Find Summer Jobs After Memorial Day!

Blogging is a great way for teens to make money, but for teens looking for a more traditional way of making money, my teenage sister and I created myfirstpaycheck.com - employment help and job listings for teens. Myfirstpaycheck.com is a job-posting site for teenagers that provides advice and resources, including an interactive resume builder, to help young people have a more successful job application process.

We’ve compiled 5 great tips to help teens find summer jobs after Memorial Day, so if you are trying to earn money this summer -

Be brave. Even in this economy, there are plenty of employers looking for the affordable, enthusiastic and energetic help that teenagers provide, but you have to go out and look for it. Scan want ads in local papers, look for help-wanted signs in store or restaurant windows, go door-to-door in your town’s commercial district.

Be polite. You are applying for a job. Dress appropriately — spaghetti straps, bare abdomens, muscle shirts and baggy pants hanging almost to the floor are not good choices. Make eye contact, shake hands and avoid using slang or bad language. First impressions matter — you want to be remembered for your application, not your attitude.

Be prepared. Write a resume. If you don’t have job experience, include activities that have required commitment and consistency, such as volunteer efforts, sports teams or Scouts. Check your spelling and grammar or have your parents help you. Having a resume shows you are mature and responsible. Myfirstpaycheck.com offers a free template for teen resumes.

Be persistent. It would be nice if you were immediately offered every job that you ever applied for, but unfortunately that is not the case for anyone. Persistence pays off: send a thank-you note to interviewers, follow up if you don’t hear about the job within a week and keep applying.

Be creative. Look for work in places other than the mall. The weakening economy means that people will be looking to cut costs on services such as child care and lawn services. Get a few friends together and start a landscaping or baby-sitting business. Working for yourself is a great way to earn money and develop skills that will help you get your next job.

And keep blogging, Celeste and I both blog about our company and the teenage job market.

Thanks,
Austin