How To Get a Job as a Teen

Summer is around the corner and you may be looking for a job to make some money.

Getting a job and earning your own income is such a great feeling of independence, and really makes you appreciate the value of money. Of course, there are limitations to what you can do as a teenager, depending on your state’s legal working age and other factors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start now!

Today I’m going to outline my personal experience with getting a job, from writing the resume, applying to places, to actually getting hired. I also asked for advice from friends of mine who have jobs to get other perspectives on entering the work field.

1. Know The Laws:

Every state is different on their minimum age requirement for working, so make sure you’re aware of your state’s laws. For me, I could begin working at 16, so I began applying the day after my birthday.

2. Know What to Expect

Let’s be honest, you’re probably not going to have the most glamorous job as a 16/17 year old. You’ll most likely be working in retail, or food services. But, that doesn’t mean they’re going to be terrible! I have plenty of friends who absolutely love their jobs, whether it just be serving food or folding clothes.

It’s all about your attitude towards it and the people you work with. Yet, you have to realize that you’re actually going to have to work. I know, sounds obvious, but I also know people who are constantly complaining about having to go to work or being scheduled certain hours, etc. Be appreciative that you have the opportunity to earn money, because there are no doubt a long list of people willing to take your place.

3. Search Around For Positions:

For me personally, I looked at the local stores and restaurants in my area that I would be willing to work at, went to their websites or in store, and filled out an application. That simple. Most places hire right before summer and the winter holidays, so those are the best times to apply. You can also call the places and ask whether or not they’re hiring at the time. Even if they say no, still apply, because you never know when a position could open.

Another tip is to ask people you know that are older or already have jobs, if they know of any place hiring. Connections are key. If someone can put in a good word for you on top of your application and resume, you’re already a step ahead of any other applicants.

Finally, look for places that are new or having a grand opening, because you know there’s spots available there. A new set of outlets opened up near my town not too long ago, and it was a great opportunity to apply to multiple places at once. I’ve had tons of people I know get jobs there simply because they needed to fill the positions.

You also want to make sure the places you’re applying to are accessible to you. Depending on whether you have your license or not, you may need to rely on your parents to drive you to work. Make sure they are in agreement with driving you, and the place isn’t too far where it’ll be a stress to get to.

4. Fill Out Your Resume

Creating a resume at 16 years old is hard, because how are you supposed to prove your work experience when you’re applying for your first job? My main tip is to think of all your past experiences that could transfer into skills needed in the job field. For example:

Have you volunteered anywhere? This shows that you are willing to work during your free time, so of course you would be willing to work for a paycheck.

Can you show that you are a hard worker? Although GPA doesn’t really matter when you’re working, if you do maintain good grades and a high GPA, it can show employers that you are dedicated to working hard and doing your best.

You can also include any major, time-consuming projects you have worked on. Maybe you won a state-wide competition, or produced a website for your school’s newspaper. It’s not always just about your grades! Have you had any leadership experiences? This is a big one. If you’re the captain of a sports team or president of a club, definitely put that on your resume. It shows that you are able be independent and get things done.

Take these experiences and put them into skill sets. Some good examples are: proficient in Microsoft applications, great reading comprehension, easily adapts to new situations, learns new skills quickly, exceptional time management skills. Of course, don’t go overboard with writing down every single skill you can think of. It may come off over-confident and not all skills apply to the same job. Being able to use Microsoft word isn’t going to matter when you’re working at Starbucks.

Of course you want to include all of your contact information, especially your phone or email so any potential employers can contact you. Always read over the final resume to check for any spelling or grammatical errors, and keep the length to about one page. Find a design that is original and stands out from the others, because nothings worse than a boring resume. There are plenty of resume templates online, so find one that you like!

5. Apply!

Like I said, I simply went to every nearby store and filled out an application. The key that could potentially earn you the job however, is following up on your admissions.

For me, I called into the stores that I applied to about 2 weeks later, asked for the human resources department or store manager, introduced myself, and checked on the status of my application. They’ll give you one of a few answers: we haven’t gotten to it yet, we’re not hiring right now or we’ve already filled the position, we’re reviewing it now, etc.

By calling in, you put your name at the top of their minds and it’ll stick out when they eventually do find your application. It shows that you care about working there, by taking the time to check on your application.

Of course, don’t come off as pushy or rude, which will most likely have a negative impact instead of a positive one. Be grateful that they are taking the time to check, and make sure to thank them for your time.

6. Interviews:

If you’ve made it to the interview stage, congrats! This is typically where people get the most nervous because it could make or break your chance of getting the job. However, you shouldn’t worry too much because if you stay true to yourself and act confident (even if it is just acting), then you should secure yourself as a solid candidate.

First, you want to wear something clean and presentable, preferably business-casual. This means no t-shirts, shorts, sandals or flip flops, tank tops, etc. Wear a nice pair of pants or a skirt, a blouse, and either flats or heels. Even if the job position you’re applying for can wear jeans and a t-shirt, that doesn’t mean you should interview in them.

Next, be upbeat and friendly with everyone you come in contact with. You never know what their position is in the company. You’ll most likely be placed in a room with the HR/hiring person, where they’ll ask you a few questions about yourself and why you think you deserve the job. Be honest. Stay calm. A common question in many interviews is “what is your greatest weakness?”. Be careful how you answer this one because it’s almost like a trick question. Don’t answer with “I work too hard” or “I’m a perfectionist” because the interviewer is just going to roll their eyes. Think of something you genuinely need to work on, then emphasize how you’re working on improving it.

Before you go, have one or two questions prepared that you can as the interviewer in return. This shows that you did your research and are genuinely interested in the position. Otherwise, thank the interviewer for their time and even send an email when you get home to thank them once again.

7. Getting The Responses:

If you get rejected the position at a store, don’t get discouraged. Thank them for their time and remind them to consider you if they are hiring again any time soon. Most of the time you didn’t get hired simply because there wasn’t any positions, or there were tons of other applications to choose from. If you do get hired, awesome! The next step is to work with the company to create your schedule and choose how many hours you’re going to work.

Be realistic with yourself. If you’re part of clubs or sports, don’t fill all of your extra time with work. I can tell you now you’ll get run-down really quickly.

Do not request to have the weekends off. That is pretty unrealistic. Like I mentioned before, you’ll probably work in retail or the food industry, and the weekends are their busiest times so they’ll be needing you to work. It’s a sacrifice you have to be willing to make.

Unless you have a mandatory responsibility already one of those days, do not request off. Speaking of requesting off, let the company know of any pre-planned vacations or events that will clash with your schedule. Nothing’s worse than when someone new gets hired and suddenly calls out 3 days in a row. Not a good way to start. This way, your manager will be prepared and can schedule other people in those days.

As a newbie as well, try not to call out for the first couple of months unless you’re really sick. If an event comes up that you need to go to, try your hardest to find someone to cover your shift because one call out can mess up the workflow for everyone else.

8. Get To Work!

Hopefully these tips have helped you learn a little bit more about applying for jobs and maybe reduced the anxiety that comes with it. If you use any of these tips and do end up getting hired somewhere, pleeeease let me know. I would love to see if I have helped anyone! If you have any other tips that I’ve missed, definitely comment them down below.

Lots of love,