When to Get a Job in High School: 15 Tips
When you are in high school, your education should be your main priority according to the gurus over at runrex.com. However, getting a job in high school is an option that we see many students take up, and given that holding a job while in high school has both pros and cons, you must know your situation which will help you know if you should get a job in high school or not. Here are 15 tips on when to get a job in high school.
If you need the money
Most high school students are under the care of their parents or guardians and, therefore, don’t need to work for the money. For such students, if you choose to work while in high school, then anything you earn will go straight towards whatever you want it to. However, some may need the money, and if you are one of them, then if you can find the time, you should consider getting a job. Also, if you want to buy yourself something and don’t want to ask your parents to buy it for you, then getting a job, even if for just one summer, can be a great way to make money to be able to pay for it as discussed over at guttulus.com.
If you have the time
If you also have a lot of free time as a high school student, and you feel like you need to fill that time somehow, then getting a job is a good idea according to the gurus over at runrex.com. Just make sure that you have free time and that your work is not interfering with your education or causing you to miss out on big high school events like big football events or matches. Make sure you have enough time to add another commitment without impacting on existing activities and pursuits, especially academic work.
Are you good with time management?
If you are not good at managing time, then you should probably avoid getting a job in high school or you may end up getting into trouble at your workplace, school, or both. As explained over at guttulus.com, you should only consider getting a job while in high school if you manage time well and thrive when you are challenged with multiple commitments.
Consider your communication skills
Your communication skills should also play a part in helping you decide if you should get a job in high school or not. From discussions on the same over at runrex.com, you should consider getting a job in high school if you feel like you have good communication skills and can maturely advocate for yourself.
How good are you at juggling academics with other extracurriculars?
You know yourself better than anybody else, and you know how good you are at juggling academics with other extracurricular activities. If you struggle to strike the right balance between these two, then you may want to avoid getting a job in high school.
If you need the distraction
Another instance when you should consider getting a job in high school is if you need the distraction. As explained over at guttulus.com, high school life can come with all sorts of pressures, from academic pressure and pressure to fit in. Many students find being in a different environment for a couple of hours a week can be quite liberating, taking them out of the pressure cooker environment of high school.
If you are looking to make new friends
One of the perks of working, particularly at a place that hires a lot of young people such as retail jobs and jobs in hospitality, is that you will meet a lot of new people your age as covered over at runrex.com. Many people end up making friends for life with people they work with while in high school, and if you are looking to make new friends, then you should consider getting a job in high school.
If you are not sure what you want to do when you graduate
No one expects a high school student to have it all figured out. However, according to the experts over at guttulus.com, getting a job in high school can help you get a clearer idea of what you want to do when you graduate. Your job may either make you discover that you have a passion in that particular field or may end up letting you know that industry isn’t for you.
If you know what you want and are looking for a head start
If you know which industry you would like to work in even while in high school, then you should go for it and get a job in the said industry if you can. This is because, as explained over at runrex.com, working in high school means that you will be able to make significant steps in the company when you are still young and will get a head start in your industry of choice over the rest.
If you need to learn the value of money
Most parents and guardians feel like getting a job in high school helps their kids learn about the value of money. This is because, without a job, teenagers just rely on other people’s money, and, therefore, when you get a job and start earning your own money, you understand its true value.
If you have issues budgeting
If you also usually have issues budgeting, and you find that your allowance can never make it to the end of the month, then you should also consider getting a high school job. This is because, as outlined over at guttulus.com, a high school job can teach you to budget properly now that you will be dealing with your very own hard-earned money.
For confidence
As the subject matter experts over at runrex.com point out, holding a job while in high school can help you build up confidence. Holding a job can make students feel more capable and worthier than they may otherwise feel, making them more confident in themselves and their abilities.
If you always get into trouble
If you are one of those students who can never seem to stay away from trouble, particularly during the summer, or you live in a neighborhood where teenagers are susceptible to the same, then this is another instance when you should consider getting a job. As outlined over at guttulus.com, summer jobs have been shown to decrease incidents of violence by disadvantaged youth by up to 43%, and after-school jobs could provide the same benefits.
If you need to build experience for your resume
As is explained over at runrex.com, working a job while in high school will allow you to build up experience, even if you are only working a couple of shifts per week. This will look good on your resume and also give you a reference for when you want to move on to something else or are looking for a job.
If you need to improve your soft skills
If you feel like you have gaps as far as your soft skills are concerned, then you should also consider getting a job in high school. A job will help you improve soft skills such as organization skills, time-management skills, and even the aforementioned communication skills as you will be regularly interacting with customers.
Hopefully, these tips will help you decide when to get a job in high school, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at the highly-rated runrex.com and guttulus.com.