At the early age of fifteen, I got my first job working as a lifeguard during the summer. The next summer, I also started working at a swim school that was run year round. Often times, people ask me how I started working so young or even that it was bad to start working so young. I think that starting to work young was one of the most beneficial things I have ever done and here's why:
1. Having to make my own money taught me the value of a dollar.
When it is your money that you are spending, you start to value money much more. After working to earn my own money, I was much more conscious of how much money I was spending and what I was spending it on. This lesson is important to learn because it teaches you to work for what you have and appreciate how much has been given to you over the years.
2. Working kept me busy.
While dedicating time to working, I did not have as much free time. However, this ended up being a good thing because it kept me productive, out of trouble, and made me make real use of my time instead of sitting around watching TV.
3. I learned people skills and how to communicate well
I would not have the communication skills I have today if it weren't for starting to work young. At my job, I had to provide customer service to people and learn how to solve problems and work with people. After working for a couple years, I have learned how to communicate with people much more effectively.
4. I learned how to manage money wisely.
I now had money to myself that I had to figure out how to budget. Even if I was mainly just budgeting my social expenses, it taught me how to manage money. This is an important lesson that can take years to understand and can really help people in the long run if they grasp money management early.
5. I also had to manage my time wisely.
After I began working during the school year, I had to figure out exactly how many hours a week I could work and still manage my school work. This taught me how to plan out my schedule, which has helped me a lot now that I am in college and have to schedule every part of my day.
6. I learned how to be a hard worker with a good work ethic.
I learned the importance of being a hard worker after getting a job. I realized how important it is to have a good work ethic, especially in regards to your job. If you want to succeed, you have to work hard and dedicate yourself.
7. Obviously, it looks good on a resume and can make great networking connections.
Nothing looks better on a job application than actually having worked previously. Also, you just might meet someone that can help you get ahead in your field later on.
Overall, I think that starting to work young is a fantastic idea to help teens develop skills they need for the future. Working definitely helped me to grow as a person and even though I may have missed out on some fun times with my friends to work, I wouldn't change a thing.
