Jobs For Those Under 16

[ItsBrian]

I wanted to talk about something off-topic from scouting, so here it goes.

How do you feel about 14, 15 year olds having jobs?

 

Why I'm Bringing It Up:

I got hired when I was 14 at a CB Day Camp (I turned 15 during the summer). That ended, now I'm trying hard to find a part-time job as a 15 year olds.

Let me say, it is not easy trying to find a job for 15 year olds in NJ. I have looked at every single place in my area (about 20 different food  places / stores )

Now, after finally applying to many places. I get a interview at McDonalds! My first "official interview" ever. I was shocked they even considered 15 year olds.

 

I bet some teens are immature yes, and that's why some places don't want to hire them, but does 1 year age difference really make a difference? I understand there are other factors too. But, what about the teens that are mature and smarter than most 15 year olds?

Edited January 14, 2018 by ItsBrian

[Stosh]

Since Cub Scouts, I have always held a part-time job except for the first semester of college and last semester of seminary.  I shoveled snow, raked lawns, etc., then got a paper-route, then worked for the local library before finding a consistent job working in a grocery store until HS graduation.  It's how I paid for my scouting career and saved for college.  It didn't get in the way of me having fun, but in 1968 when I graduated, I had $7,000 in the bank.  That's $48,000 in today's money.  I grew up in a family of 4 and if I wanted to do something I pretty much had to pay my own way.  Summer camp at that time was $29/week. 

[qwazse]

I think teens are a vital part of our workforce. They are often able to work the hours that parents cannot.

Young teens come with two uncertainties:

- transportation

- first time hire

 Both  put them at a disadvantage relative to the rest of the employment pool.

[ItsBrian]

35 minutes ago, qwazse said:

I think teens are a vital part of our workforce. They are often able to work the hours that parents cannot.

Young teens come with two uncertainties:

- transportation

- first time hire

 Both  put them at a disadvantage relative to the rest of the employment pool.

I agree with the transportation, but that’s not everybody too.

What’s so bad about a first time hire?

[Sentinel947]

13 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I agree with the transportation, but that’s not everybody too.

What’s so bad about a first time hire?

I call it the "unknown entity" factor.

Professionally I work as a Recruiter. My job is to find employees for my clients. Some jobs have age requirements. The current positions I'm looking for are entry level sales jobs that require the candidate to be 18 or older. 

But even in the case a of a grocery store or fast food joint, a 15 year old comes with hassles. Some of this applies to folks under 18 in general. 

• They cannot drive themselves. Unless they can walk or take the bus, their attendance is totally on their family to help them get to work. 
• They are in school so that limits much of their availability. 
• There may be equipment they cannot use due to labor laws. Is a 15 year old allowed to climb a 12 foot ladder? 
• Speaking of labor laws, a younger employee requires more breaks than somebody over 18. While I personally don't care... some managers do. Some managers don't want to think about having to handle some employees differently than most of their employees.
• Lack of employment history. Why would a manager hire somebody with no work history if they have candidates with a proven track record of holding down a job? Doesn't mean it's always right, but it's a fairly solid rule of thumb. 

But, there is a way around this experience problem:

The first being "under the table" jobs like Stosh described. There's nothing wrong with dog sitting, baby sitting, house sitting, watering plants for neighbors on vacation, mowing lawns, shoveling snow, helping a neighbor spread mulch, paper routes, pulling weeds. Your neighbors know you, so that helps you beat the "unknown entity" factor. 

Networking. You know many people, through your friends, through your parents and family. If you can get an interview with a manager at a grocery store, and you wow them with your politeness, your can do em attitude and your maturity, then you can get a job without work experience. Those people you know might be able to help you get that interview. As you get older, networking because an even stronger tool. 

 

[Stosh]

  No experience for one thing.  No proven track record.

I was self-employed in the beginning with shoveling, mowing, raking, etc.

I was "always at the library" studying and so I got to know the librarians who needed help.

I signed on as a paper boy, no experience necessary.

By the time I got to my first "real" job, I had it covered. 

Of course the only experience one has going into McDonalds is ordering off the menu, then it's going to be a challenge. 

Transportation?  That's what a bike is for.  I didn't buy a car until I was in my second year of college.    My dad did offer to take me around on my paper route any time it went below zero.  Unfortunately the car never would start when it got that cold.  Just once was it -54 degrees that the wheels on my bike wouldn't turn so I had to walk the route pulling the papers on a sled.  It was a morning route so no one was open to get in where it's warm except for a couple of places.

Most youth today would never put up with what we did, nor would their parents allow it.

[SSScout]

As in many things, "it depends".    I have known kids whose first question when asked about work-for-pay is "who, me?"   

