The Importance of a Part Time Job

Many high school students need money for college so they get a part time job in high school and in college. What they don't know is that they're not only getting a paycheck, but also the well earned skill of hard work. Hard work is not something that people just get. It's something that has to be earned. Students that don't have a part time job don't know what it's like to do legit work and they don't know what it's like to have to sacrifice a weekend of movies and friends for twelve hours of working. Every high school and college student should have the experience of working a part time job on top of their busy schedules. Some great places to look for part time jobs would be places such as the mall, local restaurants, or fast food. These types of places are always hiring high school and college aged kids.  

A part time job doesn't have to run your whole life. It is possible to juggle a job, family, friends, school, etc. When you get hired, just tell them you would like to work x amount of hours. Nine times out of ten, they'll work with you and your schedule. However there is such a thing as sacrifice. No one likes to miss a family or friend event for work, but you have to find that balance between sacrificing work for friends and friends for work. This is called compromise. It's not an easy thing to do but it's something that has to be done. Just remember that you can't please everyone, hence the compromise. However don't let your employer take advantage of you and make you work twenty some hours a week. Studies done by WebMD Children's Health have shown the negative side effects of high school students working too much. 

Hard work isn't the only plus to having a part time job during high school. It looks great on a college application or scholarship application. It shows colleges that you can handle a busy schedule, along with keeping up with good grades, community services, etc. When you hand over your paycheck to the bank teller, you get this sense of pride because that money was earned, not given to you. After awhile, those paychecks will add up as well. Soon you'll find yourself with a big bank account, which would make anyone smile. By having a job, you learn great social skills too. You learn to compromise with your boss and coworkers. You learn how to act around costumers, both the nice and rude kind. You learn how to deal with big decisions when under a lot of pressure. The list goes on and on.  

"It's not about what you know but who you know," author unknown. This well known saying is as true as they come. Employers are a great source for job recommendations or even letters of recommendation for college. As long as you're a hard working employee and you left on good terms, it will prove to help you later on in life knowing these people and making these relationships. 

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