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What are some jobs for high school students?
How could I get one and what are some tips when working?
19 answers
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Tammi’s Answer
Hi everyone! I have always thought that fast food and retail were some good places to start in high school. Anything with customer service creates great communication skills since we are always going to have to deal with people
Thanks for the advice.
Yili
Updated
david’s Answer
I always advise yard work, as every neighborhood is always open to hiring teenagers to mow lawns, rake leaves, clean out trash, and other physical tasks. And it pays fairly well. The other good option is employment in fast-food restaurants. In both activities, you will learn a lot about yourself and business and finances. Good luck.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Yili
Wayne Archibald
Cybersecurity Associate Director here to share knowledge!
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Wayne’s Answer
Hi Yili. Here are some jobs that let high school students balance their academic schedule and gain work experience:
- Ice cream scooper
- Server
- Barista
- Lifeguard
- Prep cook
- Movie theater cashier or usher
- Front desk receptionist
- Yard worker
- Pet sitter or dog walker
- Babysitter
- Delivery driver
- Tutor
- Grocery store associate
Good luck!
- Ice cream scooper
- Server
- Barista
- Lifeguard
- Prep cook
- Movie theater cashier or usher
- Front desk receptionist
- Yard worker
- Pet sitter or dog walker
- Babysitter
- Delivery driver
- Tutor
- Grocery store associate
Good luck!
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Yili
Updated
Eileen’s Answer
I worked at McDonalds - it was excellent as I was able to see how well they operationally executed. There was a place and a reason for everything. Additionally, we all got the basics of marketing. One also learns labor laws and how they are and are not followed - and how it works to punch a time card. If not that, any business works - to help, assist and see how one runs. Of course, there is always dog walking - that is GREAT and good for the dog and the walker - and yard work and babysitting.
Thank you!
Yili
Updated
Ramesh’s Answer
High school students have a variety of job opportunities available to them. Here are some examples: Please make sure to check the policies of the state, e.g. In PA the student has to be at least 14 years old for working.
Sales Associate/Cashier: Working in retail or as a cashier is a great way for high schoolers to gain experience in the customer service industry.
Tutor: Many parents and schools hire tutors to help students with their studies. This provides the perfect opportunity for high school students who excel in specific subjects to share their knowledge with younger students.
Lifeguard: Lifeguards work at pools, beaches, and other recreational areas to ensure that guests remain safe while having fun. This job requires certification and training, so it’s best suited for those who are physically fit and have strong swimming skills.
Library Assistant: Libraries often hire students to serve as assistants, providing help with tasks such as shelving books, organizing materials, answering phones and more.
Food Service Worker: Whether it’s working in restaurants or serving food at events, this type of job provides plenty of opportunities for high schoolers looking for flexible work hours around their other commitments.
High school students can also use their free time to explore other avenues like freelancing or starting their own business. With the right attitude and motivation, there are endless possibilities available to them.
Sales Associate/Cashier: Working in retail or as a cashier is a great way for high schoolers to gain experience in the customer service industry.
Tutor: Many parents and schools hire tutors to help students with their studies. This provides the perfect opportunity for high school students who excel in specific subjects to share their knowledge with younger students.
Lifeguard: Lifeguards work at pools, beaches, and other recreational areas to ensure that guests remain safe while having fun. This job requires certification and training, so it’s best suited for those who are physically fit and have strong swimming skills.
Library Assistant: Libraries often hire students to serve as assistants, providing help with tasks such as shelving books, organizing materials, answering phones and more.
Food Service Worker: Whether it’s working in restaurants or serving food at events, this type of job provides plenty of opportunities for high schoolers looking for flexible work hours around their other commitments.
High school students can also use their free time to explore other avenues like freelancing or starting their own business. With the right attitude and motivation, there are endless possibilities available to them.
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this.
Yili
Updated
Karen’s Answer
When I was in high school, I worked as a babysitter for a few families. This filled up my summers & days off from school. I think other great options are dependent on your interests but could include: Recreation Centers (summer camps) Ski Resorts, Golf Course, local farms ~ My son started working at a local farm at 12 helping pick fruit for the market, retail stores or a restaurant. I would try different things to get more experience and start to learn what your passionate about and what you enjoy doing.
Thanks for the help.
Yili
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
My first job was working at a movie theater. It was fun because I worked with others around my age and it taught me some great customer service skills.
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Yili
Updated
Greta’s Answer
As a parent to two teens, we've been exploring the types of jobs that they can consider in the near future. It really depends on skills, interests, and availability. Also, age is a consideration, as you have to be 16 for most jobs here in Washington State.
