When Angela Allyn, a mother of three in the United States, takes to Facebook, it is usually not to post pictures of her latest party, but to drum up business for her entrepreneurial teenage son, Alec.
"Teenage boy available for schlepping, sitting and various clean-up. Message me if interested" is her typical post. Ms Allyn, an arts educator for the city of Evanston in Illinois, has put her social networking skills behind Alec's business in part because she realises that the traditional job market is tight and "it's really hard to get a job as a young person".
The Allyns seem to be succeeding in that space where the growing underground teen economy meets proactive and socially networked parents. Ms Allyn has been finding Alec enough work to fill the time left after homework, cross country and track activities, and he is using his earnings to support his expensive cycle racing hobby.
Job opportunities for teens have declined in recent years, partly because older and sometimes overqualified applicants compete for the burger-flipping, shirt-folding gigs that used to be their speciality.
The number of young people aged 16 to 24 employed during the peak summer month of July was down to 48.8 per cent last year from 59.2 per cent five years earlier, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There is anecdotal evidence that an increasing number of teens are filling the gaps in the economy and their wallets by doing odd jobs or selling the technical skills at which many excel. And their parents are promoting them - via Facebook, LinkedIn, neighbourhood chatrooms and more.
"You're your kid's pimp," jokes April Rudin, a New Jersey publicist who has brokered her two sons' abilities to do everything from shovel driveways to create PowerPoint presentations.
Tapping social-media connections is an ideal way to leverage the networking potential of those sites, especially because it is the medium teens "love and live in", says Nimish Thakkar, a New York job coach.
He has observed several of his clients engaging in the practice on behalf of their teens. But it also raises some questions about how much help parents can offer without being overinvolved and about how to keep kids safe online while promoting their businesses.
Ms Allyn advertised on Facebook and Craigslist for her son because at 15, Alec's own network includes few people with hiring potential. He hasn't built a website, she says, largely because it might draw interest during periods when he is overloaded with schoolwork and extracurricular activities.
The two have worked together to research how to price jobs, but she leaves it to him to work out the details.
"I will hand him the contact information," says Ms Allyn. "I don't get in the middle of negotiating."
That is one way she draws the line between herself and the dreaded "helicopter" syndrome of parental overinvolvement.
"It's one thing to help kids build bridges, it's another to help them cross," says Michael Woodward, an organisational psychologist specialising in workplace issues. "You have to be the coach - not the doer."
It doesn't always work out that way, Ms Rudin says. Her expertise in social media led her to broker the services of her teenage sons online, sometimes without asking first.
She recalls promising that one of them would shovel a neighbour's drive. When he didn't show up, she found herself in the uncomfortable position of having to make excuses.
Ms Rudin also subcontracted portions of her own work to her older son, who is honing his skills as a creator of online slide presentations. After he completed jobs, she would send tweets about his expertise to her Twitter followers, sometimes leading to additional requests.
That son, also named Alec, is now at college. He concedes his mother sometimes took a heavy-handed approach, but says he has no complaints. The experience he gained has been parlayed into a healthy side business creating PowerPoint presentations for students and corporate customers. A typical job brings in US$200 (Dh734) to $300.
"It's worked out for everyone," he says. "It taught me the meaning of a deadline. In the professional world, you don't have much leeway."
* Reuters
SPECS
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The%20specs
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
Indika
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RESULTS
Tottenham 1
Jan Vertonghen 13'
Norwich 1
Josip Drmic 78'
2-3 on penalties
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
