Your teenager will experience many milestones before entering college, and one of them is getting their first real job. While your teen may have spent the last few summers mowing lawns in the neighborhood, walking dogs, or babysitting, your teen may be ready to work for a larger company that has bi-weekly paychecks and other benefits.
While searching and interviewing for a job are great skills to learn on their own, here are some tips to help your teen land a job without doing all the work.
Offer Advice and Encouragement, Don’t Do All The Work
Have you been helping your teen with their job search? Maybe you found some jobs that you think would be a perfect fit for them, but your teen thinks otherwise. While your feedback, advice, and encouragement are important, you shouldn’t have complete control over where your teen gets a job. There are exceptions to this rule, which we will discuss shortly.If you force them to apply to a place and they end up getting a job there, your teen is more likely to dislike the job and will try to quit (or will stop going to work). It’s up to you to stand back, give your teen some space, and let them conduct the job search, apply, and interview on their own.
Step In When It Comes To Safety and Other Conflicts
Although you should allow your teen to take the lead when it comes to their job search, you do and should have a say when it comes to their safety and overall well-being. Whether your teen is applying to work in the food industry, as an office assistant, or to do manual labor, they are at risk of being injured on the job.If your teen receives a job offer, make sure you know that they are covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance, and there are specific safety plans in place. As a parent, you have a right to ask your teen’s prospective employer about how they deal with safety issues in the workplace.Not only should your teen be safe while on the job, but it’s important to help your teen choose a job that doesn’t interfere with school, extracurricular activities, or even family time. Earning a paycheck and learning valuable skills while on the job is important, but only if it fits into your teen’s schedule.
Talk To Your Teen About Working In The Real World
A first job can be exciting and a little nerve-wracking for both you and your teen. While your teen will have plenty of on-the-job training, it doesn’t hurt to talk to your teen about working in the real world. Not only should you discuss the importance of being respectful, polite, on-time, and to follow all workplace policies, but you should also tell your teen that it’s okay to speak up if they feel uncomfortable, threatened, or unsafe in the workplace. Whether they have a customer who makes them feel uncomfortable or a coworker who bullies them, encourage your teen to talk to you and their supervisor as soon as any issues arise.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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