Best Jobs for Teens

Posted on by Forest in General, Opinion

Best Jobs for Teens

I think every teen should go and get a job, even if they don’t need the cash. Getting into the work force early is an essential way to reduce the shock for when it actually is time to get out there and get a proper career.

As a teen it’s likely you’ll socialise with adults as co-workers and maybe customers, make friends your own age and even find what kind of work you’ll enjoy doing. Of course the additional benefit of actually getting paid means that you can start getting some savings, learning to deal with cash flow and lessen the burden on your parents who have already spent quick a wad of cash on your upbringing.

So what kinds of jobs work best for teens? I personally think they should be reasonably low stress, ideally flexible hours (meaning swapping shifts and taking time off isn’t a huge deal), in a place with a mixture of other teen and adult workers, close to home and ideally not too monotonous. So here are some suggestions….

Best Jobs for Teens

Kitchen hand – I worked in a kitchen washing up and doing prep work as a teen and although the work can be hard if you keep your head screwed on it should not be too stressful. You normally work with people of all age ranges and after work socialising almost always happens plus you’ll get free food and often soft drinks too.

Sales assistant – If teens work in a store where the customer base is similar to their age then it could be a great fit. A lot of the job is boring, stocking shelves, counting stock etc etc but at least in a busy store the shifts will go fast and that retail experience counts well for all sorts of careers. Technology stores like Best Buy could be a good bet because of the discounts. The only problem with retail is sometimes they are not as accommodating with schedules of teens as they could be and managers can be a little condescending.

Car homes – Old people are super interesting and a lot of fun to talk too. A variety of jobs are often available in care homes.

Computer repair – Who knows more about computers than young people? Teens can pull apart PCs and put them back together faster than many adults can put a DVD in a DVD players so it’s often a great job and maybe even career to get into. It can be done freelance round the neighborhood or as part of a local store. Working from home though is not always the most social way to work!

Landscaping or construction – Landscaping and construction companies are often looking for young assistants. It can be hard labor but it will keep a teen in good shape and manual jobs expose teens to the world of adults like no other job! Check your local government to see if any certificates are needed before working though.

So what job did you do as a teen, or do you do? What advice, hints and tips do you have including good or bad companies to work for (I hear Starbucks is good but hard to get into)?

Related: Teen Entrepreneurs

I look forward to hearing from you - Best Jobs for Teens

Tags: first jobs, jobs, teen jobs