Connor,
Dark's ideas about pet sitting and cleaning are good. But don't overlook how his brother leveraged volunteer work into a non "teenage" job.
My first jobs were baby sitter, busboy, dishwasher, and cook in restaurants, library clerk at University. My little brother unloaded trucks. A niece worked in a bakery. A nephew stocked auto parts. But we're all sighted.
That being said, regardless of sightedness, the keys to getting a job are:
1. Already have a job
2. Have some experience
3. Network
4. Never give up
Even if you are not employed, you can work at what you want to do. Some computer programmers (like me) work on their own projects while looking for work.
Especially when you are just starting out, you can work for no pay but to get the experience, and references. Companies and even small businesses can be convinced to hire Interns. Basically, figure out what you might want to do and get someone to let you do it for them. As hiring managers, my colleagues and I value experience and being employed, even for no pay, a lot.
As for BVI jobs when you are young: contact every BVI person you know and ask what jobs they have or have had. Then ask them how they started out.
We had an excellent programmer at US Department of Transportation many years ago who was totally blind. He used a custom-made Braille output device. The guy who ran the D.O.T. newsstand was blind, too. At Kurzweil, we had a customer service person who was blind. He's still doing work for NFB. Another blind colleague runs our Massachusetts Council for the Blind. Perkins School has a bunch of blind teachers and other professionals. Another blind colleague runs IT at Carroll Center. Another friend did sales for National Braille Press. Another teaches daycare. Another has his own Braille printing business.
The point is that those guys had to start somewhere. Find a job that a blind adult has or has had, figure out what the Apprentice, Helper, or Intern equivalent is and bug everyone who can't run away until they take you on for little or no pay. Use that experience to get a paying job.
If I were blind and starting out, especially in the US, I'd get experience and references that way.
Network. Keep a list of everyone you contact in your chosen field. Keep them aware that you exist. Be useful to them. While you are looking for work, you often learn stuff about companies (like job needs that aren't right for yourself, whether they are expanding, contacts that someone else might find useful.) Being helpful to others in your chosen field is not only a nice thing to do, but sometimes comes back to help you. Email, forums, and blogs are wonderful things.
Never give up. You are never defeated until you give up. There's a long record of really successful people who failed for years but finally won because they simply refused to give up.
John Bannick
Chief Technical Officer
7-128 Software