From babysitting to office work, a summer job is a great boost for any teenager. It builds confidence, friendships, timekeeping skills and real-world experience for future employment — and that’s on top of a welcome boost to the bank balance. If your teen is looking to land a summer job, these tried-and-tested tips are a great place to start.
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Tips for Securing a Summer Job as a Teen
#1. Ask For Your Summer Job Yourself
It’s fine to get the extended family involved in the search — parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles often have great contacts. But when it comes to actually asking for the job, your teen should do the asking themselves.
A potential employer will respect that a teen might be nervous, but would much rather hear directly from the person looking for the job than from a family member on their behalf. It shows genuine interest and keenness, rather than just filling time before school goes back.
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#2. Present a CV to Potential Employers
Even for a short-term summer job, it’s worth putting together a CV for any potential employer. Think there’s nothing to put on it? Think again — school project research, being comfortable with computers and phones, teamwork from sports or clubs, and experience cleaning, cooking or babysitting are all genuinely relevant skills.
Employers will notice the effort of turning up with a proper CV rather than empty-handed, and it shows a level of preparation that sets a teen apart.
#3. Create a Cover Letter for Each Summer Job
Once the CV is ready, it’s time for a cover letter — the introduction that employers read before they even get to the CV itself. Each job application deserves its own tailored letter rather than a generic one sent everywhere.
A good cover letter should include:
- The type of work they’re interested in.
- The hours they’re available to work.
- The skills they can bring to the role.
- Why they want that particular job — for example, a link to a favourite school subject or a course they’re considering studying.
#4. Reassure Your Potential Employer
Turning up on time for the interview goes a long way to reassuring an employer that a teen is punctual and reliable. Asking thoughtful questions and listening carefully to the answers shows willingness to learn and take instruction.
If they land the job, it might not be the exact role they dreamed of — but taking on every reasonable task with a good attitude makes a strong impression. Knowing when to just get on with a task, and when to speak up and share an opinion, is a skill that will serve them well beyond this first job.
#5. Keep Busy
Once a task is finished, it’s worth checking back for what needs doing next, rather than waiting to be asked — and saving the phone for lunch breaks only. Tidying up, filing paperwork, offering to make coffee — there’s almost always something useful to do.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does my teen need previous work experience to apply for a summer job?
No. Everyday experience — schoolwork, babysitting, helping at home, being part of a team — all counts as relevant experience on a CV. Employers are often more interested in attitude and reliability than a long work history.
Should every job application use the same cover letter?
It’s best not to. A cover letter tailored to each specific job — mentioning the role, the hours available and why your teen wants that particular position — makes a much stronger impression than a generic letter sent to multiple employers.
What’s the single most important thing a teen can do to stand out?
Making the approach themselves. Employers respond well to a teen who asks for the job directly, turns up on time, and shows willingness to take on tasks and keep busy once hired.
Related Articles
- 20 Summer Job Ideas for Teens
- 8 Ways To Have A Better Relationship With Your Teen
- 20 Important Things You Should Tell Your Teen
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