Getting Started
Summer is approaching, and you’re probably thinking about how
you’re going to spend all of that free time until school starts
again. Undoubtedly, it’s tempting to spend your summer months
in front of the TV or at the pool, but you may want to think about
getting a summer job.
Besides the obvious benefit of earning some extra cash, there
are lots of reasons to spend some of your vacation time working.
Jobs and volunteer work look good on college applications. They
keep you from getting bored during the summer when many of your
friends may be working or off on vacation with their families.
You’ll be learning things that are hard to pick up in a classroom,
like how to talk to people you don’t know without feeling awkward
and how a real-world business is run.
So, how do you get started? First, start thinking NOW about what
kind of job want—don’t wait until school is out. If you procrastinate,
then all the good jobs will be taken, and you may end up doing
a job you hate and making less money than you deserve. Take a
look at the other articles in this section that describe retail,
food service, office
jobs and other meaningful work, volunteering,
and starting your own business.
Once you have an idea of what you might like to do, start spreading
the word that you’re looking for work. For retail and food service
jobs, it’s often best to go to the restaurant or the mall and
simply fill out an application. For other types of work, you’re
most likely to find a job through someone you know, especially
if you don’t have a lot of experience. Tell all the adults you
know—teachers, your friends parents, people at church, neighbors,
people you baby-sit for—that you’re looking for work. Chances
are that one of them knows someone who needs an employee.
Before you start handing in applications, make sure that your
answering machine message is appropriate. If you have your own
phone and recorded a funky message for your friends to hear, re-record
a simple “Hi, this is so-and-so” message until you find a job.
If you’re walking in off the street to apply for a job, there
are a couple of things that will set you apart from the crowd.
- Be prepared (dressed and otherwise) to interview on the spot.
If the manager isn’t busy, she may want to interview you right
away instead of scheduling something for later. Even if she
doesn’t want to talk to you right away, this is your first chance
to make a good impression. If you look sloppy or seem unfriendly
or impolite, she’s not likely to ever call you for an interview.
- Stop in at a time that’s likely to be convenient for the
manager. If you’re applying to work at a restaurant, it’s best
to go in before or after the meal-time rush. If you’re hoping
to work at the mall, try to go after school or on the weekend
when the store has just opened and it’s not so busy.
- Bring your own pen, and make sure you have everything
you need to fill out an application.
Resumes
If you’ve had more than one job (including volunteer work), then
it’s a good idea to write a resume. If you’ve never had a paying
job, a resume can help you focus on your strengths and skills,
which will make it easier for you to sell yourself when you talk
to potential employers. Even if you never hand it out, writing
a resume is a valuable exercise.
A resume will…
- Show a potential employer that you’re organized and responsible.
- Make you stand out from the competition.
- Allow you to describe jobs and skills in more detail (typical
application forms don’t leave a lot of space).
- Allow you to list non-employment experience, like school projects,
that may impress a potential employer.
- Enable you to compete more effectively with college students
and high school graduates who are interested in the same jobs
that you are.
- Help build your confidence by listing all the things you’re
good at, everything you’ve accomplished, and all the things
you’ve learned.
If you’re comfortable handing it out, bring copies of your resume
with you when you start your job hunt (even when you’re just collecting
applications). Give it to the manager along with your completed
job application, and bring some paperclips so that the application
and resume stay together. It’s OK if the resume has some of the
same information that you’ve filled out on the application.
Sidebar: What to include on your resume
- List your name, address, and phone number at the top of the
page
- List any work or volunteer experience, including dates, the
skills you needed or learned, and the name of a reference or
supervisor for each
- List your education (if you’re still in school, say so).
Include any academic honors and other awards you’ve earned.
- Be sure to list extracurricular activities, sports, volunteer
work, and other non-academic activities. You may want to create
a special section for this information.
- List personal references (teachers, friends’ parents, etc.)
with phone numbers for each.
Sidebar: Resume tips
- Find out what skills employers are looking for. Job listings
in the newspaper classified ads are a good place to look—typically
the ads will describe the ideal employee. Make sure that your
resume highlights these skills.
