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Jobs for 15-Year-Olds

jobs for 15 year olds

Are you thinking about earning some extra money while still at school?

Or perhaps keen to pick up a weekend or summer job in between your studies?

You may be under the impression that a 15-year-old is unemployable, but you’re wrong! There are many great opportunities for a young teen looking to do some work.

Plus, research found that teens who begin working from a young age positively impact them and can help them in developing a sense of responsibility.

Check the Fair Labor Act…

You may be thinking, great, a job in a supermarket or restaurant is what I want to pursue. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), you cannot apply for a conventional job like this until you are at least 16.

But don’t worry! There are several options for you as Jobs for 15-Year-Olds. We’ll touch on this later…

Read more: Does Walmart Sell Live Bait?

jobs for 15 year olds

Important Information

1 18-year-olds are eligible for any type of employment.

2 16-year-olds can work, but the hours will vary depending on their location.

3 14-year-olds and 15-year-olds can work if they obtain a work permit and work outside school hours.

4 Children under 14 can not legally work in most positions. However, they are allowed do simple jobs like babysitting and delivering newspapers.

The Rules

Outside of school hours:

  • On a school day, children cannot work more than three hours.
  • On the weekend, children should not work more than eight hours.
  • When school is in session, no more than 18 hours per week are allowed.
  • When school is not in session or during school holidays, 40 hours per week are allowed.
  • Kids can work between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.—except from June 1 to Labor Day, when they are allowed to work to 9:00 p.m.

Pros Of Working At 15-years-old?

Working young may not appeal to everyone, especially parents who want their kids to focus purely on school. However, if studying isn’t suitable for you and you are interested in dipping your toes into the world of work, there are great benefits.

Self-Reliance

Working from a young age gives you a sense of purpose. You will build skills that some 18-year-olds won’t have if they’ve never worked. Working allows you to manage your finances and experience a new sense of independence.

Making Money

Of course, money is the number one thing that springs to your mind! Working from a young age allows you to have your own money and choose how you spend it. Your first paycheck may go towards helping out family or the latest iPhone. Regardless of what you spend your money on, there is a great sense of achievement when you’ve earned it yourself.

jobs for 15 year old

Initiative

Many people who start work even at 20-years-old often struggle to work off their initiative. Young workers who have been in a field for a long time or understand how businesses work are more likely to take the initiative and understand the job role.

Character Building

Working in a role you enjoy or feel confident in will build you as a character. Work-life often has a way of shaping you into someone and realizing your true potential. You may find things you like and dislike that you never knew about before. It opens up many opportunities for your future as you grow from a teen into a young adult.

Cons Of Working At 15-years-old

Losing your Childhood

Some may argue that 15-year-olds should be focused on their studies and enjoying their teenage years with their friends. This is a very valid point, and they definitely should be. That’s why having a good work-life balance is very important if you want to delve into work at such a young age.

Spending Money Inappropriately

You could also argue that teens earning money at a young age may lead them to spend money on things they shouldn’t. That is why parental guidance is vital throughout the working process. Kids should be encouraged to manage their finances and save money for the future.

A great way to work through this is by offering teens a bank card with a limit they can spend each month. You can explain that saving the other money for the future is a smart move. However, at the same time, it is their hard-earned money, so it depends on their personality type if their spending should be watched and regulated.

Falling Behind at School

The FLSA has these rules in place for a reason. They want children to focus on their schoolwork and not be swept away with work and falling behind or jeopardizing their future. When it comes to online work and working for themselves, children must have strong guidance on when enough is enough. They should switch off from work, focus on their studies, and wake up for school on time.

Jobs For 15-Year-Olds

Now the part you’ve been waiting for! Who will employ me? Well, there are so many great opportunities for you to employ yourself. That’s right! Be your own boss.

Online Jobs And Computer-Based Work

Working online is more and more achievable regardless of your age. These are some great online opportunities for 15-year-olds.

