High school students having a part-time job is not unheard of. However, some students hesitate to take another responsibility on top of school and extracurricular obligations. Before you throw away your job application, here are a few professional and personal benefits that part-time employment offers students.
As a high school student, you may be worried about applying for a part time job because it takes up time that you could be spending on school work, extracurriculars and social obligations. But what many students miss is, having a part time job is an extracurricular and you can list it as such on your college application. If you are able to stick to a part-time job long term, especially while maintaining good grades and being involved in other extracurriculars, it will function as a major application boost. College admission officers will see that you are not afraid to commit to something and that you have extraordinary time management skills to juggle everything, along with a job.
2. Part time jobs will teach you fundamentals that apply at every stage in life.
Being employed in any setting, whether it be at a restaurant or a bank, will teach you the structure of a workplace. You will learn how to work under your boss and how to work with your coworkers to create an effective team.
You will learn how to operate in fast-paced environments without getting overwhelmed.
You will deal with all kinds of people. If your boss turns out to be short tempered, you will learn to adjust and uphold your responsibilities in order to keep your job. If your coworkers constantly outwork you, it will foster some competition that will teach you to go the extra mile. If you are required to interact with customers that are sometimes frustrated and angry, you will learn to keep calm and get the job done despite the criticism that is thrown your way.
3. You will build relationships that you would otherwise miss out on.
If you show up to your shift on time and consistently give it your all at your job, you will most likely earn the respect of your boss or manager. All employers want to know whether or not a potential employee is easy to work with. Your boss could serve as a future reference for your character and work ethic; this will make you stand out among the other applicants. A good recommendation from a past employer could place you as a finalist, if the job opening is competitive.
You will also have the opportunity to form close bonds with your coworkers. If you are working with other students, you may realize that you are really interested in another opportunity that they are pursuing. If you are friendly with them, do not be afraid to reach out and ask if you guys could collaborate on a certain project or opportunity. Networking opportunities like these do not come around too often so make sure to take advantage of them when they show up.
Professional Benefits
1. Job experience will be a valuable addition to your resume. When you list a job experience on your resume, it shows potential employers that you know what you are in for. The reputation of being “experienced” at a particular task or in a certain environment will put you ahead of other applicants.
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