Best Jobs for High School Students
Are you in high school and are you looking for your next gig to make some money? If yes, you are in the right place. Let’s check out the best jobs for high school students. As a high schooler, it can be hard to find a job. There are so many jobs out there that want five years of experience, a college education, or some other skill that you don’t have yet. So, where to start? First off, the jobs that I present below were collected from hundreds of students who shared their feedback about jobs that they have or had during high school.
Work at a Country Club
Many country clubs have golf courses, pools, and other entertainment. At these clubs, you can work in the kitchen, snack bar, on the courses caddying, with the beverage carts or at other jobs that the club offers. These clubs can be goldmines for high school students. A couple high schoolers were making $1800-$2500 every two weeks. Great little gig for a 16-year-old. The nice part about clubs is that when summer rolls around, you will probably be able to work there again and make some good summer money. Country clubs can make great jobs for high school students.
To find them, try Googling Country Clubs in your area. Make a short list and then give them a call and check out their website to see if they have a “job” or “help wanted” section. Ask folks you may know who are members.
Pizza Parlors and Delivery
Working at a pizza place can be a fun job. Plus, if you are delivering pizza, you can get some nice tips and get to drive around. You probably just got your license, so driving is still a fun thing to do. Many people who work at pizza places say that it is easy work, they get free food, and get some good tips. It is also a job that many people will do throughout college.
Pizza parlor jobs for high school students can be found by simply mapping your area and seeing what is available. You can Google Pizza Parlors in (city name), in Albany NY, for example. You will see a list of places. Some of them might have a website, but it is probably best if you walk in and ask if they are hiring. Another approach is to check all pizza places in the area with Yelp. See what is close to you and then go visit them.
Work at the Movie Theaters
Movies theaters can be a sweet spot to work and great jobs for high school students. You get many free movies, free popcorn and other goodies, and will probably see some of your friends there over the weekends. For days that the theater is a bit slow, it can be a good place to get some homework and reading done or just to chill.
Check out your local cinema and inquire if they are hiring. You can also check out the website and see if there are any jobs offered.
Get a Job as a Host, Waiter / Waitress
Working at a restaurant can be a great job to start out. When it is busy, time flies, and you are making money and tips. Additionally, depending on the restaurant, you can get some nice free meals out of it. Nice perk to have.
To find these jobs, make a list of all the restaurants nearby. Some of them will have websites, others won’t. Check out the restaurants’ websites and see if they are hiring. Also visit the place and ask if they are currently hiring.
Work in Retail
There are tons of retail jobs out there and these can be great jobs for high school students. Visit your local mall, walk around and check out the stores. Many of these stores have small signs in the window saying “now hiring” or something similar. If you don’t see this, walk in and ask someone at the cash register if they are hiring. Some stores will have an application you can fill out and hand in right then and there; others might have a card with a direct link to the career section of their site. Regardless of which one it is, retail can be a great, flexible way to make some money. You also have the chance to build your people and customer service skills.
Private Tutoring
If you are a stellar math student or have other knowledge that is in demand, you can charge for tutoring. You can make anywhere from $15-$30 an hour. You don’t need to be a math whiz, you could be great in English, Art, or other subject areas. The hardest part here is to get people interested in your tutoring service. But let me tell you, there is demand and a definite need! Try talking with some people from your groups. You might have contacts through sports teams, clubs, church, or even at school. There might be a board where you can post an ad for “Extra Help Offered.” Check with guidance counselors at the school.
Leverage Guidance Counselors at School for Internships and Opportunities
Make some time to visit your school’s guidance counselor or the department. There may be companies that have contacted the school to offer internships. The guidance counselors can direct you to these positions.
Internships
Internships can be a great gig to not only earn money but gain professional experience to add to your new resume. Here are a couple of ways to find internships in your area. Go to websites like Monster or Indeed. Type in internship and the region you are in. See what comes up. Next, try going to your guidance counselor and asking if there are any internship opportunities. Another source is your network of friends. Most of these kids have parents who work. Find out where they work and investigate. There is some legwork here, but it can pay off. Finally, look at where you live and Google companies in your area. Write down all the companies in your area and save their websites. Go to each of the site’s career page and look for internships.
Summer Camp Counselor
Summertime has a lot of outdoor activities, and one of them is summer camp. There are sports camps, art camps, wilderness camps, etc. These camps always need helpers. Make yourself available. Does the camp have a website? If it does, see if there is a job’s section. Do they offer any jobs? Also, think about how you found out about the summer camp. Was it from a flier? Find the phone number and call them. Ask if they need any summer help. These can be fantastic jobs for high school students and can be a lot of fun too!
