kids-in-biz.com

If you have questions about what kind of job you can have as a teenager, or the hours you are legally permitted to work, check out Youth Rules!

Other online resources to help you find a summer job:

Riley Guide

SnagAJob

Teens4Hire

School is out for many and teens are scrambling to find summer jobs. It’s nothing new. Unfortunately, many of the coveted camp jobs and seasonal positions have long been filled. Don’t despair! Why start your own business? When you work for yourself, you control your hours. You can work as many hours as you can handle during summer months, and pare them down to little or none during the school year.

Looking for ideas? Check out our Kids’ Business Ideas eBook for 83 ways for kids to make money!  This guide is packed with loads of ideas to get your juices flowing.  It will inspire you to look at skills you already have and encourage you to offer your services to earn some cash!

Last July, my daughter (then 13) told me she wanted a Wii.

“What’s a we?” I asked.

“A Wii, Mom. W..I..I,” she spelled out. “It’s like an X-Box or Playstation.”

“I don’t want you sitting in front of the TV all day. That’s why we don’t have those things,” I said. “How much is it?”

“I need about $300,” she said. “But I really want one. And it’s not like regular video games. You get exercise by bowling and playing baseball.”

“You have your own business,” I told her. “You can earn as much as you want.”

“I don’t want to wait that long,” she begged.

“Well, then find other work. Babysit or something.”

“You mean if I get the money, I can buy a Wii?” she asked.

“Sure. If you earn the money, you can buy it.”

Ten days later, after two pet-sitting jobs and a week of babysitting, she came to me with a wad of cash. “I have the money. Can I get a Wii?” she asked, tenatively.

“Of course you can. Would you like me to drive you to the store now?”

“You will? Really? REALLY? You really will?”

“You earned it. Great job! Congratulations.”

Well, of course that’s not true. But a Kindergartener can surely be involved in internet marketing. I just got off the phone Christina Lemmey from MultimediaVA. She told me that her six-year old daughter wanted her own website just like Mom! At first, Christina didn’t pay that much attention to her daugher’s request, but after repeated begging, she decided to give in.

“I decided to build a Squidoo lens with her. It’s easy. It’s free. And it’s fun for kids, too,” Christina explained. It wasn’t hard to come up with a topic for this Hannah Montana fan! Gifts For Girls was an easy topic for this mother-daughter team! “All you have to do is look in her room!” she laughed.

Since Kindergarten typing, writing, and computer skills are limited, Christina set up the lens. She let her daughter pick and choose the products to feature from Amazon and eBay. She focused on her two favorite things – Hannah Montana and American Girl. Earning money wasn’t the main concern for this lens, her mom explained. She wanted to respect her daughter’s desire to have her own site and toss in a taste of learning about business at the same time.

“How will people know about my site, Mom?” she asked.

Out of the mouths of babes…

(Check out her lens at Gifts for Girls and feel free to leave an encouraging comment so that she knows that she’s had visitors! Who knows, maybe you might even need a gift idea!)

If your child has or is considering an online business, understanding internet safety should be at the top of your to-do list. Kids are savvy, but often naive. ConnectSafely.org is an excellent resource to learn and remind you how to keep your child safe. The site is easy-to-use and navigate and gives some great tips on talking to your kids about online behavior. See their Teen’s Guide to Safe Blogging.

Other Tips and Advice include:

• Social-Web Tips for Teens
• Social Web Tips for Parents
• Cell-phone Safety Tips
• Top 10 Safety Tips for Video-Sharing
• Chat Room Safety Tips
• What Parents Can Do About Online Safety

Please do your homework and stay safe!

Are you think of pet sitting as a business? Here’s a sample flyer. We recommend that you have an adult available to support you in your pet sitting business. Mom or Dad can be a great help plus give your potential clients extra confidence that you will do a good job for them!

Is this fantastic or what?

Champlain College in Vermont actually allows you to bring the business to college with you! So if you are a young entrepreneur, you don’t have to choose between going to college and growing your business. At Champlain, students learn from successful entrepreneurs and other experts about the strategic, financial, legal, technical, operational and managerial matters you’ll need to know.

In addition to a network of entrepreneurial mentors, they even can put you in touch with angel investors and venture capitalists who can help you learn the ropes.

Janey Hair is one great example of the kind of student Champlain has enrolled. Janey founded Rosey Pink Cosmetics when she was fifteen. She handles many aspects of her business while still attending classes and living the life of a typical college freshman.

