That first part-time job is a rite of passage for many teens. Juggling school, friends and job is their first experience with the stress of adult life. Are things any different than they were when we were out there looking for our first part-time jobs? We thought we'd ask Reactorz teen members to find out.

Why work? That's the first question. The answer is fairly obvious - to make money. They don't work because it's something fun or they don't know what to do with their free time or they want to start their careers. They work to fund their lifestyle and if their parents fund it all, then they don't work. Teens seem to be evenly split between those who are saving for a big purchase such as a car or to pay for university, and those who need the money for every day purchases such as music, fast food, clothes, make-up, videogames, gas, movies and cell phone bills. A few are very disciplined and are putting some away in savings and allowing themselves an amount to 'blow' on every day purchases.

Juggling jobs and school and friends is hard. One common solution is to have regular hours so they can plan their free time. But others have very irregular jobs like babysitting or they are at the mercy of the person setting up the schedules so they never know when they are going to work. Another popular job is distributing flyers or newspapers, which seems to be popular because it can be done at the teen's convenience.

While they are only working for the money, when it comes to their choice of job these teens think very carefully and generally chose a job that will provide them with career-related experience or help them to determine what their career interests are. They try hard to avoid "McJobs" but some complain that is the only kind of job they can find, especially if they're under 16 and looking for their first job. In fact, many teens aren't working because they haven't been able to find any job that will give these beginning careerists a chance.

So how do they find these elusive jobs? Reactorz members had plenty of advice for each other including putting up 'job wanted' posters, talking to friends, getting training in the desired field and walking in and dropping off an application. The big message - don't just sit there and wait for a 'help wanted' ad to drop into your lap. Get aggressive. And don't forget your family! The younger Reactorz teens are getting extra cash by doing family babysitting and chores around the house.

Is it time to look for a summer job? The snow has barely melted but many Reactorz members 16 and older already have their summer jobs lined up. Just as many intend to wait till May or June and just see what happens. Again though, there are a number of Reactorz teens who don't need to work because their parents pay their bills. They plan on traveling, volunteering or just hanging out for the summer.

Insight: Parents are still footing the bills for a lot of teens and if they do there is no incentive for teens to find part-time jobs. Those who do work are resourceful when it comes to finding jobs and juggling jobs and their personal lives. They are a hard-working bunch too often overlooked by employers who want to see some experience from their employees.

For more information:
Note to our non-Canadian readers: These resources are all Canadian based but there will be similar resources in your jurisdiction. As the readership of Reactorz Reaction grows it becomes harder for us to provide resources aimed at the jurisdiction of all of our readers. We hope these resources provide you with some ideas of what may be available where you are.

• Teens looking for work can start at the Human Resources Development Canada site Youth Link full of information on full and part-time jobs, summer jobs, training and search tools.
• Employers can check out HRDC's Youth Employment Information site to post listings and find out about government funded employer assistance programs aimed at creating youth jobs.
• Edge Magazine/Contact avenir is a career-oriented youth magazine published by the Canadian Career Development Foundation with additional resources for employers, parents and educators.
• The Virtual Resource Centre produced and maintained by the Canadian Foundation of Economic Education is an online resource for job and career information. It's sister site is VECTOR, an online Video Exploration of Careers, Transitions, Opportunities and Realities. Both sites have English and French versions.

To find out more about Reactorz contact us online at www.reactorzresearch.com. Or call 416-516-0705.

Reactorz is a youth-powered research engine. Our online community of kids ages 7 to 22 provide their opinion and insight into current events, issues, creative & product design, entertainment and communications strategies. Reactorz parent company Big Orbit gathers this information and empowers clients by connecting them with this target group through strategic consulting and creative development. For over a decade, Big Orbit has worked with corporate, government and non-profit organizations such as: Kraft Canada, Junior Achievement of Canada, Concerned Children's Advertisers and Key Porter Books. For a complete list of clients and case studies please visit BigOrbit.com or ReactorzResearch.com.