14 answers
12
Asked 1071 views

What's a good part time job that will teach you more in the future?

I'm 15 years old, i am gay and trans so its kinda hard to find a job since i'm nervous someone will make fun of me. But then i do need an active job so what is a j #job-search ob that will help me in the future?

job-search
Answer This

+25 Karma if successful
From: You
To: Friend
Subject: Career question for you
12

14 answers

3
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Asha’s Answer

Hi Gabe. It depends on what skills you want to accrue! If it's talking to people, then I recommend retail or customer service. I worked at Kohl's last summer, and I got a ton of experience working with others and being comfortable talking to them.

If you want to gain technical skills, working at a startup or doing research under a professor you admire could be a good start.

If you want to network and meet professionals, maybe consider applying to intern at a large corporation, like U.S. Bank! We have a lot of good opportunities to meet senior leaders and colleagues here. This would be best when you're an undergraduate.

Asha recommends the following next steps:

Check LinkedIn for job openings near you, see if you like the descriptions
Reach out to teachers or professionals for job openings they may know of
3
2
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Zach’s Answer

Hey Gabe, as someone who's still exploring career paths, my best advice would be to get experience dealing with other people. For example, I was a summer camp counselor in high school and that gave me great experience learning how to deal with bosses, coworkers, and customers (kids/parents). It wasn't always easy trying to please everyone, but it gave me invaluable insights as to how I would want to interact with other people as I come across them in my career. In your case, if you feel that you're not ready to put yourself and your identity out there just yet, you might want to consider working in customer service at a local store. You might want to find somewhere where you can develop your interpersonal skills and build up your confidence through a medium such as phone calls or emails, then once you gain that confidence, you can look to fill a role that puts you physically in front of customers. For a first job, you're likely not going to be placed in high-stakes positions, so use that to your advantage to learn the ins and outs of the job as well as develop confidence in yourself as a person and as an employee.

Hope that helps, good luck!
2
2
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Doc’s Answer

Whose opinions are you taking into consideration Gabe, whether that’s your employer, or the school system or the government or whatever is considered popular by culture at the time that is controlling how you feel?

Why are you taking somebody else’s opinion about yourself greater than your opinion about yourself?

It’s the single greatest mistake that will keep you from finding happiness and confidence in who you are. And it’s not that their opinions don’t matter. You have to have an equal amount of respect for yourself as for others. It’s a democratic society and everyone gets a vote. So beyond the thought leaders, and politicians and school systems you have to have respect for yourself. You need to put yourself on your own pedestal and then start weighing the opinions of others proportionately to how you actually feel about yourself.

There is always a choice and you have to stay true to your convictions. Don’t waiver for someone else and be confident in yourself.
Thank you comment icon Thank You Dexter for your Continued Support. The more we praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate. Doc Frick
2
1
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Kirby’s Answer

Hi Gabe, I would suggest trying to find a job in the food/service industry. These have entry-level jobs that can help you gain experience in dealing with customers and start to develop skills necessary for later jobs. I started out working at Chipotle and it helped me learn how to talk to customers/people in general better. It also gave me experience in interviewing and setting up a debit card, etc. Basically, it allowed me to get my feet wet in the workforce in general.
1
1
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Ro’s Answer

What do you like to do? Being gay and trans has nothing to do with your job search Gabe! Those qualities make up who you are, and they do not determine what kind of job you will get in the future. Since you're looking for a part-time job, I would try internships (yes even non-paid!) in areas that interest you. Although there were many great answers to this question, please remember that you have to eventually find a position that you will enjoy and make a living off of. I wouldn't expect an extroverted, team player, communicative person to work at a quiet, non-interactive position! ...or an introverted, online expert to take a job as customer-service rep. I think it's important for you to be honest with yourself, try to identify what you're good at (don't worry about what you're not good at, you'll learn), and then see which fields interest you. Again, your gender and sexual identity should never limit you on what you can become.

PS- it's illegal for you to be made fun of at work for your gender/sexual identity.
1
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Craig’s Answer

Hi Gabe! Great question and super valid concerns. I'd like to share some insight as an LGBTQ person myself.

I want to second Sydnie Schneider and add a little bit to it.

