The Student Room Group

Jobs for a 15-year-old, if any?

Hey!

So, I was wondering if any of you could help me.. I know I can legally get a job when I'm 16, but I was wondering if anywhere would hire me at 15? I turn 16 in 7 1/2 months.

For personal family reasons, I really need to find a job but I don't know of anywhere that will hire a 15 year old girl, who is willing to put her all into any task given to her. Plus, the experience would be great for my CV.

I also don't really know how to go about asking for a job, or what to do.. I do have a CV ready though.

Would stores like Tesco or Pets at Home hire me, or do I have to be 16? If not, could you please suggest anywhere that would?


Thank you:smile: x

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I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, jobs would require you to be 16 or over. That would mainly be because of health and safety reasons, as well as the fact that you're in a set timetable with school, and do not have much days off unlike with colleges and universities.

Why don't you try getting experience by volunteering? I'm pretty sure that it'll give you experience, by the time you're 16.
Reply 2
Original post by Hellokitty112
Hey!

So, I was wondering if any of you could help me.. I know I can legally get a job when I'm 16, but I was wondering if anywhere would hire me at 15? I turn 16 in 7 1/2 months.

For personal family reasons, I really need to find a job but I don't know of anywhere that will hire a 15 year old girl, who is willing to put her all into any task given to her. Plus, the experience would be great for my CV.

I also don't really know how to go about asking for a job, or what to do.. I do have a CV ready though.

Would stores like Tesco or Pets at Home hire me, or do I have to be 16? If not, could you please suggest anywhere that would?


Thank you:smile: x


For someone that is 15, I would say working serving in pubs/cafe's etc, or places like the cinema, I wouldn't say that you could use the till and work behind a bar etc. just look around.
You could try local independant stores, I think they're more likely to employ people under 16 :smile: Good Luck!
Reply 4
In all honesty most of the chains like the supermarkets and resteraunts ECT, will not employ you until your 16.
Bar work is pretty much out of the question, as has been said your best bet is small independent places. the other option are things like a paper route or similar, even though it may sound boring plenty of my friends had paper roots long after they could have had proper jobs and earn't better money than I did.
You can get a job on the market. I'm 15, and I work on a stall with loads of people my age and younger.
Reply 6
I agree with local independent stores, that's how I got employed when I was 14 and a half and I'm still working there part time 5 years later.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
Reply 7
Original post by CJG21
You can get a job on the market. I'm 15, and I work on a stall with loads of people my age and younger.


this is illegal

you need an natioal insurance number to work which you get 1/2 months before your 16th birthday
Reply 8
You can only work very limited hours and only work in certain jobs until you turn 16. Between the ages of 13-15 young people can only work something like 2 hours a day sunday - monday and 5 hours on a saturday. This is UK law.

As people have mentioned 15 year olds and yonger who work on market stalls are doing it unoffically (technically illegally) which is how they are bypassing these laws.

No chance of Tesco or Pets at Home employing anyone until they turn 16. Paper round is probably the best chance of employment until you reach age 16.
Original post by kopite493
this is illegal

you need an natioal insurance number to work which you get 1/2 months before your 16th birthday


Not true. How do you think people have paper rounds?
Original post by kopite493
this is illegal

you need an natioal insurance number to work which you get 1/2 months before your 16th birthday


It's also illegal for me to work more than 8 hours a day, and I work 12 on a saturday (it was 13 hours on christmas eve), and its also illegal to work from before 8am, and I start at 6am till 6pm.

Who gives one? If you want a job you have to accept they may bend the rules if you are under 16.
Original post by Popppppy
Not true. How do you think people have paper rounds?


paper round is cash in hand its technically not a job and the only exception to the above rule
Original post by kopite493
paper round is cash in hand its technically not a job and the only exception to the above rule


If your going to be picky about them 'being illegal' then you are less likely to get a job.
Original post by kopite493
paper round is cash in hand its technically not a job and the only exception to the above rule


If you go to the direct gov website you'll see that from
14 young people can work, with restricted hours, in many jobs, not just paper rounds. I worked in a gift shop at 15. My friends little sister is 14 and does catering work. My boyfriends sister did some filing work at a small law firm from the age of 15.
Reply 14
Pets at home don't employ people unless they're of school leaving age, which is sixteen. A lot of retail places have asked if I am of school leaving age, I don't know if that would have made a difference or if it was just for legal reasons. You're best trying independent places in your local town/village/city, y'know the kind of shops which are privately run. :-)
Reply 15
Original post by Deziah
Pets at home don't employ people unless they're of school leaving age, which is sixteen


School leaving age is not when you reach your 16th birthday. It is actually the last Friday in June of the academic year in which you have your 16th birthday. Therefore, for anybody that has their 16th birthday this year between today and 31st August they will have reached school leaving age yesterday and some will still be 15!

Equally, anybody that has their 16th birthday between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013 will not be of school leaving age until the end of June 2013.

So not as simple as just being 16 unfortunately. DirectGov website is the best place to find all the rules!
Reply 16
Original post by LSD
I agree with local independent stores, that's how I got employed when I was 14 and a half and I'm still working there part time 5 years later.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App


^ i agree with this, i have had the same experience. I started work in an independent store when i was 14 and continue to work there part time 5 years on :smile:
Reply 17
Original post by sprogs
School leaving age is not when you reach your 16th birthday. It is actually the last Friday in June of the academic year in which you have your 16th birthday. Therefore, for anybody that has their 16th birthday this year between today and 31st August they will have reached school leaving age yesterday and some will still be 15!

Equally, anybody that has their 16th birthday between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013 will not be of school leaving age until the end of June 2013.

So not as simple as just being 16 unfortunately. DirectGov website is the best place to find all the rules!


So mine was yesterday then, haha.
I knew it was complicated but didn't know the extent, companies don't really explain it.
Reply 18
Original post by Deziah
So mine was yesterday then, haha.
I knew it was complicated but didn't know the extent, companies don't really explain it.


Hi there,
I was just reading some of the posts that were on this thread.....have none of you who are being negative ever heard of Harry potter!!!!clearly when these guys started they were under the age of 16 and to my knowledge....no laws were broken!. Yes there are laws but quite rightly as some one mentioned under the age of 16 is difficult but not impossible. Let's celebrate a young person actually looking for work and not relying on parents or truely illegal means to support themsleves.
Keep going with hard work and determination you will get something!!!Keep yourself safe and as long as you are happy with the work you are doing who can judge you .
Original post by Serenity Hope Moon
I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, jobs would require you to be 16 or over. That would mainly be because of health and safety reasons, as well as the fact that you're in a set timetable with school, and do not have much days off unlike with colleges and universities.

Why don't you try getting experience by volunteering? I'm pretty sure that it'll give you experience, by the time you're 16.


I agree.
You could try getting a paper round?

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