Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 11:05     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
I'm in my 40s and I'd love one of these 2-shifts a week retail jobs, where are people finding them? I have a job but I'm an independent contractor and not quite full time, and I work remotely and communicate with people almost entirely via email (I have a special skill and just work on projects and then deliver them to people and don't have to collaborate really).

My job is good but my hours can be very up and down, plus I get VERY lonely without any real colleagues. I've been wanting to get a job working like 2 shifts a week in some kind of retail store or like a gym or something, because it would help me mentally to have a place to go and people to interact with, plus having even that minimal income would be useful to me in the weeks when I just don't have as much work to do (more mentally than anything else, I make enough money, but I feel this little panic when I have a slow month like I'm never going to earn money again).

So where are people finding these jobs? I would love one. I have retail and customer service experience, am very reliable and easy to work with, and pick things up quickly.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 11:00     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 16 year old has applied to at least 30 jobs and has gotten one interview at McDonalds. They didn't like his availability because he is in high school full time. He said he could work evenings and weekends and they said no. His group of friends the only one getting hired are lifeguards.

Many of the jobs teenagers got in past years are being done by recent immigrants or other adults. Most places want you to be over 18.


Don't know where you live, but apply at the country clubs. They hire mainly teens / college students for many member-facing jobs (i.e., working in the golf shop, caddying, waiter, waitress, etc.). You will find some adults working as servers, but not many.


No local country club around here is hiring a teen caddy! LOLOLOL. No restaurant is hiring a 16yr old waitress becuase they cannot serve any alcohol. At my country club all of the waiters are immigrants. Every. Single. One. Some of them in very unfortunate positiion where they were professionals in their home country where their certifications or degrees do not transfer over here.


What are you talking about? Where is "around here"? My kid got a job in the golf room at 16, and a bunch of his friends work at his club and others in the DMV as well.

I take it you aren't a member of Chevy Chase CC or even Kenwood or Columbia or Congressional.


yea at one of those and NONE of the teens and caddies or waiters. They legally can’t serve alcohol you dummy. Zero caddies or waiters in high school.


Which one? Because you are full of shit.

Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 09:27     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:

Many of the jobs teenagers got in past years are being done by recent immigrants or other adults. Most places want you to be over 18.


Ding ding ding!
I’ve started paying attention who my servers are. I am in CA fwiw. I get Hispanic men in their 50s or white women maybe 27+.
Grocery store cashiers? College kids and up.
The only place I’ve seen anyone remotely HS age was a UPS store.
Can’t speak to fast food places as I barely ever go and if I do it’s the drive thru where adults with an accent take my order.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:58     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:College was paid by my parents. I worked retail to cover my basic living expenses and to also have some extra spending money. I was regularly scheduled between 4-5 days a week and if I wanted to pick up an extra shift there was always one available just as long as I did not go over 40 hours.

Now let us fast forward 20 years. My nieces and nephews, not only is their college not already paid for but they are lucky if they are scheduled even 2 days a week if they try and work any retail job. On top of that, basic living expenses continue to go up.

What is a young person today supposed to do?

Depend on their parents to also cover their basic living expenses in addition to also providing some spending money?

Why are retail employers reluctant to schedule their part timers to more than 1-2 days a week?

OMG I hear you! My college aged son is STRUGGLING to find full time work this summer and is looking to piece together 3 PT jobs to get FT money. He is such a hard worker and so reliable and smart I feel really bad that its hard to find even the most basic of full time minimum wage pay.




OMG I hear you! My college aged son is STRUGGLING to find full time work this summer and is looking to piece together 3 PT jobs to get FT money. He is such a hard worker and so reliable and smart I feel really bad that its hard to find even the most basic of full time minimum wage pay.

No employer wants to hire someone full time for 3 months just to replace them when the summer is over.


Well yea. that’s the entire point of the post. Employers of low level jobs don’t want to hire ANYONE with FT hours. Most cobble together part time hours all year round. Times have changed.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:55     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 16 year old has applied to at least 30 jobs and has gotten one interview at McDonalds. They didn't like his availability because he is in high school full time. He said he could work evenings and weekends and they said no. His group of friends the only one getting hired are lifeguards.

Many of the jobs teenagers got in past years are being done by recent immigrants or other adults. Most places want you to be over 18.


Don't know where you live, but apply at the country clubs. They hire mainly teens / college students for many member-facing jobs (i.e., working in the golf shop, caddying, waiter, waitress, etc.). You will find some adults working as servers, but not many.