- Your resume should show that you’re a responsible, dependable
person, so it’s better to use a basic, traditional layout and
design. Don’t use cartoons, pictures, fancy fonts, or fonts
that are hard to read.
- Type your resume, don’t hand-write it.
- Use nice paper and print with black ink.
- Make sure that there are no spelling mistakes or grammatical
errors on your resume. Ask one of your parents to proofread
it for you.
- Double-check to make sure your phone number is correct.
- Take a look at our sample resume
for ideas. Your local library also has lots of information on
writing resumes, including books with more sample resumes.
Sample resume
Michelle Julian
2245 19th Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 123-4567
JOB WANTED: Restaurant cashier, waiter, or counterperson.
EDUCATION
Will graduate from Ray Lyman Wilbur High School in June 2001.
Deans List, 1999 – 2000
PAID WORK EXPERIENCE
Summer 1999, Dishwasher, Red Lobster Restaurant
Supervisor: Emilio Juarez, (415) 555-1212
- Received Employee of the Month award for July 1999
- Asked to continue working through the school year
Fall 1998 – Spring 1999, Cashier, Wilbur High School Cafeteria
Supervisor: Ian McFarland, (415) 555-1222
1996 – present, Babysitter, various employers
WORK EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOL
Fall 1999, Junior Achievement
- Worked with a team of students over 4 months on a small-business
simulation.
- Business was profitable within the first month.
- Placed 2nd in the all-school business competition.
1997 – 1998, Animal Care Project
- Successfully raised a pig to sell at the County Fair.
- Won “Best of Show” prize.
- Responsible for daily feeding and care of pig.
PERSONAL REFERENCES
Juan Valdez, Teacher
Ray Lyman Wilbur High School
(415) 555-1234
Tillie Olsen, Neighbor
2344 19th St., San Francisco
(415) 555-4555
Interviews
Job interviews can be somewhat nerve-wracking, especially if
you haven’t been through one before. On the way to the interview,
think about a couple of accomplishments that you’re really proud
of: acing a test, convincing your mom to let you go snow boarding,
or saving your for 6 months so you could get a new stereo. These
accomplishments may not have much to do with getting a job, but
this exercise will remind you that you’re a smart and capable
person. The more confident you are during the interview, the more
capable you’ll seem to the manager.
Some managers will give you and your application a quick once-over
and offer you the job on the spot. Others may have more applicants
to choose from (or they may be practicing their management skills),
and they’ll want to ask you more questions. Sometimes you’ll be
offered a job as soon as the interview is over, while other times
you’ll have to wait for a call from the manager. If the manager
isn’t interested in hiring you, it’s unlikely that they’ll call
and tell you so, unless you were referred by someone they know.
If you’ve never interviewed for a job before, you may want to
practice with a friend before you interview for real in case you’re
faced with a hiring manager who wants to know everything about
you before she makes a decision. Here are a few common interview
questions and suggestions for how to think about your answers:
- Why do you want to work here?
Obviously, you want the job because you’re looking forward to
getting a paycheck. If it’s a volunteer position, then you’re
probably looking for something special to add to your college
applications. Most employers understand that you wouldn’t be
applying for a position if there weren’t something in it for
you, but what they really want to know is why you want this
particular job.
Think about why you’d prefer this job to a similar one. If you’re
applying to work in a record store, would you be just as happy
working at the bookstore across the street, or do you have a
special interest in music? If you’re interviewing at a restaurant,
will you be happy working there because you like the food and
would be proud to serve it? Even if the job isn’t your first
choice, there’s probably something particular about it that
caught your interest.
- Tell me about yourself.
This is one of the harder questions you’ll have to answer—it’s
very easy to sit there saying, “Ummm… uh… well…” for 10 minutes
while you try to come up with something that you thing will
interest the person who’s interviewing you.
