Leah writes:
I am a single mom of a 16-year-old daughter who desparately wants to work in an office. We have gone the designated route for summer employment through her public high school, but they don’t seem to have office jobs in abundance. I also need to let you know that the jobs are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and my Candise (somewhat slow at times) just so happens not to be on the first 100 teens list. My question to you is: How can I find the employers that may be hiring teens for P/T and/or summer employment. I’ve tried surfing the web, but my specific requests (if correct) always bring me zilch. Please help with any suggestions you may have on the subject. I will definitely pass on anything that may be helpful to other parents in my situation.
The Career Doctor responds:
Leah, I know where you are coming from. My daughter also tends to drag her heels on certain issues, but I have a couple of ideas that might help you.
First, how is your network? We all know people who work in an office setting. Any of them managers or in a position to call in a favor or two? Make a list of your friends, neighbors, and other family members who can help you. Using your network to get Candise some interviews is the most likely route to finding summer employment.
Second, use the good old cold-contact method of securing employment. Develop a list of the larger employers in your area. Contact them and get the name of the office manager or human resources director. Have Candise write a letter to each person — and make sure it is a person and not a title — outlining the type of summer employment she seeks. Make sure she includes a resume as well. For some tips on cover letters, visit this section of Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources.
For resume help, visit this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume Resources.
Third, depending on where you live, try a few Internet sites. I happen to love Summer Jobs; it’s a great resource for teens to find employment. You can search by keyword and location. For example, I searched office work (without a geographic location) and found 410 job listings. A couple of other sites have listings or can give you advice; find them at Summer and Seasonal Job Resources for Teen Job-Seekers.
