Young teens may want to jump into the workforce as soon as possible, and few options sound more fun than working at a laser tag arena. Who wouldn’t want to get paid for watching thrilling laser tag battles?
However, getting a job while you’re under 18 can be a bit of a challenge due to the extra steps it requires, and also because these steps may vary depending on the state you live in. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered—read on for an in-depth insight on what the minimum working age is in your state, how you can get a job as a teen, and how you can get a job at a laser tag center.
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What Is the Minimum Age to Work at a Laser Tag Center?
The minimum age to work in the US varies depending on the job and industry. For babysitting, mowing lawns, and setting up a lemonade stand, there isn’t really a minimum age.
Working at a laser tag center, on the other hand, falls under the leisure industry, which also includes restaurants, movie theaters, and amusement parks. That’s why the labor laws for working at all of these establishments are almost identical no matter what state you live in.
The minimum age for working at a laser tag center is 14 years of age in all states, but most of them require minors under 16 to complete a work permit. Here’s a helpful list of which states require work permits, which ones don’t, and links to online forms to the work permits so you can download and complete them from the comfort of your home.
What Information do Work Permits Require?
Work permits also called “working papers” or “work certificates”, state that a minor has permission from at least one of their parents or guardians but additional information may be required depending on the state you live in.
Many states, including Maine, require minors to fill in the information regarding their schools and to receive permission from a school principal or superintendent on their work permits. This ensures that the student has good grades, doesn’t skip school, and can be trusted to handle the responsibility being employed.
Some states, such as Massachusetts, also require the signature of the minor’s family doctor to ensure that they are healthy and don’t have any conditions that will pose harm to them in a working environment.
What About States that Don’t Require a Work Permit?
States such as Idaho and Arizona that don’t issue work permits still require employers to confirm the age of minors. In this case, you’ll have to submit a copy of your birth certificate or similar proof of age to your employer before you can start working.
What are the Job Requirements to Work at a Laser Tag Center?
The great thing about laser tag centers is that they don’t require any special skills. To work at a laser tag center, you’ll need to meet the age requirement in your state and be able to provide the necessary documents (work permit or proof of age).
Instead of looking for specific skills or certifications, laser tag centers look for essential qualities in running a fun-filled establishment that visitors will love. Some qualities these centers often ask for in their job listings are:
Great Work Ethic
While working at a laser tag center, you might also be responsible for attending other attractions such as the arcade and the indoor rides. While this might add a bit of variety to your day, it also means you’ll be walking around, standing, and working for most of the day.
For this reason, laser tag arenas want to hire employees who can handle the fast-paced activity of working at a family entertainment center with initiative and without complaining.
Positive and Fun Attitude
People visit laser tag centers for one main reason: to have fun! That’s why you’ll have to display a fun-loving, upbeat attitude to make visitors feel welcomed and ready to have a good time.
No matter what happens, you’ll be expected to keep a smile on your face and help out visitors with respect and enthusiasm.
Patient, Personable, and Proactive
Working in the leisure industry means you’ll be interacting with customers a lot. Laser tag centers want customers to have the best visit possible, including the treatment they receive from the staff.
You’ll have to be patient and personable when dealing with guests, meaning you’ll listen to what they have to say, try to help them to the best of your ability, and try your best to get along with them as a whole. You’ll also have to be proactive in dealing with customers, meaning you’ll check in on them to see whether they need any help, instead of waiting for them to come to you with a question.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Laser Tag Center Attendant?
As a laser tag center attendant, you’ll be responsible for briefing players on the rules of laser tag, assisting customers with any of their concerns, conducting and refereeing matches, and cleaning the laser tag arena and equipment room.
However, laser tag arenas are usually housed in family entertainment centers, meaning you might be working on tasks around the whole building instead of just the laser tag arena. In this case, you’ll be running lots more attractions and cleaning many different areas.
Some attractions you’re likely to operate include mini-golf, go-karts, bumper cars, bowling alleys, and trampoline gyms. This will add a bit of variety to your day-to-day activities and help spice up your workday.
Where can I Find Laser Tag Centers that Are Hiring?
Finding a job may seem like a daunting task, but we’ve got your back. Here are a couple of ways you can get a job at a laser tag arena and start working as soon as possible:
Use Job Sites
Job sites are your best bet for finding a job opening of your liking, and the best thing is that most of them are free. Job sites also have many search filters you can use to your liking, meaning you can automatically filter out jobs that pay too little or that are too far away.
For example, you can visit a job search website such as Indeed.com, enter “laser tag” in the search bar, enter your city or postal code in the location section, and click enter. This will bring up a list of laser tag centers looking for workers, and you’ll be able to check the location, salary, and job description for each job, and apply for them online as well.
Visit the Websites of Popular Laser Tag Centers
Popular laser tag centers usually have a website for customers to get an idea of the attractions they have. Still, they also almost always have a “careers”, “jobs”, or “we’re hiring” button somewhere on the site as well. This button is usually found on the bottom banner on the homepage of the website you’re visiting.
One example is Incredible Pizza, a popular family entertainment center franchise that operates many laser tag arenas. If you scroll to the bottom of their homepage, you’ll see a banner with links to many different areas on the website. One of them will read “Careers”, which will lead you to another website where you’ll be able to apply to any job opening that interests you.
Another example is The Edge, which operates the largest laser tag center in the world. Visiting their homepage, scrolling down to the bottom, and clicking on the “Employment” button will take you to all the vacant positions at The Edge which you can currently apply to. Laser tag positions are usually listed as “games attendant” or “field marshall”, and you can always click on the “learn more” button to read the full job description.
Visit Laser Tag Centers In-person
Visiting laser tag centers nearby and asking whether there are any openings might sound like the most nerve-wracking option on this list, but it will probably be your best bet of getting a quick reply. Instead of being asked to apply online, you might be given a form to fill in and return to that location.
Visiting the venue yourself will probably get you the fastest reply, and will also show your potential employers that you’re a self-starter since you took the initiative to come on down to the center yourself.
Conclusion
Getting a job as a teen is a great way to get a headstart in life and start picking up important work skills early on—and what job could be more fun than being a laser tag attendant?
Getting a job may seem daunting, but you’re more than prepared now that you’ve read our thorough guide. So what are you waiting for? That laser tag center job opening isn’t going to fill itself!