Where does your 15yo work?

[AuntieM]

I have a son that will be a junior in the fall. He is very responsible and hard- working. Any employer would be blessed to have him as an employee. But he keeps running into the brick wall of being younger than 16.

 

So we are wondering if any of you faced the same challenge and figured something out. Aside from yard work - he's already made flyers for that.

 

Thanks!

[Pamela H in Texas]

I hope you get some answers. It's driving us crazy too! Here, almost all jobs say 18. A few say 16. DS just keeps trying and trying, but it's been WEEKS.

[Jennifer in MI]

My kids watch neighbors' animals while they are on vacation. They also do yard work (you already mentioned that).

 

My oldest (14) is currently working on our local Little League field crew. He mows lawns, helps set up the fields (chalk lines, fences, etc), edges, hauls dirt, etc, etc, etc. He'll earn about $1000 this summer!

 

My next two (12 and 9) work in the Little League concession stand. They clean the bathrooms at the end of the night and help close out the stand. They get $10 each night for about 1/2 worth of work. Each will make close to $400.

 

It's probably too late for this year, but can you call local sports clubs and see if there isn't yard work? Cleaning? Etc. What about a local church? Would they hire him to do work?

 

Good luck!!!!

[Lolly]

I hope you get some answers. It's driving us crazy too! Here, almost all jobs say 18. A few say 16. DS just keeps trying and trying, but it's been WEEKS.

 

It seems to be 18 here too. Job at a store in the mall-18. Have a meat slicer on the premises? 18. Even the jobs that don't have an age requirement just aren't hiring teens. They have too many adults with families to support applying for the jobs.

[3littlekeets]

My young neighbors work at the grocery store bagging groceries and at the country club bussing tables and caddying on the golf course.

[TheCoffeeChick]

It was over a decade ago, but when I was 15 I had a job during the summer as a maid at Days Inn. I worked 35 hours a week at 4.25 an hour and had about $1000 at the end of the summer. It started so early in the morning that I had to ride my bike across town because my mom didn't want to leave the house at that time. During Christmas break I got a job at McDonalds sweeping floors that I kept during the rest of the school year on the weekends. It was a big deal to turn 16 there because then I could go behind the counters to work!

 

 

ETA: On a more recent note -- my brother was able to get a job at 15 bagging at Kroger.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Well, I would feel better if I believed that they are just into hiring adults who need jobs right now. It just SEEMS like it's also part of a systematic baby-fying of American youth. GRRRR Even places we know HAVE hired people at 15 in the recent past say their policy is 16 or 18 now. BLAH

 

I do know that the berry farm will hire 14 and 15yr olds, but it's too far away from us (esp with hubby and I both working full time ourselves). And the young man at Goodwill suggested ds try that so he did (yesterday). Just throwing a few things out there for other people who might be able to find something similar in their area.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

My 16yo is a dishwasher at the town pizza place. My 15yo's didn't have jobs because it was so difficult to get one before 16.

 

However, some of the other 15yo's around here volunteer at the state park, are junior interpreter's at historical sights, or help out at the local u-pick farm.

[fivetails]

15 year olds here work at McDonalds, Wendys, Tim Hortons, or other fast food places...or as cashiers....sometimes at stores in the mall...Walmart...that kind of thing.

[anissa]

My 14 year old reffed children's soccer games. He made good money. There is a small investment to get started-a uniform and a day of training to get certified. If your child can handle the occasional out of control coach, this is a great job.

[lllll]

..

[Tabrett]

My 16yo dd is running into the "we don't hire till 18" too! I was shocked. She has applied at different clothing stores and investigated daycare centers and they don't hire under 18. When did this start? I worked at Belks when I was 16 and 17 years old.

 

What I find even more odd is the fact that fast food restaurants will hire under 18, which I find much more dangerous than a department store.

 

Anyone know when business started upping the age to 18 and why?

[mereminerals]

It is so hard here for anyone under 18 to find a job and seems to be virtually impossible for even a 16 yo. My son has been putting in applications all over for almost two months with absolutely no luck.

[nevergiveup]

Here is some of what my oldest son has done for money:

 

Farm labor--piece work. Picked tomatoes for a friend--started when he was 9. He got $3 per basket and earned a lot over the years.

 

Farmer's markets--he grew and sold cut flowers at a farmer's market. He started his business when he was 14 and did it for 2 years. Grossed almost $4000 the first year.

 

Collecting scrap metal--just took a load in for $100.

 

General labor--mowing yards, pounding stakes, baling hay, mechanical work. He will do most any physical labor because he really likes to work. He once welded a few things for someone for a little money.

 

How about cleaning out garages, or cleaning out gutters, or any other labor for neighbors who just might need an extra hand?

[Jan in SC]

Most of the pool lifeguards are 15 & 16. A lot of the elementary schools and rec centers have summer "day care" programs. They all hire high school youth. The locally owned shops hire younger people. Our Chick-fil-a hires mostly homeschooled students. I don't know if you have one in your area. If you have a lake with marina, the docks will hire high school guys to pump gas and help dock the boats.

[Lovin Learnin]

My oldest (14) is currently working on our local Little League field crew. He mows lawns, helps set up the fields (chalk lines, fences, etc), edges, hauls dirt, etc, etc, etc. He'll earn about $1000 this summer!

 

My oldest has been doing this since he was 14. Now at 19 and home for the summer from college, he's supervising the crew and makes great money. I highly recommend this type of work for teenagers. He really enjoys working hard in the sun.

