For example, if you want to work in a movie theater, you could search for movie theater jobs within a certain distance of your address and the website would bring up the listings for all the movie theaters in that area that were hiring. Some employers also post job openings on social media. LinkedIn, in particular, is helpful for job searches. Create a free profile and start looking for jobs that match your skills and interests. You can also connect your profile with adults you know who also have accounts. Your school also might have job listings available. If they do, look through those first—those are employers that are actively looking for teens who go to your school.
Like spending time outdoors? Look for work with landscaping or lawn care companies, plant nurseries, animal shelters, or construction companies. Want to be active? Focus on jobs at car washes, child care companies, moving companies, or residential/commercial cleaning companies. Enjoy helping people? Try working at a restaurant or café, retail store, movie theater, or amusement park. Don’t forget you often get an employee discount at retail stores! For example, if you enjoy playing video games, you might try to get a job at a video game store.
Some labor departments need a letter from your school before they’ll issue a work permit. The letter just certifies that you’re enrolled at the school and not failing any of your classes. If you’re supposed to get a permit after you get a job, that permit is typically only valid for that employer. That means you’ll need a new permit if you switch to a different job before you turn 18.
Adults you’ve worked for (even for no pay!) are often the best references. For example, if you babysat or mowed your neighbor’s lawn, ask them for a reference.
If someone does have a possibility for you, make sure you mention their name when you ask about a job. For example, you might introduce yourself to the employer, then say, “John Schmidt goes to my family’s church. When I mentioned I was looking for work, he said you might be looking for someone like me. Can I fill out an application?”
Since, as a teen, you likely don’t have a lot of work experience, include information about extra-curricular activities as well. For example, if you play on your school’s soccer team, list that on your résumé. It shows employers you have discipline and work well with a team. Many entry-level jobs won’t ask for a résumé. Instead, they’ll have a pre-printed application for you to fill out. Regardless, having a basic résumé means you have all the information in one place so you don’t have to hunt around for it every time you fill out an application.
Don’t be afraid to apply to multiple locations of the same employer—each location has its own manager and staffing needs. For example, if you want to work at McDonald’s, you might apply at 2 different McDonald’s restaurants within 10 miles of your home. If you submit your application online, call the location and ask to speak to the hiring manager. Introduce yourself and let them know that you’ve submitted an application online. Then, say you just wanted to find out what their process is for reviewing applications.
When you call, ask to speak to the hiring manager. Introduce yourself, then say something like: “I submitted an application last week, and I was just wondering if you’ve had a chance to look at it yet. " If they haven’t, tell them you’ll follow up in a few days. Keep a spreadsheet with a column for the name and phone number of each place you apply. In a second column, put the date you submitted your application. Add the date to follow up in a third column. Then, you can set yourself reminders so you don’t forget to follow up.
What kind of person are you looking for? Why do you enjoy working for this company? What would I do on a typical shift? What kind of people would I be working with? Do a lot of teenagers work here?
If you know how the employees dress, you could also try to dress like that to show that you’re ready for the position. For example, if the employees all wear khaki pants and a blue polo shirt, you might wear khaki pants and a blue polo shirt to the interview. You’ll look like you already work there! If you’re interviewing at a clothing store, it’s always a good idea to wear clothes that you bought at that store. If you don’t have anything suitable from that store, you can’t go wrong with classic style—just avoid wearing clothes that obviously came from a competing store.
Your “thank you” note shows the interviewer that you appreciate their time and puts your name back in front of them again. They’ll be more likely to remember you when they make a decision on who to hire to fill the position.
Ask to speak directly to the person who interviewed you. When you talk to them, say hello and tell them your name. Then you might say, “we spoke on Monday about me working for you as a cashier. Just calling to see if you’ve made a decision on that position yet. " If the interviewer doesn’t give you any kind of timeline, wait about 3 days before you call back.
Do you know your way around social media? You might start a business to set up and manage social media accounts for individuals and small businesses. Good at organizing? You might start a business cleaning out garages and closets. The possibilities are virtually endless. Keep in mind that there’s a lot of work that goes into this. You’ll need to figure out what you want to charge people and make plans for marketing your services (social media works well).