No local country club around here is hiring a teen caddy! LOLOLOL. No restaurant is hiring a 16yr old waitress becuase they cannot serve any alcohol. At my country club all of the waiters are immigrants. Every. Single. One. Some of them in very unfortunate positiion where they were professionals in their home country where their certifications or degrees do not transfer over here.


What are you talking about? Where is "around here"? My kid got a job in the golf room at 16, and a bunch of his friends work at his club and others in the DMV as well.

I take it you aren't a member of Chevy Chase CC or even Kenwood or Columbia or Congressional.


yea at one of those and NONE of the teens and caddies or waiters. They legally can’t serve alcohol you dummy. Zero caddies or waiters in high school.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 08:00     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My dd works at a chain coffee place and she has 1 shift a week right now. She can occasionally pick up one or two more. They have so many employees.


DD works for a chain restaurant and is lucky if she gets to work 3 days/week.. Any open shifts that come up are quickly snagged.

Cost-cutting and all, but it's also a major shift in consumerism since you and me worked "back in the day" - Uber eats, online orders, restaurant options, fast casual are the norm, etc.


I know my HS kid's friends work as Door Dashers a bunch. It's kind of amazing how they just incorporate it into their daily routine.

As an example, my kid's baseball team played a game out in Reston and one of the kids Door Dashed all the way back to DC and made like $100 just picking up jobs all along his route home.


My kid's drivers license says no driving for pay until he's 18. I'm surprised many high school students can drive for door dash.


On their driver’s license?

In any event, the kids are 18. Most High school seniors (and a few juniors) are 18 by spring of senior year.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 07:41     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My dd works at a chain coffee place and she has 1 shift a week right now. She can occasionally pick up one or two more. They have so many employees.


DD works for a chain restaurant and is lucky if she gets to work 3 days/week.. Any open shifts that come up are quickly snagged.

Cost-cutting and all, but it's also a major shift in consumerism since you and me worked "back in the day" - Uber eats, online orders, restaurant options, fast casual are the norm, etc.


I know my HS kid's friends work as Door Dashers a bunch. It's kind of amazing how they just incorporate it into their daily routine.

As an example, my kid's baseball team played a game out in Reston and one of the kids Door Dashed all the way back to DC and made like $100 just picking up jobs all along his route home.


My kid's drivers license says no driving for pay until he's 18. I'm surprised many high school students can drive for door dash.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 07:03     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:They just want to hire fewer people period. Consultants told them they could save money with fewer shifts.


But they want a full bench for when people inevitably quit/call out.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 07:02     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
I moved out at age 18 (in the early aughts) and was financially independent. I worked as a barista, a cocktail waitress, a receptionist etc. I put myself through school, which was slow-going because the FAFSA accounts for your parents income until you’re 26, and they were not supporting me.

I had a chip on my shoulder about the struggle but overall I’m glad for the experience. I made it through school (twice), and outside of the crippling student loan debt am doing well: great marriage, great kids, great career, beautiful home and own a rental property.

I do agree that young people today seem ill-equipped for the challenges of life.
Anonymous
Post 04/12/2026 06:26     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:College was paid by my parents. I worked retail to cover my basic living expenses and to also have some extra spending money. I was regularly scheduled between 4-5 days a week and if I wanted to pick up an extra shift there was always one available just as long as I did not go over 40 hours.

Now let us fast forward 20 years. My nieces and nephews, not only is their college not already paid for but they are lucky if they are scheduled even 2 days a week if they try and work any retail job. On top of that, basic living expenses continue to go up.

What is a young person today supposed to do?

Depend on their parents to also cover their basic living expenses in addition to also providing some spending money?

Why are retail employers reluctant to schedule their part timers to more than 1-2 days a week?

OMG I hear you! My college aged son is STRUGGLING to find full time work this summer and is looking to piece together 3 PT jobs to get FT money. He is such a hard worker and so reliable and smart I feel really bad that its hard to find even the most basic of full time minimum wage pay.




OMG I hear you! My college aged son is STRUGGLING to find full time work this summer and is looking to piece together 3 PT jobs to get FT money. He is such a hard worker and so reliable and smart I feel really bad that its hard to find even the most basic of full time minimum wage pay.

No employer wants to hire someone full time for 3 months just to replace them when the summer is over.
Anonymous
Post 04/11/2026 22:06     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:On a side note, UPS frequently delivers my packages to the wrong address. While attempting to locate my lost packages, I managed to become on a first name basis with one of their customer center employees and she informed she is scheduled 5 days a week but only 4 hours a day.


