I know how hard it is for teens to get their first summer job. For one thing, they don’t have much experience to put on their resume.
However, the hardest part is putting themselves out there. In the world of texts and emails, most teens barely know how to talk on the phone, let alone walk up to a stranger and hand them a resume.
Last season, my teen got his first summer job bussing tables and washing dishes at an extremely busy tea shop in downtown Victoria. (If you’ve sat in that historic tea shop, you know the one I mean!)
The benefits of landing that first job were huge. We wanted him to get a job so his entire summer wouldn’t be spent waffling between screen time and boredom. We wanted him to learn the value of money and how to balance saving with spending.
However, the most important benefits were unexpected. Max’s self-confidence and maturity grew tremendously with the responsibility. Suddenly, he was working with university students who were thinking about the cost of rent and food, which made him think more seriously about his future. He learned to pace himself through a very busy day. And we got to enjoy some delicious leftover pastries—every job has its perks!
Rules
There are government employment rules that limit how much teens can work and what they are allowed to do. It is much easier to get a job for teens that are over the age of 16. There are strict employment rules for teens younger than that. However, many people, including my son, get their first job before they’re 16. Here are a few of the rules for hiring teens aged 13 to 15:
• There are limits on how much they can work. For example, they cannot work more than four hours on a school day or more than seven hours on a non-school day.
• They can only do light work.
• Teens must be under the direct supervision of someone who is at least 19 years old.
• Once the teens turn 16, they have all the same employment rules as adults.
For more details, check out the BC rules for hiring young people at gov.bc.ca.
First Steps
It’s hard for your teen to fill out a resume if they haven’t had a job but no one expects teens to have long resumes. A single page is sufficient. They can share where they go to school, what grade they’re in and any school-based achievements or activities.
Extracurriculars and volunteer activities all count as experience. If they don’t have a lot of extracurricular activities, make a section titled “Interests” instead. This is another way for teens to show potential employers they are engaged and interested in their community.
Here are a few ways for teens to gain experience for their resume:
• Volunteer: There are many places to volunteer in our community, so let them choose something they are interested in. Volunteer positions are also a great way to get references.
• Junior camp counsellor: Many larger summer camp organizations have a junior counsellor program. These can be volunteer-based (like Science Ventures) or paid programs.
• Training programs and certificates: Food Safe is a $20 program that students can do online. Community centres often offer babysitting programs. High schools sometimes offer low-cost or free programs like basic First Aid and Food Safe.
Take The Plunge
Probably the biggest challenge for most teens is the actual application process. It’s hard to put yourself out there with strangers. Some companies, like McDonalds and grocery stores, offer online applications.
However, teens who haven’t already got a work-based reference on their resume will do better with in-person applications. This allows potential employers to assess the maturity of a 15-year-old applicant prior to the interview process.
Here are some tips for getting a reluctant teen to hand out their resume:
• Print off four resumes to hand out every Saturday until they start getting interviews.
• Walk with them to the stores and wait outside while they hand in their resume. Then ask them how it went and help them refine their process.
• The first few resumes will be the hardest, so don’t hand out a resume at their favourite locations until they’ve practiced a few times elsewhere.
• If they are reluctant, add a financial incentive. In my son’s case, he wanted to go on a school trip. We agreed to sign him up, only if he paid for half of the cost by getting a summer job.
