Rebecca
What is the best job for a high school student?
Now I understand that I'm not going to be able to be a CEO in high school, but what job(s) is best for a high schooler entering the work force to get some work experience to put on a resume (Restaurants, fast food, retail, etc.)? #human-resources #retail
9 answers
Wilbert Peterson
Wilbert’s Answer
Michele Mosier
Michele’s Answer
Summer jobs give you so much experience, you learn to work with others, the basics of work such as being on time, working in a team, working as an individual, customer service, understanding how business works, what you want to do and don't want to do in your future but you can draw on your experience.
My summers were filled with a variety of jobs such as working in a packing company, restaurant server for a golf course, nanny and a variety of office jobs through a temp agency; each and every position gave me valuable lessons learned. So after each job make a list of what you liked, what you learned and what you didn't like you will be surprised how that will help in your future.
Enjoy your summer job, who knows you could be the CEO in a few years.
john greene
john’s Answer
Danielle Patrick
Danielle’s Answer
I worked in retail for many years in high school. It is a great way to get your foot in the door and develop customer service and communication skills. I also did some office work through my school which helped me build my resume. Volunteering, although not paid, can help boost your attractiveness to a future employer so keep an eye out for opportunities like that as well.
Sadia Khan
Sadia’s Answer
Great that you are looking to get ahead. I recommend seeking part time positions that fall in line with your career interests. For example if you would like an office job some day, getting an office helper position will give you the opportunity to learn about office culture/etiquette which goes a long way. If you want to be a loan officer seeking a position at the bank as a teller would be helpful because you can learn about all the processes around banking and loans. You get the idea, these part time positions will give you the opportunity to learn while not demanding too much experience and will help give you better career focus.
Good luck!
skt
Marianne Sunderman
Marianne’s Answer
Being a high school student is hard enough so your wanting to work also says a lot about your work ethic which will go a long way in the future. Realize that you will be giving up probably your whole weekend so be ready for that. Get a job somewhere you don't mind working, to me that is important. Realize that you won't be somewhere right away that you like but if don't mind it, you will go farther. Daycare, fast food, cashier, Uber, pizza delivery, etc . I like people so I did customer service (cashier, stocker, inventory)
Freddie Roberts
Freddie’s Answer
First of all I just would like to commend you for wanting to work as a high school student. I work with High schoolers outside of my job, and only a couple are interested in working. What are you passionate about? Do you love technology, animals, people, video games, etc? When you try and get a first job, try to keep these in mind. It's always great to go home happy at the end of the day, but if you are going to be helping other people throughout the day, then you also want them to go home happy as well. I started off working at a mall just applying to different places and got a job at a clothing store. I liked the job a lot, the pay was not good, but I really enjoyed working there, once I began to drive and become more independent, I knew I needed a better paying job. So I used the experience as a stepping stone to get to something I was passionate about, technology. I worked at Best Buy after the mall job, and eventually found my way to Apple!
So no matter what job you decide to get, I would say keep your future in mind. I was always looking at the short term, and I probably would've gotten to where I wanted to be faster if I had looked into the long term. A company called MOSAIC is a company that hires people for multiple brands to be a brand ambassador, so you might want to look into that. Good luck with your future career!
John Cline
John’s Answer
Rebecca,
That is a really interesting questions. I don't think there is any correct answer. My high school path was very unconventional. I worked on a paint crew, worked on a fishing crew (for crabs), cut grass for my church and some neighbors, and a number of other fairly random odd jobs. I liked being outside, I liked working with my hands, and I liked being physical. My senior year going into college, I actually started my own crabbing business. All of this experience (while I never got paid well) taught me a lot and gave me some very unique experiences. I have used the entrepreneurial lessons in countless ways through college and now in my work life. I work with a lot of people who have worked in the service industry (admin, server, cook, etc) in High School and really enjoyed those.
Volunteer work. Volunteer work is great, because you are gaining experience, helping others, and it looks great on your resume! You typically get a lot more responsibility when volunteering then you do at work.
Katya Lev
Katya’s Answer
When I was in high school- my first job was babysitting and I enjoyed it. Then, I worked in the bakery, thrift store,ets. From having so many summer jobs I was able to get to know what I enjoy and I don’t.
I think while in high school- being part of retail experience wheather its a job in the store, gym, restaurant- it’s an amazing experience to uncover how tolerant you are working with peers as well as customers. Also, what are your plans for the future? Do you see yourself working in large corporations and interacting with clients and providing service, or do you see yourself being more as a company internal professional- auditor, tech support, digital ambassador,ets.
I also recommend that a job that you choose doesn’t take so much time out of the focus for your school. Always, keep your priorities straight- school is important, the money that you earn important as well but you need to have the right balance between work life and school life.
Have you looked into any jobs so far?
Also, what are your interests?
Does your school partner up with any non profit organizations-perhaps it’s also a good experience to work for a non profit organization-it’s another way to support your community, to get to know public figures and make networking connections and also do some volunteering. This experience you should always include in your resume- as being part of a community giving is an important factor for any organization that you will be working in the near future.
Kate