23 Highest Paying Jobs for Teens They Can Start This Week
Jobs for teens and high school students aren’t the easiest to find — the job can’t require a ton of experience, be part-time (because, school?), offer enough pay to make a dent in your college fund, and most importantly, be solid enough that you can add it to your resume.
So, where do you find such a job?
We’ve all been teenagers wanting to make some decent money. So we scoured the internet to find a list of websites that frequently post jobs for teens. But before we get into that, let’s quickly review some necessary paperwork.
In case you’re under 18, it’s best to check out the employment and age certificates issued by your state because many jobs require you to have them and won’t employ you otherwise. Now, let’s get to the part we’re here for.
How To Find Jobs as a Teen
Before you think about applying for any job, consider these factors:
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- Job schedule: Is a part-time job what you’re after, or would you prefer one with longer hours but a shorter duration? A seasonal job or internship might be right for you if it’s the latter.
- Skills you want to develop: People get jobs, aside for the money, to hone their soft and hard skills. Identify whether you want to develop soft skills like communication and leadership, hard skills like cash register management, or design skills.
- Your interests and skills: The quickest way to find a job you’d like is to see the skills you already have and what interests you. If you’re good with children and like spending time with them, a babysitting job might be worth looking at.
If you’ve considered all three factors and are ready to find the perfect job, the internet is your best friend. The quickest way to find jobs perfect for teens is to scroll job websites.
Searching for Jobs as a Teen — The Best Job Sites
1. Snagajob
Snagajob is the go-to website for employers hiring part-time or by-the-hour employees. The best part about it is that it has a separate segment for teens and fresh grads. If you’re an ambitious teen seeking a job in hospitality, retail, recreation, or working for a local business, create an account on Snagajob and start browsing.
2. Glassdoor
Glassdoor is a website that posts job postings and provides company details. Before applying for any job, check out the company page on Glassdoor for reviews left by employees, common interview questions, salary ranges for different roles, work environments, etc.
3. LinkedIn
Having an account on LinkedIn and regularly updating it with career and life updates, as well as engaging with prominent industry leaders, is one of the best things you can do for your career.
Recruiters and employers frequently share jobs, which you can search for in the job/employment section. LinkedIn stands out from numerous job websites because it acts like the most fleshed-out resume for you.
Besides, you can interact with recruiters, network with people in your relevant industry, and find suitable mentors here.
4. Major Job Boards
Exposure to the big job boards is crucial as a teenager. These will help you out as you grow older and your career progresses. Familiarize yourself with some of them: Indeed, SimplyHired, and Monster.
If you’re unsure how to go about it, your school’s career guidance office should help you build a resume and teach you how to navigate these employment websites.
23 Best Jobs for Teens
Now that you know your goals and requirements and have all the major job websites just a click away, it’s time to find the perfect job. The first twenty jobs on this list are in-person/physical jobs, and the last three are online jobs—online or offline; we’ve listed them all!
1. Dog Walker
We are starting our list with one of the easiest jobs for teens. If you like dogs, this is the perfect job for you. Many people require dog walkers because they don’t have the time to walk their dogs — check in your neighborhood, and you’ll get plenty of offers.
Besides walking, you’ll need to feed, care, and ensure the pets get plenty of exercise, and you’ll need to commit to a daily or weekly schedule.
2. Babysitter
If you’re more of a baby/kid person than a dog person, consider babysitting instead. If you babysit kids older than seven, you won’t have to do much other than make sure they are safe, nearby, have eaten, and are in bed by their bedtime.
Some people will require you to have certificates like first-aid training and be able to quickly manage emergencies. While this is more work than pet sitting, you usually get paid more.
3. Barista
As a barista, you’ll need to quickly prepare and serve customers coffee (and other drinks). This can get complicated because of different allergies and intolerances to which you’ll have to pay special attention. Not to mention complicated orders — Starbucks custom orders, anyone? Don’t worry; you will be given appropriate on-the-job training before you start.
4. Call Center Representative
Call center reps are needed in all kinds of businesses, from technology firms to clothing brands. You’ll be responsible for customer service and must respond to customer queries and complaints via telephone, chat, and email.
You will be given on-the-job training, but an interest in the industry will be a plus point to landing the position. For example, a customer rep for a computer business would be just right for you if you have an interest in computers.
5. Library Assistant
How about a library assistant job if you don’t want to deal with dogs, kids, or angsty customers? The environment is quiet and laidback, and your sole responsibility is to help visitors find and check out books. Additional responsibilities may include shelving books and assisting librarians in their tasks.
6. Camp Counselor
The job where you’ll get paid to have a lot of fun! You could look into different kinds of camps — sports, academic, and traditional boys’ and girls’ scout camps.
In this role, you’ll be responsible for planning and organizing different activities for kids. These camps usually happen over the summer, so this would be a great option for a seasonal job.
7. Tutor
Good at math or languages? Enjoy imparting knowledge and helping your friends with their assignments? Tutoring would be right up your alley, then.
