Starting out · Shelf
First jobs at 14, 15 and 16
What you can legally do and earn before and after 16, the first CV and interview, work experience, summer jobs and where free careers advice comes from.
10 guides50 minutes of reading
On this shelf
- What jobs can I do at 16?The rules before and after school leaving age, jobs that hire at 16 and how to get one.
- What jobs can a 14 or 15 year old do?Hours limits, the council work permit and the jobs that actually take under-16s.
- How much should I be paid at 16, 17 or 18?The April 2026 rates by age, the apprentice rate and how to check your own payslip.
- How do I write a CV with no experience?A one-page first CV built from school, clubs, volunteering and home, with a worked example.
- How do I prepare for my first job interview?The six questions a first interview asks and three stories that answer all of them.
- How do I get a summer job as a student?Where seasonal jobs are, when to apply and how to choose one that leaves a skill behind.
- How can I make money as a teenager?Legal ways to earn at 13 to 17, the tax position and which earners teach you something.
- How do I find Year 10 work experience?A timeline, a four-paragraph email and what to ask for once you're in the building.
- Do GCSE grades matter for jobs?English and maths at grade 4 are what gets checked, and GCSEs stop mattering after Level 3.
- Where can I get free careers advice in the UK?The free services in each UK nation, what to bring and what advice can't do.
469 guides on 55 shelves. Each one starts with the short answer and ends with one thing to try.
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