Good place to work for 15 yo living in Oregon?

Question

I'm 15, and currently trying to find a job so that I can take my girlfriend out on dates without relying on my parents, repaint my room, etc. I live in Southern Oregon (USA), and was wondering if anyone knew of any places I could work at. I already looked into places like Safeway and Fred Meyer, but both require people to be 16. Any suggestions for where I could work?

Answer 1

I don't live in Oregon so I don't know if you need a job permit to work for an employer.  Another question is how you will get to work, it needs to be dependable.  

I would suggest you consider working for yourself.  You mentioned you wanted to paint your room.  Could you network with your friends parents and see if any of them want some painting done?  Also you family might be able to ask some people if they want something painted.  If you can get your first job, chances are others will follow.

If you don't want to paint, maybe you could do yard work for people in your neighborhood.

Try and look for things people need to have done that you can do, then figure out how much is a fair price to charge for your service.

You sound very motivated and responsible, try thinking outside of the box, I think you'll be successful.

Answer 2

Movie theatres, being a host or busboy in a restaurant, and data-entry/filing are some jobs my friends had when we were underage. When I was 16 I worked as a dishwasher at my local church in Portland...other ideas that come to mind are working as an aide in a nursing home, working in a pet store, or working in a juice bar like Jamba Juice. I would look for small mom-and-pop businesses rather than large corporations, and the food service industry will probably offer the most opportunity. Good luck in your search.