Reply to I don’t want DD to get a job

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, there have been many accurate statements in this thread, although I would take the advice from anyone who offers their high school work experience from decades ago with a grain of salt. The world is different now, and hiring practices make it difficult for younger teens to find consistent work or for anyone to find summer employment at any non-seasonal business. Based on my experience with three kids around your daughter's age, here are a few observations:

1) It will be hard to find a job in retail, restaurants, or other businesses at that age with no experience. The most accessible positions to get are usually dishwashing positions if that is something your DD is open to. 
2) If your DD wants to look for retail and similar jobs, her best chance of getting hired will be at small businesses that don't use Indeed or other online hiring platforms. Most year-round corporately owned businesses do not hire seasonal workers. She can try to submit online applications, but she will most likely apply for 100 jobs and not get many responses (if any). If your DD is open to continuing to work during the school year, that might increase her chances of getting hired.
3) At that age, the most plentiful summer work opportunities are in local pools, seasonal ice cream shops, maybe country clubs, etc. Lifeguarding offers the most opportunities, but not everyone is cut out for that. Some camps may pay 15-year-olds, although many offer CIT programs that you have to pay for. Jobs like this are also the most likely to accommodate family vacations (which is an issue that contributes to businesses' lack of interest in hiring summer workers).
4) Besides seasonal opportunities and lifeguarding, available jobs include babysitting, landscaping, and pet-sitting situations where your DD would need to find clients. These jobs are less likely to provide the socialization you are concerned about, but they provide valuable experience.

My kids struggled to find summer employment that wasn't lifeguarding while they were in their teens. Your DD's age is also challenging because if the job isn't within walking distance of your home, she will need a ride, which can be tricky without parents who WFO or have flexible schedules. In addition, some of the jobs they had at pools were irregular. For example, my son worked as a pool concierge one summer and was constantly sent home if the pool wasn't crowded or if there was inclement weather.

With that said, there is an upside to going through the process of looking for jobs even if you don't find one, and if she can get a job, it is likely to benefit her more than going to sleepaway camp. I would let her look for jobs and see what happens. If nothing else, she will get experience with creating a resume, completing and submitting applications, interviewing (if she gets an interview), and other skills that will serve her well. If things work out and she finds a job, the position will likely be one where she will be around other people her age. If she goes the babysitting or pet-sitting route, she will essentially be operating her own business, which developes other skills.

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YAWN[/quote]

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