Your teen has finished school for the summer, is kicking their heels and asking for cash. Summer jobs are a great way of earning some cash for themselves, learning responsibility (like turning up on time!) and new skills as well.
Here are 20 simple ideas for summer jobs for teens (and actually most can be done any time of year!).
Ideas for Teen Summer Jobs
First up, check what the legal rules are for teen work. Some jobs need you to be a minimum age and limit the hours you are allowed to work.
Many countries stipulate that you can’t employ children aged under 16 in regular full-time jobs, but that if you are over 14 you may do “light work during school holidays” or part-time hours as long as they don’t exceed a maximum.
Whatever work your teen opts for remind them:
- Always turn up when they say they will turn up.
- Always let their boss know if you can’t make it.
- If they don’t like the work, remember it’s about making money, just grit their teeth and think of what they’ll enjoy spending the cash on.
- Don’t count on it until it’s in their hand. You can be overly optimistic about the hours you’ll get and be banking on it when your boss may turn around and say don’t need you as much next week, so only count on it when you have it.
#1. Tutor or Give Lessons
Your teen could use one of their skills or knowledge areas to give lessons or tutor younger kids. Maybe they could teach them the basics of piano or guitar. Or help younger kids catch up over the summer with Maths or another school subject.
#2. Babysitting
This was my stand by job when I was a teenager. I put the word out around the neighbourhood that I was available for babysitting. I even babysat 3-year old twins one summer as my whole summer job, all I had to do was think of fun games to amuse them then feed them and they’d usually have a nap at one point during the day too.
Parents who work are often stuck during summer months for childcare options so offering your services as a child care option means you can earn some money close to home and they don’t have to find another option.
Jooble offers lots of listings for babysitting and nanny positions.
#3. Dog Walking / Sitting
Offer your services as a dog walker for people who are away during the day or as a dog sitter for any families who are going away on holiday and prefer not to place their pet into a kennel.
#4. Baking/Cooking
If you enjoy baking or cooking, why not make some money from it? Offer up samples to nearby cafés to see if they are interested in a regular delivery of your delicious baking.
Or if you know of a busy family or older person who needs help with meals, why not offer to cook for them?
#5. Golf Course Jobs
There may be jobs going at a nearby golf course, e.g. helping with greens, or in the shop or food area, or being a caddy.
Be aware that being a caddy is a bit of work as you’re carrying the golf bags about all day, as well as being expected to have knowledge of the course, layout, be able to give your player accurate yardages, hand them the club they ask for. But if you’re into golf it can be a good way of getting extra time to play and improving too.
#6. Waiting Tables
Many teens start working at fast food and other food establishments. Some fast food chains allow teens to operate the tills or do food prep. Other restaurants and cafes may look for experience of waiting but can allow you to do table clearing.
#7. Dishwasher
Ah the joys of being a dishwasher in a cafe or restaurant. Still it’s a simple and relatively easy to get job as you don’t need to have much experience.
#8. Lifeguard
If you are good swimmer, consider doing a lifeguard qualification as this can open up jobs in leisure centres, pools, and also summer camps where swimming is part of the camp activities.
#9. Sport Coach
Check out local organisations and clubs that run sport activities as they often need extra help during the summer to help run camps, etc.
#10. Camp Assistant
Not just for sport but any summer camp organisation may be looking for additional staff during the school holidays when they are running camps for kids.
#11. Help in Family Business
If your family or extended family has a business, ask if you can get a job for the summer. As well as earning cash, you have experience on your CV.
Be aware that it’s not always easy working for a family member boss, so try not to get annoyed if they behave differently to you than they would outside work (it’s all part of learning to deal with people in life!).
#12. Yard / Garden Work
Yes the old lawn mowing job sounds a bit obvious, but offer services in weeding, tidying up yards, lawn mowing and you’ll be sure to pick up some work off those of us who love our gardens but don’t have time to tend them.
#13. Taxi Office
Check if a local Taxi Office needs cover for the dispatch office. A friend of mine, her teens all worked at one time or another for a taxi company, helping in the office.
#14. Cleaning
Again, not the most exciting of jobs, but it’s a good job because you don’t need to have much experience, just show willing. I cleaned hotel rooms for one summer job and while I didn’t love the bathroom cleaning, I did enjoy being nosy!
#15. Retail Work
One of my best summer jobs was working in a local shop in our village, serving customers, stacking shelves. I enjoyed meeting people and it was interesting learning how stock works and what a shop is all about.
#16. Hotel Work
Hotels are good start summer jobs for teens as that tends to be their busy season. I worked in a Bed & Breakfast one summer, I had to go in early and help serve breakfast, then clean rooms and go back later to help serve dinner.
I also worked one holiday period as a waitress in a hotel. I didn’t love it but the tips were good.
#17. Tech / Computer
If you’ve got good tech skills then offer your services in helping to clean up computers, organise and print off digital photos (no one ever has time for this!), etc.
Or you might be able to help with some basic accounting, or spreadsheet work. Teens are often more computer savvy than lots of parents/adult relatives, so you (and they) may be surprised by what skills you can offer.
#18. House Sitting
Check if a local Taxi Office needs cover for the dispatch office. A friend of mine, her teens all worked at one time or another for a taxi company, helping in the office.
#19. Photographer Assistant
Summer season is wedding time and photographers may be open to an assistant to help them carry equipment, set up and take down.
#20. Window Cleaning
Everyone’s houses have windows! And it’s relatively low cost for the materials to get started for window cleaning around the neighbourhood.