<p>S started work today! He didn’t graduate until June 19th and has to leave for college on August 21st, so quite a few places didn’t even want to take an application from him. He actually got this job by posting “Now would be a good time to offer me a summer job!” on his Facebook page. A relative of one of his classmates was hiring for her restaurant. S got her phone number and texted her immediately. She said she would be in between 7 and 10 the next morning, he got there early and ended up waiting patiently for her for an hour or so. She offered him a job within two sentences of talking with him. We’ll see how the hours work out, but she said ‘lots.’ It shows the power of networking, even if your network is mostly teenagers!</p>
<p>Summer babysitting jobs are golden around here. D1 has 2 part time ones that add up to 40+ hours/week. I’m not sure if all parts of the country have the same demand, but working moms that use before/after care through the schools are suddenly stuck when schools are out and the rec department camps let out at 1-2pm. She takes the kids to the zoo, pool and other places.</p>
<p>Glad to hear good news – our son still has had no luck finding his first job. He started back in April, and did all that everyone recommends – follows up with paper app after the online, asks everyone he knows, had a resume highlighting his volunteer responsibilities Still nothing – he had one interview for a food service job and came back amazed at how well-qualified everyone else was, and concluded he was lucky just to get an interview as he was clearly not going to be hired over people with experience. </p>
<p>With college starting in 8 weeks, he has moved onto plan B – sitting in on a college class (not for credit) and setting up some “shadowing”/interning with professionals in fields he might be interested in. Fortunately, he got a dining hall job at his university so that will help with the spending money that he would have been earning this summer.</p>
<p>This is an interesting thread. Congratulations to all who have obtained jobs!</p>
<p>A job option not mentioned in this thread is security guard. In California (and perhaps other states - I’m not sure), security guards must get a guard card. Once they have that card, it is not that difficult to get a job (at least in our area). My son is currently working as a security guard. I was alerted to the need for guards by a security guard manager who mentioned to me how hard it is to find reliable guards who show up for work, etc. I admit my son then got a foot in the door last summer through a work contact, but he is working at a different location this summer and said they regularly hire new guards. Pay is decent - starting around $10-11/hr. It’s also something that might transfer when he goes back to school, as a guard card is valid for a particular time period.</p>
<p>Update on the temp job situation…the assignment that we thought would last 3 weeks only lasted 3 days, but there have been other 1-day assignments so in the balance our S seems to be getting in at least 15 hours a week. A little bit of spending money (he can pay for his own gas!) and his overall mood is much better now.</p>
<p>For others still looking for work, I’d suggest going to a temp agency and checking into short-term assignments. Sure beats not working at all…</p>
<p>Hammer, what state is your son in?</p>
<p>Sent from my DROID BIONIC using CC</p>
<p>My S never did find a steady job this summer; has done a few dog-sitting gigs. At work I’m currently working long hours due to some vacancies and have had a hard time getting it all done; H currently is working 2 jobs. So in exchange for having access to a car with the gas tank filled, I’ve turned S into our personal assistant. He’s been doing our errands - shopping, taking stuff to mail, cleaning, cooking dinner, etc. He’s been learning some useful skills, and it’s made our lives a bit less stressful too.</p>
<p>college_query, those useful skills are good to teach our children. I like my son to have exposure to the many domestic tasks that we, as parents, do so often we almost don’t even realize they’re part of our routine. Plus, its always nice to have a pair of extra hands around the house. (One of my favorite expressions: Many hands make light work). </p>
<p>My H and I went away for several days and S had extra chores like keeping the garden and potted flowers watered, feeding the cats and cleaning the litter box, putting the trash out on time. And while he does wash his own car from time to time, I was waxing my car the other day, and he asked how does that work. So I told him one of these days, we would wash and wax his car together; that way he’ll learn.</p>
<p>My S just found a job, for the summer and hopefully part-time into the school year. It is with a temp agency that places folks into factories, etc that need part-time help. It is something and hopefully could provide some exposure for him to ways to use mechanical engineering, even though he will be doing the factory floor stuff.</p>
