Jobs For 15 Year Olds | Our Favorite 21 Job Ideas For 15 Year Olds (and 14 Year Olds Too!)

Are you a 14 or 15 year old considering getting a job? 🙋 Great – you’ve come to the right place! Read on for a list of awesome jobs for 14 or 15 year olds. You’ll also learn the benefits of having a job (hint: it’s more than just money) and gain a few tips to help you get a job.

jobs for 15 year olds

 

First off, why even get a job as a fifteen year old?!? 

We get it. You want to see your friends. You want a break from school and stress. And you just want to relax and have some fun.

Okay that’s all good and you should absolutely do all those things. But you can still do all that and get a job. Plus having a summer job or year round job has many benefits. You may even find out you love the new people you meet and new experiences you get.

 

Getting a job as a teenager has many benefits:

  • The money (obviously!) 
  • Newfound appreciation and respect for money  
  • Meeting new people
  • Learning new skills 
  • Gaining increased motivation for education after realizing you don’t want to be stuck doing entry-level work the rest of your life
  • Obtaining awesome experience to put on a resume or a college or trade school application
  • You’ll get some epic stories. Jobs can be like dating; you might have a bad date but you’ll get a good story. Same thing for jobs. 

Let’s be real… most of these jobs are not super glamorous jobs. But there are seriously loads of benefits to having a job. Your future self will thank you for getting a job. You’ll definitely be happy with some extra money in your pocket and the experience you get will benefit you down the road. 

You might also like: 55 Ways to Make Money as a Kid

What Types of Jobs Exist for 15 Year Olds:

We break down our teenage jobs list between traditional jobs and entrepreneurial jobs. 

By traditional jobs we mean roles in things like retail, restaurants, etc. These jobs are generally paid by the hour. 

Entrepreneurial jobs are things like starting a low mowing service, dog walking business, or business making money online. In these jobs there is no base/hourly pay – it comes down to your smarts and hustle.  

Which job type is right for me? Traditional or Entrepreneurial? 

There is no right or wrong answer on which type of job is best for you. If you prefer a more structured schedule and consistent pay then a traditional job may be best. On the flip side, an entrepreneurial job offers the potential to make more money with more flexibility. 

If you can balance it, try both traditional jobs and entrepreneurial jobs; you’ll learn something from both. Or one summer work a traditional job and the next summer try something more entrepreneurial. You’ll develop different skills and start to gain self-awareness of the type of work that suits you best.

Tips for getting a traditional job?

  • Search for jobs online but don’t limit your process to just the internet
  • Find companies and establishments in your area that interest you; pick up the phone and ask to speak to the hiring manager
  • Stop into the establishment at a quiet time and ask to speak to the hiring manager
  • In general you’ll do much better if you get out there and 
  • When you
  • Have a headline or general story at the ready that you can 
  • If you take initiative beyond just sending an application through online and present yourself well your odds of getting a job majorly increase
  • When dropping in to get applications or 

Tips for creating an entrepreneurial job?

  • Take some time to reflect on your passions and skills. For example, if you love being outside starting a lawn service might be great idea. 
  • Try to find an overlap between your skills and passions and a need in the marketplace. If you live in downtown NYC you probably won’t have many lawn-mowing jobs. Ideally you want to find a job that leverages your passions and skills while still being viable and in-demand in your neighborhood or online.
  • If you’re looking to start a local venture like lawn-mowing or babysitting, we highly recommend checking out Nextdoor. This is a fantastic place to market yourself and connect with people that may be interested in your services. Make sure you present yourself in a professional manner in all posts and interactions.
  • Creating an entrepreneurial job is all about grit and hustle. You’re essentially running your own small business; the more you put into it the more you will get out. If you’re not particularly motivated about your business you probably won’t end up learning much or having success. You can even start by getting a flavor for hustling and being entrepreneurial by selling stuff in your own house like selling old DVDs or BluRays for money.

21 Jobs for 15 Year Olds (or 14 Year Olds) 💰🤑💵

#1: Host or Hostess 💁

Responsibility: Greet guests, manage reservations, manage seat guests.
Best part of job: You get to interact with servers, managers, and guests which help build your people skills; path to being a server when you turn 18.
Job type: Traditional

#2: Lifeguard ☀️

Responsibility: Ensuring the safety of your patrons.
Best part of job: You are paid to sit beside a pool and get a tan.
Type: Traditional

#3: Bag room at Country Club 🏌️

Responsibility: Cleaning golf clubs, retrieving members clubs, and doing assorted odd jobs around the course.
Best part of job: You often get tips; path to becoming a caddie which can be very lucrative.
Type: Traditional

#4: Grocery Store Bagger 🛒

Responsibility: Asking “paper or plastic” and bagging up customers’ groceries.
Best part of job: Learn about grocery business; path to become a cashier which pays better.
Job type: Traditional

#5: Ice Cream Store Scooper 🍦

Responsibility: Scooping up delicious ice cream for your customers, working the cash register, taking stock, and cleaning up.
Best part of job: All your customers are happy… everybody loves ice cream!
Job type: Traditional

