16 can be a really frustrating age, because you’re so close to being an actual adult--18--but still have a bunch of limits on what you can and cannot do since, well, you’re only 16. In a lot of states, 16 year-olds can drive a car alone, making things like looking for work a lot easier. But in other places, you might find that larger companies will only hire 18 year olds, and that while you definitely see more jobs for 16 year olds than those who are 13-15, that the options still aren’t as ideal as they could be.
The good news is that at 16, you are just starting out your career, and you can get some seriously valuable experience if you know what kind of jobs to take. In fact, if you are the sort of person who has already proven quite talented at something, don’t put that on hold to start working in an office or restaurant. Try to think of a way to make that talent work for yourself in a setting where you get paid for it.
Granted, some talents pay better than others. When it comes to jobs for 16 year olds that are independent, the people who seem to have the best luck are designers and those who are good at technology. As far as designers go, this is more along the line of making clothing or jewelry. Since anyone can open up a shop online, have an EBay auction, or ask a friend to make a website, it is definitely possible that you can make more than enough extra money through something creative that you already like to do.
Likewise, with technology, jobs for 16 year olds have never been easier. If you enjoy writing, a number of different companies offer the chance to compose things like search engine optimized content for their clients, meaning that you can write a few different 500-world articles a week and get paid for it. If you are good at writing and want something that is less service-oriented, this kind of freelancing writing work can be a great way to start out.
If you have a particular skill you want to learn, then there are also a lot of unconventional jobs for 16 year olds that focus more on training and less on pay, but pay off big in the long run. Consider asking someone to apprentice, meaning that you would help them out at their work in exchange for the skills. This is a great way to learn something more complicated, like woodworking, basket weaving, or even gourmet cooking. And then you can take those skills and really apply them later.
For a job that really involves technology, think computers. If you know a little bit of CSS and HTML and can do some programming, you can start your own web design company and see how it goes. If you’re a bit better at programming, try your hand at creating an iPhone app. And if you are looking for jobs for 16 year olds that require less general programming, there’s always the possibility of simply advertising yourself as a tech guru in the community and helping people with tasks like learning to set up their scanners, helping them troubleshoot computer problems, and simply installing and upgrading software. And all of that definitely pays more than working at a drive-thru or in an office.
Jobs For 13 Year Olds
Jobs For 14 Year Olds
Jobs For 15 Year Olds
First Summer Jobs For Teens
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