I had that job right out of college. It was great working for UPS. 20 hours a week got me health insurance (although I can't recall using it even once. Gosh, it was great to be young and healthy!)

The hours were 6 am to 10 am. I worked four hours M-Fr. in a big warehouse filled with young men loading trucks with boxes. I looked up missing addresses and returns and dealt with any issues. Then I went home, showered, and went to my second job.

Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 11:36     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My dd works at a chain coffee place and she has 1 shift a week right now. She can occasionally pick up one or two more. They have so many employees.


DD works for a chain restaurant and is lucky if she gets to work 3 days/week.. Any open shifts that come up are quickly snagged.

Cost-cutting and all, but it's also a major shift in consumerism since you and me worked "back in the day" - Uber eats, online orders, restaurant options, fast casual are the norm, etc.


I know my HS kid's friends work as Door Dashers a bunch. It's kind of amazing how they just incorporate it into their daily routine.

As an example, my kid's baseball team played a game out in Reston and one of the kids Door Dashed all the way back to DC and made like $100 just picking up jobs all along his route home.


You are full of shit. You have to be 18 to work door dash.


Uhhh...they are 18. Most seniors in HS (and even one junior) are 18.

Really, you couldn't figure out the age of high school kids?
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 11:34     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I know this is a retail thread, but have you all looked into babysitting, dog walking, or mowing lawns? Mowing lawns is the perfect summer job for a teen. I pay babysitters $20-25 an hour and that's pretty standard. It's hard to get a retail job that pays anywhere near that. Also, it's like $75 a night for dog watchers and $25 a walk. My dog is very chill and is a joy to take care of.

Retail has been gutted by the requirements to pay health care and benefits once you hit 40 hours a week. The companies just can't afford it so they keep hours very low.


My high schooler mows lawns and it is very hard to fill up his entire summer. Many people have lawn services for year round contracts that cover everying from areation, tree trimming and cheimcal application. he can't compete with that. He does have about 6 reliable customers, but it is far from full time. And if you have a boy, very very hard to get babysitting jobs.


I don't know about "filling up his entire summer", but my kid has his little lawnmowing business in CC MD and earns like $400/week just mowing 6 lawns. Like it's kind of crazy because that only equates to like 3 hours per week, but he starts in April and he can do it until November.

They also hire him for shoveling, but that isn't as consistent though he made like $1500 during the snowcrete event.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 11:33     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My dd works at a chain coffee place and she has 1 shift a week right now. She can occasionally pick up one or two more. They have so many employees.


DD works for a chain restaurant and is lucky if she gets to work 3 days/week.. Any open shifts that come up are quickly snagged.

Cost-cutting and all, but it's also a major shift in consumerism since you and me worked "back in the day" - Uber eats, online orders, restaurant options, fast casual are the norm, etc.


I know my HS kid's friends work as Door Dashers a bunch. It's kind of amazing how they just incorporate it into their daily routine.

As an example, my kid's baseball team played a game out in Reston and one of the kids Door Dashed all the way back to DC and made like $100 just picking up jobs all along his route home.


You are full of shit. You have to be 18 to work door dash.
Anonymous
Post 04/10/2026 11:31     Subject: When I was in college (20+ years ago) I worked retail and was scheduled 4-5 days a week
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My 16 year old has applied to at least 30 jobs and has gotten one interview at McDonalds. They didn't like his availability because he is in high school full time. He said he could work evenings and weekends and they said no. His group of friends the only one getting hired are lifeguards.

Many of the jobs teenagers got in past years are being done by recent immigrants or other adults. Most places want you to be over 18.


Don't know where you live, but apply at the country clubs. They hire mainly teens / college students for many member-facing jobs (i.e., working in the golf shop, caddying, waiter, waitress, etc.). You will find some adults working as servers, but not many.


No local country club around here is hiring a teen caddy! LOLOLOL. No restaurant is hiring a 16yr old waitress becuase they cannot serve any alcohol. At my country club all of the waiters are immigrants. Every. Single. One. Some of them in very unfortunate positiion where they were professionals in their home country where their certifications or degrees do not transfer over here.


What are you talking about? Where is "around here"? My kid got a job in the golf room at 16, and a bunch of his friends work at his club and others in the DMV as well.

I take it you aren't a member of Chevy Chase CC or even Kenwood or Columbia or Congressional.