Helping Your Teen Find a Suitable Job

With stresses of school and other teenage obligations, it is easy to see how a child can quickly fall into a bad job. Working to ensure that you locate a job that is actually suitable for your child is very important, and as the parent, there are several things that you can do to help your child land the job. As a manager for 8 years, I can truthfully say that there are some things that make the hiring staff run the other way, and others that find your child quickly scheduled for an orientation.

Dress appropriately! This is something that is tried and true regardless of age. You would not show up as an adult to a bank job interview wearing a Tupac shirt, so why should your child. Dressing appropriate does not mean breaking out a suit and tie, but it does mean looking pulled together, professional and mature.

Actually fill out the application properly. Check up on your child to ensure that they did not miss something. This says a lot about how you are perceived; remember you do not always have the chance to talk to the hiring staff after that application is turned in. This means, it is frequently the only impression of you that they will get. Take the time to ensure that the application reflects your child's full potential as well instead of merely looking like a half-attempt to finish something.

Go with your child to the interview! As a manager, it was always refreshing to see parents accompany their child. This not only means that the parent is aware of what their child is doing, but they also tend to take an active role in behavior. Just because your child is getting a job does not mean they are able to act any way that they please at their job. If you take your child to the interview and the manager observes this, they are more likely to give your child a chance since they know that you are open to discussion and take an active role in their behavior.

Look to places outside of just restaurants. These are one of the hardest places to work at. They are stressful and quite fast paced. You really should help encourage your child to look for a job that is a bit slower and easier before you think of allowing them to work in a restaurant. Additionally, the stresses of a restaurant is simply not always suitable for everyone and could easily find your child stressed, and unable to handle it thereby quitting before actually giving the working experience a chance.