When a teen turns 14 in the United States, they are allowed get a work permit if they have their parents’ permission. Once they have the work permit, then they can start looking for a summer job.
There are many summer jobs and internships available, both offline and online. They can be with large companies, or smaller ones that want to allow young people the chance to gain valuable work experience that they can then put on their resume and mention in their college applications.
Parents can help teens find a summer job in a number of ways.
Counselor in Training (CIT) Programs
Many parents send their children to camp to be supervised and have fun during the summer. But it can also be a job opportunity worth looking into. If a teen has attended a summer camp in the past, they might be eligible for CIT training at that camp, or a camp like the Y.
CIT training helps young people develop responsibility and reliability as they help run the camp and supervise the younger students. They will usually get to attend the camp for free, and might even be given a stipend per week.
For sleep away camps, full room and board and transportation will be provided. During their allocated time off, CITs will usually get to use all the facilities at the camp, such as the swimming pool, tennis courts and so on.
Working in the Parents’ Office
If a teen has great computer skills or other talents which would benefit either of their parents’ business, it might be a good idea to hire them as an intern. Parent and child can commute back and forth together, and often, the teen gains a much greater understanding and appreciation of just what their parent does, and how hard they work.
If parents are running a “mom and pop” establishment, chances are their children have already been helping out even before age 14, but it helps to keep it in the family and instills a sense of responsibility.
Pay your child a weekly stipend now that they are older and would like to have spending money of their own instead of an allowance all the time.
The Local Paper
Check the local paper to see if they are advertising for teen helpers. Popular jobs include taking polls and surveys round large cities, or handing out flyers.
The Local Chamber of Commerce
The local Chamber of Commerce can be an invaluable resource for small businesses. It is a great place to network with others in the business community.
CEOs are always looking for reliable people and may be willing to give your teen a chance, especially if they have a particular skill, such as website design or managing a blog, or being an expert on how to use Instagram.
Search Online
Go to a site like Indeed and put in keywords for things your teen is interested in doing.
Help Them with Their Resume
Help them write a resume. Review it to make sure it is free from errors. When writing about past experience, include any work they might have done for you.
Check the Release Date from Their School
Check the release date from their school to determine on what date they will be able to take up the post. Or, if they want to have a few days off, see if they could start on a set date, like July 1st, for example.
Remind Them to Apply Early
Most summer job posts are filled by May, so it is important to start looking early, not wait until school is out and then hope to find something.
Your teen may need a bit of help to find their first job, so use these tips to give them a head start.
