How to Help a Teen Find a Summer Job

Finding your teen that perfect summer job is the goal. Your best bet is to get your son or daughter involved in the job hunting process. Make sure they understand the importance of getting a summer job and learning responsibility.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Start the job hunting process in March. Many parents are thinking that their teenager needs a summer job, so be prepared for a lot of competition. The earlier in the spring you start looking for the right job, the better job chance of your teenagers has of landing a summer job.

2. Put a resume together. Identify your teen's strengths for the resume. Include school achievements, clubs and organizations, grades, special skills, interests and any jobs they have held in the past.

3. Sit down with your child and make a list of potential jobs of interest. Go through the local newspapers looking for jobs that meet your teenager's qualifications. Take note of hours, number of work days, transporation and location. Plan a strategy for phone calls, stopping to get an application or sending a resume.

4. Enlist family, friends and school counselors in your quest. Have your teen talk to the counselor to find out if the school knows of any summer job openings. Mention to your family and friends that your looking for a summer job for your teen. Networking can provide your teen with many more opportunities.

5. Help your teen establish a good list of references. They should include teachers, counselors, former employers or youth organization leaders. References that are family members should be considered only as a last resort.

6. Support your teen in the summer job hunting process. Let them know that being turned down for a job is not the end of the world. Give them encouragement, and help them keep their head in the job hunting game.

Tips & Warnings

• Include babysitting, even if it is for siblings, and newspaper routes. Both of these show your teen already has some responsibility.
• Your teen needs to want a job for the entire process to work. If your son or daughter isn't interested in working, you may need to help them realize the importance of a job before beginning this process.
• Offer to drive your teen to locations to get applications, but stay in the car. A responsible teen should be able to get his or her own application.
• Make sure your teen understands that jobs that sound too good to be true on the Internet and in the newspaper usually are scams. Help them by screening all paperwork before submitted.
• Never call a potential employer for your teen. This resuces the level of confidence an employer may have in your teen's take on personal responsibility.

Who Can Help Sponsored

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