The 9 Best Jobs for High School Students with No Experience
If you’re the parent of a high schooler when school gets out, you’re probably asking yourself what you’re going to do with them all summer. They’re too old for summer camps and sitting around the house all day watching YouTube and texting their friends isn’t really a great option. Here’s the answer, put them to work. There are a bunch of jobs for high school students with no experience, so there’s no excuse they can’t work.
What you’ll get from this article
· The best jobs for high school students with no experience.
· How these part-time jobs for teens can help them in their career.
· Job application tips for teens and how to motivate your child to apply.
The criteria for calling these the best jobs for high school students
· The pay for these jobs, which was curated from a number of websites and based on various state minimum wages, is high compared to other jobs.
· There is growth potential even though they are no experience jobs for teens.
· They are the most attainable jobs at the given pay range.
A Note on the Below List of Jobs:
Even though these jobs don’t require experience in the position, they do require a particular set of skills. Before applying, be sure your teen has the skills and knowledge required to be successful in the role.
Also before you get into the list, you should take a look at this blog on How to Find A Job That Makes You Happy.
Ok now that you’ve read that, it’s time to get into the list.
The 9 best jobs for high school students with no experience
Job #1: Retail Sales Associate
Average Hourly Salary: $12 - $17
Skills Needed to Succeed: Great communicator, positive attitude, ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Tips for Application Process: Focus on any volunteer experience working with people, and during the interview, be prepared to give examples of what you would do in certain scenarios. Highlight your enthusiasm for customer service and ability to handle various situations.
Working in retail sales can be a grueling job at times, and very manageable and low stress at other times depending on the shift times. If your high schooler can handle other people and at least presents themselves as authoritative, that will go a long way in this role.
They’ll also have plenty of opportunities to deal with angry customers, and they’ll have to do it with a smile on their face or else they won’t last too long in the role.
Job #2: Food Service Worker (Fast Food/Casual Dining)
Average Hourly Salary: $10 - $17
Skills Needed to Succeed: All of the skills from the retail sales role as well as the stamina to be on their feet for long periods of time
Tips for the Application Process: Highlight any volunteer work in fast-paced environments. Emphasize your ability to stay upbeat and hardworking, especially during busy shifts. Show that you can handle the hustle and bustle with a smile.
I’m going to say this, and it might sound extreme, but I’ve been observing a great deal in the food service industry post COVID, and Food Service Workers are in high demand because no one wants to do the job.
Why?
We’re told that they’re overworked, but from what I’m seeing, service at many restaurants has declined dramatically, the food quality has declined dramatically, and the food prices have gone up significantly.
I say this to emphasize that if your son or daughter is an upbeat and hard-worker, they might be able to clean up and make well over the average pay for this job based on their tips.
Job #3: Coffee Shop Barista
Average Hourly Salary: $11 - $17
Skills Needed to Succeed: Same as retail sales as well as an understanding and interest in coffee.
Tips for Application Process: Demonstrate people skills and any knowledge of coffee. Express a willingness to learn and enthusiasm for the job. If aiming for big names like Starbucks, mention your love for their brand and products.
I will make a note here and say that a Barista job at Starbuck’s is going to be difficult for a high school student with no experience to get. The major leagues of coffee houses might be a tough place for first-time jobs for students, so it might be a good idea to aim their sights slightly lower.
Local jobs for teens at coffee shops and smaller operations will be a bit easier to get, but if the dream is Starbuck’s, then shoot for the stars, I’m not here to stop you.
Job #4:Tutor for for Ages K Through Eight
Average Hourly Salary: $15 - $20
Skills Needed for Success: Knowledge of the topic you’re going to be tutoring in, ability to teach.
Tips for Application Process: Process: Demonstrate your teen’s expertise in the subject they wish to tutor. Highlight any previous experience helping peers or younger students. Patience and the ability to simplify complex topics are key.
Being a tutor is a great option for a high school student who’s thinking about eventually becoming a teacher. They’ll get the chance to work with younger students who need help in certain subjects.
Tutoring isn’t for everyone though. Patience is important for this job, especially if they’re working with someone who is having difficulty understanding the subject matter.
