Best places to work in teenage years?

[Spazzy]

As a teenager looking for work, I'm wondering what are the best companies to work for? I'm also curious about what jobs have what perks and such

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

i worked for a mom and pop sushi bar in my hometown and loved it
not many hours a week, so i could still do homework and extra curriculars
plus pay was a bit above minimum wage which was nice and the food was GREAT

and since its a mom and pop place i secured the job again for summers and now that im done with college and need to pick up extra cash

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I didn't work in my teenage years

But if you CAN work at a corporation like Walmart.

I know what you're thinking

But if you put your money into stock and retirement and DON'T take it out

You will be pretty well off by the time you want to leave the company

 

[Chinaux]

I didn't work in my teenage years

But if you CAN work at a corporation like Walmart.

I know what you're thinking

But if you put your money into stock and retirement and DON'T take it out

You will be pretty well off by the time you want to leave the company

This. I was a lifeguard for a year then worked at target (it sucks)

At least I have money. Go to a mall and go to a bunch of your favorite stores and apply. One is bound to call you.

 

[DDDchu]

Walmart is a pretty great place to work, especially if you make good connections with people who are the big bosses in there.

 

[JohnnyDelMidwest]

Walmart is a pretty great place to work, especially if you make good connections with people who are the big bosses in there.

I thought Walmart was the worst job you could possibly have?

 

[Chinaux]

I thought Walmart was the worst job you could possibly have?

Any sort of retail is said to be the worst job. I sure hated working at target. I'd imagine Walmart would be the same

 

[Deleted member]

Movie Theater.

You can be just like Josh Nichols.

 

[Chinaux]

Movie Theater.

You can be just like Josh Nichols.

Seconded. Free movies and you'll see a ton of your friends. Seems like a great job.

 

[victra♥]

if you have a career goal in mind, work somewhere that is relevant to get a head start on building experience.

if you have no career in mind yet, work somewhere that actually interests you if you can, such as your local science centre, store (with products you like), etc.

if you want somewhere generic, i think Costco is a great place to work according to a lot of my friends. I hear the pay is good, they really care about their employees, and they offer a lot of bonuses.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Seconded. Free movies and you'll see a ton of your friends. Seems like a great job.

A good job isn't had because it's fun

A good job is had to get money

A movie theatre job isn't going to have stock options or retirement

 

[Chinaux]

A good job isn't had because it's fun

A good job is had to get money

A movie theatre job isn't going to have stock options or retirement

Enjoy your job, and never work a day in your life.

Absolutely a movie theater job can turn into a full-time job. Stick with it for years and as long as you aren't an asshole or anything you should get a decent paying job.

Also, for a teenager, anything that's $8+/hr is good.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Enjoy your job, and never work a day in your life.

Absolutely a movie theater job can turn into a full-time job. Stick with it for years and as long as you aren't an ******* or anything you should get a decent paying job.

Also, for a teenager, anything that's $8+/hr is good.

Cash on it's own isn't good enough

You need company stock and 401K

I'm not sure if a movie job offers those things

 

[Chinaux]

Cash on it's own isn't good enough

You need company stock and 401K

I'm not sure if a movie job offers those things

Not as a teenager you don't. Teenage jobs are for experience/money.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Not as a teenager you don't. Teenage jobs are for experience/money.

The earlier you start the better

 

[Daybreak]

Finding a connection through family has it's perks, but drawbacks as well. Start anywhere and learn the trade.

It's not about where you start, but how you finish.

 

[Chaco]

If you want to maximize how much you make. Restaurants. Pay is better than any other place during your upper teens. I started working in them at the age of 16, and left at 21. At 21 I was bar tending making 30-40$ an hour, about a grand a week. 16 I was making a couple hundred a week bussing tables and hosting due to tip pool and hourly. If you work good shifts with a job that has tip pool you'll make around 10-12$hr for easy work. Depends on the volume of the restaurant obviously, but in high school I was making bank working around 25 hours a week.

I bought an newer modeled M3 at age 19 after a year of serving in a high volume restaurant... Just to say how it does pay off. That also with paying all my school fines, supporting myself, and having expensive habits.

Cons: They own you if you get good. Holidays. All weekend. Etc. If you want a life outside of your off days, and post shift...I don't recommend.

I would never go to work when I was working bar lounge tables and make less than 250$ a night during peak season. Peak being November to February.
I loved it.

Serving is not for everyone though.

 

[EddyBearr]

The earlier you start the better

You're being kinda silly.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

You're being kinda silly.

When you are in your 40's and you realize you haven't been building up your retirement

and still can't retire in your 70's

You'll regret it

 

[EddyBearr]

When you are in your 40's and you realize you haven't been building up your retirement

and still can't retire in your 70's

You'll regret it

Building retirement off 10 hours a week on a temporary job as a teenager. Lol. You really are being silly.