<p>We also have put him to work around the house, especially doing semi-skilled work. Our bathroom faucet leaked into our closet, so he helped my husband put up the new wall board, install baseboards, replace the flooring, etc. He has also helped in past with putting down flooring, painting around the house.</p>
<p>Bump this thread…the S came back home in January because of a rough few semesters in school. Retook a class online in the summer and did well, and he is taking a few more online classes at a school closer to home that he has applied to transfer to. Bad patch but he’s on his way with the academics, hoping his transfer gets accepted at some point…</p>
<p>Problem is that after 9 months at home aside from the (very) occasional temp shift he still has yet to find a job. Can’t say for sure he’s been doing everything he can (and I’d rather not get into that here) but it’s just incredible that he can be applying around all over the place for a part-time job and still have NOTHING.</p>
<p>How did other folks’ kiddos manage to find work? Has it always been that you or your kid knew someone? The S claims that the job market is just horrible and that he can’t seem to get an in, but we’re only talking a basic minimum wage job here…and the kids I see in those jobs aren’t always the sharpest ones around…</p>
<p>DS2 (HS Sr.) has two part time jobs, one definitely through connections, the second on his own. This is in a Chicago suburb with seven big high schools within a 15 mile radius. What has worked for him is applying to jobs no one thinks of and more importantly looking at jobs where he knows the current employees are going to leave for college. Flexibilty of schedule is a big thing, he struck out miserably until he opened up his available hours.
For his second PT job he literally waited almost a full year before they responded to see if he was available.
Friends have found jobs applying as soon as a new business is being built but before the Hiring signs are up. A new Dunkin Donuts here hired all staff before their signs went up.
Also consider applying a few months after a new business has opened, after the “new” staff doesn’t work out.
And although it seems dorky for a service job, dress for success even when dropping off or asking for an application.</p>
<p>keep trying! Good luck to him.</p>
<p>My sons learned that it was important to make their own connections.</p>
<p>For example, one of my sons got a soccer referee license. That alone is a great source of income…leagues and tournaments can never find enough referees. As you work your way up the ladder, it gets to the point where you are making $50-$60/game. That’s very good money.</p>
<p>he also contacted league coaches about helping run training/practice. Small bucks–but you meet a lot of people (parents) and those parents may own or work for a business that could use your more professional skills…and they have already seen your personality, organization, communication, and leadership skills.</p>
<p>This kind of sports job is great because it lets the student somewhat control the hours worked. For example, my son kept his hours to weekends and two afternoons a week.</p>
<p>Another son brushed up on his Hebrew skills, and was hired to teach Hebrew at a synagogue near his campus, $25/hour for two afternoons a week (they paid 3 hours for each of these days to cover preparation for class and talking with parents as necessary), and four hours on Sundays. He also got on their list as a Bar Mitzvah tutor (which paid more).</p>
<p>The money was great…even better was that as he became known to members of the congregation, when it came time to graduate, he had a lot of people helping him find opportunities and offering mentoring. One of his student’s parents was the link to him getting his first job out of college.</p>
<p>My sons’ “networks” have also been a source of opportunities. Often one person obtains an internship or job and then “passes it on” when ready to leave for her next opportunity. So these opportunities are never really advertised. There is one prized internship in DC that has essentially been passed down through my son’s fraternity for six years now…the first intern did a great job, and when he was ready to leave, he brought three resumes of people he highly recommended to the employer, who chose one, who did a great job-- and brought in three resumes when he was ready to move on–The employer is happy because he did not need to put a lot of time and effort in to filling the position (with a political communications firm) because he is very busy and high powered, and because the outgoing person knows he doesn’t want to jeopardize the reputation he has earned, and so is careful about who he recommends…</p>