Typically, a manager will ask this question to see if you’re
a good talker. Particularly in sales jobs, it’s important that
you be able to keep a conversation going with a customer. In
this case, it almost doesn’t matter what you say, so long as
it’s somewhat relevant. You might want to spend a little time
talking about school, extracurricular activities, hobbies, and
future plans for college. If you have a special interest that’s
related to the job you want, this is a good time to mention
it. For example, if you’re applying for a job at a clothing
store, let the manager know that you’re the ones your friends
turn to for advice when they’re getting dressed to go out.
- How would you deal with an irate customer?
Many jobs require that you know how to work with customers,
especially food service and retail jobs. You need to assure
the manager that you are aware that it is never appropriate
to be rude to a customer, even if the customer is rude to you
first. If a customer is cranky or justifiably angry, the manager
will expect you to deal with it on your own. If the customer
is downright abusive, then it’s OK to say that you’d ask the
manager on duty for help.
If you’ve had a job before, think of the nastiest customer you
ever had to deal with. Was your boss happy about the way you
handled the situation? If not, you can talk about what you learned
and how you’d do better the next time you encountered an irate
customer.
- Do you work well as part of a team?
Don’t just say “yes,” give a few examples of times that you’ve
worked well with others and accomplished something as part of
a group. School and extracurricular activities should provide
you with plenty of material. If one of the students working
in your social studies group wasn’t doing their share of the
work, how did you get them to pull their weight? If the shy
girl in your drama scene was afraid to speak up, how did you
encourage her to relax and be less self-conscious?
- Why do you think you’d be good at this job?
Before you can answer this question, you’ll need to have a good
idea of what the job entails. You may not have worked before,
but you’ve certainly shopped, eaten in restaurants, and gone
to the movies. Think about the salespeople, waiters, and other
workers you’ve encountered when you were the customer. What
made them good or bad? Perhaps the waitress at your local diner
is able to keep smiling and being friendly even when she has
more customers than she can handle. Maybe receptionist at your
dentist’s office mumbles so that it’s hard to understand when
your next appointment is scheduled.
Think about the things you’re good at, and then apply those
skills to the job you want. If you have a sunny disposition
and a great memory, chances are you’ll make a good waiter, even
if you don’t have any experience. If you’re very organized and
can work on a project independently, then you’d be good at office
work. If you’re neat and tidy, then you’ll be good at keeping
the sweater display at your local boutique looking enticing
for customers.
- What are your greatest strengths/weaknesses?
As you did for the previous question, think about the things
you’re good at. The person interviewing you is looking for broad
character traits like being good with people, paying attention
to detail, and continually striving to do the best job possible.
If you have trouble coming up with a good list of strengths,
ask your parents or friends for help.
When describing your weaknesses, try to think of good traits
that you may take too far. For example, if you’re extremely
good with details, do you sometimes loose sight of the big picture?
If so, you may be so focused on making sure all the salt shakers
are filled to the brim that you forget to bring a customer’s
drink. If you’re so friendly that suddenly all the salesclerks
from neighboring stores are spending their lunch hours chatting
with you, your manager may see that as a problem. Be honest
about what you need to work on, but try to mention weaknesses
that aren’t too relevant to the job you’re interviewing for.
You can also let the manager know that you’re hoping to improve
some of your weaker skills.
When discussing your weaknesses, it’s never a good idea to say
that you are unreliable, irresponsible, rude to customers, or
regularly late for work. Since you’ll be starting a new job,
you have a clean slate and an opportunity to improve those basic
work habits if they’ve been a problem for you in the past.
- When can you start?
If the manager asks you this question, don’t assume that you’ve
got the job. It is a good sign—she probably won’t ask when you
can start if she’s sure she doesn’t want to hire you—but it’s
not a guarantee.
It may be tempting to tell the manager exactly what she wants
to hear—that you’re available as soon as she needs you. However,
it’s better to be realistic about the workload you can handle.
If you have exams and end-of-the-year social activities coming
up, you may not have the time and energy to start a new job
until the school year is over.
- Can you work during the school year?
