“Someday you’ll get a real job." We often hear this from people when we complain about going to part time jobs as a teenager and young adult. Our part time jobs are “just for now” to pay for school, car insurance, and coffee. They tell us that these jobs won’t matter anymore once we receive our degrees or enter a trade.
The transition from teenage years into adulthood has proven time and time again to be a difficult one. Learning how to “adult” by running our own errands, paying our own bills, and holding our own jobs makes it seem like adulthood holds no fun. Most of us can’t use being a student anymore as an excuse to not also have a job.
My first jobs weren’t just “jobs”. I have learned so many important life lessons from the part time jobs I’ve had. I understood the values before, but really learning to put them into practice has changed so many things for me. My managers have served as teachers, along with my coworkers. As frustrating as it can be at times, especially working in customer service, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Whether it was learning to not give up on my goals or how to just smile when dealing with an angry customer, I definitely have a lot to thank my jobs for.
1. Criticism
It’s impossible to do things perfect 100% of the time, or ever. There’s always something that can be improved on. When I got my first job at 15, every time I received criticism from my managers I always thought I was in trouble and doing everything wrong. When I started working retail, I realized that all of these moments were just learning opportunities. My managers weren’t angry with me; they wanted to teach me because they knew what I was capable of.
2. Teamwork
Working has definitely taught me how to get along with anyone, even if it means faking it. I’ve learned how to put differences aside to get the job done, and often I end up even liking my coworkers that I didn’t originally like. It’s hard to remember that we aren’t at work to make friends, but sometimes it can be a nice added bonus!
3. Perseverance
Being the “newbie” at a job and not knowing how to get into the groove of everything at first can be frustrating. When you mess up and fear that all of your coworkers are going to hate you, you might want to quit immediately. Having managers with high expectations can make it difficult, too. I’ve gained a lot of determination from working. Whether it’s meeting a new goal at work or wanting to save up for a new car, I can see that these things are possible by taking small steps towards the end goal.
4. Responsibility
Having a job means people depend on you. You can’t call out because you just don’t want to go. There’s no “fake sick days” when you have a job. (I mean there are personal days sometimes, but not whenever you feel like it). Growing up your parents may depend on you for chores, and school holds you somewhat accountable, but it’s a whole new world when you get a job.
5. Have fun
“All work no play” is so wrong. It is actually possible to have fun at work. Making the best of even the most boring jobs is extremely beneficial. It feels rewarding to get the job done, and enjoying the time you’re having with coworkers, too. Conversing and making connections with customers makes it more interesting also. I’ve heard many funny jokes and inspiring stories from my customers.
