Summer Jobs for Teens

Every summer, teens try to find a job fast before all the openings are gone. While there may seem to be lots of options, only a few places consistently hire high school students in the area. Focusing on jobs in retail, food service, and recreation seems to be the best bet.

Malls and Local Plazas
One of the biggest hiring zones for teens is retail. Stores in the mall often hire students for seasonal positions such as cashier assistants, stock associates, and sales floor support. Popular stores that frequently hire teens include clothing retailers, sneaker shops, and big chain stores.
Grocery stores like Fortinos and No Frills sometimes hire students to push carts, stock shelves, or help at self-checkout areas. These jobs are usually fast-paced and customer-focused, but they’re some of the most common entry points for teens.

Fast-Food Restaurants
Food service is another major hiring category. Teens can often get jobs at places like McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, and other fast-food restaurants.
These jobs usually involve cash handling, drive-thru orders, food prep, and cleaning. While it can get very busy, these places often hire with little or no experience, making them one of the easiest first-job options for students.

Summer Camps and Community Centres
A lot of teens in the area also work in recreation programs run by the City of Vaughan. The City of Vaughan Recreation Services hires students for summer camps, junior counsellor roles, and program assistants.
These jobs usually involve supervising kids, helping with sports activities, and organizing games. They are competitive, but they look very good on resumes because they involve leadership and responsibility.

Why It’s Getting Harder to Get Hired
Even though there are options, many students are applying for the same entry-level jobs, and some employers prefer applicants with previous experience or full availability.
Because of this, it takes countless applications just to get one response. Walking in with a printed resume, applying early in spring, and following up are often the strategies that actually work.

Whether it’s working at Vaughan Mills, a local Tim Hortons, or a summer camp through the City of Vaughan, these jobs help teens build skills they’ll use long after summer ends. In a competitive job market, the students who start early and stay consistent are usually the ones who get hired.