7 Skills a Part-Time Job Will Teach You in Your Teens
The experience of having a real job, even if it’s part time, can teach you some valuable lessons about ‘real life’.
Here are some life truths that a part-time job is guaranteed to teach you;
1. Value of a dollar
When you start earning your own money, you will gain a better understanding of how much a dollar is worth. And it’s easy to equate things to “hours worked” when it’s your earned money instead of your parent’s cash. You will begin to truly understand money and what it takes to earn it (and save it!).
2. Budgeting
For me, work began as a way to make extra spending money and I didn’t have any bills, until I was preparing to get my license! When I learned about the cost of car insurance, gas, and other vehicle expenses, I began to save my paychecks and watch where I spent my money. Balancing my paychecks and saving my money felt good.
3. Taxes & Deductions. Where does it go?
The day you get your first paycheck is an exciting one…but it often feels long overdue because you’ve likely been working for a few weeks already! Then, the amount of money being withheld from your paycheck may concern you, because ‘how can they really take that much?!’ You may find yourself more interested in taxes and the leaders in your community to make sure your money is being used correctly.
4. Responsibility
Being a good student takes a lot of responsibility but if you learn how to balance school studies/activities and a part-time job, you will learn the true meaning of responsibility. 99% of life is “showing up” even when you don’t want to. There are days that you just don’t want to work, but days that you just have to.As you grow older, your amount of responsibilities will only increase so learning how to multitask at an early age will better prepare you for the future.
5. Not Everyone Will Be Your Friend
No matter your industry, You’ll likely learn how to be polite, deal with the public, and handle all types of people. While not everyone on your work team is destined to be your best friend, you do have to communicate and collaborate effectively with them.
6. Interpersonal Skills
As a student, it is easy to find jobs in hospitality and retail, which are both mainly customer-facing industries. You’ll be forced to interact with lots of people that you wouldn’t normally talk to. As a result, you’ll learn to be more comfortable around others. Learning how to interact with different personalities is an essential skill in all types of jobs.
7. Work Experience
A part time job provides the work experience that high school, college and post-graduate students so desperately need. Part-time jobs prepare you for the structure of the workplace, such as working under a supervisor and with co-workers, as well as how to be professional regardless of the work environment.