Are you a teenager looking to earn extra money? From summer employment to after-school jobs, check out these 25 job ideas for teens.
Working a Job as a Teen
Having a job as a teenager has multiple benefits.
Earning Money
Perhaps the first and most important benefit is that you earn your own money.
You can use these funds to help your family, pay your bills (like phone and insurance), or save for your future (like college or a car).
Life Skills
Having a job is its own form of education. Depending on the job, you learn skills like teamwork, initiative, and customer service.
Keeping a job means you have to be dependable and responsible. It develops your character!
Encourages Independence
For years, you have been dependent on your parents to provide you with everything.
Now, you are at an age where you can provide (at least in part) for yourself.
This newfound independence is a confidence booster and a transition to adulthood, where you will be entirely self-sufficient.
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Builds Your Resume
Not only does a job help you build your employment resume (for future jobs), but it can also enhance your college application.
Students with work experience prove they are dependable and hardworking, two qualities colleges look for in their applicants.
Provides Career Insight
Your job can also give you insight into possible careers.
Even if you don’t love the nature of your first job (say, if you work in fast food), you can learn about the type of job you want.
Do you like interacting with people or sticking to yourself?
Can you handle interruptions, or do you prefer to be dedicated to one task?
Do you like a fast-paced, changing environment or one that is more predictable?
These insights can hone your ideas for a possible career.
25 Job Ideas for Teens
These teen jobs range from typical employment to entrepreneurial.
Retail Sales Associate
Are you good with people? You may be a natural sales associate.
Retail sales involve more than just clothing stores. Find a store that reflects your interests: sports memorabilia, video games, art supplies, etc.
Cashier
Time flies when you are a cashier because you are always busy.
Grocery stores, gas station mini-marts, and retail or supply stores look to fill this position.
Host/Hostess at a Restaurant
In most states, you have to be at least 18 to serve alcohol, which means that it is hard to get a job as a restaurant server as a teenager.
But restaurants are still a great place to find teen jobs. Apply to be a host or hostess.
You take reservations, distribute the guests among the servers’ tables, handle the waitlist, and show guests to their tables.
Babysitter
Babysitting is an excellent moneymaker if you like children.
To add to your resume, consider completing a babysitting/childcare course from the American Red Cross and/or getting CPR and First Aid certified.
Dog Walker/Pet Sitter
If you prefer fur babies to human babies, you may enjoy a job as a dog walker or pet sitter.
Dog walking is an excellent after-school job to balance during the school year.
Tutor
Are you patient and knowledgeable? One of the most lucrative job ideas for teens is tutoring.
Start by offering your services to friends, acquaintances, and classmates, and then expand to advertise on social media or post flyers at local schools and libraries.
Lifeguard
If you are a strong swimmer, consider a lifeguard position at a local pool, beach, camp, or waterpark.
You will need to pass a lifeguard certification course, which is often provided by the facility that hires you.
Camp Counselor
If you like working with kids and being active, one of the best job ideas for teens is to be a camp counselor.
You can choose a day camp near your home or look for a job at a sleep-away camp where you are housed on-site.
Barista
Do you like coffee? (Or do you at least like the smell of it?)
Join the fast-paced environment of a coffee shop. As a bonus, you can likely score a free drink every shift!
Movie Theater Usher
If you like the movies, why not work at a theater?
As a theater usher, you will sell tickets, concessions, and clean theaters after the shows.
Grocery Store Clerk
Grocery stores have more than just cashier positions.
You can apply for a job bagging groceries, restocking shelves, or working in one of the store’s specialty departments (like the bakery, deli, or florist).
Ice Cream Shop Attendant
Take advantage of seasonal jobs like ice cream shops.
An ice cream shop attendant scoops ice cream, restocks supplies, and works the register.
Lawn Care Service Provider
You can start your own informal lawn care service where you weed, mow, and edge lawns in your neighborhood.
You could also look for employment from a formal lawn care company.
Fast Food Crew Member
Fast food restaurants are always looking for help. They are an excellent job for teens and provide a foothold into the restaurant industry.
Fast food restaurants need workers to either prepare food or handle customer orders.
Many fast food restaurant chains actively seek out teen employees (and some offer college scholarships, too).
Junior Assistant at a Daycare Center
If you like children, you can work in a formal setting as an assistant in a daycare center.
You will likely have to take a CPR certification course and undergo a background check to work in a daycare.
Junior Administrative Assistant
If you have contacts with a business office, see if they need a junior administrative assistant.
You can make copies, answer phones, and provide all-around help to the full-time employees.
Junior Social Media Manager
Many small businesses, programs, and churches don’t have money for a social media strategist.
As a media-savvy teen, you can provide these services for far less than a professional.
Approach businesses, organizations, and entrepreneurs that you know with your pitch on a social media strategy.
Golf Course Caddy
If you like the great outdoors, then this is one of the job ideas for teens that you may find most appealing.
Country clubs and local golf courses hire extra caddies for the summer when the weather is ideal for playing golf.
Pet Grooming Assistant
If you are a natural with animals, apply for a job as a pet grooming assistant.
You will help wherever is needed: washing animals, cleaning supplies, and sweeping up fur.
Junior Graphic Designer
Are you creative and tech-savvy? This is one of the teen jobs that requires those skills.
If you are a whiz at Canva or Adobe Spark, offer your skills as a junior graphic designer.
You can work for a professional graphic designer, or offer your skills to individual clients.
Newspaper Delivery Person
Yes, some people do still get the paper!
If you live in a densely populated area (or have a car), you can get a job as a newspaper delivery person.
Event Staff at Local Festivals or Events
Local venues may hire their own on-site event staff when they have weddings, parties, or festivals.
Get on their list of employees to set up, take down, or staff the event.
Car Wash Attendant
Business booms at car washes in the summer months.
Apply for a job as a car wash attendant, and clean cars as your summer job.
Library Assistant
Libraries don’t just emply librarians.
Apply for a job as a library assistant to restock shelves, run the checkout, and assist with programs.
Entrepreneur
Even as a teen, you can be your own boss. Just start your own business!
It is possible–and profitable!
Check out this book on how to make and sell your own upcycled crafts online and at local craft fairs.
Summer and School Year Job ideas for Teens
You don’t have to wait until you are an adult to start making your own money.
There are plenty of jobs for teenagers; you just have to know where to look!
Scroll through this list to find some ideas for the best teen jobs.