Making That Bank
Why Having a Job as a Teen Is Beneficial
Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
Having a job as a teen may seem like a hassle, but a vast number of positives can come out of it. Whether it’s working at a local boutique or babysitting for a neighbor, all types of jobs can benefit teens. In 2021, only 30.5% of teens ages 16-19 had jobs. The number of employed teens has decreased in the past 20 years, but there should be an increase because having jobs as a teenager leads to many positive aspects of life. Having a job increases work ethic, gives teens a sense of what they might want to do in life and lets them learn about money and how to manage it.
A good and strong work ethic is one of the most important things to have. Having a job increases work ethic and can lead to having an increased mindset about certain aspects of life. When a student works for someone, they have to follow their directions and do everything according to what their boss wants. Say they ask the employee to make a shipment order by the following Monday. The employee is going to have to plan their week according to the mail schedule and they will most likely have to meet with the boss to go over certain things. This leads to being organized about planning and working hard to get things done. Having a strong work ethic leads to so many significant things that can later lead to even bigger opportunities. For example, if the employee proves to their boss that they can work hard and get things done timely, they will recognize that and quite possibly reward them with a promotion or pay raise. The work ethic a student learns through the job doesn’t just have to be executed in the workplace but also during school or any extracurricular activities.
“I got a lot of people skills and a hard work ethic out of it,” junior Blair Brooks said.
So many different things can come out of a job. Gaining a good work ethic to bring with you throughout life, can lead to significant changes in behavior and opportunities in the future.
“I really learned how to handle different situations that you wouldn't cross in everyday life,” junior Gray Burleson said.
Not only can a good work ethic come out of a job, but also the chance to work with certain materials or people that a student might not be able to if they didn’t have that job.
Working a job as a teen gives them a chance to experience what they might want to do in life. Usually, when one applies for a job, they apply somewhere that interests them. For example, if a student wanted to work with animals after college, they could get a job at an Animal Hospital or if they really enjoyed the business field, they might work in a store. Working somewhere students are passionate about can be very effective. Having the opportunity to work in those departments can influence a person’s decision on what they want to do for work in the future. Sometimes, a person may get a job working on something they thought they wanted to do, but during it, they realize they don’t have the passion or interest they did before. Thankfully, with that experience, students can find out early in life what they might want to do but also what they might not want to do.
Managing money is one of the most challenging things to do in life, however, having a job increases the ability to manage money at a young age. Earning one’s own money plays a significant role in how they spend it. Once a student starts making their own money, they learn what they want to do with it. Most people choose to save it because they don't want to see their hard-earned money disappear. Others choose to immediately spend it which later can lead to negative consequences. Starting young with managing money is very beneficial to young employees so when they are an adult and have a better-paying job, they already know how to handle it and have learned not to spend it all at once.
Some might say that having a job takes away from their free time. In some aspects this is true, but each person needs to find their own balance. Balancing family, school and a job can be difficult but with the right balance of each, anything is possible.
A job comes with so many different aspects that will carry students on throughout life. Whether it is gaining a good work ethic, figuring out what they might want to do in life or learning to manage money, all of these aspects can be traced back to having a job. Having a job as a teen will start them out young with these tremendous characteristics that will carry them far in life.
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