How does a 16 yr old get a weekend job nowadays?

asmp

asmp

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My son, who isn't into horses, wants a small job now that he has left school and is waiting for college but it seems incredibly hard. Most places he goes into says that all vacancies are only advertised online but when you go online, there are no basic part time jobs. He did fill in a job online application for KFC but was too honest in his answers to the tick box questions and it was rejected within 5 mins , by a computer I assume. He has brought home a form from Homebase but it has 30(!) tick box questions. Trouble is, he's quite a quiet but polite, fairly intelligent boy who's not very outgoing. We're fairly new to the area so don't have many friends for a 'word of mouth' job. How do all the numpties and rude staff that I see nowadays manage to get jobs! (I realise that you're all going to tell me to tell him to exaggerate on the forms)
 
Just tell him to try and try again. I got my first job in Greggs at 16, when i left at 20 i applied for 27 jobs, 20 of which didn't get back to me at all, 4 that said the job had already been taken and 3 interveiws that were unsucessful.
Unfortunatly it is about who you know. When i put on facebook that i was looking i was inundated with people that could 'get me in' at their place of work.
I chose one and I'm now a carer, with i might add no care qualifications to start with.
It's who you know but that doensn't mean he won't get a job if he keeps looking.
Ask him to around town with a bunch of cv, if they said do it online, write it down and do it later.
 
Registering at agencies is a little time consuming but worth a try

My brother has just left uni and managed to get short and long term basic part time jobs via an agency for the whole of the seven years

Once an agency know they can rely on someone they do their best to keep them in work
 
McDonalds tend to be hiring, though if you don't live close to the store it's worth bearing in mind that you'll be picking up and dropping off your son if he's working out of bus service hours.

As for the online applications I'd recommend lying. Give them the answers they want, not the answers you want to give. Focus on customer service ('the customer is always right' - they aren't. The customer generally is an idiot) and putting customer assistance above everything else.
 
Does the area you've moved to have a local newspaper? If so, see if it has a job section.
Also I don't know how it works there, but here the job centres have touchscreens where you can browse jobs and print them off to apply for them.
Finally, I'd get him to draw up a c.v. and cover letter (doesn't have to be anything fancy) and mail shot them to a range of companies which he could see himself working for. The types of companies which may be looking Saturday staff include DIY stores, department stores, cafes & restaurants, clothes shops etc. Maybe make a list of all potential shops in the area?
 
In the last place I worked me and the manager used to hire young people for Saturdays, we always looked to see if the person had an interest in the products - we sold art and craft supplies so GCSE Art was pretty much a basic necessity, also some indication of being able to talk to customers - you need to be personable and able to hold at least short conversations plus the ability to learn about the products. We used to get about 100 applications each time we advertised. I have to admit we tended to go for slightly older young people with some retail experience already. We were constantly getting young people coming in asking for work, including plenty of graduates! We always said if we needed staff there would be a note in the window, we never kept any CVs sent to us if we didn't have a job available.
Most minimum wage shop jobs like ours aren't advertised anywhere except a note on the door, or even at all, as someone who works there always has a friend/relative looking for work. I got the job as I had worked there before, if they hadn't known me I wouldn't have had a chance. I've been made redundant and no hope of getting another job now, I'm not even looking.

TL;DR You need to go out and look for adverts for staff in shop/pub/cafe windows
 
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At that age my main source of income was local pub work - I did kitchen stuff, so washing up, basic food prep, waitressing. It was a good laugh and I still have fond memories of it. In retrospect I think it has been the job I've enjoyed most in my life!
 
ihatework said:
At that age my main source of income was local pub work - I did kitchen stuff, so washing up, basic food prep, waitressing. It was a good laugh and I still have fond memories of it. In retrospect I think it has been the job I've enjoyed most in my life!
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Ditto that!
I look back fondly on my waiting on jobs :)
 
My 16 yr old son is in exactly the same position - has applied online for every job that he has seen advertised and same as your son, turned down at the first stages !!

Some have said they want someone with more experience, but how are kids supposed to get that if no one will give them a chance in the first place.

My son sounds very much like yours and he is so keen to have a part time job as he too is supposed to be starting college in Septemeber .
 
A lot of the big companies want a couple of evenings as well as a Sat/Sun - often 16-20 hours & that can be tough to fit in with school/college, a hobby &/or a social life, especially if you live in a rural area.
Try getting him to dress up smartly, have a pre-prepared introduction & driving him round to every pub/restaurant/shop/leisure business/garage/petrol station etc in the area. Start with the least favourite options so he is well practised & more confident by the time you get to the more favoured. Concentrate on the small businesses as they won't have a corporate model that must be adhered to at all costs & walking in & making a good impression can be 90% of what it takes with them.
He may have to start off with casual hours but it's a way in & builds the cv to apply for other stuff. My 2 at various times have worked for: village shop, equestrian comp centre, clay shooting ground & farm centre. None of the jobs were advertised.
 
Pubs! I worked in our local pub from the age of 15. They are great places to work really. Maybe as a waiter or even kp in the kitchen.
 
Best place is a supermarket or similar.
They will offer good hours to fit in around school.
Also there should be other teenagers and youngsters for him to make friends with.
 