Have an Ebay Store or Sell Things on Craigslist
This one may seem far-fetched, but with the right skills, will, and a good sense of what has value, you might be able to make some good money here. Sometimes, people will go to garage sales, pawn shops, Goodwill shops and buy things that have value. They then turn around and post these on Craigslist or Ebay and resell for profit. This can be challenging, but for the right person, it can be a nice money-maker.
Babysitter or Nanny
No surprise here. Talk with your friends and family and let them know that you are babysitting. Also, if you want to take it a step further and go outside of your network, you can try babysitting gigs on UrbanSitter or SitterCity .
Sell Your Notes
If you are a great note taker, there may be some money there. You might sell to other students at your school or even sell them online. Some sites that buy notes are: Stuvia, StudySoup, StudentVIP, OneClass and others.
Fast Food Restaurants
Everyone has to eat, so there will always be food service opportunities. Your best option is to visit the restaurant and see if they are hiring. Most of the time, there will be a sign saying, “hiring”. Also, ask the cashier or an employee there if they are hiring and if yes, ask for an application.
Telemarketing
Yes, I know, telemarketing jobs suck, but they still offer jobs.
Job Agencies
Google “Local Job Agencies” and see what is in your area. Normally, these sites have their open positions up-to-date and you can check to see if there is anything of interest. You can also drop in and see what positions they have. This surprisingly works well. You might have to take a quick typing test or other tests to show what skills you have. The staff will then try to match your skills to some of their open positions. This is a good option to consider. Most of this work is temporary; however, many of these jobs can lead to full-time gigs, if you want.
Try visiting KellyServices and Snelling. These are just a couple of great job agencies for job-hunters.
Front Desk Receptionist
You will find reception jobs in many industries. It could be at a spa, hotel, salon, gym, or other similar places. These jobs normally don’t require any experience, but you do need to know how to deal with people. Customer service skills, or the desire to learn to serve the customer, will be key.
Landscaper/ Lawn-mowing
As summer approaches, there are plenty of jobs in landscaping and lawn care. You can find these jobs through friends or your neighbors. Are there any elderly people on your street? Go, knock on their door, and ask if they would like you to cut their grass and trim the hedges. You would be surprised at the number of clients you can pick up like this. Walk around your neighborhood and present yourself as someone looking to cut grass to make some extra money over the summer. For other landscaping jobs, you can find posts on Craigslist or through a Google search of the landscaping companies in your region. The last approach is to stop and ask a landscaper in action if they have any jobs or need any help over the summer.
Mover
People are always moving in or out of homes, apartments, or maybe even to a summer camp. Owners will need people to help with the move. You can find some of these jobs on Craigslist.
Dog Walking
If you live in the big city and like dogs, how about dog walking? This can be a great gig and quite profitable. Check out sites like Rover, WagWalking , and others you can find in a regional search.
Warehouse Jobs
With all the distribution centers out there and products needing to be delivered, there will be multiple warehouse jobs. Check out sites like Walmart, Target, and even other smaller retailers. Also, since Amazon has a growing presence, there may be many distribution center jobs.
Web design or Programming
If you are skilled in web design or programming, there are plenty of side gigs out there. Be on the lookout for help needed signs. You might find these at small companies, on Craigslist, or even on sites like Fiverr. If you use sites like Fiverr, you will need to create a profile and a list of services you offer.
Janitor / Housekeeping
Corporate offices, hotels, motels, restaurants, assisted living facilities always need cleaning. Check out the jobs page of the company’s website or even visit the establishment to see if they have any cleaning jobs available.
Newspaper Delivery
This may be a job that is on its way out but could still be a good possibility depending on where you live. Search for newspaper companies in your region and check out their career page online. Also, grab a newspaper and check out the classifieds section. Normally, you can find ads for “carriers or delivers needed.”
Umpire or Referee
Are you a baseball or soccer fan? Do you know the game well? Check with your local little league or soccer foundation if there are any jobs to ref or be an umpire.
Barista
Companies like Starbucks, Dunkin Doughnuts or even other smaller coffee shops always have jobs for baristas. The nice thing is that you can also make some additional money with tips. Visit your local shops and ask if they have any openings.
Valet Parking Assistant
Valet parking can be a slightly harder job to find depending on where you live. You may Google search for them in your area, or just stop at them when you see them. Inquire about openings.
Good Old Classifieds
Lastly, check out the good old classifieds in newspapers, flyers, and on Craigslist. Go through these postings daily to see what comes up. Just be careful though, if the offer seems to good to be true, it probably is. Check out this article to avoid fake jobs.
Wrap Up
I hope that this list of best jobs for high school students helps you in your job search. I know I may have missed several jobs to add on here. Please feel free to add them in the comment section below and I will be sure to update the article. Please let me know if this article has been of help. For more tips on job search and interview tips, check out the CareerPrep blog and CareerPrep Youtube Channel. Best of luck on the job hunt!
