With summer comes lots of things. Late nights going out with your friends, days at the beach, afternoons filled with frozen yogurt and shopping. Fun activities, but hard on your wallet. The solution to a draining money supply? A job.
During the spring months, teenagers are on the prowl for a job. My school is really close to Stanford University, and many incoming juniors and seniors contact professors in hopes of an internship on campus. Teens seek out the local frozen yogurt and gelato places downtown or apply for jobs at local summer camps for kids.
But with the economy in such a fragile state, finding a job can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Many of my friends turn to their parents to help them find a place to make money or gain experience in the professional world. My friend Shelby wanted the experience of working but could not find a job, so she interned at her dad’s company every day for a couple of hours. The people around you can help find a job and want to help, so use the resources around you!
Sports and countless activities can also be a roadblock to finding a job. I have water polo practice from 10 a.m. to noon, then practice again from 4:15 to 6:30 in the evening, leaving only a four-hour window to work. Instead of seeking a business, I created my own, starting a day camp for little kids called Sky Camp. I started Sky Camp during middle school as a way to gain experience and make money even with an inflexible schedule created by sports.
Sky Camp is even a way to supply jobs for my friends. I need counselors to help keep all the kids in line, and my friends need a job. Even though I am technically their boss, it doesn’t seem weird because at camp, it’s all about working together to keep the little kids happy. When I hand the counselors their paycheck at the end of the week, it’s a reward for both of us, knowing we succeeded in running a successful camp. I feel satisfied because I have learned to trust friends in a new way and respect them as a co-worker, and my friends feel satisfied that they made money and gained a work experience.
Whether you are working in the basement of the Stanford astrophysics department, playing with little kids at day camp or spending your day in an air-conditioned shoe store, it doesn’t really matter what you are doing. A big part of having a job is the experience and the knowledge you acquire. Running Sky Camp teaches me lessons that aren’t things I would learn in school but will be extremely valuable once I’m out in the working world.
You have your entire life to find that perfect, coveted job. Jobs during high school are about learning and building a background—and maybe making some money to pay for that adorable dress you saw last week.
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