Working a part time job is a great way for your teenager to learn that there is more to life than what happens at home or school. It teaches them about becoming independent and responsible and helps develop people and communication skills which, lets face it, most teenagers usually need to work on.

Work experience is the foundation of your teenager’s future resume, and stands them in good stead for future applications to higher study or future jobs.

Helping your teenager get their first job will be a family effort. When looking for your teenager’s first job consider the type of job they might be suitable for and its location. The job will also need to be appropriate for a teenager to perform, and for a reasonable number of hours for someone who is still attending school and may have sporting, family and other responsibilities too.

Transport will be an issue to address also. Will they be able to get themselves to work or will you be dropping them off and picking them up for each shift? The right job will need to suit your family’s lifestyle.

Managing Money

Once your teenager is working, they will also be getting paid. They will need to open their own bank account and they will need to learn how to manage that money as well. Talk about their goals and help them learn to save toward them while still having a bit of spending money.

They will also need to apply for their own Australian Tax File number and be required to sign an Employee tax declaration form and other employer paperwork on commencement. For more information about applying for a tax file number see the ATO Website.

Getting started looking for work

Once your teenager has decided the type of job they will be going for, help them to look for vacancies online, in the local paper or by cold calling on businesses to see if they have any positions vacant.

If they are approaching an employer who has advertised a position, they should contact them in the first instance by phone or email, to introduce themselves and express interest in the position and request an interview.

If you are going to cold call on businesses, make sure your teenager is dressed neatly and is looking presentable. A great idea is to send them in their school uniform, straightened up after school.

Help your teenager prepare a page ‘resume‘ with their name and contact details, interests and strengths to pass out or email through to potential employers.

Practice a mock interview at home to help your teenager formulate intelligent and thoughtful answers to typical interview questions such as ‘what are your interests?’, ‘why would you like to work for our business?’ or ‘do you consider yourself to be reliable?’ The potential employer may not ask these particular questions, but practicing to have an answer that covers the question is a great skill to have. They may even list in the ad preferred qualities for the potential employee and you can discuss and address how your teenager would identify their own skills and apply them to the criteria.

Help your teenager to build the confidence they need to go out and get their first paid job and encourage them to be a good, loyal employee and you will have given them the best start possible to being a productive member of society for many years to come.

What are your top tips for helping your teenager get their first job?