How to get teens to work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teen is dying to work and had a lot of trouble getting a job. He submitted dozens of online applications and heard back from almost no one. Maybe this os because he had nothing to put but volunteer gigs in the “previous experience”? Anyway, I keep hearing abt all the jobs going infilled but my teen got almost no response. (And these were definitely teen appropriate jobs-he wasn’t shooting high or anything.)

I am completely clueless as to what “teen appropriate” jobs are! I babysat as a teen and my oldest wants to work next summer. Would you be willing to list the places your teen applied? I’m just curious where I should/shouldn’t steer the job hunt next year.

[Anonymous]

My teen got a job at a coffee shop last summer and they regularly sent him home from a long shift after an hour of two because they weren’t busy enough, or would text him and ask him to come in immediately and then get mad when he couldn’t immediately drop what he was doing and show up. Then the customers were downright abusive; he’s an athlete and tough but people would literally come up and straight out of the gate start curse him out because their coffee order—which he didn’t even make— was wrong. All that for minimum wage. He quit early and this summer is working as a camp counselor where at least he’s guaranteed 40 hours a week.

This country’s retail businesses are not owed an endless supply of cheap child and immigrant labor to exploit for profit so they can sell low quality food and environmentally destructive fast fashion made by exploited labor in China. If a business can’t find good workers it’s because they suck and they should go out of business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our experience this summer is that employers want full flexibility and continued employment during school. That’s a no go. Kids who are prioritizing hard classes, good grades and test scores, and meaningful ECs don’t have time during the school year to work at Five Guys during the week.

The best bets are truly seasonal employment, like a camp counselor, lifeguard, or golf caddie.

Based on my experience with three teenagers who had trouble finding summer work, I agree with you. Unfortunately, there are still scheduling and transportation issues unless the parents work from home or everyone has their own car. I have two kids working at a fitness club, but they get limited hours, and one gets sent home each time the pool closes for weather. That's not nearly enough income to buy a car or even to contribute toward insurance. Perhaps those who live close in or have access to public transportation can cast a wider net, but when employers offer limited, inconsistent hours assigned week by week, getting to work has challenges as well.

I have three very kids. Each of them has gone to the businesses within walking distance of our house to ask for a manager. All of the managers told them to apply online. At different times, each one applied online using resumes and custom cover letters that I helped them write. None of them were ever contacted. The grocery store near our house has had a "Help Wanted" sign posted for the past three years. During that time, each kid applied at least twice and never received a response.

One thing I have noticed, in addition to the fact that employers don't want summer-only workers, is that many businesses want workers who are over 18. Once my older son turned 18 and sought a job that wasn't just for the summer, he got hired almost immediately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those whose teens aren’t getting called for interviews, what does their availability look like?

DS was shocked that he couldn’t find a job when he started looking the first week of June, was planning two, week-long vacations and to leave for college the second week of August. Assuming a week of training, he would have probably been able to work for three/four weeks at most.

I figure after a year of having no spending money at college he will be more motivated to get a job next summer.

I recommend that a kid start looking during spring break rather than waiting until June. In some cases, there might be training that can be completed online or on a weekend before actual work starts.

You seem to be suggesting that kids aren't getting interviews because of their vacation schedules, but most people don't put that on an application, do they?

[Anonymous]

I feel like my teens want good jobs handed to them, ones where they can basically sit around and get paid, and they don't want to struggle to find or keep the job. But then that's what they see on social media, so I really can't very well tell them how important I believe the struggle is to their long term character building. They'll just say I'm old and out of touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like my teens want good jobs handed to them, ones where they can basically sit around and get paid, and they don't want to struggle to find or keep the job. But then that's what they see on social media, so I really can't very well tell them how important I believe the struggle is to their long term character building. They'll just say I'm old and out of touch.

It does seem like many kids aspire to grow up and become YouTubers and TikTokers after watching Mr. Beast and other social media stars. What they don't see is often the YEARS of hard work it took to create interesting content, on an almost daily basis, promote the channel, get sponsors, etc...

Not saying ALL kids, or even a majority of kids do this, but I think many here on DCUM would agree that an excessive amount of social media use can contribute to distorted perspectives on what it means to "work".

[Anonymous]

I think some of it is that but also, many people always grew up with get rich quick ideas and they didn’t see the work that went into it. Some of this is personality, and some of it is cultural, but it’s not as if kids just always wanted to work and now they don’t anymore. Some do, some don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is a troll who just wants lower paid wage slaves to exploit. Teens should work to learn, not to drive down wages.

