Maeghan Rosenkranz, staff
Everyone experiences stress, which is especially true for teenagers. Having a job while still being in high-school can increase that amount of stress significantly, but some of these individuals need to have jobs for a variety of reasons.
Sturgis McDonalds Manager Amanda Shoun talked about the many teenagers working for her, how it has affected her job and what she looks for when hiring a high-school aged employee. Shoun noted that she likes to give teenagers under 16 a chance because they are still quiet and shy, and that they try to be as flexible as possible when it comes to scheduling around extracurricular activities.
Shoun also listed some pros and cons of hiring teenagers.
“Since most teens work part-time—and it may be their first job—they may be satisfied with minimum-wage that offers them flexible scheduling and the opportunity to learn some skills. Some cons [include] the fear that the teenage employees haven't learned enough skill set to finish the jobs [and] difficulties in managing their time since they have to balance their work time with their education.”
McDonalds employee Kaydence Ulrich (11) said she decided to get a job while still in school for the money and the memories she has made with people but also dislikes closing on school nights.
Ulrich added a strategy she uses to maintain a healthy school-work balance. She, “sleeps as soon as I get home and do homework on days off.”
While discussing the topic of stress, Ulrich added that her stress levels have not increased since getting a job.
Mcdonalds employee Edwin Wolkenhanuer (9) said he has “aero time to do free stuff,” when talking about the consequences of having a job in high school.
Wolkenhanuer said that he doesn’t maintain a healthy balance between school and work.
Shoun said many businesses can benefit from hiring teenagers who may look at the world with a different perspective than older generations. She also stated that younger people are less likely to be set in their ways then older people, making them easier to train.