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Ok, my daughter is young. She is sixteen years old.
This is the issue. I personally wouldn't hire a teenager in school with a parent still driving her around, when there are other applicants that are free all day and have their own transportation.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I was a small business owner for 16 years, and only once hired a 16 year-old. She was a great employee as it turned out, but the additional red tape/paperwork, regulations, and limited hours were very discouraging, so I stuck to college students after that. The days when any high school student could get a job by walking in and asking are gone. I actually started working at a restaurant at age 14 in 1966. I did have to get a signature from my school, and food handler's card, but that was it. There was less regulation and scrutiny then, and there were not as many older, experienced people for the high school kids to compete against. Here at the office where I work now, we do have paid high school internships, but each opening has many applicants so it's highly competitive.
Well...the BarS bologna plant in Elk River, OK has a "help wanted" sign. Any port in the storm, I always say.
Stick to it. Do the do. She'll find something eventually. Remind her not to act too meek. They don't like that.
16 year olds don't get considered on their own. eg., Mommy driving her to work? You best show up there, unofficially, by yourself, nicely dressed, off the record. They'll want to know how reliable you are. Nothing formal. Just stop in for a hamburger...and you know, strike up a conversation; "oh by the way..." If the manager is a man, shoot a little leg. Get my drift?
Last edited by TwinbrookNine; 02-24-2016 at 11:56 AM..
Ok, my daughter is young. She is sixteen years old. Where we live it seems like an endless number of fast food places and stores have help wanted signs up.
You know the drill. Most establishments expect applicants to fill out an application online. Than the theory is that they will call you for an interview. Most times, the call never gets made. My daughter has filled out about two dozen such applications. She has had two interviews which did not result in a job offer.
Job interviews are also very interesting. Usually when you arrive there are about 20-30 other teens all dressed up waiting for their interview too. Oftentimes, the company doesn't even have time to individually interview each applicant. Interviews will take place in a group of 4 to 8 teens at a time. After the interview is completed, applicants will be told that "we'll get back to you". In both cases, she was not hired and no one even bothered to send her an email thanking her for applying.
She is bright, dresses well, and acts polite. However, she is young and there seem to be plenty of applicants for these positions. The experience of getting so few chances to even interview is taking its toll on her.
I'm a bit angry myself. I don't believe anyone is "entitled" to a job. However, the abundance of "help wanted" signs suggests that more jobs are available than really are. I bet hundreds of people see these signs and cannot understand why anyone remains unemployed. They probably think those who aren't hired are simply lazy.
Its frustrating.....
First, do not listen to older people who criticize. Most have no clue what it is like to find a job now with respect to the young and inexperienced. They still think all you have to do is go down to the local fast food place, apply and that is that. Anyone who isn't working must not be applying etc......
When we where young it really was that easy to get hired. You could go out for one hour, apply to 3 places and have a guaranteed job by the end of the week. Those days are gone, but older people still think it is that way.
The job market is terrible for people just starting out. All those fast food places say they are hiring 24/7, even when they aren't. They do that so if someone quits, they have some applicants in the pipeline.
On top of all that, fast food, as well as all low wage jobs, have become long term jobs for adults. Lots of places won't even hire kids anymore.
Second, have your daughter look into all inclusive retirement homes/assisted living facilities. They have dining halls and need servers and kitchen help. These companies run on shoe string budgets and most will hire kids. Of course you only get minimum wage, but it is a start.
Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s fast food restaurants were full of teenage employees. My first job was at Zaxby's, and then Cracker Barrel after that. You rarely see that now. Our local restaurants are staffed by adults and a few college students. Target, at least regionally, is now only hiring 18 and older. I have noticed that Food Lion, a grocery store in the Carolinas and VA, does seem to employ a lot of teens. There has been a movement by a number of stores to only hire people 18+
My peers and I found it very difficult to get jobs out of college and we've almost all taken entry level positions that didn't require degrees for previous generations (but possibly do now). This also applies to a few of us with Masters Degrees, even from prestigious schools like Johns Hopkins.
These are both linked and problematic. There are so many benefits to getting a job as a teenager. It annoys me greatly when older adults critisize young people for not being responsible when really the opportunity just isn't there. We are pushing moving into adulthood further and further to the right.
My grandmother told me we all have to start off at the bottom, except that I had a Masters and military experience doing something equivelent to her job with a HS diploma in the 50s. Similarly, my sister-in-law's grandmother complained at the family reunion that she wasn't trying hard enough to get a job after college, despite applying to 3 jobs a day for 6 months just to get a job as a receptionist - which you could probably get after HS, maybe even at 16 in our grandmothers' era.
I sympathize with your daughter's situation. My nephews (who are close enough in age to be younger brothers) are now entering HS and I am also trying to find them jobs. Very difficult.
Just look at Europe. Lots of people don't even start their working life until into their 30s because of the high unemployment for the young.
This situation is only going to get worse.
My advice to Americans, start setting up your housing situation so all family members, 3 generations worth, can live there. The days of young people moving out and becoming independent at 18-22 are gone.
Also, look to start family businesses.
Family units are going to have to rely on each other more than ever.
Just look at Europe. Lots of people don't even start their working life until into their 30s because of the high unemployment for the young.
This situation is only going to get worse.
My advice to Americans, start setting up your housing situation so all family members, 3 generations worth, can live there. The days of young people moving out and becoming independent at 18-22 are gone.
Also, look to start family businesses.
Family units are going to have to rely on each other more than ever.
How are they not able to move out? It isn't as bad as you portray it. It doesn't that much to earn money in the US
She's 16. That's her biggest problem. Many places won't/can't hire 16 year olds especially in a restaurant because there's equipment by law they're not allowed to touch....then there's alcohol (yes, there are some fast food places who serve beer!) and the very limited hours she can work.
Has she tried retail? Like a shop in a mall or shopping plaza? Grocery store? Walmart? Target? She needs to find out what the age requirements are for places to hire. This is nothing new. I went through it when I was 16 and that was several decades ago. Once I got that first job and had some experience, it was a breeze landing another job at the mall.
As mentioned by many posters already, it's a big hassle hiring someone under 18. Things may get a little better if they're close to 18. A lot of rules apply as far a taking breaks, how long the can work, and how late they can work. I think my store got hit for five violations one year due to minor employees. It's very easy to forget to give a break or miss telling them to clock out or whatever else you may have to do.
Also this may not be you OP, but a lot of parents try to dictate what, when, and how their children will do things at work. They forget dealing with a business in not like dealing with a school or other things in which parents have a bigger say. I think the term is called helicopter parent. Many mangers rather not deal with that.
Also, restaurants already have a problem with adults calling in and it's far worse with teenagers without real responsibilities.
Where I worked we would get now hiring signs to put up from corporate, but that didn't mean our location was actually hiring. Although if you were looking into management you probably would get an interview. That's a constant revolving door with a smaller pool of qualified applicants. It's no different than more professional jobs with the false illusion that they are hiring. Depending on the time of year they where cutting hours. Winter time is the worst time to look for fast food jobs.
She should try out less mainstream fast food places that doesn't have a big corporate structure. They're sometimes more willing to higher a minor.
Signed, An under 30 Millennial who worked in fast food for several years.
Last edited by dc1538; 02-24-2016 at 01:08 PM..
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