Problem: everyone at school is wearing those new trendy shoes, but you know your parents won’t buy them for you. Solution: get a job.
Getting a job over the summer months is the perfect way to make money without the overwhelming workload of school and a job. Summer employment is ideal because according to childtrends.org, having a job during the school year can “interfere with academic achievement if work hours conflict with class schedules or interfere with a student’s ability to complete schoolwork.”
Having a job teaches students important life skills including responsibility, organization and time management. Additionally, according to childtrends.org, “Jobs can also help youth form good work habits, gain valuable work experience, and become financially independent.”
Learning how to make money and manage one’s income is critical to students’ lives i, and the earlier students learn these tactics, the better. Additionally, training for future employment is essential. “I think students should [get summer jobs] because you need to learn young how to make money,” freshman Maya Erd said. “It is important for people to get experience for future jobs.”
Students can increase their chances of getting into competitive colleges and universities since schools love to see students with responsibility and dedication. “I got my first job at the beach this summer and I’m excited to add it to my resume,” sophomore Alexa Kantor said.
Forming new relationships is yet another benefit of getting a summer job. Whether it’s with employers, colleagues or patrons, new friendships bloom over the short summer months. “I’m working as a lifeguard this summer and after meeting the pool’s manager, I know we’re going to have a good summer,” sophomore Larry Feldman said.
As well as making new friends, spending time with old friends over the summer is a top priority for many students. That being said, students can apply for jobs where their friends are employed, and make work fun. “I’m looking forward to working with one of my best friends at the pool this summer,” Feldman said.
Whether or not a student is employed over the summer also affects their performance during the school year. According to news.stanford.edu, in a study conducted by associate director of Stanford’s John W. Gardner center for Youth and their Communities, “Leos-Urbel and his colleagues found that participation in the summer jobs program had a ‘positive, albeit small, effect’ on taking and passing the standardized tests administered by New York state to measure academic progress in high school.” Having a job over the summer is a good experience for students, as long as they know how to balance time throughout the summer.