Jobs for a 15 year old boy?

[Anonymous]

My son's New Year's resolution this year is to get a job. We talked about the jobs I had when I was a teenager, but I have a feeling things have changed a lot since then, and I'm not sure where he should start looking. Anyone have some good advice on teen jobs during the school year?

[Anonymous]

What state are you in? I know in Maryland, kids under 16 cannot work past 8pm at night, so many places don't hire them for after school work.

I still know tons of teens who work fast food. They are slightly older, though.

Some others:

Movie theaters
Lifeguard
Parks department - seasonal (probably just summer)
Camp Counselor (summers)

[Anonymous]

Referee for rec leagues my DS has played basketball since he was 6 or so. We plan on having him start reffing next year.

[Anonymous]

After school and weekend hours tend to favor mall or fast food jobs. Target or other big box stores are an option too as well as grocery stores. Grocery stores hire pretty young you can start as a cart guy/gal or stock shelves then move to registers if you want.

[Anonymous]

I think having a kid do a minimum wage job is a total waste. Teach him to develop and market a skill and be self employed. It teaches drive, self-sufficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, business, independence, etc.

Working at McDonalds teaches you how to be a bitch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think having a kid do a minimum wage job is a total waste. Teach him to develop and market a skill and be self employed. It teaches drive, self-sufficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, business, independence, etc.

Working at McDonalds teaches you how to be a bitch.

Oh please.

[Anonymous]

chimney sweep
bootblack
pickpocket
mutilated beggar

[Anonymous]

I'm a serial entrepreneur and think any job will teach you something. Even at a place like McDonald's where you're expected to show up and on time. McDonald's was my first job in high school. This was a while ago, but I learned about providing good customer service, math like how to take money and count it before ringing it up, how to handle problems when they arise such as a customer getting a wrong order. I could make a whole list of good things you'll learn working at McD's. These things are necessary for being successful in business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think having a kid do a minimum wage job is a total waste. Teach him to develop and market a skill and be self employed. It teaches drive, self-sufficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, business, independence, etc.

Working at McDonalds teaches you how to be a bitch.

Nice language buddy. Did you consider that perhaps my son is reading this with me? His exact words were "What's his problem? He sounds like a jerk."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think having a kid do a minimum wage job is a total waste. Teach him to develop and market a skill and be self employed. It teaches drive, self-sufficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, business, independence, etc.

Working at McDonalds teaches you how to be a bitch.

Nice language buddy. Did you consider that perhaps my son is reading this with me? His exact words were "What's his problem? He sounds like a jerk."

Sounds like he would enjoy being a McBitch then. Good luck buddy!

[Anonymous]

Sweet Frog!

[Anonymous]

By the sound of it, maybe things haven't really changed that much since I was a teen. I have noticed, however, that most of the workers at our local McDonalds and other fast food establishments, do not appear to be teenagers. I don't think they hire that young anyway. He is planning on being a camp counselor for the county (MoCo) next year, but they only hire 16 and over. Grocery store sounds like a good idea though. Keep the helpful advice coming!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think having a kid do a minimum wage job is a total waste. Teach him to develop and market a skill and be self employed. It teaches drive, self-sufficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, business, independence, etc.

Working at McDonalds teaches you how to be a bitch.

Nice language buddy. Did you consider that perhaps my son is reading this with me? His exact words were "What's his problem? He sounds like a jerk."

Sounds like he would enjoy being a McBitch then. Good luck buddy!

Oh go crawl back under your rock!

[Anonymous]

You can be a bus boy at a restaurant at that age. On a weeknight you'd be on for a fee hours during the lunch rush. If he liked it, he could work up to waiting tables.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the sound of it, maybe things haven't really changed that much since I was a teen. I have noticed, however, that most of the workers at our local McDonalds and other fast food establishments, do not appear to be teenagers. I don't think they hire that young anyway. He is planning on being a camp counselor for the county (MoCo) next year, but they only hire 16 and over. Grocery store sounds like a good idea though. Keep the helpful advice coming!

Is the desire to get a job mostly for the money? Or for experience? If money isn't a primary issue (although I completely understand if it is, been there/done that), there are tons of volunteer and internship opportunities available for no pay. I volunteered at a library the summer I was 13, and helped mending books. It wasn't much, but I swear having that on my resume helped me cinch my first "real" job as lifeguard the summer I turned 15. He could really broaden the type of experience he gets if he wants to do internships.

And the composition of fast food employees may really vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. I live in North Potomac and many of the workers at the two closest fast food places are teens.

Also, what is he interested in? I know my son is very interested in landscaping in particular, outside work in general. He's not old enough yet, but when he is, he already knows two companies he will contact proactively to see if they hire teens. After he volunteers at Red Wiggler Farm, that is. Which I highly recommend.

http://redwiggler.org

The library also has good resources, and there is a website called Snag a Job where you can search for teen jobs, too.