Finding a part-time job for teenagers

By Delaney Rombough

Posted on January 31, 2022

Lots of teenagers in Canada have a part-time job where they work after school, on the weekends, or in the summers. Part-time jobs are a great way for teenagers to start making their own money, gain independence, and learn about responsibility.

Where to find a job

There are many sources where teenagers can find part-time work such as Indeed.ca, Canada Youth Works, Charity Village, and Workopolis. If you know what company you’d like to work for, you can also check out the careers page of the company’s website and apply online, or print out a copy of your resume and take it directly to the business. It should be noted that some companies don’t accept paper résumés and may ask you to apply online.

Here are some of the most common places where teenagers find work.

Fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s or A&W

Responsibilities: Preparing food and drinks, taking orders at the drive-thru, processing cash and card transactions, assembling orders, or cleaning the store.

Grocery stores such as Sobeys, Loblaws, Food Basics, or Longo’s

Responsibilities: Stocking shelves, being a cashier and handling cash and card payments, bagging groceries, keeping the store clean, and assisting customers.

Movie theatres

Responsibilities: Scanning tickets, cleaning the theatres after showings, preparing food and drinks, selling tickets and snacks, and handling cash and card transactions.

Retail stores

Responsibilities: Organizing inventory, stocking shelves, preparing online orders for delivery, assisting customers to find items, being a cashier and processing cash and card transactions, including purchases and returns, and keeping the store clean and organized.

Lifeguard at a local pool

Responsibilities: Teaching swimming lessons, supervising public swims, ensuring all pool rules are followed and that everyone is safe, or performing CPR or first aid when necessary.

Additional qualifications and certifications are required to be a lifeguard.

Summer camps

Responsibilities: Supervising children ages 4 to 12, planning age-appropriate activities, cleaning up at the end of the day, using appropriate behaviour management techniques, ensuring the safety of all campers.

Additional certifications such as first aid and CPR may be required.

Summer camps only run during July and August.

Canada Summer Jobs program

Jobs offered through the Canada Summer Jobs program are also great options for youth. This program is an initiative by the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to help young Canadians develop skills and gain paid work experience. Young people ages 15 to 30 are welcome to participate. The program provides opportunities for young people to find work at non-profit organizations, the public sector, and private sector companies with fewer than 50 employees. These positions are usually contracts for eight to 12 weeks.

For more information about employment resources, check out this article.