Help Your Teen Find a Meaningful Summer Job

Summer is around the corner, and if you have a teenager living under your roof, you’re probably wondering how they can make good use of this time off from school. Sure, they can get a part-time job at a grocery store or coffee shop. But summer break is also an opportunity for them to check out an industry that interests them, learn new skills, establish meaningful connections, and give back to their community.

Why bother with a summer job?

“A job means accountability and responsibility,” says Jennifer Walton, M.D., a developmental-behavioral pediatrician with the University of Miami Health System. “Their boss is trusting them to show up on time and do their job. A summer job can help adolescents build that type of skill, understanding and knowledge.

“It’s also an opportunity to enhance social skills,” she says. “Young people are just beginning to understand conflict and how to work through it. They may have someone on the job who they don’t like or who disagrees with them. How do they handle and address that? A job is an opportunity to enhance those skills.”

With summer employment, teens can build and sharpen the following skills:

• personal responsibility
• time management
• collaborating with others
• conflict resolution
• following instructions and rules in a non-academic, non-athletic environment
• networking to establish meaningful connections
• communicating with others in an appropriate, “professional” way
• work ethic, pride in one’s work

“I would add ‘financial independence’ and ‘introduction to financial literacy’ to this list,” says Catherine Silva, M.D., MHS, a pediatrician who specializes in adolescent medicine with UHealth. Through summer employment, “adolescents can learn how to budget their money and save up. Parents can give them a list of expenses that they will need to cover that won’t take too much of their paycheck. That way, teens can learn about the costs of living.” 

While in high school, Dr. Walton worked as a cashier. “That was my first paying job, and it helped me understand things like taxes being withheld. It was a real eye-opener,” she says.

Before summer comes, get your child thinking.

“If I didn’t have a paying job lined up for the summer, my parent would say, ‘You’re still going to do something’,” Dr. Walton says. “Even if a child resists, the parent or caregiver is still in charge. If a teen wants to keep their cell phone or have certain privileges, they need to do something productive in return.”

Start early with an open conversation about what your child wants to do this summer and beyond.

“Always consider your child’s passion. What do they want to be? What drives them? If you can find something that connects with that, it’s a huge help. Passion can lead to more opportunities,” Dr. Walton says.

“Summer jobs allow teens to be exposed to different career opportunities, figure out what their strengths are, and discover what they might be interested in doing in their future careers and goals,” says Dr. Silva.

“If they’re into art or theater, maybe they could work behind the scenes for a summer production. Maybe they want to advance their understanding of robotics or chess and can join a club. Do they want to become a junior lifeguard and take a swim program and learn CPR? I’ve had family members do that, and it kept them engaged all summer,” Dr. Walton says. “These can be powerful opportunities. Teens are more willing to do the work if it aligns with what they care about.”

The goal is to raise successful future adults.
– Jennifer Walton, M.D.

This means teaching teenagers that there are things we love to do, things we want to do, and things we have to do. “That’s why summer jobs and structured activities are important,” Dr. Walton says. “And, it should be fun, too. I don’t want summer to feel boring for adolescents.”

Beyond a paycheck: volunteer work

For kids who want to pursue higher education, colleges and universities consider their community service and engagement experience, not just jobs.

Dr. Walton asks, “What other opportunities or connections should they be exploring? How can they serve? And how can that become a rewarding experience — specifically to help people in need who don’t have the same opportunities as your family or even to help younger children?

“Helping out in a daycare or summer camp for kids — even if they don’t pay teens to assist — is still a valuable experience. They can volunteer at the Salvation Army or Goodwill, unloading, shipping, or doing other physical tasks,” she says. “That type of work, getting your hands dirty, can build confidence, self-esteem, and stamina. The goal is to prepare them for adulthood when not everything is easy or glamorous. A lot happens behind the scenes, and it’s good for teens to know what that looks like. Plus, those types of opportunities build an understanding of community engagement and service.”

How to find that summer job or volunteer position

When looking for a summer job, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that your teen explore the following:

• Online job boards: Use relevant keywords to narrow your search criteria. Apply early.
• Job fairs: Ask your school’s job placement center about job fairs in your area.
• Seasonal businesses: Seasonal businesses and community-based organizations include tourism, retail, construction, summer parks, lawn care, tutoring and personal training.

Ask your teen to reach out to their network of helpful people.

“If, for example, your teen plays sports, they can ask their coaches or the parks where they play to see if there are any summer positions available,” Dr. Silva says. 

“Maybe there’s a teacher, guidance counselor or career advisor they can talk to,” says Dr. Walton. “If they’re involved with the Boys and Girls Club or Big Brothers Big Sisters, these organizations probably have mentors who can be part of your teen’s support system. That way, your child has other resourceful adults to ask, ‘What should I be thinking about? Where can I apply for a job or volunteer work?’ We want children and teens to build their own networks in advance so they know who to ask.

“A lot of parents don’t have access to those kinds of networks beyond their own job,” she says. “Religious affiliations can also play a role (like, your family church or synagogue). You never know what opportunities might come from those communities. What’s the ‘village’ that can help support your child? These relationships can build a trusting environment for both the child and the caregiver.”

Dr. Silva also recommends visiting local schools, universities and colleges for lists of summer jobs and internships available to students. “I just learned about the Youth Summer Internship Program for Miami-Dade County public high school students,” she says, which provides teenage students with valuable experience, academic credit, and a paycheck. Plus, it’s covered by accident insurance. Look for similar programs in your area offered by your local public schools, youth and recreation organizations, public parks and community centers.

Handling pushback from your teenager

If your child accepts a job that seemed ideal at first, but now they’re not enjoying it and want to quit, this can be a learning opportunity.

“Help them identify if this is a job that they need to leave or if there are ways they can improve their work environment challenges,” Dr. Silva says. “If the problem can be worked out or made more manageable, then you can support your teen and teach them how to problem-solve.

“However, if they have safety concerns with their summer job, they find it too stressful, or the challenges they’re facing are unmanageable and affecting their overall wellbeing, then it might be reasonable for them to end the job earlier than anticipated,” she says.” I recommend that you set a timeline (like two to three months) for you and your teen to agree that the job was given a worthwhile trial.”

Written by Dana Kantrowitz for UHealth.

Tags: Dr. Catherine Silva, Dr. Jennifer Walton, pediatric care in Miami, Preparing teens for the workforce, Summer job ideas for high school students, Teen financial literacy