<p>In a less organized fashion, my sons have also gotten opportunities by hearing about them from friends. When S2 arrived in DC as a grad student, he was there only a week when a friend from high school days heard of an opening for a grad level opportunity opening up in the organization for which he worked, and told my son to send an inquiry with a resume…which resulted in him getting the position.</p>
<p>These aren’t things of people knowing powerful people…it’s a thing of letting people you know, know you are looking. And to try to get out there with different circles of people.</p>
<p>There was a sign on the door of our local Walmart in late June this summer saying they were hiring. D2 scooted over and got an interview, was hired as a “seasonal night stocker” for the rest of the summer. Worked the 10 pm - 7 am shift four days a week… hours were obviously terrible, but she made money for college. She didn’t know anyone. I noticed this week that our grocery store (chain) has a similar sign on the door this week, they are hiring for the bakery & cleaning crew.</p>
<p>My son did the soccer ref thing too, until he graduated HS. , and transportation was important. Around here that could mean an hour or more drive, and a lot of waiting between assigned games. Fine if you have a license and a car, even better if the situation is okay for driving your buddies. It was good, but not always consistent. Some of that was on him. One summer he and a buddy applied for the same entry level job at In and Out, and the friend knew someone and got the job. Go figure.</p>
<p>Op, welcome to the final years of the late great USA.</p>
<p>One of my daughter’s couldn’t find work except for a tutoring job that was short-term. She went to so many places…I was praying, because she really needed to save some money.
She applied to B&N and got a call, an older man interviewed her, liked her poise and I think how she dressed (many he commented to her later on, come like they are clubbing) She was supposed to have a second interview with someone but they were busy so he said, “I’m hiring you” and she started 4 days later.
She loved it and learned a few things in different areas. What was funny was, she got a rejection letter from them saying they were looking for more experience in retail…it might have been another B&N near us, but she was confused at first.</p>
<p>Deb - great story. </p>
<p>The prospects for teen job opportunities do seem to vary by location. However, I think there is always an advantage for those sticking around more than a few months. Summer-only jobs are tough to find, except for camp counselors and life guards.</p>
<p>As an employer of many teens --</p>
<p>the dress for success advice above is spot on. Quick anecdote – I am often complimented on my young associates, well spoken, well mannered, nicely dressed, willing to help. I had a customer comment on my competition’s associate up the street. “Why would I want to shop there? I am being ignored by goth girls.” So please come in neat and clean, not ready to go out for the evening. One possible look – a polo shirt and khakis, or a buttondown with a tie, plus clean jeans or khakis. If you can’t possibly wear that sort of a simple basic outfit, you are not ready for prime time!</p>
<p>I am super impressed by any kid with a resume. I am not impressed by the kid that comes in with his friends and supporters.</p>
<p>I do not have jobs for 6 weeks. I don’t really have jobs for 6 months. I recognize that almost every kid I hire is going off to college – and I LIKE those bright, smart, ambitious kids – but I want to hire them with at least a 9 month availability window.</p>
<p>Taking a GAP year? Very cool. The hours might not be the best – but I am thrilled to have a young person that wants to work for a year at 3/4 to full time.</p>
<p>My son remembers he definitely didn’t want to work at Dicks Sporting Goods. Yet out of desperation and after submitting 25 apps to other places, he applied there. One thing he put on the app was he could be contacted between “8 am and 11 pm”. I thought that was unusual, but he said managers work long hours and might not be available from 9 to 5 to call. Sure enough, we were out of town on a short vacation and he got a call on his cell phone at 8:30 pm asking him to come in for an interview later that week. That’s where he got hired. I guess I’m saying think a bit outside the box.</p>
<p>Also, maybe your son’s friends who work might be able to get him in somewhere, for example, if a girl he knows is a waitress, maybe she knows when a busboy is needed and can put in a good word. Have him try car dealerships if possible, they may need someone to detail cars. Do you or he look online for jobs in your area? I recently did a quick job search for myself and was surprised that there were more jobs online listed in my area than I thought.</p>
<p>It was hard for me to keep sending my son out for rejection after rejection but eventually it worked out. I hope the same for you. Son learned much thru the process. If you do know anyone who can pull strings to get him hired somewhere, tho, go for it.</p>