Part III: Do it yourself
If you start your own company, then you've got a guaranteed job working for a manager you'll like: you. The only hard part is getting clients or customers. The way you do that is the same as if you were working for someone else. You have to see a need and offer to fill it for a fair price.

Let's assume, for a minute, that your attempts to get a job at a vet's office didn't work out, and volunteering won't work for you because you need to earn money for college.

You still have a great chance of working with animals, because you are about to set up your town's best dog-walking, dog-washing, pet-sitting service. Some grown-ups in big cities charge $15 for a 30-minute walk with Bowser. If they walk two dogs at a time, that works out to $60 an hour. (You might start with lower prices, to make yourself even more irresistible to clients.)

In any case, it's fine work if you can get it. Which you can, by talking with your neighbors and posting flyers--perhaps even at the office of the vet who was sorry she couldn't hire you this time around. You can also advertise your services as you're out walking dogs. Just wear a T-shirt that says "I walk dogs" and include your phone number.

Once you have a list of clients, you can sell them additional services: house-sitting while they're on vacation, more expensive one-on-one trips to the park, regular dog baths and even dog birthday parties.

Lots of kids have made outrageous sums of money starting their own businesses. The key, says one successful young entrepreneur, is to have a passion for something.

Ben Cathers started working for himself at age 12 because he knew he wanted an office job, but stood no chance of getting one at that tender age. So, he started a Web marketing and advertising company aimed at teenagers. Before long, he had 10 employees--and when he was just 15, his company was recognized by the Silicon Alley Reporter as one of 12 companies to "look out for."

Cathers has also hosted a radio show, written a book, and founded a search technology company that just scored its first round of venture capital.

If it sounds like a lot of work to be this successful, it is.

"It takes up all my free time," Cathers says. "The thing about being an entrepreneur is that it's not 9-5. It is your whole life."

But, he says, he gets to control his destiny, he gets to reap the rewards of his work, and the lifestyle makes him happy.

This is such an important thing to remember about work: When you're happy doing what you do, your job doesn't feel like a jail sentence.

Ben advises kids to start with an idea (like a pet-walking service). Then make a plan for how you'll pull it off (figure out what you need to charge, how you can find customers, and how you will handle the logistics of scheduling, etc.). Raise any money you need (for your advertising, for leashes, treats, and other expenses). Get your supplies. Then fuel it all with eagerness to succeed.

If it all seems intimidating, consider joining forces with friends. I've heard about kids who manage a baby-sitting referral network, for example. The girls in charge compile a list of baby-sitters, schedule services, and take a cut of the hourly wage.

Other kids have hooked up to do even more sophisticated stuff: founding a Web guide for teen entrepreneurs. The benefit of working with others is that you learn from their perspectives, and they may have skills that you don't and vice versa. The key is, though, to pick a business partner with the right talents, work ethic, and a vision that matches yours. Otherwise, you'll have a tough time making a go of it.

Whether you find a great job by asking someone you know, researching related businesses in your town, or by acting as an entrepreneur and building your own company, you can feel confident knowing that other people have succeeded doing the exact same things.

The bottom line here: You don't have to spend a summer flipping burgers--unless, of course, you want to.