WORKING A JOB IN SCHOOL- WHO’S THE FOOL?

There are so many questions that come to teenagers’ minds about getting a job: Should I get a job? If so, will it work with my schedule? Where can I even get a job? How is working with unfamiliar people like? How much can I get paid? These are just some of the many questions that students might have when they see their peers gaining employment.

One place to start your search and get some scholarly advice is the College and Career Center located next to the Athletic Offices. Ms. Goguen, who is in charge of the College and Career Center, said “The question isn’t what places are hiring, the better question is how bad does a ‘student’ want to work.”

She also says that if a student decides that they want to work a job, a good resource is a company’s website where one can find all the job opportunities currently available. She says that some places hiring right now are more unique including Sky Zone and movie theaters.

First, let’s look at the positive sides of getting a job.

According to the Washington Post article Why more teenagers and college students need to work while in school states it is beneficial for high school students to get jobs to help gain experience, which turns out to be crucial in their future career paths, even if they have no correlation. 

Junior Barrett Estrada, who works at Einstein Bagels said that he makes around $14 an hour and he got the job through a referral from a friend. He says he manages all his time by having an organized schedule, and only works on weekends, so he can go to practice and finish homework on weekdays.

Another positive according to Estrada is that “having a job makes me more independent because I can now pay for things like gas, this also helps me prepare for my future.” He also said that work is a positive experience as he enjoys his coworkers and the free food, a perk of his job.

On the other hand, they are also some negatives with working.

Junior Kiera Cox, a server at Amana Barbeque, has worked several jobs throughout high school and got her first job at the beginning of her sophomore year.

She says she got most of her jobs through online job posting and through her friends. Currently, she gets paid $11 an hour and earns up to $80 a night in tips. Even though the money is great, she said that “having a job stopped me from swimming competitively and other extracurriculars; it also created a hectic schedule with my honors and AP classes.”

Another negative of holding a job in high school is a potential impact on grades. According to the article “Should Students Hold Jobs in High School,” students who work long hours, upwards of 20 hours, “suffer from reduced academic performance.”

All in All, the choice to work in high school is a decision that includes several different factors and it ultimately lies in your hands.