Who will hire me? A first-job guide for teens
By Jennie Withers
Author of Hey, Get A Job!
Tasha turned sixteen and decided it was time to find a job. She immediately thought of the convenience store around the corner from her house. She knew the manager and thought it would be easy to get a job there because of this connection. Tasha asked her manager friend for an application. He told her he wouldn’t hire her because the convenience store sold alcoholic beverages, and by law, Tasha was not old enough to sell them.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but teens aren’t considered adults in the eyes of the law. So what does that mean when it comes to getting a job? It means you are restricted in what you can legally do for work, the age at which you can begin working, and how many hours you can work during school time and summertime. To find the rules for your state, go to http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/states.htm and click on the state in which you live.
Besides the laws given by the Department of Labor, individual businesses may set ages at which they will hire. It would be a good idea to ask if they hire teenagers, and at what age, before you fill out an application. If you are involved in an extracurricular activity like a sport, ask the employer if they will work around your schedule. There is no sense in filling out applications for jobs you have no chance of getting.
Where to look
Tom wanted a job, but didn’t want to work in fast food or at a grocery store. Tom was an outdoors kind of guy. He also played school sports which would severely limit when he could work during the school year. Tom went to a job fair sponsored by his state Job Service in the spring. Tom found the perfect job working in the summer doing landscape maintenance for a school district.
Knowing what you can legally do helps narrow job choices, but you also need to think about what you want to do. Know yourself. Are you a people person? Are you good with kids? Do you like working with food? Do you want to be inside or outside? Are you restricted in times of day or year you can work? Think about your priorities. Don’t lose sight of your long-range goals like a state championship, high school diploma, or going to college.
It is true you can’t be overly picky when it comes to your first job, but you also don’t have to do something you will absolutely hate. It is a common misconception among teens that the only jobs available to them are in fast food restaurants or grocery stores. Those types of positions are often most visible, and they are great jobs, but they are not the only options. Don’t apply for jobs you know will make you miserable. Why do that to yourself?
Connections or word-of-mouth are a good way to find a job. If someone knows you and your strengths, they may be a good source for putting you in contact with employers. Be careful when pursuing a job just because a friend works there, however. Every employer I’ve had, or those I’ve talked to, are afraid that friends will be more interested in being friends than they will be in working. Employers pay people to work, not to socialize.
When I ask my classes where to look for job openings, many say the newspaper want ads. Although this is a good source for adults, it tends not to be for teens. Businesses believe the newspaper is read primarily by adults, and the want ads reflect this belief. The same goes for the national job search websites. If you can find a local area website, you may have more luck there. There are websites with job listings for teens out there. Your state’s Job Service or job board will post openings on the Internet, but you may need to register with them before you have access to those listings.
There is no law against simply applying at a business. If you think you would really like to work at a certain place, ask them for an application. There doesn’t have to be a ‘help wanted’ sign in the window for you to apply. Ask them to keep your application on file in case of future openings. Call periodically to make sure your application is still on file, and if an opening comes up, call and make sure they’re looking at your application.
Read more in Jennie Withers’ book for teens, “Hey, Get a Job!“
Find more info on teen jobs on SnagAJob.com.