Getting a job... maybe.

[[exile]]

So, I've pretty much been a cash mooch for my whole life up until now. Suddenly my friend tells me there are a couple of job openings at her watch repair stand in our local Sears.

The job pays $9/h (CDN). Minimum wage here is ~$7.60/h, AFAIK. So I figure that's already one bonus. The other bonus is that the dress code is comparatively lenient - and seeing as I'm basically a walking advertisement for Esprit/RW&CO/Gap/American Eagle, I'd need somewhere I can wear most of my clothes. Also, the job isn't particularly hard or fast-paced at all. I'd work when people came in to get their watches repaired. If necessary, I can also bring in some minor homework and do it there if I have no customers.

My dad, however, is 100% against teens getting jobs. He's horrified that my grades will suffer, and claims that any of my friends who work aren't performing nearly as well as they could be if they weren't working. He has this idea that somehow, kids working and making money gives them the idea that making and saving up money is easy. (My mom doesn't care; if anything, she's been half-pushing me into getting a job anyways.)

To be honest, I don't need a job. I just like the idea of not having to ask my parents for money all the time. I honestly believe that getting a job will help me out in the long run, especially with time management. Currently I'm one of the worst procrastinators I know - but everything always gets handed in on time for me. I get by with pretty good grades too - hovering around 90 or so. As of now I don't see a job hindering me academically much, if at all. Most of my free time, I piss away on the computer or watching TV anyways. I'm positive I can squeeze in 12-16 hours of work a week.

So what do you guys think? Should I apply for this job and work on time management? Or just buckle down and focus on school?

[Jigga-Scrooge]

go for the job and prove your dad wrong.

[Wrathchild]

how old are you anyway?
I'd take the job

[[exile]]

16. Will be 17 in like a month and a half.

I'm all for proving my dad wrong, but I don't care much for the incessant yelling and *****ing. I can't even tell him to shut it or ask why he's still talking, 'cause I'll just get yelled at some more. He has this thing where he can string completely unrelated grievances together and ***** at me for entire car rides.

Anybody else have experience with teenage jobs? How they affected your academic performance or stuff like that? I'm attending the "best" English CEGEP in Montreal, and performance/marks are key to a good R-Score (or is that G-Score? Hmm). Whichever one compares you to your class average.

[ragnar_ii]

Definitly try to get the job. When you finish highschool you will soon realize that you need money, a lot of it too. If you ever plan to go to college or get a car of move out or pretty much start your own life, saving up some money during highschool is a great way to start. I got my first job about a week after I graduated highschool. I was only able to save up money during the summer before I started college. And now I have to work just about every free minute just to pay off this semester so I can continue school. Bottom line is that I would seriously consider applying for this job, and possibly others as well. And now Im off to work.

[Yaboosh]

I have had to have a job for various reasons since I was 15, and I must say, why would you want a job if you don't need one when you have your entire life to work? If your dad doesn't want you to have a job, tell him your financial "wants" and if he can't meet them, get the job. But I would be lazy when you can and worry about working when you are 22 until you are 65.

[[exile]]

ragnar, my parents acually pay for all my school necessities. Up until even now, they've paid for my social life too. The only things I've ever bought with really my own money were clothes.

I figure by getting a job I'll be able to pay for my own social life, my own clothes, a lot of other things I'd normally have to ask them to pay for. I'd tell my dad that but then I'd get yelled at 'cause he's "willing to pay for anything my kids need," but which happens to not apply to a lot of things I want. I'm not blaming him or anything, he does his best, I just don't need to hear about it all the time.

I'm not saying my family is rich or anything, I'd say we're average. And I understand that to keep that we can't splurge on a lot of the "senseless" crap I want. But I figure that by getting a job I can worry about that stuff for myself and not have to sheepishly beg my parents for cash so often.

[stormrage112345]

Oooh that reminds me. This week, I got my first semi-steady job as a tutor for a girl. 10 dollars an hour is pretty good I guess.

[Garbad_the_Weak]

Take the job. Tell your dad you are mature enough to handle the time pressure of work and school. If you are right, you will have a huge leg up on a lot of your friends, many of whom won't get a job until they have the bad habits of freshman year of college. If you are wrong, your dad will be obligated to pay your way longer.

Win/Win.

Garbad

[TurbulentTurtle]

My parent's are the same way with me. I've been wanting a job for a while so I can pay for random crap if I go out with friends or whatever, but my parents won't allow me to get any jobs that seem "unprofessional".
I've been wanting to get a job at Staples for a while cause I know you get employee discounts there and I love pens, but my mom told me that there's no way she would let me do something like that since I don't gain anyone's respect by doing so.

I do see it from her point of view, so I signed up to officiate basketball games in our community, and I get piad 11-13$ a game and I do about 3 a week on weekends.

[PatMaGroin]

My first job was as a cashier at a grocery store. A busy one. I worked 35-38 hours a week, while going to school 35 hours a week. That sucked. Don't work that much. But 20 hours a week is fine, especially if they're closed on weekends or something. Go for it, you'll save up money fast and be able to buy things your parents wont get you, like a new computer, or car parts, which is where all my money went.

[Dredd]

']Anybody else have experience with teenage jobs? How they affected your academic performance or stuff like that?

I got my first job when I was 16. I was a pizza delivery dude - minimum wage + tips, long crappy hours (split shifts - I often slept in my car), and a boss who was always drunk, angry at the world, and whose favorite passtimes were docking pay and giving long lectures about his boxing career and (haha) hard-earned sobriety (while reeking of beer I might add). I kept that job for two years. I have no idea why.

