jobs for students

ceewash

I am trying to encourage my 16 year old son to get a part time job at the weekend. He has been trying but has not been successful. Has anyone any ideas? we live in the north of manchester.

flang

I know Asda, Argos, tesco are all taking on christmas temps,and they usually keep you on after christmas too if your good (well they did me)

mpet

Don't want to be doom & gloom, but my daughter (17) is in the same boat. She must have applied for at least 30 part time or temporary jobs over the past month,with only one replying (to say they had filled their posts).

I have lost times of the 'staff' who have said we are looking for people with retail experience. I have to bite my tongue as I feel like saying to the 19 year old behind the counter - where did you get yours from - did you go to University and get a degree in standing behind a counter looking disinterested!!!!

I feel for my daughter - she has done well in her GCSE's and wants to earn a few pounds - all I can do is encourage her to keep trying - I really did not think it would be too hard to find part time or temporary work - just shows I'm a bit out of touch.

Ceewash - Good luck to your son, I hope something turns up.

Mpet

Savvy_Sue

As well as just phoning or sending in forms, it may be worth turning up to ask about vacancies and to hand the form in etc. Especially in a smaller place you may be noticed and remembered. Definitely worth asking in local shops, even if they don't have a sign up saying they are looking for staff: they may not have got round to it, or they may like to have a good 'bank' of staff available.

Doesn't pay a lot but middle son does a Sunday paper round. He also does free papers each week. If there's a daily local paper they may have direct delivery, ie not through newsagents.

My eldest son worked in local small cinema and it was a brilliant job! Occasional hard work when they had deliveries of bottled water etc, but apart from that a really cushy number, with time to read a book / do homework in the quiet spells, AND two free cinema tickets each week! Local theatres and arts centres might also have odd shifts going, if you have one nearby. I don't get the impression that the multiplex places would be as good to work for, but I may be wrong.

moonbeam682

flang wrote:

I know Asda, Argos, tesco are all taking on christmas temps,and they usually keep you on after christmas too if your good (well they did me)

my son also got a temp part time job at Argos just before christmas 2 years ago while he was at college & they renewed his contract after christmas. Has left now but his girlfriend & friend both have got a job there recently.

Karnam

when i got my first retail job i just asked at the counter for the manager and had a chat with him informal interview such like. cv's alwaysget chucked in the bin, ive been working in retail for the past 4 years and this is almost always the case. you need to speak to a manager (when he's not busy!!) or go through a friend's recommendation.

jobbingmusician

Just a suggestion - you could work for Oxfam for a month or two to get retail experience...

Whilst I'm not suggesting that you rip Oxfam off, as soon as you got a job helping out on Saturdays you would be able to apply for an evening/Sunday job and show that you had some edge over other candidates! :T AND you'd be helping some of the poorest people in the world by giving a few hours a week to Oxfam :A

johanne

is your son in his last year of his GCSEs (year 11?) or has he completed them?

Just i know in at least 2 of the places ive worked (both retail) they wont take people on even at 16 until theyve completeld year 11 i.e. around july. This is the problem i had even though instead of school i was at further ed college for year 11 and was 16 in the septemeber doing my GCSEs part time basically (20 hours a week) so was able to work more flexible hours etc but until id "left year 11" in theory they wouldnt take me on.

alex2796

Well, I work in M&S and we have loads of 16 years old .... I dont think age matters too much... what's more important is that you need to be flexible on working different hours...

Good luck with the job hunting...

chugalug

I agree that a lot of shops etc won't take students on if they are still at school. All I can suggest is that he regularly (your regularly not his!!!) checks out the town and looks in all the shop windows - if he sees any notices apply immediately. My son worked for Clarks on a Saturday from age 16 and now works for the local bakers while at college. My daughter is at college and also works for a bakers on Saturday. They are flexible though and both work extra hours during the holidays. Make sure he agrees to work flexible hours and comes across as a 'can do' kind of person. I know what teenagers are like - they always come across as half asleep if they arent interested in something!!

plotholder

just get your DS to call into shops on spec and ask (armed with a fistful of CVs) mine did this last year and got taken on by Peacocks as a christmas temp and is still there a year later. they have been brill with lots of extra hours in college hols etc. pay not brill as below 18 the minimum wage doesnt apply he currently gets 3.75/hr but as he pays no tax or ni its all in his pocket.

good luck to your DS