Jobs for Tweens & Teens
By Leah Berdysz
A handful of my students have been eager to share their money-making experiences with me. Their encounters have encouraged me to share my thoughts on the benefits of adolescents and teenagers having jobs, as well as some of the jobs that may be fitting as a first, second, or part-time job.
First, I will share a few benefits of having a job as an adolescent or teenager:
Learning Lifelong Skills
You can learn how to manage your time, practice good customer service, develop a strong work ethic, and become a leader.
Money Management
Growing up, it always felt more rewarding to earn my own money as opposed to my parents simply handing it over. For some young women working is not only a choice but a priority. Having a job as an adolescent allowed me to become more mindful of spending wisely and saving. When I had to spend my own money I would think twice about whether or not I really wanted to buy a new outfit or go out to the movies with my friends again. I am always pleasantly surprised when I ask my students what they plan to do with their money and their response is “save it.” However, it’s my personal belief that we should encourage adolescents and teens to develop a healthy relationship with money by balancing spending and saving. Having a job and making money is also a great time to learn about budgeting.
Increased Independence And Responsibility
It was through my early jobs that I recognized my own punctuality and self-reliance. Yes, when I first started working I still needed my parents to drive me around. However, I needed to step up and take responsibility to ensure we left the house on time. I also learned how to handle situations on my own, as I built and fostered relationships with my bosses and coworkers. Jobs also allow people to explore their individual passions. For me, instructing an all-female summer camp, gymnastics classes, and babysitting helped me learn more about my love for working with young girls.
Here is a list of some of the odd jobs that I worked in my adolescent and teenage years that you can try out too! (Some of them I still work to pick up some extra cash.)
Create a Lemonade Stand - Feel free to get creative here. I used to like to sell bracelets at my stands as well.
Mother’s Helper or Babysitter - It’s a great idea to start off as a mother’s helper so you become more experienced before being fully on your own. Once you get comfortable, you can begin overnight sitting, which, in my opinion, is one of the ultimate levels of responsibility. Taking care of someone else’s children is a huge responsibility, and most every parent will only leave their child with someone who is mature and capable of handling challenging and unpredictable situations. There are many great babysitting, first aid, and CPR classes that you can take to prepare for babysitting.
House Cleaner / Janitor at a local business - I’ve cleaned the local gym as well as other’s houses. Nope, I am not above cleaning a toilet, and I’m cool with that. During this job I learned to be extremely detail-oriented and hardworking. If you can’t drive and your parents aren’t able to help transport you to and from work, consider asking your neighbors if they need some help at their house.
Camp Counselor - Summer camps are great because they often don’t conflict with your school schedule or extracurricular activities.
Receptionist - I had the good fortune of working at a family friends gymnastics facility. However, you can also look into positions at fitness facilities, salons, or other local businesses.
Pet sitter - I’ve personally worked with cats and dogs, but you can certainly pet sit for a variety of different animals, especially if you’re a huge pet lover!
Server - In high school, I served at Pizza Hut. I was fortunate to know the boss, so my schedule was flexible around my second job. If you’re not interested in serving you could always look into being a dishwasher, hostess, busser, or cook.
Here is a list of some other great jobs for adolescents and teens:
Lifeguard
Retail Worker
Cashier or Grocery Store Bagger or Grocery Stocker
Yard Work- (shoveling snow, cutting grass, spring clean up, etc.)
Tutor
Fast Food Employee
Box Office Ticket Seller or Bowling Alley Attendant
Barista or Ice Cream Scooper
Building your resume while in middle or high school can help you stand out in the college application process, prepare to enlist, or enter the workforce full time. Get out there and get started. You can do it!