Author

If you love writing and excel in your English class, why not take a stab at writing a book by yourself. This won’t be guaranteed quick money, but you may thank yourself for it in the future!

the job for 15 year old

Animator

Do you love drawing? An animator could be an excellent job for you. Not only can you do the pictures from the comfort of your own home, but you can also market yourself and sell your products online to people worldwide. This is an excellent job for anyone artistic and creative. Remember to use all aspects of social media to showcase your work!

Article Writing

Perhaps you fancy a future career in Journalism or enjoy writing. Why not offer your services to write articles for websites and blog posts. You may even want to create your own blog and publish those.

Blogging

Blogging is a great way to express your opinions, feelings or just do something you enjoy. You can find blogs on anything these days, from delicious food recipes, online game hacks, knitting patterns, and phone hacks.

Perhaps you are passionate about something; it would be great to put your time into blogging. You can make revenue through advertisements and selling things on your blog. Many successful social media stars today started with a blog. Check out Sarah Ashcroft, who started blogging as a teen and now has her own clothing line and over one million followers.

the jobs for 15 year old

Content Writer

You might be a brilliant writer who can already create essays on various topics. You can find work as a content writer on sites like Fiverr and Upwork. This is another one to include in your application for college. Many successful teenagers have started on these platforms and have made six figures.

eBay

Selling your old stuff on eBay may be temporary employment, but it will provide you with some extra cash. If you have some toys in decent condition, you can sell them online. Maybe you have some clothes as well, or perhaps your parents plan to donate something or throw a few things away. Before they send it off, ask if you can take a look at it. It’s possible to make yourself some money!

Etsy

If you are creative, Etsy is a great place to sell your things. Perhaps you are an avid knitter, or you enjoy making soaps or candles; you can make money doing this. Create your own Etsy shop and offer your services.

Make sure to check out your competitor’s prices and even lower your price to start with to gain a following and some 5-star reviews. You will need a parent to help you set up your account, but you are good to go once you’ve completed those steps. People are making six figures on Etsy, and it’s possible you can too!

Fashion Blogger

Fashion bloggers and social media stars often make good money creating content for brands and posting pictures wearing their outfits. With social media being the top player, you have to be active on a few accounts.

You must make interesting, aesthetically pleasing pictures for your audience. A lot of the time, fashion bloggers are offered free clothes in exchange for a photo. Once you become more established and recognized, you can ask for money and clothing.

You have to be committed…

Another great benefit of being a fashion blogger with free items is selling them after posting a picture wearing them. Although it may sound like an easy job, fashion bloggers have reported that it takes a lot of time and planning to create the perfect look and an exciting photo.

Ghost Writer

This is not considered one of the more common jobs for 15-year-olds on our list. But if you are an excellent writer, you could potentially work as a ghostwriter. You can look for employment on Upwork and freelancer, advertise your services, and promote yourself. It’s also a good idea to have some samples of your work on hand.

Graphic Designer

If you are great with software like CAD and enjoy creating logos, icons, advertisements, and marketing campaigns for clients, this is the role for you! If you are working with clients online, they will not know or ask your age. This is a great way to prove yourself too.

If your work is excellent, you will hopefully have return customers and recommendations. It’s also a wonderful experience to add to your resume for college. One great thing for graphic designers is, there’s always work! People more than ever need things created for their online business or business.

the jobs for 15 year olds

Illustrator

If you enjoy drawing, a teen illustrating job could be an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills and even build a portfolio. You can offer your services on various websites and create images for customers willing to pay.

Before beginning the journey, remember to have examples of your work so potential clients know what they are getting and your style. If you want to catch customers quickly, offer a lower rate and slowly increase it as you receive reviews.

Logo Designer

Similar to graphic design, there is a significant demand for logo designers. You only have to scroll through Fiverr to see people with over 5000 reviews from solely creating logos. If you’re creative or want to master new talents, there are online courses that can help you out. You will be employed to create logos for all different types of businesses.

