Are you 16 years old (or 17 or 18 years old) and are you looking for a way to make money? Working with 16 years seems a difficult task. But do not be discouraged is not impossible.
For adolescents, lack of experience or certain studies can be an impediment when looking for a job. However, even though all this does not seem hopeful, there are opportunities!
I also started with one of these jobs. When I was 16 years old I took care of some children, two brothers, during the summer. And I did it two summers in a row. I did not earn a fortune, but I was very happy to earn my own money, for my expenses. Something very important that I also learned is to manage my money so as not to spend it like crazy! I’m sure we all learn lessons from our first job and when you find yours, you will too.
In this article, I want to give you some ideas of where you can find a job to generate that income with which you help your family, pay for your studies or simply serve for your personal expenses.
Working with 16 years old: Where to find a job?
Surely you already know the typical job portals. Yes, there are thousands of job offers, but the problem is that there are millions of candidates, and you have to “fight” against them to make yourself visible.
But I want to start talking about other resources that you can turn to and maybe you did not know them.
Talk to your contacts
Use your contacts, friends, and family. Even your parents’ friends. You never know, maybe they can offer you some work opportunity or they can recommend you in their environment.
For many people, it is a bit tricky to get a job through contacts. But I think there’s nothing wrong, as long as you prove you’re worthy of that job.
Sign up at Youth or employment offices
Some cities have specific offices to guide young people through training and employment. They also have plans to promote youth employment.
Start as a volunteer
Being a volunteer is an opportunity to share your skills and knowledge. Although it is not going to provide you with income, you get other benefits: experience, contacts, and maybe when there is a vacancy, they have you in mind to cover it.
Search for seasonal employment
This is a good way to start. Some companies look for new employees for specific dates of the year such as Christmas, summer, sales, promotional campaigns, etc.
These jobs can be dependents, camp monitors, waiters, kitchen assistants, etc. In addition, the advantage is that this will serve as an experience for your curriculum vitae.
Find a job at a fast food restaurant
The places of this type of food usually have job offers for young people under 18 and over 16 years old.
This employment can even be compatible with other activities or your studies since these places have a wide commercial schedule.
Other ways to earn money if you are 16 years old
Have you already used the above resources and have not yet found a job? Are you looking for other forms of income? Are you interested in starting a personal project that helps you earn money?
If you are 16 years old, or maybe more, you have alternatives to employment to earn income. Here I am going to give you some ideas, and you can verify that you do not need any (or very small) investment of money to start.
Sell what you do not use
All accumulated throughout our lives useful things and others that are not so useful. Even you who are only 16 years old. I’m sure you have things you do not use. Go, look in your room or in your closet … Have you seen that I’m not wrong?
What have you found? Clothes, toys, video games, …? Surely there is something. If they are in good condition, you can sell them and earn extra money. You can also ask your parents to do the same in their rooms and help them sell what they do not use, in return you will have a small commission.
Create crafts to sell
How are you to create original objects? They can be decoration, garments, accessories, etc. What you do with your own hands and with your own designs.
Maybe you’re imagining a grandmother knitting or sewing dresses. No. No matter how old you are, you can have a very good creative side that allows you to earn money. Maybe you’re from the girls (I say, girls because it’s the most common) that every time you’re thinking how to “transform” your clothes to change, and so ends up creating original designs … or maybe you create your own accessories and your friends love it.
Care for children
Some parents seek extra help with their young children and you could be the one to help them.
Maybe your parents’ friends have children; Maybe in your building or in your neighborhood, there are families with small children. If you look in your environment you will find some opportunity.
You can take care of children on specific occasions, for example when it is a holiday for schools but not for parents. Or something more durable like picking them up at the exit of the school and taking them home every day.
Where to start?
- Start in your environment: acquaintances, neighbors, relatives, …
- Post ads in your neighborhood, in stores or in churches.
- On the Internet, there are also pages specialized in finding a babysitter.
Do you need money to start?
No, you do not need money.
Tip: You can prepare a “kit” when you babysitter with stories and games that can help you entertain the little ones, and this you can do with your toys and books.
Give private lessons
You can give support classes to children of some subject that you are very good at. Or if you prefer you can help them with a sport or skill, for example, soccer, tennis, guitar, etc.
Take care of pets
There are more and more families that have at least one pet, and when they do not have time to take care of them, they are willing to pay so that their pet does not remain unattended.
So, if you are good at pets, you can propose your services as pet sitter or petsitter. You can take care of different tasks: walking pets, going to their house to feed them, lodging them in your house (yes, like a hotel), etc.
Where to start?
Here I also recommend you start with your surroundings. You can also put your ad on pages specialized in finding petsitter. For example Dogbuddy or Holidog.
Do you need money to start?
No, you do not need money.
Tip: If a pet has certain habits or routines, do not change them. Follow the instructions of its owner.
Conclusions
We are almost done. I want to give you my opinion first.
If you are 16 years old and you are thinking of working, do not be discouraged. If you are in Spain like me, you will have seen the news and the unemployment data. It is discouraging. That’s why I wanted to give you some ideas so you can see that there are other alternatives to a traditional job and with which you can also get some extra income.
I’m not going to lie to you, it’s not easy to start. But this is true for everyone, it does not matter if you are 16 or 30 years old. You have to define your goals and move towards them.
I hope you liked this article and the information here has been useful?
Remember that you can leave your opinion and/or questions below in the comments.
