Kitchen and everyday life · Some practice · a few hours over a week or two
Apply for a Job
A first job teaches skills you can't learn in class and gives you money you earned yourself. Getting hired takes a few pieces: a résumé, references, a careful application, a good interview and a thank-you note. If you're under 18, federal and state laws limit when and where you can work.
👪When to teach it: Practice a résumé and a mock interview from about 13, and apply for a first job from about 14 to 16, depending on federal and state rules.
Your phone number and a professional email address
A list of your school, activities, and any work or volunteer experience with dates
Two to three references who've agreed to be contacted
Printed copies of your résumé
A work permit or age certificate, if your state requires one
Before you start
If you're under 18, check your state labor department's rules. Federal law doesn't require work permits, but many states do for workers of certain ages.
Step by step
Tick each step as you go if you like; ticks stay on this device.
Economics
How it works: Trading your time and skills for pay
A job is a trade. You give an employer your time and skills, and the employer pays you wages. Businesses hire when they have work that needs doing and believe you can do it well.
Employers can't see your skills just by looking at you. A résumé, references and an interview are how you show them. A careful application and a thank-you note are evidence that you're reliable, which is part of what they're paying for.
Your pay depends on your wage and your hours. Gross pay, your pay before anything is taken out, equals hourly wage × hours worked. If you're 14 or 15, federal law caps a school week at 18 hours and a non-school week at 40 hours, so those limits shape how much you can earn.
gross pay = hourly wage × hours worked
Try it: Find a real job posting near you that lists an hourly wage. Work out the gross pay for an 18-hour school week and a 40-hour summer week.
Hold a mock interview at the kitchen table, then trade roles.
Help your child list everything they've done: babysitting, volunteering, clubs, sports, yard work for neighbors.
Proofread the résumé together, out loud.
Practice thank-you notes on something easy first, like a note to a relative for a gift.
Tips
Use a simple, professional email address. Avoid nicknames.
Keep your voicemail greeting professional and check messages often while you're job hunting.
Make sure the dates and details on your résumé match your application.
For 14- and 15-year-olds, federal law allows work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except June 1 through Labor Day, when the evening limit is 9 p.m. Federal law doesn't limit hours for 16- and 17-year-olds in non-hazardous jobs, but many states do.
Common mistakes
Mistake
Instead
Listing references without asking them.
Ask first, and let them know a call may come.
Leaving blanks on the application.
Answer every question. Write 'N/A' if it doesn't apply.
Sending the same letter everywhere.
Name the job and the business, and match your skills to what they need.
Arriving right on time, or late.
Plan your route and arrive 15 minutes early.
Never following up.
Send a thank-you within a day, and call if you've heard nothing in a week.
Where to get help
If an employer asks you to work hours or do tasks that seem off-limits for your age, contact your state labor department or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.
Free how-to guides for families, with nothing to earn, pass or send in. They follow U.S. rules and sources; your owner's manual, product labels and state and local rules come first.
💼 Apply for a Job
Name ____________________ Date __________
You'll need
Your phone number and a professional email address
A list of your school, activities, and any work or volunteer experience with dates
Two to three references who've agreed to be contacted
Printed copies of your résumé
A work permit or age certificate, if your state requires one
Before you start
If you're under 18, check your state labor department's rules. Federal law doesn't require work permits, but many states do for workers of certain ages.
Steps
Check the rules for your age. Under federal law, 16 is the basic minimum age for most jobs. At 14 and 15 you can work only certain non-hazardous jobs, outside school hours: no more than 3 hours on a school day and 18 hours in a school week. If state and federal rules differ, the stricter one applies.
Gather your information. Write down your contact details, your school, your activities, and any jobs or volunteer work with dates and contact names.
Write a one-page résumé. List your education, any work or volunteer experience, activities, awards and skills. Start each bullet with an action verb. Keep it to one page in 10- to 12-point type, and ask someone to proofread it.
Line up references. Pick teachers, school leaders, past employers or other adults who know your work, not family or friends. Ask them first, and tell them they may get a call.
Write a short cover letter if asked. Say which job you want and why you're interested in that business. Then connect your skills to the most important things the job needs.
Fill out the application completely. Answer every question, and write 'N/A' instead of leaving a blank. On paper, use black or blue ink, spell carefully, and sign and date it. Proofread before you turn it in.
Prepare for the interview. Learn the basics about the business. Practice answers to common interview questions out loud, and write down a few questions to ask them.
Show up ready. Dress for the job, silence your phone and arrive 15 minutes early. Bring copies of your résumé, a separate list of two to three references, your questions, and a notebook and pen.
Send a thank-you note. Within a day, send each interviewer a short thank-you note or email.
Follow up. If you haven't heard back within a week, call the person who set up your interview.