There are, however, high expectations. So make sure you find your niche and work with that.

Online Tutor

Perhaps you are gifted in a specific subject. Tutoring could be an excellent job for you. It’s guaranteed to be out of school hours, and you can help students younger excel in a specific class. For example, if you are incredibly smart and above your maths level, you can offer your services to classmates or children in the grade below you.

You can charge a decent amount of money too and hopefully, you’ll be recommended to other students’ parents.

Need more info? You’ll find it all in How to Become a Teenage Tutor.

Photographer

Have you ever used Shutterstock or Getty images? These are excellent websites where customers pay for ideas they can use on their websites, books, or even TV. If you have a keen eye for good shots, you can take them, upload them onto the website, and people will pay for images.

Remember, research before you begin and look at what sells. You want to create a product that is in demand to make the most of your time and, hopefully, earn a higher salary. If you are taking pictures of people, you must get their consent to post the images.

the jobs for 15 year olds

Podcasts

Podcasts are like the new music. People walking along the street with their headphones are often found in an engaging, funny, exciting, or conflicting podcast. Perhaps you have strong views about a subject. Or perhaps are super interested in a topic, are a keen comedian, or even talk about celebrity culture. If there’s an audience for it, you may be able to make some money.

The best part? It’s all from the comfort of your bedroom!

Survey Taker

You may have searched online “quick ways to make money,” and taking surveys will come at the top of your Google search. This is tricky as some sites are just clickbait for other sites. You have to find genuine websites to see money in your bank account. Often websites offer other things such as vouchers or discount codes too.

For more info, check out How to become a Teenage Survey Taker.

T-Shirt Design

Have you got a Cricut machine? It’s easier than ever to create clothing designs using the device. Pick a niche—for example, childrenswear. Companies offer personalized children’s clothing with names or initials. You can create these from the comfort of your own home with little expense and sell them and make a significant profit.

Remember, you will have to market your products using social media, or even better – a website!

Wedding Decoration Creator

Nowadays weddings are a huge business. People want personalized goods, aesthetically pleasing backgrounds, and photo props. You can create personalized glasses, tableware, props, flower walls, neon signs, all from the comfort of your own home. Remember, though, you may need an adult to deliver these for you, so make sure your parents or someone with a car agrees to help.

Transcription

Are you an excellent typer? Do you excel in English class? A transcription job may be the perfect job for you! You must have brilliant grammar and punctuation skills and type at least 40 words per minute. Many online sites will give you an audio example to type. It will test your speed, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Once you are in with a company, it’s a great way to make extra money. You can usually work as much or as little as you like, so great for a young teen looking for some pocket money.

Translation

Perhaps you are from a bilingual household, or maybe you learned a language fluently in school; translation could be a great job not only for the money but also to add to your resume. Translators can find work translating blog posts and websites into another language. You must be fluent verbally and written for these jobs and are responsible for making it clear and natural.

Video Game Player

If you are into video games, you have indeed seen the kids and young teens making millions on YouTube by showcasing their skills. You may be the one in a million who can join them and make big bucks. However, even if you are not at the top of your game but are pretty good and gain a good following and a substantial number of subscribers, money can be made.

the jobs for the 15 year olds

Video Game Tester

Fancy being sent free video games and being the first to play them with your friends. As fun as it may sound, a video game tester doesn’t just play games. They are responsible for looking for glitches, bugs, and any other problems with the game. You must be excellent at giving feedback and reporting the issues with clarity.

Web Designer

Website designers are constantly in high demand. Designing a website for many is overwhelming and confusing. Therefore, if you have been lucky enough to learn how to create websites, whether through interest or in a tech family, it’s a great way to make some extra money.

People are willing to pay big money for a user-friendly website. When discussing with a client, make sure you get as much information on what they want as possible. Or you may have to revisit the job several times until they are satisfied.

