Summer job for my teen son?

[kk1104]

Hello everyone! Well, it's summer once again, and my son wants to (finally) get a summer job to earn extra income. He's begun looking online, but when I ask about where he might be looking at, he doesn't know. What employers will hire a 17 year old for a summer job? He's really intent on working somewhere like a dry cleaners for some reason or even as a receptionist! The only places where he will not work is food service, since he was scarred last summer after working for Braum's for a very short time. (LOL!) Thank you everybody!

[Lauri101]

I know a lot of kids who look down on food service, but you can't beat it for learning how to deal with difficult people!

Both my daughters worked at BK through high school. I worked at Baskin Robbins (won't say how long ago, but I made 80 cents an hour!), and Taco Bell while I was in high school.

After working food service, you will appreciate almost any job you ever get.

[bbhill]

Is he looking for part or full time? I started applying for jobs about 3 weeks ago. After a week I had applied for about 40 positions. Everything from fast food to restaurants to retailers to dry cleaners to office positions to walmart. Pretty much everything. I got 3 interviews and 2 job offers. Its a tough job market right now. Jobs that normally go to students are going to older unemployed workers. My best advice is not to have high standards at all or you will be disappointed. Don't count out anything. On the other hand, don't necessarily settle for less, but in this job market, any job is a good job. I'm a student at OU with a 4.0 and valedictorian from high school and I'm working for about minimum wage right now. To be fair though, I only have last summers work as job experience (EXCELLENT paying job at Steak and Ale).

ps: when applying, make sure to ask if they are actually taking applications or actually hiring. If they are just taking applications (which is what 50% of all businesses are doing) it might be months before your son gets a call back. Which won't do any good for a summer job.
Good luck!

[oneforone]

Grocery Stores offer great summer jobs that transfer over to great after school jobs. You do not have to have any expeirence to bag groceries. Not to mention he can make pretty good tips if he is good at making small talk with strangers.

He may also want to try applying at Best Buy. They hire teens to stock music, movies and software. These positions can lead to well paying sales positions if he proves he is good at working with customers and does not need constant supervision.

If he can avoid it I would stay away from fast food or car washes. They usually treat teens like slaves. He needs a job that will allow him a little time off to enjoy his last summer before he is thrown into the real world.

[Thunder]

Tell him to try Crest's Discount Foods, Home of Rock Bottom Prices.

The only store that he can make great tips being a Sacker is the small store on Reno in MWC, if the store is close enough. The hours is part or full time and very flexible. If he wishes to continue working thru school, the hours are flexible as well.

He can rake in as much as $100 a day in tips (if full time and does a hella great job). I make on average $20 to $50 and once topped $60 and that is only for 5 hours.

To give you an idea, yes, your son can make serious money working there. The catch is, he got to do everything right according to what customers like and they will REMEMBER the next time they have your son do their grocery again.

[PennyQuilts]

The best thing your son could do for himself, if he is serious, is to get on his walking shoes, slick back his hair and start hitting the doors to let the bosses know he is a hard worker and willing to work. He can learn how hard it is to look the boss in the eye and sell himself. It is an essential learning skill even if he doesn't get the job of his dreams in a dry cleaning establishment <vbg>.

It is a little late on getting a summer job unless he is willing to "settle" for something a little less glamourous. <another vbg> He might want to seriously consider being waitstaff. It is something he can make decent money at and will often be able to keep doing during holiday breaks. Two of my three kids waited tables all through college during summers and holiday breaks. The third one worked at a gift shop, which allowed her to work extra over the Christmas break for several years while she was in college.

Working at a crappy job as a kid may be one of the best ways to instill ambition. Good luck to him.

[stick47]

Hospitals contract out for valet parking services. He might want to check that out as well as the grocery stores.

[kevinpate]

If a shop will accept someone under 18, there's the pizza delivery option for evening hours and parts delivery for auto places for daytime hours.

[bandnerd]

Don't forget to try seasonal businesses like Under the Sun. They always need someone to water the flowers.

They might be done with hiring for the summer this year, but maybe next year he could check into the YMCA summer camp program. They hire counselors for various things.

Frontier City--food service.

[kevinpate]

> Frontier City--food service.

Or trash hauling or hot stinky restroom cleaning. Dayum, making burgers and/or slepping drinks without spills oughta be sounding better and better about right now.
8^)

[bbhill]

i forgot to mention that frontier city is hiring. I actually turned them down because I already had the 2 jobs i needed. I know they are hiring for rides workers for sure. If you don't mind being out in the heat all day working for minimum wage. . .

[ApplePearBerry]

He should keep temp agencies in mind.

[Lord Helmet]

My daughter works at one of the local fireworks stands for the few weeks they are open during late june and july. She makes as much in those few weeks as she would working all summer as a carhop or something like that.