 

[Zink Imp]

Supermarkets are cool.

 

[InfiniteTripping]

The advantage of working for a big company like Walmart is you can move anywhere and transfer to the Walmart in that location. The advantage of a local place is you build roots in the community. It really depends where you want to take your life. The potential you have now to achieve your dream is its greatest as young as you are so go all out to achieve it.

 

[Chinaux]

When you are in your 40's and you realize you haven't been building up your retirement

and still can't retire in your 70's

You'll regret it

Every penny counts, right?

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

Building retirement off 10 hours a week on a temporary job as a teenager. Lol. You really are being silly.

What else are you going to spend it on as a teenager

Also, why work only 10 hours a week?

 

[EddyBearr]

What else are you goin to spend it on as a teenager

Also, why work only 10 hours a week?

Car?
Savings for upcoming college years?
General social life, due to being a teenager (an age where social life is extremely important for healthy development)?

Why 10 hours a week?
-Teenagers require 8-10 hours of sleep each day.
-Teenagers already put in 40+ hours a week on school/homework/studying.
-Many teenagers already have extra-curricular activities that eat up 5-10 hours a week.
-Teenagers need extra time to dedicate to socializing.

 

[Chinaux]

What else are you going to spend it on as a teenager

things that you want? what else?

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I go to school full time and work 30-40 hours a week

It's not that hard

 

[Chinaux]

I go to school full time and work 30-40 hours a week

It's not that hard

How's your social life?
How many hours do you sleep a day?

 

[victra♥]

I'm working full time as an engineer now. The standard office job, 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, with a generous salary, great benefits, and a good retirement plan/package. I'm 22. This is pretty much my life until my retirement sometime in the far future (unless I decide to do other things, story for another time)

I worked weekends during high school at a local lodge and for my dad's construction/renovation company whenever he needed help for. Otherwise I spend the bulk of my time dating, playing and travelling for smash, partying, and just messing around like a typical teenager. Even after high school when I was studying in university for my degree, I made sure I allocated time to have fun (date around, party, play smash etc). There were times were I had to prioritize and cut back on a lot of my free time and social life of course.

Anyways, what I'm saying here is that there's no need to rush. Enjoy your time when you can. Like they say, stop and smell the roses. That's the only advice I would give based on my experience and the experiences of my friends and colleagues, but it's by no means what you should do. It's also wrong to say that what PsychoIncarnate is saying is right as well, if that's how he wants to live his life it's his prerogative.

My answer to OP's question is in an earlier post anyways.

 

[Chinaux]

Actually, if your job gives you a lot of hours, I made my availability monday through thursday, saturday and sunday. This way I can still go out.

 

[Old Man Nintendo]

Is the fast food industry still a viable option for teens these days? My first job was at a Burger King in downtown Brooklyn in 1999, where I worked doing a little bit of everything (cashier, prepping food, cleaning, etc) for about a year. After that, I worked at an outdoor restaurant in Central Park mostly bussing tables and keeping the premises clean for nearly 3 years, which helped close up money gaps during the beginning of my college years.

But to echo what others have said, no need to rush! As a teen, and even in the first year (or more, in some cases) of college, you don't have anywhere near as many responsibilities as you will when you leave college and get your first full-time job. Enjoy life! That said, it doesn't hurt to have a job - even when working for a place like Target or Walmart, it will start you on a path towards financial responsibility and having your own money to play with. However you choose to spend (or invest or save) it is up to you.

I personally didn't save much at all in the beginning - I took my Burger King checks straight to the nearest Check-Cash joint. Dumb, in retrospect, but hey, lessons learned! I also didn't have my own checking account until college. In other words, we were all in your shoes once (some here still are), so we can relate!

 

[Chinaux]

Is the fast food industry still a viable option for teens these days?

Yeah, I mean, people kind of look down on you if you work at fast food, but plenty of my friends work in fast food, and they seem to be doing fine. It really depends on which place you work at, like Chicfila is actually a really nice place to work in terms of fast food, but somewhere like Wendy's/McDonald's not so much.

 

[R0Y]

Working fast food stinks but it's one of the only viable options right now with no experience. It can also be extremely flexible with work hours. Loads of people start at the bottom and get better careers when they're older. Just get an education.

Believe it or not fast food experience looks great on a resume, related or not (probably not.)

Also, people looking down on you are being pathetic and bear in mind that for all you know of those same people are actually unemployed, at least you wouldn't be them, and perhaps you'll even earn more money than any of them in the future. Don't let someone label you.

 

[Mask and Mirror]

School, if you can