The perks of having a part-time job as a teen.

When preparing for adulthood you usually want to experience what work is like and how you feel about it. Everyone is going to have to work in the future–there is no doubt about that. Making money is how we survive. As a teenager you may find yourself spending a lot of time doing nothing, laying in bed watching Netflix or updating your social media. With all of this extra time you could have a part time job and support any of your needs. You just have to decide how much of your extra time you want to dedicate to work.

Have you ever thought of how much you would enjoy your food if it were at more of a reasonable price? When working with your favourite restaurant, you will likely be able to have discounts on some of the foods you enjoy and possibly get free food every shift, depending on the restaurant. I used to work at Denny’s and they gave me discounts on all of their food, and after every shift you were able to get a free meal under $12 which was great because I never brought food with me. My family and friends were also able to have discounts at Denny’s just because I had a job there.  

Benefits are also included within some jobs available for teens. From dental benefits to discounts on hotels within the same company, it all depends on where you work and how big the company is. If you are working for a local family-run restaurant, there will not be many benefits besides discounts on food, while working with much larger food chains such as Mcdonalds or Dairy Queen will guarantee you significant benefits.

Making new friends is another great thing about work. There are many nice people you will meet at work that will always help you out and become friends with you. Back when i used to work at Denny’s the people connected with me so quickly. They became good friends with me and were looking forward to work with me whenever our next shift was. Socializing with coworkers was a main part of my fun at work and why I wanted to keep working.  If you ever feel like you need someone to talk to or want to meet new people, work is always a positive option. I find making friends with your coworkers makes work a lot better. Socializing with each other makes time fly by and work more tolerable.

Just because you are a teenager does not mean that working is different for you compared with adults. Depending on your location around the world, you can start work at ages from 14 to 16 with 12 as an exception for light work. LigCht work is usually not physical and has to do more with socialization. Working at a younger age such as 12 limits the job oppurtunities since you are underaged. Of course, you are not allowed jobs such as taxi driver, bartender, or retail store (because of handing cigarettes and other items) but this does not limit your ability to work since there are hundreds of jobs out there that will accept anyone including yourself.

I first started off work in 2017 as a 15-year-old and I am currently turning 16 in a couple months. This means that there will be more job offers for me because of my age. I am actually waiting for my birthday to start work again just to see if I can find a higher paying job once I’m 16.

There are many adult aspects to having a job that require responsibility and charisma. You have to be able to complete all of your work tasks on time and you also have to be able to communicate efficiently with both co-workers and customers. If you have trouble completing tasks at work I suggest being organized. You could have a schedule of tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day. One thing that I have always done when struggling at work is simply asking for help from a manager or supervisor. Following these aspects will guide you to an amazing work life that will benefit you greatly in the future.

Starting young will help you to build a resume that is filled out with work experience before you start looking for fulltime work as an adult. If you have had a high school job or two the experience added up on your resume shows that you are capable of hardwork and dedication. A lot of jobs require you to have work experience. Without it you will find it difficult to land a job when it becomes more critical for you. Your future self will thank you for having a job as a teen.

Within my resume I included many skills and facts about me that are very useful in a working setting, such as charisma, ability to work well with others, punctuality, and a positive mood. These are what managers are looking for in the working industry because it makes them think well about you and your suitability for employment.

Everyone out there is different and may have different feelings and reactions to working. It may not be easy for you or it may not be something you want to do as a teen. There are many things to do with your free time, you just have to find your cup of tea and do what makes you feel good.

There are many different jobs out there and not every job may be for you. You have to experiment and find what you like most and what makes you most uplifted. Even if that means being a cashier, being a dishwasher, or a hostess. If we are all going to be working for the rest of our lives we would prefer a job that makes us happy over a boring job that brings us down, so consider your own interests and aptitudes and choose wisely.