What did you mean when you said that he was too honest on his application??

hairycob said:
A lot of the big companies want a couple of evenings as well as a Sat/Sun - often 16-20 hours & that can be tough to fit in with school/college, a hobby &/or a social life, especially if you live in a rural area.
Try getting him to dress up smartly, have a pre-prepared introduction & driving him round to every pub/restaurant/shop/leisure business/garage/petrol station etc in the area. Start with the least favourite options so he is well practised & more confident by the time you get to the more favoured. Concentrate on the small businesses as they won't have a corporate model that must be adhered to at all costs & walking in & making a good impression can be 90% of what it takes with them.
He may have to start off with casual hours but it's a way in & builds the cv to apply for other stuff. My 2 at various times have worked for: village shop, equestrian comp centre, clay shooting ground & farm centre. None of the jobs were advertised.
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I agree with that.
 
You and your son would be suprised how many jobs are available to a nice quiet well spoken young man by local businesses especially at this time of year when they have staff away on holidays. Many are looking for people to answer phones, and do general office duties and someone who is happy to work hard will be quickly snapped up. (May even end up being offered the job again during college holiday times).
 
How about starting off trying to find him a week or so unpaid work experience placement so he can get some experience and go from there? Does the school organise anything like that?
 
Supermarket - lots of college kids working part time in them and he could pick up a lot of overtime in the holidays if he wanted to make some extra money. Maybe even get a transfer to another store if he wants to work whilst at uni.

Whereabouts do you live? Somebody may know of something

Edit to add: If he does want a long term job he should find it easier to get one in September/October when kids leave their current jobs to go to uni.
 
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It isn't so much a case of only wanting someone with experience, but if you have 100 applicants for one job and 25 have already done the same type of job before you are going to look at them first. It is a pain training someone for weeks only to find they either don't like the work or just aren't the right temperament for it. We had a skeleton staff and someone leaving unexpectedly was very disruptive.
Saying that we did takes risks sometimes, but the person had to be very enthusiastic about the products and business and come across as very confident and a quick learner from the start.
 
I'm 16 years old and I have 3 jobs which I worked really hard to get - I wouldn't have my horse if I hadn't got off my arse and found one. I'm a babysitter, waitress and dogsitter. I've been waitressing for 2 years and have only recently become a dog and baby sitter since I've left school and don't start college until September.

Tell your son to advertise himself everywhere. Facebook websites, local shops and ring up any place he can think of. My jobs aren't exactly glamorous but they give me the money I need to afford my horse. I have no time to myself any more - I now know how most adults feel. Real life sucks!
 
Just remembered last summer my nephew who was 16 at the time spent the summer being a carer for an old lady, helped her on the toilet and everything (he is a lovely caring lad) so he could save enough for a PS3. It is possible to make money for yourself mowing lawns, walking dogs, babysitting, helping old/disabled people with chores etc.
 
A few of my daughters friends work at man utd or city, after the interview they get a text when available work comes up. At 1st they will be the last text, the more they say yes the higher up the list they are. It's serving on match days food wise for members. They're all 1st year college 16/17 year olds. Many of them work every home game. Do u have any clubs like that near u?
 
My daughter both work in the village pub. Just after new year it was closed down and then new people in, so we quickly got in there and asked for jobs (well the girls did, I didn't go in with them). So the elder one can do the bar cos she's 18 and younger one waitresses and washes up. All great so far.

If he goes into local pubs or shops make sure he leaves a short CV with the manager detailing his name, phone no, what exams he's taken and what his hobbies are.

Good luck.
 
I employed a 16 year old boy on my catering trailer and he was wonderful. Hard working polite, good with the till( I was hopeless) no qualifications, but turned up on time and worked hard, his sister was supposed to do the job but was more interested in her boyfriend.
Working for me in a job that he had no real interest enabled me to give him a glowing reference my he applied for another job. He also put up and took down market stalls once a week. So I would go to small employers who need casual staff, it may not give him many hours but it proves he turns up and believe me that's half the problem. So I would look at caravan sites, boat yards, coffee shops, market stalls, gardening, car wash, Little chef. Burger King and any large service station which have a large turnover of staff and pubs are always looking for good washer ups. If he has a hobby that he is good at can he sell a 'service' to someone else?
 
Im sixteen too and its so hard to find a job! Our school didnt do work experience this year but all the other schools do so that puts me down on the list..

Im riding peoples horses and baby sitting atm to get a little cash and have fun at shows ect but after summer when people go to uni i hope itll get easier to get a job!
 
Do what my son did when he was 16 - and what a farmer's grandson is doing in this village right now. Put an ad in the local magazine (church, parish whatever). My son and four friends set up a little business, offering car-washing, garden maintenance, lawn-mowing, shed clearance, baby sitting, dog-walking. They were inundated, and the business ran until they all left home.

The farmer's grandson put an advert in the village newsletter, which I edit, at the end of June, originally for lawn-mowing. He is ultra-sensible, very hard working, punctual and pleasant, and does a great job whatever you ask of him. His grandfather confided to me that he's already made going on for £2000 these holidays. Word of mouth is ensuring him more and more jobs of different types. Not only is he making good money, he's gaining experience at being his own boss, and will be able to call on references from a very satisfied community when and if he needs them.

To be fair, it does help enormously for him that he is a farmer's son and grandson, legally permitted to drive a tractor, so he can offer a wide range of services. We used to run our own businesses, and we always preferred to take on youngsters of this sort of calibre. The jobs they had been doing may have not been 'white collar' or academic, but it provide to us that they were grafters, not too proud to get their hands dirty, and we paid attention to their references.

Hope it works out for your son.
 
Apply to local shops and businesses. Say you'll work a week for free to prove to them you can do the job and you are dedicated....
It makes you stand out from the test and really does work
 
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