Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am at work and can't post extensively. Thanks for all the responses. I will be back this evening for a full reply.

I appreciate the discussion.

OP Back.


Again I appreciate the discussion.

I was asking about the future job growth aspect in regards to maybe a job at a law firm, government agency, charitable organization where she could come back and work every summer or during extended breaks.

She thinks it's too late for any internships for this summer based on what her friends are saying and research. And I was wrong about the summer hours, she want to work about 35 hours during summer and 15 during school year.

Check into the Student Pathways program, where you can work FT during the summer and school breaks (and PT during the school year). Students aren't eligible for benefits such as the Thrift Savings Plan, but you do earn leave and pay into social
security.

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/

Anonymous wrote:

I think OP wants her kid (or maybe OP's kid wants) to skip all the crappy jobs and jump into the professional jobs. Being a teen means having a lower end job... and that's a GOOD thing. That's where the learning and maturing comes from.

OP does seem to want that, and I am frankly quite surprised, since she said she and her husband came from "poor backgrounds." You'd think she'd know the value of the lessons learned from crappy jobs!

Is OP's DD looking for summer only or for something that is year round? If summer-only then it pretty much has to be a job that is only needed in the summer... i.e. pools and camps and volunteering.

Anonymous wrote:Target, Wegmams, Starbucks — they aren’t likely to hire a 16 yo working part time. They hire adults who can work year round.

WEgmans DOES hire teens, but yes, they expect them to work year round. If you do a certain number of hours per year, they will contribute $1500 toward college.

I think OP wants her kid (or maybe OP's kid wants) to skip all the crappy jobs and jump into the professional jobs. Being a teen means having a lower end job... and that's a GOOD thing. That's where the learning and maturing comes from. It's ENTRY LEVEL for a reason! People start at the bottom and move UP! You don't start in the middle when you are 16.

I think the most important jobs I had as a young person were at Burger King and at a warehouse. These jobs were exhausting, boring, and a little bit humiliating at the time.

I learned about the drudgery so many people endure every day, year after year, just to put food on the table for their families. I learned that I needed to make the most of the opportunities I had.

And even now, I remember how good I have it if I am tempted to start bellyaching about my cushy office job.

Target, Wegmams, Starbucks — they aren’t likely to hire a 16 yo working part time. They hire adults who can work year round.

Work for an actuary

OP- if you want your DD to have experience paying into retirement, she can begin contributing to a Roth IRA. If our DS works in HS, I told him that we will open a custodial Roth. Here are some basic rules:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/investing/why-your-kid-needs-a-roth-ira/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks. They do offer comprehensive benefits to "eligible" PT employees (not sure what makes one eligible, but they include 401(k), PTO, tuition assistance, etc) and it will teach her valuable lessons in working under pressure, time management, dealing with different personalities, meeting many different peoples' expectations, managing changing priorities, so on.

And everyone should have to work in food service at some point in their lives.

I've never seen a teen working at Starbucks. They are all liberal arts grads.

My first job was at starbucks when I was 16 and many of my coworkers were the same age (under 18). But this was 16 years ago so things may have changed in terms of their hiring practices.

Sure they are jerk face. Because you ask every barista what their major was. Or if they went to college. Since Starbucks offers considerable tuition assistance, I am sure it never occurred to you that those baristas may very well still be in college or returning.

OP, your kid is 16. She can have those jobs when she graduates HS and gets to college. Almost nothing she does now will matter later or get her the results you want now.

Your expectations are a little ridiculous. However, my 16 year old works as a “front desk assistant.” She chose this position because she thinks it will look better on her resume than a typical food service or cashier position.

I think the kind of jobs she doesn't want offer exactly the valuable experience that will serve her well in life. Everyone should have to work a job serving customers at some point, whether it's food service, retail, etc. You learn SO much in those kinds of jobs, and adolescence is a perfect time to do that. They're nothing to look down on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks. They do offer comprehensive benefits to "eligible" PT employees (not sure what makes one eligible, but they include 401(k), PTO, tuition assistance, etc) and it will teach her valuable lessons in working under pressure, time management, dealing with different personalities, meeting many different peoples' expectations, managing changing priorities, so on.

And everyone should have to work in food service at some point in their lives.

I've never seen a teen working at Starbucks. They are all liberal arts grads.

My first job was at starbucks when I was 16 and many of my coworkers were the same age (under 18). But this was 16 years ago so things may have changed in terms of their hiring practices.

Anonymous wrote:Starbucks. They do offer comprehensive benefits to "eligible" PT employees (not sure what makes one eligible, but they include 401(k), PTO, tuition assistance, etc) and it will teach her valuable lessons in working under pressure, time management, dealing with different personalities, meeting many different peoples' expectations, managing changing priorities, so on.

And everyone should have to work in food service at some point in their lives.

I've never seen a teen working at Starbucks. They are all liberal arts grads.

Anonymous wrote:All of our connections for internships (we don't have many) have turned out to be duds. And we live in the far out burbs of Nova. So that's why I was suggesting the retail. DD would love something where should practice/improve her Spanish (she is currently on a 8 week foreign exchange program in Spain). Her goal in life is to either work in international law/international public service or an astronaut??? Our NASA internships were the duds.

If that suburb happens to be PWC, I can tell you that the Potomac Nationals hires 14 year olds. And this is for jobs like concessions and team store. It's actually a rather perfect job for a teen. And the kids who work there tend to be rather clean cut.

Anonymous wrote:Unless she wants to work in retail after college, why not get an internship in a field she is interested in? An internship may pay little or nothing but can be invaluable for experience and connections in a profession.

How many professional internships are available to 16 year olds?