Here are a few job ideas that could work for high school students:
Babysitting
Lawn mowing and yard work
Dog walking and pet sitting
Retail or customer service positions
Fast food or restaurant positions
Grocery store positions
Tutoring
Camp counseling
Lifeguarding
Office assistant or clerical work
When looking for a job, it's important for high school students to consider their schedule and availability, as well as their transportation options. They should also be prepared to fill out job applications and provide references. It can be helpful to ask friends, family members, or teachers if they know of any job openings, or to check job search websites and bulletin boards in the community.
Here are a few job ideas that could work for high school students:
Babysitting
Lawn mowing and yard work
Dog walking and pet sitting
Retail or customer service positions
Fast food or restaurant positions
Grocery store positions
Tutoring
Camp counseling
Lifeguarding
Office assistant or clerical work
When looking for a job, it's important for high school students to consider their schedule and availability, as well as their transportation options. They should also be prepared to fill out job applications and provide references. It can be helpful to ask friends, family members, or teachers if they know of any job openings, or to check job search websites and bulletin boards in the community.
Thank you, this is amazing! I really needed it.
Yili
Updated
Grant’s Answer
if you are going to look for traditional jobs look for anything that fits your schooling needs first with flexible scheduling so you can still maintain your grades, I would advise looking for friends and family members that could maybe hire you on part time to get some experience for your future jobs.
Thanks for the advice.
Yili
Updated
Jenny’s Answer
I started working for my parents' small business when I was in high school. Two of my kids worked for a local hardware store, which was also a small business.
I did manual data entry -- before there were barcode scanners for inventory, that was a manual process at the arts and crafts store my parents owned. There were thousands of items!! It took forever to get caught up, but my small function helped all the team members be more productive. It was a great first job, and the hours were flexible since it was a small business.
I also babysat a LOT. I would recommend you take the Red Cross certification course so you have the safety training. I love kids and it was an awesome way to make some cash. I am a mom of a toddler now and the going rate is between $17 and $20/hour, so that is really good money! And the hours are flexible, too.
Or look for odd jobs, too. Dog walking, moving lawns, cleaning pools, etc.
Good luck!
I did manual data entry -- before there were barcode scanners for inventory, that was a manual process at the arts and crafts store my parents owned. There were thousands of items!! It took forever to get caught up, but my small function helped all the team members be more productive. It was a great first job, and the hours were flexible since it was a small business.
I also babysat a LOT. I would recommend you take the Red Cross certification course so you have the safety training. I love kids and it was an awesome way to make some cash. I am a mom of a toddler now and the going rate is between $17 and $20/hour, so that is really good money! And the hours are flexible, too.
Or look for odd jobs, too. Dog walking, moving lawns, cleaning pools, etc.
Good luck!
Updated
Erica’s Answer
My first job in high school was working at an animal clinic - loved it! Interestingly, I think I learned as much about the social system in the front office as I did about the animals. I would echo other opinions in this thread - anything in customer service will help develop your soft skills and seasonal positions are usually plentiful. Minimum age, transportation and extra curricular activities are all considerations for what type of job you might seek - having a flexible schedule can be important.
I am very appreciative of the high school students that worked as counselors in the summer camp my son attended last year. He had such a wonderful time and his interest was really piqued in some topics (age appropriate) that I realize as a parent I am not close to anymore.
Many opportunities exist for self starters - leverage your social circle, neighbors and family friends or parents to see if helping with organizing homes, cleaning up yards or other yard work is a space to earn in.
I am very appreciative of the high school students that worked as counselors in the summer camp my son attended last year. He had such a wonderful time and his interest was really piqued in some topics (age appropriate) that I realize as a parent I am not close to anymore.
Many opportunities exist for self starters - leverage your social circle, neighbors and family friends or parents to see if helping with organizing homes, cleaning up yards or other yard work is a space to earn in.
Updated
Marc’s Answer
Fast food or retail is a great place to start. They usually work with your schedule at school and teach you that it is important to get an education so that you are not suck working an entry level job the rest of your life. I started out working fast food. It taught me basic skills of interacting with the public. I quickly learned that was not what I wanted to do forever and realized the importance of going to college.
Updated
Gennie A’s Answer
You are never too young to start thinking like this, very forward thinking of you. I tried retail and food services to make some fast cash but today you have more opportunities than ever. Companies are now reaching out to High Schools for internship programs, NAF, the National Academy Foundation is one we partner with for internships during the summer to allow high school students (junior/senior) to get real work experience and see if this is an industry you want to work in. Give it a shot, follow your dreams.
Updated
Azilee’s Answer
Seek summer youth programs that lead you to great organizations. State and government sites are a great safe place to look; Americorps, community centers, colleges, hospitality, retail and restaurants. These are all great places to learn and grow in the working world.
Lilmomma
Lilmomma
Thanks for the advice.
Yili
Updated
Brooke’s Answer
It's possible to do something you enjoy while also making money!
