“A teenager got a job and had to put up with his expenses” was once in a blue moon news people used to get a decade ago. Getting a job as a teenager was never an uncomplicated task before, as citizens strongly believed that kids were either meant to study or help parents with their work, and they have been nurturing the thought, “nobody pays a teenager.”
But today, everything has changed over time. Many teenagers are working part-time, freelancing, and there is no better time than now to look for a job as a teenager that fits you the best, but wondering who would pay you? Every company and every person wants you if you have what they want.
Yes, if you have booming skills and industry knowledge, you can fit anywhere, irrespective of your locality and age. So, how to find a job as a teenager? What steps and measures should you take to hit the jackpot?
This amazing how-to find a job as a teenager guide will give you industry-proven steps and strategies to help you land your first job if heeded adequately.
1. How to Find a Job as A Teenager?
We live in an updated and technological world which has proved that age is just a number if you carry what the world needs. The advancements in technology opened a million ways to finding teen jobs. One essential feature of today’s tech world is the internet. With the internet, your job search becomes effortless. So, here are a few steps to finding suitable job openings.
1.1. Understand and Analyse Your Capabilities
The primary step to doing any full-time or part-time job is understanding your capabilities in the working domain. It is essential, especially for teenagers like you, to know what you are good at and how you can serve the particular industry. Though teenagers getting paid is a myth in many ways, it still is applicable in the real working world. So, the more you are accurate with your skills, the better the chances are that you can ace almost every hiring session and get paid more. So, following this method will help you analyze your skills.
1.2. Experiment with Multiple Things
To understand your industry skills, you should experiment with all the industries you think would pay you well. Experimenting is significant because the more you experience different industries, the more you move closer to your niche. Sometimes, you can even explore other areas connected to your industry, that you have never heard of or worked on before. For instance, let’s say you are good at writing and have chosen content writing.
So, you experiment by working on different writing niches – health, finance, lifestyle, and many others, without sticking to one thing, or you might go a little deeper into writing in other areas as well – website content, marketing copies, product descriptions, and others.
So, when you write marketing copy, you should adhere to SEO, which is different, yet plays a pivotal role in content writing. In the end, you will understand the genre that fits you the best.
1.3. Focus on What You Are Good At
Skill stacking is essential and helps you rule your life, the common thing every productive influencer tells you. It is true, but consider the threshold that stacking skills are not an overnight success. But you can reach your skills milestone when focused on one skill at a time, and it happens when you focus on what you are good at while starting your job search.
So, rather than focusing on multiple areas, focus on one skill at a time and master it thoroughly because one mastered skill set can make you stand out from a crowd with numerous skills without mastery. Primarily, focus on what you are best at, and later, move to learn other skills.
1.4. Check for The Industry Gap
The industry gap is something that many people ignore, and if you manage to bridge that gap, the hiring manager will have no choice but to choose you. And identifying the gap requires high industry knowledge, research skills, and an adequate network system. However, creativity sets you apart when bridging the industry gap in the work area.
For instance, many people apply for job listings, and as requested, everybody mails their resume only, but if you take a moment and attach a cover letter explaining why you are the best fit for the position can push your application forward to others.
1.5. Upskill Every Day
Changes occur daily, no matter how skilled you are in the industry. The strategies you work on today might not be practical tomorrow, considering the consistent changes the evolving technology is bringing. And this is where most people commit a mistake by not updating themselves with the updated information.
Completing a course and receiving a certificate does not prove you are smart enough to solve an issue, but following the trending methods does. Follow the industry experts, read the updated guidelines of the system, and maintain a robust network system to stay updated.
1.6. Gain Experience
With a step closure to bagging a package, you must build experience before finally getting the highest-paying jobs. But who would hire you when you do not have a background? Startups and other brands do. Startups try to save every penny they make by taking people in as interns. They guide and teach you the entire work process within a month or two.
So, interning with any reputed brand or a small business gives you a chance to build your work portfolio and an updated resume with all the factual data. Not only does this teach you all the industry essential things, but also helps you understand the workforce.
Check for a summer job or online job postings to find the best job that matches your interests. Start cold emailing the hiring department or any specified address in the job description, telling them that you are a fresher and open to working part-time as an intern. They will get right back to you if they have any positions.
1.7. Build a Portfolio
Irrespective of the genre or niche you are interested in, the portfolio will be your game-changer and sometimes can even land you bigger deals. The portfolio is a step forward in your resume, as it tells who you are, what you do with the projects you did practically, and the feedback you got for your work.
