Great Summer Job Ideas for Teens

Innovative Ideas for Teen Jobs

School is nearly out and your teen will have a lot more time starting this month. With all the stimulation that school and sports bring, summer can really lag for teens with their energy and minds not being used as much. Yes, they have more time to see friends, which is good, but the time is also ripe to learn new skills and earn some good money over the summer. Also, keep in mind that summer jobs and also internships look really good on college applications because they show extra skills and initiative!

Most teens earn minimum wage, but some jobs pay higher wages, and if your teen has an entrepreneurial bent and wants to start their own company, they could make some very good money over the summer. So at minimum wage, your teen could earn between $2,000-$5,000 this summer, depending on the type of job and whether they are working part-time or full-time. Also if your teen starts their own company during the summer and is going to college locally they could shift from working full0time on their company to part-time and have a continuing income stream.

Starting a Company, Freelance, or a Job?

Teens have a lot of choices these days when it comes to employment that wasn’t possible when we were teens, hence the internet and e-commerce sites. Many of the jobs we will list are freelance but could turn into a company if your teen is very successful and needs to bring on friends to help with the company as employees. Also, the internet makes finding freelance opportunities so much easier these days and opens up possibilities.

So as we go through our list we will note whether these are employment opportunities, freelance situations, or an opportunity to start their own company or take a freelance situation and grown it into a company. We will also add when a vehicle will be needed to perform the work.

1. Dump Runs, Donation Drop-Offs, Yard Sale Organizer

If your teen has a truck, making dump runs for neighbors when they are getting rid of lots of stuff is very helpful. Also, many times families don’t have the time to take items to donation sites and this can be a way to help out and make money. Many times families have perfectly usable items but not the time to price and organize them for a yard sale, so organizing and staffing a yard sale is a great service to offer and doesn’t require a vehicle unless they want the unsold items to be taken to ta donation site.

2. Clothing or Book Reselling

Consignment stores or a great way to make a little extra cash by either selling clothing or books to a used book store. Going to local flea markets and finding brand-name clothing in great shape at very low prices and then selling to a consignment store is a great way to make some extra cash. Also, you could always set up an eBay store to sell used clothing, books, and more. In well-to-do areas, it’s amazing what you find at the local donation stores that you can turn around and make some serious money on because someone didn’t want to keep a Burberry coat any longer. A friend recently found a Steuben china piece at a flea market that they bought for $10 that was valued at over $2000. So with some footwork, research, and luck, this is a summer project that can generate some extra cash.

3. Retail & Food Service Jobs

Usually retail and food service jobs pay minimum wage, but they are also usually flexible on hours which is great for a teen during the summer. Also, with food service jobs, working the counter at Starbucks, or other foodservice jobs, usually tips are one of the perks. If your teen has the opportunity to be wait tables at a higher-end restaurant, especially if you live in a tourist destination area, they can make some great money just from tips over the summer.

4. Construction Work

Some construction jobs only hire people over 18, but some states and jobs allow teens to work that over 16. Construction laborers and helpers usually can make between $15-$18 an hour depending on the area. This is also a great way to pick up some new skills and start learning a trade. There’s a lot of money in construction once you are a journeyman or have your own company.

5. Lifeguard or Swim Instruction

You need to have CPR training and lifeguard stringing, but if you love kids and water this is a great summertime job for teens. Also, many community pools and country clubs offer swim lessons, and becoming an assistant swim instructor is a fun summertime job.

6. Lawn & Landscape Maintenance

Mowing grass, fertilizing, pulling weeds, climbing trees, cutting firewood, pruning, pond cleaning, and you can always offer to build raised beds and planting a vegetable garden for a family. All of these tasks can be a one-time opportunity or weekly or monthly gigs. If you are doing simple tree removal sometimes the homeowner doesn’t want the wood and you can sell firewood on the side as campfire wood, beach firewood, or wood for heating homes during the winter. A cord of good wood depending on where you live can bring in some good money.

7. Tutoring

Depending on your educational or computer strengths, tutoring can be a lucrative summertime job. You can find tutoring opportunities in nearly any subject, from math to Spanish, to chemistry to computer skills and coding. If you have a musical talent you can always offer music lessons from piano to guitar and so much more. Music lessons can work around your summer schedule and still allow you a lot of free time while making some good money.

8. Freelance Writing & Coding

If you are good at writing there are some great opportunities online to use your writing skills freelance. Also, if computer coding is what you love there are so many sites you can register at to offer your coding skills. If you want to keep your computer skills local consider helping older adults with computer clean up and learning their way around different computer programs.

9. Dog Walker, Pet & House Sitting

Dog walking and pet sitting is a lucrative business. You can easily make between $10-$16 an hour and more in some areas. Dog walkers in our area get $25 for an hour pack walk and that can include up to 3-6 dogs walking together, just do the math! Many people when they travel don’t want to kennel their pets and would prefer to have them stay at home, so offering pet sitting and house sitting can provide a low-stress summer job if you enjoy animals. Many pet sitters earn between $30-$50 a day for each animal and many times more in well-to-do areas pet sitting can go for $200-$300 for a weekend.

10. Babysitter or Summer Nanny

Since many schools don’t go year-round but parents’ jobs do, helping as a summer nanny to a family is a great job. You can offer just babysitting for special occasions or when adults go out for the evening or come on as a full-time summertime nanny, many choices are available. many of my friends growing up were summertime nannies and even got to go on vacation with families to help with the children, so they not only got paid but they got paid to travel and have some fun!

So, have your teen take a look at their skillsets and what they enjoy doing and help them put together a plan for summertime employment whether it’s a job, gig work, or starting their own company. It’s a great way to learn new skills, make valuable connections, and earn some good money over the summer. We have only scratched the surface in summertime job ideas, let your teen’s imagination and skillset lead the way to a good job opportunity or starting their own company this summer.