Getting a job as a teenager can provide many benefits beyond just earning money. Jobs teach students the value of hard work and responsibility. By being accountable for showing up on time and completing tasks to their best ability, teens build skills that will serve them well throughout life. 

A job also introduces students to the real world outside of school, providing an opportunity to connect with coworkers from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, having a job often fosters greater independence and self-confidence in navigating challenges such as communicating with customers or resolving conflicts with coworkers. Students have revealed that these are the top five chosen businesses to work with: 

 5. Retail work

A common job for teenagers is retail work, whether at the local mall, or working in a pharmacy. A con of retail work is that most hiring prefers their workers to be more experienced, such as 16+. Yet, retail work is a fantastic opportunity for a first job. It helps teenagers grow their social skills, give a sense of responsibility, and grow connections to the world. An anonymous source who has worked in retail claims that “Retail work experience is a wonderful opportunity to develop workplace awareness. Working in retail, you see first-hand how a fast-paced businesses operate and how commercial decisions are made.” 

4. Wendy’s 

Much in demand for younger teens searching for occupations, fast food work is an obvious choice given the abundance of available jobs. A popular workplace for teens to apply to is Wendy’s, as the hiring age is 14 for those running the cashier and for cleaning positions. Yet, jobs like working food appliances require the worker to be over 16. Hunter Wallace, a current staff member at Wendy’s, claims that “Wendy’s is a good starting job, as is any other fast-food business. Wendy’s pays a bit more than average though and has daily pay so workers can see their money grow to further motivate them.”  

3. Rita’s

A viable option for teenagers wanting to earn some money during the summer is working at Rita’s. Around spring they reopen and begin hiring, the minimum age requirement being 14. An anonymous source claims that this workplace does not provide quick responses to applications, though. Still, this chain is a reliable source of income, and many enjoy working with this business.  

2. McDonald’s

As a very well-known restaurant chain, McDonald’s is an obvious choice for first-time applicants. At $14/hr pay, applications for counter work, cleaning crew, and cashier work start at 14 years old. An anonymous source “The pay is nice, and the customers are usually nice. They work with your schedule’s flexibility and the free meals when working is awesome. It’s a good place to start off.” 

1.Chick-fil-A

 As one of, if not the, most popular work chains for younger students, Chick-Fil-A is a great option for applicants looking for work. They are frequently hiring, and well adjust to the schedules of their workers. A current employee, Luna Musto, claims that working at Chick-fil-A fits her work needs “because of the easy-to get around schedules along with how much communication they give every worker there.” When asked if she would recommend Chick-Fil-A to other first-time workers, she claims that she “would recommend this workplace to people my age (14) or people around my age because they have good opportunities for their younger employees, such as giving money for scholarships, and they pay well.”  

Overall, taking on part-time work during adolescence can provide valuable experiences that shape one’s personal and professional growth for years to come.