Individual companies may also have restrictions about age, so you want to pay attention to those requirements as you are searching and looking at applications. You don’t want to spend the time it takes to file an application if they only hire people who are 18 years or older.
There is also always the possibility that you know people who work in places that would hire teenagers for assistant type work, filing, or cleaning positions. Once you have made the initial ask, and especially if the person tells you they will check into something, make sure to follow up with them later on to see if they found out anything.
The types of jobs you have available in this area include babysitting (which people always need), lawn care (such as mowing, gardening, or even simple landscaping), dog walking, or car washing. You could even offer pickup and delivery services (if you can legally drive) for things like groceries, dry cleaning, or other goods. People have all kinds of things that they need done, and as a teen, you may be able to offer them lower prices than if they hired an adult. Don’t limit your thinking about what opportunities might be available.
If the business or organization you are volunteering with starts looking to hire, you will be a better candidate than many others because you already know their environment and goals well.
In many cases, you will still need to meet specific qualification standards. Some freelance jobs will require you to have a degree, some experience, or be of adult age. When looking at potential opportunities, be careful to look for these requirements. Consider learning to buy and sell things online, such as comics, antiques, or other merchandise. You may need your parents to help set up an account for something like eBay if there is a restriction, but then you would be able to do the work of selling. Online working options could be great when you are still in school, because they rarely require you to work specific scheduled hours. You would have the freedom to work around your schedule, and do extra work anytime you have days off from school.
It is in your best interest to gather all of these before officially filling out applications or tax papers so you’ll have them ready if you do need them.
Sample questions might be: What can you offer this company? What makes you qualified for this job? What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate for the job? It is also helpful to just keep a positive attitude going into an interview. Tell yourself that you are ready and that you are a great choice for the job. It’s hard to convince someone else if you aren’t convinced yet. Don’t stress about it if you make a small slip - they will expect you to be nervous. Be prepared with a question to ask the interviewers at the end of the interview, as this will show how motivated you are. [11] X Research source
For babysitting, CPR and first aid would be a great help. Parents will likely feel more at ease knowing you have some training for emergency situations. These would also both be great for jobs like being a lifeguard at the community pool.
