What kind of horrible parents don't let their kids work from early on? It builds character, learns them the value of money, releases a lot of strain on the parents wallets and more importantly, prepares you for what is about to come.

If you haven't worked yet, anything, you are screwed. Especially if you hope to land something decent.

I was 12 when I started working. I was 20 when I head my first desk-job and when I was 22 I had actually landed my first consutlancy job - that's after 10 years of at least working.

Like Twesterm said, prepare to work on something pretty low in the working-class.

19 here, never had a "real" job so to speak, but i've worked for money in some way or another.

22 is kinda iffy though, but... if you've got your high-school degree, you should be fine as far as looking for work goes anyway, thats all you really need.

A high school diploma? Really? I hardly believe that. Here in the Netherlands it at least got to this point that education is hardly an issue, it is what jobs you did prior that counts. To illustrate, I'm still writing my master-thesis and will most likely end up with a 7 in general. A classmate of mine is done, finished her education cum-laude and has a shittier job then me. She was mostly focussed on school, I split it between jobs and school, sometimes cutting school to do work. 

When I go into a job interview, I'm surprised if more then two questions are asked about my education and then still high school is immidiatly left out, rather focussing on hów we worked in university and what role I had for myself when doing group-assignments. The rest all focusses on previous work and personality.

Phoenix, one tip...you better have one hell of a personality.

Double post.

Why is everyone so lazy?

Am 16, I trying my damn hardest looking for a job.

wow, thats bad.

I never had a job until I was 20 and I was putting in applications everywhere when I hit 16.

Prior to that though I did freelance computer repairs and was going to college. So that gave me some credibility I guess.

I blame your parents.

A high school diploma won't get you much at all.  If all you have is a high school diploma and no other training you will be competing with 16 year olds your whole life and they will likely win.

If you want any sort of career you really have to go further than high school and get some sort of training.  I know there are those lucky few who were in the right place at the right time or knew the right people to get in at the mail room but you can't really count on chances like that.