In employment terms you are classed as a child until you have reached your official school leaving age (the end of the academic year in which you turn 16). This means there are strict rules about the types of job you can do and the number of hours you can work. But this does not mean there aren't jobs you can find if you look for them. Many under-16 year olds have paper rounds, babysit for neighbours or do a few hours in the local shop. Opportunities will vary widely depending on where you live.

You can have a part time job at the age of 13 but the hours you can work are strictly laid down in law. At age 13/14 in term time you can work 2 hours on weekdays and Sundays and 5 hours on Saturdays up to a maximum of 12 hours a week. In school holidays this goes up to 5 hours on weekdays and Saturdays and 2 hours on Sundays making a maximum of 25 hours a week.

In addition to the rules concerning hours above there are four other key points to bear in mind: 1) You may not work before 7.00am or after 7.00pm, 2) You are entitled to a 1-hour break after working for 4 hours, 3) You are entitled to a break of 2 consecutive weeks each year that must be taken during school holidays, 4) There is no national minimum wage for young people under 16.

Most part time jobs are not advertised in jobs papers so it's worth bearing this in mind if you look at them and are disappointed not to see anything. Lots of people ask around at local employers like shops, supermarkets, restaurants and cafes and other such employers. You may see notices in windows offering part time work, or general vacancies displayed on supermarket boards. Your local Connexions centre may also have information about part time jobs, though check the age carefully as many may be for over-16s only.

There are different ways of applying for jobs and the employer will tell you on the advert or in person what they want you to do. The most common methods of applying for a job are by application form or CV and letter. Sometimes you need to phone up to register your interest, and in other cases you may need to log on to a website to complete or download a form. Whatever method you use you will find that, in most cases, you'll need to attend an interview as the last stage in landing the job.

Although there is something called the National Minimum Wage in place which means employers can't pay you less than a certain amount for any job, this does not apply to under-16 year olds. This means you will find different levels of pay for different jobs. Check out with any of your friends who have jobs and see what they earn. As a guide the NMW at 16 is £3.57 per hour.

Having a part time job is an excellent way of gaining confidence and skills in the real world of work. You are having a taste of what it is like to earn money, to follow instructions and to show you can offer an employer what they want - trust, responsibility, good timekeeping and a sociable person who works well with other members of staff. To say you've had a part time job will be very impressive later on whether applying for full time work or going to university.

You will need to think carefully about how you balance your studies with a part time job. The advantages of work under-16 have already been highlighted but it's no good if they stop you achieving the qualifications you need to move on in learning. However, adults at work always have to balance lots of things - sometimes a job, a family and a course all at once - so a part time job could be good practice for you!

It is worth bearing in mind that part-time work won't only give you money, skills and confidence, it could also lead to a full time position later on. Some young people move into Apprenticeships at the age of 16 because they have impressed their employer so much, others may find they always have a job to go to when it's holiday time because their employer is happy to have them back. This could be useful to students coming home from university.