While you probably spent your summers as a teen taking on minimum wage jobs that didn’t help much when it came to creating that first professional resume, the Internet has provided vast new options for your child that can place him/her ahead of the game when it comes time to search for that first real job. Today, opportunities are available through the Web that do not necessarily require full time dedication or long term commitments, making them perfect teen summer jobs. Not only that, but your teen will have the chance to learn a great deal about selling, writing copy, marketing, design, and entrepreneurship before he/she ever leaves home for college!
Online teen summer job option #1: Ebay selling. Of course, selling on Ebay is not a new idea. However, your teen can turn his/her hobby into a profitable little side business and make far more than his/her friends are going to make at Burger World this summer with this option. Whether it’s surfing gear, baseball cards, coins, jewelry, or clothing, your teen can quickly turn a fun interest into a part time job (or even full time, if he/she prefers). Of course, it does take a bit of know-how to keep from losing money, so have him/her start by selling one item that he/she owns and using the profits to start selling more. Your teen will also need a PayPal account that has a few bucks on it to begin. Keep in mind that you must be at least 18 to use Ebay (largely due to personal information exchanges that must go on) so younger teens will not be able to participate unless it is through your account, and with your close supervision. Close supervision is recommended regardless, but Ebay is known for being a safe and family-friendly selling venue, making it a great option.
Online teen summer job option #2: Myspace networking. While most of us tend to think of Myspace as a place for people to socialize, businesses have quickly found that social networking sites are also excellent venues for professional networking. The problem? It takes time to make friend requests each day and to seek out other individuals who might be potential client material. However, if your profile is not on the friend list of many, many other profile pages, you will be virtually unheard of in Myspace and unable to take advantage of the marketing possibilities it provides. The solution? Your teenager. Your teen can offer services online as a Myspace networking professional and spend his/her days contacting new individuals and groups and making friend requests, and even maintaining their clients’ profiles (clearing unwanted public messages, posting new information, etc). Through this work your teen will learn about networking, advertising, and maintaining a professional image.
Online teen summer job option #3: Logo design. With the thousands of new websites popping up each day in need of branding tools, logo design is a service that is in high demand. As any seasoned webmaster will tell you, finding someone who can create what they have in mind is not easy. However, the younger generation is very skilled in technology and design, and this might be the perfect creative outlet for your teen this summer. Let him/her make a little extra cash by offering his/her freelance services to the many website owners in need of their expertise.
Online teen summer job option #4: Freelance website design. Many teens are already building their own websites, so why not allow yours to use that talent to provide a service? Not only will he/she learn how to treat customers and be able to use his/her talents constructively, but he/she will also be pulling in a tremendous profit once the business is in full swing. Your teen can take on projects as he/she needs to at
Online teen summer job option #5: Blogging. Again, this is an opportunity to make cash from a hobby or special interest, and it can greatly develop your teen’s skills in writing and marketing (two highly specialized skills that are quite valuable in any career field). All he/she has to do is create a simple blog at a professional blogging site with a particular theme (sports, school rivalries, cheerleading, video games, etc) and start pouring out his/her thoughts, reviews on products, and/or up-to-the-minute information on upcoming events. While good grammar and decent writing capabilities are a must, your teen certainly does not have to be an A student in English to blog (try checking out a few blogs already in creation for proof!). He/she does have to be able to regularly develop interesting content, even if it’s brief, and keep advertisements that are relevant to the topic on the blog page for earnings. Next, he/she will learn to market that blog to maximize earnings from those clicking on ads. It won’t make your teen rich, but it will teach him/her how earnings from advertisements are made and bring in a little spending money.
Online teen summer job option #6: Writing content. Articles like the one you are reading right now are most often written by freelance professional who specialize in creating content that will drive visitors to websites. Learning about search engine optimization and how internet marketing works, not to mention how to write well, are key skills that this job will help your teen pick up on. Some sites do require that teens are at least eighteen to receive upfront payments per article, but most will pay everyone a portion of what they bring in from advertising revenue. Check out
Online teen summer job option #7: Virtual assistant. Does your teen have typing and organizational skills? Then he/she can become an assistant to those looking for office help online. Virtual assistants basically do the same work that office clerks or personal assistants do in actual office settings, such as typing, web research, appointment setting, light bookkeeping, and organizational tasks. While some virtual assistant jobs do require much more, there are plenty of opportunities available for the beginner. The skills enhanced through a virtual assistant job are obvious, and can be very useful after graduation. Check out
Online teen summer job option #8: Photography. That’s right, your teen can go out right now and begin snapping pictures and selling them online. How it works is your teen uses a digital camera to create a high resolution picture that can be sold on sites like
Remember, each of these jobs requires the ability to cater to clients and to work quickly, so be sure that your teen understands this. Most of the online jobs listed above also take a bit of initial work to find employers, but so does mowing lawns or babysitting. Monitor your teen’s use of the Internet and his/her information exchanges, give him/her a little pocket money to get started, and let him/her begin enjoying the benefits of creating money for him/herself with skills that will be highly marketable in the offline world.
www.gofreelance.com or www.elance.com and in most cases no personal information is exchanged other than a PayPal email address. www.ehow.com, www.helium.com, and the home page of www.associatedcontent.com. www.virtualassistantjobs.com for more information. www.istockphotography.com for a set price. Usually, these sites give the photo owners the ability to manage the rights sold, meaning that your teen can sell all rights one time or partial rights as much as he/she wants. Be sure to check the regulations and limitations on each site. Your teen can also create his/her own photography site if he/she knows how to protect images from being illegally downloaded. Do be sure to also check on copyright laws and ensure the protection of your child’s work (a fairly simple process). While most creative work is instantly protected by law, you must be able to prove that you are the originator. Other than that, selling photography online is a fun, profitable business with few drawbacks. Your teen will be able to make extra cash while enjoying a hobby that gets him/her outside and away from the computer for a while, too!
