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Why and how to encourage your children to get a summer job.
A major concern of many parents in the summertime is their children – how to get a job, avoid boredom or to stay out of trouble.
Keeping an open mind and creativity are needed for success, especially for teenagers wanting a summer job.
Landing a summer job is also great for a kid’s confidence and morale.
My case study for rewarding summer employment:
Being industrious and hardworking was a concern of my mom when growing up in Palm Springs, which largely became a ghost town in the summer. She wanted me to be productive and didn’t want me loafing around the house. She insisted I get a job.
If there were no jobs, I was encouraged to take summer classes. Most often, I got a job busing tables at exclusive restaurants, where I also enjoyed serving customers like J.C. Penney, Doris Day and Paul Harvey.
Later, as a college journalism student, one summer there weren’t any available jobs and my morale suffered. So I contacted some former high school teachers for advice. Some were teaching summer school classes, so they were accessible.
One 0f my former teachers asked about my career aspirations as a journalist, and he believed I had skills for success in broadcasting. He suggested I go to broadcasting school to earn the Federal Communications Commission First Class (FCC) License to get a job in radio. At that time, the license was the best-possible way for entry into radio because all radio stations were required to employ FCC First Class License holders. I toured the southern California broadcasting schools, and selected my best option — an electronic theory class at the Don Martin School of Broadcasting in Hollywood to obtain the FCC license.
During a six-week course, I stayed at the legendary Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood (the school and hotel had an affordable deal for students). The arduous class was held 12 hours per day, six days a week. Years later, one of my most-satisfying career thrills was when I received a postcard from the FCC certifying I had passed the federal exam and that my license was in the mail. I was immediately hired for an on-air radio job in my hometown before returning for my junior year in college.
The license continued to give me a competitive edge over my competiting job seekers because radio stations were required to have at least one employee on duty with a First-Class license. The license and work experience continued to give me a competitive edge for employment in radio for many years.
But summer jobs in this day and age are often hard for kids to find. They face high unemployment rates. Creativity is the ticket to success.
It’s vital for a teen’s emotional growth and healthy self esteem to get advice but conduct a job search without any parental help. Long-term for your teen’s self confidence, I don’t advise parents to do the actual footwork.
It’s vital for a teen’s emotional growth and healthy self esteem to get advice but conduct a job search without any parental help.
Six ideas:
1. Suggest your teen check around to create a job. Canvass the neighborhood for odd jobs. Can lawns be mowed? Does an elderly neighbor need help? Who do you and your child know to give you ideas?
2. Suggest considering volunteer work. It will enhance your child’s self esteem, and will provide valuable experience.
3. Teens can contact local businesses and nonprofits, and inquire about being an unpaid intern or volunteer. A good employer pays interns. Whether it’s a nursery, TV station or homeless shelter, some lead to paying positions.
4. Students can contact successful businesspeople in their majors asking for a meeting to get advice on their studies or career. (Once as a junior in college in asking for an appointment, a TV station executive immediately interviewed me as a staff announcer.)
5. Whenever possible, make the inquiry in person. Your child will stand out in the crowd. It will also add to your child’s self esteem.
6. In the event an inquiry doesn’t lead to a job or internship, ask for two referrals. (“What are the names of two people, who might be able to use me?”)
With a little resourcefulness, your child can stay busy, earn some money, learn a work ethic and possibly lay the ground work for a successful career later in life.
From the Coach’s Corner, here’s some information regarding student loans:
Drowning in Student-Loan Debt? How to Pay it Off ASAP – You’re not alone if you’re drowning in student-loan debt. Here’s what you can do to stay afloat.
5 Solutions to Ease the Pain of Your Student Loan Debt – If you’ve had a student loan, chances are you know the pain of trying to repay it. If you’re struggling to pay it off, here are five options.
“Information’s pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience.”
-Clarence Day
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