up & down the side of the pool coaching little kids. She really enjoys it.

Last year, she worked 3 afternoons/evenings a week. This year, with her course load (5 AP classes) she has dropped down to just one afternoon a week, and filling in for other coaches when the need arises.

 

[Cinderella94]

My DD15 has been a swimming coach's assistant since she was 14yo. We didn't have to "get around anything". She was offered the position, & she took it.

I have told her that she's lucky to have that position. Most kids her age are working fast food. She gets to walk up & down the side of the pool coaching little kids. She really enjoys it.

Last year, she worked 3 afternoons/evenings a week. This year, with her course load (5 AP classes) she has dropped down to just one afternoon a week, and filling in for other coaches when the need arises.

I think the person that you quoted meant "get around" as in "transportation."

 

[MizTink]

our local mcdonald's won't even hire under 18. i thought my son was lying when he told me that. then his friend said the same thing. so i went there and asked the manager. she said it's true. no one under 18. crazy but i always thought that was mostly who DOES work fast food. i know i did when i was 16.

my son has been having a terrible time finding a job. he's only 16 but has a baby and has been trying very hard for several months. i always ask around for him too. nobody wants to bother with younger kids as there are sooooo many adults that need the work. we have both been told this by several places.

 

[daisyduck123]

I think the person that you quoted meant "get around" as in "transportation."

Oh LOL
Well DH & I do the driving. Sometime even G'ma does.

 

[LisaR]

our local mcdonald's won't even hire under 18. i thought my son was lying when he told me that. then his friend said the same thing. so i went there and asked the manager. she said it's true. no one under 18. crazy but i always thought that was mostly who DOES work fast food. i know i did when i was 16.

Times have changed. I worked when I was 14 too but things just aren't the same anymore. Publix is the main grocery store here and their website says they will hire 14 and older. I know one of the managers and asked if they really hired kids that young and he said NEVER. He said he doesn't care what the website says. He has way too many candidates to choose from and he has never considered someone that young. He prefers 18 and older only. I think that is very typical of the times.

 

[Planogirl]

I think the person that you quoted meant "get around" as in "transportation."

Yes, that's what I meant. Thanks.

 

[Anne34]

I see some here talk about 14-15 year olds and even younger having jobs. How do you get around when you're that young?

Here kids under 16 have to get a work permit and are only allowed to work a certain number of hours per week. They also have shorter work times allowed. My son started refing soccer at 12/13 and my daughter started her job with the park district at 15.

The school fills out the form when you have a letter from the employer and a copy of your birth certificate and ss card.