Some managers won’t hire you just for the summer—they don’t
want to spend a month training you if you’re only going to stay
for 3 months. Obviously, it would be difficult for you to work
full-time while school is in session, but you can probably handle
a part-time job if your course load isn’t too heavy. If you
think you might be interested in working part-time during the
school year, then say so. Employees who work at the kinds of
jobs you’ll be qualified for typically don’t stay very long,
so you don’t need to feel too guilty if you end up quitting
once school starts again.
Checklist: What to bring
when you’re filling out applications or interviewing
- Your social security number. (You cannot work in the
USA without one).
If you don’t know the number or aren’t sure if you have one,
ask your parents if they’ve applied for one for you. If you
don’t have one, you can apply for one by following the instructions
on the Social
Security Administration’s web site.
Once you have the job, you’ll need to bring in proof of citizenship,
like a passport or birth certificate. If you aren’t a US citizen,
you’ll need to bring the appropriate immigration documents with
you to prove that you’re eligible to work in the US. Your manager
will tell you what documents she needs.
- Your own pen.
It’s not a big deal to ask for one, but you’ll come across as
responsible and well prepared if you have your own. Use blue
or black ink rather than funky colors.
- A list of personal references with addresses and daytime
phone numbers.
Be sure to contact your references to ask them if they’re willing
to vouch for you before you give out their names and numbers.
You can use previous employers if you’ve worked before; teachers,
friends’ parents, or neighbors are fine too. See the sample
job application and sample resume for examples of personal references.
- A list of places you’ve worked, the dates you worked there,
and the names of your supervisors for each job.
You can include both paid work and volunteer work in the employment
section. If you’re applying for a childcare or camp-counseling
job, then it’s fine to list regular or long-term baby-sitting
jobs. Otherwise, leave them off.
- A work permit, if your state requires it for someone your
age.
To find out more about labor laws that affect teens, visit the
US Department of Labor’s Teen
Worker page.
Sidebar: Interview tips
- Be on time—or early. This is your first opportunity to show
your prospective boss that you’re responsible and she can trust
you.
- Look the part. Check out these tips on how to dress for a
food service or retail interview.
- Be polite to everyone you talk to, including other employees,
customers that happen to be there, and the receptionist if there
is one. Even if they’re not polite to you, or they don’t seem
important, being less than impeccably polite can cost you the
job.
- Be honest. If you lie about past experience, your employer
will probably find out about it one way or another. And if she
does, she’ll probably fire you.
- Act like you’re interested in getting the job. Flipping burgers
may not be your life’s goal, but if you act like the work is
tedious, boring, and beneath you, you haven’t got a chance.
- Be aware of your body language. Make eye contact with the
person who’s interviewing you, sit up straight, and smile occasionally.
Don’t cross your arms, or sit in a way that seems hostile or
sullen.
- If you’ve had a job before, don’t trash your previous employer,
even if they deserve it.
- Don’t chew gum, play with your hair, pick at your fingernails,
or wipe your nose on your sleeve.
Retail Jobs
Lots of high-school students work at retail stores. Most retail
jobs don’t require any specialized skill or knowledge, so it’s
rare for a retail store to require a high-school diploma or college
degree. It’s relatively easy to find retail work anywhere, so
you’ll be able to use your experience to help you find work when
you’re away at college, traveling abroad, or whenever you’re between
“real” jobs.
There are several reasons you might want to start at your local
mall or downtown shopping area. For one thing, it’s easy to get
high-traffic shopping areas on public transit if you don’t have
a car. Wherever there are lots of stores in one location, it’s
easier to apply for lots of jobs all at the same time. Also, it’s
far simpler to scope out a job in another store if the first one
you take doesn’t work out. And of course, you can go shopping
on your lunch break.
Retail managers are looking for…
- Someone who’s always polite to customers.
- Someone who can follow directions and learn quickly. Every
retail store has procedures for accepting checks and credit
cards, taking returns and exchanges, and so on. You’ll need
to perform these tasks according to the store’s policy.
- Someone who works independently and doesn’t need to be told
what to do every 5 seconds. If you’re responsible for the sweater
table in the women’s department, your manager isn’t going to
want to have to tell you each time a cardigan needs folding.
- Good salespeople. If you’re good at persuading people, you
have an edge.
