There are different schools of thought on whether teenagers should
have part-time jobs, but I find that the pros easily outweigh any cons. A
teenager who works long hours every day after school could see his or
her schoolwork suffer, but a less-intensive part-time job can be a
wonderful learning experience. If kids can get to school on time,
maintain solid grades, and participate in school activities, part-time
jobs in high school can be beneficial to their success.
Before applying for any part-time job, it’s important to familiarize
yourself with the child labor laws in your state. Some states require
that minors have work permits in order to apply for jobs. In some areas,
minors are not permitted to work in certain types of occupations, or
cannot work during school hours. Some states also require that students
maintain a specific minimum grade point average while they are working.
Let’s examine some popular part-time jobs and small business
opportunities for high school students, along with some of the
advantages and disadvantages of each:
1. Animal Shelter Worker
If you love animals, working at an animal shelter could be a great
part-time job while you are in school. Shelters hire minimum-wage
employees to spend time with the animals and clean out their cages. If
you want to become a veterinarian, this part-time job provides you with
hands-on experience, working closely with animals.
As a part-time employee, you will do some unpleasant things, like
assisting in the euthanasia of sick animals. It can be a sad, messy,
and heart-wrenching job, but for many people, the rewards far outweigh
any uncomfortable moments. If animal welfare is something you are truly
interested in, this could be the ideal part-time job for you. For more
information, check out The Humane Society’s Top Reasons to Volunteer at Your Local Animal Shelter.
2. Arts and Crafts Production and Sales
If you have artistic skills, there may be a market for items that
you create, especially during the winter holidays. Towards the end of
the year, schools and churches hold arts and crafts fairs, and eager
shoppers line up to buy Christmas ornaments, wreaths, and last-minute
gifts.
Summer art festivals can also be an opportunity to sell art and
handmade jewelry. Booth and table rental costs vary, but if you partner
with a friend or a neighbor who also has items to sell, it won’t cost as
much and you can help each other out. Sales can be sporadic, and
although the money can be considerable, it likely won’t replace a
steady income. In addition, you will have to pay for supplies, and pay
rental fees for booth or table space at fairs and festivals. If you’d
rather set up shop online, consider selling your arts and crafts on Etsy.
3. Babysitting
Babysitting a sibling or a younger neighbor is a rite of passage
amongst many teens. Babysitters usually work Friday and Saturday
evenings, leaving the week open for completing homework and
participating in school-related activities.
Babysitters are paid well for their time. I have friends in Colorado
who pay their babysitters $12-$15 an hour. Payment varies depending on
the sitter’s age, and my friends have been known to pay even more,
when they are crunched for time.
CPR-certified babysitters are always in high demand. The Red Cross
offers an intensive course of training for babysitters. The one-day
class includes first aid training, diapering and feeding techniques,
and interview tips.
Word of mouth referrals, references, and recommendations are critical
to obtaining new babysitting jobs. Babysitters have to be on their best
behavior if they ever want to be hired again. Managing small children
can be a challenge, but babysitters make their own hours and set their
own pay, making this a great part-time job for students who like kids.
Check out Care.com or Babysitters4hire.com to find your next babysitting gig.
4. Car Wash Attendant
I worked for a car wash when I was a teenager, and I loved my job. If
you live in a warm climate, or only work during the warmer months of
the year, you are almost guaranteed to stay busy. There’s nothing worse
than being bored at work, so that’s a key perk of working for a car
wash.
However, some possible downsides to working for a car wash include
getting soaking wet, ruining your clothing, and working for minimum
wage. On the plus side, you will make tips and you get to be outside
when you are working. You can also keep your car shiny and clean, free
of charge!
5. Document and Photograph Archival Services
Many people need documents and photos scanned, stored, and archived,
but few people have the time to take on this considerable chore. My
family has thousands of photos from the pre-digital camera era. They
would love to have all of the photos scanned and safely stored online
or saved to a computer file, but no one has the time to tackle this
time-consuming task.
Start this part-time business by networking with your parents’
friends to offer scanning, storage, and archival services for their
documents and photos. Documents can be archived to Google Docs and
photos can be scanned and stored on DVDs, websites, and computers.
Agree on the number of photos or documents that need to be scanned or
archived, and then set a price per item based on the length of time it
will take to complete the tasks. Pricing for scanning and archival
services will vary, but a range might include $0.25 per photo and $0.35
per document page. The work can be tedious, and you’ll have to handle
documents and photos carefully, to ensure they aren’t damaged or lost.
6. Grocery Store Employee
Grocery stores hire students throughout the year. There are many
different jobs at a grocery store; workers can bag groceries, stock
shelves, mop floors, or even operate a cash register. Part-time
employees can expect to make minimum wage working at a grocery store.
Many grocery stores have unionized cash register operators, so these
jobs can pay a bit more than the other options listed here.
Some perks of working for a grocery store include short shifts,
merchandise discounts, and schedule flexibility. If you happen to work at Trader Joe’s, you may move to a different area of the store every time you work.
Some students complain about paying union dues when working at a
grocery store, which will be required if the store is unionized.
7. Landscaper/Lawn Care
Working as a landscaper or doing lawn care part-time lets you get
outside and enjoy the sunshine, while also getting paid to work. I mowed
lawns during the summer in high school and I was paid well for my
efforts. Now, people pay a small fortune to have their lawns mowed and
their hedges trimmed each week. A friend of mine pays $175 per month
for 4 visits from a lawn care service; line up five customers, one for
each day of the week, and you will “rake” in the dough.
