Creativity, Entrepeneurship May Be Best Options for Summer Jobs

I don’t need to tell you getting summer employment this year is going to be tough for your teenagers. Adults are taking the jobs that college students often get, and college students are pushing out the high school students, making the domino effect the hardest on the youngest job seekers. This is a time to be realistic….and creative. Here are a few suggestions and things to consider.

For one thing, you might want to consider other options. If summer school was looking unattractive previously, it might be the best choice now. Getting ahead on credits, or expanding transcript-building attributes can be a big plus, and might be a most productive way for your teenager to spend time this summer.

Also, assess what you might be able to offer your teen. Does your house need work? Maybe doing some painting, gardening or organizing family photos would be enough help for you to offer some kind of payment, barter or other mutually beneficial arrangement. How about neighbors and relatives…might they have similar needs that your teen can meet? There are many stories of energetic teens developing highly successful businesses mowing lawns and the like.

In a recent Wall St. Journal article titled “Cupcakes and Cattle Breeding: Teens turn to Summer Start-Ups” they report that finding a niche is a key to success. An Austin TX 17 year old is designing and creating hand-made barrettes, selling them successfully into local boutiques. They offer other examples of teens creating web pages and selling unique baked goods… creativity may be the key to your teen’s success this summer.

Randall Hanson at Quintessential Careers offers A Guide for Teens : How to Find a Summer or Part-Time Job, and, maybe even better, Job Ideas for Teens 15 and Younger.

Have any other suggestions or examples that our readers can emulate where they live? Please share your ideas and thoughts here so that other parents and teens can find answers that will work for them this summer.