- Employees with some knowledge about or interest in what they’re
selling. If you’re really into music, try applying at a record
store. If you love fashion, try a clothing store.
- As with all jobs, punctuality and dependability are key.
Sidebar: Dressing for a retail
interview
- Don’t worry too much about looking cool. The manager’s first
priority is finding someone who’s going to show up for work
on time, so it’s better to look responsible and dependable.
Besides, most managers are old enough that their idea of what’s
cool may differ significantly from yours.
- If you’re interviewing at a clothing store, try to wear something
that looks like you could have bought it there. Check out what
the salespeople who work there are wearing and try to find something
similar in your closet.
- Don’t wear anything that’s ripped, torn, or held together
with safety pins. If your shoes are scuffed, polish them.
- It’s better to be dressed a little more formally and conservatively
for an interview than you’d normally dress. Employers will take
this as a sign that you’re taking the interview seriously and
you really want the job. A button-down shirt, blouse, or sweater
with khakis or a skirt is appropriate. Athletic shoes are not,
unless you’re applying to work at a sporting goods store. If
your parents think you look nice, that’s a good sign.
Food Service
Food service jobs are probably the most common type of employment
for high-school students. While lots of food service jobs require
some skill, many establishments are willing to train you as you
work. You can also work your way up through the ranks, from dishwasher
to bus-person to waiter or line cook. As with retail, food service
jobs are easy to find wherever you go, especially if you gain
some experience while you’re still in high school.
While fast-food establishments are the obvious choice if you
don’t have any experience, consider other types of restaurants
as well. You may not be able to land a waitress job at the local
upscale pasta restaurant, but chances are you’d qualify for a
dishwashing, bus-person, or hostess position. Once you’ve proved
your worth, you’ll be first to find out about better jobs as they
become available. Cafes, ice-cream shops, and bakeries are also
good alternatives.
Before you start handing in applications, you might want to visit
a few places to make sure you really want to work there. Here
are a few tips for choosing the right place of employment:
- Consider the uniform. Will you be comfortable wearing it?
- Are the patrons at the restaurant people you’re going to want
to serve? If you’re a young woman, ask the manager or a female
employee how they handle customers who harass the staff.
- Is the food OK? If not, you’ll probably be getting a lot of
complaints from customers.
- Will it be easy and safe for you to get to and from work (especially
if you don’t have a car)?
- Are you required to do anything wacky, such as singing “Happy
Birthday” to customers, jumping up and down (http://www.powerstudents.com/highschool/hs_jobsmoney/000130_hotdog.shtml
) on the lemonade squeezer, or saying the same goofy standard
greeting each time a customer walks in the door?
- Many states don’t allow teenagers to serve alcohol or work
in bars. Make sure you know the law in your state, or you could
lose your job if the place is inspected.
Restaurant managers are looking for employees who are neat and
clean, courteous to customers, punctual, and dependable. Large
chains may even have formal rules for employee behavior. Take
a look at the McDonald’s
Employee Expectations page for specific requirements if you’re
thinking about applying at a fast-food restaurant. Managers are
always interested in employees who learn quickly. Each restaurant
has it’s own set of procedures, so it’s important that the manager
understand that you can remember instructions.
There’s a lot of turnover in the restaurant industry, so managers
would rather hire someone who’s going to stay for more than a
couple of days. Also, most managers would prefer not to fire anyone—after
all, it’s an unpleasant task. Convince them that you’re responsible
and interested in sticking around. If you want to work part-time
once school starts again, or if you’re not sure but might consider
it, mention that too.
Sidebar: Dressing for a Food
Service interview
- The better your grooming, the better your chances of getting
the job.
- If you have long hair, pull it back.
- Keep your fingernails short, unpolished, and clean.
- Don’t wear clouds of perfume or aftershave. In fact, it’s
better not to wear it at all when serving food.
- A little makeup is fine, a lot of makeup is not.
- Wear conservative clothes: a button-down shirt, blouse, or
sweater with khakis or a skirt is appropriate.
Meaningful Work
What is meaningful to you? Making a difference in your community?
