Im 14 and it is hard to find a job. They give teenagers no options. McDonalds? Really? Thats the best you can do. This is the time where kids learn how to be responsible and support themselves. We need money just as bad as adults. They need to give us more options. Not everyone can work at McDonalds.
It's as good a job as any. When you're starting out, unless you've got an excellent C.V., you can't afford to cherry pick what choices you have.
This. And when I was 18, I was working in an office as a receptionist at a logistics company and volunteering at the local animal shelter. So, no - McDonald's isn't the only option. It depends on what kinda skills you have. I'd go through a staffing/temping agency, you have better chances of being picked up by a better employer than, say McDonalds.
Part of learning how to be responsible and support yourself is learning that no one needs to give you more options or anything else for that matter. Life is what you make of it for yourself. Another part of learning how to be responsible and support yourself is learning that someone you have to do a job you do not want to do or think is beneath you. But the good news is that there are always other options. You just have to look hard enough. Talk to your local town parks and rec department (at least as a starting point) and ask if they have any opportunities for you. They may not, but they could very possibly give you other leads to follow up on.
I have to echo what Raos has already said. You create the options yourself, dont expect anyone to give them to you. Choose where you want to work and then present yourself to work there. Itis not upto them to provide you with work. Is it the best you can do? .....Ive been working since I was a very young age and I have never worked in or felt the need to work in McDonalds.
Well, because you are 14 you do have limited options, even though you create you're own options as Bananas and Raos say, there are still jobs that you can't do because of your age, certain laws might restrict you. But when I was 14 I had a paper route until I was 16 and then I got a job as a pot washer in a local restaurant whilst still at school, then when I went to college I worked in a factory in the summer time and have done for the past 3 summers. But to address your issue about working at McDonald's, all I can say is - You are below no job and no job is below you. It doesn't matter where you work, it's money at the end of the day. I used to think like you, working at McDonalds or in factories or what have you would be jobs that I would never do, but when you get older and realise you can't pick and choose the jobs you have, you take anything you can get. It doesn't really matter how sucky the job is, it's always experience to put on your CV and at least future employers can see that you are willing to stick it out with the not so great jobs, motivate yourself and be determined. We all have to start somewhere.
Baring in mind what all above have said. I think it's unfair to say that at 14-16 they should be at the very bottom of every chain. I don't think they should begin high up either, though. I think employers stereotype younger workers based on the majority of people that age. By this, I think it's wrong to say all young people are incapable, or most. I also think it's pretty unfair to say you can't get everything laid on a plate to you. I do agree, yes, but it is so hard searching for a job. You have so many people laid off from work, it seems to be so hard to find a job. On the other hand, people should have a desire to find something and not expect something to be put in front of them. This isn't really a rage or anything, just making my point. The people who already commented are more likely to be older and more experience with work, so no, I'm not flaming anyone. :nod: Of course though, it's based on your qualities as a worker and there is some jobs I do think you can't do because of age/experience, such as the police, fire department or paramedic. Those are just a few. I guess you just have to keep your options open, work hard and achieve your maximum.
I think most employers base their hires on experience, as they should. If I am a hiring manager and I am giving a teen their first job then of course they are going to start at the bottom. If after some time they have proven to me that they should be higher up the chain then they will be promoted, but without any experience to judge them on they need to start somewhere and it is not age I would be using to make that determination, but experience.
