Help your Child Land a First Part-Time Job

Written by: Kaleido

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Finances

June 14, 2013

Is your teen ready to gain some experience on the job market but unsure how to go about it? Here are a few tips to help him find a job this summer!

First of all, it's important to know that in the province of Quebec, children can start working at a young age, provided the following conditions, among others, are respected:

If a child is under 14 years old, his employer must obtain written authorization from one of the child’s parents or his guardian.
If a child is under 16 years old, he or she cannot work during school hours or at night (from 11 pm of a given day to 6 am the following day). There are, however, certain exceptions, such as newspaper delivery jobs, summer camp instructors, artists, etc.
If the child turns 16 years old during the school year in progress, under the Education Act, he must attend school until the last day of the school year.

10 Guidelines to Remember!

1. Consider your child’s interests

Before your teen starts distributing copies of his resume, take a few moments to help him identify certain jobs for which he would be suited based on his preferences, ambitions, personal skills or field of study. In doing so, your child is more likely to find a job he genuinely enjoys and stick with it, which will be beneficial in the long run.

2. CV and cover letter

Even if your teenager’s work experiences are limited, it is essential to have a professional looking resume written in flawless English. Your child can emphasize his other experiences or skills, such as volunteer work, outstanding school projects, specific personal interests, etc. It is also recommended to write a cover letter and join it to the resume.

3. Start looking early!

It’s never too late in the season to try to find a summer job, but an early search will provide your child with more options and better odds of finding work. There are quite a few vacant positions available in diverse sectors, but these fill up very quickly. In short, encourage him not to wait too long in order to maximize his chances.

4. Target the right type of employers

The following sectors offer a variety of jobs to students during the summer season: retail stores (superstores, home-improvement warehouses, clothing stores, etc.), restaurants, garden centres, grocery stores, ice cream shops, seasonal shops, souvenir shops, summer camps (day or overnight), local pools and beaches, etc. In short, there's something for everyone!

5. Visit the right websites

Many jobs are posted on different websites, such as classifieds, specialized job sites (Jobboom, Workopolis, etc.), and student job sites like those of Emploi Québec and the Placement étudiant website.

6. Nurture your child’s entrepreneurial spirit

If your teen has a special talent or hobby, why not encourage him to exploit this gift and become an entrepreneur? There are a number of services he can offer, such as gardening (mowing the lawn), landscaping cleaning, painting, babysitting, dog-walking, etc. In addition to being a source of income during the summer, this experience will help your child develop management and customer service skills while doing something he likes.

7. The benefits of teamwork

If your child and his friends have different skills in related fields, why not suggest they team up and offer various services to individuals or businesses. Their combined efforts will teach them, among other things, about teamwork and conflict management, while allowing them land a greater number of contracts during the summer.

8. Using social networks to advertise their skills

Your teenager can promote his skills and indicate the type of jobs he’s looking for on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This method can be very effective as the information will travel quickly, reach a large audience and help your child find his dream job this summer.

9. Flexibility is an asset

If your teen thinks he’ll find a job from Monday to Friday with 9am to 5pm office hours, you may want to give him a reality check. Summer jobs are often part-time, and few people have their say on the schedule. Your teen will have to accept working early mornings, late nights and weekends. The more flexibility your child shows regarding his work schedule, the greater his chances are of landing a job!

10. Making a good impression

Once your child had been hired, it’s important that he now prove his worth. Remind him of the importance of being punctual and polite, of dressing appropriately according to the standards of the position held, of behaving professionally with clients (if applicable), colleagues and bosses. By making a good impression early on, your child will increase his chances of keep his job, and even being rehired the following summer. By keeping a job longer, your child’s resume will also gain in appeal for years to come.