Other students have businesses selling t-shirts and sweatshirts with original designs, ice cream sales, urban style hoodies, ipod accessories, auctions, and web design. Even if you aren’t quite ready for college, check out this inspiring program! Champlain College just might be the place for you or your business savvy kid!

Looking for teen jobs? Maybe summer work? Or after school?

The good news is that there’s a strong demand for teenagers who want to work hard. And good money to be made. But you’re not going to get it just by wishful thinking. In fact, you have to be prepared to work for it.

However, if you go about your teen jobs search the right way, you can dramatically move the odds in your favor by following some simple guidelines.

1. Look at many options. Don’t limit yourself to one particular job or one special employer. Go around to several businesses in your area and pick up employment applications. While you’re there, look around. Get a feel for the operation. Is it a place where you could feel comfortable working? What would your fellow workers be like?

2. Do some basic intelligence gathering. Get some information about the organization and what they’re looking for in a successful employee. Probably your best source of intelligence is to ask people who are currently working there.

3. Fill out all the applications correctly and neatly. Remember, this is the first exposure you’ll have to an employer. So you want it to be one that makes you look good. Speaking of looking good, dress neatly when you return the application. Ask to speak to the manager so he/she can put a live face to the written application. Being memorable helps a lot.

4. You pick the one that’s right for you. Not all applications will be accepted. But if you’ve approached several businesses, the chances are you’ll net two or three invitations to come in for an interview. It’s there that an employer will make a hiring decision about you. And when you’re picked, that’s the time to decide which opportunity is the best one for you. There’s nothing like having options!

5. Look and act like a pro! You get one shot at making an impression on an employer. When you meet face-to-face it’s make or break time. So dress neatly. Look the employer directly in the eyes with a smile. Have a firm handshake. Answer questions enthusiastically. And be sure to say that you’re honest, hard working and have a habit of showing up on time.

Look. Teen jobs are readily available these days. But only to those who can give the employer the reassurance that you will fit in as a productive member of the team. Only you can communicate that. Don’t presume that an employer will figure it out. You need to be assertive in promoting yourself.

For teen jobs, employers are looking for someone who’s trustworthy, on time, has reloiable transportation, a team player and eager to learn. Present yourself that way and you practically guarantee yourself a good job! Author Resource:- Paul Bowley manages EEI, the world-class pioneer in alternative job search techniques and innovative e-business strategies . . . since 1985. Check out THE WORLD’S FASTEST JOB SEARCH PLAN! And grab our stunning FREE REPORT! http://www.fastest-job-search.com

Anthony was 10 years old last year and when his mom asked him if he’d like to run a lemonade stand to help raise money for Alzheimer’s, he jumped at the chance. It took a few weeks or more to get everything together. His mom Dawn made arrangements with the local Farmer’s Market to allow them to set up his lemonade stand (courtesy of Sunkist) and after 3 weekends of that, they’d raised $400. Anthony did all the customer service – mom says she just helped and made sure he was polite It was a fabulous experience and he can’t wait to do it again!

After they sent the check in, they were contacted by a woman from Alzheimer’s and when she realized that it was a kid who’d raised the money, she got so very excited! She has offered to help us with them with their efforts this year, sending banners, brochures, etc. to help spread awareness – so this year looks to be even more fun and hopefully, will result in more money raised for a fabulous cause

Awesome job, Anthony!

In business, you will hear the term “niche” over and over again. Finding a niche, or your own little corner of the business world can be really difficult…but for some savvy people, opportunities that are too good to pass up present themselves. Make sure you keep your eyes and ears open while you search for your perfect business.

Many successful business owners will tell you that their business is a labor of love. They had a passion for something and turned their experiences, their knowledge into a money-making adventure. Providing a service or product that people truly want and need is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.

Seventeen-year old Kimberly Rose did just that when she started Safesittings.com – a website devoted to connecting families of diabetic children with babysitters who have first-hand experience. She got the brainstorm when she overheard a couple complain that they could never go out because they didn’t have a babysitter they could trust to monitor and test their daughter’s blood sugar, and inject insulin if needed. A diabetic herself, Kimberly realized that she could help! She founded her business in order to help form a network of families and babysitters in the same situation. Congrats to Kimberly for her brilliant idea – and forming a service that is so desperately needed.

Do you have a niche? Is there something you know more about than most people your age do?