You are ready to earn your own money, but every job posting seems to require applicants to be at least 16. That can make finding work at 15 feel impossible. It is not. The key is targeting employers and tasks that are legally permitted for younger workers, then showing that you are dependable, prepared, and able to balance a job with school.
The jobs you can get at 15 are usually entry-level positions in restaurants, stores, recreation facilities, offices, and private homes. Availability depends on federal and state labor laws, company policies, the season, and local demand. Some businesses choose to hire only workers who are 16 or older even when the law would allow them to hire a 15-year-old.
What jobs can you get at 15?
Federal rules generally allow 15-year-olds to perform nonhazardous, nonmanufacturing work outside school hours. The following options are realistic places to begin your search.
Restaurant and food-service jobs
Restaurants, ice cream shops, bakeries, cafés, and quick-service chains often need employees for customer-facing and cleaning tasks. Depending on the equipment involved and the employer’s policies, possible positions include:
- Cashier or counter attendant
- Host or hostess
- Busser or dining-room attendant
- Dishwasher
- Order packer
- Ice cream or frozen-yogurt server
- Worker who reheats or assembles prepared food
There are important restrictions in commercial kitchens. A 15-year-old cannot perform baking and generally cannot use meat slicers, commercial mixers, power-driven bakery machines, or similar hazardous equipment. Limited cooking may be allowed under federal rules, but the specific appliance and task matter. Ask the manager exactly what the position requires before accepting it.
Grocery and retail positions
Small stores, supermarkets, garden centers, and other retailers may hire younger teenagers for basic customer-service work. Common tasks include cashiering, bagging groceries, marking prices, arranging displays, stocking permitted items, gathering shopping carts, and helping customers carry purchases.
Retail jobs can be especially useful for developing communication, time-management, and problem-solving skills. However, a 15-year-old generally cannot operate power-driven equipment such as compactors, balers, or meat-processing machines. Work inside freezers and meat coolers is also restricted.
Recreation and community jobs
Local recreation departments, community centers, day camps, sports leagues, and amusement businesses may offer seasonal jobs you can get at 15. Possible roles include:
- Camp assistant or junior counselor
- Scorekeeper
- Sports equipment attendant
- Recreation-program helper
- Ticket or admissions attendant
- Golf course caddie
- Pool lifeguard
Federal rules permit qualified 15-year-olds to work as lifeguards at traditional swimming pools and certain water amusement parks. Appropriate safety and aquatics certification is required. Lifeguarding at natural environments such as lakes, rivers, and ocean beaches is not included in that permission for 15-year-olds.
Babysitting, pet care, and neighborhood services
Some of the most accessible opportunities do not come from large employers. Families in your neighborhood may need help with babysitting, dog walking, pet sitting, plant watering, leaf raking, snow shoveling, or basic household chores.
These jobs can provide flexible scheduling and valuable references. Agree on the duties, schedule, payment, emergency contacts, and transportation arrangements before starting. Yard work should involve hand tools rather than prohibited power-driven equipment such as lawn mowers, trimmers, and cutters.
Tutoring and creative work
If you perform well in a school subject, you may be able to tutor elementary or middle school students. Other possibilities include helping beginners practice an instrument, teaching basic computer skills, creating simple digital materials, acting, singing, or assisting with an approved arts program.
These opportunities are often found through teachers, libraries, community organizations, relatives, and family friends. They may not provide as many hours as a retail job, but they can help you build experience related to your interests.
Office and administrative work
Local professional offices, nonprofit organizations, religious organizations, and family-owned businesses occasionally hire teenagers for light administrative duties. Tasks might include filing, organizing supplies, answering phones, preparing mail, scanning documents, or entering basic information into a computer.
You can explore additional job opportunities for 15-year-olds in your area when building a list of employers to contact.
How many hours can a 15-year-old work?
Under federal law, most 14- and 15-year-olds in nonagricultural jobs may work only outside school hours. They generally may work no more than three hours on a school day, including Friday, and no more than 18 hours during a school week. On nonschool days, the limit is generally eight hours, with a maximum of 40 hours during a nonschool week.
Work must generally take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. From June 1 through Labor Day, evening work may continue until 9 p.m. There are limited exceptions for certain approved educational programs.
State rules may be stricter and may require a work permit, proof of age, parental consent, or school approval. When state and federal standards both apply, employers must follow the rule that gives the young worker greater protection. Review the U.S. Department of Labor’s federal rules for 14- and 15-year-old workers, then check with your state labor department or school counselor about local requirements.
Jobs that are usually off-limits
Safety restrictions prevent 15-year-olds from performing many dangerous tasks. Prohibited work generally includes construction, mining, manufacturing, roofing, excavation, most warehousing activities, and operating most power-driven machinery. Younger workers also cannot drive motor vehicles as part of a job, work from ladders or scaffolds, perform door-to-door youth sales, or load and unload goods from trucks in most circumstances.
Do not assume a task is legal simply because a manager assigns it. If you are asked to use unfamiliar machinery, enter a restricted area, work later than allowed, or perform duties that seem dangerous, pause and speak with a parent, guardian, school official, or labor agency.
How to get hired at 15
Start with businesses close to home because transportation and limited work hours can affect your availability. Visit during a quiet period rather than during a lunch or dinner rush. Ask politely whether the business hires 15-year-olds and whether you may submit an application.
Create a simple one-page resume even if you have never held a formal job. Include:
- Your name and reliable contact information
- Your school and expected graduation year
- Volunteer work, clubs, sports, or leadership activities
- Useful skills, certifications, and languages
- Babysitting, tutoring, lawn care, or other informal experience
- Your general availability
For an interview, wear clean, appropriate clothing and arrive a few minutes early. Be prepared to explain how you will get to work, manage homework, and handle schedule changes. Employers hiring younger teenagers often care more about reliability, courtesy, and willingness to learn than an extensive work history.
Protect yourself during the job search
Discuss opportunities with a parent or trusted adult, particularly if the work takes place in a private home or was advertised online. Be cautious if someone promises unusually high pay, asks you to pay an application fee, requests banking information before hiring you, or refuses to explain the duties.
Your first job does not need to be perfect. A few dependable hours each week can help you learn workplace expectations, earn references, and discover what type of work you enjoy. By applying to age-appropriate positions and understanding the rules, you can turn a limited search into a practical first step toward employment.
