It’s finally that time of the school year where things are beginning to wind down and students can practically see the summer break on the horizon. With this long awaited break looming in, students may begin planning for what they want to do with their time off. Some may want to hang out with their friends or go away to the beach, or others may be planning to relax at home for the majority of the break. With this being said however, in my personal opinion, a great way to spend the summer would be by finding a summer job. Not only would you be spending your time in a productive way, but you could also begin saving money for future purchases or even college in the process. It may seem like you are behind in the summer job process if it’s already almost time for the break, but in fact if you are reading this right now, it isn’t too late! Many businesses are in search of part-time employees with free-time in the summer, and luckily as a high school student it’s super easy for you to apply for these opportunities!

Now, how exactly should you as a high school student go about finding a summer job? Well, to start, you can easily make a resume highlighting your past work experience, school extracurriculars, volunteer work you have done so far, or even skills to show local employers. A great way to do this is by simply searching online for resume examples and crafting your own unique resume based on pre-made templates. Once you have a resume, you can then begin calling local businesses, retail stores in nearby malls or towns, or finding various other spots in the area that may be of interest to you. By calling, emailing, or going into their physical location, you can find out key information regarding the business of your choice’s hiring process as well as drop off your resume displaying your achievements for them to review. After leaving your resume with contact information on it to a local business, be sure to check in with them after a week or two if they haven’t contacted you further just yet.

Besides this, sometimes businesses may want to interview you to get to know you better. Be sure you dress appropriately, it doesn’t have to be anything majorly professional but be sure you look presentable! Before the interview, practice answering basic interview questions that you can find online and emphasize in your interview that you are responsible and eager to learn for the best chances of landing the job you would like.

After applying to various jobs and hopefully securing a position, as a high schooler you’ll need to fill out “work papers” as required by the state before you begin physically working. No worries though, as you can find these on the NJ Department of Labor website or on MyWorkingPapers.NJ.gov. All you have to do is fill out the promise of employment, have your doctor fill out the medical section, and get it signed by a school officer. 

For the summer of 2026, teen employees should take note of a few important legal matters provided by NJ.gov to ensure that their employers don’t take advantage of them. While most-if not all-employers follow the working laws appropriately, it is important for teens to be aware of these matters since there is still the rare possibility employers may try to take advantage of new employees who may not have an idea of working laws just yet. Don’t stress about this however, as everything you need to know is provided below on the off-chance you have an issue! To start, 16-17 year olds are only allowed to work up to 50 hours per week according to New Jersey state law. This means that teens in this age range are legally allowed to work for 10 hours per day maximum in the summer, and their job isn’t allowed to have them on shift before 6 am and after 11 pm. For 14-15 year olds, the number of hours they can work per week is slightly lower at 40, meaning they can only legally work for 8 hours per day. Besides this, employers are only allowed to have teen workers in this age range come in from any time between 7 am to 9 pm. Besides this, state law also mandates that minors cannot work for more than 6 consecutive days in a row. Last but not least, the New Jersey summer minimum wage is $15.00 per hour, meaning that this should be the least amount of money your job offers you for each hour worked. If on the rare chance you have a problem with your employer about any of the above information, be sure to contact them first and try to solve the issue with them. If by any chance things continue, you can also file a formal complaint with the NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development. While the chance you have problems with your employer about any of the above practices is very unlikely, it is always good to be informed of your rights as a new worker to ensure you aren’t being treated unfairly!

While having a summer job is a fun way to try something new and earn money, be sure you have fun with your time off! This means when applying for a job, be sure to choose a place that genuinely looks interesting to you so that way when you go into work you are looking forward to your day. By having a summer job, you are not only spending your summer in a productive way, but are trying new things that can help you build life skills that you can utilize in the future. Before starting to apply for jobs, be sure to review proper resume building techniques as well as interview skills, and brush up on your legal rights as a new teen worker. To all my fellow high school students, we are almost at the end of the school year and into the summer, so let’s start planning for it!