Customer Service is a great start. I would also suggest looking in to the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. This rates companies based on their LGBTQ+-related policies. This will help narrow down which companies might have an inclusive and diverse work environment (as well ensure you are protected and safe).

Another great option is to get involved in local non-profits for your area. There are a ton of LGBTQ+ non-profits out there with good-paying opportunities within them.

Hope that helps.
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Simeon’s Answer

In general, I think summer camp work and lifeguarding is an easier job to get into when you're young. You can pick up a lot of certifications and skills, two of the better ones being CPR licensing and certification for rope belaying.
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Trevor’s Answer

Hi Gabe,

It's very brave of you to reach out for advice, and I'm proud of you for being you :)
You should be proud of who you are and work in an environment where you feel comfortable.
Research which industries, companies, roles are known for being supportive of their LGBTQ employees.
Try to find a mentor who can help you build confidence in your professional skills and answer career questions.
I know entering an unknown space can be scary, so take this one step at a time and if one job doesn't work out try another.

Stay safe and stay you,
Trevor
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Sydnie’s Answer

Hi Gabe! I would suggest something in the customer service field. I know it might be scary to be face to face with customers, but having a customer service background is one of the most transferable skills you can have. It can help set you up for success in any field in the future. Having good customer service, communication and general sales skills are the basis to being successful in any role in the future.

Some examples are: receptionist, retail consultant, food service, or remote customer service rep, which includes telephone interaction and potentially email or chat interaction with customers (which might be good for you if you don't want to work face to face with customers). This could include taking orders over the phone for food companies, overseeing customer chat bots from a retail site, or working at a call center for any major business's customer service department.

Again, I know this might be scary, but if you are working at a job where you work with the public, you do have a manager who would be responsible for intervening in any customer confrontations. A good manager will have your back.
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Rohit’s Answer

Content Writer
Graphic Designer
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Kathryne’s Answer

Hi, Gabe!

I really like Zach's answer about working with people. I think the more experiences you can have working with people, the better. For example, someone can solve a problem a different way than you would have. You would want to see what that person's perspective is/was. This will help you develop personally and professionally.

I also think you can learn anything from any job. The thing you want to think about is what skills do I have? What skills am I missing? Are there skills I want to refine/be better at? I actually like looking at the things/skills that I am good at (or think I am, at least!) and try to be better at them. You want to be well-rounded, though, so I would try to find a balance for yourself. I would make a list of the skills you have, decide which ones you want to work on, and then see what jobs would help develop those skills (and often, any job can help any skill depending on how you do/go about the work at the job).
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Fatima’s Answer

Hi Gabe,

The best ways to optimize your job search is to be someone who is good at 3 things -

1. Communication - there are courses on websites like coursera, or free LinkedIn courses that go over effective communication.
2. Write well - spend some time writing in the form of blogs, articles, etc. on topics you enjoy. If you can write well, you can articulate yourself well - most employers/clients highly value this.
3. Learn how to effectively negotiate. This helps you gain a ton of confidence in yourself and helps with dealing with high pressure situations. Taking up a role as a sales person can really help you do this.

Lastly, as much as you're brain is tricking you into believing you're any different bc you identify as trans - don't let it take up too much space for your professional development.

Focus on being good at what you do. Everything else will follow.

Hope this helps.

- FS
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Ram’s Answer

Hi Gabe! I agree with what others have. In addition, I think it could be great to find an unpaid role at a startup in an industry that you are interested in. I think this will give you great all-around experience with multiple different roles and help you better assess whether entrepreneurship could be a path for you. During these chaotic times, it will probably be difficult to find a job, but the best thing you can do is reach out to as many people as you can in order to learn about the different jobs out there, and then pursue the one that interests you the most.
0
0
Updated
Share a link to this answer
Share a link to this answer

Alysia’s Answer

Hi Gabe!
Great question. As someone who's worked in many industries (restaurant, retail, management, and now finance) I can say that every single job will provide great teachable moments. I would always suggest working in retail or restaurant industry; especially if you're shy. These industries allow people to come out of their comfort zone a little each day which is very important with future opportunities. Not to mention, they also teach many important basic skills for future careers (cash reconciling, people skills, time management, etc).
Best of luck!
0