If you are 14 or 15 and you have school and family life under control and are looking for a part time job for extra money, to fill free time or maybe even to learn a new skill, the fact is you can work almost anywhere an older teen can.

You can baby-sit, animal sit, have a lemonade stand or mow lawns which are all great ways to get started and make money. Here is a helpful web site. http://www.juniorbiz.com/

You can also do almost anything any older teen can do if you are willing to pursue it.

All you have to have is first job, do well at it, be committed and be able to balance your other responsibilities, and others will follow.

Getting a first job as a young teen is harder that it would be at 18. But the same rules apply for everyone. Check out the Job Kit for ALL 10 ways you can get the part-time job you want.

If you are not serious and walk around the mall saying, “are you hiring”, you probably won’t get too far.

 There are 8 more tips outlined in the Job Kit,  here are the top 2.

1. Only apply at 3 or 4 places you want to work. Don’t job graze.

2. Dress like they dress, ask for a job application AND SMILE!

Here is a job resource for 14 and 15 year olds that has to do with child labor laws that can be useful. http://hubpages.com/hub/jobs-for-14-year-olds-teenagers

 The United States Departement of Labor is also a good resource for checking the rules and regs on work for teens under 16. http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/index.htm

One of the most FAQ’s I get at Ben & Jerry’s is, “how old do you have to be to work here?”

The statement should be, I would really like to work here and would like to fill out a job application and schedule an interview with you. No one does that, and it can be very effective. Don’t make age a barrier!

Happy job hunting…Lee, The Job Guy!