Are You Ready For Your First Teen Job

Sometimes it seems like working teens have the best of both worlds. Somehow they manage to juggle work and a social life, and when they do get to that social part, they actually have money to pay for the things they want to do! You may feel like you would like to join the ranks of working teens so that you, too, can have some spending money to treat yourself and your friends, or even to save up for your future. How do you know if you're ready to make the commitment necessary to get your first teen job?
First, you should definitely consider the benefits of having a teen job. In addition to having some cash in your pocket to go to the movies, you will also be building a resume that will help you when you want to get higher-paying or more interesting jobs in the future. This same benefit applies when it comes to filling out college applications. Many colleges look very favorably on teens that have held down a job during their high school years.
nThe reasons that colleges like to see a job on your application are also some of the best benefits of being a working teen. For one thing, you really do learn a whole new sense of responsibility. You learn the importance of punctuality, for example. In addition, teen jobs really instill a sense of self confidence and independence in the young people who have them. Studies even show that teens who work about 10-15 hours a week tend to get higher grades.
nThere are drawbacks, however, and you need to seriously consider them, too, when deciding if a teen job is for you. The same studies listed above have shown that students working more than about 13-20 hours a week tend to get lower grades, so you would really need to be able to focus on both work and school to avoid that outcome. There is also the obvious effect on your social life. Even though you would have the money to do more things with your friends, your time to do those things would be much more limited. Not only that, but you might find that you just don't have as much energy for doing the fun things.
nIf you are interested in getting a teen job, then take the time necessary to weigh out the pros and cons. Of course you'd like to have more spending money or save up to buy a car, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, the responsibilities that come along with joining the work force are real, and you have to make sure that you can take them on willingly.