Anonymous wrote:When I was in H.S. I was designing webpages for $100 an hour while my friends were working part time at Starbucks. Then they went on to college and worked at Starbucks to get by. And now they have a degree and still work at Starbucks. While I meanwhile have a wonderful job and a great life in DC because I had 10 years of RELEVANT experience and they graduated with food service experience.

I feel bad for you if you think ANY serious job will look at a college graduates resume and see McDonalds for 4 years and think "oh that is nice, they probably are a good worker and reliable and learned good job skills."

Who has mentioned that anywhere? OP is asking about a 15 year old.

Anonymous wrote:Teenagers can't get a job anymore. Illegal immigrants take them all.

Dumb statement. Please educate yourself.

Working any sort of job helps a teen learn that there is a world out there greater than "oneself" and will also in many ways show them they will have to be flexible and adaptable to be successful. In the engineering school where my husband taught for many years, it seems the the school philosophy was how great they were and seemed to only continue the silly notion many affluent, well educated teens have that they will exit college into managerial positions without having to have a skills set other than to tell others what to do!!Today it is a competitive world out there to even get unpaid internships so anything that can demonstrate that even as a young teen one sought extra training or got out there in the work world as a volunteer or paid employee is good. Also, getting early references beyond teachers and family friends can highlight work related abilities that these folks may not have even seen in the young person to date.

One of our girls started volunteering as an early teen as she did have a sister with a disability which lead to her interest to become a physical therapist (now able to work part-time at $70/per hour in DC area with two young children) and for her to log 1,000 hours which lead to being a Community Volunteer runner in one of the Olympic Torch runs. Another was on a swim team growing up and took the classes and became a lifeguard as an older teen as her first paid job. She also did some summer volunteer work in Latin America while in college which helped her get her very high paying government job years later when an agency was looking not only for bilingual Spanish speakers, but for those with in-country experience in rather unusual countries. It was a case that early volunteering with different groups and a year after college before grad school came together.

Anonymous wrote:When I was in H.S. I was designing webpages for $100 an hour while my friends were working part time at Starbucks. Then they went on to college and worked at Starbucks to get by. And now they have a degree and still work at Starbucks. While I meanwhile have a wonderful job and a great life in DC because I had 10 years of RELEVANT experience and they graduated with food service experience.

I feel bad for you if you think ANY serious job will look at a college graduates resume and see McDonalds for 4 years and think "oh that is nice, they probably are a good worker and reliable and learned good job skills."

For an entry-level position, I would call the recent grad who worked at McDonalds or Starbucks before I called the one who had "owned his own business" since high school, and never worked for someone else. Obviously, a candidate who had done both would be ideal, but like PPs have said, working for a boss is a signal that this individual can show up on time, dressed appropriately, and follow instructions. These are qualities that I want in an entry-level employee. The person who owned his own business for six years probably thinks he is entitled to be my boss.

When I was in H.S. I was designing webpages for $100 an hour while my friends were working part time at Starbucks. Then they went on to college and worked at Starbucks to get by. And now they have a degree and still work at Starbucks. While I meanwhile have a wonderful job and a great life in DC because I had 10 years of RELEVANT experience and they graduated with food service experience.

I feel bad for you if you think ANY serious job will look at a college graduates resume and see McDonalds for 4 years and think "oh that is nice, they probably are a good worker and reliable and learned good job skills."

Teenagers can't get a job anymore. Illegal immigrants take them all.

A lot of good ideas have already been mentioned. Just wanted to add that I knew several kids who started out washing dishes at (independent) restaurants, and who were allowed to move up the ranks and do other stuff in the kitchen - prepping the plates and so on. They were proud of their new role and it was a really positive experience for them.

What about something entreprenurial? Lawn mowing, dog walking, snow removal.

I strongly believe everyone should work in retail/customer service/food service early in life. It teaches people social skills (like how not to be jerks to people working in those jobs!). And it gives people ambition for more education so they don't stay in those jobs forever.

Fast food is definitely an option. Lots of sports hire teens as refs.

He can try working at a tutoring center. Depending on his reading/math proficiency, they may hire him. Try Kumon.

Second the lifeguarding suggestion. OUr kids have lifeguarded in high school and now in college they are applying for camp counselor jobs and they have the necessary experience to be considered for these jobs. If they have never worked in high school, then it will be more difficult to get a job in college. Lifeguarding is also an awesome work-study in college. Not too stressful.

In my hometown a lot of high school kids worked at the senior home cafeteria. Bonus is that seniors eat dinner on the early side so it was a great after school job and you didn't get home too late. I worked in a restaurant and wouldn't get home some nights until 10 or later, but I think rules are more strict these days on kids hours on school nights

When I was 14, I started working as a supermarket cashier. During the school week my hours were 4-7pm, and on weekends I either worked from 7-1 or 12-7. The summer I was 14 I also worked as a camp counselor at the town-run camp (which was either free for kids or almost free).

When I was 15, I worked at an outlet shoe store, with very similar hours to the supermarket.

You can learn a TON about how to be responsible and how to work with the public by working retail. I suggest it for everyone. Also, it sped up my ability to do quick math.

I worked at McDonalds from the end of my sophomore year of high school to the summer before college. My ex boyfriend tried to persuade me to become a shift manager during college. I hated the place at that point, but so I declined. however, I wish I would have had the leadership experience.

Teenagers would be very popular if they were interested in mowing grass or doing other seasonal yard care and might well consider developing a flyer to share with older neighbors even if only on occasion. Also, pet/plant sitting while neighbors are a way if responsible. Have him take a Child CPR Class/First Aid Class as well as Swimming Instructor of Lifeguard classes when eligible if interested as any would be good certifications to gain and keep up for possible part-time jobs on through college. Also, if he might enjoy being a peer mentor or companion in the summer for a younger neighbor boy or possible a couple of brothers that might be quite welcome by a harried Mom even on a regular basis such as late afternoon or even early evening to give parent(s) a break.

Another idea is at age 15, he might be able to also find one or more interesting volunteer jobs that would also let him see how he might like various work settings such at a parks recreation site, senior citizen program, food pantry, nonprofit office setting as for mailings, copying etc.

And I disagree that McDonald's or stores would be a bad place for a teenager to gain work experience at if nothing else learning to get along with coworkers of differing social, economic and educational backgrounds might be very valuable. Also to see the varying values and attitudes about working and learning how to take criticism as well as praise from supervisors. You are on the right track Mom in encouraging your son to start to learn the value of a job.