Job #5: Babysitter for Young Children
Average Hourly Salary: $13 - $17
Skills Needed for Success: Organizational skills, ability to work with young children and the ability to think quickly as well as follow directions.
Tips for Application Process: Networking is crucial, as many babysitting jobs come from referrals. Highlight any previous experience with younger siblings or family friends. Emphasize responsibility and trustworthiness.
Having a younger sibling gives your high schooler previous experience whether they realize it or not. This job may be the one with the most pressure to succeed on this list. Your high school student will be in charge of another couple’s child, and they have to be extremely responsible to be successful.
Job #6: Lifeguard (Public Pool or Lake)
Average Hourly Salary: $15 - $19
Skills Needed to Succeed: A level of athleticism is required as well as leadership skills.
Tips for Application Process: Ensure your teen has the necessary certifications and training before applying. Highlight any relevant experience, such as swimming team participation or previous lifeguard jobs.
If you’re in a cold weather area, don’t worry your child can still be a Lifeguard too…and not just for a polar plunge event. Look at indoor pools and fitness centers as many of them have indoor pools
Job #7: Dog Walker/Pet Sitter
Average Hourly Salary: $12 - $18
Skills Needed for Success: Customer service skills, an ability to handle dogs and organizational skills are important for this job.
Tips for Application Process: Networking is key, as many jobs come from knowing someone who needs pet care. Emphasize any experience with pets and the ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently.
This is a job that can be relatively easy if your child can handle dogs. There’s also potential to make a nice chunk of money if your high schooler has some business sense and can grow his or her customer base.
Job #8: Grocery Store Clerk
Average Hourly Salary: $11 - $17
Skills Needed to Succeed: Attention to detail and customer service skills.
Tips for Job Application: Highlight any experience involving customer service. Demonstrate reliability and a willingness to work flexible hours.
Much like a Retail Sales job, the Grocery Store Clerk role can sometimes be fast-paced, and they will sometimes have to deal with angry customers.
Job #9: Camp Counselor
Average Hourly Salary: $10 - $17
Skills Needed to Succeed: Ability to handle large groups of kids, being a great communicator.
Tips for Application Process: Provide examples of previous experience working with children, whether through volunteering, babysitting, or leadership roles in school activities.
A camp counselor job is a great summer job for high school students. I can say that because I was one in a different lifetime. If you like children, it’s usually a fun atmosphere of being outside, doing different types of activities and hanging out with other camp counselors. For the most part it’s a pretty low stress job.
How one of these jobs can help your high schooler in their future career
Many of the jobs you just saw require important skills that won’t just help your child be successful at the job in high school but will help them in life.
Here are just a few of the skills:
· Communications skills
· Customer service skills
· Leadership skills
· Ability to make decisions in a fast paced environment
A quick story on building life skills in a high school job.
When I was in high school, I worked as an umpire (I actually did it throughout college too). I got thrown into the fire at a young age where I had to learn how to deal with angry people, most of the time, angry for no reason.
When I got my first big boy job on Wall Street, I had to deal with angry Financial Advisors and guess what, since I had already dealt with angry parents, angry Financial Advisors felt like a piece of cake.
The moral of the story is what you learn at these part-time high school jobs will help you down the road.
How to motivate your child to apply for a job
High school students should be encouraged to work but forcing them to work in a job that they would hate probably isn’t a good idea.
It’s important to work with them to figure out what they like (as their parents hopefully you have an idea) and then come up with a few jobs that they might do well in and maybe even like.
Sure, the idea of making some money is always a motivating factor, but it shouldn’t be the only motivating factor. Don’t let me tell you how I took a job working at a law firm in high school because I was getting paid a lot ($12 per hour seemed like a lot back then, now it probably won’t even buy a meal at Wendy’s).
What to do after reading this article
Now, it’s time to lay these options out to your teen and put the ball in their court.
If you feel like you need help motivating your child or pointing them in the right direction, that’s where Your Career Strategy comes in. Our expert Career Strategists can help you and your high schooler make the tough decisions. We also offer engaging workshops for high school students to help them with career development.
You have all the tools at your fingertips, so the ball is in your court.