If you happen to live in a cold weather climate, you can transition
to shoveling snow from driveways and sidewalks during the winter
months. I made good money borrowing my dad’s lawnmower and cutting
grass when I was in high school. If your family has a lawnmower, this
can be a real money-making opportunity for you.
Doing lawn care can be hot, boring, and buggy work, but making your
schedule, choosing your clients, being outdoors, and setting your own
rates makes running a lawn care service the ideal part-time business.
Who knows where it could take you?
8. Pizza Delivery
If you have a car and a good driving record, you can get a job
delivering pizzas. Delivery drivers don’t get paid very much, but they
do receive tips. Work typically entails driving back and forth to the
pizza place, picking up pizzas and delivering them to customers.
Students with pizza delivery jobs have a sense of autonomy, and they
can listen to their own music while they are working. Delivering pizzas
on time and collecting money teaches responsibility, and teenagers
love the freedom of driving their own vehicle. It may not be glamorous,
but with the right attitude, and a good pizza, delivery drivers can
have a good time at work, while making decent money.
There is an element of danger in this job, however. Pizza delivery drivers are occasionally robbed or assaulted.
9. Packing and Moving Services
A la carte packing and moving services provide assistance to people
who cannot afford to hire a full-service moving company for their
personal possessions. Professional movers can quickly pack boxes and
load furniture and boxes into a truck. Movers are bonded and insured,
which is likely not an expense you’ll want to take on yourself. Instead,
see if any of these locally based packing and moving services can use
some extra help, especially on the weekends.
The work can be grueling, especially on a hot day. Movers have to
stay hydrated, and take breaks occasionally to avoid overexertion. The
pay will be minimum wage, or slightly more than minimum wage, and tips
will be split amongst the staff.
10. Personal Assistant Services
Running errands, walking dogs, and wrapping gifts are just a few of
the tasks performed by a personal assistant. Let the adults in your
life know that you’re providing personal assistant services at a
reasonable price. A simple flyer, with a list of services you can
provide, can be passed out to the neighbors. The services might be
sporadic at first, but as you gain the trust of your customers, they
will give you more and more responsibilities, which will lead to more
money, too.
The amounts to charge will vary according to the services offered.
Calculate the time it takes complete the tasks, and make your rates
competitive; $10 an hour would be an acceptable pay rate for a personal
assistant. Disadvantages include uptight clients, and being
responsible for things that are sometimes out of your control, like an
unruly dog that runs away.
11. Restaurant Wait Staff
The pay for professional wait staff at a restaurant will likely be
well below minimum wage. In Rhode Island, for example, the law states
that wait staff must be paid at least $2.89 per hour.
The customers can be a pain, and shifts can run late into the evening,
but restaurant employees also have a lot of fun at work. There is a
lot of camaraderie with fellow employees, the tips can be good, and
employees typically receive discounted or free meals during their
shifts.
Being a member of a wait staff teaches patience, customer service,
money management, food handling, food preparation, and multi-tasking
skills that can pay off after high school. Being a waiter is a very
popular job for teenagers both during the school year, and in the
summer. It’s a good job that offers scheduling flexibility and a solid
number of shifts each week.
12. Retail Job
My retail job in high school entailed standing behind a counter and
ringing up pharmaceuticals and magazines. It was an easy job, and I
enjoyed working with the customers. Stores often hire students looking
for after-school employment.
Retail jobs offer all sorts of perks, including merchandise
discounts, relatively light schedules, working alongside other students,
and a fun, fast-paced work environment. The downsides include earning
minimum wage, working on weekends, and dealing with unhappy customers.
In general, the retail or mall job is a good first job for students in
high school. Students will learn responsibility, money management, and
how to effectively deal with customers.
13. Tutor
Parents pay good money to have their kids tutored, so take advantage
of your know-how to help their kids succeed. Whether it’s tutoring an
elementary school student with his or her reading, or helping a fellow
classmate get those calculus questions right, tutoring is big business
right now. There are a number of corporate tutoring entities, like
Sylvan Learning Center, but you can offer your services as a tutor for
less money, and with a more personal experience.
Private tutors can expect to earn at least as much as babysitters,
and can set their own schedule with their clients. You have to really
enjoy helping others learn, in order to be a tutor, however. Any job
where you earn good money, and set your own hours, is a win-win for a
high school student.
14. Warehouse and Distribution Job
If you don’t mind using some muscle, there are part-time jobs
available loading and unloading inventory in warehouses and
distribution centers. The evening hours for these part-time jobs fit
neatly into a student’s schedule.
Expect to earn minimum wage, with some possibility of pay raises
after some time has elapsed. The work can be monotonous, but it goes
quickly if you stay focused and keep moving.
15. Web Designer
Do you have technical skills in web design or web development? If so,
you might find work designing or creating websites for customers. After
all, almost every entrepreneur needs a website.
Web designers working full-time in Burbank, California make an average of $68,000 per year.
By working part-time out of your home you might be able to assemble a
list of clients to keep you busy while you’re attending school. Sure,
you will be spending long hours stuck in front of a computer, but you
will be setting your own schedule, earning great money for part-time
work, and possibly setting up a business that continues beyond high
school.
