Getting your first job is a really big step towards becoming a successful adult. Working in your teenage years provides you with great experience and prepares you for what is to come later on in life. It can also be a lot of fun working in a movie theatre!
As of right now I am taking my chances and applying for my very first job at a movie theater called Tinseltown. All of us can use some helpful tips to improve your chances of getting a part time job, especially if you are a teenager!
Questions To Expect
One of the most common questions asked in any interview is “Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?” Now isn’t the time to tell your interviewer your favorite color and what you do on weekends for fun. You want to say things that will make you stand out and be remembered. For example, I answered this question by saying that I am a hardworking student athlete with a 3.1 GPA. I also mentioned that I’m a person who enjoys trying new things while putting forth my best effort 100% of the time.
Another big question may be “what are your strengths and weaknesses?”. It’s best to be honest on this question because if you do get the job your strengths and weaknesses will show sooner or later. Another important question you could be asked is “Where do you see yourself in five years?” I feel as if this question is definitely geared towards teenagers. Five years from now I see myself with a high school diploma, attending Illinois Tech for college working towards getting my masters degree is software engineering.
What To Wear To A Tinseltown Interview
It is often preferred to wear a blouse and nice pants or a dress (that goes past the knees) for females. The guys probably want to stick with a polo shirt and some casual pants. I don’t recommend jeans. When heading into a job interview you should not be wearing gym shoes, sneakers or flip flops. We want to look our best to insure a higher chance of getting the job.
Income/Benefits
Your monthly income and hourly wage all depend on the position you apply for. Ushers typically make $8.63 per hour. Concession workers make around $8.92 per hour and a cashier would make $8.12 per hour. Obviously, the more available and flexible you are the more hours you are likely to work.
All Theatre Crew members are eligible for the below incentives:
Free Movies
Flexible Scheduling
Employee Discount on Concessions, Food & Non-alcoholic beverages
Career Advancement Opportunities
Recognition Program
Work Positions
There are three types of work positions offered for teens at Tinseltown. The first is the position of Usher. Ushers tear tickets and greet customers as they come in. They are also responsible for cleaning theaters in between showtimes.
The second option is the position of cashier. Cashiers will mainly work over the phone or ticket booth. They must know all show times and movies ratings on any movie currently in theaters.
Your last option is that of a concessions worker. Concession workers are in charge of selling food and drinks to customers and cleaning up work areas. These are the three available jobs for all teens 16 and older at any local Tinseltown.
Work Ethic
I once had a teacher who told our class, “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs”. If you are not willing to give 100% of your effort into your work then you probably should not attempt to obtain a job just yet.
We all have to start somewhere whether your first step up the stairs is a big one or a small one. Getting a job as a teenager can be very beneficial and allow you to learn life lessons early on. And hey! I got the job! I’m so excited to start with Tinseltown!
Have you applied for your first job yet? How did it go?
Success Is A Journey,
Charisma
This was super interesting! I know several people who work at movie theaters, and they seem to really enjoy it. Good luck with the job! 🙂
What type of positions do they have Karina? I’m interested to know if one job is better than another at a theatre. Thanks!
These are great tips! Thank you for such wonderful ideas.
🙂 So glad it was helpful to you. Are you looking for a job now?
Do You know by now if you got the job or not? If you did, do you like it? I think that it is very important that you are kind of helping teens find jobs and showing them that they can work at other more unique places than McDonalds.
Hey Cole. Charisma did get the job. She is an usher and likes her job.
Thanks for the comment. One thing that’s important for teens to consider is if the place offers some sort of tuition reimbursement for college. If they help you pay for college then it would be a great place to consider!
I totally agree with you! Having a job as a teenager really does help you to get work done and prepare you for your life as an adult. I personally do not have a job, but I have learned to work over the years. I mow lawns for my neighbor, I ref soccer matches, and I just built a fence for a neighbor, too. I can see that when I get to the real world, these experiences will help me to work and not quit because it is too hard. Thanks for posting!
Sounds like you are really an entrepreneur at heart. I love your initiative it will make a huge difference for your future!
I am a younger teenager and can’t really get a real job like that except for starting my own kind of business what would you do? Also which of the three jobs did you choose?
Charisma was hired as an usher. I asked her and she said it’s been good so far! As far as your age, that is the hard part about being younger. So many places require that you are at least 16 and many 18 years old to get a job!
I would start out by making a list of things I know I can do (mow lawns, wash cars, babysit) and things that I’m good at and like to do. I would then start really paying attention in my neighborhood. What do people need help with? Is there a problem that people have that you could solve? You could start up a mobile car detailing service and wash people’s cars right in their own driveway. You could put all your supplies in a couple of buckets and they could supply the water. Super convenient for them and easy enough for you!
This is very helpful and interesting thank you for putting this out there and if and when I apply for my first job I can refer back to this for tips.
Good luck on getting a job Carrissa. It isn’t always easy and you have to work for it so don’t give up!
Dear Charisma Maddox,
I really like the information that you provided. I like how you gave tips on what to wear to job interviews and what kind of questions to expect. They were really helpful. I shared the tips with my younger sister and she thought that they were very helpful and that you gave very good advice. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Amy
Charisma is amazing. Thanks so much for stopping by, I’m really glad the article helped you and your sister!
That is cool that you listen to “total money makeover” my brother is listening “smarts money” and he is getting a job and is learning to take care of his money.
Thanks. It’s so easy to do well with your money when you start young!
I applied to Tinsel Town in Jax FL. They told me that they no longer hire teens because you have to be 21 to serve the beverages they offer. They said that even if I wanted a ticket collecting positions everyone rotates so I would not be eligible to work for them.Anyway that was my Experience with applying there.
Hope
Oh wow. Thank you for letting us know. It’s so hard to find a good part time job!