6+ Best Part-Time Jobs For Teens [& Why We Love Them]

Is school taking a considerable chunk of your day? Are you trying to make some money, but it feels impossible to have a full-time job while studying for school?

Well, many teenagers are now aware of how cut-throat professional life can be, and how you should start as early as you can to kickstart your career, or at least save up for the car you want.

Fortunately, this is where you all meet, as we’ll list 6 part-time jobs for teens that you can utilize to boost your income early on!

An Overview of the Best Part-Time Jobs for Teens

A collection of our favorite part-time jobs for teens:

1. Ghostwriting
2. Fast Food Services
3. Car Washing
4. Babysitting
5. Dog Walking
6. Lifeguard 

Why Should You Consider Part-Time Teen Jobs?

Part-time side hustles teenagers can add to their schedule outside the school program can help them make some extra cash.

Those jobs usually have flexible hours, and many companies would gladly hire teens even if it's their first job.

As a teenager, it’s best to start bringing in some income to gradually put yourself in the real world before you graduate from college and get a reality check.

Such jobs also provide you with a lot of life experience. You’ll gain a considerable amount of knowledge, and you may discover early on what you’d like to do in the future. 

Best 6 Part-Time Jobs for Teens

Now that we've covered the basics, let's get into the the jobs themselves.

1. Ghostwriting

Working as a ghostwriter can be a fruitful job if you have the skills for it.

What You’ll Need for Ghostwriting

As a ghostwriter, your job is to write content for a client in exchange for an agreed-upon price.

The client will provide you with topics and instructions, and your job is to deliver before the deadline.

Keep in mind that ghostwriters get that nickname because they don’t get credit for their writing.

Once they’re done with the client’s work, the content is posted on the client’s website without mentioning the name of the ghostwriter.

However, this job can be a great foundation for those who need to learn some skills and later write their own content.

Professional ghostwriters working on huge projects, like celebrity memoirs, can make up to $72 per hour.

Pros

• You get to learn a lot about writing and systematic thinking
• It can serve as a step to improve your writing skills
• The payment is great if you have the skills for it

Cons

• Your work isn’t credited to you, which can be disheartening for some
• The job is highly competitive

Top Platforms to Work as a Ghostwriter

• Upwork
• Freelancer.com

2. Fast Food Services

Fast food chains often have many job openings for all ages.

Thankfully, they don’t require prior experience in the food industry, and can be a stellar option for those interested to become professionals in the field.

If you want some real-world experience and a decent starting income as a high school student, go for it!

What You’ll Need to Work in Fast Food

As a fast food worker, you can deliver food to customers, which is possible even if you don’t have a bike; you’re often provided with one.

You can also work as an assistant to the chef, a waiter, or work behind the cash register.

Regardless of which of these roles you land, you’ll need good customer service skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

Fast food workers earn around $14 per hour. However, the hiring process is usually straightforward, and the job is always in demand. 

Pros

• The job is easy to find and land
• You’ll acquire a lot of interactive and social skills
• You’ll learn how to work in a team as you’ll often interact with co-workers

Cons

• The payment is a bit underwhelming
• The work shifts can be stressful during crowded days and rush hours

Top Places to Work as a Fast Food Worker

Local restaurants will almost always have a vacancy. 

3. Car Washing

Car washing services can have vacancies available for older teens, like high school students. It’s a pretty straightforward job and doesn’t need any specific skills.

What You’ll Need to Work at a Car Wash

As a car wash attendant, you’ll be responsible for cleaning any dirt on cars that come to the washing facility you’re working at.

This might seem easy, but you’ll be using various cleaning agents and other equipment that, if incorrectly handled, can damage the paint of cars.

Car wash attendants make around $14 per hour. It may not seem like much, but the job requires no experience, and it usually has flexible hours.

Also, customers often give tips, which can yield decent extra cash when added up.

Pros

• Requires no experience
• Flexible working hours
• The job is in high demand

Cons

• The payment is relatively low
• The labor work could be exhausting

Top Places to Work as a Car Wash Attendant

It’s easy to find a local business, and they’re likely to be short-staffed. Go ahead and ask. 

