Top 17 Jobs for Teens

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Getting into employment for the first time can be a daunting experience regardless of your age. It can be especially challenging to seek a job while you're a teenager, however, if you land the right job it may give you the experience you need to gain skills to further advance your career.

In this article, we discuss some of the top 17 jobs suitable for teens to help you gain work experience.

Jobs for teens

If you are seeking a job for the first time, having an idea of how to find employment can be quite helpful. This way, you will have a rough idea of where to seek jobs and what to expect while in the work environment.

Here are some popular jobs for teens:

1. Virtual Office Assistant

Average salary: £11.82 per hour

Job duties: This job often requires you to complete administrative tasks for organisations. Among other duties, as a virtual office assistant, you might respond to emails, put together virtual office activities, and organise spreadsheets.

Common requirements: Access to the internet, word processing and effective communication

2. Nanny

Average salary: £12.59 per hour

Job duties: There is typically a narrow difference between a nanny and a babysitter. During the summer holidays, many parents might consider hiring nannies to take care of their children while they are busy with work and don't have enough time to take care of the kids. 

Common requirements: CPR training, first aid and other basic childcare training

3. Babysitter 

Average salary: £12.59 per hour

Job duties: Childcare provider or babysitter is one of the most common jobs for teenagers. The job involves taking care of or watching over someone's children for a specific duration. Parents often use babysitter services when they need some time out alone without the kids, while others use the services for work purposes. What makes this job convenient for teenagers is that the hours are flexible, allowing you to have extra time for other activities.

Common requirements: Training in first aid, CPR and childcare

4. Referee

Average salary: £15.49 per hour

Job duties: Often, numerous sporting activities take place during the holidays. If you are an active player, this could also be an opportunity to make extra cash as a referee. Your job is to start and stop the game, monitor the rules and enforce them in the game.

Requirements: Understanding of the game and good communication skills

5. Tutor

Average salary: £21.22 per hour

Job duties: Not all students understand taught subjects in a traditional classroom. Such students may require extra coaching from a person who knows various subjects. If you are a teenager and you are performing well in your classwork, you might consider tutoring your fellow students.

Common requirements: Problem-solving ability, good communication and emotional intelligence

6. Grocery Bagger

Average salary: £10.54 per hour 

Job duties: Grocery baggers work for grocery stores to assist customers by arranging groceries in bags and carrying them to their cars. The job gives you an understanding of how to handle different groceries to keep them safe during and after bagging.

Common requirements: Attention to detail and general stamina

7. House Cleaning

Average salary: £10.54 per hour

Job duties: The job is about cleaning houses,  such as mopping the floor and taking care of the laundry. This is a simple job that almost any teen can do, and it doesn't take much time if you clean regularly. It may be easy to get additional clients if you do a good job for a previous customer.

Common requirements: Stamina, attention to details and good communication

8. Yard Worker

Average salary: £10.08 per hour

Job duties: Yard work is a wide field that allows teens to earn money and learn responsibilities. Within the yard worker job, you might perform gardening duties, such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, shovelling snow and planting flowers. Many homeowners oftentimes don't have time to take care of their yard and often opt to hire teens to help with the jobs.

Common requirements: Ability to use garden machinery

9. Ice Cream Scooper

Average salary: £11.67 per hour

Job duties: As an ice cream scooper, you might offer menu suggestions, provide samples, answer different questions, scoop and serve ice creams and receive payments. While at the job, it is your duty to understand the different flavours you serve, to be ready for any customer.

Common requirements: Fast learner, good communication skill and general stamina

Related: How To Become An Ice Cream Taster: a Step-by-Step Guide

10. Lifeguard

Average salary: £9.39 per hour

Job duties: Public and private pools attract a large number of swimmers during the summer holidays. In such moments, the demand for lifeguards is often high, giving teenagers an opening to get employment. The job involves making sure that all swimmers adhere to the rules and regulations of the pool.

Common requirements: Training in swimming, first aid, CPR and emergency medical response

11. Barista

Average salary: £9.23 per hour

Job duties: A barista job involves preparing and serving beverages like coffee and tea in coffee shops. As a barista, you might help customers and answer specific questions on choosing menu items and operating checkouts for customers using a cash register. You may also be responsible for keeping the work area clean and sanitised in such a way that it accommodates more customers. The job doesn't require any particular skills and is often flexible for students.

Common requirements: Good communication skills and general stamina

12. Cashier

Average salary: £9.59 per hour

Job duties: As a cashier, you can work for a retail shop, restaurant or supermarket. The primary job of a cashier is to receive payments for goods or services in terms of cash, credit card or check payments and issue receipts and refunds where applicable. Throughout the shift, you may also be responsible for counting and keeping the cash register drawer balanced.

Common requirements: Customer service, communication skills, ability to count and balance cash register drawer and stamina.

13. Car Wash Attendant

Average salary: £9.63 per hour

Job duties: Running a car wash business is flexible, and it gives you an array of responsibilities. You might schedule the car washing to a time as per your convenience to avoid overrunning your other duties as a student. The job is simple and has no specific qualifications.

Common requirements: Attention to details, access to water and stamina

14. Dog Walker

Average salary: £9.95 per hour

Job duties: The job involves taking dogs for an outing adventure. Some dog walkers prefer taking one dog at a time, while others might opt for taking multiple dogs per trip. As a dog walker, understanding different dog breeds is often vital, as this will determine how long the walk should last.

Common requirements: Love for dogs and stamina

15. Dishwasher

Average salary: £9.30 per hour

Job duties: A dishwasher job can provide you with exposure to restaurant business operations and may prepare you for more responsibilities in the future. Unlike with other duties, as a dishwasher, you also have an opportunity to communicate with the chefs, possibly giving you an opportunity to learn a few tips on how to prepare food.

Common requirements: Interpersonal skills and attention to details

16. Camp Counselor

Average salary: £9.68 per hour

Job duties: If you love babysitting or spending time with enthusiastic and energetic youngsters, this is a job that might interest you. While camping, it will be your responsibility as an older teenager to ensure that your fellow campers learn the basics of surviving outdoors for a couple of days.

Common requirements: Good communication skills, training in first aid and CPR

17. Ride Operator

Average salary: £9.03 per hour

Job duties: Working at an amusement park can be fun and the people are often friendly. As a ride operator, you will be in charge of each rider and their safety. Common requirements: Attention to details and training in first aid

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