How does a teen find a 1st job without experience?

[Anonymous]

Apply online and then walk into the store and reiterate her desire to work there.

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem at her age. I signed with a temp agency, doing clerical work. Is that still a thing?

[Anonymous]

In DC Summer Youth Employment Program! It's open to all teens: http://does.dc.gov/service/summer-youth-employment-program-participant-information

Obviously the page needs updating for 2016!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

This will become more of a problem as non-skilled adults get paid $15 hour for these jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it's hard to compete with people who are available all day if she's only available after school and on weekends. Maybe start with babysitting, petsitting, lawnmowing, etc. and look for something over the summer--farmstands, summer camps, lifeguarding--that sort of thing. In DC, the dept. of parks and rec will actually pay for your lifeguard training because they have such a hard time finding qualified staff.

It used to be:

SAHM and retirees working during the day and teens/college kids at evening/night.


But now poor immigrants come into America, flip burgers for more money than they ever made in their homeland but now want/expect $15 an hour to do it as their "career"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

How is it not fair or accurate? You basically just said exactly what the PP said. Why are they now lifetime jobs and why can't the teens get jobs? Because people stay in these jobs "FOREVER"

Why? Because poor immigrants are flooding America and take these jobs. They have zero education and instead of making themselves better, they suck off the government's teet and demand higher pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

How is it not fair or accurate? You basically just said exactly what the PP said. Why are they now lifetime jobs and why can't the teens get jobs? Because people stay in these jobs "FOREVER"

Why? Because poor immigrants are flooding America and take these jobs. They have zero education and instead of making themselves better, they suck off the government's teet and demand higher pay.

different poster here. I think she objected to the characterization of "illegals." Just because someone has an accent doesn't mean they are illegal. And how is someone working a low pay job "sucking off the government's teet?" Not everyone can "make themselves better."

[Anonymous]

Movie theaters.

[Anonymous]

Movie theatre is a good option. Also, try a neighborhood business instead of a corporate chain - some family-owned businesses might be more willing to give an unexperienced kid their first job. My DC got her first job at a local hardware store.

[Anonymous]

My daughter had the exact same issue at 17. Its really, really hard to get that first job. Its pretty useless at this point to walk into places as everything is online. I'd suggest telling her to just plaster every single place she can with her online application. Eventually, something will come up and once she has that first job, getting a 2nd job is MUCH easier. (Simple, actually!)

Some of the places my daughter got offers in her first job search were Foot Locker (where she eventually wound up--but truth be told the manager told her they didn't usually hire 17 year olds, but she was pretty so he thought she would do well selling--sigh..), Wet Seal (offered her a job but the hours didn't work one day due to her sports), Outback Steakhouse for a hostess position (she didnt take this job as it was every Fri/Sat night and she was looking for weekend days).

The key is to apply online, and then just continue to follow up with phone calls or in person until someone says "no". Its just like an adult job search-persistence!!

If all else fails, just have her send out an email to your neighborhood list serv for babysitting. I'm amazed at the money my daughter pulls in when she comes home from a night of babysitting! She chooses to do that now over having a part time job while she is in college, because its just WAY more money. And you can pick and choose when you are available or not available. Not a bad gig!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

How is it not fair or accurate? You basically just said exactly what the PP said. Why are they now lifetime jobs and why can't the teens get jobs? Because people stay in these jobs "FOREVER"

Why? Because poor immigrants are flooding America and take these jobs. They have zero education and instead of making themselves better, they suck off the government's teet and demand higher pay.

It was the "illegals" part of it - I thought that was clear. There are plenty of born and bred Americans in these dead end jobs for one reason or another. There are plenty of Americans that want $15 to work at McDonald's or the mall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

How is it not fair or accurate? You basically just said exactly what the PP said. Why are they now lifetime jobs and why can't the teens get jobs? Because people stay in these jobs "FOREVER"

Why? Because poor immigrants are flooding America and take these jobs. They have zero education and instead of making themselves better, they suck off the government's teet and demand higher pay.

It was the "illegals" part of it - I thought that was clear. There are plenty of born and bred Americans in these dead end jobs for one reason or another. There are plenty of Americans that want $15 to work at McDonald's or the mall.

There is a poster, or are a few posters who are always trying to scream about "illegals". They are best ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They don't. All the illegals have the jobs instead. Look at the malls, department stores, fast-food, lawn service etc... All used to be teen jobs.

That isn't fair, or accurate. People used to have these jobs as teenagers/young adults, and now they are lifetime jobs - "illegals" or not. They were gateway jobs - you got work experience and then you went to college/trade school/whatever, and then you moved on. People do not do that anymore. They stay in these jobs FOREVER. There is a woman that has been working at the drive through at the McDonald's in my neighborhood since I moved here in 2003. That is why your daughter can't get an entry level job - people stay in them for 12 years.

Agree with PPs - does she know ANYONE that could hire her, or do any of her friends have jobs? Even in the stone ages when I worked at McDs, my cousin was the store manager, and they hired people's friends all of the time.

How is it not fair or accurate? You basically just said exactly what the PP said. Why are they now lifetime jobs and why can't the teens get jobs? Because people stay in these jobs "FOREVER"

Why? Because poor immigrants are flooding America and take these jobs. They have zero education and instead of making themselves better, they suck off the government's teet and demand higher pay.

It was the "illegals" part of it - I thought that was clear. There are plenty of born and bred Americans in these dead end jobs for one reason or another. There are plenty of Americans that want $15 to work at McDonald's or the mall.

There is a poster, or are a few posters who are always trying to scream about "illegals". They are best ignored.

Yes, because they certainly aren't a problem in our country.

[Anonymous]

Op, I didn't notice if she's college bound. DD and her friends had a horrible time - employers only wanted kids that were going no where. They wanted kids where this was their next step, at a fulltime job, minimum wage. DD had eventual luck at one of the pizza delivery chains answeri

[Anonymous]

Op, I didn't notice if she's college bound. DD and her friends had a horrible time - employers only wanted kids that were going no where. They wanted kids where this was their next step, at a fulltime job, minimum wage. DD had eventual luck at one of the pizza delivery chains answering phones