Youngest Scoutson made the acquaintance of a local farmer thru our family, and the farmer hired him on the spot (age twelve) for "gofer" duty.   When he couldn't work during the schoolyear, farmer said "when you turn 16, you've got a full time job if you want it."   Scoutson helped at CSDC, Camporees as staff,  at Meeting, following dad around,  and when he turned 16, we helped him get his drivers license, his Class B license (provisional), and  the farmer was good to his word.  Ever since,  Scoutson has been driving trucks, tractors, combines, harvesters,  and learning all about commercial farming.  He has convinced the farmer ("custom farming".  He leases six times as much land as he owns outright.) to diversify and try a section of certified "organic" crops.  

Daughter , on her own,  asked about and got a job in the local public library as a "Page" at age fourteen.  She both loved it (independence, paycheck of her own, time to read see new books) and hated it (telling me what to do all the time, same old same old,  dusty and moving all the time).  It was a learning experience.  When she graduated HS, she decided against college, got married, with her husband started a cleaning service.  cleaning restaurants, crime scenes, and large houses. She  went on to be a manager at a auto parts store. She 's happy. 

Other two sons had no jobs to speak of until they graduated HS ,  went to various places.  One joined the army immediately, later went to college and was in the right place at the right time, is now  doing very well as a Media Specialist for the county government.  The other has been in and out of work for awhile.  C'est la vie. 

Kids just need to keep making contacts, try new things, look to the stuff you like, not just what is "normal"  for you.  Hiking?  Camping?  Check in as a volunteer with your local Parks.  Find out what might be done for pay.   Ya never can tell.  

 

[Frostbyte]

Very interesting that this topic comes up right now. At our Scout meeting last Tuesday, my youngest son (13) and two buddies from school were talking about being able to work at a local grocery store at 14. They were excited about the possibility of earning some scratch on their own, but were a little bummed at having to wait and lose the summer. (ha, would that I could "lose" a summer being a 13 year old boy again!). 

I let them know there was an alternative. Since they all liked hanging around each other and it is fun to work with friends, why don't they consider being entrepreneurs and start their own business? Does not have to be a Silicon Valley start up by any means, but starting a small lawn care business or clearing out stuff or whatever they decide on would be a great learning experience and get them out of the "I have to work fast food if I'm a teen" mentality. I told them that being your own boss has a lot of great benefits, and the money goes to you based on your efforts, hard work, and luck. 

My oldest son Alex (just turned 17, working on Eagle) is a musician and taught himself to play the organ. There is such a lack of organists that he started subbing at local churches. One offered him a music minister position (part time due to school) and he is pulling in $600-$800 a month doing that. He found a niche and has made it work for him, making pretty good money for his age without all the pain in the butt stuff that I experienced with my first jobs. 

I hope all my kids will start their own businesses, but we will see. Funny what paths come up in life, and I am interested in how they handle the working world. I just think the entrepreneurship option teaches a LOT of great lessons. 

Check out this kid: http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/20/smallbusiness/hoopswagg-brennan-agranoff-socks/index.html.

[Eagle94-A1]

Yes, one disadvantage with under 18 year olds is laws.  Some of the things I did as a lifeguard back in the day are no longer allowed. I guarded on the ocean, lakes, did chemicals, etc. Now limitied to pools only and over 18 need to do chemicals. My brother at 16 was working PT as a cook. By the time he was 21, mastered cooking, and was a gourmet chef when the Cajun craze was happening.

[Chadamus]

I interview, hire, and occasionally train employees for the company I work for.  Many of the best hires have been young people with no prior work experience. When a person has no preconceived notions and is not already tainted or jaded from a prior employment, they are like a untouched piece of clay that can be easily molded into what we need.

[ItsBrian]

7 hours ago, Chadamus said:

Many of the best hires have been young people with no prior work experience. When a person has no preconceived notions and is not already tainted or jaded from a prior employment, they are like a untouched piece of clay that can be easily molded into what we need.

That’s what I was thinking too.

 

The reason why so many jobs are 16+ in the Tri-State because the need of working papers and more strict labor laws (hours, breaks, etc).

In NJ, a 15 year old can only work until 9pm during school season and then 10pm in summer. 

[Back Pack]

On 1/14/2018 at 10:26 AM, ItsBrian said:

I wanted to talk about something off-topic from scouting, so here it goes.

How do you feel about 14, 15 year olds having jobs?

 

Why I'm Bringing It Up:

I got hired when I was 14 at a CB Day Camp (I turned 15 during the summer). That ended, now I'm trying hard to find a part-time job as a 15 year olds.

Let me say, it is not easy trying to find a job for 15 year olds in NJ. I have looked at every single place in my area (about 20 different food  places / stores )

Now, after finally applying to many places. I get a interview at McDonalds! My first "official interview" ever. I was shocked they even considered 15 year olds.

 

I bet some teens are immature yes, and that's why some places don't want to hire them, but does 1 year age difference really make a difference? I understand there are other factors too. But, what about the teens that are mature and smarter than most 15 year olds?

Many places don’t hire until 16 even where I live. You can blame all the other irresponsible kids for that rule. Even older teens are equally irresponsible. In every job I’ve had at least half the employees have at one point walked out or called in for bad reasons. So employers hire older teens instead. 

[RichardB]

https://www.youthrules.gov/