Teens (and their teachers) may be discouraged about finding a job opportunity for the summer months. Whether they are just bored, or they are saving money for college, a car, or just some extra cash, they can find a job opportunity that is not only profitable but also enjoyable. Many jobs that are available to teens for the summer involve flipping burgers, stocking shelves or sitting out in the hot sun for hours at a time. But, if you want a job opportunity that really builds skills and may turn into an actual career, here are some ideas:

House or Pet Sitting: People now, more than ever are willing to pay someone to come and take care of their home and their pets while they are away. To build your job opportunity quickly, you can offer additional services such as grooming and bathing the pets and also cleaning the house in preparation for the home owners return. Just make sure that you have a list of current references and that you are insured.

Tutoring: Teens and teachers can both offer tutoring services, but teens will generally be more limited in what they can offer for this job opportunity. You can tutor anyone from grade school through college age in almost any subject, no matter how specialized. You can advertise in the school newsletter or in the campus newspaper.

Craft or Activity Classes: If you like working with children this may be a job opportunity that appeals to you. You can offer classes in art, crafts, music, drama, swimming, computers, and so on. Parents may be looking for extra activities to keep their children busy during the months when they are not in school so this is an excellent job opportunity to help someone while you help yourself.

Lawn Care: Offer more than just lawn mowing. Pull weeds, trim bushes, water, and do everything as far as lawn maintenance that you can. With people leading such busy lives they do not have time to keep up the lawn, so you can provide this service. Make sure that you have high quality working equipment so you don