Jobs for 14 Year Olds

Starting Out

Fourteen is the minimum age you can be generally employed in the United States. This is an exciting time. Finding a job brings you income, experience, and a sense of self-worth. Make sure to get your priorities figured out before you find a job so that when it comes down to a trade off between school, work, and family, you know what you want in life.

Building Skills

Becoming employed at the age of 14 has some serious benefits for your employ-ability later in life, particularly because employers see that you already know how to apply yourself. Some of the most important skills to build at this age are:

• Listening
• Communication
• Focus on task
• Reliability
• Knowing when to ask for help

All of these skills apply no matter what you like to do for work. When people talk about having trouble finding a job when they are older it is often because employers do not know if they have these basic skills.

The Rules

The Fair Labor Standards Act sets the rules in the United States for wages, safety requirements, and work hours for those under the age of 18. In general, 14 is the minimum age for employment, which is great for you, since you’re here to find a job. Expect to be limited in the number of hours you can work until you reach the age of 16. Also, expect to be limited in the activities that you can do at work, for example you are not allowed to drive or operate power-driven equipment. Generally states have laws that cover age, hour, and activity restrictions as well so the specifics where you are may be different.

 

Resources

• What Is The Youngest Age At Which A Person Can Be Employed?
• Youth Rules State Employment Information
• Department of Labor Youth Employment Overview

Complete Tasks And Surveys

You can start earning money right now by completing online surveys. Some surveys also offer sweet prize opportunities. You can start at the age of 13. This is not the most predictable or traditional way to start earning money but if you want to start today, this is an option.

Click here to make money in your spare time

Where to Look For Work

Great places to look for local jobs when you are 14 follow. Given the various legal restrictions many businesses do not hire folks under the age of 16. That said, if you do not look for a job, you will not find one. So, here are some great places you can start searching for here.

• Movie Theater
• Grocery Stores
• Restaurants
• Theme Parks
• Amusement Parks
• Golf Courses
• Fast Food Restaurants
• Sports Stadium

Starting A Business

Since the options for part time employment as a 14 year old are limited it is actually much more common for people like you to start small, local businesses. Some great options follow. If you go this route, be sure to pay attention to local tax laws. In addition to the need to report your income to the US government you may need to collect sales taxes or have a business permit. Now, on to some ideas.

• Modeling
• Lawn care
• Pet sitting
• Nanny
• House sitting
• Odd jobs
• Mothers or Fathers helper
• Computer work
• Garage cleaning
• Car washing
• Tutoring
• Pool cleaning
• Freelancing on UpWork

 

These examples are generally local activities. Be aware that the Internet is an untapped marketplace and what you have to offer may be of interest throughout the world. For example, Jasmine Thompson who is 14 years old is a singer in the UK who started posting videos on YouTube when she was 11 and now has over 800,000 followers.

Other teens find great success creating a store on etsy selling Jewelry, paracord bracelets, notebooks, and countless other products.

Does TeenJobSection have any jobs for me

Absolutely. Be sure to click the links above in the “Where to look for work” section, or you can start with some ideas below.

McDonald’s Jobs

Kroger Jobs

Safeway Jobs

Target Jobs

Image: Flickr-Ilya