Building a resume so you can get better, more interesting, and
higher paying jobs in the future? Having something impressive
to add to your college application? Whatever the answer, if you’re
interested in more than just making some extra cash, you may want
to look beyond your local mall or fast-food establishment for
a summer job.
Think about what you’re interested in learning, then try to find
jobs that require you to learn those skills. In an office job,
you’ll most likely improve your computer, typing, and phone skills.
You may also learn some basic accounting, or how to write business
letters. Sales jobs will teach you the art of persuasion, how
to match your customer’s needs with your company’s products, and
how to talk to people you don’t know without getting nervous.
Working with children will teach you a lot about human nature,
as well as how to be patient.
When you’re looking for meaningful work, it’s often easier to
get internships than paid jobs. Some places, especially larger
companies, will pay you a stipend or a low hourly rate for your
internship, which may be equivalent to what you can earn working
in a restaurant or at the mall. You can also try to convince your
parents that an internship will help you get into a better college
and teach you valuable new skills. If you succeed, they may be
willing to increase your allowance over the summer so you don’t
have to find a paying job. If you really need to make some money,
there are lots of temporary office jobs available in the summer,
and they typically pay as well or better than less interesting
work.
If you’ve always been interested in a particular line of work,
try to find a summer internship in that field. For example, if
you enjoy writing or journalism, contact a local newspaper, magazine,
or TV station to see if they have an internship program for students.
Public access cable TV stations often have lots of opportunities
for volunteers. If you’re interested in child psychology, try
being a camp counselor, daycare aide, or summer school teacher’s
aide. If you love sports, try to find an opportunity to coach
younger kids. If you can’t find a formal internship program for
the field you want, try to find someone you know who works in
that field and ask them if their company would be willing to create
an internship for you. Most companies would be happy to get the
free help you’re offering.
If you’re interested in office work, try to find people you know
who work out of a home office. Often, people who have one-person
businesses need help with office work—such as filing, accounting,
or data-entry—and would be happy to pay you for it. You’ll also
get a taste of what their business is like and what it’s like
to work for yourself.
If you want to keep busy making money all summer, sign up with
a couple of temporary employment agencies. They specialize in
finding temporary replacements for workers who are out on vacation.
Also, lots of companies take advantage of the number of students
looking for summer work and save big jobs like revamping the filing
system or doing an inventory on the supply closet for this time
of year.
If you live in a rural community or small town, contact the local
Chamber of Commerce to get a list of local small businesses that
do the kind of work that you’re interested in learning. Small
businesses often need help around the office when one of their
regular workers is out of town, and they’re more likely than larger
companies to hire high-school students for paid positions.
When you’re looking for a special, meaningful job, it’s particularly
important to spread the word. Finding a meaningful work requires
that you take more initiative than you would looking for a job
at the mall. Talk to all the adults you know and let them know
what kind of work you’re looking for. Here are a few people you
can start with:
- Parents’ friends and coworkers
- Friends’ parents
- Teachers, counselors, and coaches at school
- People from your church
- Neighbors
- Relatives who live close by
- People you baby-sit for
There are also lots of volunteer organizations that can set you
up with a meaningful summer job. Check out our section on volunteering
for more information.
Volunteering
Whether you’re too young for a paying job, or looking for a way
to make a difference in your community, there are lots of groups
looking for teenage volunteers. Aside from looking great on your
college applications and giving you some real-world experience
that can help you find a paying job, volunteering can teach you
a lot about yourself and your community, and you’ll feel good
about your contribution. Check out these PowerStudents articles
on what it’s like to volunteer, written by students like you:
- Making Time to Help
- Being a “Big”
- Kid Learning
If you’re interested in volunteering, you can start by asking
people you know if they’ve heard of any suitable opportunities.
Guidance counselors at school, church leaders, and your local
United Way office are likely to know of groups that could use
your help.
You can also check out these volunteer agencies online:
If you can’t find the volunteer position you really want through
an existing organization, then try creating your own. Take a look
at Irin Carmon’s article, Sowing the Seeds , or check out DoSomething,
a national organization that’s dedicated to training young people
to develop leadership skills and make a difference in their communities.
