I am eighteen years old (soon to be nineteen), and I just got my first job and finally learning the value of a dollar, which is a crucial lesson in life. Yeah, I know kind of sad right? You’re probably thinking wow what a spoiled little rich girl, but actually I wasn’t. I was one of those girls who always had to ask her mother for money because I did not have any of my own and quite often got shut down, so I missed out on many things so I was not spoiled. Like when my friends would go shopping or out to eat, I sat at home and watched TV by myself, and if I was lucky, with my dog. I had a babysitting job but that wasn’t enough money to keep me going and I had no credit established so if I would have applied to get a credit card they would decline me. I now work at Martin’s grocery store as a cashier and people make fun of me for it but I could care less. I make more than minimum wage and I love the customers and people I work with. I’m glad I finally decided to man up and get a job because making money yourself is a great feel plus you can do more now that you have money. I have learned a lot already and I have only been working for about two and a half weeks. My social skills have improved immensely. It is very easy for me to talk to people now and am more outgoing than I have ever been in the past. I have already made too many mistakes to count, but that is part of the job learning and improving. I never got yelled at by any of my manager there are all very understanding.

I know that for some people (like me) it is nerve-racking. There is always a chance of making a mistake or having customers yell at you. And if that happens it gets you all out of sorts and you become overwhelmed. But you cannot let this stop you from getting a job. Once you get through your training there’s nothing to it. The one great thing about having a job is making money. When you make money you can do what you want to do and buy what you want to buy. The next pro to having a job is having a sense of self-worth, dignity, and self- respect. It makes you feel good knowing that you are doing something well and making money. You build a so-called foundation that you can build upon in life to become successful. Also, another big aspect to getting a job is that you acquire new skills to help you later in life. The other important thing to having a job is that it makes you stand out when you are trying to have a career. They look at your resume and will call the workplace and ask questions about you to make sure you are an eligible candidate. The first job you get probably will not be the one you want forever, but it is a good starting point to get you ready for the big time jobs in your future.