Great jobs for teens

Having a job as a teen offers many benefits that go beyond earning money. Developing responsibility, building essential life skills, and working alongside diverse kinds of people all go hand in hand with earning a wage.

Although school and study commitments should be the top priority, starting work early in life can be a great confidence booster. Having job experience may help your teen stand out when they go to university, graduate and beyond.

While many prospective employers value experience, there are plenty of jobs for teens with no experience (as long as they meet or exceed the minimum working age).

Let’s explore the various jobs available for teens who want to enter the workforce.

Best jobs for teens who are social and like helping people

Teens who enjoy the buzz of crowds, talking to all kinds of people and helping others could benefit from a public-facing job in the retail or service industries.

• Retail or shop assistant: a retail or shop assistant gains skills in customer interaction, stocking shelves and cash handling. Look out for increased opportunities during the holiday season.
• Fast-food or restaurant worker: roles like cashier, server, or kitchen assistant teach teamwork and time management. Fast-food restaurants are always hiring, providing great jobs for teens with no experience.
• Movie theatre attendant: selling tickets, directing people to their seats, serving at the concession, and cleaning theatres – working at a cinema is varied and exciting. It often includes discounted movie perks too!
• Barista: handling orders (and complaints) and working in a fast-paced environment builds resilience under pressure and problem-solving abilities. Early morning and weekend shifts can also work well around study hours.

Best jobs for teens who enjoy being outdoors

For the active teenager who enjoys spending time outside, there are plenty of opportunities – many in their own neighbourhoods.

• Lifeguard: perfect for strong swimmers, this job requires certification but offers great responsibility. Lifeguards earn a respected role in the community by ensuring the safety of others.
• Camp counsellor: for those who have leadership in their makeup, a camp counsellor could be a great character-building option. Counsellors work with kids at day or overnight camps, facilitating activities and overseeing the campers.
• Lawn and garden maintenance: a physical job that offers flexible hours and plenty of time outdoors. Teens can offer to mow lawns, plant flowers, pull weeds and tidy gardens in their own neighbourhoods.
• Letterbox dropper: local businesses may require traditional letterbox drops of flyers or letters to help promote their products or services.

Job ideas for teens who are creative

If your teen is meant to follow a creative path, they can offer to assist established professionals to help hone their craft.

• Photographer’s assistant: for the budding photographer, helping a professional with photo shoots is one of the best ways to learn. This job builds creativity, problem-solving and people skills.
• Art teacher’s assistant: teens with artistic talents may enjoy assisting an art teacher to expose them to different techniques, styles, and mediums. This job also develops teaching and mentoring abilities, especially when working with children and younger students.
• Holiday character: for those with a flair for acting, this could be their very first paid gig. Many shopping centres need ‘Santa’s helpers’ and ‘elves’ during the holiday season. It is a fun job for drama lovers who love to entertain and enjoy spending time with children.

Job ideas for teens who are tech-minded

Your teen with a talent for technology could uncover early career kick-starters. Most of these jobs require some experience at entry level.

• Social media assistant: let’s face it, your TikTok-loving teen is a natural at this. Local small businesses may benefit from the social media savvy of a digital native. Often, teens might get a head start doing this by offering to help at the café or small business they already work at.
• Junior IT support helper: a great fit for tech enthusiasts who love to help others, a junior IT support worker can assist with setting up computers and tech troubleshooting. Teens can build hands-on experience with hardware and software systems and build customer service and communication skills.
• Web developer assistant: does your tech-literate teen have an interest in coding? Those with basic coding knowledge could enhance their programming skills by learning from professionals in this area. Despite their age, teens often bring creativity and curiosity to the role that web developers admire.

Best jobs for teens who like to care for others

Do you have a caring and sensitive teen that others gravitate towards? There are many jobs for those who enjoy caring for others and helping families take the load off their busy, day-to-day lives.

• Babysitter or nanny: one of the OG teen jobs – every family needs a reliable and trustworthy babysitter at some point. This essential job teaches responsibility, patience and problem-solving, and is a good fit for the caring teen who likes younger children. Those who are over 18 years old may get enhanced opportunities if they carry a Blue Card.
• Dog walker or pet sitter: is your teen less of a people person and more of an animal person? For animal-loving teens, becoming a dog walker or pet sitter can be a fantastic way to earn an income. This active job can be flexible around study activities and fosters dependability, accountability and trustworthiness.
• Cleaner: another job that truly helps people while building lifelong practical skills is the humble cleaning profession. This flexible job develops responsibility, discipline, and work ethic. It can also pay very well and is an accessible job for teens with no experience.
• Tutor: for the teen who excels academically, tutoring can be an excellent choice with many benefits. This job strengthens subject matter knowledge, develops communication skills and builds leadership and confidence.

Volunteering opportunities for teens

Volunteering is a wonderful way to gain work experience in an area of interest while serving the community and helping those in need. It also looks great on a resumé and can build skills and networks that help your teen get to the next level of paid work.

Here are some ideas of places where you can enquire about teen volunteering opportunities:

• nursing homes
• environmental projects (beach or park clean-ups, tree planting or wildlife conservation)
• libraries
• charity stores (such as Vinnies or Lifeline)
• youth centres and youth advocacy groups
• hospitals
• community festivals or events
• animal shelters (such as RSPCA)
• disaster relief and emergency support (State Emergency Services [SES]).

Tips on how to get started

While getting that foot in the door of a new job can be tricky, showing perseverance and putting themselves out there is part of the process of job hunting for teens. Here are some tips to get your teen job ready.

• Build a resumé (read our top 10 tips for writing your first resumé).
• Let your networks know. Tell family, friends, and neighbours your teen is looking for jobs.
• Ask around the neighbourhood. Teens can offer services in the community, like babysitting, dog walking, cleaning, lawn care, or tutoring. Most communities have a local Facebook page, which is an effective platform for finding and sharing these opportunities.
• Start local. Enquire with local businesses like cafés, grocery stores or real estate agents about entry-level jobs for teens with no experience.
• Practise for interviews together. Help your teen prepare to answer common questions like "Why do you want this job?" or "What are your strengths?".
• Be persistent. Encourage your teen to apply to many places and follow up if they don’t hear back in a week or two. It may take a while to land that first job.
• Start with volunteering. If your teen is struggling to find a job, they can volunteer to gain experience and build connections.

Casual or part-time work prepares teens for their future by helping them develop valuable skills, greater confidence and a more mature perspective on life.