As a tutor, you’ll be responsible for helping kids improve in certain subjects. You must be able to break down complex concepts into simple terms.
8. Busser
Busser is a simple job where you’re responsible for clearing tables so the establishment can seat new customers and delivering dirty tableware to the dishwasher to be cleaned quickly and reused. This is the perfect role if you’re quick on your feet and don’t want a job that’s too stressful or has many responsibilities.
9. Car Wash Attendant
Most car wash places are automated now and don’t need actual staff to help. However, many require attendants to guide the cars onto the tracks and ring people up. If you want a low-stress job where you’re not responsible for anything major, check out the job websites to see any postings of car wash attendants.
10. Landscape Laborer
As a landscape laborer, you’ll be responsible for maintaining the exterior of your employers. Responsibilities include mowing lawns, watering plants, trimming trees, and ensuring the lawns and gardens look great. You could do additional tasks like pulling out weeds or placing different landscape decorations, but most tasks are easy.
11. Cashier
Cashiers are required in all stores — cafes and coffee shops, boutiques and clothing departments, grocery stores, and mall shops — and most are usually hiring.
The responsibility is straightforward: ring up people’s orders and occasionally bag them. You should have plenty of stamina for this role because you’ll be on your feet for the most of it.
12. Fast Food
From pizzas and ice cream, local fast food restaurants near you always look for good people to work behind the counters. In fact, it’s one of the most popular jobs for teens. Places like Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Dairy Queen are known to hire 16-year-olds.
13. Dishwasher
You must have washed dishes at home as part of your chores, and now you can do that at restaurants and cafes and get paid for it! As a dishwasher, you’ll wash all kinds of tableware and cookware—cutlery, plates, glasses, pots, and pans—and put them back in rotation to reuse.
14. Concession Stand Worker
As a concession stand worker, you’ll take people’s orders and serve them food and drinks. You’ll work at the refreshment stand or cash counter area in movie theaters, amusement parks, and different events.
Your responsibilities include taking orders, processing them, returning the change to the customers, handing out their food and drink, and keeping the cash counter area clean.
15. Catering Coordinator
Catering coordinator can be a great part-time job for students looking for a low-stress job to earn some bucks. Your responsibilities include answering phone and text queries regarding food and delivery and transporting the food to the venue. This job is great for developing multitasking, communication, and organizational skills.
16. Daycare Assistant
As a daycare assistant, you are responsible for looking after children. Tasks include changing diapers, reading children’s stories, ensuring children get plenty of sleep and exercise, and feeding them.
17. Waiter/Waitress
As a waiter or waitress, you will greet customers, take their orders, describe different dishes if asked, bring them their food and drink, serve them the bill, and clear tables. You’ll be given training, but having a friendly disposition and charm will work in your favor.
18. Janitor
Every building and business needs a reliable person to keep it clean and spotless. Be it schools, restaurants, offices, or hotels, every place needs a janitor.
You might not be given formal training and expected to learn on the job, but the responsibilities are easy, so you’ll pick up the skills quickly. The best part is you don’t have to interact with anyone and can put on your headphones and jam away to songs or listen to a podcast while you work.
19. House-Cleaner
House cleaners are responsible for keeping the house or certain areas clean and tidy. This includes tasks you’ve probably seen your parents do: sweeping and vacuuming, washing dishes, dusting, laundry and folding clothes, and keeping everything organized.
20. Lifeguard
If you can swim and know how to perform CPR, you could always get a lifeguard job. This job is especially popular over the summers, and most beaches are looking to hire lifeguards. This is also one of the most popular jobs for teens. Do note that most places require a lifeguard/CPR certification.
21. Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant does all the tasks you’d expect from a business assistant, except it’s all online. Responsibilities usually include scheduling appointments, making and editing presentations, posting social media content, and basic designing. The best part is that this can be done from the comfort of your home.
22. Complete Online Surveys
If you like sharing opinions and believe you can help contribute to business success, then taking paid surveys online is a job you’d love. By completing these surveys, you’re helping businesses create better products and services, which they’ll do by taking your feedback. The best part is that it’s not time-consuming, doesn’t require specific skills, and has great earning potential.
Some of the best survey sites to check out are Swagbucks, Freecash, Survey Junkie, and Branded Surveys. Most of these websites require parental consent if you’re younger than 18.
23. Data Entry
While this isn’t the most exciting job on our list, it does pay well. If you’re 18 or older, you should check this out. Data entry is a pretty easy job. All you have to do is have a computer, a stable internet connection, and the ability to type quickly and without errors.
Conclusion – Jobs for Teens
So, there you go: the best online and offline jobs for teens. Most people become serious about their careers after their teens, so you’re getting a headstart on most people by thinking of your career seriously from such an early age.
The jobs listed above might be simple and won’t catapult you into financial freedom, but they are the stepping stones to getting there. Identify your requirements, skills you wish to refine, and goals, and then pick the jobs from this list that meet all those.
