Celeste's Thoughts

Work Study

The cost of going to college increases substantially each year. Students try to keep costs down with scholarships, loans, etc. A great way to do this is through work study programs. Most colleges will let students work at the school in various capacities (dishwasher, library assistant, research assistant, housekeeping...) and instead of giving a salary, the college will deduct costs from the students' tuition. This can be a great opportunity to meet new people on campus, get to know a different part of the college, and perhaps make out-of-classroom connections with professors. Even the connections you make when working in dining halls can be invaluable. People often return to their dorms after work study in the cafeterias with trays of left over cookies, and we all know that in the college environment cookies can be a savior.

Most college websites should have information on work study programs. Check it out! And if you are still applying to schools, consider work study when thinking about those unbelievable tuition costs.

School-Year Job

You don't want to admit it. I don't want to admit it--but summer is almost over. For many of us that means our summer jobs are almost over too. Now comes the time to decide if employment should be secluded to the summer, or if you would like to work during the school year.

Some things to consider:

Priorities--
Can you do your job and get your homework done and go to your after school clubs (and even get a few hours of sleep in each night)? Are you willing to sacrifice extra-curricular activities for a job?

Money--
How much will you be making at this job during the school year? Is it worth the time and sacrifices you would have to make?

Proximity--
Can you get from school to work and back home easily? If you have to rely on public transportation, is the cost going to be worth the salary?

Hours--
You cannot legally work during school hours, so are you willing to work at night and during weekends?

Experience--
Is this job an opportunity that  you can't pass up? Will it add to your skill-set or supplement your now growing resume? Will it provide you with connections and experiences that will greatly benefit you? 

A school-year job is not for everybody, but it does have its perks. Make sure to consider every angle before making the commitment.

Five-Finger Discount

Now that you've landed that summer job, you may find yourself spending a lot more time staring at the same merchandise every day than you thought you would. If it's something good (ice cream!) you may get tempted more than you thought. Most employers will give workers discounts for the merchandise. Some will let you take home things free at the end of the day (like food that is restocked daily). And still some may look the other way while you scoop a free cone for yourself and 6 of your closest friends.
While I have been at the receiving end of these benevolent workers, I know it is important to
make sure this is okay with the employers. Before taking free samples for yourself, or subtly handing out something to friends, check with your boss on the gifting policy. Chances are the rules are pretty lax, and if not, at least you know the rules and won't accidentally get in trouble.

But I'm Too Young! - Jobs for younger teens

Myfirstpaycheck.com was created to help young people get jobs. We have job advice for teens, interview tips, a resume builder, etc. But the one thing we can't help you with is changing an employer's mind. What if he just won't hire someone younger than 16? He has that right, and most employers will not hire students that young. So what are the young and restless to do? Well, if nobody will hire you, hire yourselves! Do what I did, start your own business. It doesn't have to be a highfalutin website; you could start a landscaping company, or a babysitting service. Get a couple of friends together and offer lawn-mowing or snow-shoveling. Or you could tutor even younger kids. If you can't get hired for a payed job, consider volunteer work. It is satisfying and contributory (to your community and your future resume). You can help out at religious school or at an homeless or animal shelter. People everywhere are looking for volunteers, and young people can fill that void (even 14 year olds!).

Sacrifices?

Much to my surprise, their was another prompt about teenage employment in my state-wide standardized testing. This time the focus was on should teens get jobs or not. The argument against it was that it took time away from school work and extracurriculars, and the argument for it being employment builds character, teaches responsibility, fills your wallet, and preps you for the workforce.

Though the arguments against youth employment do have some value, they would have to be severely exaggerated to really make an impact. With child labor laws, 14-16 year olds can only work 3 hours a day. And most teens with jobs are not working these 3 hours every single day. They still have time for a club after school a few times a week, and they definitely have time for studying and homework. Employment can even help with time management, because it is a responsibility outside of school that will take up time, so students have to maintain patterns of activity, creating a natural schedule of school, work, and studying.

The employed youth do have to make sacrifices, choosing to go to work instead of hanging out with friends. But this employment is beneficial in so many more ways that these sacrifices are worth it. So to all of those taking these state tests, think again about the arguments for employment.