Ah, the stories I could share - but I'll spare you ... this time.

Anyway, the job didn't really affect my grades much, but it did leave me pretty tired. I wanted the job for the same reasons you outlined - so I didn't have to beg my folks for spending money. More specifically, I wanted cash for gas and beer money but I was so tuckered out all the time that I ended up tossing it in the bank and using it for college instead. Talk about thwarting oneself ... :rolleyes:

I can't really tell you how well you can juggle a job and school - only you know the answer to that question. My only advice is to keep it part time and if it starts to wear you out - quit and consider working during the summer months instead.

[[exile]]

After a bit of yelling, my dad finally told me "ask your mother". And I'm 90% sure she'll tell me to get the job, so I guess I'm going to at least apply for the job and see where it goes from there.

Now, to make a CV.

... T_T I have no idea how to make one of these. If anyone's willing to offer some help on that, I'd appreciate it :D.

[VaN_haMMerSteIn]

']After a bit of yelling, my dad finally told me "ask your mother". And I'm 90% sure she'll tell me to get the job, so I guess I'm going to at least apply for the job and see where it goes from there.

Now, to make a CV.

... T_T I have no idea how to make one of these. If anyone's willing to offer some help on that, I'd appreciate it :D.

Well, since that's all done (Good on you)...
Dredd, please do share some of these stories. I love to drive, furthermor I love to race against the clock whiel driving... I have always wanted to be a delivery boy... just for fun. (And random *** ;) ) So, please.. do tell.

[AeroJonesy]

I've been wanting to get a job at Staples for a while cause I know you get employee discounts there and I love pens, but my mom told me that there's no way she would let me do something like that since I don't gain anyone's respect by doing so.

Employee discount at Staples is only 10%. But if you catch the PaperMate rep while he's in the store, you can score a free pen or two.

Even for a job like working at Staples, there's lots to be gained. Aside from the "what ink does my printer take?" questions, there's some probelm solving about what machine best suits a person's need. And you'll learn a good bit about printers, ink, toner, copiers, and all the machines that businesses use on a daily basis.

[memememe173]

I'd rather (I'd think) do something like Staples or Future Shop than McDs or Wendys.

[AeroJonesy]

I'd rather (I'd think) do something like Staples or Future Shop than McDs or Wendys.

As would everyone. I'd wager almost every single Staples pays their starting employees better than any McDonald's or Wendy's. Of course, it takes more knowledge to work at Staples or Future Shop.

[[exile]]

Holy crap. I completely missed Dredd's post while I was typing.

I'm bored of writing my French oral. So if you don't mind, stories would be nice :)

The American Eagle stores here give like 40% employee discounts. The closest I've seen after that was maybe 25%.

Hardware/electronics stores seemed pretty cool to me for a while, mainly because I wouldn't have to worry much about work clothes, what with the uniform polos and stuff. Any other clothing store, I'd either have to buy a bunch of their stuff, or buy a bunch of brandless stuff.

[PatMaGroin]

Well at my new job, the dress code consists of 'no shorts.'

Hella cool.

[Garbad_the_Weak]

Well at my new job, the dress code consists of 'no shorts.'Wear a miniskirt.

Garbad

[ragnar_ii]

']ragnar, my parents acually pay for all my school necessities. Up until even now, they've paid for my social life too. The only things I've ever bought with really my own money were clothes.

I figure by getting a job I'll be able to pay for my own social life, my own clothes, a lot of other things I'd normally have to ask them to pay for. I'd tell my dad that but then I'd get yelled at 'cause he's "willing to pay for anything my kids need," but which happens to not apply to a lot of things I want. I'm not blaming him or anything, he does his best, I just don't need to hear about it all the time.

I'm not saying my family is rich or anything, I'd say we're average. And I understand that to keep that we can't splurge on a lot of the "senseless" crap I want. But I figure that by getting a job I can worry about that stuff for myself and not have to sheepishly beg my parents for cash so often.

Oh, I pretty much have to pay for everything, execpt for a car and thats because I dont make any money that I can spare. But I have a brother that plays hockey at the price of about $2,000 plus equipment a year, a sister who lives at my parents house with her daugher, another sister who just finished highschool and thought it a good idea to not apply to college. So, although I always see myself at the short end of the stick financially I cant really complain and ask my parents for money. They arent gonna not help my sister with their granddaugher and my other sister COMPLETELY depends on them to live and my brother, well hes the youngest and the favorite, and a damn good hockey player. Sorry bout the rant, but thats where I was comming from when I said to start saving money for the future cuz since I didnt it is really hard right now.

Anyway, Good Luck with the job.

[cyclotronic]

Start a nasty drug habit, and if they refuse to pay for it use that as a reason you need this job.

[Dondrei]

I went through all of high school and undergrad without getting a job because I thought it would get in the way of getting good grades. I got excellent marks and now I'm doing a Masters, but it's really annoying not to have any real work experience to put on my resume. I advise you to take the job. As long as you do a pretty good job, a reference for your resume will be really handy.


I've been wanting to get a job at Staples for a while cause I know you get employee discounts there and I love pens, but my mom told me that there's no way she would let me do something like that since I don't gain anyone's respect by doing so.

Are you a member of the Kennedy family?

I think it's wierd that anyone would care so much about how much respect their son would get working at a stationary store.