Teen Jobs Near Me: 2025 Guide for 14, 15 & 16 Year Olds

You’re 15, you want a summer job, and nearly every listing seems to say “must be 16 or over.” It’s a familiar wall for teens in Ireland and the U.S., but there are real opportunities if you know the rules and where to search. This guide maps the legal age limits, the best first jobs for 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds, and the practical steps to land one — even without experience.

U.S. federal minimum wage for 16–17 year olds (May 2025): $4.25 per hour · Number of jobs for 16 year olds in Dublin on Indeed: 1,353 · Irish hourly minimum wage (over 20s, 2025): €12.70 · Percentage of Irish 15–19 year olds in part-time work (2024): 22%

The table below summarises the core legal thresholds and typical wages for teen workers in both Ireland and the U.S.

The pattern is clear: Ireland allows more at 16, while the U.S. opens the door a couple of years earlier for light work.

What is the best job to work as a teenager?

Retail and customer service roles

• Retail sales associate – typically available from age 16 with no experience required (Superprof Ireland).
• Offers flexible hours and builds communication and cash-handling skills.
• Many Irish retailers like SuperValu and Dunnes Stores regularly hire teens for part-time weekend or evening shifts.

Food service and hospitality

• Barista or café assistant – available from 16 with no experience (Superprof Ireland).
• Waiter/waitress – same age requirement; tips can boost income quickly.
• Hospitality provides teamwork experience and customer-facing confidence.

Babysitting and tutoring

• Babysitting is safe, flexible, and teaches responsibility – ideal for 14+.
• Tutoring younger students in subjects you excel in is another low-barrier option.
• Both can be arranged through family networks or local community boards without formal permits.

What jobs can 16 year olds get in Ireland?

At 16, Irish law opens the door to a wide range of part-time roles, provided you have a work permit and parental consent. Here are the most common sectors hiring.

Part-time roles at major retailers

• Superprof Ireland lists retail sales associate as a typical job from 16 with no experience required (Superprof Ireland).
• Tesco and SuperValu have historically hired 16-year-olds for checkout and stock roles.
• Jobs.ie currently lists over 164 part-time jobs in Dublin for teens (Jobs.ie).

Hospitality and fast food positions

• Barista, waiter/waitress, and event staff roles are all open to 16-year-olds (Superprof Ireland).
• Many Dublin coffee shops and restaurants hire teens for weekend or evening shifts.
• Summer camp helper is another popular option (Crosscare Youth Information).

Office and administrative support

• Some teen find work as office assistants, filing or data entry, through family connections or local agencies.
• Social media or digital assistant roles are growing and often screen for skills rather than experience (Superprof Ireland).

The implication: waiting until June often means the best positions are already filled.

What jobs can you get at 14 in Ireland?

The legal framework for 14-year-olds is more restrictive, but there are still options under the Protection of Young Persons Act 1996.

Light work and family businesses

• 14-year-olds can do light work such as farm work, shop assistant duties, or babysitting with a employer permit from the local authority (Irish Department of Enterprise).
• Supervised agricultural or retail tasks are allowed during school holidays.

Newspaper delivery and babysitting

• Paper rounds are a classic first job for 14-year-olds, though less common today.
• Babysitting remains one of the easiest ways to earn at 14 without formal paperwork.

Supervised retail tasks

• Some smaller shops will take on 14-year-olds for bagging or shelf-stocking under direct supervision.
• These roles teach basic workplace norms and money handling.

The catch: the law limits hours to 8 per week during school term and 35 per week during holidays, and never before 6am or after 9pm.

Why is Gen Z struggling to get jobs?

Lack of experience compared to older generations

• Employers often prioritise candidates with prior part-time or volunteer experience, leaving first-time teen applicants at a disadvantage (Crosscare Youth Information).
• Gen Z entered the labour market during or just after the pandemic, disrupting typical summer-job pipelines.

Competitive market with high entry barriers

• Entry-level roles that used to welcome teens now attract older workers seeking flexible hours.
• Online application systems and automated CV screening can filter out applicants without previous work history.

Skills gap in digital and soft skills

• While Gen Z is digitally native, employers report gaps in soft skills like punctuality, professional communication, and teamwork.
• Initiatives like Ireland’s Youth Guarantee Scheme aim to bridge this gap through training and work placements (European Commission).

