Go Get That Summer Job!

As the weather warms up and school winds down, it's time to start thinking about those summer plans. “Well I’ve got plans!” you say, but besides the beach, pool and malls, what else should a teen be considering with all that extra time in the summer? Especially since most of those excursions cost money. Well one fun and beneficial option is a part time job! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate for teens is currently 26.4%. This means that one in five teens is not going to be working at all this summer. (top-5-benefits) But more importantly this also means that four out of five will be working and reaping more benefits than a little cash in their wallets. So, do you really want to be the one kid who is waiting around for all your friends to get off work while also having to ask your parents again for money? Or even worse, in the future, do you really want to be that one out of five people who walks into an interview with no prior job experience? Getting that summer job now can prevent both those scenarios and also ensure that you are on an equal platform with your peers. Sounds good so far, right? Well there’s more.  

Getting a summer job has many benefits right from the get-go! Even just seeking and applying for a job is beneficial because it helps you sharpen your research skills as well as both your written and oral communication skills. The ability to present yourself clearly and confidently on an application and in an interview will be helpful in all walks of life. Everything from your next class presentation/writing assignment, to your next job interview will benefit. Even asking out your potential prom date can be enhanced by the job application process! Ok, maybe that’s a stretch, but one of the results of working is confidence! And you’re going to need loads of it to ask out that cute guy or girl! And just think, you’ll gain all these critical real life experiences even before you’ve started working the actual job!   

Seeking out a summer job also allows you to practice skills that can be helpful in future job hunts for your actual career. If your summer job happens to be in your future field of interest, it can be a great way to gain a deeper understanding of that job as well seeing if it really is the job you want. A part time job is a great way to test the waters and gain some important information about who you are and what you enjoy doing. Once you are on the job you will gain knowledge and practice in communication skills, confidence building, competency, team work, time management and customer service. These are all ways that you will gain benefits on top of the actual pay!  

Also, another great perk is you get to meet and work with new and interesting people. My daughter who started working recently as an admin at Premier Aquatics is really enjoying getting to know the fun people she works with. Many are teenagers like herself so that makes it even more fun! 

Now of course there’s also the obvious perk of making money. Which, c'mon, is pretty sweet since you’d gain considerable independence from your parents. Your whole life you’ve gone to school and never got paid for any of it. Well now, every hour you spend working, you will earn money! Trust me, it really is an amazing feeling to hold that check in your hands knowing that you made it happen!  

And for those of you who might need to convince the parents to let you have a part time job, tell them about this Stanford study which states, “Stanford researcher Jacob Leos-Urbel found that summer jobs for young people have positive impacts on academic performance, especially for students who work jobs across multiple summers.” (https://news.stanford.edu/2015/09/01/) Your parents can’t argue with Stanford, right? So here are some key takeaways and benefits about getting a part-time summer job. 

Key Takeaways 

• Getting a summer job can boost many skills and habits that can carry throughout a career. 
• Securing a summer job may boost a teen's confidence, as it can give them an opportunity to feel successes through the application, training, and working process. 
• Skills that working a summer job may help build include time management skills and an ability to build a network. 
• For teens who already have an idea of the future career they may want to pursue, applying for summer jobs that relate to that field can help build familiarity with and contacts in that sector.(top-5-benefits) 

At Premier Aquatics, we offer various summer jobs that can be seasonal or year round. Those jobs include, admin, lifeguard, swim team and swim class coaches and summer camp counselor positions. If spending the summer working around the pool or beach sounds fun to you, definitely check out our website and apply! We’d love to have you join the team! (jointheteam)