Growing up, all of us have heard stories from our parents about their first job. Whether it was an ice cream shop or a department store, they all started somewhere. Many of them got their first job as young as sixteen years old. Obviously, times have changed, but should we be getting jobs this young as well?

High school is a time of major change for most people: more  activities, harder classes, more freedom, but more responsibilities. They are learning how to drive and use their time and money efficiently. With the amount of freedom, many high schoolers like being with their friends or going out on the weekends but need money to do so. Eventually, parents get tired of giving their kids money, so they are left with two options. Get a job or don’t go out at all. There is no obvious answer to this question due to all of the pros and cons when it comes to getting a job in high school, but the decision takes a lot of time and consideration.

Of course, there are a countless number of pros for high schoolers getting jobs. They consist of making money of their own, learning to take responsibility, learning life skills, time management skills, and much more. Alongside all the pros, there are definitely some cons. Some of them include less time to focus on schoolwork, late hours would equal less sleep, not as much of your time is spent with family and friends, and more.

For those teens who do decide getting a job would be the best choice for them when thinking  about it, there is a wide variety of options on where to work. When deciding where to apply, certain things should dictate the decision like how far you live, the hourly wage, and the requirements. With all of these in mind, the options on where to work are quite limitless. You should first figure out what you want to do by asking yourself what kind of environment you would  prefer the best. Some job examples include a department store, somewhere with customer interactions, serving people, surrounded by kids, or something else. Once this is decided, you can choose a place from the environment of your likings. In other words, someone who likes working with kids could work somewhere with after-school childcare like the YMCA, or if you are looking for a job with less human interaction required, maybe you could consider the back of the house in a restaurant or pet sitting.

In conclusion, getting a job so young can be risky, but it can also be so rewarding. So if you are currently debating whether or not getting a job would be good for you, don’t forget to put into consideration all of the pros and cons. Also if you do decide to apply for a job, make sure to click here to check out this article by Kate Coscia about preparing for the interview.