4. Babysitting

Babysitters are entrusted with taking care of babies/children for fixed hours.

If you have some patience, and you’re good with kids, babysitting can be a great job for you.

What You’ll Need to Babysit

As a babysitter, the happiness and comfort of babies and younger kids is your sole responsibility until their parents come back.

One of the best things about this job is its availability during both morning and evening hours (depending on the client you work with). 

The job also pays a decent $18 per hour, which isn’t bad at all for teenagers.

And the more you work with a client, the more you’re trusted, and the more comfortable the job gets, with the parents providing food, drinks, and even extra tips!

Pros

• The job is relatively easy to find and land
• The income is well above the minimum wage
• No technical experience required

Cons

• Handling younglings requires a lot of patience and vigilance
• You might be called in unexpected times to attend to the child

Top Places/Platforms to Work as a Babysitter

A babysitter job can be found by looking around the neighborhood. 

5. Dog Walking

Dog walkers take those energetic dogs for their daily walks when their owners are too busy to do so. 

What You’ll Need to Walk Dogs

You’ll need to take the dogs for a trip around the block so they can get that daily dose of exercise.

You’re responsible for keeping the dogs from harm while interacting with them and making them feel safe throughout the walk.

Dog walkers make an average of $17 an hour which, for doing something that most people would love, is a great job with good money.

The one issue here is how exhausting this job is, especially on hot days. Nobody wants to walk out in the heat of the day, but loving dogs comes with a price.  

Pros

• An entertaining job that doesn’t require a lot of experience
• A readily available job
• Pays around double the minimum wage which is great for teens

Cons

• Can be a little too exhausting, especially during hot days
• Some dogs are a lot more difficult to handle than others

Top Platforms to Work as a dog owner

Rover is among the best platforms if you want to become a dog walker. You may also try similar platforms like Wag.

6. Lifeguard 

If you’re a capable swimmer who doesn’t mind watching duty for long periods, the lifeguard job could be fitting.

What You’ll Need to Work as a Lifeguard

Lifeguards are responsible for watching over people in the pool to ensure everyone’s safety.

They not only need to be excellent swimmers, but they also need to safely drag a panicking person out of the water without either of them drowning. 

They make a decent $16 per hour, and you have a good chance of finding a flexible schedule.

However, the minimum age to work as a lifeguard is 16, so keep that in mind.

Pros

• A job that doesn’t require doing multiple tasks at once
• It provides a good opportunity to advance your career as a head lifeguard or a swimming teacher
• You’re not just getting paid, you’re saving lives

Cons

• You need to be in shape all the time to avoid injury
• The hot weather can sometimes make this job stressful 

Top Platforms to Work as a Lifeguard

Indeed is a good place to start your search. You may also forward your job application to local swimming pools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Make a Living Out of Part-Time Jobs?

For a teenager who’s yet to deal with the high cost of life, part-time jobs can yield a decent income.

Not only would they provide enough cash for the month, but you might be able to save some money as well.

What’s the Best Part-Time Job?

There’s no definite answer to that question, as every job has its pros and cons.

While writing pays well, it requires a heavy learning curve to research and optimize. Meanwhile, car washing doesn’t have a steep learning curve, but the payment is also fairly lower.

Similar Jobs to Try

If you like the concept of working part-time, but didn’t find what you’re looking for here, check out more jobs:

• Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners: Did you love that ghostwriting salary but don’t know where to start? Well, now you do!
• Jobs Where You Work Alone: Not a team player? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Check out these jobs where you work without having to deal with others.
• Best Online Jobs: Love to work from home? Have a look at this list of the best online jobs.

Wrapping Up

Part-time jobs won’t sustain a household, however, they can allow a teenager to save up some money for those harder days, or to get a new car.

Most of these jobs are also in demand, so you won’t have a problem landing at least one of them if you know where to look.

Let us know what you think of the list in the comments. If you liked the article, or know someone who might like it, why not share it