Most 12-year-olds can handle some light physical work, like painting.
In the United States, the job market is increasingly competitive. To find a good job, children have to be well-prepared to work by the time they are finished with school. On-the-job training exposes children to potential careers and teaches them about professionalism, money management and skill development. However, many companies won't hire anyone younger than 14- to 16-years-old because of stipulations in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This means that a 12-year-old has to be a little more creative about finding work.
Instructions
1. Contact your state's department of labor, or visit its website. Find out what the regulations are in your jurisdiction for the kind of work minors may do, as well as for the number of permissible breaks and work hours.
2. Consider the schedule the 12-year-old has. Unless the child attends school at home, they likely won't be available for work in the morning and early afternoon. This means you'll probably be limited to looking at jobs the child can complete in the evening after school or on the weekend.
3. Talk to your neighbors. Ask them if anyone is willing to hire the child. Babysitting is a traditional job that may work through neighbors, but also ask if someone needs assistance with tasks like general housework, walking a dog, serving as an shopping assistant, tutoring, shredding papers, or painting.
4. Check the bulletins at your local churches. Members sometimes place notices for jobs suited to minors on these boards. The church bulletin also is another place to look or advertise that the child would like a job. Similar opportunities are available through other organizations like Boy Scouts.
5. Give the school guidance counselors in your area a call. The guidance counselors may know of resources where people post jobs for minors, or they can direct the 12-year-old to someone who could use the child's skill set for pay informally. At the very least, the counselors should be able to point out volunteer positions where the child can get experience for when he's old enough for paid employment by a corporation.
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