Untitled Document

Why Hire a Youth?

It's good for business: Youth can benefit your business because they are eager to learn new skills and are hard-workers. Because they have so few preconceived notions about the workplace, young people make good trainees. They are usually up-to-date on the latest technology and tend to be less expensive to hire than their adult counterparts.

The experience is rewarding: Most of us probably wouldn't be where we are today without our first jobs. Now you can provide the same opportunity to a young person at a time when fewer opportunities for employment exist for youth. You have the chance to teach a young person the skills they need to succeed and reach their full potential.

It's good for youth, good for the community, and good for the economy: Research shows that when we put youth to work, they are more likely to graduate from high school and become productive members of society. Early exposure to employment also impacts the region's economy. In Washington State, the number of 19-year-olds will grow by nearly 10,000 during the next decade. At the same time that these new workers join the labor force, almost twice as many older workers will enter retirement. In order to maintain the competitiveness of our local economy, we must ensure that young workers can compete in the 21st century workplace.

Getting Started: What Youth Employers Need to Know

Interested in hiring someone under 18? The first step is to get up to speed on federal and state regulations about teen employment.

Washington State Laws on young workers.

Federal Department of Labor Youth Rules

OSHA Teen Workers page: This site, which educates young workers, parents, employers and educators on workplace safety, also offers educational resources such as fact sheets on workplace rights and responsibilities, hazards on the job, ways to prevent injuries, work hours, job restrictions and more. It also links to states that have special web sites or initiatives designed for young workers.

OSHA’s summer job safety campaign for youth: Following the theme of "Landscaping — Plant Your Feet on Safe Ground," OSHA developed a "tool box" to help prevent injuries on the job in landscaping, covering topics from machinery to pesticides, sun and heat. Download the kit from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/teenworkers/landscaping/index.html.

CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health page on Young Worker Safety and Health.

Preparing to Hire: Defining Your Business' Needs

List the specific tasks, skills and qualities required by the job. Remember the distinction between skills and qualities. Skills are teachable and typically reflect experience with specific job-tasks (customer service, operating a cash register, etc). Qualities, like responsibility and willingness to learn, are more intrinsic and are applicable across a wide range of jobs. Chances are that youth workers haven't yet acquired specific skills, but they can still possess the qualities that will make them successful employers.
Define the hours and duration of the job. Is the job permanent or temporary? Part-time or full-time? Does it fit well with a school schedule or a summer vacation? Make sure that the youth you recruit understand the hours required for the job. Decide if you can be flexible when it comes to final exams or other circumstances that may arise for the young person.
Decide on an application process. Will you require a paper application only? Will you or others in your company interview the youth? Will you require tests? References? Develop a timeline for the application process and set a preferred hiring date.
Set an hourly wage. The Washington State minimum wage is currently $7.35/hour. Would an alternative hire work better? There are many ways to hire youth; some agencies will help set up internships in which wages are paid from another source.

The Search

Use the referral process first, not last. Ask trusted sources or co-workers if they can refer a young person they feel may be appropriate for the job.
Keep an eye out for prospective youth employees even if no jobs are currently open. Make sure they know about you as well. Always accept resumes and keep them on file. Be willing to answer questions from youth who are looking for job opportunities or general information about careers in your industry. Unexpected turnover should not make you have to start from scratch.
When interviewing youth, define up-front the qualities you are looking for. This will give them a sense of whether they are a good fit for the job and for your business.
Put yourself in young applicants' shoes. Why would they want to work for your business and what would make them want to stay? By answering this question, you can “sell” the job to the right candidate and motivate a potential employee to work with you.
In those cases in which youth may not be able to provide work-related references, suggest that they provide the names of teachers, coaches, or youth-group leaders.

On the Job

Make expectations clear. You can't be too clear or too specific.
Be prepared to put in some extra time —not only to train youth workers, but to teach them what is expected of all new employees. Ensure that youth receive adequate supervision. Expect lots of questions. And also expect that they may not yet have learned the right questions to ask.
Feedback, feedback, feedback: Young workers typically need more feedback than older ones. They haven't yet learned to read the more subtle signals that experienced workers are used to. For example, if they come back late from a break and don't hear otherwise, they may assume it's okay with you.
Likewise, young people may not be able to judge how successful they are on the job. Show appreciation for a job well done. “This report is just what I asked for, thanks!” “You were very helpful to that customer even though she was a challenge.”
Help them deal with stress. Younger workers may become frazzled more easily than adults and not realize how to ask for help. Teach them how (and who) to call for backup and strategies for dealing with common stressful situations at your workplace.
Help youth employees meet their goals AND yours. Expose them to the business by including them in meetings and projects from across the organization. Give them greater responsibility as they become more comfortable with their work.
Reward loyalty. If the job is temporary or seasonal, give youth a reason to come back again by guaranteeing them a job, increasing their wages, or providing incentives such as product discounts, paid holidays, etc. Young people respond well to a cohesive team environment, learning opportunities, and a sense of common purpose.

(Content on this page adapted from the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council's "The Employer's Toolkit: A Guide to Hiring Youth")