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Dear J.T. & DALE: I have a 17-year-old daughter who has been unable to get a job due to the fact that everywhere she inquires, she is told that the minimum age at that establishment is 18. Since when can’t a teenager get a job? I hope you can solve the mystery. – Judy

DALE: Mystified myself, Judy, I did a little research. At the federal level, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) established 14 as the minimum working age. There were a few obvious exceptions, like delivering newspapers or baby-sitting, plus this curious item: “Also, at any age, youth may be employed as homeworkers to gather evergreens and make evergreen wreaths.” Weird, no? The military-industrial-wreath-complex must have some bang-up lobbyists.

J.T.: Even if your daughter were to focus her dreams on a wreath job, there also are state laws to contend with.

DALE: Yes, that’s where we solve the mystery. Individual states have all sorts of requirements. Some require those age 14-17 to have a work certificate issued, or say that teens under 18 must not work during school hours, or not after 9 p.m. or before 6 a.m. National companies might just give up on complying with all the state laws and make 18 their minimum age.

J.T.: That’s doubly frustrating, because so many employers criticize young people for lacking the work ethic of earlier generations, then those managers tell themselves that hiring young workers is more trouble than it’s worth. So, these kids don’t get jobs, and then later, when they finally start looking for work, they are told that they lack professionalism and experience. They just can’t win.

DALE: As for your daughter, Judy, while she probably isn’t being held back by legal issues, she should go online and learn about your state’s laws. That way, if the age issue comes up in an interview, she will so impress an interviewer that she ought to be hired on the spot. However, her best option will be to concentrate on locally owned and family owned businesses, as they are less likely to have rigid age policies.

J.T.:If she doesn’t find success, she should turn to volunteering. She can build her skill sets, and when she turns 18, she’ll have experience to showcase on job applications.

Dear J.T. & Dale: I’m finding job hunting to be supremely time-consuming. I work hard to tailor my information to the posting, then spend a long time adjusting my information to the online application system … but wait, there’s more! I’m asked to complete a timed IQ-type assessment, then to spend another half-hour or more on an online assessment of character and personality. It can be more than four hours. Your thoughts about these crazy tests? – Cheryl

J.T.: Unfortunately, this is becoming the “new normal.” Employers want to screen out those who aren’t a good fit based on their criteria, and they don’t have the time or money to invest in having people assess every application. Their solution is technology.

DALE: And your solution is to get out of line. Here’s an example from a man who got his job via a job fair. He filled out the paperwork and was instructed to put it in a box at the back of the room. When he got to the box, he saw a hundred or more applications already in there. He looked up and spotted an executive standing nearby and went over to say, “I think I’d be great for this company, but if I put my application in that box, I know I’ll never get the job.” The executive interviewed him on the spot. The next day, he got the job. Your goal is to re-create a similar out-of-line experience online.

J.T.: You can do that using social media. You need to find people who work at the companies you’d like to join, and make online introductions. That way, when a job comes open, you can ask for advice and assistance. That human connection makes all the difference.

– Workplace consultant and career coach J.T. O’Donnell has coached, trained and mentored employees and managers on a wide variety of career-related subjects since 1994. Her book, “CAREEREALISM: The Smart Approach to A Satisfying Career” is available at JTODonnell.com. Management guru Dale Dauten has written six books and is an authority on innovation in the workplace. His latest book, “Great Employees Only: How Gifted Bossess Hire & Dehire Their Way to Success” is available at Dauten.com. copyright 2013 King Features.