Teens looking for advice on how to find a summer job may already have missed out on employers’ top guidance: Get started while summer is still far off. Fairfax County hires hundreds of teens, from 550 camp counselors to 120 lifeguards. Nearly all of them, however, were hired months ago, said county spokespersons.
At Woody’s Golf in Herndon, owner Woody FitzHugh said they hire in February for summer positions so that new employees have enough time to train.
“Like anything, it’s the early bird who gets the worm,” he said. “And we get the people who really want to work here, instead of someone looking for any old job.”
All may not be lost, however, if teens can practice a few other tricks to earn them points during interviews.
Be a people person. “Come in with a big smiley face, all that stuff,” said Alex Dencker, manager of Behnke’s Nurseries in Potomac.
Pick a place you like. “Because otherwise, it’s miserable eight hours at a time,” he said.
Pick something you’re interested in. “That absolutely helps,” Dencker said. “If you can say, ‘Gee whiz, I’ve done this with my mom for years in our front flower bed,’ that means something.”
Take a class to edge out other applicants. Alexis Hopkins, 13, is too young for a real job, but plans to take a child-care certification course this summer through the Red Cross.
“I hope it’ll help me look better when I look for jobs,” said the Montgomery County teen shopping in Friendship Heights. “And people will feel better about me watching their kids.”