Summer Jobs

Babysitter

You should only consider doing this job if you are good with kids and enjoy being around them. A babysitter can be a demanding job, and you have to have eyes on the back of your head! You may be lucky enough to score a shift when the kids are already tucked up in bed.

This is an easy way to make money sitting by the TV, keeping an eye on the baby monitor until the parents get home. However, if you are doing a day shift, you will have to feed, take care of, bathe and entertain the children. You must be a responsible teen and a caring individual.

the jobs for the 15 year old

Baker

Nowadays people order cakes for many occasions. It isn’t just your standard tiered cake anymore, either. People are creating tray bakes, cake pops, cupcakes, and chocolate strawberries, all to sell to people hosting events. You should look for your target market. Create a sample for weddings, baby showers, bachelorette parties, and birthdays.

People love to spend money on aesthetically pleasing food, which takes a great picture. There is big money to be made in the baking business! Make sure you perfect your recipes before offering your services.

Car Washer

Washing cars in the neighborhood is a great summer job for teens. It allows you to choose your schedule, and you can even get your friends involved and split the earnings.

Most neighbors will be open to having teens wash their cars for a small fee as it saves them doing it when they are busy with work or making the trip to the carwash. Some customers may even request you weekly, which is excellent for guaranteed money.

Cleaner

Do you love cleaning and feeling satisfied after tidying. With all the great products on the market and cleaning hacks online, it’s more appealing than it used to be. Check out Mrs. Hinch or Vanesa Maro.

They both boast over four million followers posting cleaning Tik Toks and Instagram posts and stories. They often give great advice too, so if you’re looking to get started in the cleaning business, check them out. You can work on your terms and create your rates.

jobs for the 15 year old

Concession Stand Worker

Depending on what events go on in your town or city, why not check if there are any available teen jobs working at a local fair, carnival, or event. Even offering your services to people who are small business owners.

You can sell for them at events in exchange for money is a great way to build up your resume and earn money at the same time. This job will allow you to work in busy conditions and handle possibly large amounts of money. You must work with your own initiative and be efficient.

Dog Walker

Dog walking can earn you some seriously good money! If you can handle walking several dogs at one time and charge $10 per hour, you could earn some great money. For example, if you agreed to walk eight dogs at once, that’s $80 for a one-hour shift. Not bad, hey! If you offer your services every day throughout the summer holidays, you could put a lot of money away in the bank.

You must be caring and enjoy being around animals. You should also think about other things that come with walking dogs, e.g., picking up poop and handling situations with other dogs. If this sounds like something you can deal with, you can offer your services online and also by posting flyers throughout your neighborhood.

To find out more, check out How to Become a Teenage Dog Walker.

Farm Work

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, farm work is a great way to earn some extra cash and is legal, so long as you are working within the correct hours and not doing any hazardous labor jobs. General farm work could be tending and feeding the animals, cleaning up their pen, refilling water stations, and moving animals from one place to another.

It is an excellent experience if you wish to pursue an agricultural career.

Gardening

If you love gardening and enjoy the outdoors – gardening could be the perfect job for you! You can also expand your skills, learn how to grow your own food, all while earning some money. Gardening can be relaxing and satisfying, especially if you have worked on an area that needed a lot of love and care.

Remember, if you do pursue this job, take before and after pictures for future clients. People love to see photos of your work and transformations. First, offer your services to family and friends and once you get some evidence of your work, expand and offer your services to neighbors.

job for the 15 year old

Gymnastics Coach

If you enjoy sports and have even more so competed or enjoyed gymnastics recreationally, you could become a gymnastics coach! This job is actually available for 14-year-olds too. You must complete a few courses, and you will be responsible for coaching younger children along with a head coach who will supervise you.

Lemonade Stand

The cliche American lemonade stand is a great way to earn extra cash. Think about the number of delivery drivers on the road and people on their way to and from work. There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool glass of sweet lemonade on a hot day.

Painter

If you have great attention to detail and enjoy painting and art class, you could try to become a painter. Most people dread the thought of painting their home, moving furniture, and having the paint smell linger. So you can take off the pressure and offer your services.