[Lisa R.]

Here you can teach swimming lessons for the city starting at age 14. They offer Red Cross classes to train the kids. The starting pay is $8/hour.

 

Lifeguarding starts at age 16.

 

Since these jobs require some training, not everyone can apply. My two teens have been able to have plenty of work. It's been great learning experience for them as far as dealing with parents, kids and co-workers.

[AngieW in Texas]

When my dd was 15yo, nearly every place she went to said they wouldn't take her application until she was 16yo. When she was 16yo, they would take her application, but they mostly said they didn't like to hire under 17yo. Now that she's 17yo, they take her application, but all the jobs are being taken by adults. She's still looking. She's had 5 interviews in the past year, but nothing has come out of any of them.

[JFSinIL]

Here places want 16...except life guarding at the pool, where having taken classes in CPR etc. are important and younger teens can be used.

 

Sears just took my 16-yr-old dd. :-)

 

A neighbor boy has been umpiring Little League and younger baseball games since before he was 16. Made good money, too.

[AuntieM]

I am sorry that many of your kids seem to be facing the same challenge! But I am intrigued to hear of some of your entrepreneurs (cut flowers, that's impressive!).

 

Looks like Dairy Queen may take him. I think that being franchised rather than a chain, the owner must have some latitude. Hopefully they will take him and between that and grass cutting he can earn enough to buy a car. I need him to be able to take himself to CC classes this fall!

 

The rec dept is big around here, but the waiting list is about 100 kids long! Apparently it's a popular place to work and they start taking summer applications in January. He plans to start volunteering at the hospital soon and perhaps that will open a door for a job when he's a bit older.

 

Thanks for your responses!

[anissa]

I posted yesterday but the board- powers did not like my short cutted version of the word refereeing, oops! :). My 14 yr old officiates children's soccer games. The hours are great as is the pay. All he had to do is buy a uniform and will have to take a day of training to continue. If your son can take the occasional looney coach-rant he may like it.

[Mommyfaithe]

I have a son that will be a junior in the fall. He is very responsible and hard- working. Any employer would be blessed to have him as an employee. But he keeps running into the brick wall of being younger than 16.

 

So we are wondering if any of you faced the same challenge and figured something out. Aside from yard work - he's already made flyers for that.

 

Thanks!

 

If your ds can swim and is interested, he can take the Red Cross certification test for Lifeguarding. Theycan do that at 15 and then do the Water Safety Instructor cert at 16. (Better pay and can teach swim lessons.) My dd did this anc can always fins a job...at least part time ones at camps, swim clubes etc.

[MariannNOVA]

DD's first job was as a hostess in a very small, chic-y restaurant in the resort town where we lived. I felt like I should be paying the restaurant owner b/c I KNEW where dd would be for four hours at a time.;)

 

Other DD worked in a small, family owned Christian book store and in the salt water taffy shop that the same family owned, again the resort town.

 

I think I had to get them 'working papers' from the local high school - we were in NJ at the time.

 

DD (hostess) also worked in a veterinarian's office cleaning up the waiting room when 'messes' would happen. In fact, I think she did that prior to being the hostess.

[ereks mom]

The parents drop her off at our house around 8:00 AM and pick her up around 3:00 PM, and they pay EK $30. I'm always here with the girls in case they need anything, but they do their own thing--watch movies, play games, listen to CD's and sing along, make cookies, etc. The mom just wants the girl to hang out with EK and allow EK to be a good influence on her. No kidding; that's exactly what she said. I think it's a great first "job" for EK, since she doesn't drive yet and isn't ready for a job outside the home yet.

Edited June 29, 2010 by ereks mom

[Remudamom]

Another reason to be glad to live on a ranch. Always enough work to keep the boys busy.

[Murphy101]

Subscribing for ideas.

 

As to why not under 18 -

 

It's a legal PITA.

 

They aren't reliable for various reasons.

 

Their parents are too often a PITA.

 

There's often curfew and school and xcurriculiar interference that it's easier to just avoid.

 

Far too many of them have no real concept of hard work and whine. A lot.

 

These are reasons I've seen, not directed at anyone here.

[Barb_]

I recently ran across this: Jobs for 15 Year Olds:http://www.hireteen.com/search/jobs+for+15+year+olds/

 

Sorry, my linky paste isn't working today.

 

Hope you find something good on this list!

 

Barb

 

Also, many if not most grocery stores will hire at 14 for bagging help. Safeway hires coffee clerks at that age.

Edited June 29, 2010 by Barb F. PA in AZ

[shannatheshedevil]

My husband was a buggy boy at a grocery store when he was 15.

[AuntieM]

Thanks for the link, Barb. Not many of these are in our area, but some are! He is supposed to get a yeah-or-nay from Dairy Queen today, if it's a nay I will be escorting him to every establishment in town and not coming home til he gets hired by someone!!! The summer is wasting away and he needs work!

[Mandamom]

Thanks for the link, Barb. Not many of these are in our area, but some are! He is supposed to get a yeah-or-nay from Dairy Queen today, if it's a nay I will be escorting him to every establishment in town and not coming home til he gets hired by someone!!! The summer is wasting away and he needs work!

 

I hope he finds something. My dss17 was out of work for about 1 year -- applying and interviewing like crazy. He finally found a terrible job as a dishwasher at Denny's. He hates it but apparently it is better than nothing. :)