Great Jobs for Teens in Any City
No matter which city you live in, there are always great jobs for teens. I think it’s best to look at what you’re interested in before choosing a part-time job. Some of the best jobs for teens can be found at, bookstores, video stores, theaters, arcades, and several other locations.
Bookstores and the Local Library
For the teen who loves to read, a library is the perfect teen job. Not only will you be able to be around books all day and get your hands on new releases and bestsellers, but you’ll also have a chance to make a difference in the lives of others by participating in the programs your library has to offer. You’ll have the chance to help people who have problems with being illiterate, teaching kids to enjoy reading by helping them find the perfect book, etc. Most libraries are open to at least 5pm and are also open on Saturday’s, so finding a job at your local library should be easy enough. Just ask the head librarian if they have any openings for a part-time position, possibly putting up books and helping with any programs they may offer.
Bookstores also offer great teen jobs. You will be around people who enjoy the same things you do. You’ll also have a chance to meet authors who do book signings. You’ll have the possibility to get your hands on books that sell out quickly. At most new bookstores you’ll also get a discount and if you work for a used bookstore, you may even get free books, depending on the bookstore. You’ll also have a chance to read up on upcoming books. It will, after all, be your job to answer questions that customers may have.
Video Stores and Theaters
Working at a video store has got to be the best teen job ever. You spend your shift renting or selling movies to customers while being able to watch all your favorite movies. At most video rental stores you’re also able to take movies home for the night, for free, as long as you bring them back the next day. This also offers the benefit of being able to do your homework while at work. Most video stores are okay with you working on homework as long as you have the rest of your job taken care of, such as cleaning the store, restocking movies, etc. Just make sure to ask before doing so.
Another great job for teens is working at the local movie theater. You’ll be able to see movies for free, especially if you are the one in the room running the movies. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to do that, you’ll have a very easy job selling tickets, collecting tickets at the door, or selling concessions. You’ll usually get discounts or get in free on your nights off. If you’re selling tickets you’ll usually have time to read or do homework in between movie times.
Retail / Department Stores and Gift Shops
Teens can often find jobs working for the local retail / department store. Working for a place like Wal-Mart is usually a great job for teens. What teen doesn’t love shopping at Wal-Mart? So what teen wouldn’t love getting a 10% discount at Wal-Mart? Besides Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and Target there’s also smaller retail stores, such as Family Dollar and Dollar General. These businesses usually don’t offer a discount, but they are usually easy jobs to get. At most retail stores you’ll either be a cashier or putting up stock. The benefits of a job like this, besides the availability, is being able to have a job that ends at around 6-8pm each night, giving you some time to hang out with your friends after school. As for department stores, they will work with your schedule, to a certain extent, and they will also let you off work when needed.
If you live in a tourist area, gift shops are the perfect job for teens. You’ll be able to find jobs as a cashier, putting up stock, taking photos, making t-shirts, and several other jobs depending on the gift shop. Working in a gift shop will give you a chance to meet lots of new people from all over the world. You will also get discounts and depending on the owner, you may get discounts to several other shops that they own. From my own personal experience, some gift shop owners will usually own more than one gift shop in a given area.
Arcades and Bowling Alleys
Teen jobs can also be found at the local arcade. For a person who loves to play games, this is the perfect job. The only downside is having to clean up after kids. The good thing about working at an arcade is working in an upbeat atmosphere. You’ll also have a pretty easy job, just hading out prizes and tokens.
Bowling alleys can be another promising job for teens. Most bowling alleys have a snack bar, shoe and ball rental area, and also have pinsetters. Anyone of these jobs would be easy and you’re also bound to get discounts when you come in with your friends on your day off.
Fast Food and Other Restaurants
Fast food is the one of the most popular jobs for teens. There are a number of benefits to working in a fast food place. You’ll get discounts on your days off, free food when you’re there, you’re bound to see your friends from time to time while working, and fast food places offer a very flexible schedule. When working a fast food job, you’ll usually be able to work the hours you want to work and work the same hours every week.
Working in other restaurants also provides for a great working environment for teens. To be a waitress/waiter you’ll need to work for a place that doesn’t sell alcohol. To wait tables at a place that sells alcohol you must be 18 years old. Being a waitress/waiter isn’t as bad as it seems and sometimes you get really great tips. If being a waitresses/waiter isn’t your thing, you can also be a hostess/host. Cooking is usually only done by people who are 18 or older, due to insurance reasons. Another option is bussing tables, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Offices
If you know what you want to do with your life, you may want to search for job at an office that specializes in that line of work. This is a great job for teens because it offers you a chance to learn what it’s like to work in that field. The best way to get a job like this is to contact the business and let them know you are going to be majoring in that field and would like to work there to learn more about what is involved in that job, most of the time you can find a job filing, answering phones, or cleaning. These jobs may not sound glamorous, but they will give you a chance to learn more about the field you are interested in and allow you to change your mind, before it’s too late, if you don’t like it.
I hope this article gives you an idea of some great jobs for teens if your area. Remember that having a fun job will make it easier to go to work and that some jobs offer great discounts and freebies.