While your resume gives brief info about you and your work theoretically, your portfolio shows that theoretical information practically. An introductory portfolio contains about me, my services, samples, testimonials, and contact me sections.
1.8. Find a Job
Finding the right job depends on your search. There are two ways you can do this: search for job openings online on third-party job sites or check out the careers section on a brand’s website. There are many ways this works, submitting a resume, writing a cover letter, or even sharing your portfolio link.
However, it is better to take the job search tutorial online for a seamless process while applying for the best jobs. A few job listings will guide you on how to submit your application for that particular post. So, read all the details provided twice carefully.
There are many ways you can find a job. Most people usually follow the above methods. Regardless, there are other strategies you can follow in your job hunt.
1.8.1. LinkedIn
Linkedin is one of the best places with more job possibilities for everybody in almost every niche. You can customize your job alerts, from online jobs to offline jobs, and the best feature is that the app’s algorithm shows you the positions that match your profile. You can directly apply to the role via Linkedin with your resume.
1.8.2. Internshala
Internshala can be a great start if you are new to any industry. It has a wide range of internships in every niche. From reputed brands to small businesses, come to Internshala to hire motivated freshers to guide and help them become industry experts by offering the actual work.
1.8.3. Personal Branding
Building an audience as you get started can be difficult, but the results are worth it. When you try to construct a personal brand, you show yourself as an industry expert, and it can bring inbound leads. Also, you do not have to worry about referrals as your audience finds a way to help you.
2. Jobs You Can Do As a Teenager
Getting into a technical field can be quite hard as each one of those professions requires a minimum educational qualification unless you are super expert at what you do.
However, there are other roles that a teenager can fit into effortlessly, and they promise to pay equivalent to the technical positions, and sometimes, even more. So, here is a list of jobs you can take up as a teenager, either part-time or full-time.
2.1. Web Designing
Learning to build a website may only take two or three months if you have the dedicated time, and this skill, in particular, is booming in the 21st century. A website is a must to perform any monetization online.
As we live in a technical ruling world, every business and every other offline thing is slowly shifting to conduct online. So, with expertise, you can bag a client yourself who can pay you well. You can charge $2000 to $5000 per project, depending on the range of work.
2.2. Content Writing
Another easy skill to master is content writing if you have good writing and communication skills. It merely takes a month or two to learn the fundamentals, depending on the niche you select. Content writing can pay you well because the technological world is technical just for a word, but the remaining part is all content.
The websites you visit, the emails you get, the information you search on Google, and the social platforms you surf through daily are all content pieces. Did you ever wonder who produces all that information? It is the work of a content writer. You can get paid well if you are skilled enough with a robust portfolio.
You can get started with $200 as a beginner. And become professional, you can charge up to 1500 USD per project, depending on the content length.
2.3. Social Media Marketing
Social Media Marketing is one of those skills that can help you land the highest-paying clients and help you build your branding. As a social media marketer, you work on building the social media following of others. It includes targeting the right audience, doing industry research, scheduling posts, sending emails, checking DMs, and plenty more.
Since your work is a little hectic, the stipend will be more than content writing. $500 is the beginner-friendly pitch, and as your portfolio builds, you can charge up to $2000 per client.
2.4. Copywriting
Copywriting is one of the most required skills in this digital era. The moment when you read and sign up for an email list, the description you read before buying a course online, and the indirect links you follow are the works of a copywriter.
As a copywriter, you will be responsible for playing with the psychology of humans – understanding their online behaviour, habits, interests, demographics, and many more to write content called copy that can drive people to take a particular action.
The desired actions are building an email list, selling courses, building a social media following, and downloading files. So, as more businesses are evolving online, the demand for a skilled copywriter is also increasing.
You could be the next copywriter for a reputable brand if you have what it takes. And entry-level employees charge $500 per project, while you can charge $2000+ as an expert.
2.5. Graphic Designing
Graphic design can be terrific if you are creative enough to understand the audience’s intentions. Designing is more about your audience rather than about your creativity. As a graphic designer, you design social media posts, online ads, presentations, ebooks, infographics, product designs, website designs, and others that deal with software like illustration, Canva, and others. Depending on the workload, you can charge $300 and above.
So there are some jobs you can take up as a teenager even though you are just a beginner as it will not take more than two months to learn the complete skill. The flexibility of these skills is that you can work as a freelancer or a full-time or part-time employee for a company.
