High schoolers have jobs for many different reasons, whether it be to help out with their family’s income, to save up for college and the future or to have some additional spending money. In middle school, I had always thought that it was standard for high schoolers to get a job. Although that is definitely not the case, I do believe that high school jobs are worth it for the experience. 

As a sophomore, I recently started my first job as a barista and cashier at Tous Les Jours, and there was definitely a learning curve for the first few weeks since I had no work experience. One of the biggest challenges was the fast-paced environment of working at a bakery, especially during peak hours where there often are long lines spanning the length of the store.

Other than being a barista or a cashier, there are many different part-time jobs that high schoolers can have. Although many people automatically think of part-time jobs as working in retail or in a restaurant, there are other options like babysitting or doing yardwork. 

Having a job in high school can improve communication, time management and money management skills. As someone that hates public speaking, it was definitely a struggle at first for me to communicate and speak up with customers or my boss, but I’ve gotten more comfortable with it after being there for two months. It is important to learn how to communicate with coworkers and your boss at a part-time job in high school in preparation for more important jobs in the future. This has not only helped me with the job, but has also helped with public speaking in school. 

I only work five hour shifts on the weekends, so time management is not as big of an issue for me. I can’t speak for people that also work on weekdays, but I think there definitely needs to be a balance when it comes to working on weekdays unless the job is out of necessity. One of the biggest arguments against high school jobs is that they will conflict with studies, but I think jobs are totally manageable as long as you are smart with time management and don’t have an overwhelming amount of extracurriculars going on. 

As for money management, it definitely hurts more to spend your own money. I am now more careful with what I spend my money on, while in the past I didn’t think much about what I was buying and if it was actually worth it.  Having a job in high school is a good way to start earning and budgeting your own spending money. 

Another important factor when it comes to jobs in high school is if you actually enjoy the job and working with the people there. It’s not worth it to be spending your time in high school at a job you dislike since there are other things high schoolers should be a part of, and you have the rest of your life to work. However, having a job can help you meet new people you wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet. Part-time jobs for high schoolers may seem boring, but you can learn a lot and make new friends with the right co-workers. 

Overall, I would encourage high schoolers to get a job for the experience. I think the life skills developed from having a job are very important and different from what is taught in school or from other activities like sports. If you don’t have the time during the school year, a summer job is another good option to look into. Either way, it never hurts to work for some additional spending money or savings.