The pattern: employers expect workplace readiness that teens simply haven’t had the chance to develop.

What job is perfect for a 14-year-old?

Babysitting and pet sitting

• Safe, flexible, and responsibility-building. Parents in your neighbourhood are often looking for reliable help.
• No permit needed as long as it’s non-regular, occasional work.

Retail support roles

• Bagging groceries, shelf-stocking, or helping in a family shop — all common and age-appropriate.
• Requires a work permit from the local authority (Irish Department of Enterprise).

Online freelancing for teens

• Surveys, content creation, or social media management for small businesses.
• Age restrictions apply on many platforms, so parental supervision is key.

For most 14-year-olds, the simplest path is a mix of babysitting and a permit-supervised retail role during school holidays.

Do Tesco hire 16 year olds in Ireland?

Tesco Ireland’s policy on teen employment

• Tesco Ireland has previously hired 16-year-olds for part-time roles such as checkout assistant and stock clerk (Superprof Ireland).
• Exact current numbers are not publicly disclosed, but job listings on Indeed show available positions.

Roles available for 16 year olds

• Typical roles include customer assistant, shelf filler, and e-commerce picker.
• Applicants must supply a valid work permit and parental consent.

Application process for minors

• Apply through Tesco’s careers portal or in-store with a CV.
• Prepare a simple but tailored CV — Crosscare Youth Information advises adapting it to each job (Crosscare Youth Information).

How to find a teen job near me: a step-by-step guide

1. Check your legal eligibility. In Ireland, you need to be 14+ for light work with a permit, 16+ for most jobs. In the U.S., 14 is the minimum for non-agricultural work (U.S. Department of Labor).
2. Get the right documents. For Irish teens: a work permit from your local authority if under 16, and a parental consent letter. For U.S. teens: a work permit and a signed parent/guardian form.
3. Prepare a simple CV. Include school, any volunteer work, hobbies that show reliability. Crosscare Youth Information recommends a short cover letter tailored to each job (Crosscare Youth Information).
4. Search on Indeed and local job boards. Use filters: part-time, “no experience necessary”, and a radius of 10 km (Crosscare Youth Information). Over 1,300 jobs for 16-year-olds are currently listed in Dublin on Indeed.
5. Apply in person where possible. Drop a CV to local coffee shops, restaurants, and retailers. Many small businesses prefer meeting you face-to-face.
6. Follow up. Send a short email or phone call a week after applying to show you’re keen.

Teen job market timeline (2019–2025)

What we know vs. what’s uncertain

Confirmed facts

• 16-year-olds in Ireland can work in many sectors with a work permit (Superprof Ireland).
• 14-year-olds in Ireland can only do light work subject to a permit (Irish Department of Enterprise).
• Gen Z struggles more than previous generations with entry-level employment (Pew Research Center).

What’s unclear

• Exact number of 16-year-olds hired by Tesco Ireland in 2025 is not publicly disclosed.
• Impact of new minimum wage laws on teen hiring rates is yet to be fully measured.
• Long-term effects of the pandemic on Gen Z’s early career progression remain unknown.

What the experts say

“Teens aged 14–15 may work only in non-manufacturing, non-hazardous jobs and are limited to 8 hours a day during non-school periods.”

U.S. Department of Labor (Federal Youth Employment Guidelines)

“In Ireland, 16- and 17-year-olds cannot work before 6am or after 10pm on school nights, and their weekly limit is 40 hours.”

Irish Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Protection of Young Persons Act)

“Indeed currently lists over 1,353 jobs for 16-year-olds in Dublin alone, many tagged as ‘no experience required’.”

Indeed Ireland (Hiring Data 2025)

An expert perspective from Superprof Ireland adds that common first jobs for teens include retail assistant, barista, and hotel assistant, all open to those 16+ (Superprof Ireland).

The big picture for teen job seekers

The teen job market is finally recovering, but the entry barriers haven’t vanished. For an Irish 15-year-old searching for “teen jobs near me”, the winning formula is: know the legal limits, prepare a simple CV, and target local retailers and coffee shops early — by May for a summer start. The alternative is waiting until 16, when the range of options greatly expands. For Gen Z, the choice is clear: start small and build that first line on your CV, or risk falling further behind peers who did.

Related reading: Finding Summer Jobs for 16-Year-Olds · Best Jobs for Teens

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