#6: Retail Employee (Old Navy, Gap, etc) 🏬

Responsibility: Working dressing rooms, folding clothes, tidying, etc.
Best part of job: Discounts on clothing.
Job type: Traditional 

#7: Local Library Clerk 📚

Responsibility: Helping patrons check out books.
Best part of job: It is quiet and peaceful in the library.
Job type: Traditional 

#8: Movie Theater Attendant 🎥

Responsibility: Taking tickets, working concession stand.
Best part of job: Free movies!
Job type: Traditional 

#9: Landscape Worker 🌱

Responsibility: Planting trees and shrubs. Caring for lawns and gardens.
Best part of job: Being outside and getting exercise while working.
Job type: Traditional or entrepreneurial 

#10: Restaurant Table Busser 🍽️

Responsibility: Clear dirty dishes from tables.
Best part of job?: Can make good money as you typically get a portion of servers’ tips in addition to your base pay; path to more lucrative server position when you turn 18.
Job type: Traditional

#11: Sports Referee ⚽

Responsibility: Officiating youth sports.
Best part of job: You get to be around a sport you already know and love.
Job type: Hybrid

#12: Fastfood Worker 🍔

Responsibility: Cook preparing food or cashier taking orders and processing orders.
Best part of job: Great training; learn about processes, how to be part of a team, and how to interact with fellow employees and the public.
Job type: Traditional 

#13: Seller of Used Books on Amazon 📘

Responsibility: Selling old books your family is done with or that you find at garage sales or thrift shops on Amazon for profit.
Best part of job: Buying something for $2 and selling it for $20 feels really good!
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#14: Educational Tutor 🎓

Responsibility: Sharing your knowledge in math, reading, or language
Best part of job: Teaching someone something and seeing it click for them is very rewarding
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#15: Babysitter 👶

Responsibility: Taking care of kids.
Best part of job: It feels great to care for another person. You also get to be a role model for younger kids.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#16: Mother’s Helper 👦

Responsibility: Helping a mom or dad with whatever tasks are needed (cleaning up, cooking, entertaining kids, helping with homework).
Best part of job: Learning great life skills.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#17: Dog Walker 🐶

Responsibility: Walking dogs while people are at work or away on vacation.
Best part of job: Puppies!
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#18: Product Flipper 📺

Responsibility: Locating goods on Nextdoor or Craigslist. Check out the Free or For Sale sections. People have made a lot of money taking other peoples free ‘junk’ and turning it into cash! Please use caution when meeting anyone on the internet and always go with a parent or guardian to ensure you stay safe!
Best part of job: Your earning is tied to your effort. You get to be outside and meet people in the community.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#19: Blogger 💻

Responsibility: Writing about something you know about and enjoy. Check out this post on starting a blog to learn more.
Best part of job: It’s fun and has huge income potential.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#20: Freelancer ✍️

Responsibility: Using your talents to help someone else. Freelance encompasses a wide variety of work such as writing, photography, video editing, or social media. Check out Fiverr to get started.
Best part of job: You work on your schedule and you get to use your creativity.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

#21: Shopify Store or Amazon FBA Business Owner 🌐

Responsibility: Selling items online. Source from garage sales or thrift shops and sell online. Or source from China or a local company. Sign up for Shopify here.
Best part of job: Learning about a type of business that continues to grow and could grow into a significant source of income.
Job type: Entrepreneurial 

Should I work year round or just in the summer?

Jobs for 14 year olds and jobs for 15 year olds can conflict with school. Knowing if you should work year round or just in the summer is a personal decision with no one right answer. It is something you should think about and also discuss with your parents. 

Our philosophy is that during the school year, school is your ‘job’. Said differently, your top priority during the school year is to perform to the best of your abilities in the classroom. Having a job can interfere with homework, test prep, and other extracurriculars. Why do we believe this? While you can gain money and experience from your job, you’ll experience far greater financial and happiness returns over the course of your life by doing well in school. Getting good grades gives you more options for colleges which in tur

Are there any laws or limitations I should be aware of?

Yes! Jobs for 15 year olds and jobs for 14 year olds have some laws you should be aware of. Each state can have slightly different regulations but the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that minors of ages 14 and 15 years old may work outside school hours in various non-manufacturing, non-mining, non-hazardous jobs under certain conditions.

Allowable working hours for 14 and 15 year olds are:

  • 3 hours on a school day
  • 18 hours in a school week
  • 8 hours on a non-school day
  • 40 hours in a non-school week; and
  • Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., except from June 1 through Labor Day (during this time nighttime work hours are extended to 9 p.m)

Which jobs for 15 year olds are right for you?

No matter which job you land in remember it is not going to be your forever job. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Use your job as a learning experience. What did you like about the job? What did you dislike? Take what is good and learn from the bad. There are lessons you can learn in any job and bank them away. They’ll help you as your progress in school, university, and into the job world.

If you want to learn more about interesting entrepreneurial jobs check out this list of 50 ways to earn money fast. Not all of these hustles allow 14 or 15 year olds but you still may get some good ideas.

We also created this article especially for kids. It has 55 great ways kids can make money.

Are you looking for a job? Drop a comment and let us know how your job search is going!