I coached sports in many different capacities - on the weekends, over the summer, etc. I even got a job working at summer camps that allowed me to travel to cool locations like Colorado and Vancouver.
Sometimes it's easy to take whatever job is in your town, but think about what else that job might be able to get you besides just money. Are there skills that you can develop on that job, or can that summer job be connected to the career you want to have? Although I also did some restaurant work, catering jobs, and even amusement parks, I really value the coaching jobs so much because it felt like more than just money,.
One random job that I loved was scooping ice cream. It was fun because I worked with some of my friends, but I also learned about how to run a small local business and how to deal with difficult customers - this is a skill for life! (Honestly, who gets made about ice cream? Some people, apparently.)
Try to find a company or brand that you love, work there, and learn as much as you can. You will be so much more motivated and get more out of it.
Another option is to start your own little business. I love the yard work idea above. Identify a need in your neighborhood and try to see how much money you can make. Having your own business is challenging and exciting at the same time!
Good luck!
I coached sports in many different capacities - on the weekends, over the summer, etc. I even got a job working at summer camps that allowed me to travel to cool locations like Colorado and Vancouver.
Sometimes it's easy to take whatever job is in your town, but think about what else that job might be able to get you besides just money. Are there skills that you can develop on that job, or can that summer job be connected to the career you want to have? Although I also did some restaurant work, catering jobs, and even amusement parks, I really value the coaching jobs so much because it felt like more than just money,.
One random job that I loved was scooping ice cream. It was fun because I worked with some of my friends, but I also learned about how to run a small local business and how to deal with difficult customers - this is a skill for life! (Honestly, who gets made about ice cream? Some people, apparently.)
Try to find a company or brand that you love, work there, and learn as much as you can. You will be so much more motivated and get more out of it.
Another option is to start your own little business. I love the yard work idea above. Identify a need in your neighborhood and try to see how much money you can make. Having your own business is challenging and exciting at the same time!
Good luck!
Thank you so much!
Yili
Updated
Melanie’s Answer
Hi Yili!
Great question!
Some of the first jobs I held were in the hospitality/service industry. I worked as a server at multiple restaurants, a cashier, and retail clerk assisting customers. I believe you can gain so much experience serving the public and really, really up your emotional intelligence skills! Humans are interesting individuals and very few are alike. Understanding the needs of someone and how to connect with them can vary from person to person. When you exist for others, display empathy and try to put yourself in their shoes is when the magic happens! I learned that so early in life and as a server, the better experience you deliver to your customer, chances are, the better tip you will receive. It's very exciting and rewarding to have a positive impact on someone's day! I feel like everything you need to know in life you can learn as a server!
Best wishes on your search!!
Do great things.
Melanie
Great question!
Some of the first jobs I held were in the hospitality/service industry. I worked as a server at multiple restaurants, a cashier, and retail clerk assisting customers. I believe you can gain so much experience serving the public and really, really up your emotional intelligence skills! Humans are interesting individuals and very few are alike. Understanding the needs of someone and how to connect with them can vary from person to person. When you exist for others, display empathy and try to put yourself in their shoes is when the magic happens! I learned that so early in life and as a server, the better experience you deliver to your customer, chances are, the better tip you will receive. It's very exciting and rewarding to have a positive impact on someone's day! I feel like everything you need to know in life you can learn as a server!
Best wishes on your search!!
Do great things.
Melanie
I'm excited to put your great advice to good use!
Yili
Updated
Tracei’s Answer
Fast food jobs are sometimes the first jobs school age kids may run too but there are also office jobs, nursing homes, schools and of course retail. No matter where you are always do your best and have the mindset of succeeding in whatever you do.,
Thank you for giving me advice.
Yili
Updated
Dana’s Answer
My first job was deliver pizzas.
I learned a lot at that job, such as:
* Land navigation (finding addresses in a car with a map pre-google-maps).
* Answering telephones.
* Taking orders.
* Making a delicious pizza from scratch.
* Making change without a register or calculator.
* Driving really well in all kinds of weather.
* Work ethic. Satisfying customers really fast is how you get tips.
* Taking inventory.
* Organization.
I learned a lot at that job, such as:
* Land navigation (finding addresses in a car with a map pre-google-maps).
* Answering telephones.
* Taking orders.
* Making a delicious pizza from scratch.
* Making change without a register or calculator.
* Driving really well in all kinds of weather.
* Work ethic. Satisfying customers really fast is how you get tips.
* Taking inventory.
* Organization.
Thanks for the help.
Yili
Updated
Jessica’s Answer
I worked at an amusement park when I was in High School. What was really cool about it is, not only was it a seasonal job so I really only had to work over the summer, but I was able to work up to 60 hours a week to make a decent amount of money for fun and future and they even gave us free tickets into the park so we could bring in our friends and family on our off days!
Thank you for sharing your perspective.
Yili
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