You may have just turned 16 years old or you just want a summer job to earn some cash. Your parents might have cut you off and told you to get a part time position to pay for your entertainment, clothes, gas or fast food. The first thing you should do is write down the things that you have been doing that might be applicable to a job. Note if you have any experience babysitting, working at the church daycare, participating on team sports or helping family or friends. Then second thing you can do is write a short resume and gather references from teachers and adult friends. Next, decide what kind of work you are interested in. Some kids just want anything that will pay. Others want to find internships that will apply to their future career. While others have a preference to working outside or in a field such as retail. Of course opportunities may depend on where you live. Here are some jobs that are almost always available to teens. |
Lifeguard
If you have gone through all the necessary steps to become a certified lifeguard, congratulations, you now have some good choices on where to work for the summer.
Hotels: Pick this job if you don’t mind occasional empty pools.
Beaches: You will have to be very alert and fit. Anything and everything happens at the beach with hundreds of swimmers to watch.
Amusement Parks: Keeping the water clean and tested is a big function of lifeguarding at water parks. There will be thousands of people contaminating the water all day.
Town pools: Local pools usually consist of crowds of rambunctious children. Your job will be to watch all of the kids and keep them safe.
Theme Park Worker
Places like Walt Disney World, Six Flags, and Busch Gardens have fun jobs for teenagers. Because these amusement parks are like little cities, there are jobs in many fields. You can work at admissions, in a restaurant, in the hotel, in entertainment, doing maintenance, manning the arcade, or operating rides. You will meet a lot of great people from around the world. You will also be able to enjoy the rides for free!
Camp Counselor
If you enjoy camping and children, then being a camp counselor is for you. You will be on the job day and night but you get to enjoy the great outdoors. You should be comfortable being away from home for a period of time.
Museum Helper
Indoor and outdoor museums are busier during the summer months and often ask high school teens to come and help give tours, take care of displays, look after any animals and work in the gift shop.
Golf Courses, Country Clubs and Tennis Clubs
Become a caddy or tennis assistant and learn some great sports at the same time!
Government Youth Programs:
Counties and cities have summer youth programs. They are usually based on income and train and place young people ages 14 and up into jobs at parks and local businesses. Teens can do jobs landscaping, cleaning, assembling, repair work, mentoring and farm work.
Greenhouse Worker
This kind of work may be overlooked. Greenhouses in cold weather states pop up only in the summer. If you apply early in the season, you may land a job easily. You can work growing beautiful plants and flowers. Also check with garden center departments at your local home improvement store.
Pool Stores
In cold weather states, this is another place that is seasonal. Learn how to sell pool supplies and go out to client’s homes to maintain their pools.
Getting a Job
It may not be easy to find a job and you might get rejected. Keep on trying and emphasize that you will be reliable and eager to learn. Utilize all of your adult contacts and let them know you are job searching. Do everything you can to gain experience such as volunteering and interning. It is the teen who tries the hardest that lands the job.
If you have gone through all the necessary steps to become a certified lifeguard, congratulations, you now have some good choices on where to work for the summer.
Hotels: Pick this job if you don’t mind occasional empty pools.
Beaches: You will have to be very alert and fit. Anything and everything happens at the beach with hundreds of swimmers to watch.
Amusement Parks: Keeping the water clean and tested is a big function of lifeguarding at water parks. There will be thousands of people contaminating the water all day.
Town pools: Local pools usually consist of crowds of rambunctious children. Your job will be to watch all of the kids and keep them safe.
Theme Park Worker
Places like Walt Disney World, Six Flags, and Busch Gardens have fun jobs for teenagers. Because these amusement parks are like little cities, there are jobs in many fields. You can work at admissions, in a restaurant, in the hotel, in entertainment, doing maintenance, manning the arcade, or operating rides. You will meet a lot of great people from around the world. You will also be able to enjoy the rides for free!
Camp Counselor
If you enjoy camping and children, then being a camp counselor is for you. You will be on the job day and night but you get to enjoy the great outdoors. You should be comfortable being away from home for a period of time.
Museum Helper
Indoor and outdoor museums are busier during the summer months and often ask high school teens to come and help give tours, take care of displays, look after any animals and work in the gift shop.
Golf Courses, Country Clubs and Tennis Clubs
Become a caddy or tennis assistant and learn some great sports at the same time!
Government Youth Programs:
Counties and cities have summer youth programs. They are usually based on income and train and place young people ages 14 and up into jobs at parks and local businesses. Teens can do jobs landscaping, cleaning, assembling, repair work, mentoring and farm work.
Greenhouse Worker
This kind of work may be overlooked. Greenhouses in cold weather states pop up only in the summer. If you apply early in the season, you may land a job easily. You can work growing beautiful plants and flowers. Also check with garden center departments at your local home improvement store.
Pool Stores
In cold weather states, this is another place that is seasonal. Learn how to sell pool supplies and go out to client’s homes to maintain their pools.
Getting a Job
It may not be easy to find a job and you might get rejected. Keep on trying and emphasize that you will be reliable and eager to learn. Utilize all of your adult contacts and let them know you are job searching. Do everything you can to gain experience such as volunteering and interning. It is the teen who tries the hardest that lands the job.