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Should you get a job in high school?

Photo credit: Mindfulstew.wordpress.com

Sarandeep Kaur, Reporter
January 13, 2017

High school jobs are a huge part of the traditional high school experience. According to Concordia University, about 23% of high school students have a part-time job along-side their academic life. There are many reasons why student get jobs. Various students were interviewed in order to get the pros and cons of having a part-time job in high school.

According to E Campus Tours, there are various reasons why students in high school get part-time jobs. Some reasons deal with gaining more experience and creating a framework for success. Money is also a big reason why students want jobs. Sophomore Karoul Barkho was able to share about her job at Kumon, a math and reading tutoring center. Barkho states, “Although it is nice to get money, I feel as helping the children is a reason why I like my job.” Barkho works on weekdays and weekends and her hours are typically from 3:30-7:30 after school.

Students were asked about the pros of having a job in high school. In another interview, senior Febin Thomas explained how a job could be beneficial for the future. Thomas states, “My job is beneficial because it exposes me to handling money at an early age and gives good experiences for the future.” Another pro of having a job in high school is the development of a work ethic. At a young age, students tend to gain more responsibility and interpersonal communication skills through their job. Through this they are able to manage time effectively. Junior Vini Patel affirms this point: “I wanted a job for myself to become more independent and for work experience.” Patel believes that learning to be independent early on is beneficial for the future.

Even though having a job in high school has its pros, there are various cons. Barkho states,”Sometimes it is hard to finish all my homework for school because of the hours from work. However, it is still manageable and I am able to finish.” She also states that, “Sometimes it can become difficult.” Patel had a different take on the issue. Patel states, “I do not really get stressed in school because of my job because my hours are very flexible and I usually work in the summer/spring time.” Based on these two responses, it can be concluded that your job may affect your academic life, but it ultimately depends on your job type and corresponding schedule.

Now, it is important to determine if getting a job as a high school student is beneficial for the long run. Many sources gave input on the question. Thomas states, “Getting a job can be beneficial, but make sure you do not overwhelm yourself. You should make good choices for your future and it is not worth being stressed out over a temporary job.” Patel states, “Having a job is a good idea but you have to make sure you stay persistent and manage your time wisely.” Lastly, sophomore Barkho states something similar to Patel: “It is important to be balanced and pick a job that you like, so that it does not feel like a burden.”

Having a job in high school can be a great experience, but in the end it depends on various factors. It is important to be able to develop an effective work ethic and schedule that works. If it does not work out as well as hoped, the right decision needs to be made for the future. Always remember that having a job can be beneficial, but is not a necessity.

Fun Fact: According to Insider Monkey, this is list of the top 15 highest paying part-time jobs for high school students. Insider Monkey is a finance website that collected the top paying jobs that may vary according to state/city.