Katie: When it comes to getting a job in high school I would say that you should get a job that allows you flexibility in scheduling to fit your life. I work at a nursing home where they allow me to schedule myself when I have time which works best for me since I have so many activities going on at once. Working as a caregiver has taught me the value of time and to appreciate every moment you have with your youth. If you are interested in getting a job but don’t know where to start I would say Indeed or ZipRecruiter are the best places (keep in mind some applications may go unnoticed but it can’t hurt to apply). These two search engines can help you look for full-time or part-time jobs with a range of experience and pay rates. If you can’t seem to find time for a job during the school year because you’re too busy, but you still want job experience for your resume, I would say getting a summer job is a great idea. In the summer you will have free time to go shopping or eat with friends and you will need money to spend. You can work during the day and then go out with friends in the evening and you’ll have the money from your job to spend (or save) on whatever you wish. If you have family friends that may need a babysitter in the summer or even a nanny that is also a good way to make money. I was a nanny all summer this year and it was so much fun and I made great money for not doing very much. Overall I would say getting a job is a great idea because it looks great on your resume, and not having enough time is not an excuse because if I can find time to work, anyone can.
Jana: My tip for applying to jobs is not to use Indeed. In my experience, Indeed has never been a reliable way to find jobs, most applications go ignored. I would recommend going to the company’s website directly and applying that way. This is how I applied to my current job, Pitch. Word of mouth is also a really good way to find a way to find who’s hiring and good places to work. For my job, I usually try to only work around two to three times a week to make sure that I can finish my homework and study. I would recommend working more during senior year than the other three years because you can get a lot more free time during senior year. To maintain a social life, I try to request days off when there are big sporting events like football games. I guess the best way to have fun with friends is to plan and request time off when you need it.
Tanya: Babysitting is a great way to earn extra money, and many BT parents would appreciate the help. I work at Orange Leaf, a frozen yogurt shop, at the location out west near my house. I recommend applying to as many places as possible close to your home to keep the drive nice and short, and that way you won’t be spending all the money you make on gas. To balance school and work, I would recommend planning ahead. Request days or weeks off in advance and also constantly update your manager. For my job, I usually work one weekend shift and occasionally a weekday shift, but I work more hours during breaks and in the summer.
William: Getting a job in high school isn’t all that hard. When I was first faced with the task of getting a job, my mother forced me to walk into all the places I wanted to work at and meet one of the employees and ask for a paper application. After I got the paper application I would immediately fill it out in the car and return it to the employee. At the time I didn’t enjoy this way of applying for jobs, I told my mom I would rather just apply online. But looking back on it now this way of applying for jobs can be better than applying online. Going into the places and getting a feel for the environment and the people that work there is very important. And taking those steps before you actually apply for the job for me at least was very helpful. Some places I went into I immediately didn’t like the vibe and knew that job wasn’t for me. And some I would go and I really liked and those were the jobs I would pursue. Having a job when school starts can sometimes be very stressful. It’s important to tell your manager before school starts that you want to reduce the amount of shifts you’re working. Having too many shifts during the school year can quickly overwhelm you. It’s always better to just work 2-3 shifts during the school year especially Friday or Saturday when you don’t have school the next day. Not working more than 2-3 shifts will allow you to have time for your friends and your studies.
