Szoke 1

Alexander Szoke

Mrs. Cramer

Comp Pd. 2

5 March 2021

"Get a job!”

The quest of self-discovery is a defining characteristic of a teenager’s high school

experience. High school is a time when teenagers must think of their futures. The relatively

effortless life of few responsibilities comes to an end. High school students are in the process of

figuring out their purpose and function in society. One way that teenagers may become familiar

with an independent lifestyle is by getting a part time job. Offering new experiences, a part-time

job will help teenagers with life after high school. Teenagers should have after school jobs

because they teach responsibility and provide a sense of community.

Firstly, part-time jobs allow teenagers to take on responsibility that they haven’t

previously. Having a job is a unique experience. The idea of a job is arguably the most important

concept in society. Jobs are how people function in society and allow society to function. People

are told at young ages to start thinking about possible careers. Having a dream job is exciting,

but unrealistic without taking the steps necessary to achieve it. One of the most helpful steps a

teenager can take is to get a part-time job. The work mindset that develops will carry over into

adulthood, and the individual will be better prepared for a career. Disciplinary action at the

workplace is immediate and direct. It is unlike at home or school. At home, a child cannot be

fired for misbehaving, sent away, left on their own, and told never to return. At school, it is

highly unlikely for a student to be banned forever. If it does occur, it is not up to the student to
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pick themselves up off the ground and figure out a new schooling plan. A job requires more

responsibility. This is unusual for anyone getting a first job. A boss has the right to fire

employees for almost any reason. Although that may seem terrifying, it is simple as long as

contracts are read and rules are followed. It is best that if someone is going to mess up, they mess

up a part-time job while still in high school rather than a possible career later in life. People learn

from mistakes. Getting a part-time job as a teenager will teach that responsibility and give them a

head start.

Another way of viewing this is that teenagers may be hesitant to get a part-time job

because they don’t want unneeded stress. Work is difficult to balance between school,

extracurricular activities, and the personal life. Not only is the work load for school the greatest

throughout high school, teenagers also must seriously consider life after high school. Time must

be spent applying to colleges and for financial aid. In what universe is it practical for a high

school student to have a job? Being born in a modern society is a gift that comes with a price.

For most, the challenge of finding each meal doesn’t exist. Most people in more-developed

countries have easy access to the essentials: food, water, and shelter. The main obstacle for these

people is managing stress. It’s a difficult reality to face that everyone must manage stress.

Luckily for high school students, part-time jobs offer the most flexibility with hours. It is

standard that part-time employees can set their own availabilities and choose when they work. It

is also standard that employees can request days off two weeks ahead of time. These factors

allow students to balance work with other obligations. This plays into preparing for the future.

Similarly to learning new responsibilities, a teenager can learn to manage stress and time by

getting a part-time job.

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Additionally, part-time jobs allow teenagers to gain a new sense of community.

Teenagers mainly interact with the same people they have been throughout their entire lives.

First impressions mean more than they’re given credit for, and subconsciously, teenagers know

this. They often wish that they could have a second chance at first impressions. Aside from

moving to another town, which is not in a teenager’s control, it is difficult to enter an

environment to establish first impressions. However, it is extremely easy for this to occur in the

workplace. Upon getting a new job, one should expect to be surrounded by new faces. Each

interaction for about a week or so is a new chance for a first impression. When everyone is

wearing the same uniform, it is difficult to judge a book by its cover. It’s impossible to tell at a

glance which groups or cliques teenagers are associated with when they don’t have their friends

around. Each employee stands alone and is responsible for their own first impressions. The

workplace becomes its own clique. Within a workplace, a mini-culture develops. Employees

mostly learn from other employees. Those employees learn and pass information on to even

newer employees in the future. Many employees come and go, and the cycle continues. That is

also how culture works on a large scale. Traditions, values, etc. are passed from generation to

generation. Also, employees all deal with the same stresses and thrills. Experiences at work bring

employees closer together, and teenagers can easily find a sense of community there.

On the other hand, getting a part-time job only helps the rich get richer. If teenagers are

willing to do demanding work for minimum wage, the monopolies will continue to thrive. Why

should teenagers let these few corporations take advantage of them while getting richer in the

process? It is true that corporate overlords thrive off the work ethic of teenagers in their prime

physical state. The world is full of misery and greed. One could sit and endlessly ponder this

idea, but it would amount to nothing. The number of intricacies at play where somebody is
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taking advantage of somebody else is simply unimaginable. Becoming aware of one’s own

situation is useful. Instead of trying to combat the system, it is better to make the most of it.

Teenagers should be focusing on their futures. It is most reasonable to get experience in the

workforce, and to save money in order to prepare for one’s own future. Experience and money

are far more valuable than abstract, humanistic philosophy. It is frankly unrealistic to hope to

topple a monopoly, so let the rich get richer.

Part time jobs will aid teenagers by teaching responsibility and providing a sense of

community. The responsibility of a part time job will eventually carry over into a full time job

and a career. The community will support teenagers in properly expressing themselves. The

quest of self-discovery awaits, and getting a job is a major steppingstone.