Teenage Jobs Editorial

By Leah Day | Opinion Editor

October 23, 2024

Everyone remembers their first job. Whether it was a terrific or terrible one, you are guaranteed to make so many memories. Most people start working part time at around 16 years old, but that is a big decision to make. There are many pros and cons for teenagers and parents to consider when deciding whether to get a job. 

A great lesson that most people take away from working is learning how to save and budget your money. Because you are being actively compensated, the money holds a higher value. Making purchases can now be harder for some, as they don’t want to spend their hard-earned money. Budgeting is also important because you don't want to spend your whole paycheck on one thing; you can learn to save up for something and then budget your money for the product you wish to buy. You’ll appreciate what you're buying more because it was your own money that you worked for. 

Students with jobs also learn to balance work, school, and social life. Managing time is hard, but it is important to learn how to do it successfully before adulthood. Students already have enough responsibilities with school; when they start working, they can learn how to manage their time between working, homework, studying, and having a social life. If this skill is mastered young, it won't be as big of a change when the transition to adulthood is made.

Working also gives teens a higher respect for others in the workforce. For example, it is a commonly held belief that everyone should have to work in the service industry at least once; it doesn't matter if it’s food, customer, or retail service. If you work in a restaurant and see how crazy some people can be or have someone yell at you for something that is not your fault, you are less likely to treat a worker poorly. You see how difficult it is to be treated badly for no reason so you would not want to do that to someone else and make their job harder. You better understand how to treat workers regardless of the job. 

A drawback to having a job in your teenage years is that school does not stop just because you have a job. While it is good to learn how to balance school and work, it can be a lot for some people. It can be difficult if you have to go to work right after school and then go home tired and still have a lot of homework or a test to study for. Plus, clubs and sports make it difficult to find time to work or can cause a scheduling conflict. Not every employer will be open to working around a student-athlete’s schedule, which could cause issues and unwanted stress. 

Sometimes working can be awkward for teenagers if they are the only ones at the workplace who are still in high school. Some of the other employees could be triple your age and that can create an uncomfortable work environment because you may not know how to connect with someone you’re not close to in age to. 

There is no set age where someone has to get a job. No one turns 16 and is automatically going to start working. Deciding to work is a personal decision and everyone is going to have different thought processes about when they should start working. There are many pros and cons to weigh before making that large of a decision. I think that everyone should have or have had a part-time job before they graduate high school; but for some, that's just not feasible and it’s totally ok. 

Working during high school years has many positives and negatives. Everyone should, at the very least, consider getting a job, but they should make the decision carefully and consult their parent(s) or guardian(s). While there can be some stress that comes with working, that shouldn’t be the only deterrent from choosing to work. Stress is a part of life and it is better to learn how to handle it now before reaching adulthood. Having a job can teach you so much, but, above all, do something that you enjoy or at the very least do not loathe. While you are preparing for adulthood, you’re still a kid and should enjoy life before graduation the best you can. If that path of enjoyment has a part-time job, that’s great; if it doesn't, that’s also great; the important thing is being able to look back on your high school years and be happy with how they all turned out.

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