Part-time jobs for teens are a great way to earn extra spending money, help save up for college or buy a car. In addition to the standard jobs like retail, restaurant and baby-sitting jobs, specialized jobs are available in different areas, so think outside the box and look for jobs unique to your area.
Cleaner
Cleaning may not sound like fun, but in areas where good help is hard to find, it could be your ticket to some spending cash. Check out professional offices, maid services, hotels, local schools and day cares or churches to see if anyone needs help with basic cleaning like dusting and vacuuming or more specific jobs like window washing. Most places won't be looking for daily cleaning so this type of job may only be ten hours or fewer per week. While janitorial staff doesn't typically win any awards or receive huge accolades, taking on a job like this shows you're willing to work hard.
Find a Job
Networking is a great resource for finding these jobs before everyone else. Start telling people like your pastor, teachers and family members. Cleaning jobs are often advertised in traditional ways, but you can get a jump on others by talking to office and day care managers about where and how they typically advertise. If you've got a resume, many big employers like hotels will keep yours on file for up to a year so they always have a pool of potential employees to pull from.
Create a Job
If you live in a small town or near a lot of retail space, you could start a cleaning business. Hang up flyers or spread the word around town to let people know you'll do private household cleaning. Create a clear price list by estimating how long it takes you to clean a specific area then multiplying that time by minimum wage. Set yourself apart by offering specific services like organizing closets and basements with trips to drop off unwanted items in donation bins.
Mover
When people move across town or across the country, they sometimes hire people to help pack up their belongings and the moving van. This type of job requires extreme care and patience along with some possible heavy lifting. Any job where you help people shows off your compassion for others and customer service skills which are essential to many occupations. Since you'll need a sense of organization to be efficient in packing, you'll gain or hone this valuable life skill that can be applied to your personal or professional life. People don't move every day, so don't expect steady work and standard hours for a job like this.
Find a Job
Check in with a local moving company to see if you can work with their office to help with inventory or packing on local jobs. Call moving truck rental offices and offer your name and contact info to be shared with people renting from them. This proactive approach helps get your name out. If the moving truck rental office has a bulletin board, you can get ask to post a flyer.
Create a Job
If there isn't a moving company in your area, advertise your services to help people obtain boxes and pack general items. Create a Facebook page for your services so people can find you. Check in with your town government to see if they have a list or website of teens in the area willing to work on odd jobs and get added to that list.
Social Media Manager
Teens tend to have a leg up on adults when it comes to technological advances and social media platforms. As businesses of all types try to grow with the times, many need help with simple tasks like setting up social media accounts or adding successful content. Use your real-world experience to help a small local business incorporate social media into their marketing strategy.
Find a Job
Advertised social media management jobs are typically aimed at adults with an educational background in the field. Be bold and apply, making sure to note your age and why that could be an asset to the company. Some modern companies may be more willing to give you a try, provided you meet any state or federal requirements for youth employment.
Create a Job
Take a look at current social sites to see which local businesses already have a presence and which don't. For the ones that do, comment on their progress and suggest a meeting to share ideas on how you could help them take full advantage of the accounts. For the ones that don't have accounts, offer to help them set one up. When you're starting out, you'll spend more time looking for clients than getting paid to work. However, if you land a client or two, you could see from five to twenty hours of work each week depending on client needs. Set fair prices that reflect an hourly or project-based wage and current minimum wage standards. This entrepreneurial spirit shows future employers you're a go-getter who makes things happen and isn't afraid to put in hard work.
Photographer
If you have a good camera and love taking pictures, consider a job in photography. Everything from family photos to pet portraits are popular and can be done almost anywhere.
Find a Job
Large chain stores often have photo studios and may hire teens as assistants. Freelance photographers may also need help on shoots and be willing to hire you as an assistant. Call local studios and ask about job opportunities or introduce yourself to professionals you see at school or community events.