Sell Sell Sell

In my state-wide standardize testing this week, one prompt was about resume and cover letter writing for teens. Quelle coïncidence!This of course was a topic I knew a lot about already, but I was very surprised to see certain wording in the description of the cover letter (CL). The prompt repeatedly said that the CL is a tool to "sell yourself." Perhaps this is how most people view job applications (and maybe all applications in general) but personally, I find this description a bit disgusting. Selling yourself implies handing yourself over and losing yourself to somebody else. I know that we are capable of filling out an application and writing a CL while maintaining a sense of self. Yes, there are certainly compromises we have to make (like taking down those drinking photos from Facebook), but for the most part, these pieces should be an accurate reflection of yourself. You do want to present yourself in good light, but if this is a job (or college or program or internship) that is really good for YOU then you shouldn't have to compromise yourself to the point of "selling."

Respect Your Elders?

If you are working, you are now surrounding yourself with a new type of person. Not your classmates, not your teachers, not your parents, but adults with a completely different relationship to you. Some will be your bosses, some your managers, and some your coworkers. Some of these adults soon become peers, a relationship where age doesn't matter. With the changing view of these adults comes this issue of respect.

We all know to respect our elders, but how much? That doesn't mean I have to respect my big brothers like I do my parents (I hope!). But it does mean that even if these adults are my coworkers, I probably can't talk to them like I would people my age. Age shouldn't hold us back from being friends, but what we are going to talk about, or even the language we use will be different then in the conversation between two 16 year olds.

Think of it from the adult's perspective. He is working with someone half his age, earning the same amount of money. That can't be too fun. But even we whippersnappers can hold worthwhile conversations, so it doesn't pay for him to isolate himself. As the younger party, we have to keep in mind this mentality of our older coworkers. Respect them, even if they are earning the same amount of money you are.

Unions

Unions aren't just for the Progressive Era factory workers and Norma Rae. They still thrive as a sort of system of checks and balances in the work place. People like Florence Kelly and the American Federation of Labor in the 1880s helped unions gain the power and identity that they still have. Historically unions are responsible for the 8-hour workday, the weekend, anti-child labor laws, better working conditions in factories, etc. But now they ensure equality in the workplace and help employers approach their bosses with workers' rights. Many non-union employers can make unilateral office decisions without being called out by their employers. Unions can ensure consensus decision making in the office.

As a young worker, you may not get the opportunity to join a union right away, but don't you worry! Some day, you can have your rights protected by a third party as well. even without a union behind you, you do have rights as a worker. Sexual harassment in the workplace, for example, is illegal, as is  exploitation.

At times, unions can be a hindrance. With the building of the Comcast Tower in Philadelphia (where unions are a BIG deal) there were plans to use environmentally agreeable toilets that would also reduce utilities costs. With these low-water toilets, the Tower needed a lot less piping, meaning the plumber's union was going to get much less work out of the construction. After much discussion and debate, the union and the people at Comcast decided to put in all of the extra piping, and just only use the little but they needed for the 'green' toilets.

So, if you are the Unionized worker, unions are pretty fabulous, but if you are the employer, they can at times make decision making tedious. When looking for a job now, or in the future, consider if it is a unionized position or not. And- if you are already employed and are feeling antagonized by your boss, maybe a union can help!

Youth Empowerment

Sometimes when I mention MyFirstPaycheck | Jobs for Teens to adults, they say that kids 'these days' don't want to work. We always hear about kids being thought of as lazy or apathetic. As a teen, I know this isn't true. I know so many young people who are involved in politics, have jobs, or write or draw for periodicals. My point is that we have ideas. We have opinions. One way to express this to the adult world is writing letters to the editor. Newspapers offer the opportunity of responding to their articles. And the editors who publish them don't care if you are 17 or 70. If you have something to say (that is relatively well written and relevant) then send it in! I read an article about needle-exchange programs that made me angry. Rather than being the lazy teen that so many expect, I wrote a response. And it was published! Defy stereotypes. Don't let adult society judge the youth of today. Get involved!

Job Shadowing

At my school, juniors have to 'job shadow.' This is basically following someone around for a day at his or her job. Job shadowing can be a great way to take a peek at the working world. If you ever have the chance to shadow, consider the following before choosing your placement.

Is the day-to-day activity of the job fun?

Is it something I am interested in doing as a career or is it something I would like to see some time in my life?

Will shadowing this position teach me more about the job that I don't already know?

Once you have chosen someone to shadow, keep in mind that this is only one day out of years of this person's career. He or she is going to try to make it seem awesome. If it is a lawyer for example, you might hear about the more interesting cases rather than just filling out paperwork.

Job shadowing can be a great opportunity to learn about a vocation, or it can be a fun day of seeing something new. I know one person who is shadowing a glass blower. She most likely will not become a glass blower, but is taking advantage of having an excuse to follow someone around for a day.