“Don’t just sit around at home: get a job!”

For some students, this may be the most feared statement their parent(s) could ever say to them. While many may be fueled by curiosity or familial needs to join the workforce without prompting from their parent(s), a large portion of teens dread the day their parent(s) tell them to go find a job. School is time-consuming enough, why waste your precious childhood away working at some part-time job? Especially high school students who are about the leave the nest, they may want to enjoy their relatively care-free days a bit longer and hold off on the pressure from having a job.

A common problem teens have with getting a job is that they feel they don’t have enough time to go out and work. With the struggle to take as many AP classes as possible, apply and work in the most prestigious internships and excel at multiple extracurricular activities, it’s no wonder that kids feel they need more time. On top of a schedule already bursting at the seams, cramming in a part-time job is a daunting responsibility many students don’t bother with. Many students already sleep only a few snatched hours in the early morning- imagine how late they would sleep if they had to go to work before starting their homework for the day.

Even if students did apply and get a job, they most likely wouldn’t be making more than minimum wage. Especially with students who come from higher income families, the amount of money the child makes from his/her part-time job wouldn’t make that much of a difference. It is also these students that are more unwilling to get a part-time job because they also feel their earnings would be insignificant compared to what their parents make. They feel there’s no point in having a job when their salaries don’t really impact the household.

If a child does decide to get a job, they still have to go through the application process. While the mental barriers may seem like one of the biggest obstacles that prevent teens from going out and applying for part-time jobs, in reality, these kids still have to work to get the job. Job opportunities don’t just come floating by and you pick one of your choosing that seems the easiest- you have to actively seek them out and latch onto one that you feel would really suit you. Contrary to the “I deserve this so I’m going to get it” mindset teens often develop, like many other activities, getting a job can be a competitive process. Even if it’s not, if the potential employer doesn’t find you worthy of working with them, they could just dismiss you whether or not there’s someone else available. You may not be old enough to work where you want to, and you may not be experienced enough in that field to work there.

While getting a job may seem like the most horrifying experience you could ever have in your childhood, there are numerous benefits. By showing up to work on time, you would learn the importance of punctuality. You’d also have to be responsible for yourself, answer to your employer and do the job well with your colleagues even when your boss isn’t looking. In addition, holding a job is incredibly self-satisfying. You can spend money knowing that you've worked hard and done something to earn what you're buying. While you may not be making a ton of money and your part-time job probably isn’t your dream job, the fact that you have a job and are doing something different just adds enough variety to your life as a student to make the experience so much better.