Jobs for workers under 15
Back in the 1930s, the federal government enacted many of the
child labor laws that are still in effect today. While it may
seem that those congressmen of years past were out to thwart your
money-making ability, they were really trying to protect your
interests. Many businesses used to employ poor children, offering
them long hours and terrible working conditions in exchange for
low wages. In fact, many countries around the world continue these
practices. Check out the International
Child Labor Program for more information.
If you’re 14 or 15, most states will let you work up to 40 hours
a week when you’re not in school. If you’re younger than 14, there
are very few jobs you can legally hold in the US. To find out
more about federal labor laws that affect teens, visit the US
Department of Labor’s Teen
Worker page. The laws for your state may be more stringent,
so it’s a good idea to check with a guidance counselor at school
if you have questions about working over the summer.
Your opportunities for regular employment may be somewhat restricted
if you’re under 15, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn new
job skills this summer. You may want to try volunteer work. Even
though you won’t get paid, you will develop valuable work skills,
and you’ll probably do more fun and challenging work than you
would at a paid job. You’ll also be able to add your volunteer
experience to college applications, which increases your chance
of getting into the school of your choice. When you’re old enough
for a regular job, you can list your volunteer experience on job
applications. Check out our section on volunteering for more information.
If you’re dead set on making some money this summer, you can
always try getting a paper route, babysitting, mowing lawns, or
helping your parents around the house. You can also ask neighbors,
friends’ parents, or your parents’ friends if they know anyone
who works at home or has a local small business who’d be willing
to pay you to help with office work. If your family has a lot
of junk lying around, ask your parents if you can have a garage
sale or put some stuff up for auction on eBay (http://www.ebay.com).
While all of these are good options, you can often make more
money and learn more about the working world by starting your
own business.
Starting your own business
- Figure out what kind of business is right for you. If kids
drive you crazy, then a babysitting service probably isn’t the
best idea. If you love animals, consider starting a dog-walking
service or caring for neighborhood pets while their owners are
on vacation.
Take a look at these other PowerStudents articles for more ideas:
- Business Smarts
- Get Off Your Butt and Earn Money
- Move Over Amazon, Look Out eBay!
- The Babysitter’s Club
- Make sure your parents know what you’re planning. Since you’re
still a minor, your parents are legally responsible for anything
you do. It may not seem likely that a customer will sue you
for ruining their lawn by putting too much fertilizer on it,
but it’s not out of the question.
- Decide whether you’re going to need to buy any equipment
or supplies that you don’t already have. As a dog-walker, will
you be expected to carry dog treats? If you’re taking a group
of neighborhood kids to the pool, is there an admission charge?
Try to get whatever you need—whether it’s a dollar per kid for
the pool or a baggie of treats for each dog—from your customer
so you don’t need to shell out any money before you get paid.
If you’re going to need garden tools to operate your lawn service,
see if you can borrow them from your parents or use the ones
your customers have.
- Figure out how much you can charge for your service. Make
sure your prices are high enough to cover anything you need
to buy and still leave enough profit to make it worth your time.
You may not be able to charge as much as an adult does for the
same service, but you can probably charge 50 – 75% of the going
rate. Once you’ve decided what your time is worth, ask a few
potential customers whether they think your prices are fair.
- Start advertising your new business. You can…
- Put up signs in your neighborhood
- Spread the word by telling everyone you know about your
business. Most adults are happy to help a young entrepreneur
by passing your name on to others who might be interested.
- Call your local newspaper and see if they’d be willing
to give you space in the classified section for free or
at a discount. If you’re lucky, they might even want to
do an article on student entrepreneurs that features your
business. If you live in a city, try calling the neighborhood
papers you can get for free at local restaurants and cafes.
- Be the best at what you do. If you’re doing a good job,
your customers will be happy to refer you to their friends
and neighbors.
- Once you have a few customers, ask them how you’re doing.
Use their feedback to improve your business so you can get
more customers.
Copyright © 2001, Snowball, Inc.
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