By Lily Bourne
Walking into the Student Services office a year ago, I innocently located the paper that would alter my life immensely throughout the next year: a work permit. Eagerly, I filled out the required fields and began my search for a job that would satisfy my requirements. I wanted to do something I was interested in, make enough money to buy myself Yogurtland after field hockey games, and not hate my coworkers. A tall order? Perhaps. Luckily, I found an opening at Summer Winds Nursery where I happily work now. However, many of my peers have not been so lucky. Countless stories regarding weird customer interactions, grueling hours, and endless searches for open positions come to my mind when considering the plausibility of finding a perfect work environment as a teenager.
Speaking with one of my friends, I listen as she recounts an instance when her boss left her alone to close up the plant shop she works at. A pretty normal experience, other than the fact that it was her first day on the job. Another friend chimes in, describing her experiences working at a local bookstore. One customer would steal books from outside and sell them back to people on the corner across the street. When stopped by the police, he threatened to burn down the store. Both friends chose these stores because of their connection to their interests: plants and books. However, even with an emotional investment in their work, they still face situations that challenge their enjoyment. This isn’t simply to state that jobs aren’t perfect; that’s a simple concept that pretty much everyone in the workforce can relate to. Rather, these experiences resonate with a uniquely teenage perspective of the workforce. When hiring teenagers, managers know to expect obedient kids with little to no experience. Due to this unbalanced power dynamic, extra responsibilities are thrust upon new hires, as managers know they won’t fight back. Just like one friend had to close the store all by herself, others have mentioned strenuous 8-hour shifts serving disgruntled customers, minimal breaks, and no commissions for extra work selling products. Yes, these are problems that affect all ages and sectors of the workforce, but teenagers present a unique opportunity for managers to take advantage of.
In addition, specific situations with customers often prove unnavigable for inexperienced teenagers, causing excessive stress and confusion. Like my friend at the bookstore, I had some questionable interactions with weird customers. Steve, a regular at Summer Winds, had dementia and was convinced he worked at our store. He made many of my coworkers uncomfortable as he often stood at the registers and would not leave the cashiers alone until a manager shooed him away. My coworkers frequently hid in the breakroom or on opposite sides of the store, so I was left to deal with this man on my own. While he didn’t bother me, many of my coworkers often argued that it was “above our paygrade” to deal with mentally disturbed customers; we weren’t trained on how to handle delicate situations like the demented elderly. Just as I, the inexperienced teenage cashier, was left to my own devices in an unfamiliar, possibly harmful situation, many of my peers have described similar experiences with customers and coworkers. The power dynamics of the workplace put newer hires in more difficult positions, which inevitably comes down to teenagers working new jobs.
However, with all that considered, it’s still incredibly important for teenagers to experience being a part of the workforce. Yes, I know that sounds contradictory, but the reality is that the issues teenagers face in the workplace are no different than the issues adults face in the workplace. Facing these new situations with little experience does feel taxing and stressful, but it provides life experience that can not be taught. Dealing with difficult customers fosters conflict-resolution skills. Attempting to discern what an angry woman yelling in another language is trying to say, while scary in the moment, allows you to practice responding under high-pressure situations. Listening to coworkers discuss their divorces when you haven’t even graduated high school builds empathy and provides advice for future pivotal moments. Even more, the professional environment forces teens to confront the expectations of adult life. No amount of procrastination, Chat GPT, and friends’ homework answers can get you out of showing up for your 8 am shift on Sunday morning. The responsibilities of a job realistically carry greater weight than school deadlines can ever place on students. Rather than attempting to simulate the importance of communication, self-reliance, and management, jobs just expect those skills from their employees. If teens can’t keep up with those expectations, they don’t face a meaningless “F” in the gradebook; instead, they risk losing their jobs altogether.
So while teenage jobs are far from glamorous–often filled with concerning customer interactions, weird coworkers, and tiring hours–they present irreplaceable opportunities to prepare for the “real world”. More effectively than school ever could, jobs provide teenagers with interpersonal and intrapersonal skills that extend well into their adult lives.