First Jobs

Entering high school, students may find themselves spending money on food, entertainment, or self care items to feed their desire for independence and freedom.  As high schoolers, you are clearing your path to the future you want. Getting ready to go into the real world and preparing for adulthood, you will have to make big sacrifices and choices. One of the first big choices made entering this part of your life is finding your first job. For many students in high school, having a job has positively affected their financial circumstances, personal growth, and future.

Speaking to upperclassmen, some feel that it’s hard to get a job at a young age. Legally, the age to be employed is 14-16 with working papers. Senior Adam Arriola stated “My first job was a summer camp counselor in my sophomore year in summer. I got paid around $13 an hour, and going into your freshman year you should apply to CIT for camp or a hospital because it looks good for college.”

Knowing what you want to be can be very beneficial to you when picking out your first job. Participating in a lot of extracurricular activities and having a good job can open up a lot of college spots, and depending on your future goals, finding a job now can help you during your college years.

Juggling after-school activities, work, and homework may not be for everyone, however. Adam cautioned, “I think that for the first couple years going into that [working] phase, you should worry about your grades because it affects your GPA. So if you intend to work, do either one or two days and if you have more time, incorporate [those hours] into weekends or after school.” 

Learning to manage your time takes practice. Underclassman Sam Klein currently works as a part-time teacher’s assistant at Hebrew School and works on Sundays. “I play baseball so I try to get my work done before a game or practice,” Sam explained, “I don’t feel that it affected my grades because I manage my time and put my priorities straight. I have practice every day and play both baseball and cross country and have made the honor roll at least 10 times.” Managing your time and making sure you keep your priorities straight can help manage school work.