With stress coming from school and extracurricular activities, getting an after school job may cause more stress for teens because they get behind on their  school work. However, for most teenagers, working a part-time job has benefits that outweigh any potential risks, allowing learning opportunities.

Teenagers specifically get part time jobs for the opportunities to get working experience, learn self-reliance, financial skills, time management skills, and of course, for the extra money. Although finding a job that is enjoyable can be hard for young people who lack experience in the workplace, the outcome can be a positive and helpful learning experience.

Many businesses hiring today are more likely to hire someone with experience over someone who doesn’t, so it is important for teens to start putting themselves in the workplace to learn the do’s and don’ts of being an active worker. Students who work through high school can also demonstrate their abilities to manage their time and balance their school work along with their job.

Paying for gas, new clothes, exams, and going out with friends all adds up to thousands of dollars each year. Teens who can earn their own income can make paying for their needs and wants less painful. Students will also learn how to decide whether what they want to buy is a necessity. As a teen, college is also constantly in question and considered. Not all families have enough money to pay for the expenses that are packaged in with getting a college education, but if a student were to be making their own money, they could save up and contribute to their college dues.

Teens who don’t participate in any extracurricular activities end up having time on their hands after school. Most often, this extra time is wasted on TV, cellphones, or even getting themselves into trouble. Jobs allow teens to make much more of their time. Adult employers give teens supervision and productive work to do after school. Keeping teens busy with productive work instead of idleness can keep them out of trouble and give them something to do for the afternoons and evenings after school.

Keeping a job is vital for a teens transition into adulthood. Holding down a solid work ethic can help young adults develop and learn self-reliance and independence. Although it is true that a job can be stressful and cause students to fall behind, the lesson and struggle is important for the development of basic and necessary skills for transitioning into adulthood. Students will learn to manage and balance time, take care of their own schedules and money, and work on their own for extensive periods of time. Also, students are still in their parents supervision, so if the challenge gets too difficult, they can still ask for help and learn how to fix their problems with someone who has experienced it all before.

Part time jobs can also be a lead into future careers. Searching for jobs as a teen can allow students to learn and master filling out resumes, conduct interviews, and approach businesses to make finding and getting a job easier and more successful. Starting young can also open a lot of doors to more businesses. As teens meet more people through different jobs, they are likely to meet people from bigger businesses and different companies who could possibly be impressed with their skills and attitude and be willing to offer jobs elsewhere or for future reference. Also, jobs can inspire students to pursue a career. For example, working as a waitress in a restaurant may inspire someone to open their own restaurant or working in a daycare can inspire a teen to be a teacher. One can hope that a student who works a part time job as mopping up bathroom floors in high school will not spend the rest of their life doing just that, but obviously early jobs do take an influence on future careers.

Teens everywhere are getting jobs and therefore getting experience and learning important life skills. Working as a teen builds confidence and allows students to see what they are capable of handling and doing. Experience and skills are vital for getting a job in today’s society and starting early will only allow the learning to begin sooner.