It’s a great job to invite a friend along too, and you can work on it together and split the earnings. You don’t just have to offer in-home painting. You can also provide your services outdoors—for example, fence painting, garage painting, and deck painting.

Pet Sitter

If dog walking isn’t your thing, perhaps you can look into pet sitting. Whether it’s checking in on a house cat or feeding a neighbor’s fish while they are on holiday, it’s a great service to offer, and many people may be interested.

You must be reliable and make sure to commit to the job, especially if it’s to do with food and water. Some people may even wish for you to stay in their home and pet sit. Remember to check with your parent or guardian before offering your services, especially if overnight care is required.

Find out more by checking out How to Become a Teen Pet Sitter.

Lifeguard

The American Red Cross state that they employ lifeguards at 15-years-old so long as they have the proper training. This would be a great summer job for a teen who loves swimming and hanging out by the beach or the swimming pool. It is also a great way to meet other friends as many lifeguards must be on shift, especially in larger pools and busy beaches!

McDonald’s

Fancy working for one of the most famous fast food companies globally? McDonald’s, depending on location, do offer jobs to 15-year-olds. It is a great opportunity to build up your skills in a customer-facing environment. There is also no stress managing yourself. You can turn up to work, complete your shift and return home.

McDonald’s is a fast-paced environment, so be prepared to be on your feet all day and communicate well with customers.

jobs for the 15 year old guide

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is another big-name company that hires under 16. However, remember to check the laws in your state and also take time to check with the restaurant before applying for a job there. You can pop by your local Pizza Hut to ask them, or why not give them a call and speak to the manager.

Referee

A referee can work from the age of 14 so long as the people they are refereeing are younger than them. This means it’s likely you can apply to referee for children’s games. This job is only suitable for teens who are involved and understand soccer. You could apply to be a referee as an outsider, but it is more likely these jobs will be available to teens involved in a team or play for the older group.

For more info, take a quick look at How to Become a Teenage Sports Referee.

Tutor

As a tutor, you should meet students and manage your own schedule. Luckily most work will be out of class times. Therefore, it’s a tremendous after-school and weekend teen job. You must be aware of other students’ locations if you need public transport. As a tutor, you should pick a subject you excel in and offer your services. You must be friendly, kind, and patient when working with younger children.

Let’s Help You Find Your First Job!

With our extensive variety of articles for teens, you should find any career info you’re looking for!

We’ve chosen to put together a selection for you regarding the age requirements of different job options such as our How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Staples, How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At H and M, and How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At AEO, as well as our How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Zumiez, and our How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Planet Fitness?

You may also be interested in knowing How Much Can a Teenager Work in a Week, or Good Jobs for Teens, along with Can Teens Work at Two Jobs. For alternative jobs, we’ve also got the Best Fast Food Jobs for Teens to give you a few ideas.

Don’t worry; we’ve also found these online career guides for teens; check out Teens’ Guide to College & Career Planning, or the Who Am I?: An A-Z Career Guide for Teens, and Life Skills and Career Coaching for Teens, and of course What Color Is Your Parachute? for Teens: Discover Yourself, Design Your Future, and Plan for Your Dream Job all available online in 2023.

Final Thoughts

Working at 15-years-old is not for everyone, and neither should it be forced upon a child. If you are interested in diving into the world of work at a young age, these are great opportunities to start. Not only is it a fantastic way to earn your own money and begin to manage your finances. But it’s also a great experience for your future employment.

If a hiring manager is looking at your resume against someone who is 18-years-old with no work experience at all, they will think you are a stronger candidate due to your drive and motivation working from a young age. Remember though, school and work need to be balanced.

You don’t want to tire yourself out, be over-studied and overworked. Find a happy medium and also remember, you are still young! Enjoy spending time with your friends and families too.

Good luck getting your very first job as a 15-Year-Old!

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