People Should Start Looking For EmploymentDuringTheirTeenageYears

By Liv Carney Staff Writer

Since teenagers have a lot on their plates between school, sports and after school activities, the hours left in the day can be very few. This leaves little time to hangout with friends or work which is a main reason a lot of teenagers do not want to have jobs. However, there are many benefits to working as a teenager with skills that will set you up for life. These negative feelings towards working can be turned into positive ones with the right mindset.

Time management is a large part of life no matter what you do and it is important to know how to best take advantage of the hour. Having to work a job after school and on the weekends will encourage teenagers to learn how to manage home jobs as an adult, they will appreciate seeing that you have been working for a while and have levels of experience. Holding a job while being a student is impressive and will raise your chances of being hired. Showing your parents that you are able to hold a job while being in school is very responsible and can be a good way of building trust.

I started working right after I turned 16 and while I was not thrilled about having a job at first, I actually have grown to enjoy working. It has given me the chance to learn time management between working, getting my school work and studying done while still having time to spend with friends and family. I have gotten the chance to really get to know many of my coworkers and learn about them as people. I have learned lessons about not only work but also life from my older coworkers and managers. While I always knew I would enjoy having my own money to spend, I underestimated how nice it really would be. I can buy things and feel like I really earned them instead of them being handed to me. Buying things for yourself brings such a sense of maturity and responsibility to your life and is truly a great feeling. While earning money seems like the most obvious reason for having a job, it is also a large factor in maturity. Being able to buy food, clothes or other purchases such as tickets to an event with money one earns themself is a huge privilege. This can also give a satisfying feeling as it shows responsibility and not having to rely on others for the things you want or need. Along with that, learning how to manage money at a young age is such an important life skill to have especially since it is one you’ll be using for the rest of your life. Finding the balance between spending and saving can be difficult but also so rewarding when you get to watch the numbers in your bank account go up. Another important skill working can teach is teamwork. No matter if it is in school or in a workplace, learning how to work in a team alongside others is crucial. Being one part of a working team is rewarding in itself, along with meet ing new people. While it can be dif ficult to have to follow other’s rules or specific ways things need to be done, it is a good skill to have for the future to be able to go with the flow. One thing teenagers worry about when getting a job is that they will not have enough time for their social life, however I have found that having a job and a social life to maintain has been helpful for me. Most of my friends are employed as well so while I do not get to spend as much time with them as I used to, it makes me appreciate hanging out with them so much more. Another positive to this is being able to go out with your friends because you all have your own