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You wear lots of hats as a parent. You care for your kids by feeding them and changing their diapers when they are little. You heal booboos with a kiss. Closet monsters pop up and need to be fought off. Potty training and teaching them how to read may cause you to have to step up your game.
And then there is the overarching role of guiding your child through life and teaching responsibility and accountability. This one gets a little more challenging as they age. Part of that responsibility is learning how to be a good worker. You can encourage this by giving your child an allowance in exchange for doing chores. As they get into the preteen and teen years, they might want to start earning more as well.
When that time comes, you can help them look for a job. Alternatively, if your kid has an entrepreneurial spirit, they might start to explore ways to provide goods or services. Whichever route appeals most, you can lend them a hand in landing a money-earning gig. Here’s how.
1. Help Them Build a Resume
When your kid is ready to start working, they will need a way to showcase their skills and experience. As adults, you know a resume is needed for the job application process. The same is true for a child seeking their first paid employment, so it’s never too early for them to start. In fact, some organizations, like 4-H, have their youth members create a resume as part of their curriculum.
If they’re not sure how to begin, encourage them to check out an AI resume builder. They can go online, and these builders allow them to add in their information to auto-generate a resume. They might highlight past babysitting gigs, volunteer experience, or school, sports, or club activities — anything that demonstrates their skills and leadership capabilities. Your kiddo can then use this resume to apply for appropriate jobs, confident that they’re putting their best foot forward.
2. Assist Them in Marketing Their Skills
If your child is starting their own business, help them market their skills. If your 10-year-old wants to start a lemonade stand in your yard, provide materials for making the sign. If your 12-year-old wants to shovel drives in the winter, have her make flyers, then share news of her venture on your Facebook feed. You could also walk with your child door-to-door and introduce her to any neighbors she doesn’t already know.
Take a similar approach if your teen wants to start a lawn mowing or landscaping business. Encourage him to name his business and create a business card with his email and phone number. This shows potential customers that his business is legitimate and gives them a way to contact him. He could even make a couple of T-shirts to wear when out and about to market his business. These tactics can help your child gain new customers.
3. Reach Out to Your Network
Networking is important for any job seeker, but it’s a special challenge for young ones. After all, it’s not as though they have years of job experience and former colleagues to draw upon. As the parent, you have a lengthier resume and more connections. Reach out to your network to see who is hiring kids their age. You’d be surprised at the doors this can open for your child.
Someone in your network might need babysitting or dog-walking assistance. You may know someone who owns a fast food restaurant that can hire your child. One of your friends might have kids a little older than yours and can tell you what worked for them. These can all be great starting points. And having a friend or colleague recommend your kid to a hiring manager or act as a reference is huge!
4. Connect Them With a Mentor
Now you might be shocked to hear this, but kids don’t always like listening to their parents. The older your kid gets, the more this seems to be the case. Your child is ready to venture out into the world and try new things — what do their parents know? If this scenario rings true in your household, find your child a mentor. This could also be helpful if they are interested in things outside your knowledge base.
Finding a trusted adult as a mentor in this area can be a huge benefit. Your child will have someone to guide them through the job-seeking process and possibly model a career path for them. It can be hard as a parent to let go in this regard, but think of it like other areas of their life. You trust teachers for math and doctors for medicine. Trust a mentor to give your child career advice.
Welcome to the Working Week
Helping your child navigate life is a challenging and sometimes scary feat. You have to allow a piece of your heart to go out into the world and get bumped around. This is no less true in the world of work than in any other aspect of their life. Setting your kid up for success and creating a support system at home are things you can do to make it easier.
Searching for a job is something that is hard for many adults. Helping your kids find their first couple of jobs can provide an enormous confidence boost. Take care to offer an assist but not do the whole thing, though. Allow your child the dignity of dealing directly with their bosses and clients and let them learn to handle conflict. The experience they gain while they still have you as a safety net will enable them to soar.
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