As a teenager, my first real job was at a small business that allowed people to come in and paint their own pottery. It allowed me to flex my limited artistic skills, learn the ins-and-outs of retail, and make my own money. Sure, it wasn’t always fun and I wasn’t always as grateful as I should have been for the opportunity. But looking back, it was definitely a great learning experience. I learned people skills, the importance of a great work ethic, and the consequences of spending your entire paycheck on lipgloss and CD’s.
Teenagers these days have a lot on their shoulders that may make it difficult to maintain jobs during the school year. The concept of getting a summer job may be old school, but it works! Even if for just a few months, summer jobs teach teenagers all types of skills that will come in handy throughout their lives. These jobs don’t take place at the mall or fast food joints. They have the potential to be super fun but great learning experiences as well.
1. Nanny/Babysitting
If your teen is responsible enough to look after their own younger siblings or have experience babysitting, pursuing nannying as a summer job is a great choice. With school out of session, many working parents have a difficult time navigating summer with their children. If your child has a driver’s license and access to a car, they may be able to make good money carting other kids around to and from summer activities. If not, there are still plenty of parents out there looking for babysitters to come over and care for their children while they work during the day.
Like most others, if your teenager is unfamiliar with the family, they may be required to go through an extensive interview, and take background and drug tests.
2. Lifeguard
Being a lifeguard is a relatively easy job that requires quick thinking skills and constant vigilance but allows teenagers the chance to work great hours and spend their day by the pool. Lifeguards are required to have specific certifications but a few classes at the YMCA can pretty much knock them out of the park.
Places like gyms, neighborhood pools, are always looking for reliable lifeguards during the summertime.
3. Camp Counselor
Whether at a summer camp away from home or a local day camp, teenagers and camp counselor jobs go together perfectly. As a camp counselor, teenagers will have a whole host of responsibilities. From making sure camper are safe and happy to teaching their own summer classes and cooking meals. This job is a one stop shop for fun and hard work.
4. Internships
Internships definitely don’t pay as much as some of the other jobs on this list, but if your teenager already has a pretty clear idea of what they want to pursue as a career, they may be crucial. Law firms, media companies, small businesses- there are tons of places that offer paid and unpaid summer internships to high school students. Sure, they may be fetching a lot of coffees or answering plenty of phone calls, but they will also get great industry experience and something substantial to add to their resumes and college applications.
5. Amusement Park Employee
Amusement parks are super busy during the summer. The weather provides kids, teens, and families with the perfect opportunity to overload on slushies and adrenaline rushes. Inside of an amusement park, there are plenty of jobs available to work-hungry teenagers. Cleanup crew, ride attendant, lifeguard, even food stand employee. Working at a theme park will allow them to spend their work days in the sun, surrounded by cool stuff, and probably get a super steep discount on tickets for themselves and the family.
6. Dog Walker
Kind of like babysitting, but for adorable dogs. There is a lot of good money to be made in walking dogs for people that don’t have the time or ability to do it themselves. Your teen can get plenty of exercise and get tons of real-world work experience while also learning how to make their own hours and self-manage.