However, you can also work as a retail sales associate and babysitter and take up dog walking jobs, one of the best summer jobs.
3. Booming Skills You Should Develop
No matter which industry you prefer, a few fundamental skills stay common. Here is a list of skills you should sharpen irrespective of your work industry.
3.1. Communication Skills
Only good communicators lead the industry. From Instagram to LinkedIn to Youtube, only people with good communication skills will have a high social media following. Did you ever wonder what sets them apart from other competitors? It is not communication but their ability to express their thoughts clearly to the world, and it is the primary thing that every company looks for in an applicant.
Communication skills are essential for two reasons – to express your thoughts and ideas clearly to the world and to bring change. Regardless, it is significant to differentiate between different types of communication.
3.2. Writing Skills
Writing skills are crucial in today’s tech world because it is an alternative method of communication. Although they are interlinked, they are different from each other. The procedures and strategies followed for effective communication do not apply to writing. With writing skills, you can convince people more skillfully than in face-to-face conversations. The introductory jobs of writing skills are resumes, cover letters, bios of your social media channels, and a lot more.
3.3. Basic Designing Skills
Basic designing skills like graphics, coding, and web development are essential as they help you understand the BTS of every online thing. If you want to get into marketing, you should at least understand the basics of graphic designing, how social media platforms work, and SEO, which is more about the technical side. Or, if you want to become a blogger or a content creator, you should deal more with websites.
Similarly, if you aspire to do something online, you should have the basic skills of every genre, though web developers help you create the best website and graphic designers come up with great graphics. You cannot always go back to them for every minor change.
3.4. Networking Skills
The only skill most introverts are scared of and are yet to master is networking with people. Meeting new people is one of the pillars of success in anything you do. From job searching to the product you sell online, your audience will travel along with you.
Networking unlocks more opportunities that will help your brand recognize and earn more. Networking with people does not have to be rocket science because you can always start with your friends and family members, with whom you were not in touch for a while.
These are the fundamental skills you should upskill to ace any phase of your life.
4. Must-implement Habits
Your habits play a vital role when learning something new. Bad habits which stoop you down are easier to master, while healthier habits are hard to build, but they affect your life positively. Here is a list of addictions you should develop for a successful job hunt journey and beyond.
4.1. Read Books
Your mind might not support reading books, yet it is crucial to master reading every day if you want to achieve your goals sooner. Reading books help you think in multiple ways, upgrades your mind, improves your language, and many more. Start reading five pages daily and increase the page count as you progress.
We highly recommend self-improvement and niche books, as they can guide you throughout the process. For everything you are learning, there is a book that can help you digest all the facts you learned.
4.2. Listen to Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to learn something new from industry experts. Sometimes, more than theoretical and practical knowledge, you need guidance from an expert to guide you through the path to avoid all the ups and downs in your journey. So, more than YouTube, podcasts can serve you in this issue. You do not have to dedicate your time to listen to podcasts. You can listen to them when travelling, working, walking, and other moving actions.
4.3. Journaling
Journaling can make your days more productive than any other activity because you dump everything from your brain onto paper. And you can refer to those whenever you forget something. So, when you journal every day, you can maximize your productivity in almost every area, as you do not have to worry about anything since you have everything on paper. Instead of working on unwanted things, you get time to ponder over other essential entities.
4.4. Learn to Spend Alone
Staying isolated for an hour daily can refresh your mind allowing you to work on the most meaningful tasks. Encircled by people might not allow you to focus on yourself, but when you are alone, free from people, the internet, and noise, you will focus on the crucial aspects of your life, or at least you get peace of mind.
5. Places to Upgrade Your Skills to Bag a Highest-Paying Job or Client
- Today, the internet made it possible to take any course from any university you want from any part of the world. Sometimes, these universities offer free classes, while a few are paid ones. Below is a list of online platforms to take free or paid courses.
5.1. Coursera
It is a prominent online course-taking platform provided by world-class universities. In almost every booming area, Coursera has a course.
5.2. Hubspot
Hubspot is another well-known application for marketing courses for free. For every course you complete, you will receive a shareable certificate.
5.3. Alison
Alison is great if you are aspiring to complete a diploma course. Even Alison offers free lessons in every booming industry.
Final Words:
“How to find a job as a teenager?” is not a question in today’s digitalized world, as the internet has changed how the world thinks. With slight possibilities, getting a few job positions as a teenager is tough. However, if you have what the world needs, you can fit into any high-paying job in any brand or even bag a client who pays you more than a corporate job.
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