Every household has different views on teen employment.
Whether they’re necessary to support the household, a good setting for life-experiences or a way to save up for further education, there’s no denying that part-time jobs are an important rite of passage.
It’s imperative for students new to the workforce to know their full worth, their worker rights and the wide variety of employment options available to them, so that their first job may be an enjoyable experience, and not an exploitative one! Keep reading to get your brain juices BOILING and to have a jumping off point in your job search. You'll see, you don’t necessarily have to work shifts till 2am at your local NoFrills!
Points we’ll cover:
- Know: What do you hope to get from your job? Your personal limits and preferences.
- Know: where to look, how to ask and apply.
- Know: your worker rights.
Before we begin, it bears mentioning immediately that any type of work is honourable work, no work should be demeaned or workers discriminated against! Liking or disliking a certain type of employment is just a reflection of personal preference and capability.
Your expectations
Having a job is a choice. Either decided upon by the individual, their family, or both.
Unless you seek out a job, it won’t come running, so you might as well search for jobs you’re well suited for, because jumping from job to job, quitting after a matter of months because the culture and work environment is toxic, comes up looking problematic on your resume. Shark tank star and angel investor Kevin O’leary shared in an interview, that upon seeing a string of short commitments to different employers and jobs on someone’s resume, their job application is instantly put in the NO pile (Vega). It’s much better to get it right the first time, because the longer you stay in one position of employment, the more responsible, committed and successful at your job you’ll appear to future employers!
Of course, getting it right the first time can be very difficult- so do your research! Don’t lie to yourself about what you can tolerate and what you enjoy, because staying in unhappy employment is more taxing on you than jumping around.
Answer the following questions for yourself:
What locations are you comfortable with or can accommodate? What commute lengths?
Getting to your job can sometimes be half the battle. I’ve watched many friends miss the bus after school, only call for an Uber to get to work in time for their shift. That Uber fee is often a substantial portion of their shift’s earnings! If possible, choose your location mindfully. Have it be close to your school if you work after classes, or have it close to your house if you work early mornings or late nights.
What is your availability like? How committed can you be to a set schedule?
Many jobs require a high level of commitment. Either it’s a small business with very minimal staff, or a very tightly strung chain store that has company-wide policies to uphold. You may not have the liberty of hiding in a sea of employees, and you’ll have lots of individual responsibility! Contemplate how capable you are at keeping up with strict scheduling, busy shifts and work quotas.
Are you an employee?
It may sound like a silly question, but be introspective, think- are you good at taking orders from a clear superior, as well as taking constructive criticism? Some people really value creative, intellectual freedom, as well as general freedom within a workplace. If you find yourself incapable of being an average employee at an average minimum wage job, don’t stress! There are many like you. You may be better off starting your own side hustle where you’re your own boss- like tutoring, virtual tutoring, babysitting or all manner of tasks within the gig economy (Investopedia). You could also look into small business options with more laid back management styles.
What are your priorities? How will a job commitment affect those positively or negatively?
If you're a student, there is the obvious risk of your job getting in the way of your studies, or maybe an extracurricular or sport you’re seriously devoted to. Depending on how important marks or extracurricular performances are to your continued education, career path, or life path, plan work commitments accordingly! Maybe choose employment where you’ll be sure to have plenty of down-time to do homework if you have long shifts, or if you tutor, babysit or work by appointment, schedule your work hours around study sessions. If work isn’t your number one priority by necessity, don’t make it that.
Where to look:
Now that you know what you want and would like to avoid, it’s time to find prospective workplaces.
Here are some common ways teens may find work and where you can call to inquire and email or drop off your resumes (just because they aren't actively hiring doesn't mean they won't accept your resume and consider it later):
At a big established company (a chain NoFrills, Value Village, Cineplex, Tim Hortons, Home Depot)
Depending on who you are, these may be a good option for you, as they are almost always hiring and don’t require much previous experience. Since they’re also big companies, they'll look impactful and professional on your resume, especially if you’re promoted to positions with more responsibility, like being floor manager or shift manager. There are also often many employees, so it’s likely that your colleagues will be able to take or trade shifts with you when needed.
At a small business (your local artisanal ice cream shop, pet store, plant store, coffee shop)
With many small businesses having suffered due to the pandemic, there are two common situations they’ll find themselves in: either needing more help than ever, or fully closing shop. Small businesses looking to hire (not biased at all :D) are my favorite employment options. The environment is often much more personal, comfortable and laid back, with individual employees feeling a sense of community and devotion to their jobs. You find yourself caring about how the business does and responsibilities you have to keep the place running instead of grudgingly going through the motions.
Choose the right place and you’ll be valued. You may have more shift flexibility, more generous perks like sizable store discounts and free merch than at a city or big company job.
Of course, there is a downside to this culture of chillness. In such a culture, it’s also a lot easier to get taken advantage of. Your colleagues and boss may come to depend on you too much on a personal level, asking for favours and energy that extends past professionalism and your job description. Lowly regulated small businesses are a mixed bag; they can be fantastic workplaces but only if you choose carefully. During interviews, make sure to ask lots of your own questions about the culture and workplace dynamic, take employment recommendations from trusted peers and speak to current or past employees if possible, to try and avoid any exploitative situations.
Through the teen gig economy (online and in person tutoring, web design services, caregiving)
Here, you make your own rules, within reason of course. You’re offering a service that you’ll be charging people for, so your price has to be within the consumer’s reasonable limits, maybe even cheaper than average to get more traction. You learn how to manage yourself and all different types of responsibilities like scheduling, collecting payments and following through on your agreements.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed as a teen dealing with adults in business transactions, and you may find yourself in situations where you’re treated disrespectfully, unprofessionally or are being offered payment less than what your services are worth. Know that you do not have to accept every potential client! Have a trusted adult or mature peer to talk you through your own rules as a reminder every now and then, on the occasions where you start to make too many self-sacrificing decisions (like cutting your fees way too low to gain a client).
Know your rights!
It's a brutal world out there and while a healthy workplace should do all the policy heavy lifting for you, you can never be too careful when it comes to your safety, mental health, happiness and general well-being. Here are some resources on your rights within the workplace, as well as the compensation you should be getting. Watch the first 7 min video!
Videos:
Some key points to remember, are that:
-you’re allowed to refuse dangerous work,
- your employer has an obligation towards you to provide you with safety training if necessary as well as carry out safety precautions,
- while it is your responsibility to make your employers aware of any unsafe situations taking place.
Canadian Government Sites:
What Young Workers Should Know | Ministry of Labour What minimum wage are you qualified for?
In closing...
Be safe out there! Know that putting in the time to choose your job with purpose and considering your many needs, capabilities and future plans will lead you to work you're proud of and can tolerate! You'll finally get to complain about being a classically useful member within society and the economy. Yes!
Written by: Emma M
Resources
Leather, Ariel. “Kevin O'Leary Net Worth 2018 - Updated Income Figures.” Gazette Review, 16 Apr. 2017, https://gazettereview.com/2016/12/kevin-oleary-net-worth-rich-kevin-oleary/.
Team, The Investopedia. “Gig Economy.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 22 Oct. 2021, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gig-economy.asp.
Vega, Nicolas. When Kevin O'Leary Sees This Resume Red Flag, 'I Simply Put It into the Garbage', 4 Nov. 2021, https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/careersandeducation/when-kevin-oleary-sees-this-resume-red-flag-i-simply-put-it-into-the-garbage/ar-AAQkpmB.
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