Create a Job
For many people, hiring a professional photographer is out of their budget, but hiring a young photographer might be more feasible. If you choose to create your own business, start by offering to do the photos for your friends at big events like homecoming or football games for a small fee. Now you'll have some examples to show potential clients. Take a look at what professionals in the area are charging and make your prices at least half of theirs. Share your work on social media to get the word out. Look for local volunteer opportunities like creating a dog calendar for the local canine rescue or taking pictures of kids with Santa at a church event to create your portfolio before seeking paid work.
Instructor
While you're probably not qualified to be a teacher, many teens get jobs as instructors for specific skills. If you're a certified lifeguard and can get certified as a Water Safety Instructor you could work as a swim lesson teacher. If you're an avid rider you could offer lessons at a local stable. Skilled snowboarders could teach lessons for kids at a local resort. If you've got a particular talent, you can often turn it into a job. Positions of leadership like this show future employers your ability to encourage and instruct others while you get the personal satisfaction of sharing your passion.
Find a Job
For some instructor positions you'll need certification, so make sure you understand those rules before applying. Do some research to find recreational businesses in your area. Check their websites or call to inquire about potential openings. Also look at newspaper ads since individuals may look for an instructor through this medium.
Create a Job
Start by offering your services to friends and family members to get references you can use to promote your business. Put an ad in the local newspaper and hang up flyers in high-traffic public places. Positions like this mostly take place on weekends and one lesson could be from thirty minutes to an hour.
Party Mascot
Do you have an uncanny resemblance to a Disney princess or the unique ability to talk like a robot? If you've got some acting skills and free weekends, you could become a mascot or party character. From birthday parties to corporate events, people love incorporating realistic characters into fun events. With a job like this, you get to be silly and have fun while getting paid.
Find a Job
If you've got an amusement park, sports team or children's entertainment business nearby they may have mascot jobs available. Since many adults aren't keen on these seemingly childish jobs, you are the target candidate. Head to a local theme park or banquet venue to see if they're hiring or to share your contact information and specific skill set.
Create a Job
Get yourself dressed up and in character, then take some photos or videos and post them to social media so others can see what you've got to offer. Create a clear price list that includes rates based one, two or three hour appearances. The more characters you can portray, the more work you'll get. Make sure to have hosts take pictures at the party and ask them to post reviews on social media.
Referee
If you love sports and want a way to get paid while playing, become a referee for younger kids' leagues. Children's recreation programs often can't afford to pay professional referees so you might be able to get your foot in the door with these organizations. Most little kid sports games take place on Saturdays so you could expect to only work this one day each week. If you're hoping to join a sports team in college a job like this shows the coach you're passionate and dedicated.
Find a Job
Head to a local gymnasium or soccer field and find out who's in charge. Ask how you can get involved with coaching, reffing or managing equipment. For some leagues, specialized training is required, but an organization might be willing to help you obtain that certification in exchange for a work commitment from you. Amateur teams won't be so picky and may hire teens who play on local teams to help out with younger leagues.
Create a Job
If your area doesn't have a lot of sports leagues for younger kids outside of school, talk to your local government to see how you can help set them up. Recreation departments can apply for grants and town funding to pay for these leagues. As a catalyst for the league, you'll be on the top of the list for employees.
Salon Assistant
While you may not be able to start cutting and styling just yet, teens can work in hair salons. Jobs include washing clients' hair before a cut, cleaning and doing laundry, or in higher-end salons, you could greet customers. If you're a high school cosmetology student or interested in making salon services your career, this part-time gig is a great way to get your foot in the door and land professional references.
Find a Job
The best way to get a job like this is by hitting the pavement and introducing yourself to salon managers and stylists. Let them know what skills you bring to the table and how you can help free them up to take in more clients.
Create a Job
Offer to style your friends' hair for special events at half the cost of salon prices to help them save money and help you make money. Head out to event venues and leave your information to be shared with any of their clients who might be looking for ways to save money.
Keeping Work in Balance
It can be a lot of fun to have a job and make your own money. However, part-time jobs should work with, not against, your school and extracurricular activities. Make sure you're able to meet the job requirements and understand federal and state child labor laws before accepting a job.
