Those looking to hire teenagers look for qualities like positive attitude and willingness to learn. An employer should be aware of the rules and regulations related to hiring people from this age group. Complying with federal laws and regulations, and providing a safe environment to work, is necessary.
Willingness to Learn
Lack of experience should not be a hurdle in the way to success, if a teenager shows willingness to learn. An employee who learns constantly is an asset for the company. Employers look for energetic and enthusiastic individuals who are always willing to learn new things.
Generally, employers hire teenagers for the inexpensive services that they offer. Employers know that they cannot expect the same quality of output from teenagers as compared to experienced staff members.
Although the services offered by teenagers is inexpensive, employers usually find them unreliable. However, on the flip side, all the energy and enthusiasm that teenagers bring to a workplace can be of great advantage for the business.
Qualities to Look for When Hiring Teenagers
There are both advantages and cons of hiring a teenager for a job. Therefore, it is necessary to take few important things into account before you hire one. Here is a list of the qualities an employer would look for when hiring someone who is in their teens.
Professionally Dressed and Well-groomed
A professionally dressed applicant is more likely to get a job.
The first good impression one can create on an employer is by dressing well. A well-groomed and professionally dressed person creates an impression that he/she is serious about the job, and wants to excel in the work that awaits.
Energetic Nature
A teenager is generally enthusiastic about the job he/she is doing. It is one of the qualities that employers look for when hiring a teenager.
An employer would like to hire a candidate with good communication skills too. A job seeker should therefore be capable of putting forth and elaborating accomplishments in college, both academic and extra-curricular.
Positive Attitude and Confidence
An employee with a positive attitude is considered a big asset for a company. Such employees are eager to take up responsibilities and fulfill them to the best of their ability.
Confidence is another trait an employer would look for when hiring. One of the best ways to test a person’s confidence is to see whether he looks into your eyes while speaking.
Reliability and Trustworthiness
Employers look for people whom they can rely upon. It is one of the most important traits a job seeker should develop.
Although employers do not tend to rely much on teenage employees, it would be heartening for them to find a teenage employee exhibiting dependability and commitment. Trust is one thing which develops over time. However, if you prove that you are a trustworthy employee who performs his/her duties sincerely, the employer would really appreciate it.
Punctuality
An employee is assigned certain duties and responsibilities by an employer. The employer expects employees to work for certain hours to fulfill those responsibilities.
An employee who is punctual is most likely to fulfill all job responsibilities. Therefore, punctuality is one of the important traits an employer looks for when hiring.
Courteous Nature
A well-mannered employee creates a good impression about the company in the mind of a client.
An employer would want his company to be represented by well-mannered and courteous staff members. Therefore, a person seeking a job should speak and act politely at all times.
Familiarity
An employer who has hired a teenager for a summer job the previous year, would re-hire him/her for the current year as well. It is because the employer knows that person better.
The employee would find it easy to adjust to the work environment due to his familiarity with things. This is a win-win situation, from which both the employer and employee can benefit.
Rules and Regulations
You also need to know about the rules and regulations to be followed when hiring a minor.
As an employer, you need to obtain a Minor Work Permit endorsement. To do so, you’ll have to visit the Labor & Industries Office to complete the formalities. The Department of Labor websites allow these formalities to be done online too.
Minors below the age of 16 years cannot work for more than 8 hours a day. They cannot work in hazardous jobs. The rules and regulations for the entertainment industry are different from the ones which apply to other industries. Therefore, an employer should take into account all these factors before hiring a teenager.
Hiring a teenager should turn into a good experience, provided you are capable of leveraging their strengths for the benefit of the company. The lack of experience in teenagers should not prove to be a hurdle, if the employer is ready to guide them well, and make the most of their enthusiasm, abilities, and talent.