Hi,
The minimum age to work at a regular job in the USA is 14, unless the state/local laws have a stricter limit. **
** I'm not sure if there are any local laws in your area that are more protective. The national statute reads that the more protective law applies.
http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/states.htm This link takes you to the individual state department of labor sites.
If you are 14 or 15, your parents have to go to your school and get you a work permit. Make copies and attach them to your applications that you fill out.
There are limits on how much time a company can allow a child to work: 3 hours/day on a school day with a maximum of 18 hours a week, during the times of 7am-7pm during school year (The day after Labor Day to May 31st). On a non-school day they can work up to 8 hours a day. On a non-school week they can work up to 40 hours a week.
And during the summer (June 1 - Labor Day)* they can work up to 8 hours per day, and up to 40 hours per week, from 7 am - 9 pm.
They can use basic office machinery, but no dangerous activity, no heavy trades work, no power driven machinery or saws, no involvement with alcoholic beverages.
Also, if you are just considering a summer job, start looking for that summer job in February, by the time summer comes along, most of the summer jobs have already been filled.
I found a list of 50 common interview questions, too. You will find that you will hear many of them of in an interview.
http://bhuvans.wordpress.com/2006/08/19/50-common-interview-qa/ I also found a link to a site called teens4hire.com that a list of places where teenagers can get jobs. It has a lot places that I wouldn't have thought of. I don't want to plagiarize their list, so I will just copy it and post the link at the bottom.
The list from teens4hire.org has is this:
How's a teen to know who might hire them? "Ask!," says Renée Ward, founder/executive director of Teens4Hire.org. "Go into an establishment and look for a sign that says they are hiring, or ask to speak directly with the hiring manager."
Places that routinely hire teens include;
* Fast food and restaurant establishments
* Amusement/theme/entertainment parks
* Grocery stores
* Hardware and building supply stores
* Hotels and resorts
* Golf courses
* Gas and service stations
* Clothing and accessory stores
* Movie theaters
* Park and recreational facilities
* Day and summer camps
* Childcare providers
* Museums
* Construction companies
* Health care facilities
(You could also work as a paper delivery person, even though it's not mentioned)
"Teens should make sure they dress for business," says Ward. "While nose and tongue rings might be cool among your friends, most employers still frown upon them in the workplace. And, be prepared. Have a profile or resume of your work, education and extracurricular activities handy to fill out an application. Complete the application neatly and spell words correctly. Employers want to see this type of attention to detail."
Other tips from Teens4Hire.org include handling an interview.
Always shake hands firmly with the interviewer. Smile, and make eye contact. Be positive and take your time answering questions. Answer in full sentences and talk about what you bring to the job. Brag about yourself and back it up with proof.
Ward offers this final advice, "At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for the opportunity. Ask when you will be notified if you get the job. Write a thank you note to the interviewer. Follow up with the interviewer if you don't hear back within a week. If at first you don't succeed, brush it off. Remain positive and move on to the next possibility."
http://www.teens4hire.org/hiddenjobs.asp Very good sites, I just don't have room to post all the info.
*
http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/hours.htmhttp://www.youthrules.dol.gov/jobs.htmhttp://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/026.htmhttp://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/youthlabor/agerequirements.htm