Wow. This is so incredibly dumb. I’m sure you think you’re like really empathetic or something. And yet, you have no awareness that many teens work because THEIR FAMILY NEEDS THE MONEY.

I think PP is referring to the fact that the law allows employers to pay teens less than adults and can be used to dilute the hours of adult employees so they can't work enough hours to get overtime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have teens, OP? Are you asking for advice on how to convince YOUR kids to get a job, or do you just think other people's kids should be working?

The thing about this "employee shortage" is that it's a bit more complicated than that. Yes, businesses want employees--but they don't want a teen that can't work on weekdays before school gets out, or that is restricted from working past/more than certain hours because they are under 18, etc. Stores want employees with "open availability"--willing to work any day (including weekends, holidays, etc.) at any time. Stores won't give a full time schedule--they'll schedule according to THEIR needs, which might mean 35 hours one week, but only 12 the next.

+2
I'm guessing Op is mom to a toddler.

Clueless about 24/7 life with a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those whose teens aren’t getting called for interviews, what does their availability look like?

DS was shocked that he couldn’t find a job when he started looking the first week of June, was planning two, week-long vacations and to leave for college the second week of August. Assuming a week of training, he would have probably been able to work for three/four weeks at most.

I figure after a year of having no spending money at college he will be more motivated to get a job next summer.

I recommend that a kid start looking during spring break rather than waiting until June. In some cases, there might be training that can be completed online or on a weekend before actual work starts.

You seem to be suggesting that kids aren't getting interviews because of their vacation schedules, but most people don't put that on an application, do they?

I have 4 children that are teens or older and yes, there are some applications, like for camp counselor, where they list the weeks of camps in the application and ask specifically if you are available the whole time or if you are unavailable for at max a week or two. That's why we would try to tentatively plan our vacations around those camp weeks, knowing they wanted to work in the summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My teen is dying to work and had a lot of trouble getting a job. He submitted dozens of online applications and heard back from almost no one. Maybe this os because he had nothing to put but volunteer gigs in the “previous experience”? Anyway, I keep hearing abt all the jobs going infilled but my teen got almost no response. (And these were definitely teen appropriate jobs-he wasn’t shooting high or anything.)

I am completely clueless as to what “teen appropriate” jobs are! I babysat as a teen and my oldest wants to work next summer. Would you be willing to list the places your teen applied? I’m just curious where I should/shouldn’t steer the job hunt next year.

As mentioned earlier, camp counselor, lifeguard, or golf caddie are ideas. Also, just working at a pool at the snack bar or as a pool attendant. Sometimes local restaurants, ice cream shops or country clubs are a good bet. Check your county or city website for "seasonal jobs". Usually these are posted in January/February, and that's when your child needs to start looking in general to have the best chance of finding something or finding something they would prefer to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My teen is dying to work and had a lot of trouble getting a job. He submitted dozens of online applications and heard back from almost no one. Maybe this os because he had nothing to put but volunteer gigs in the “previous experience”? Anyway, I keep hearing abt all the jobs going infilled but my teen got almost no response. (And these were definitely teen appropriate jobs-he wasn’t shooting high or anything.)

+1. I assume OP has no experience with a teen getting a job today in the DMV. My teen is 15 y/o and many places have said 16 is the minimum age and 18 is preferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These jobs are not good for career they should be doing tech or legal work or something related to their future

Making money is directly related to their future. As someone who hires recent college grads a lot. I always look for the ones that haven't done all internships. Have you worked outside all summer? Have you worked in a non office job? Have you had a service job? Worked with the public? Those tell me a lot more about someone's ability to be flexible and communicate then a kid who spent all summer sitting in an office because their parent has a connection for an "internship."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like my teens want good jobs handed to them, ones where they can basically sit around and get paid, and they don't want to struggle to find or keep the job. But then that's what they see on social media, so I really can't very well tell them how important I believe the struggle is to their long term character building. They'll just say I'm old and out of touch.

You are old and out of touch. I worked as a grocery store cashier as teen. Is that a good job? All I had to do was fill out an application and it was handed to me. Guess what? The store says my teen is too young for the same job today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These jobs are not good for career they should be doing tech or legal work or something related to their future

Making money is directly related to their future. As someone who hires recent college grads a lot. I always look for the ones that haven't done all internships. Have you worked outside all summer? Have you worked in a non office job? Have you had a service job? Worked with the public? Those tell me a lot more about someone's ability to be flexible and communicate then a kid who spent all summer sitting in an office because their parent has a connection for an "internship."

+1 I prefer to hire college interns who’ve had real (albeit unrelated to their major) jobs for internships.