If you have searched for jobs for teens near you and found mostly national job boards full of roles for over-18s, you are not alone. Most paid work for 13 to 16 year olds is never advertised on job sites at all. It comes from people within a few streets of you, which means finding it is about knowing where to look.
Why job sites rarely work under 16
National job boards are built for employers hiring adults, and most large companies will not take anyone under 16. The jobs that suit younger teens, such as washing a car, walking a dog or helping in a garden, are small, local and one-off, so nobody pays to advertise them on a job board.
7 ways to find local paid work
- Ask the people you already know. Neighbours, family friends and friends' parents are your first customers, and one good job usually leads to another on the same street.
- Tell your parents what you are offering. They will need to know anyway, and they often hear about people who need help before you do.
- Use a local jobs app built for teens. KidsHustle shows paid jobs posted by ID-verified adults near you, with your parent approving each one, so you can see who needs help without knocking on doors.
- Ask local shops in person. Independent shops, cafés, garden centres and stables are the businesses most likely to take on 14 and 15 year olds, and they respond better to someone polite at the counter than to an email.
- Check community noticeboards. Libraries, community centres and some supermarkets have boards where people ask for help locally.
- Use local groups carefully. Neighbourhood groups online can work, but always let a parent handle the messages, never share your address publicly, and avoid anyone you cannot verify.
- Look at clubs you already belong to. Sports clubs, holiday clubs and youth groups sometimes pay older teens to help with younger children.
Flyers and door-knocking: do they still work?
Flyers through doors can work on your own street, especially for car washing and garden jobs, but they take a lot of effort for a small number of replies. Door-knocking on strangers' houses is not a good idea on your own. Stick to people you or your family know, and let jobs come to you through recommendations and apps where adults are verified.
What local jobs can you do?
- Car washing and simple interior hoovering
- Dog walking and pet sitting
- Gardening, weeding, sweeping and leaf clearing
- Tech help for older neighbours
- Tutoring younger children
- Helping with clear-outs and moving boxes
- Christmas wrapping and decorating
For ideas by age, see making money at 13, jobs for 14 year olds and jobs for 15 year olds.
Before you say yes to any job
- Make sure a parent or carer knows who the job is for and where it is.
- Agree the task, time and price in writing before you start.
- Keep to the legal hours for your age, which are set out in the UK rules on working under 18.
- Never pay anything upfront to get a job.
See jobs near you now
Download KidsHustle to see paid jobs on a map around you. Every job comes from an ID-verified adult, your parent approves it before you apply, and payment is set aside before you start.