Should you get a job during high school?

(This was originally posted on my blog Selfhood Pending on July 29, 2016. It lives here until I decide to remove it from the Internet.)

Teens nowadays are under a lot of pressure, often coming from all directions. They have to deal with schoolwork, sports, and other extracurriculars like theater and music. Not to mention the huge burden of applying for college, which involves tests prep, searching for that “perfect fit”, arranging visits, and scouring for scholarships.

Then, on top of everything, the pressure to get a part-time job can appear to add to the burden. So, should you be working on the side to pull in some extra cash? Many people will just give you an enthusiastic “yes!” or convoluted “no”. But, the truth is that everyone’s case will be different. Here are the 6 most important factors to consider to be sure you are doing what’s best for you.

#1: Can you find a job that you wouldn’t hate?

Even before deciding whether you actually want to pursue employment, it may be a good idea to look into what options you would have for local employers. Check on the minimum age at which different companies are willing to hire. Starbucks may be your dream, but if they don’t hire 17 year olds, you could end up stuck at McDonalds.

Although getting a job as a teen usually involves simple tasks, because you’re applying with almost no experience, that doesn’t mean you have to do something you hate. The psychological strain of working somewhere you can’t tolerate will make you even less productive, with less time to work with. After a terrible shift, you probably won’t be able to focus on studying biology, you’ll want to shower off and call it a day. (1) So, feel free to scope out your options before deciding to apply.

#2: Do you have a way to get to and from a job?

So, you’ve narrowed down your options and know where you’d like to try and snag a position. But, it’s important to be sure you’ll be able to actually get there on a regular basis.

If you have a car, you’re probably set.

If you don’t, you’re going to have to try a bit harder. Are your parents willing to drive you? Remember that they have a schedule that will come before yours.

You could also consider the bus, bicycle, or rely on your own two feet. However, these tend to limit your range, particularly if you don’t want an absurdly long commute.

You may have to rule out some options, and if this limits you to jobs you aren’t so thrilled about, reconsider your priorities. This is one of the little details that is easy to overlook when you’re looking at the bigger picture.

#3: What are your other commitments?

It’s likely that you have a lot going on. So consider writing out your full schedule for an average week and see if you honestly have room to fit in a job. Make sure you factor in the time needed to travel between school, work, and home. If basketball practice ends at 4:45, it may be difficult to get changed and be swiping in by five o’clock.

Also, be sure to seriously consider the time you need for homework. Be honest with yourself, and always overestimate the time needed to complete assignments and study. If you think you can write a five page essay in half an hour after a full school day, theater auditions, and three hours flipping burgers, you’re in for a rude awakening.

#4: Do you really need the money?

For some, this may be as simple as a family requirement due to a desperate need, or because you aren’t getting any spending money otherwise. If you have considered all the other factors, and still believe that monetary gain is sufficient justification for your choice, then getting a job is probably right for you.

But, make sure you still consider carefully which job to take. Needing to spend a lot on gas or bus fare, being paid below minimum wage, and not being able to work more than about fifteen hours each week will quickly diminish your net earnings. If you’re going across town to get paid $6 an hour, your monetary gain will look pretty disappointing. So, scout out options, and don’t just take the easy way out, as you could be losing money in the process.

#5: Will this be a good way for you to gain “life skills”?

If you don’t have a long list of extracurriculars, it’s possible your parents will urge you to get a job simply to get you out of the house and engaged in a productive activity. Many articles argue that teens need to get jobs in order to gain some sense of responsibility, accountability, and even learn time-management (2).

However, getting a job isn’t the only way to accomplish those things. Playing sports, being in musical groups, and volunteering can all help you gain those same skills. Just by engaging with life, you will be able to grow as a person. But, if you haven’t done much of these other activities, getting a job could help introduce you to the “real world”.

#6: Are there better ways you could be investing your time?

This is particularly important to consider if just getting money isn’t of huge concern to you. Maybe you think that you just have to get a job, or it’ll impress colleges. But, there are other ways you could be spending your time.

In economics, this is known as an opportunity cost, or the “loss” you take by spending your time on one thing instead of another thing. So, if you get a job, you would be spending about fifteen hours per week at work. This is time that you cannot put towards any other activity: joining a new extracurricular, being able to take on leadership responsibilities in an existing one, learning a new skill such as an instrument, or even taking yoga classes. Make sure that this cost, even though it is not monetary, does not outweigh the benefits of having a job.

Some argue that getting a job can impress colleges (3), but it’s important to remember that the best way to impress anyone is by being really good at something you care about. So, if you need the money, or are genuinely interested in working, getting a job may be right for you. But, if you’re going to wish you had more time to spend working on your robotics project, it may be detrimental to choose to work.

So, is it worth it, for you?

That’s what it all comes down to. And while weighing lots of pros and cons from this list is enticing, going with your gut may still lead to the most satisfying choice. Most importantly, base your decision on your own desires, and not any outside pressures.

Also, these factors apply both during the school year and during summer, but it’s worth considering that summer means more free time and little to no school work for most. So, if you’re feeling bad about not being able to swing it during the semester, you could always look for seasonal employment over vacation months. Options always exist, if you’re willing to pursue them.

Personally, I chose not to work during high school. I didn’t get my first job until the month before I graduated. For me, it wasn’t a time commitment I could make, due to a large workload from many high level classes and other time-sucking extracurricular activities. School exhausted me, and I didn’t find any summer job options that were tolerable enough for me to sacrifice the much needed months of relaxation. The most important thing is that I don’t regret how I invested my time, because investing in my mental health was the best use of my vacations.

I’d love to hear about others’ experiences, whether you had a job in your teen years or not. How did you decide to start working? Are you glad you did?

Or, if you’re just now facing this question, I’d love to hear about your options and how you’re deciding who you want to be. I compiled some different sources while writing this, so if you’d like to hear some different opinions: this and this argue for, and this and this argue primarily against teens working during school.